We report the first complete genome sequence of a classical swine fever (CSF) virus of subgenotype 2.2. The virus (CSFV/IND/UK/LAL-290) was isolated from the Uttarakhand state of India from a backyard pig suspected of having CSF. This genome sequence will give useful insight for future molecular epidemiological studies and the development of an effective vaccine in India.

Aim:This study was undertaken with the aim to compare and establish the genetic relatedness between classical swine fever virus (CSFV) genogroup 2.2 isolate and pestivirus reference strains.Materials and Methods:The available complete genome sequences of CSFV/IND/UK/LAL-290 strain and other pestivirus reference strains were retrieved from GenBank. The complete genome sequence, complete open reading frame, 5’ and 3’ non-coding region (NCR) sequences were analyzed and compared with reference pestiviruses strains. Clustal W model in MegAlign program of Lasergene 6.0 software was used for analysis of genetic heterogeneity. Phylogenetic analysis was carried out using MEGA 6.06 software package.Results:The complete genome sequence alignment of CSFV/IND/UK/LAL-290 isolate and reference pestivirus strains showed 58.9-72% identities at the nucleotide level and 50.3-76.9% at amino acid level. Sequence homology of 5’ and 3’ NCRs was found to be 64.1-82.3% and 22.9-71.4%, respectively. In phylogenetic analysis, overall tree topology was found similar irrespective of sequences used in this study; however, whole genome phylogeny of pestivirus formed two main clusters, which further distinguished into the monophyletic clade of each pestivirus species. CSFV/IND/UK/LAL-290 isolate placed with the CSFV Eystrup strain in the same clade with close proximity to border disease virus and Aydin strains.Conclusion:CSFV/IND/UK/LAL-290 exhibited the analogous genomic organization to those of all reference pestivirus strains. Based on sequence identity and phylogenetic analysis, the isolate showed close homology to Aydin/04-TR virus and distantly related to Bungowannah virus.

Comparative breeding experiments were done in Schizothorax richardsonii by using pituitary gland extract (PGE) and stripping technique.  Experiments were conducted for two successive years.  PGE dose administered was 5mg/kg body weight to male fishes and 7 mg/kg to female fishes.  Each dose was administered as two split doses 4 hours apart.  For induced breeding, fecundity ranged from 5,200 to 13,542 eggs per female.  In 15 sets of induced breeding experiments performed over two years, using PGE extract, fertilization success ranged from 78±1.98% to 76.7±2.18% and hatching success ranged from to 63.3±%3.05to 63.9±1.81%.  Stripping experiments yielded similar results with their fertilization ranging from 67.7±3.48% to 64.4±2.67% and hatching ranging from 58.9±3.47% to 57.26±2.8%.  Our results conclude that induced breeding is better than stripping and can be used effectively to breed Schizothorax richardsonii.

The entire Himalayan region is well known as a global hotspot for biodiversity. Many workers have documented different aspect of biodiversity.  The Uttarakhand Himalaya region, a part of Himalayan system, is very rich in fresh water aquatic biodiversity because it has many fresh water streams and rivers within a short distance of 200 miles. All these fresh water bodies harbor diverse aquatic fauna with fishes being the most extensively studied. There are many fish species reported by many authors in Uttarakhand. Many of the fishes have similar morphological characters (morpho-metrics) and are difficult to identify. Attempts have been made to generate the DNA barcode of fishes but most of the attempt are limited to major rivers i.e. the Ganges and the Yamuna. Besides these two prominent river (the Ganges & the Yamuna), there are many supporting streams and small tributaries that are also inhabited by many species. No “long term” and “entire river scan” for fish species has ever been conducted in Uttarakhand. Our research aims to generate a molecular database (DNA Barcode) for entire fish species fauna in each small river/stream of Uttarakhand.  Using a combination of morphometric & DNA bar-coding data will provide an efficient method for species level identification and contributes considerably to taxonomic and biodiversity research. The present study is first step towards establishing molecular taxonomy database of Uttarakhand based upon the bar coding pattern of cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene.  We carried out an “entire river scan” of River Song (a tributary of river Ganges).  50 samples were collected from various sampling sites along the entire stretch of river and analyzed.   Data was uploaded into the BOLD database and the analysis of data using this database suggests that the genetic variability (K2P distance) distribution of 50 individuals belonging with 15 species.The average intraspecific variation using K2P and NJ methods/models was assessed. The mean intraspecific distance was less than 1.45% for 32% of species. Mean K2P distance within species, genus and family was 0.1%, 16.3% and 21.70% respectively. Our results suggest that River Song has diverse fish fauna with substantial genetic diversity.  Data from Barillius species suggests that this species has a very high variation.  There is ahighly probability that as all the rivers are scanned new data on endemic and exotic fish fauna diversity will emerge which would be helpful in conservation efforts.

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