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In recent years, the increase in environmental pollutants has been one of the most important factors threatening human and environmental health. Arsenic, a naturally occurring element found in soil, water, and air, easily enters the human body and leads to many metabolic disorders. In this study, we focused on the possible protective effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) against sodium arsenite (As)-induced toxic effects on embryonic fibroblast cells. The effects of As and NAC treatment on cells were evaluated, including cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Embryonic fibroblast cells were exposed to As (ranging from 0.01 μM to 10 μM) and NAC (at a concentration of 2 mM) for 24 h. The assessment of cytotoxicity markers, such as cell viability and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), showed that As significantly reduced cell viability and increased LDH levels. Furthermore, we observed that As increased the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cell, decreased the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and triggered apoptosis in cells. Additionally, our research revealed that the administration of NAC mitigates the detrimental effects of As. The results showed that As exerted hazardous effects on embryonic fibroblast cells through the induction of oxidative stress and apoptosis. In this context, our study provides evidence that NAC may have a protective effect against the toxicity of As in embryonic fibroblast cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was performed to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of various extracts (hexane, dichloromethane, methanol/chloroform, methanol/water and direct methanol) from Salvia microstegia (Boiss.) Et. Bal., a member of Lamiaceae family. Direct methanol extracts of S. microstegia exhibited more effective antibacterial activities on the Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. None of the extracts exhibited any antifungal activities on the Candida Ulbicans ATCC 10231. The total phenolic components of S. microstegia was found 103.64 mg/g gallic acid equivalent. The antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract of S. microstegia was examined with two complementary test systems; 2,2-diphenyl- I -picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and β-carotene-linoleic acid assays. The 50% (IC50) inhibition activity of the methanolic extract of S. microstegia on the free radical DPPH was determined as 7.63 mg/ml. In the case of the linoleic acid system, the methanolic extract of S. microstegia showed 79.92% inhibition, this value is quite close to the value of synthetic antioxidant reagent, 92.46%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phylogenetic relationships among four genera and nine species (Mugil cephalus,Mugil soiuy,Liza ramada,Liza aurata,Liza abu,Liza saliens,Liza carinata,Chelon labrosus,Oedalechilus labeo) of the Mediterranean mullets (Mugilidae) were investigated by means of allozyme electrophoresis using a seven-enzyme system (CK*,GAPDH*,G3PDH*,IDHP*,ME*,MDH*,PGM*) comprising eleven putative loci. The highest genetic divergence was 1.299, detected betweenM. cephalusandL. aurataand the lowest (0.280) was found betweenL. carinataandL. saliens. The amount of genetic divergence between the generaChelonandOedalechilusdid not appear to be high (0.285). In a UPGMA tree, all nine species were grouped in two main branchings. In the first branch,C. labrosusandO. labeoclustered as closest taxa and were sister group toL. ramada. The other fourLizaspecies produced two sub-branching in this group;L. carinatabranched together withL. saliens, andL. auratabranched together withL. abu. In the second branch the two species of the genus Mugil,M. cephalusandM. soiuy, clustered together and were clearly isolated from the other three genera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Germin, a molecular marker of wheat embryo germination, is a protease‐resistant, apoplastic, homopentameric glycoprotein with peroxide‐generating oxalate oxidase activity. The spatial specificity of germin‐like oxalate oxidase (gl‐OXO) gene expression has been determined in tissues of germinating wheat embryos by a combination of histochemical, immunocytochemical and in situ hybridization techniques. The synthesis and accumulation of gl‐OXO mRNA and protein is localised within the enveloping tissues of the embryonic axis (particularly the coleorhiza) during the first 24 h of imbibition. By 48 h germination, gl‐OXO accumulation is detected throughout the root, with the exception of the postmitotic zone of cell elongation, where accumulation of its transcript is restricted to outer cell layers. At this time in the elongating shoot, gl‐OXO is restricted to the coleoptile where it is detected only in the epidermal cell layer, the vascular bundles and bundle sheath cells. In older seedlings (approximately 9 days post‐imbibition) gl‐OXO activity is detected in leaves, but only within the vascular bundles. These patterns of expression are consistent with the hypothesis that the biological function of gl‐OXO is to restrict cell growth by participating in cell‐wall restructuring through the local provision of hydrogen peroxide for cross‐linking of wall components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to determine the in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the essential oil, seed oil, and methanolic extract of seed oil obtained from Laurus nobilis L. (Lauraceae). The methanolic extract of seed oil exhibited more effective antibacterial activity comparing to essential oil and seed oil, GC-MS analyses of the essential oil resulted in the identification of 25 compounds. 1.8-Cineol (44.72%), a-Terpinyl acetate (12.95%), Sabinene (12.82%) were the main components. The fatty acid composition was characterized with the high content of linoleic acid (40.79%) and lauric acid (38.08%). The 50% (IC50) inhibition activity of the essential oil on the free radical DPPH was determined as 94.655 mg ml(-1), whereas IC50 value of methanolic extract of seed oil was found unstable. In the case of the linoleic acid system, oxidation of linoleic acid was inhibited by essential oil and methanolic extract of seed oil, which showed 64.28 and 88.76% inhibition, respectively. The inhibition value of the methanolic extract of seed oil was quite close to the synthetic antioxidant BHT, 92.46% inhibition.

The essential oils of the leaves and fruits from bay (Laurus nobilis L.) grown in Antakya, Yayladagi and Samandagi were isolated by solvent extraction and analysed by capillary gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS). In Antakya, Yayladagi and Samandagi the chemical compositions of the fruits and leaves were similar according to qualitative and quantitative analysis. Although in both fruits and leaves the major component was found to be 1.8-Cineole a concentration of about 50% compared with essential oils. The composition of the essential oil from the leaves has high content of 1.8-Cineole, Sabinene and alpha-Terpinyl acetate, but a low content of a-Pinene, alpha-Phellandrene and trans-/beta-osimen. 1.8-Cineole was found major component of the leaves essential oil collected from Samandagi (59.94%) which is sea coast of region. Interestingly alpha-Pinene, beta-Pinene, alpha-Phellandrene, 1.8-Cineole and trans-beta-osimen were found the major components of fruits of Laurus nobilis L. harvested from Antakya, Yayladagi and Samandagi Trans-beta-osimen was detected as the major component of fruits essential oil collected again from Samandagi (28.35%)

Germination is a process which characterized with nescient synthesis of genes. Among the genes synthesized during the germination of wheat embryos, germin genes, proteins and their enzymatic activity were defined. Germin is a water soluble homopentameric glycoprotein which is remarkable resistant to degradation by a broad range of proteases including pepsin. Germin proteins found to have strong oxalate oxidase activity which produces hydrogen peroxide by degrading oxalic acid. The current study, aimed to localize the germin genes, proteins and enzymatic activities in developing coleoptiles which is a rapidly growing protective tissue of leaf primordium and shoot apex. Non-radioactively labeled germin riboprobes were employed to localize germin mRNAs in situ. FITC (Fluorescein isothiocyanate) and alkaline phosphatase linked anti-germin antibodies were used to localize germin proteins under the fluorescence and light microscopy and finally germin enzymatic activity was localized by using appropriate enzyme assay. The results revealed that in coleoptiles germin genes, proteins and their enzymatic activity were predominantly associated with the cells of epidermis and vascular bundle sheath cells.

Subtractive library hybridization was used to isolate the cDNA clones that corresponded to the transcripts that were specifically up-regulated during wheat embryo germination. The clones with numbers 5, 6, 7, 8, 24, and 26 appeared to be more abundant in germinating wheat embryos. Among the isolated clones, we identified four new members of the wheat "germin" gene family. We also identified two novel sequences which exhibited distinct germination up-regulation, and displayed characteristic spatial patterns of expression. One of these, represented by clone pSB10, was principally expressed in the root tissue of germinating embryos. The second was represented by the pSB7 clone and was expressed in both the root and shoot primordia of the embryonic axis, as well as within the coleoptile.