Abstract: CrV1, a polydisperse DNA virus (polydnavirus or PDV) gene contributes to the suppression of host immunity in Cotesia genus parasitoids. Its molecular evolution was analyzed in relation to levels of resistance in the sympatric host species. Natural selection for nonsynonymous substitutions (positive Darwinian selection) was observed at specific amino acid sites among CrV1 variants; particularly, between parasitoid strains immune suppressive and nonimmune suppressive to the main resi...
Abstract: Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is an important food security crop with economic, nutritional, and medicinal value. It is a source of carbohydrates for millions of people in tropical and sub-tropical regions of Africa, Asia, South America, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific Islands. Determining the appropriate parents for breeding programs is the most important decision that plant breeders must make to maximize genetic variability and produce excellent recombinant varieties. However, adequa...
Abstract: Entomopathogenic fungi have been explored as a potential biopesticide to counteract the insecticide resistance issue in mosquitoes. However, little is known about the possibility that genetic resistance to fungal biopesticides could evolve in mosquito populations. Here, we detected an important genetic component underlying Anopheles coluzzii survival after exposure to the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae. A familiality study detected variation for survival among wild ...
Abstract: Endophytic entomopathogenic species are known to systematically colonize host plants and form symbiotic associations that benefit the plants they live with. The actin-depolymerizing factors (ADFs) are a group of gene family that regulate growth, development, and defense-related functions in plants. Systematic studies of ADF family at the genome-wide level and their expression in response to endophytic colonization are essential to understand its functions but are currently lacking ...
Abstract: Plants are master regulators of rhizosphere ecology, secreting a complex mixture of compounds into the soil, collectively termed plant root exudate. Root exudate composition is highly dynamic and functional, mediating economically important interactions between plants and a wide range of soil organisms. Currently we know very little about the molecular basis of root exudate composition, which is a key hurdle to functional exploitation of root exudates for crop improvement. Root exp...
ABSTRACT Background: Hypertension is a public health challenge due to its high prevalence, and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. This study was designed to determine the frequency of the I/D polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene and its association with hypertension in a sample population of Calabar and Uyo, South-South Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A population-based case control design consisting of total of 1224 participants, 612 each of patients and co...
Abstract Every year thousands of people died due to malarial infection, mainly in developingcountries and under developed countries. In most of these places, the infected persons ‘age isbelow five and pregnant women are also affected by malaria, this is due to weak and poorimmunity. Another important reason is lack of awareness about malarial infection. In future, dueto climatic change, disease spreading population of mosquito will increase. It leads to a chanc...
The chromosomes of two cyprinid fishes of the genus Barbus; B. callipterus and B. parablabes were assessed in this study with a view to providing baseline information about the diploid chromosome number, karyotype and morphology. This study reveals that B. callipterus has a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 50, fundamental number of autosomal arms (NFa) of 66, and karyotype formula: 2n = 4m + 6sm + 6st +34T. On the other hand, B. parablabes has a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 50, fundamen...
Background: ABO and Rhesus factor (Rh) blood type are germane in human life in genetics and clinicalstudies.Aim of the study: The review was undertaken with the objective to provide data on the ABO and Rh(D)blood group distribution and gene frequency across Nigeria which is vital for blood transfusion and susceptibility to disease.Materials and methods: Literature search for ABO/Rh blood distribution in Nigeria was done and allele frequencies of A, B, O, D and d were calculated from the frequ...
This work describes the role of NAFDAC in the regulation of clinical trials in Nigeria. Clinical trials are experiments or observation done in clinical research. Such prospective biomedical or behavioural research studies on human participants are designed to answer specific questions about biomedical or behavioural interventions, including new treatments (such as novel vaccines, drugs, dietary choices, dietary supplements and medical device...