Research Publications (Food Safety)

GCN2 (general control nonrepressed 2) is a serine/threonine-protein kinase that regulates translation in response to stressors such as amino acid and purin deprivation, cold shock, wounding, cadmium, and UV-C exposure. Activated GCN2 phosphorylates the α-subunit of the eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2) leading to a drastic inhibition of protein synthesis and shifting translation to specific mRNAs.

Since the introduction of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) over 100 years ago, focus has been on standardization of allergen extracts, with reliable molecular composition of allergens receiving the highest attention. While adjuvants play a major role in European AIT, they have been less well studied. In this Position Paper we summarize current unmet needs of adjuvants in AIT citing current evidence.

Author(s): Carlos Flores-Ortiz, Lilia M. Alvarez, Alejandro Undurraga, Daniela Arias, Felipe Durán, Guillermo Wegener, Claudia Stange

Author(s): Priyanka Mahadappa, Narayanan Krishnaswamy, Mahendran Karunanidhi, AG Bhanuprakash, BV Bindhuja, Sahadeb Dey

BACKGROUND Heavy metal resistant bacterium Enterobacter sp. C1D was evaluated for cadmium (Cd) mediated exopolysaccharide production, biofilm formation and legume root colonization ability under Cd stress to alleviate metal induced stress. RESULTS The plant was sensitive to Cd (IC50 3‐ 4μg/ml), while the bacterium showed high Cd tolerance (MIC99 120 μg/ml).

Abstract

Background

Arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) are two toxic elements that have a relatively high risk of transfer from paddy soil to rice grain. Rice is a major dietary source of these two elements for populations consuming rice as a staple food. Reducing their accumulation in rice grain is important for food safety and human health.

Edwardsiella piscicida is a pathogenic bacterium responsible for significant losses in important wild and cultured fish species. E. piscicida strain MS-18-199 recovered from a diseased hybrid catfish from East Mississippi and showed resistance to florfenicol, chloramphenicol, oxytetracycline, doxycycline, erythromycin, tetracycline, azitromycin, spectinomycin, sulfonamide, and bacitracin. To explore the mechanisms of resistance in E.

by Anna Minchom, Daisy Mak, Ranga Gunapala, David Walder, Rajiv Kumar, Nadia Yousaf, Andrew Hodgkiss, Jaishree Bhosle, Sanjay Popat, Mary E. R. O’Brien

Objectives

Author(s): Irene Dervisi, Chrysanthi Valassakis, Adamantia Agalou, Nikolaos Papandreou, Varvara Podia, Kosmas Haralampidis, Vassiliki A. Iconomidou, Vassili N. Kouvelis, Herman P. Spaink, Andreas Roussis

Author(s): Wenjia Jin, Zhigang Wang, Yafei Sun, Yongjie Wang, Chunjuan Bi, Limin Zhou, Xiangmin Zheng

Author(s): Chuanfeng Teng, Jianbo Jia, Zhiping Wang, Bing Yan

Author(s): Peng Zeng, Zhaohui Guo, Xiyuan Xiao, Chi Peng, Lingqing Liu, Demei Yan, Yalei He

Author(s): Nijira Brahma, Abhik Gupta

Abstract

Background and Aims

Environmental fluctuations due to anthropogenic activities show negative effects on plant growth and crop production. Among the heavy metals, cadmium (Cd) pollution is most dangerous and is devastating most of the cultivable land. The current study evaluated the Cd induced toxicity in Lycopersicon esculentum plants and the mitigating role of rhizobacteria.

Spores are required for long-term survival of many organisms, including most fungi. For the majority of fatal human fungal pathogens, spore germination is the key process required to initiate vegetative growth and ultimately cause disease. Because germination is required for pathogenesis, the process could hold fungus-specific targets for new antifungal drug development.

Author(s): Eloy Navarro-León, Juan Manuel Ruiz, Alfonso Albacete, Begoña Blasco

Author(s): Fuyu Guo, Changfeng Ding, Zhigao Zhou, Fengxiang Han, Ronggui Tang, Gaoxiang Huang, Xingxiang Wang

ABSTRACT To investigate Molybdenum (Mo) and Cadmium (Cd) co-induced the levels of autophagy-related genes via AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway in Shaoxing Duck (Anas platyrhyncha) kidney, 60 healthy 11-day-old ducks were randomly divided into 6 groups, which were treated with Mo or/and Cd at different doses on the basal diet for 120 d.

A pheochromocytoma of the rat adrenal medulla derived (a.k.a. PC12) cell-based assay for dopamine measurement by luminescence detection was customized for the qualitative evaluation of agonists and antagonists of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). The assay mechanism begins with ligand binding to transmembrane nAChRs, altering ion flow into the cell and inducing dopamine release from the cell.

BACKGROUND The research focused on the evaluation of the impact of cover cropping on trace metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb, Co and Cd) and nutrients in vineyard soils and Vitis vinifera L. For this purpose, two types of cover crops (Lolium perenne L. and Medicago sativa L.) and their mixture were planted between vine rows of Muscat white in the vineyard in South Crimea.

The health status of the commercial Tehuelche scallop Aequipecten tehuelchus from San Román and El Riacho in San José gulf (Patagonia, Argentina) was evaluated through biomarkers widely used in ecotoxicological applications. Natural levels of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) were measured to determine their potential relationships with fluctuations of several oxidative stress biomarkers in the scallop.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in water resources has become a potentially serious threat to public health and environment across the globe. In this experiment, we investigated the capacity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) for selective removal of Cd from wastewater. The TiO2 NPs were prepared using newly developed sol-gel method and sorption attributes were investigated as a function of contact time, sorbent dosage, pH, and initial Cd concentration.

Author(s): Svetlana V. Klinova, Ilzira A. Minigalieva, Larisa I. Privalova, Irene E. Valamina, Oleg H. Makeyev, Eugene A. Shuman, Artem A. Korotkov, Vladimir G. Panov, Marina P. Sutunkova, Julia V. Ryabova, Tatiana V. Bushueva, Tatiana N. Shtin, Vladimir B. Gurvich, Boris A. Katsnelson

Cadmium (Cd) pollution is constantly increasing in agricultural systems due to anthropogenic activities and causes significant reductions in the yield of crop species. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of Cd stress on growth, element contents, oxidative damage, antioxidant enzyme activities, and genotoxicity in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

The issues of heavy metal contamination in water sources have been increasing substantially along with the rapid pace of industrial revolution. Lead, particularly, is one of the heavy metals that received considerable attention lately due to its frequent detection in the environment and hazardous effects. Although conventional water treatment processes had been utilized for ages, it is still a challenge to remove lead in the treatment plant effectively.