G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs)
1-Jan-2017: Drug discovery for GPCR signalling made easy by IIT Kanpur
Researchers have shown that the regulation of G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) by new drugs can be simpler than generally thought. It can be mediated by engaging only the end of the receptor, which is called the tail of the receptor.
With this discovery, finding new drugs that bind to G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) which are central to almost every physiological process in our body such as vision, taste, immune response and cardiovascular regulation becomes easier.
Nearly 50% of prescription drugs currently available in the market for the treatment of blood pressure, heart failure, diabetes, obesity, cancer and many other human diseases target GPCR receptors. All these drugs bind to their respective receptors and either activate or stop their signalling.
General understanding is that effector proteins have to simultaneously bind at two sites — the tail of the receptor and the core of the receptor — for the drug to become effective in pulling the receptor inside the cell. Through specific engineering of the receptor researchers basically disrupted one of the two binding sites, namely the core of receptor. They found that even without the second site, the protein was able to pull the receptor inside the cell by binding just to the tail of the receptor. There is a key region in the core which the researchers genetically deleted thereby making the core of the receptor ineffective.
Hyperloop project
6-Jan-2017: NITI Aayog may seek trial run of Hyperloop
The government has referred the proposal to set up a hyperloop transportation system in the country to NITI Aayog. NITI Aayog may now call for a trial run for the technology at some small stretch after which the government will be able to take a call on the matter.
Rubber Soil Information System (RubSIS)
23-Jan-2017: Rubber Soil Information System (RubSIS) for Rubber Growers
Commerce & Industry Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman launched Rubber Soil Information System (RubSIS), an online system for recommending application of appropriate mix of fertilizers to the specific plantations of rubber growers depending upon their soil nature.
RubSIS, developed by Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII) under the Rubber Board in collaboration with three agencies viz Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management, Kerala, National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, ICAR and National Remote Sensing Center, ISRO, brings soil data to the fingerprints of rubber growers and recommends the optimum mix and quantities of chemical fertilizers that his holding requires. It is a cost effective tool for sustainable &scientific management of rubber growing soils. Apart from preventing indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers and soil degradation, adoption of RubSIS will lead to reduction in the cost of production of rubber, increase in productivity and reduction in environmental pollution.
The scientific and user friendly online fertiliser recommendation system was launched today for Kottayam (Kerala), the largest rubber growing district of India which will be extended to the entire traditional rubber growing region i.e. the states of Kerala and Tamilnadu this year.