Mutagenic potential of lettuce grown from irradiated seeds

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Genotoxicity evaluation of environmental pollutants using analysis of nucleolar alterations

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Qualidade de cebola minimamente processada em diferentes tipos de cortes

The high perishability of the onion has limited its conservation period and caused great post-harvest losses. The need of consuming fresh products has led the market of minimally processed products to considerably rise. Cut operations during the minimal processing may not only cause important biochemical reactions in the onion tissues, but also affect its sensorial quality, resulting in a drastic reduction in the post-harvest life of the product. In this study the influence of different cut types was assessed on the quality of minimally processed onions. 'Baia Periforme'onions were transported to the laboratory, where they were selected, cleaned, classified, peeled, minimally processed into slices, grated and chopped, and subsequently sanitized for 10 minutes in sodium hypochlorite at 100 mg L-1. The product was kept on polystyrene trays covered with plastic film (PVC) as 80 g portions and conserved in a cold chamber at 5 +/- 1 degrees C and 85 +/- 5% RH, during 6 days. Physical, chemical and physico-chemical assays were carried out. Statistical design was completely randomized with 3 treatments and 3 replications (plot group) and 5 replicationss for the control group. For sensorial analysis (aspect and smell), 10 replications were used. To compare means, Tukey test at 5% significance was adopted. During the refrigerated conservation, sliced onions kept more stable levels of soluble solids, titratable acidity, total sugars, reducing and non-reducing sugars. The grated onion was superior considering the sensorial characteristics, indicating that the cut types interfered in these features and the grated onion was more accepted by evaluators.

Toxicity of synthetic and natural compounds on Tetranychus urticae and the predator Phytoseiulus macropilis

The objective of this work was to evaluate the toxicity of synthetic and natural compounds on Tetranychus urticae and the predator Phytoseiulus macropilis. Mortality and growth rates of T. urticae and its predator were evaluated after applications of: abamectin, clofentezine, fenpropathrin, fenpyroximate, propargite, sulfur and spiromesifen, at their recommended concentrations; neem oils (Natuneem and Sempre Verde Killer Neem at 1%); and aqueous extracts at 10% of Dieffenbachia brasiliensis, Annona squamosa, Ruta graveolens, Agave angustifolia, Melia azedarach, Sonchus oleraceus, Mentha spicata x M. suaveolens, Allium cepa, Laurus nobilis, and Eucalyptus saligna. The acute toxicity and the influence of the compounds on the instantaneous growth rate of the mites were carried out in laboratory. Extracts of A. cepa, A. angustifolia, neem oil-based products, spiromesifen, propargite, fenpyroximate, abamectin and fenpropathrin caused mortality higher than 83% on T. urticae. Extract of A. angustifolia, Natuneem and clofentezine did not cause significant mortality rates on P. macropilis. Agave angustifolia and Natuneem did not affect significantly the growth rate of this predator. Propargite, fenpyroximate, abamectin, fenpropathrin, spiromesifen and extract of L. nobilis severely affected P. macropilis population.

Fusarium proliferatum isolated from garlic in Spain: Identification, toxigenic potential and pathogenicity on related Allium species

Fusarium proliferatum has been reported on garlic in the Northwest USA, Spain and Serbia, causing water-soaked tan-colored lesions on cloves. In this work, Fusarium proliferatum was isolated from 300 symptomatic garlic bulbs. Morphological identification of Fusarium was confirmed using species-specific PCR assays and EF-1α sequencing. Confirmation of pathogenicity was conducted with eighteen isolates. Six randomly selected F. proliferatum isolates from garlic were tested for specific pathogenicity and screened for fusaric acid production. Additionally, pathogenicity of each F. proliferatum isolate was tested on healthy seedlings of onion (Allium cepa), leek (A. porrum), scallions (A. fistulosum), chives (A. schoenoprasum) and garlic (A. sativum). A disease severity index (DSI) was calculated as the mean severity on three plants of each species with four test replicates. Symptoms on onion and garlic plants were observed three weeks after inoculation. All isolates tested produced symptoms on all varieties inoculated. Inoculation of F. proliferatum isolates from diseased garlic onto other Allium species provided new information on host range and pathogenicity. The results demonstrated differences in susceptibility with respect to host species and cultivar. The F. proliferatum isolates tested all produced fusaric acid (FA); correlations between FA production and isolate pathogenicity are discussed. Additionally, all isolates showed the presence of the FUM1 gene suggesting the ability of Spanish isolates to produce fumonisins.

Electronic nose evaluation of onion headspace volatiles and bulb quality as affected by nitrogen, sulphur and soil type

Edaphic factors affect the quality of onions (Allium cepa). Two experiments were carried out in the field and glasshouse to investigate the effects of N (field: 0, 120 kg ha(-1); glasshouse: 0, 108 kg ha(-1)), S (field: 0, 20 kg ha(-1); glasshouse: 0, 4.35 kg ha(-1)) and soil type (clay, sandy loam) on onion quality. A conducting polymer sensor electronic nose (E-nose) was used to classify onion headspace volatiles. Relative changes in the E-nose sensor resistance ratio (%dR/R) were reduced following N and S fertilisation. A 2D Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the E-nose data sets accounted for c. 100% of the variations in onion headspace volatiles in both experiments. For the field experiment, E-nose data set clusters for headspace volatiles for no N-added onions overlapped (D-2 = 1.0) irrespective of S treatment. Headspace volatiles of N-fertilised onions for the glasshouse sandy loam also overlapped (D-2 = 1.1) irrespective of S treatment as compared with distinct separations among clusters for the clay soil. N fertilisation significantly (P < 0.01) reduced onion bulb pyruvic acid concentration (flavour) in both experiments. S fertilisation increased pyruvic acid concentration significantly (P < 0.01) in the glasshouse experiment, especially for the clay soil, but had no effect on pyruvic acid concentration in the field. N and S fertilisation significantly (P < 0.01) increased lachrymatory potency (pungency), but reduced total soluble solids (TSS) content in the field experiment. In the glasshouse experiment, N and S had no effect on TSS. TSS content was increased on the clay by 1.2-fold as compared with the sandy loam. Onion tissue N:water-soluble SO42- ratios of between five and eight were associated with greater %dR/R and pyruvic acid concentration values. N did not affect inner bulb tissue microbial load. In contrast, S fertilisation reduced inner bulb tissue microbial load by 80% in the field experiment and between 27% (sandy loam) and 92% (clay) in the glasshouse experiment. Overall, onion bulb quality discriminated by the E-nose responded to N, S and soil type treatments, and reflected their interactions. However, the conventional analytical and sensory measures of onion quality did not correlate with %dR/R.

Evaluation of the Genotoxicity of Chitosan Nanoparticles for Use in Food Packaging Films

The use of nanoparticles in food packaging has been proposed on the basis that it could improve protection of foods by, for example, reducing permeation of gases, minimizing odor loss, and increasing mechanical strength and thermal stability. Consequently, the impacts of such nanoparticles on organisms and on the environment need to be investigated to ensure their safe use. In an earlier study, Moura and others (2008a) described the effect of addition of chitosan (CS) and poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) nanoparticles on the mechanical properties, water vapor, and oxygen permeability of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose films used in food packaging. Here, the genotoxicity of different polymeric CS/PMAA nanoparticles (size 60, 82, and 111 nm) was evaluated at different concentration levels, using the Allium cepa chromosome damage test as well as cytogenetic tests employing human lymphocyte cultures. Test substrates were exposed to solutions containing nanoparticles at polymer mass concentrations of 1.8, 18, and 180 mg/L. Results showed no evidence of DNA damage caused by the nanoparticles (no significant numerical or structural changes were observed), however the 82 and 111 nm nanoparticles reduced mitotic index values at the highest concentration tested (180 mg/L), indicating that the nanoparticles were toxic to the cells used at this concentration. In the case of the 60 nm CS/PMAA nanoparticles, no significant changes in the mitotic index were observed at the concentration levels tested, indicating that these particles were not toxic. The techniques used show promising potential for application in tests of nanoparticle safety envisaging the future use of these materials in food packaging.

Garlic (Allium sativum): diet based therapy of 21st century-a review

Functional and nutraceutical foods provide an opportunity to improve one's health by reducing health care costs and to support economic development in rural communities. For this reason, various phyto-based functional foods are becoming popular worldwide owing to number of evidences for their safer therapeutic applications. Garlic (Allium sativum L.,) is an essential vegetable that has been widely utilized as seasoning, flavoring, culinary and in herbal remedies. The consumption of traditional plants especially garlic has progressively increased worldwide because of their great effectiveness, fewer side effects and relatively low cost. Garlic is well known to contain an array of phytochemicals. These bioactive molecules are playing pivotal role in maintaining human health and having potential to reduce various ailments. It has distinct nutritional profile with special reference to its various bioactive components that can be used in different diet based therapies to cure various life-style related disorders. The present review is an attempt to explore the functional/nutraceutical role of garlic against various threats including dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia, cardiovascular disorders, antioxidant capacity and carcinogenic perspectives.

Exposição ao material particulado 2,5 m coletado em vias de alto tráfego da cidade do Rio de Janeiro: avaliação mutagênica, genotóxica e determinação de risco à saúde induzido por hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos

A mutagenicidade do material particulado é atribuída primeiramente aos hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos (HPA). Investigamos a atividade mutagênica do material particulado (MP2,5) em amostras coletadas em três pontos da cidade do Rio de Janeiro. As coletas foram realizadas com auxílio de um amostrador de grande volume na Avenida Brasil, no campus da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro e no Túnel Rebouças em filtros de fibra de vidro. Metade de cada filtro foi submetido à extração por sonicação com o solvente diclorometano. Seis HPA foram identificados e quantificados por cromatografia gasosa com espectrometria de massa (GC/MS). Após a análise química as concentrações dos HPA obtidos foram correlacionados ao fatores físicos, além de ser realizado avaliação de risco para cada HPA estudado. Linhagens de Salmonella typhimurium (TA98 e derivadas TA98/1.8-DNP6, YG1021 e YG1024) foram utilizadas no ensaio de mutagenicidade e tratadas (10-50 g/placa) com extrato orgânico na presença e na ausência de metabolização exógena. Células de raiz de cebola foram tratadas com extratos orgânicos nas concentrações (5-25g/mL). A alta umidade encontrada no Túnel Rebouças pode ter influenciado na deposição de cinco dos seis HPA estudados em material particulado. Além disso, em diferentes condições de tráfego, motoristas de ônibus que cruzam a Avenida Brasil e o Rebouças túnel estão expostos ao risco induzidos por HPA na ordem de 10-6. Mutagenicidade foi detectada tanto na presença quanto na ausência de metabolização, para as linhagens YG1021 e YG1024 nos três pontos, sugerindo a presença de nitro e amino derivados de HPA. As amostras do Túnel Rebouças apresentaram os maiores valores para rev/g e rev/m3. Estes resultados podem estar relacionados ao longo trajeto e a restrita ventilação. Efeito citotóxico foi detectado pelo ensaio Allium cepa nos três pontos de monitoramento. Além disso os extratos orgânicos provenientes das coletas da Avenida Brasil, UERJ e do Túnel Rebouças induziram efeito clastogênico em células de raiz de Allium cepa

大蒜、绊根草中重金属抗性分子机制的研究

日益加剧的重金属污染已经危害到了全球的生态环境以及人类健康。在分子水平上阐明植物中的重金属抗性机制并应用于环境修复和绿色农业是植物科学和环境科学以及农业科学的交叉点和新的生长点。为了了解植物重金属抗性的分子机制，我们的研究主要是从重金属抗性植物材料大蒜(Allium sativumL．)和绊根草(Cynodon dactylon)中分离重金属抗性相关基因，并研究它们在重金属抗性机制中的功能。 在高等植物中有迹象表明，一种富含半胱氨酸的低分子量蛋白．类金属硫蛋白 (Metallothioneins Like，MTs Like)和一类具有Y-(Glu-Cys) n-Gly特殊结构的多肽一植物络合素(Phytochelatins，PCs)在重金属抗性机制中占有重要地位。然而人们对于同一种植物中这两种重金属结合肽作用的相互关系还缺乏了解，同时对于MT Like基因以及PCs合酶基因在同一种植物中的表达模式如金属离子专一性、时空表达特点等，还投有文献报道，因此本文将首先以这两个基因为切入点进行研究。 本研究采用RACE的方法，从大蒜中分离得到了类金属硫蛋白(MT-Like)的cDNA序列(GenBank Accession No.AY050510)，PCR和SoutheLrn Blot分析表明，大蒜基因组中不仅存在类金属硫蛋白基因，而且可能以基因家族的形式存在。对获得的MT Like cDNA进行的序列分析及同源性分析表明，大蒜MT Like cDNA含有一个完整的开放阅读框架，编码73个氨基酸，其中12个为半胱氨酸，占氨基酸总数的1 6.4%，并与其他植物如水稻、小麦、紫羊茅草中的类金属硫蛋白基因同源性较高，其中最高达89%。对该基因编码的氨基酸序列和结构分析表明在N-端、c-端结构域中分别含有3个典型的金属硫蛋白的结构模式Cys-Xaa-Cys，属于典型的Type-1类金属硫蛋白。这些Cys-Xaa-Cys特征结构表明大蒜MT Like基因编码的蛋白可以结合二价金属离子。重金属胁迫下大蒜根中MT Like基因在转录水平的表达检测表明，MT Like基因的表达受重金属离子Cu2+、Cd2+的诱导，暗示MT Like基因在大蒜对重金属的抗性中有重要作用。此外，用能谱电镜技术研究大蒜中重金属的积累与分布，以及用组织原位杂交技术分析MT Like基因的表达定位与重金属的积累、转运的关系已在进行之中。 植物络合素也是富含巯基的多肽化合物，在重金属抗性中起重要作用。由植物络合素结构中存在的Y一酰胺键或β-Ala可知PCs不是基因表达的直接产物，而是以GSH为前体的酶促反应产物。目前已知y一谷氨酰半胱氨酸二肽转肽酶(简称为PCs合酶，phytochelatin synthase，PCS)是PCs合成途径的关键酶，编码这一关键酶的基因目前已在小麦、拟南芥菜和裂殖酵母中克隆。由于这一基因在不同物种中的保守性较低，其克隆较困难。本研究通过设计植物络合素台酶基因简并引物，从大蒜中扩增得到了345bp的cDNA序列。序列分析和推测的氨基酸序列同源性比较表明，此序列的翻译产物与已知的植物络合素合酶同源性最高，此cDNA序列应为大蒜植物络合素合酶基因的部分cDNA序列(GenBank Accession No.AF384110)。目前大蒜植物络台素合酶基因的全长序列的扩增，以及这两种与重金属抗性有关的基因(MT Like，PCS)的表达模式仍在研究中。 本文还尝试了利用酵母重金属敏感突变株M379/8功能互补的方法从重金属抗性植物绊根革中分离新的重金属抗性相关基因。构建了用于转化的酵母质粒表达文库，探索了酵母转化体系建立的条件。曾尝试多种转化方法，并对其中的条件进行了优化改进。下一步的工作将集中在合适的酵母突变体的筛选或穿梭表达载体的选择标记基因替换上

大蒜中植物络合素合酶基因的克隆及功能分析

随着现代工业的发展，重金属污染已经成为一个非常严重的问题。 传统的重金属治理方法花费较高并且过程非常繁琐。植物修复技术是一种经济并且有效的利用植物进行环境污染治理的新方法。植物络合素是一类植物体内络合重金属离子的多肽，它已经发现于多种植物与微生物中。植物络合素合酶是催化GSH合成 植物络合素的关键酶。因此揭示植物络合素合酶的分子机理对于了解植物对重金属抗性的机制又很重要的意义。迄今为止，关于植物络合素合酶基因的研究主要集中在两种非重金属的植物中：拟南芥与小麦。许多关于该基因结构与功能的问题依然很不清楚。大蒜是一种能够抗很高浓度重金属的植物。在本研究中，我们利用大蒜这种重金属抗性植物对以下问题做了较为系统的研究： 1. 测量了大蒜在重金属胁迫下的生理表现，并得出大蒜是一种具有重金属抗性的植物; 2. 我们从大蒜中克隆出一个新的植物络合素合酶基因。该基因全长1868bp，包含一个 506个氨基酸的开放读码框并编码一个55.8KD的蛋白。该基因转译的氨基酸序列与其他十二种物种的植物络合素合酶氨基酸序列具有很高的同源性; 3. 酵母功能互补试验证明表达AsPCS的酵母可以比对照耐受更高浓度的镉与砷。这表明AsPCS的转译产物在酵母与植物的重金属的耐受过程中起很重要的作用; 4. RT-PCR的结果表明，经过重金属Cd2＋的胁迫，AsPCS在根中与茎中的表达量都有提高，这说明AsPCS的调控是发生在转录水平上的。另外通过比较该基因在相同处理条件下根中与茎中的表达量，我们发现AsPCS在根中的表达量远高于茎中; 5. 原位杂交显示AsPCS主要表达于根的表皮、顶端分生组织、韧皮部，并且当重金属压力提高后，表皮的表达量明显提高。

克氏针茅(Stipa krylovii Roshev.)草原植物凋落物分解特性及其对环境变化的响应

凋落物的分解对生物地球化学循环起着重要的作用。本研究以位于中国北方农牧交错区（内蒙古多伦县）的半干旱克氏针茅(Stipa krylovii Roshev.)草原生态系统为背景，针对凋落物分解研究中的几个关键过程和问题进行了探讨。研究内容包括该生态系统中几种常见植物凋落物的分解速率，在分解过程中的养分动态，凋落物的混合效应（即非加性效应）及其机制，全球变化引起的土壤有效N、P和降水增加对凋落物分解的影响及其对草原生态系统碳储量的影响等。 通过对克氏针茅、糙隐子草(Cleistogenes squarrosa Trin.)、双齿葱(Allium bidentatum Fisch.)、野韭(Allium ramosum L. Sp. Pl.)和冰草(Agropyron cristatum Gaertn.)的叶、茎、根凋落物的研究发现，叶和茎的分解速率与凋落物初始N和P含量呈显著正相关，根系的分解速率与初始C/N比呈显著负相关。根系凋落物一般比叶和茎凋落物分解速率快，而且具有更快的养分周转速率。有些凋落物混合在一起分解后对分解速率产生了混合效应（混合凋落物的实际分解速率偏离于基于组分凋落物计算的预期分解速率），同时它们对养分（主要是N、P、Ca、Mg）的固定或释放被延后。混合效应发生与否以及混合效应的方向主要取决于组分凋落物的特点，而与凋落物多样性的高低没有明显的关系。混合凋落物对养分动态的负作用，能降低退化生态系统遭到干扰后养分的损失，而且养分释放时间的延后有助于某些植物更好地生长，有利于退化草原生态系统恢复过程中植被结构的改善。 由于凋落物的质量对分解速率的影响重大，凋落物的化学组成很可能对混合凋落物分解过程中的非加性效应起重要作用，然而迄今为止没有明确的结论。本文研究发现，具有不同初始N、P含量的凋落物（同一物种）混合在一起分解后产生了正的非加性效应，非加性效应的强弱与组分凋落物初始N、P含量的差异大小有关。而且，非加性效应与P含量差异大小的相关性比与N的强，这可能与研究地点土壤中P的含量相对更为缺乏有关。这一研究结果表明，凋落物的化学组成在有些情况下确实与非加性效应有关。 通过施肥和浇水试验，研究了全球变化引起的土壤有效N、P和水分的增加对具有不同生活型和化学组成的两种优势草原植物，即双齿葱和克氏针茅凋落物分解的直接影响。结果发现，向土壤中添加N肥或N、P复合肥，在短期内（100天）加速了这两种植物的分解速率。高质量凋落物（双齿葱）的分解更容易受到土壤水分条件的限制，而低质量凋落物（克氏针茅）的分解对土壤养分有效性更敏感。土壤中有效养分的增加会提高分解凋落物对养分的固定，有利于退化生态系统中养分的保持。双齿葱对内蒙古半干旱典型草原的碳循环和养分动态的贡献，比克氏针茅要更大。研究结果提示人们，对草原生态系统的碳循环和养分动态进行模拟时，需要对不同化学组成的凋落物分别加以考虑。 本文还探讨了土壤有效N长期增加后对两种优势草原植物（克氏针茅和冷蒿(Artemisia frigida Willd)）凋落物分解的综合影响，并进一步区分了由土壤有效N增加引起的凋落物质量改变的间接作用和土壤状况改变的直接作用。结果发现，土壤有效N长期增加后对凋落物的分解速率没有明显影响，但是显著加速了分解凋落物对养分的固定，这可能是由于凋落物质量对分解的促进作用和土壤状况对分解的抑制作用相互抵消的原因所造成的。向土壤中添加N素后，地上部植被生产力不可避免的会提高，尽管短期内会加速凋落物的分解速率，但从长远来看，对凋落物的分解速率不会产生影响，所以估计土壤有效N增加后最终会提高草原生态系统的净碳储量。 通过本研究，对中国北方农牧交错区（内蒙古多伦县）半干旱克氏针茅草原生态系统的养分循环过程有了初步的了解，验证了混合凋落物分解过程中非加性效应发生的可能性，并且证明组分凋落物的初始化学组成对这种非加性效应确实起着重要作用。本研究说明全球变化对不同植物种凋落物分解的影响是不同的，而且因研究时间长短的不同对凋落物分解的影响会发生变化。研究结果为草原生态系统碳和养分循环过程的模拟提供了必要的基础资料，为混合凋落物分解过程中非加性效应发生的可能机制提供了强有力的证据，对在全球变化背景下人们对草原生态系统碳和养分循环过程的认识和模拟有着重要的参考价值。

湖北大蒜油的GC/MS研究

&lt;正> 1 简介与实验大蒜(Allium sativun L.)系石蒜科葱属植物,世界各地均有栽培,大蒜作为民间药物广泛应用于世界各地。我国用大蒜作为药物有悠久的历史,大蒜在临床上的重要作用引起了广大化学家的重视,对大蒜的分析国内外均有报道。Stoll 等人认为大蒜的主要成分是大蒜辣素(Allicm),其结构式为 CH_2=

Mancha-púrpura do alho e da cebola: doença difícil de controlar.

2009

Agressividade de isolados de Colletotrichum gloeosporioides em cebola.

2009