Earthworms express, as most animals, metallothioneins (MTs)-small, cysteine-rich proteins that bind d(10) metal ions (Zn(II), Cd(II), or Cu(I)) in clusters. Three MT homologues are known for Lumbricus rubellus, the common red earthworm, one of which, wMT-2, is strongly induced by exposure of worms to cadmium. This study concerns composition, metal binding affinity and metal-dependent protein fo...

A series of linear coordination polymers, metallacycles of cadmium(II) and mercury(II) of flexible carboxylic acid ligands, RCH{3-CH(3)-,5-CH(3)-,6-(-OCH(2)CO(2)H)C(6)H(2)}(2), (when R = C(6)H(5), (H(2)L(1)); 2-NO(2)C(6)H(4)- (H(2)L(2)) and 3-NO(2)C(6)H(4)- (H(2)L(3))) are synthesized and characterized. [CdL(1) (py)(3)](n)·3nH(2)O (py = pyridine) is a linear coordination polymer, whereas [CdL(2...

Fourteen Trichoderma isolates were evaluated for their tolerance to two heavy metals, nickel and cadmium. Three isolates, MT-4, UBT-18, and IBT-I, showed high levels of nickel tolerance, whereas MT-4, UBT-18, and IBT-II showed better tolerance of cadmium than the other isolates. Under nickel stress, biomass production increased up to a Ni concentration of 60ppm in all strains but then decreased...

The toxic effects of cadmium on the photosynthetic apparatus of Avicennia germinans were evaluated by means of the chlorophyll fluorescence transient O-J-I-P. The chlorophyll fluorescence transients were recorded in vivo with high time resolution and analyzed according to the OJIP-test that can quantify the performance of photosystem II. Cadmium-treated plants showed a decrease in yield for pri...

A new procedure is presented for the determination of low concentrations of lead and cadmium in water samples. Ligand assisted pseudo-stir bar hollow fiber solid/liquid phase microextraction using sol-gel sorbent reinforced with carbon nanotubes was combined with differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry for simultaneous determination of cadmium and lead in tap water, and Darongar river w...

Cadmium, as a hazardous pollutant commonly present in the living environment, represents an important risk to human health due to its undesirable effects (oxidative stress, changes in activities of many enzymes, interactions with biomolecules including DNA and RNA) and consequent potential risk, making its detection very important. New and unique technological and biotechnological approaches fo...

This work demonstrates improvement of a whole-cell cadmium detection sensor through construction of a gene circuit. A cadmium (II) specific regulatory promoter, P(cadR,) from Psuedomonas putida 06909, is used in the assembly of a toggle circuit. The circuit contains the cadR promoter fused to lacIq and gfp, and a divergently transcribed tac promoter and cadR. The toggle sensor exhibits lower ba...

Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942 has the ability to grow in mass quantity under ideal conditions; such an ability provides usable biomass at a minimal effort. Using lyophilized biomass grown under normal conditions, Synechococcus was tested for its potential to bind metal ions from solution. Batch experiments have determined the optimum binding pH, time dependency, and metal binding capacities for co...