Project description:Explosives are widespread, toxic and persistent environmental pollutants. 2,4-Dinitroanisole (DNAN) is being phased in to replace 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) in munitions. Here we demonstrate that only low levels of DNAN are detoxified in Arabidopsis, leaving it to remain as a substrate for monodehydroascorbate reductase 6 mediated chronic phytotoxicity. Enhancing the potential for environmental toxicity, DNAN is readily transported to the aerial tissues exposing this toxin to herbivores and the wider food chain.
Project description:Analysis of transcriptional changes upon persistent heat stress with emphasis on epigenetically regulated genes 3 week old seedling grown in vitro were exposed to 37oC for 30 h (LHS). After heat stress, plants were analyzed immediately (R0) or allowed to recover at ambient temperature for 2 days (R2).
Project description:The search for factors beyond the radiotherapy dose that could identify patients more at risk of developing radio-induced toxicity is essential to establish personalised treatment protocols for improving the quality-of-life of survivors. To investigate the role of the intestinal microbiota in the development of radiotherapy-induced gastrointestinal toxicity, the MicroLearner observational cohort study characterised the intestinal microbiota of 136 (discovery) and 79 (validation) consecutive prostate cancer patients at baseline radiotherapy. Gastrointestinal toxicity was assessed weekly during RT using CTCAE. An average grade >1.3 over time points was used to identify patients suffering from persistent acute toxicity (endpoint). The intestinal microbiota of patients was quantified from the baseline faecal samples using 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology.
Project description:This work aims to study the effect of the elevated CO2 concentration on the tomato plant response to the toxicity provoked by ammonium nutrition. Tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Agora Hybrid F1, Vilmorin®) were grown for 4 week with 15 mM of nitrogen, supplied as nitrate or ammonium, at ambient or elevated CO2 conditions (400 ppm or 800 ppm). Transcription profiling by array was carried out in roots for the four growth conditions assayed and gene expression comparisons were done between N sources and CO2 conditions: i) genes differentially expressed in response to the atmospheric CO2 concentration (800 ppm vs 400 ppm CO2) under nitrate or ammonium nutrition; ii) genes differentially expressed in response to the N source (ammonium vs nitrate) under ambient or elevated condition. 3 biological replicates for each growth condition were analysed.CO2).
Project description:Boron is an essential micronutrient for plants and is taken up in the form of boric acid (BA). Despite this, a high BA concentration is toxic for the plants, inhibiting root growth and is thus a significant problem in semi-arid areas in the world. In this work, we report the molecular basis for the inhibition of root growth caused by boron. We used microarrays to detail the global gene expression underlying boron toxicity in roots.
Project description:A comparative transcriptomic study of the impact of salt toxicity on rice plant (Oryza sativa L.; cv 'I Kong Pao') after short term (48 hours) exposure to NaCl (200 mM) or Na2SO4 (100 mM). Twenty five days old rice seedlings were exposed to 0, 200 mM NaCl or 100 mM Na2SO4 for 48 hours in hydroponic culture. Comparison between control and salt-stressed plants were done at the shoot and the root levels. The essays were replicated twice on two independent plant cultures.