Effect of Light on Anthocyanin Levels in Submerged, Harvested Cranberry Fruit

Anthocyanins are a group of plant antioxidants known for their therapeutic use. The effects of natural light, red light, and far-red light on individual as well as total anthocyanin content in cranberry fruit (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait) were examined in an experimental setting designed to mimic water-harvesting conditions. The reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was used to separate and analyze the anthocyanins. In contrast to the case of the control sample that was kept in the dark, natural light increased the total anthocyanin level by 75.3% and 87.2% after 24 and 48 hours of water immersion, respectively. Red light and far-red light increased the total anthocyanin level by 41.5% and 34.7%, respectively. The amount of each individual anthocyanin increased differently under natural light, red light, and far-red light, suggesting that expressions of enzymes that catalyze the anthocyanin biosynthesis are regulated differently by environments

A Targeted Therapeutic Rescues Botulinum Toxin-A Poisoned Neurons

Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), a Category A biothreat agent, is the most potent poison known to mankind. Currently no antidote is available to rescue poisoned synapses. BoNT acts specifically by blocking neurotransmission primarily at peripheral nerve-muscle junctions causing severe flaccid muscle paralysis, which is fatal if proper medical care is not provided. The neurotoxin acts by specifically entering the presynaptic nerve endings where it interferes with the biochemical machinery involved in the process of neurotransmitter release, i.e., neuroexocytosis. Most serotypes of BoNT are known to remain active for weeks to months after entering the nerves, but BoNT/A is the most potent and long lasting in causing muscle paralysis. An effective medical countermeasure strategy requires developing a drug that could rescue poisoned neuromuscular synapses, and would include its efficient delivery specifically to presynaptic nerve terminals. Here we report rescuing of botulinum poisoned nerve cells by Mastoparan-7 (Mas-7), a peptide constituent of bee venom, that was delivered through a drug delivery vehicle (DDV) constructed from the non-toxic fragment of botulinum neurotoxin itself. We found that Mas-7 that was delivered into BoNT/A intoxicated cultured mouse spinal cord cells restored over 40% of stimulated neurotransmitter release. The rescue of the cell poisoning did not occur from inhibition of the endopeptidase activity of BoNT/A against its well known substrate, SNAP-25 that is mechanistically involved in the exocytosis process. Rather, Mas-7 induced a physiological host response apparently unrelated to SNAP-25, but linked to the phospholipase signal transduction pathway. In addition to providing the first effective antidote against botulism, our results open new avenues to study the mechanism of exocytosis, and also to examine an alternative cellular mechanism of botulinum neurotoxin action. An effective BoNT-based DDV can also be utilized for drug delivery against many neuronal and neuromuscular disorders

Analysis of genomic differences among Clostridium botulinum type A1 strains

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Type A1 <it>Clostridium botulinum </it>strains are a group of Gram-positive, spore-forming anaerobic bacteria that produce a genetically, biochemically, and biophysically indistinguishable 150 kD protein that causes botulism. The genomes of three type A1 <it>C. botulinum </it>strains have been sequenced and show a high degree of synteny. The purpose of this study was to characterize differences among these genomes and compare these differentiating features with two additional unsequenced strains used in previous studies.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Several strategies were deployed in this report. First, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth laboratory Hall strain (UMASS strain) neurotoxin gene was amplified by PCR and sequenced; its sequence was aligned with the published ATCC 3502 Sanger Institute Hall strain and Allergan Hall strain neurotoxin gene regions. Sequence alignment showed that there was a synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the region encoding the heavy chain between Allergan strain and ATCC 3502 and UMASS strains. Second, comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) demonstrated that the UMASS strain and a strain expected to be derived from ATCC 3502 in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) laboratory (ATCC 3502*) differed in gene content compared to the ATCC 3502 genome sequence published by the Sanger Institute. Third, alignment of the three sequenced <it>C. botulinum </it>type A1 strain genomes revealed the presence of four comparable blocks. Strains ATCC 3502 and ATCC 19397 share the same genome organization, while the organization of the blocks in strain Hall were switched. Lastly, PCR was designed to identify UMASS and ATCC 3502* strain genome organizations. The PCR results indicated that UMASS strain belonged to Hall type and ATCC 3502* strain was identical to ATCC 3502 (Sanger Institute) type.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Taken together, <it>C. botulinum </it>type A1 strains including Sanger Institute ATCC 3502, ATCC 3502*, ATCC 19397, Hall, Allergan, and UMASS strains demonstrate differences at the level of the neurotoxin gene sequence, in gene content, and in genome arrangement.</p

Application of Lherzolite on the Plant Growth and on Chemical Fractionation of Lead in Metal Contaminated Soil

ABSTRACT A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of 5% application of lherzolite to a contaminated soil on the growth of radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and Japanese mustard spinach (Brassica rapa L. var. perviridis) and on chemical fractionation of lead (Pb). Both plants were grown in a sandy loam soil contaminated with Cd (4.1 mg kg ) . The source of these heavy metals contamination in soil was surface water which was previously mixed with contaminants discharged from industrial and mining operations located in Tohoku district, Japan. Plants were grown consecutively three times in the same pots. After the third harvest, soil samples were collected and analysed by sequential extraction procedure into five operationally defined fractions (F1-exchangeable, F2-carbonate bound, F3-oxides bound, F4-organically bound and F5-residual). Application of lherzolite to soil increased plant growth three folds over the control. Lherzolite addition to soil decreased 75% of exchangeable (F1), 50% carbonate bound (F2), but it increased in the oxide bound (F3) fractions of Pb. This result indicates that the reduction of Pb in exchangeable and carbonate fractions by addition of lherzolite to the soil resulted in higher growth and decreased concentrations of Pb (82 to 94%) in plant tissues

Soil and Human Health: Current Status and Future Needs

Soil influences human health in a variety of ways. with human health being linked to the health of the soil. Historically. emphasis has been placed on the negative impacts that soils have on human health, including exposures to toxins and pathogenic organisms or the problems created by growing crops in nutrient-deficient soils. However. there are a number of positive ways that soils enhance human health, from food production and nutrient supply to the supply of medications and enhancement of the immune system. It is increasingly recognized that the soil is an ecosystem with a myriad of interconnected parts. each influencing the other, and when all necessary parts are present and functioning (ie, the soil is healthy), human health also benefits. Despite the advances that have been made, there are still many areas that need additional investigation. We do not have a good understanding of how chemical mixtures in the environment influence human health, and chemical mixtures in soil are the rule, not the exception. We also have sparse information on how most chemicals react within the chemically and biologically active soil ecosystem. and what those reactions mean for human health. There is a need to better integrate soil ecology and agronomic crop production with human health, food/nutrition science, and genetics to enhance bacterial and fungal sequencing capabilities. metagenomics. and the subsequent analysis and interpretation. While considerable work has focused on soil microbiology, the macroorganisms have received much less attention regarding links to human health and need considerable attention. Finally, there is a pressing need to effectively communicate soil and human health connections to our broader society. as people cannot act on information they do not have. Multidisciplinary teams of researchers. including scientists, social scientists, and others, will be essential to move all these issues forward

SELENIUM STATUS OF COWS AND SHEEP AS A CONSEQUENCE OF REGIONAL DIFFERENCES AND FEEDING PRACTICE ON SMALL FARMS IN CENTRAL BOSNIA AND EASTERN SLAVONIA

Na području Centralne Bosne i Istočne Slavonije provedena je studija u cilju utvrđivanja povezanosti sadržaja selena u tlu, različite hranidbene prakse i vrste životinja sa statusom selena krava i ovaca. Ukupno je prikupljeno 85 uzoraka krvi krava i 39 uzoraka krvi ovaca tijekom 2012 godine. Paralelno, uzeti su uzorci tla i dominantno korištenih krmiva proizvedenih na farmi. Upitnikom su prikupljeni relevantni podaci o karakteristikama hranidbe na farmi. Sadržaj selena u krvi životinja utvrđen je atomskom apsorpcijskom spektroskopijom - hidridna tehnika dok su indukcijska spregnuta plazma i optička emisijska spektroskopija poslužile za utvrđivanje sadržaja selena u tlu. Primijenjen je model višestruke linearne regresijske (VLR) analize sadržaja selena u krvi kao funkcije lokaliteta (sadržaja selena u tlu), vrste (krave, ovce) te hranidbene prakse (korištenja standardnih krmnih smjesa, žitarica, dodataka selena) na farmama. Rezultati ukazuju na nizak sadržaj selena (<0,5 mg/kg) u svim ispitivanim tlima te prema tome, i nizak sadržaj selena u proizvedenim krmivima, što je posebno izraženo za područje centralne Bosne. Nasuprot tome, sadržaj selena u krvi krava je bio zadovoljavajući, a osobito na području istočne Slavonije, što je rezultat intenzivnije hranidbe. Sadržaj selena u krvi ovaca na oba područja bio je nezadovoljavajući. Pri ispitivanju izvora varijabilnosti sadržaja selena u krvi životinja ustanovljen je značajan stupanjski logistički regresijski model (F3,111 = 80,939; p<0,005; R2= 0,678). Na sadržaj selena u krvi životinja značajan utjecaj su imali lokalitet (Beta = 0,587; p<0,005) te primjena standardnih krmnih smjesa (Beta = 0,778; p<0,005) i korištenje žitarica (Beta = 0,17; p<0,05) u hranidbi životinja. Vrsta životinja i dodavanje selena u hranidbi nije imala signifikantan utjecaj na status selena u ovome modelu.A study of the effect of different feeding and management practices on a ruminant farms located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina and eastern part of Croatia on selenium status in animals was performed. The animals were kept under different feeding systems varying from extensive to highly intensive. The total of 85 blood samples of cows and 30 samples of sheep were collected during 2012. Samples of the soil and plants from the same locality as blood samples were also collected. In conjunction with samples collection, cooperating practitioners completed a questionnaire summarizing the feeding practice on farms. Selenium in blood samples was determined by a hydride generation atomic absorption technique and ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectrometry) was used to determine selenium in soil samples. A multiple linear regression (MLR) model was developed to predict blood selenium concentration as the function of different factors, such as locality - selenium in soil, animal species - cow vs. sheep, feeding practice - commercial concentrates, grain and selenium supplements. The results indicate low selenium content in all investigated soils containing less than 0.5 ppm and consequently, also low selenium content in most plant samples (mainly in the central Bosnia region). Despite the low selenium content in the soils, its content in the blood of cows is higher reflecting feeding practice, mainly in Croatia. All investigated sheep were deficient in selenium. Using a stepwise multiple linear regression method, a significant model emerged (F3,111 = 80.939; p<0.005; R square = 0.678). Significant variables were locality (Beta = 0.587; p<0.005), standard concentrate mixtures (Beta = 0.778; p<0.005) and grain (Beta = 0.17; p<0.05). Animal species and selenium supplements were not significant in this model

Historical Perspectives and Guidelines for Botulinum Neurotoxin Subtype Nomenclature

Botulinum neurotoxins are diverse proteins. They are currently represented by at least seven serotypes and more than 40 subtypes. New clostridial strains that produce novel neurotoxin variants are being identified with increasing frequency, which presents challenges when organizing the nomenclature surrounding these neurotoxins. Worldwide, researchers are faced with the possibility that toxins having identical sequences may be given different designations or novel toxins having unique sequences may be given the same designations on publication. In order to minimize these problems, an ad hoc committee consisting of over 20 researchers in the field of botulinum neurotoxin research was convened to discuss the clarification of the issues involved in botulinum neurotoxin nomenclature. This publication presents a historical overview of the issues and provides guidelines for botulinum neurotoxin subtype nomenclature in the future.Peer reviewe

The Zinc-Dependent Protease Activity of the Botulinum Neurotoxins

The botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT, serotypes A-G) are some of the most toxic proteins known and are the causative agents of botulism. Following exposure, the neurotoxin binds and enters peripheral cholinergic nerve endings and specifically and selectively cleaves one or more SNARE proteins to produce flaccid paralysis. This review centers on the kinetics of the Zn-dependent proteolytic activities of these neurotoxins, and briefly describes inhibitors, activators and factors underlying persistence of toxin action. Some of the structural, enzymatic and inhibitor data that are discussed here are available at the botulinum neurotoxin resource, BotDB (http://botdb.abcc.ncifcrf.gov)

Soil fertility, plant nutrition and fertilizer management in the tropics

Fra institutt for jordkultur