http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/65830 Fri, 09 Oct 2026 15:12:12 GMT 2026-10-09T15:12:12Z http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/65840 Title: Exploring the role of plant associating bacteria as bioinoculants and their beneficial effects in phytostimulation: A review Authors: Aribindi, Akshay; Kumar Upadhyayula, Maruthi; Krishna Boggula, Vamsi; Reddy Vundela, Shwetha Abstract: With an increase in global demand for food without unwanted environmental issues stresses a need for sustainable agriculture. Up till now, conventional agricultural methods focused on obtaining great crop yields from the use of chemical fertilizers but overlooked the hazardous concerns that are leading to soil depletion. These chemical fertilizers adversely affect soil structure, decrease fertility, damage soil flora, and lead to soil erosion. In this scenario, understanding the natural mechanisms of plant-microbe interactions in the rhizospheric environment can potentially lead a way towards eco-friendly agriculture, as the plant associating bacteria prompting phytostimulation can be the key players in unlocking sustainable alternative for conventional fertilizers. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) are a distinct class of soil microorganisms that promote plant growth and yields by enhancing nutrient delivery and shielding the plants against diseases. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as Rhizobium and Azotobacter, for instance, fix atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form for plants, which minimizes synthetic fertilizers' requirement. Some other PGPB genera such as Pseudomonas and Bacillus induce root and shoot elongation by synthesizing phytohormones. These bacteria also provide protection to plants by synthesizing antimicrobial substances and increasing the competitive nature of the rhizosphere. Bacteria like Azospirillum, Enterobacter, and Flavobacterium also stimulate plant growth by producing phytohormones under specific environmental conditions. Utilization of PGPB as bio-stimulants in agriculture is a promising method for sustainable agriculture, minimizing dependence on chemical fertilizers and maintaining soil health. This approach would play an important role in sustaining a balanced ecosystem along with increasing agricultural productivity. Page(s): 567-575 Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/65840 2025-05-01T00:00:00Z http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/65839 Title: The effects of lipoic acid on rat submandibular salivary gland in valproic acid induced oxidative stress Authors: Alev-Tuzuner, Burcin; Burcu Turkyilmaz-Mutlu, Ismet; Ipekci, Hazal; Veli Ustundag, Unsal; Tunali-Akbay, Tugba; Emekli-Alturfan, Ebru; Akyuz, Serap; Yanardag, Refiye; Yarat, Aysen; Ahmad, Sarfraz Abstract: Valproic acid (VA), an anticonvulsant drug, has been associated with various toxic effects, primarily through the induction of oxidative stress. This study aimed to investigate the potential protective role of alpha lipoic acid (LA), a potent antioxidant, against VA-induced oxidative damage in rat submandibular salivary glands. Control, LA, VA, and VA+LA are groups. LA was given 1 h prior to VA administration. After 16 days VA injection, the rats were decapitated, and submandibular salivary glands were taken, homogenized, and examined by biochemical analyses. Biochemical analyses showed that submandibular salivary gland glutathione (GSH) level, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities decreased; malondialdehyde (MDA), sialic acid (SA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels, tissue factor activity increased significantly in the VA group compared to the control group. No significant changes were found in catalase and myeloperoxidase activities. In the VA group, LA administration caused significant increases in GSH and NO levels; decreases in MDA, SA levels and SOD, GST activities. These findings suggest that LA may offer a protective effect against VA-induced oxidative damage in the salivary glands, potentially through its antioxidant properties. This study highlights the therapeutic potential of LA in mitigating oxidative stress and tissue damage induced by VA. Page(s): 576-583 Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/65839 2025-05-01T00:00:00Z http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/65838 Title: Exploring benzothiazole derivatives: Promising PLK1 Inhibitors for cancer therapy through Virtual screening, Molecular docking, and ADMET evaluation Authors: Patel, Shivkant; Shah, Ashish; Kumar Sen, Ashim Abstract: The search for effective cancer therapies has driven significant interest in targeting Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1), a crucial regulator of cell cycle progression, mitosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, autophagy, and DNA replication. Over expression of PLK1 is frequently observed in various cancers, making it a promising therapeutic target. Given the need for novel and potent PLK1 inhibitors, this study investigates the benzothiazole-containing drug 5f-203, known for inducing cell cycle arrest, as a potential PLK1 inhibitor. Using the PubChem database, novel PLK1 inhibitors were identified with 5f-203 (clinical trial, Phase 1) as the reference molecule. A comprehensive computational approach, including virtual screening, ligand and protein preparation, grid building, and molecular docking, was employed to evaluate co-crystallized ligand 5f-203, screened molecules, and newly designed compounds (N1-N6). Protein validation using ProSA (-7.9), ERRAT (95.36%), and the Ramachandran plot (84.1% residues in favored regions) confirmed model reliability. Lipinski’s rule was applied as an additional filter, and molecular docking revealed binding affinity values ranging from -8.82 to -7.73 kcal/mol, with molecule P1 exhibiting the highest affinity (-8.82 kcal/mol). Interaction analysis showed that 5f-203 formed H-bonds with Arg120 and NH2, while Ala66, Arg122, and Ile118 contributed to pi-alkyl interactions. Newly designed compounds (N1-N6) outperformed 5f-203 in docking scores, with synthetic accessibility below 4.5. ADMET studies further supported their drug-like potential. These findings suggest that the top 10 screened hits and newly designed benzothiazole derivatives hold promise as PLK1 inhibitors, offering a potential avenue for cancer therapy. Page(s): 584-595 Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/65838 2025-05-01T00:00:00Z http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/65837 Title: Virtual screening and molecular dynamic simulation to identify the potent SOX2-inhibiting drugs Authors: Sai Pathivada, Vagdevi; Bandyopadhyay, Anannya; Chhabra, Ravindresh Abstract: Sex-determining region of Y-box2 (SOX2) is a master regulator of embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. SOX2 is also implicated in epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and chemoresistance of cancer cells. Moreover, SOX2 has been described as a biomarker for cancer stem cells in cervical cancer, sarcoma, ovarian cancer, colorectal cancer, head and neck cancer and glioblastoma. The high expression of SOX2 is also negatively correlated with the overall survival of cancer patients which makes it an attractive target for cancer therapy. The current study was intended to identify SOX2 inhibitors with a high binding affinity. Structure based virtual screening was carried out on approved medications against SOX2 with the help of AutoDock VINA, which is included in the PyRx 0.8 package. The compound with the highest affinity was then examined, and structurally comparable compounds were docked to SOX2 protein once again in order to discover a new and more effective inhibitor molecule against SOX2. The docking analysis revealed apatinib as the most efficient anti-SOX2 drug among the known drug molecules. A structural derivative of apatinib, N-(4-Phenoxyphenyl)-2-[(Pyridin-4-ylmethyl) amino] nicotinamide, was identified as an even more effective inhibitor of SOX2 than apatinib. Page(s): 596-606 Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/65837 2025-05-01T00:00:00Z