Substrate promiscuity of fungi generated enzyme Laccase shows potential in degrading industrial dye effluents

• Laccase is generated by a group of fungi that have been found capable of degrading a variety of hazardous organic dye molecules that are regularly drained into waterbodies after dying clothes in the textile industry.
• This observed characteristic which the scientists termed substrate promiscuity can have deep implications in designing enzyme-coated cassettes for treating heavily dye-polluted water.
• Laccase was known for its capacity to degrade various organic molecules.
• Laccase, generated by a group of fungi, contains 4 copper atoms in two different oxidation states, and degrades substrates through redox reactions, producing only water and the simplest non-virulent or less virulent oxides of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur.
• Hence the scientists saw scope in using it to develop a technology to treat/degrade the dye effluents emanating from textile industries.
• Combining UV/Visible spectroscopy and computer simulations they demonstrated that many organic dye molecules with varying kinetics and wide variation in charge, size and shape can be degraded by the enzyme laccase.
• This substrate promiscuity of laccase offers immense biotechnological potential for a broad-spectrum degrader for industrial dye effluents.

Enzyme promiscuity

• Enzyme promiscuity is defined as the capability of an enzyme to catalyze a reaction other than the reaction for which it has been specialized.
• Although the enzyme is known for its specificity, many enzymes are reported to be promiscuous.

Enzymes

• An enzyme is a substance that acts as a catalyst in living organisms and regulates the rate at which chemical reactions proceed without being altered in the process.

Female leopard dies in suspected roadkill in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

• Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Kerala and is an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
• This Sanctuary is contiguous to the tiger reserves of Nagarhole and Bandipur of Karnataka and Madhumalai of Tamil Nadu.
• Kabini river which is a tributary of the Kaveri River flows through the sanctuary.
• Flora: It includes moist deciduous forests, West coast semi-evergreen forests and plantations of teak, eucalyptus and Grewelia.
• Fauna: Elephant, Gaur, Tiger, Panther, Sambar, Spotted deer**, Barking deer**, Wild boar, Sloth bear, Nilgiri langur etc.

Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve

• It harbours a wide spectrum of ecosystem types such as tropical evergreen forests, Montane sholas and grasslands, semi-evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, dry deciduous forests and thorn forests.
• The major part of the core areas spread over Kerala and Tamil Nadu States.
• **Tribal Population:**Tribal groups like the Todas, Kotas, Irullas, Kurumbas, Paniyas, Adiyans, Edanadan Chettis, Cholanaickens, Allar, Malayan, etc., are native to the reserve.
• Protected Areas within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve are
  • The Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Bandipur National Park, Nagarhole National Park, Mukurthi National Park and Silent Valley.

Venus’ volcanoes may be active, show decades-old radar images

• Venus the second planet from the sun, is the hottest and brightest planet in the solar system.
• Venus is highly visible from Earth due to its reflective clouds.
• Venus and Earth are often called twins because they are similar in size, mass, density, composition and gravity.
• With respect to other planets, Venus and Uranus spin backwardswhich means for these two planets, the sun rises in the west and sets in the east.

Magellan spacecraft

• A 2.2 square kilometre volcanic vent on Venus changed shape in eight months, indicating volcanic activity.
• It showed signs of drained lava, hinting at activity and eight months later, radar images indicated that the same vent had doubled in size and the lava lake seemed to have reached the rim.
• The vent is associated with Maat Mons, Venus’s second-highest volcano.
• It sits in the Atla Regio, a vast highland region near Venus’ equator. These changes were likely due to lava flow escaping the vent, hinting at a possible volcanic activity.

Magellan spacecraft

• It was one of the most successful deep space missions of NASA..
• It was the first spacecraft to image the entire surface of Venus and made several discoveries about the planet.

India to host African Chiefs Conclave, second Africa-India field training exercise

AFINDEX:

• The first Africa-India Field Training Exercise was held in Pune in March 2019. It saw participation from 20 African nations.
• The first India-Africa Defence Ministers Conclave was held on the sidelines of the DEFEXPO, 2020 in Lucknow.
• The exercise is divided into four phases in which trainers would be initially trained. This would be followed by a humanitarian mine action and a peace-keeping operations phase.
• Maximum use of indigenous equipment is being made during the exercise and new-generation equipment manufactured in India would be showcased during the exercise.
• Objective:
  • To continue building upon initiatives taken to strengthen India-Africa relations, with a focus on enhancing peace and security, and creating opportunities to exchange ideas and perspectives.
  • Learning from the African experience in cooperative security, management of security crises and conflicts, and promoting a collaborative approach in capacity enhancement of African armies

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh says, an umbrella scheme Research, Education and Training Outreach (REACHOUT) is being implemented by the Ministry for capacity building

• The Research, Education and Training Outreach (REACHOUT) scheme consists of
  • R&D in Earth System Science (RDESS)
  • International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography (ITCOocean)
  • Program for Development of Skilled manpower in Earth System Sciences (DESK)
• This scheme is being implemented for the entire country and not State/UT-wise.
• The main objectives of the above sub-schemes are
  • Supporting various R &D activities in the thrust areas of different components of Earth System Sciences that are theme and need-based and that would help in attaining the National goals set up for MoES.
  • Develop useful collaborations with international organizations for the mutual transfer of advanced knowledge in science and technology in Earth Sciences and to provide services to developing countries.
  • Develop skilled and trained manpower in Earth Sciences with the support of academic institutions in the country and abroad.