HC-toxin is a cyclic tetrapeptide of structure cyclo(D-Pro-L-Ala-D-Ala-L-Aeo), where Aeo stands for 2-amino-9,10-epoxi-8-oxodecanoic acid. It is a determinant of specificity and virulence in the interaction between the producing fungus, Cochliobolus carbonum, and its host, maize. HC-toxin qualifies as one of the few microbial secondary metabolites whose ecological function in nature is understo...

Natural toxins are multifunctional, often ionizable organic compounds increasingly detected in the environment. Surprisingly little is known about their interactions with soil carbon, although sorption largely controls transport, bioavailability, and dissipation. For a set of 117 natural from 36 compound classes pH-dependent carbon–water distribution coefficient (Doc) was quantified using colum...

Abstract Many populations of water fleas ( Daphnia ) are exposed to algal blooms dominated by microcystin‐producing cyanobacteria. However, the severity these effects on fitness remain poorly understood in natural populations. We investigated seasonal changes body size, reproduction and survival D . longispina individuals from five eutrophic lakes southern Sweden. tested whether collected befor...

Many pathogenic bacteria and fungi produce potentially lethal toxins that cause cytotoxicity or impaired cellular function either at the site of colonization or other locations in the body through receptor-mediated interactions. Various factors, including biotic and abiotic environments, competing microbes, and chemical cues affect toxin expression in these pathogens. Recent work suggests that ...

Although many studies concerning the sensitivity mechanism of scorpion toxin-potassium channel interactions have been reported, few have explored the biochemical insensitivity mechanisms of potassium channel receptors toward natural scorpion toxin peptides, such as the KCNQ1 channel. Here, by sequence alignment analyses of the human KCNQ1 channel and scorpion potassium channel MmKv2, which is c...

Vibrio vulnificus is an environmental organism that causes septic human infections characterized by high morbidity and mortality. The annual incidence and global distribution of this pathogen are increasing as ocean waters warm. Clinical strains exhibit variations in the primary virulence toxin, suggesting a potential for the emergence of new strains with altered virulence properties. A clonal ...

This study is to investigate the biological, biochemical and cytotoxic effects of puffer fish (Arothron stellatus) toxin extracts under in-vitro condition. Extracted toxins from various organs of puffer fish were purified by using active charcoal column, and Bio-gel-P2 column chromatography. The lethality of toxin was tested in crabs, which consists of neurotoxic compounds. The degree of the br...