Project description:au11_04_benzene - benzene effects on brassica leaves - Improving the knowledge of the metabolic pathways of benzene in higher plants. - Cabbages (Brassica oleracea variety Prover), placed in a 300L exposure chamber, are directly subjected to a single dose of benzene (3ppm) for 24 hours.
Project description:au12-01_detox; Improving the knowledge of the metabolic pathways of benzene in higher plants Cabbages (Brassica oleracea Var. Prover)are directly submitted to a one dose of benzene (3ppm) during 1 hour or 3 hours. The comparison is realized between samples treated and untreated to the benzene for both exhibitions.
Project description:au12-01_detox; Improving the knowledge of the metabolic pathways of benzene in higher plants Cabbages (Brassica oleracea Var. Prover)are directly submitted to a one dose of benzene (3ppm) during 1 hour or 3 hours. The comparison is realized between samples treated and untreated to the benzene for both exhibitions. 4 dye-swap - treated vs untreated comparison
Project description:Benzene is abundant air pollutant that has been associated with several diseases in particularly cardiovascular disease. Despite of known health risks, effects of benzene on cardiovascular health is not well studied. In this study, in a well-controlled animal model, we are characterizing how benzene influences cardiovascular system.
Project description:Anaerobic benzene oxidation coupled to the reduction of Fe(III) was studied in Ferroglobus placidus in order to learn more about how such a stable molecule could be metabolized under strict anaerobic conditions. F. placidus conserved energy to support growth at 85°C in a medium with benzene provided as the sole electron donor and Fe(III) as the sole electron acceptor. The stoichiometry of benzene loss and Fe(III) reduction, as well as the conversion of [14C]-benzene to [14C]-carbon dioxide, was consistent with complete oxidation of benzene to carbon dioxide with electron transfer to Fe(III). Benzoate, but not phenol or toluene, accumulated at low levels during benzene metabolism and [14C]-benzoate was produced from [14C]-benzene. Analysis of gene transcript levels revealed increased expression of genes encoding enzymes for anaerobic benzoate degradation during growth on benzene versus growth on acetate, but genes involved in phenol degradation were not up-regulated during growth on benzene. A gene for a putative carboxylase that was more highly expressed in benzene- versus benzoate-grown cells was identified. These results suggest that benzene is carboxylated to benzoate and that phenol is not an important intermediate in the benzene metabolism of F. placidus. This is the first demonstration of a microorganism in pure culture that can grow on benzene under strict anaerobic conditions and for which there is strong evidence for degradation of benzene via clearly defined anaerobic metabolic pathways. Thus, F. placidus provides a much needed pure culture model for further studies on the anaerobic activation of benzene in microorganisms.
Project description:Anaerobic benzene oxidation coupled to the reduction of Fe(III) was studied in Ferroglobus placidus in order to learn more about how such a stable molecule could be metabolized under strict anaerobic conditions. F. placidus conserved energy to support growth at 85°C in a medium with benzene provided as the sole electron donor and Fe(III) as the sole electron acceptor. The stoichiometry of benzene loss and Fe(III) reduction, as well as the conversion of [14C]-benzene to [14C]-carbon dioxide, was consistent with complete oxidation of benzene to carbon dioxide with electron transfer to Fe(III). Benzoate, but not phenol or toluene, accumulated at low levels during benzene metabolism and [14C]-benzoate was produced from [14C]-benzene. Analysis of gene transcript levels revealed increased expression of genes encoding enzymes for anaerobic benzoate degradation during growth on benzene versus growth on acetate, but genes involved in phenol degradation were not up-regulated during growth on benzene. A gene for a putative carboxylase that was more highly expressed in benzene- versus benzoate-grown cells was identified. These results suggest that benzene is carboxylated to benzoate and that phenol is not an important intermediate in the benzene metabolism of F. placidus. This is the first demonstration of a microorganism in pure culture that can grow on benzene under strict anaerobic conditions and for which there is strong evidence for degradation of benzene via clearly defined anaerobic metabolic pathways. Thus, F. placidus provides a much needed pure culture model for further studies on the anaerobic activation of benzene in microorganisms.
Project description:Anaerobic benzene oxidation coupled to the reduction of Fe(III) was studied in Ferroglobus placidus in order to learn more about how such a stable molecule could be metabolized under strict anaerobic conditions. F. placidus conserved energy to support growth at 85°C in a medium with benzene provided as the sole electron donor and Fe(III) as the sole electron acceptor. The stoichiometry of benzene loss and Fe(III) reduction, as well as the conversion of [14C]-benzene to [14C]-carbon dioxide, was consistent with complete oxidation of benzene to carbon dioxide with electron transfer to Fe(III). Benzoate, but not phenol or toluene, accumulated at low levels during benzene metabolism and [14C]-benzoate was produced from [14C]-benzene. Analysis of gene transcript levels revealed increased expression of genes encoding enzymes for anaerobic benzoate degradation during growth on benzene versus growth on acetate, but genes involved in phenol degradation were not up-regulated during growth on benzene. A gene for a putative carboxylase that was more highly expressed in benzene- versus benzoate-grown cells was identified. These results suggest that benzene is carboxylated to benzoate and that phenol is not an important intermediate in the benzene metabolism of F. placidus. This is the first demonstration of a microorganism in pure culture that can grow on benzene under strict anaerobic conditions and for which there is strong evidence for degradation of benzene via clearly defined anaerobic metabolic pathways. Thus, F. placidus provides a much needed pure culture model for further studies on the anaerobic activation of benzene in microorganisms.
Project description:The effects of the aromatic hydrocarbons benzene and toluene on Nitrosomonas europaea, a nitrifying bacterium that plays an important role in the removal of nitrogen from wastewater treatment plants, were studied in batch reactors. Exposure to 20 M toluene and 40 M benzene resulted in a 50% reduction in nitrifying activity after 1 h. However, Affymetrix microarray experiments detected no significant changes in gene expression in toluene exposed cells. Cells exposed to benzene were found to up-regulate a gene cluster (NE 1545 - NE 1551). This gene cluster appears to be involved with fatty-acid metabolism, lipid and membrane protein biosynthesis. TEM experiments reveal that cells exposed to benzene decrease the thickness of their membrane and the membrane becomes more structured. Keywords: stress response, benzene, toluene