In this study, the function of a LEA gene (TaLEA1) from Tamrix androssowii in response to heavy metal stress was characterized. Time-course expression analyses showed that NaCl, ZnCl(2), CuSO(4), and CdCl(2) considerably increased the expression levels of the TaLEA1 gene, thereby suggesting that this gene plays a role in the responses to these test stressors. To analyze the heavy metal stress-t...

BACKGROUND MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous non-coding small RNAs (sRNAs) that can base pair with their target mRNAs, which represses their translation or induces their degradation in various biological processes. To identify miRNAs regulated by heavy metal stress, we constructed two sRNA libraries for the blood clam Tegillarca granosa: one for organisms exposed to toxic levels of cadmium (Cd)...

With the extent of contamination in water and soil today, possibility of presence of toxic heavy metals in plants in everyday life can not be ruled out. In this context, understanding the influence of exogenenous factors on such plants gains importance. Here, we investigated expression of metallothioneins genes MT1 and MT2 in Rape Brassica napus L. as representatives of MT gene type 1, type 2 (...

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that is considered an environmental contaminant. Several sources of human exposure to Cd, including employment in primary metal industries, production of certain batteries, foods, soil and cigarette smoke, are known. Its inhalation has been related to different respiratory diseases and toxic effects, among which alterations of the physiological redox state in...

Bacterial surface components and extracellular compounds, particularly flagella, lipopolysaccharides (LPSs), and exopolysaccharides (EPSs), in combination with environmental signals and quorum-sensing signals, play crucial roles in bacterial autoaggregation, biofilm development, survival, and host colonization. The nitrogen-fixing species Sinorhizobium meliloti (S. meliloti) produces two symbio...

Cadmium (Cd) is a phytotoxic heavy metal (HM) that can induce generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are considered as bio-ameliorators that help to mitigate HM-derived oxidative stress. The objective of this study was to assess AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis on changes in enzymatic activity and transcription of antioxidants of Medicago sativa to Cd s...

The extensive use of heavy metals and nanoparticles (NPs) has led to their release into the environment that might have negative impacts on both organisms and the environment. In this study, the molecular responses of wheat seedlings to silver nitrate and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were assessed by transcript accumulation analysis of genes coding for products potentially involved in heavy met...

Heavy metal poisoning is a serious threat in the world of industrialization as almost all the industries use heavy metals in one or the other way. These heavy metals do harm to vitals such as liver, kidney, lung and blood. Liver is the site of biotransformation of xenobiotic substances. Liver is thus the most affected affected organs of the body. The present study highlights toxic stress of mer...

We examined changes in profiles of isoflavonoids in roots of lupine (Lupinus luteus L. cv. Juno) seedlings in response to treatment with two heavy metals: cadmium (at 10 mg/l) and lead (at 150 mg/l). Overall, 21 flavonoid conjugates were identified in root extracts, some of them with up to six positional isomers. The total amount of all isoflavonoids increased by about 15 % in cadmium-treated p...

This paper builds a bridge between heavy metal music, complexity theory and sustainability science to show the potential of the (auditory) arts to inform different aspects of complex systems of people and nature. The links are described along different dimensions. This first dimension focuses on the scientific aspect of heavy metal. It uses complex adaptive systems theory to show that the rapid...