Pangong Lake Research Articles

MORPHOLOGICAL AND PHYLOGENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF DAPHNIA FROM THE HIGH-ALTITUDE BRACKISH (PANGONG) LAKE OF LADAKH USING DNA BARCODING

Daphnia on the Tibetan Plateau has been little studied, and information on species diversity and biogeography is lacking. Our study is the pioneer to conrm the presence of the Daphnia lineage in Pangong lake situated in eastern Ladakh (UT). We identied the sample specimen both on the basis of morphological and molecular data. Through morphological characteristics using SEM, simple compound microscopy and cellular phone microscope we identied our specimen which showed maximum morphological similarity with the Family Daphniidae using taxonomic keys. Further, using DNA barcoding a fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene and 16S rRNA gene was amplied and phylogenetic analysis was carried out to determine the position of specimen in crustacean classication and the specimen was identied as Daphnia tibetana in both the cases.

Microbial community structure analysis of hypersaline niches and elucidation of their role in the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen, sulphur and methane

Some hypersaline ecosystems exist in the form of halite, the salt deposits formed due to the evaporation of salt water. Over a period of time, the salt-saturated hypersaline lakes or seas get dried up, leading to the deposition of halite and other significant minerals. The ancient halite deposits may contain halophiles from the same era as the surrounding minerals. In the current study, the taxonomic diversity of halite deposited in the Drang Mine was analysed and compared with the microbiome of similar ecosystems, i.e., a nearby brine, Pangong Lake and Sambhar Lake. The analysis showed that Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum across all the samples. The phylum Firmicutes exhibited the second-highest abundance in the Drang ecosystem, while Bacteroidetes were more numerous than Firmicutes in other selected niches. The lowest species richness based on the Chao I index was found in Sambhar Lake, likely because of the presence of two major extreme parameters, namely high salinity and alkaline pH. The species diversity calculated by Shannon and Simpson indices was lowest in Drang Mine, possibly because of the very high salt concentration in halite ecosystems, as also corroborated by physiochemical analysis. The beta-diversity analysis based on the Bray-Curtis matrix showed the formation of a separate cluster of Drang Mine samples, pointing towards its unique bacterial community structure as compared to other samples. The current study not only aided in the generation of baseline information about the taxonomic diversity of halite deposited in the Drang Mine but also highlighted its different bacterial community structure when compared to other similar ecosystems. It also indicated their potential role in N, S and CH4 biogeochemical cycling.

Variation of microplastics in the shore sediment of high-altitude lakes of the Indian Himalaya using different pretreatment methods

Microplastics pollution is a growing environmental concern. However, microplastics studies in high altitude remote lakes are scarce. In this study, microplastics pollution was assessed in the shore sediment of three high altitude lakes in Ladakh of the Indian Himalaya, namely Pangong Lake, Tsomoriri Lake and Tsokar Lake.Sampling of lakes shore sediment was performed in August 2019. Two different pretreatment methods were implemented with sediment samples from same sites, resulting two sets of samples. One set of samples was pretreated utilizing enzymatic degradation together with Fenton reactions. Another set of samples from the same sites were pretreated with 30 % hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and Fenton reaction. Enzymatically pretreated samples resulted in higher microplastics concentrations than the set of H2O2 pretreated samples, which indicated that microplastics concentrations in sediment samples varies even among samples from the same site and that the pretreatment procedure may impact on the reported microplastics concentrations. Considering both sets of samples, microplastic concentration was 160–1000 MP/kg dw in Pangong Lake, 960–3800 MP/kg dw in Tsomoriri Lake, and 160–1000 MP/kg dw in Tsokar Lake. Blank correction based on the limit of detection and the limit of quantification indicated that microplastics concentrations at some sites of the studied lakes are higher than the limit of detection and the limit of quantification.The findings of this study indicated that the studied lakes in the Indian Himalaya are contaminated with microplastics. In addition, the comparison of microplastics using different pretreatment methods illustrated the importance of harmonization of microplastics studies to enable a reliable comparison among microplastics data. Therefore, this study contributes towards an assessment of microplastics in the high-altitude lakes in Indian Himalaya. The findings attributed towards clearer understanding regarding the need of harmonization of pretreatment methods and demonstrated the importance of reporting complete information in microplastics research.

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF INDIA CHINA RELATION – WITH GROWING BORDER DISPUTE AND IT’S INFLUENCE ON THE TRADE RELATIONS

Where the globe is coping with an outbreak, China is attempting to urge management the border regions.In this pandemic scenario, China has attacked Arunachal Pradesh border space, increase it’s readying. With the support of Asian nation, China is getting in Associate in Nursing open war with China, With China management over the South China ocean most countries have stood against China and are supporting Asian nation in its fight against China, US is providing huge support to the Asian nation .Starting from Sit sang, to the North East states of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim to Himachal Pradesh, China is attempting to enter the Asian nation region. Dokhlam crisis Pangong Lake and Galwan natural depression has been the foremost space of tension at the moment .On the opposite each China and Asian nation are a part of several International forums like G20 ,SCO and BRICS .Over the years China has blocked India’s position at major places like at UN , obstruction India’s bid for permanent member in UNSC .India has even reduced it trade relation with China , Asian nation was the country that has most imports from China and is trying forward to affix hands with different countries to count China Keywords: Asian nation, China, border, control, Galwan natural depression, Pangong Lake, Dokhlam crisis,Pakistan, UN

Integrated approach of whole-genome analysis, toxicological evaluation and life cycle assessment for pyrene biodegradation by a psychrophilic strain, Shewanella sp. ISTPL2.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as pyrene are universal contaminants existing in the environment which have known cancer-causing and mutagenic characteristics. A psychrophilic bacterial strain Shewanella sp. ISTPL2 was isolated from the sediment sample collected from the Pangong lake, Jammu & Kashmir, India. In our previous study, the pyrene degradation potential of the ISTPL2 strain was studied in both mineral salt media as well as in soil artificially spiked with different concentrations of pyrene. Whole-genome sequencing of ISTPL2 strain in the current study highlighted the key genes of pyrene metabolism, including alcohol dehydrogenase and ring hydroxylating dioxygenase alpha-subunit. Pyrene cytotoxicity was evaluated on HepG2, a human hepato-carcinoma cell line. The cytotoxicity of the organic extract decreased with the increasing duration of bacterial treatment. To develop a more sustainable biodegradation approach, the potential impacts were evaluated for human health and ecosystem using life-cycle assessment (LCA) following the ReCiPe methodology for the considered PAH. The results implemented that global warming potential (GWP) had the highest impact, whereas both ecotoxicity and human toxicity had least from this study.

A comparative metagenomic study reveals microbial diversity and their role in the biogeochemical cycling of Pangong lake

The environment of a high altitude brackish water lake presents an unprecedented reservoir for the microbial community with adaptability towards surviving stressful conditions. Pangong lake is a high altitude brackish water lake of the Himalayas situated in the eastern part of Ladakh (Indian Tibet), at the height of 4250 m above the sea level. Shotgun metagenomics sequencing of Pangong Lake sediments was performed to examine the taxonomic diversity and functional adaptations of the resident psychrophilic and psychrotolerant microbial communities of the lake (September; a temperature of ±10 °C). Proteobacteria was the most prominent phylum, and Methylophaga, Halomonas, and Marinobacter were mainly abundant at the genus level. Enzyme pathways responsible for methane metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, sulfur reduction, benzoate, and xylene degradation appeared to be complete in the metagenomic dataset. Stress response genes responsible for adaption to pH, cold, salt tolerance, osmotic stress, and oxidative stress were also found in abundance in the metagenome. We compared the Pangong lake metagenome sample to sediments and water samples from three different aquatic habitats, namely saline lake, freshwater lakes and marine ecosystem using MG-RAST server against RefSeq and Subsystem databases. The Pangong lake microbial community contains six unique genera. Regression analysis using metagenome samples suggested that Pangong lake was most closely related to the Trophic South Pacific Ocean (R2 = 0.971) and Socompa lake ecosystem (R2 = 0.991) at phylum and functional level II, respectively. Our study signifies that the functional metabolic potentiality of Pangong lake is strongly influenced by the taxonomic structure and environmental conditions. We are reporting the metagenome of the sediment sample of the Pangong lake, which unveils the microbial diversity and their functional potential.

Production and characterization of psychrophilic α-amylase from a psychrophilic bacterium, Shewanella sp. ISTPL2

Abstract A psychrophilic and halophilic bacterial isolate, Shewanella sp. ISTPL2, procured from the pristine Pangong Lake, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India, was used for the production and characterization of the psychrophilic and alkalophilic α-amylase enzyme. The α-amylase is a critical enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis of α-1,4-glycosidic bonds of starch molecules and is predominately utilized in biotechnological applications. The highest enzyme activity of partially purified extracellular α-amylase was 10,064.20 U/mL after 12 h of incubation in a shake flask at pH 6.9 and 10 °C. Moreover, the maximum intracellular α-amylase enzyme activity (259.62 U/mL) was also observed at 6 h of incubation. The extracellular α-amylase was refined to the homogeneity with the specific enzyme activity of 36,690.47 U/mg protein corresponding to 6.87-fold purification. The optimized pH and temperature for the α-amylase were found to be pH 8 and 4 °C, respectively, suggesting its stability at alkaline conditions and low or higher temperatures. The amylase activity was highly activated by Cu2+, Fe2+ and Ca2+, while inhibited by Cd2+, Co2+ and Na2+. As per our knowledge, the current study reports the highest activity of a psychrophilic α-amylase enzyme providing prominent biotechnological potential.

P4370Doppler echocardiography, RV Strain and 3D RV Imaging in diagnosis of Acute mountain sickness

Abstract Introduction Right Ventricular (RV) strain and 3D RV ejection fraction sensitivity and specificity has made it a practical and reliable test to detect Acute mountain sickness. All previous studies have been done mainly using M Mode and 2D Echo. Hence it was conceived that 3D Echocardiography would be a better option. Regardless of the type of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), the echocardiographic evidence is always the same: Severe Pulmonary hypertension. The visual analysis of these abnormalities requires a trained operator. This operator-dependence has promoted the search for a semiautomatic method to reduce limitations of Echocardiography and improve test accuracy Purpose The purpose was to study AMS by 3D Echocardiography Methods and results Two dimensional echocardiography with RV strain analysis by speckle tracking echocardiography along with 3D RV ejection fraction was done in nine patients with AMS who were tourists on unplanned, unacclimatized assent to Pangong lake, situated near Leh-Ladakh in the Himalayas, approximately at the height of 4350 meters above sea level and six highlanders, living in Leh-Ladakh. Figure 1A shows the map of the Pangong Lake, B. Shows features of Acute Pulmonary Edema in the Chest X-ray from a patient with AMS, C. Shows the TAPSE (Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion) D. Shows the Speckle tracking derived RV Free Wall strain (From a software made for LV) and E: Methodology to derive 3D RV Ejection Fraction. 3D Echocardiographic Equipment with LV strain (which was modified to derive RV Free wall strain) and 3D RV Ejection Fraction software was used for acquisition of images and offline analysis was done. TAPSE, FAC, RV Free wall strain and 3D RV EF were consistently lower in patients with AMS than in persons living in high altitude (High landers). TR peak gradient, RV EDV index, RV ESV index were elevated in AMS patients compared to High landers. Table 1. Table 1 Age Sex M/F 3D RV EF% TAPSE (mm) FAC TRP E/e' RVFW Strain RV EDVI (ml/m2) RV ESVI (ml/m2) AMS (9) 40.2±2.3 5/4 36±3.2 16±1.7 38.2±2.7 49.2±7.6 5.4±1.2 14±1.9 55±3.7 35±2.4 High Landers (6) 53.6±3.7 5/1 45±2.3 20±2.7 46.9±4.7 26.52±6.7 7±1.7 28±2.2 52±4.1 29±2.8 RV: Right Ventricle; EF: Ejection Fraction; TAPSE: Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion; FAC: Fractional Area Change; TRP: Tricuspid Regurgitation Peak gradient; E: Mitral E Velocity; e' Medial mitral Tissue doppler e velocity; FW: Free Wall; EDVI: End Diastolic Volume Index; ESV: End systolic volume index. Figure 1 Conclusion Strain or myocardial deformation analysis based on two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking and 3D RV ejection fraction is feasible even in the remote altitudes apart from standard M Mode and Doppler measurements and allow accurate quantification in analysis of acute mountain sickness.

P616RV Strain and 3D RV imaging in diagnosis of acute mountain sickness

Abstract Introduction Right Ventricular (RV) strain and 3D RV ejection fraction sensitivity and specificity has made it a practical and reliable test to detect Acute mountain sickness. All previous studies have been done mainly using M Mode and 2D Echo. Hence it was conceived that 3D Echocardiography would be a better option. Regardless of the type of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), the echocardiographic evidence is always the same: Severe Pulmonary hypertension. The visual analysis of these abnormalities requires a trained operator. This operator-dependence has promoted the search for a semiautomatic method to reduce limitations of Echocardiography and improve test accuracy Purpose The purpose was to study AMS by 3D Echocardiography Methods and results Two dimensional echocardiography with RV strain analysis by speckle tracking echocardiography along with 3D RV ejection fraction was done in nine patients with AMS who were tourists on unplanned, unacclimatized assent to Pangong lake, situated near Leh-Ladakh in the Himalayas, approximately at the height of 4350 meters above sea level and six highlanders, living in Leh-Ladakh. Figure 1A shows the map of the Pangong Lake, B. Shows features of Acute Pulmonary Edema in the Chest X-ray from a patient with AMS, C. Shows the TAPSE (Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion) D. Shows the Speckle tracking derived RV Free Wall strain (From a software made for LV) and E: Methodology to derive 3D RV Ejection Fraction. 3D Echocardiographic Equipment with LV strain (which was modified to derive RV Free wall strain) and 3D RV Ejection Fraction software was used for acquisition of images and offline analysis was done. TAPSE, FAC, RV Free wall strain, RV EDV index, RV ESV index and 3D RV EF were consistently lower in patients with AMS than in persons living in high altitude (High landers) Table 1 Results Age Sex M/F Diabetes/ Hypertension TAPSE (mm) FAC RVFW Strain % RV EDVI (ml/m2) RV ESVI (ml/m2) 3D RV EF % AMS (9) 40.2±2.3 5/4 1/2 16±1.7 38.2±2.7 14±1.9 55±3.7 35±2.4 36±3.2 High-Landers (6) 53.6±3.7 5/1 1/1 20±2.7 46.9±4.7 28±2.2 52±4.1 29±2.8 45±2.3 Fig 1 Conclusion Strain or myocardial deformation analysis based on two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking and 3D RV ejection fraction is feasible even in the remote altitudes and allow accurate quantification which has resulted in a growing interest to introduce this new technique in analysis of acute mountain sickness.

Degradation and detoxification of phenanthrene by actinobacterium Zhihengliuella sp. ISTPL4.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are universal environmental contaminants of great concern with regard to their potential exposure and deleterious effect on human health. The current study is the first report of phenanthrene degradation by a psychrotolerant (15 °C), halophilic (5% NaCl), and alkalophilic (pH 8) bacterial strain Zhihengliuella sp. ISTPL4, isolated from the sediment sample of the Pangong Lake, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Degradation studies revealed that the optimum specific growth rate was observed at 250 ppm of phenanthrene with 81% and 87% removal of phenanthrene in 72 h and 168 h, respectively. During the degradation of phenanthrene; 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene; 1-phenanthrenecarboxylic acid; and phthalic acid were detected as intermediates. Whole-genome sequencing of strain ISTPL4 has predicted phenanthrene; 9,10-monooxygense; and epoxide hydrolase B that are involved in the phenanthrene metabolism. Phenanthrene cytotoxicity was evaluated with human hepatic carcinoma cell line (HepG2) and it was observed that the cytotoxicity decreased with increased duration of bacterial incubation and maximum cell viability was observed at 168 h (89.92%). Our results suggest, Zhihengliuella sp. ISTPL4 may promise a great potential for environmental remediation applications.

Biodegradation of pyrene in soil microcosm by Shewanella sp. ISTPL2, a psychrophilic, alkalophilic and halophilic bacterium

The present study demonstrates pyrene degradation by a pshychrophilic bacterial strain, Shewanella sp. ISTPL2 isolated from Pangong lake, Ladakh, India. The ISTPL2 strain showed highest specific growth rate at 500 ppm with 93% extent of degradation. Pyrene metabolic pathway was confirmed from metabolites such as 4,5-dihydroxypyrene, 2-carboxybenzalpyruvate, phthalic acid and salicylic acid obtained from pyrene degradation. Soil microcosm was set up with different concentration of pyrene and investigated using GC–MS to uncover the arrangement of intermediary metabolites. The results indicated that 75.11%, 95.39%, 94.32% and 93.11% of pyrene was degraded within 90 days in the soil spiked with 50, 350, 500 and 1000 ppm pyrene respectively. Strain ISTPL2 is a potent candidate for pyrene degradation as it can survive under high pyrene load.

Draft Genome Sequence of Zhihengliuella sp. Strain ISTPL4, a Psychrotolerant and Halotolerant Bacterium Isolated from Pangong Lake, India.

ABSTRACTZhihengliuella sp. strain ISTPL4, a psychrotolerant bacterium, was isolated from brackish water of the high-altitude Pangong Lake in India. In this study, we report its draft genome sequence, which contains 3,529,629 bp with a G+C content of 69.84%. The genome is enriched in genes associated with cold adaptation and plant growth promotion.

Metagenomic Sequencing of Microbial Communities from Brackish Water of Pangong Lake of the Northwest Indian Himalayas.

ABSTRACTPangong is a brackish water lake having environmental conditions that are hostile to supporting life. This is the first report unveiling the microbial diversity of sediment from Pangong Lake, Ladakh, India, using a high-throughput metagenomic approach. Metagenomic data analysis revealed a community structure of microbes in which functional genetic diversity facilitates their survival.

Biodiesel production from lipid of carbon dioxide sequestrating bacterium and lipase of psychrotolerant Pseudomonas sp. ISTPL3 immobilized on biochar

An extracellular lipase was purified and characterized from psychrotolerant bacterium Pseudomonas sp. ISTPL3 isolated from Pangong lake. Lipase was purified by sequential methods of ammonium sulphate precipitation, dialysis, DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography and Sephadex G-100 gel filtration chromatography, resulting in a purification fold of 6.53 and yield of 5.45%. The molecular weight was approximately 31kDa. The purified lipase was used for transesterification of lipids produced by oleaginous chemolithotrophic bacterium Serratia sp. ISTD04 for production of biodiesel. Upon biochemical characterization, lipase was found to be alkalophilc, thermostable, active in organic polar solvents and sensitive to detergents. Further, lipase was immobilized on activated biochar to assess its transesterification efficiency during biodiesel production. Immobilized lipase gave the highest yield of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) (92.23%)>unimmobilized lipase>NaOH. The immobilized lipase was assessed for its reusability and retained 75.11% of its activity after 3 cycles of biodiesel production.

Cold active hydrolytic enzymes production by psychrotrophic Bacilli isolated from three sub-glacial lakes of NW Indian Himalayas.

The diversity of culturable, cold-active enzymes producing Bacilli was investigated from three sub-glacial lakes of north western Indian Himalayas. Amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) using three restriction enzymes Alu I, Msp I, and Hae III led to the clustering of 136 Bacilli into 26, 23, and 22 clusters at 75% similarity index from Chandratal Lake, Dashair Lake, and Pangong Lake, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing led to the identification of 35 Bacilli that could be grouped in seven families viz.: Bacillaceae (48%), Staphylococcaceae (14%), Bacillales incertae sedis (13%), Planococcaceae (12%), Paenibacillaceae (9%), Sporolactobacillaceae (3%), and Carnobacteriaceae (1%), which included twelve different genera Bacillus, Desemzia, Exiguobacterium, Jeotgalicoccus, Lysinibacillus, Paenibacillus, Planococcus, Pontibacillus, Sinobaca, Sporosarcina, Staphylococcus, and Virgibacillus. Based on their optimal temperature for growth, 35 Bacilli were grouped as psychrophilic (11 strains), psychrotrophic (17 strains), or psychrotolerant (7 strains), respectively. The representative isolates from each cluster were screened for cold-active enzyme activities. Amylase, β-glucosidase, pectinase, and protease activities at 4 °C were detected in more than 80% of the strains while approximately 40, 31, 23, 14, 11, and 9% of strains possessed cellulase, xylanase, β-galactosidase, laccase, chitinase, and lipase activity, respectively. Among 35 Bacilli, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus marisflavi, Exiguobacterium indicum, Paenibacillus terrae, Pontibacillus sp., Sporosarcina globispora, and Sporosarcina psychrophila were efficient producers of different cold-active enzymes. These cold-adapted Bacilli could play an important role in industrial and agricultural processes.

A psychrophilic and halotolerant strain of Thelebolus microsporus from Pangong Lake, Himalaya

Over recent decades, the Ladhak regions of the Himalaya have been investigated mainly for the presence and exploitation of psychrophilic bacteria and Archaea, but mycological studies in the region have been infrequent. Here we report the occurrence of Thelebolus microsporus for the first time from the Himalayan region. The strain, which was isolated from Pangong Lake, is a psychrophile, with an optimum growth temperature of 4°C and halotolerance of up to 6% NaCl. Microscopic studies found that the strain does not produce conidia, and that asci are produced in cleistohymenial ascomata, with each ascus containing eight ascospores. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region of the ribosomal RNA gene of the strain showed 97–98% similarity with strains of Thelebolus microsporus from Antarctica.

Genome Sequence of Idiomarina sp. Strain A28L, Isolated from Pangong Lake, India

Idiomarina sp. strain A28L was isolated from the alkaline brackish water of a high-altitude lake, Pangong Lake. Here, we present the draft genome of Idiomarina sp. strain A28L, which contains 2,591,567 bp with a G+C content of 45.5 mol% and contains 2,299 protein-coding genes and 56 structural RNAs.

Genome Sequence of Rheinheimera sp. Strain A13L, Isolated from Pangong Lake, India

Rheinheimera sp. strain A13L, which has antimicrobial activity, was isolated from alkaline brackish water of the high-altitude Pangong Lake of Ladakh, India. Here we report the draft genome sequence of Rhienheimera sp. strain A13L (4,523,491 bp with a G+C content of 46.23%). The genome is predicted to contain genes for marinocine and colicin V production, which may be responsible for the antimicrobial activity of the strain.

Structural complexity resulting from pervasive ductile deformation in the Karakoram Shear Zone, Ladakh, NW India

The NW‐SE trending, ∼800 km long, dextral Karakoram Shear Zone bounds southwest Tibet. We investigate an area immediately NW of the Pangong Lake where midcrustal rocks sections of the shear zone are exposed. Here, the dominant shear zone is characterized by dextral mylonitic rocks sheared at amphibolite facies and partly retrogressed to greenschist facies. These rocks define a kilometric, SE plunging inclined‐to‐recumbent fold in the footwall of a north directed, oblique dextral thrust that exhumed anatectic rocks of the Pangong Range. Argon cooling ages reveal that the Pangong Range cooled from ∼700°C to 300°C between ∼18–15 and ∼10 Ma, contemporaneously with overthrusting. Toward the SE, closer to the Pangong Lake, this kilometric fold is rotated from its NW–SE trend to an E–W trend, and the sense of shear changes to sinistral, with a broadly north directed thrusting component. The documented structures contradict predictions of normal movement in this area derived from considerations of rigid block behavior of the crust and support the interpretation that the system records dextral transpression. Thrusting and exhumation of the deeper and hot rocks exposed in the Pangong Range, folding of the thrust footwall, and the development of a sinistral E–W trending shear zone are all compatible with transpression caused by a northward push by a rigid indenter such as the Ladakh Batholith.

Geological evidence against large‐scale pre‐Holocene offsets along the Karakoram Fault: Implications for the limited extrusion of the Tibetan plateau

Two end‐member models proposed to accommodate the convergence between India and Asia north of the Himalaya are (1) homogeneous crustal thickening of the Tibetan plateau and (2) continental escape, or extrusion, of Tibet and southeast Asia, away from the indenting Indian plate. Foremost among the arguments supporting the latter would be large‐scale (∼1000‐km) offsets and high present‐day slip rates along the major strike‐slip faults bounding the postulated extruding crust, notably the Altyn Tagh Fault along the northern margin of Tibet and the Karakoram Fault along the SW margin. Satellite photographic interpretation and field mapping in the Karakoram mountains in Pakistan, the Nubra‐Siachen area of north Ladakh, and the Pamirs in Xinjiang show that although the Karakoram Fault is extremely active today, geological offsets along the right‐lateral fault are probably less than 120 km. The 21±0.5 Ma Baltoro monzogranite‐leucogranite batholith has been rotated clockwise about a vertical axis 35°–40° into NW‐SE alignment, parallel with the Karakoram Fault, east of the Siachen glacier, with a maximum offset of 90 km across the fault. The Bangong‐Shyok suture zone similarly has a dextral offset of 85 km. The course of the Indus River, which was antecedent to the rise of the Ladakh, Karakoram, and Himalayan ranges, has been offset dextrally by 120 km south of Pangong Lake. If present‐day slip rates (approximately 32 mm/yr) (Avouac and Tapponnier, 1993) are correct, only 4 Ma are required to obtain a 120‐km offset. There is no geological evidence for any larger‐scale pre‐Holocene offsets, and it is suggested that the Karakoram Fault cannot have accommodated major eastward lateral motion of Tibetan crust. The fault has also exerted little or no influence on surface topographic uplift, cutting obliquely across the highest peaks of the Karakoram. Dextral motion along the central part of the Karakoram Fault has been transferred in the north to the Rangkul, Murghab, and Karasu transpressional faults in the central Pamir. North of Tashkurgan, the Karakoram Fault shows mainly normal motion around the Kongur and Mustagh Ata gneiss domes (metamorphic core complexes) and the extensional Muji graben. Minor dextral displacement has occurred along the Shiquanhe Fault, but this motion cannot be linked to the Jiale Fault of east Tibet. The southern end of the Karakoram Fault merges with the Indus (Yarlung) suture zone near Mount Kailas and does not cut across the Himalaya. The lack of large‐scale geological offsets along the Karakoram Fault, together with its very recent initiation (?5 or 4 Ma), suggests that it is related to the Pliocene‐Quaternary northward indentation of the Pamir, and not to any long‐term extrusion of Tibetan crust following the Indian collision.