Natural occurrence of yellow vein disease on Amaranthus cruentus was observed at Lucknow, India in the year 2008. The causal virus was successfully transmitted through whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) from diseased A. cruentus to healthy seedlings of A. cruentus and other test species which indicated begomovirus infection. The begomovirus DNA-A, betasatellite, and alphasatellite components associated with yellow vein disease were amplified by rolling circle amplification using Ø-29 DNA polymerase from diseased A. cruentus and characterized by their sequence analyses. The begomovirus DNA-A genome contained six ORFs: AV2 and AV1 in virion sense and AC3, AC2, AC1, and AC4 in complementary sense strand; and a non-translated intergenic region having the conserved geminiviral nonanucleotide sequence. The virus isolate showed 97-99% sequence identities and close phylogenetic relationships with various isolates of Ageratum enation virus (AgEV); therefore, the isolate under study was identified as AgEV. The beta- and alphasatellite molecules were also identified to be associated with the disease based on their high sequence identities and close phylogenetic relationships with the respective molecules reported worldwide. Co-infiltration of agro-infectious clones of AgEV DNA-A and its betasatellite DNA induced leaf curl and enation symptoms after 25-35 days on A. cruentus, Nicotiana benthamiana, and N. glutinosa plants. We report the association of AgEV, betasatellite and alphasatellite components with yellow vein disease of A. cruentus from India.

Genetic factors cause about 15% of male infertility and microdeletions of Y chromosome is one of the genetic causes in idiopathic infertile men. Azoospermia factors (AZFa, AZFb, and AZFc) on Yq long arm are most important for spermatogenesis. For analysis of microdeletions in the AZF regions by sequence-tagged-site (STS) PCR is important screening method for infertility. An attempt has been made to evaluate the frequencies of microdeletions of AZFa, AZFb, AZFc in idiopathic cases of azoospermic and oligozoospermic subjects. Total 160 subjects (90 oligozoospermia and 70 azoospermia) and 50 control subjects were analyzed in this study. DNA samples were analyzed for microdeletions of Y chromosome by PCR-screening of 18 STS markers from different locus of the AZFa, AZFb, AZFc on Yq and SRY on Yp. The semen analysis was done and infertile men showing normal karyotype only were included in the study. Plasma follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and leutinizating hormone concentrations were determined to rule out hormonal abnormality. Out of 160 analyzed cases, 17 (10.6%) subjects showed partial deletion of AZF regions, of which deletion in AZFc region was the most common (58.8%) and it was followed by AZFb and AZFa. The four subjects were shown two or more STS primer deleted sites and overall frequency of Y chromosome microdeletion in our subjects is 10.6%. The sites and sizes of deletions varied among patients. No deletions observed in control subjects. The varied frequencies of Y microdeletions are reported in infertile men in Indian population. From the results of this study it can be suggest that the frequency of deletions may be affected by study sample size, selection criteria of subjects and different geographical region. So, the screening of Y microdeletions is necessary along with the chromosomal analysis in case of infertile men.

A distinct strain of hollyhock yellow vein mosaic virus (HoYVMV) and Ludwigia leaf distortion betasatellite (LuLDB) were associated with yellow vein mosaic of hollyhock. The viral DNA genome (JQ911766) and betasatellite (JQ408216) shared highest nucleotide sequence identity (89.2 %) with HoYVMV (the only available sequence in GenBank) and 92 % identity with LuLDB. Agroinfiltration of HoYVMV and LuLDB induced yellow vein mosaic symptoms on hollyhock, thereby demonstrating causality of the disease.

The infertility affects about 15% of couples and male factors being responsible about 40-50%. In male infertility, genetic abnormalities of Y chromosome play crucial role in spermatogenesis defect. Y chromosome q arm having Azoospermia factor region (AZFa, AZFb, and AZFc) are most important for spermatogenesis. Here, we investigated the frequencies of Y-chromosome microdeletions using three sets of multiplex PCR in idiopathic cases of azoospermia. We studied a total of 110 infertile male with non-obstructive azoospermia subjects & 50 fertile control subjects. All DNA samples were used for Y chromosome microdeletions analysis by using 11 STS markers in three different multiplex PCR of AZF regions. Out of 110 infertile azoospermic males, 14 (12.72%) infertile males showed partial deletion of AZF regions using three sets of multiplex PCR group. In the AZF microdeletions of infertile males, individually AZFc region was the most deletions sites (10%) followed by AZFb (6.36%) and AZFa (1.81%). The sites and sizes of microdeletions differ in all infertile azoospermic males who showed at least two or more STS markers microdeletions. The frequency of Y chromosome microdeletions in our azoospermic infertile males is 12.72%. We conclude that Y chromosome microdeletions frequency in azoospermic infertile males is higher than other infertile group due to severe impairment in spermatogenesis. Multiplex PCR screening of microdeletions is very useful and time saving technique when used more number of STS markers. It will be great help to infertility clinics for genetic counseling and assisted reproduction.

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