Cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels are nonselective cation channels opened by binding of intracellular cyclic GMP or cyclic AMP. CNG channels mediate sensory transduction in the rods and cones of the retina and in olfactory sensory neurons, but in addition, CNG channels are also expressed elsewhere in the central nervous system, where their physiological roles have not yet been well defined. Besides the CNG channel subtypes that mediate vision and olfaction, zebrafish has an additional subtype, CNGA5, which is expressed almost exclusively in the brain. We have generated CNGA5-specific monoclonal antibodies, which we use here to show that immunoreactivity for CNGA5 channels is highly enriched in synaptic terminals of a discrete set of neurons that project to a subregion of the pituitary, as well as diffusely in the brain and spinal cord. Double labeling with a variety of antibodies against pituitary hormones revealed that CNGA5 is located in the terminals of neuroendocrine cells that secrete the nonapeptide hormone/transmitter isotocin in the neurohypophysis, brain, and spinal cord. Furthermore, we show that CNGA5 channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes are highly permeable to Ca 2+ , which suggests that the channels are capable of modulating isotocin release in the zebrafish brain and pituitary. Isotocin is the teleost homolog of the mammalian hormone oxytocin, and like oxytocin, it regulates reproductive and social behavior. Therefore, the high calcium permeability of CNGA5 channels and their strategic location in isotocinsecreting synaptic terminals suggest that activation of CNGA5 channels in response to cyclic nucleotide signaling may have wide-ranging neuroendocrine and behavioral effects. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. NIH Public Access Author ManuscriptNeuroscience. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2011 January 13. Barnstable et al., 2004). In keeping with this idea, CNG channels have been reported to modulate transmitter release at synaptic terminals of retinal photoreceptors (Rieke and Schwartz, 1994;Savchenko et al., 1997), in addition to their role in phototransduction. Also, in the mammalian olfactory bulb, Murphy and Isaacson (2003) have shown that in response to moderate elevations in cyclic nucleotides, presynaptic CNG channels increase Ca 2+ entry and thereby enhance spontaneous transmitter release. However, in response to large elevations in cyclic nucleotides, CNG channel opening decreases evoked transmitter release, most likely by depolarizing the presynaptic terminal and thus inducing Na + channel inactivation.CNG channel...

Biosurfactants, which are surface-dynamic specialists that can lessen both surface and interfacial pressure, have been seen as helpful for a long time. In the food business, they are utilized for adjustment, surface and taste improvement, and timeframe of realistic usability lengthening. The soaps, personal care and consumer product sector utilize nearly 60% of all surfactants. This envisaged in the present study to collect 70 different soil samples from Hub Road, Karachi port, Saeed Abad, Site area, Korangi industrial area, Gadani, Ettehad town, Baldi town Soil samples were inoculated to mineral salt medium containing 0.1% crude oil and incubated on ambient temperature for 48 hours. After incubation samples were serially diluted by 10 folds dilution up to four consecutive dilutions and last two dilution was plated on nutrient agar. Screening of isolates were carried out on the basis of drop collapse assay, hemolysis, and oil spreading methods. Out of 80 only 14 found positive for drop collapse assay and oil spreading methods and among these only 5 were hemolytic. Identification of isolated strains were carried out on morphological and biochemical basis. Consortium of positive strains were develop using streak plate methods for increased biosurfactant production and its application in seed germination in plant growth promotion and oil emulsification were studied. Results have shown that isolated bacteria have the potential to produce biosurfactants of great importance hence it can be concluded that after further detailed investigation can be used for industrial scale.