MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an abundant class of 20-27 nt long noncoding RNAs, involved in post-transcriptional regulation of genes in eukaryotes. These miRNAs are usually highly conserved between the genomes of related organisms and their pre-miRNA transcript, about 60-120 nt long, forms extended stem-loop structure. Keeping these facts in mind miRsearch is developed which relies on searching the homologues of all known miRNAs of one organism in the genome of a related organism allowing few mismatches depending on the phylogenetic distance between them, followed by assessing for the capability of formation of stem-loop structure. The precursor sequences so obtained were then screened through the RNA folding program MFOLD selecting the cut-off values on the basis of known Drosophila melanogaster pre-miRNAs. With this approach, about 91 probable candidate miRNAs along with pre-miRNAs were identified in Anopheles gambiae using known D. melanogaster miRNAs. Out of these, 41 probable miRNAs have 100% similarity with already known D. melanogaster miRNAs and others were found to be at least 85% similar to the miRNAs of various other organisms.
Acalypha indica is the important medicinal herb found commonly on the waste land and roadsides throughout India. Their various uses in traditional medicine are for curative properties against inflammation, rheumatism, respiratory disorders, fever, bacterial infection and jaundice. The mosquito control potential of common indigenous plant, Acalypha indica. Mosquito species used for toxicity bioassay are Culex quinquefasciatus, Anopheles gambiae and Armigeres subalbatus. Acalypha indica activities of the plant extracts vary according to the species. The mortality rate of 4th stage larva at 5% concentration was significantly higher than the mortality, rates at 1%, 2%, 3% and 4% concentrations of crude plant extract at 12 hours and 24 h exposure. A higher mortality rate was observed at 24 h bioassay than at 12 h. Since these plants are available very easily and cheaply, we can use these extracts in the field.
JavaScript is turned off in your web browser. Turn it on to take full advantage of this site, then refresh the page.