Research Publications (Food Safety)

Accumulation and detoxification of cadmium in rice shoots are of great importance for adaptation to grow in cadmium contaminated soils and for limiting the transport of Cd to grains. However, the molecular mechanisms behind the processes involved in this regulation remain largely unknown. Defensin proteins play important roles in heavy metal tolerance and accumulation in plants. In rice, the cell wall-localized defensin protein (CAL1) is involved in Cd efflux and partitioning to the shoots.

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Author(s): Huanhuan Ma, Feng Gao, Xiaoxian Zhang, Bingjian Cui, Yuan Liu, Zhongyang Li

Background A modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of highly water‐soluble propamocarb and hydrophobic cymoxanil in potato tuber and tomato fruit. Residue behavior of the fungicides in open field or greenhouse were investigated for the safety evaluation of these two pesticides, and effect of the cultivation condition, fungicide exposure and fruit size of tomato on residue level were discussed. Results.

Tuberculosis remains one of the leading causes of death from a single pathogen globally. It is estimated that 1/4 of the world’s population harbors latent tuberculosis, but only a 5–10% of patients will develop active disease. During latent infection, Mycobacterium tuberculosis can persist unaffected by drugs for years in a non-replicating state with low metabolic activity.

Author(s): Shicong Mo, Yuhong Wang, Feng Xiong, Chunjin Ai, Dawei Wang, Giin Yu Amy Tan

Author(s): Manli Cheng, Zhen Shao, Fei Gao, Changhui Yang, Chao Tong, Jing Yang, Wan Zhang

Methylmercury is a neurotoxin that bioaccumulates from seawater to high concentrations in marine fish, putting human and ecosystem health at risk. High methylmercury levels have been found in the oxic subsurface waters of all oceans, but only anaerobic microorganisms have been shown to efficiently produce methylmercury in anoxic environments. The microaerophilic nitrite oxidizing bacteria Nitrospina have previously been suggested as possible mercury methylating bacteria in Antarctic sea ice.

Author(s): Tássia Fernanda Santos Neri Soares, Denise Cunha Fernandes dos Santos Dias, Ariadne Morbeck Santos Oliveira, Dimas Mendes Ribeiro, Luiz Antônio dos Santos Dias

Author(s): Henrique B. Rocha, Ana Carolina R. da Silva, Celso F. Balthazar, Jonas T. Guimarães, Mônica Q. Freitas, Erick A. Esmerino, Tatiana C. Pimentel, Renata L. Raices, Adriano G. Cruz, Simone L. Quiterio

Resistance against cell wall-active antimicrobial peptides in bacteria is often mediated by transporters. In low-GC-content Gram-positive bacteria, a common type of such transporters is BceAB-like systems, which frequently provide high-level resistance against peptide antibiotics that target intermediates of the lipid II cycle of cell wall synthesis. How a transporter can offer protection from drugs that are active on the cell surface, however, has presented researchers with a conundrum.

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis β-lactamase BlaC is a broad-spectrum β-lactamase that can convert a range of β-lactam antibiotics. Enzymes with low specificity are expected to exhibit active-site flexibility. To probe the motions in BlaC, we studied the dynamic behavior in solution using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. 15N relaxation experiments show that BlaC is mostly rigid on the pico- to nanosecond timescale.

The threat of diminished antibiotic discovery has global health care in crisis. In the United States, it is estimated each year that over 2 million bacterial infections are resistant to first-line antibiotic treatments and cost in excess of 20 billion dollars.

Author(s): Wenliang Wang, Min Wang, Jiale Huang, Xinping Li, Liping Cai, Sheldon Q. Shi, Yong Cui, Lei Chen, Yonghao Ni

Author(s): Tingting Wang, Jaanus Liigand, Henrik Lauritz Frandsen, Jørn Smedsgaard, Anneli Kruve

Author(s): Jozef Kováčik, Sławomir Dresler, Petr Babula

Author(s): Mingyan Jiang, Xinyi Cai, Jiarong Liao, Yixiong Yang, Qibing Chen, Suping Gao, Xiaofang Yu, Zhenghua Luo, Ting Lei, Bingyang Lv, Shiliang Liu

Author(s): Marinês F. Pires-Lira, Evaristo M. de Castro, Jean Marcel S. Lira, Cynthia de Oliveira, Fabrico J. Pereira, Marcio P. Pereira

Landfills are repository for complex microbial diversity responsible for bio-degradation of solid waste. To elucidate this complexity, samples from three different landfill sites of North India (sample V: Bhalswa near Karnal byepass road, New Delhi, India; sample T: Chandigarh, India and sample S3: Una, H.P., India) were analyzed using metagenomic approach. Selected landfill sites had different geographical location, varied in waste composition, size of landfill and climate zone.

by Ephantus J. Muturi, Gordon W. Selling, Kenneth M. Doll, William T. Hay, Jose L. Ramirez

Author(s): Can Zhang, Xiaoman Shi, Fangfang Yu, Ying Quan

Author(s): Rongtao Lyu, Zhixiang Gao, Deliang Li, Zhaoguang Yang, Ting Zhang

Author(s): Hiroshi Ishibashi, Masaya Uchida, Yuki Temma, Masashi Hirano, Nobuaki Tominaga, Koji Arizono