Recently, the beneficial effects of the plants' secondary compounds for the treatment and improvement of diseases have been strongly interested. This study was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications in the Paveh and Ormanat region of Kermanshah province. For this purpose, after studying the flora of the region, 10 high-widespread families (Apiaceae, Boraginaceae, Lamiaceae, Rosaceae, Solanaceae, Polygonaceae, Fabaceae, Brassicaceae, Liliaceae, and Asteraceae) were selected. In each case, three plant species with three replications were identified and randomly collected during flowering from April to September. Antioxidant potentials of the samples were evaluated by four methods of DPPH, FRAP, ABTS, and TAC. Results of analysis of variance showed significant differences between measured traits in plant species as well as plant family with 99% confidence. Among the studied plants, Pimpinella kotschyana Boiss. from Apiaceae, Bellevalia dichroa Hausskn. from Liliaceae, Muscari neglectum Guss, from Liliaceae showed the highest antioxidant activities using different methods. Results also showed that among the studied plant families, Liliaceae, Rosaceae, Brassicaceae, and Asteraceae showed considerable antioxidant potential and could be noticed in future research.

Bryophytes are small, non-vascular, and non-flowering plants. Neckera complanata (Hedw.) Huebener and Neckera crispa Hedew.are one of the most prominent species in the Hyrcanian wetland found in glossy pale or yellowish-green patches. There is no evidence for morphometry and isoenzymes biochemical markers (Peroxidase/Superoxide dismutase) works on this genus in Iran. The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences and similarities among Neckera complanata and Neckera crispa moss populations in the north of Iran using morphometry and isoenzymes biochemical markers (Peroxidase / Superoxide dismutase). For this purpose, 18 populations from three provinces including Golestan, Mazandaran, and Guilan were collected at the same altitudes in autumn 2017. The results of morphometry were shown leaf length and leaf apex width/length were the most effective traits for the separation of populations. The results of the morphometry method and the results of isozyme banding patterns were the same, although very minor differences were observed. The largest diversity of Shannon (H) belongs to the population of Neckera crispa from Hezarjarib while other populations have low genetic diversity. Because of the destruction of many habitats in the northern provinces of Iran and the increase in pollution in these areas, it can be said as a general result that perhaps the reason for low genetic diversity in Neckera complanata and Neckera crispa populations is the gradual extinction of these two species.

This study was conducted in two districts of Borena zone (Ethiopia), with the objectives to characterize phenotypically the indigenous chicken types in the study sites. The study involved both qualitative and quantitative types of research. A total of 480 chickens (144 male and 336 female) aged more than 6 months for the quantitative study were considered in this study. Descriptive statistics, frequency procedures, general linear model, univariate and multivariate analysis were used with SAS 9.1.3 to analyze the data. SPSS package was used to analyze qualitative data. Qualitative traits such as plumage color, comb type, shank color, eye, earlobe color, and skin color were used for the study. Quantitative traits included: body weight and linear morphometric measurements such as shank length, body length, wattle length, wingspan, chest circumference, comb width, and comb length. The result of this study revealed that white, red, and brown plumage color was dominated in the study area. The local chickens possessed variants in shank color, skin color, comb type, and eye color. White shanks, white skin, single combs, and red earlobe color were predominately seen across both the study districts. The mean body weights of indigenous male and female chickens were 1.623± 0.229 kg and 1.313 ± 0.81 kg, respectively. Large comb, wattle, and long legs were observed in the study areas. Generally, morphological and morphometric variations were observed between and within the indigenous chicken populations, which suggests that there is an opportunity for genetic improvement through selection.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial disorder that its progress and development are related to various genetic and environmental factors. The disease onset is affected by both genetic and environmental factors such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction, and is remarkably related to age progress. Aluminum, a neurotoxic environmental factor, impairs memory performance and can cause neurodegenerative diseases such as AD. On the other hand, the regulatory RNA-binding product of Fragile X mental retardation (FMR1) gene exerts a translational inhibitory effect on the expression of amyloid precursor protein (APP), the main culprit in AD development. In the present study, we treated AlCl3-induced Alzheimer’s disease model rats with Frankincense and investigated its protective and therapeutic effects on the AlCl3-induced memory disturbance by behavioral and molecular assays. Also, Rivastigmine was used as a standard control. Morris Water Maze (MWM) was used to assay special memory working of the rats and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was applied to investigate the expression profile of the FMR1 gene in the hippocampus of the treated rats. MWM behavioral tests indicated that both Frankincense and Rivastigmine not only may prevent AlCl3-induced memory impairment but also may alleviate the memory declines induced by AlCl3 in the rats. Expression analysis showed significant upregulation of the FMR1 gene in response to both Frankincense and Rivastigmin treatments. Further, qRT-PCR results revealed that the AlCl3-induced downregulation of the FMR1 gene expression could significantly be reversed by both Frankincense and Rivastigmine, though Rivastigmine was more effective than Frankincense. In conclusion, our results highlighted that Frankincense might be effective both in the prevention and treatment of memory impairments, to some extent, by affecting the FMR1 gene expression.

Cucurbit crops belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae are one the most important horticultural crops worldwide and cultivated widely in Iran. To aim detection and phylogenetic analysis of potyvirus members, during 2015-2016, 215 leaf samples from cucumber, melon, watermelon, and squash symptomatic with deforming and reduction in leaf size, blistering, mild and severe mosaic, fruit deformation, and stunting were collected from 10 major cucurbits-growing locations in West Azerbaijan province. Following mechanical inoculation of Cucurbita pepo as an indicator plant with symptomatic cucurbit crop extracts, a variety of symptoms developed on the plants. Then, total RNA extracted from 70 symptomatic leaf samples, and partial RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (NIb) (350 bp) was amplified using universal primer pairs (NIb2F/NIb3R) by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The infection by potyviruses in 38.75% of the samples was confirmed based on the result. The five PCR products belonging to different hosts at the expected size (350bp) were sequenced. One sample (Ir-Na: MH491979) was determined to be infected by the Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV) whereas four samples (Ir-Ma:MH491979, Ir-Ng:MH491980, Ir-Pi:MH491981, and Ir-Ur:MH491982) infected by Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV). In the phylogenetic analysis based on Maximum-likelihood, three ZYMV isolates (Ir-Ng, Ir-Pi, and Ir-Ur) were placed in subgroup I whereas one isolate (Ir-Ma) was placed in subgroup II belonging to group A. Also, WMV isolate (Ir- Na) was placed in CL phylogroup.

Defensins are a superfamily of antimicrobial peptides that can inhibit the growth of a broad spectrum of fungi. To evaluate the antifungal activity of Tfgd2 gene of Trigonella foenum graecum, the coding region of this gene in the cDNA form was subcloned in the expression vector pET26b (+) and the construct was designated as pETSH1. The obtained construct expressing the recombinant protein with a hexahistidine tag at the C-terminal end transformed into the E. coli BL21 (DE3). Taguchi test applied for optimizing the protein expression and the expressed protein TFGD2 confirmed by SDS-PAGE and western blotting. The recombinant TFGD2 protein was purified using affinity chromatography with a Ni-NTA column. In vitro assay indicated a broad spectrum of antifungal activity of purified expressed recombinant TFGD2 against different fungal phytopathogens, such as Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Alternaria solani, and Verticillium dahliae.

The somatic chromosome numbers and karyotype features of seven populations representing three species of Stachys L. (Lamiaceae), which are naturally distributed across Iran, were described. The results confirm the presence of different basic chromosome numbers including x = 15 and 17 within the genus. All the studied taxa were diploid and the chromosome counts of two species including S. benthamiana and S. setifera (2n = 34) are reported for the first time, while the chromosome number of S. byzantina (2n = 30) is confirmed. The chromosomes in the studied taxa of Stachys were generally small, as the longest chromosome length was detected on S. setifera (18713) (2.26 μm), whereas S. setifera (23354) demonstrated the shortest length (1.46 μm). The karyotypes were symmetrical composing of metacentric chromosomes as indicated by their mean arm ratio (AR) that ranged between 1.11 in S. setifera (23354) and 1.29 in S. byzantina (37985), so it was classified as class 1A according to Stebbins’ categories. Based on the values of total form percentage (TF%, 47.1%), Arano index of karyotype asymmetry (AsK%, 52.5%), symmetry index (S%, 94.0%) and differences of range relative length (DRL, 0.36), S. setifera (23354) had the most inter-and intra-chromosomal symmetric karyotype. Also, S. byzantina (37985) had the most inter-and intra-chromosomal asymmetric karyotype based on the values of TF% (42.0%), AsK% (56.1%), and relative length of chromosome (RL%, 6.6%). The results of cluster analysis based on chromosomal parameters divided the taxa into two main groups using the Ward method. Group I included taxa with x = 17 and group II contained S. byzantina (x = 15).

Chlorophyll fluorescence is one of the very useful techniques in plant physiology because of the ease with which the user can gain detailed information on the state of photosystem II (PSII) at a relatively low cost. Detection of quantitative traits loci related to chlorophyll fluorescence have a major role in understanding the genetic mechanisms of photosynthesis. In the present research, to mapping, the genome regions controlling chlorophyll fluorescence traits, barley (Hordeum vulgare L) from 106 F8 recombinant inbred lines caused by crossing two cultivars of Badia × Kavir was used and these lines were cultured in a complementary randomized design with two replications. Traits studied include ABS/CSo, TRo/CSo, DIo/CSo, ABS/CSm, DIo/CSm, psi (Eo), TRo/RC, REo/RC, ABS/RC, DIo/RC, Area, Fv/Fm, Sm. Linkage maps were prepared using 152 SSR polymorphic markers, 72 ISSR, 7 IRAP, 29 CAAT, 27 Scot, and 15 iPBS alleles. Molecular markers were assigned on 7 chromosomes of barley. The linkage map covered 999.2 cM of the barley genome and the average distance between two flanking markers was 3.387 cM. Three major QTLs were identified for Area, psi (Eo), and Dio/Rc on Chromosome 6 between ISSR31-1-Bmag0867 in position 62 Centimorgan that explained 17.2%, 31.5%, and 15.9%, respectively. Also, another colocation was detected for ABS/CSo, TRo/CSo, ABS/CSm, and DIo/CSm QTLs on chromosome 6 in position 72 Centimorgan. The results obtained in the present research provide valuable information on the genetic basis of the Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters that can be used in the barley breeding program, including marker-assisted selection.

P. aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterium that produces a capsule-like polysaccharide called alginate in response to various stimuli. The mucoid strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces alginate which is an exopolysaccharide and is involved in the pathogenicity and persistence of these bacteria in infections. The alginate lyase gene is required for alginate synthesis. The enzyme can also degrade this polymer. This enzyme has a polymorphism in different bacteria even in one species and finding an enzyme with tremendous characters is very important. In this study, alginate lyase from P. aeruginosa strain 293 which was previously isolated from the sputum, and the encoding gene was characterized, and thermal and pH stability, as well as the substrate specificity of the partially purified alginate lyase, were determined. The amount of 70% activity of the enzyme was maintained after incubation at 80 ˚C for 6 hrs and 50% activity retained after incubation in alkaline and acidic pH. Moreover, it showed activity towards guluronic acid blocks, mannuronic acid blocks, and alginate blocks with both of them. Due to the unique properties of the alginate lyase that are useful in medicinal, and industrial applications, the gene encoding the enzyme was expressed in pET-28a (+)/E. coli BL21 (DE3) system to produce 371 -amino acid alginate lyase protein, the molecular weight of which was estimated by Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate- Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to be about 40 kDa. Bioinformatic analysis of P. aeruginosa strain 293 algL gene revealed that G225A point mutation can improve its thermostability. Therefore, the P. aeruginosa 293 alginate lyase is proposed as an appropriate candidate for the evaluation of potential therapeutic and industrial applications.