In this study, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)-based molecular marker was developed for authentication of Catharanthus roseus, a medicinal plant. Samples of this plant were collected from different geographical locations in India. Random amplified polymorphic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis of collected samples was carried out with 25 random primers. A 610-bp DNA fragment, common to all accessions, was eluted, cloned, and sequenced. Four LAMP primers were designed on the basis of sequence of 610 bp DNA fragment. LAMP reaction, containing 10× Bst DNA polymerase reaction buffer, Bst DNA polymerase, four in-house designed primers, dNTPs, MgSO(4), and betaine, was incubated at 65°C for 1 h. The resulting amplicon was visualized by adding SYBR Green I to the reaction tube. The data showed confirmatory results. Since the assay method is simple, sensitive, and cost-effective, it is a feasible method for identifying and authentication of C. roseus.

Brassica juncea is mainly cultivated in the arid and semi-arid regions of India where its production is significantly affected by soil salinity. Adequate knowledge of the mechanisms underlying the salt tolerance at sub-cellular levels must aid in developing the salt-tolerant plants. A proper functioning of chloroplasts under salinity conditions is highly desirable to maintain crop productivity. The adaptive molecular mechanisms offered by plants at the chloroplast level to cope with salinity stress must be a prime target in developing the salt-tolerant plants. In the present study, we have analyzed differential expression of chloroplast proteins in two Brassica juncea genotypes, Pusa Agrani (salt-sensitive) and CS-54 (salt-tolerant), under the effect of sodium chloride. The chloroplast proteins were isolated and resolved using 2DE, which facilitated identification and quantification of 12 proteins that differed in expression in the salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive genotypes. The identified proteins were related to a variety of chloroplast-associated molecular processes, including oxygen-evolving process, PS I and PS II functioning, Calvin cycle and redox homeostasis. Expression analysis of genes encoding differentially expressed proteins through real time PCR supported our findings with proteomic analysis. The study indicates that modulating the expression of chloroplast proteins associated with stabilization of photosystems and oxidative defence plays imperative roles in adaptation to salt stress.

Stimuli-responsive drug delivery system is a concept in which a drug is delivered at a suitable rate in response to stimuli. States of diseases may cause an alteration in some parameters of the body (e.g. in tumors) and the onset and offset of the drug delivery can be done by using this as a stimuli or a "trigger". Stimuli-responsive ("intellectual" or "sharp") resources and molecules show abrupt property changes in response to miniature changes in external stimuli such as pH, temperature etc. For regulated drug delivery, environmental stimuli such as pH and temperature, which undertake phase transition in polymer system, have been investigated. Thermally-responsive polymers can be tuned to a preferred temperature variety by copolymerization with a hydrophilic co-monomer or a hydrophobic co-monomer. Hydrophilic co-monomers increase the LCST while hydrophobic co-monomers decrease the LCST. The stimuli responsive polymer for regulated drug delivery can contain a polymer and copolymers having equilibrium of hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. A number of these polymers have been investigated extensively and some success in drug delivery with them has been achieved, such as polymers and copolymers of N-isopropylacrylamide, PLGA, and PLA, HEMA etc. Thus this review is designed for stimuli pH and temperature responsive polymeric nanoparticles, which would be helpful to treat various cronic diseases such as cancer and others, for scientists in the fi eld of the regulated drug delivery system.

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Development of effective and sustainable water treatment processes is the need‐of‐the‐hour for addressing the global water crisis. Here, we report the synthesis of a plasmon‐molecule coupled nanocomposite (NC) and its photosensitization properties in solution and on thin films. Our results indicate that the thin films exhibit excellent stability at different temperatures and pH conditions and that the plasmonic photoexcitations result in efficient generation of singlet oxygen. The thin film serves as a heterogeneous photocatalyst for the degradation of a variety of water pollutants and pesticides. This approach thus offers a low‐cost, environmental friendly and singlet oxygen mediated photocatalytic solution for degrading organic contaminants.