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Hydrocarbon pollution is widespread around the globe and, even in the remoteness of Antarctica, the impacts of hydrocarbons from anthropogenic sources are still apparent. Antarctica’s chronically cold temperatures and other extreme environmental conditions reduce the rates of biological processes, including the biodegradation of pollutants. However, the native Antarctic microbial diversity provides a reservoir of cold-adapted microorganisms, some of which have the potential for biodegradation. This study evaluated the diesel hydrocarbon-degrading ability of a psychrotolerant marine bacterial consortium obtained from the coast of the north-west Antarctic Peninsula. The consortium’s growth conditions were optimised using one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) and statistical response surface methodology (RSM), which identified optimal growth conditions of pH 8.0, 10 °C, 25 ppt NaCl and 1.5 g/L NH4NO3. The predicted model was highly significant and confirmed that the parameters’ salinity, temperature, nitrogen concentration and initial diesel concentration significantly influenced diesel biodegradation. Using the optimised values generated by RSM, a mass reduction of 12.23 mg/mL from the initial 30.518 mg/mL (4% (w/v)) concentration of diesel was achieved within a 6 d incubation period. This study provides further evidence for the presence of native hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in non-contaminated Antarctic seawater.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an important organelle responsible as protein synthesis regulator in plant. High salinity can also lead to the activation of ER stress, caused by the accumulation of misfolded protein. This could lead to a stress response mechanism, unfolded protein response (UPR). Failure of UPR to reverse the effect of protein misfolding will activate Programmed Cell Death (PCD). Metacaspase genes regulate programmed cell death (PCD) in plants. The present study was focused on comprehensive gene analyses of the expression patterns of type II rice metacaspase (OsMC) genes in response to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and salinity stress in rice leaf and OsMC4 in callus. A strong evidence of unfolded protein response (UPR) during tolerance to both ER and salinity stress was found in the present study. Overexpression of OsMC4 in rice callus as a fusion protein with TagRFP and controlled by the CaMV35 promoter caused major changes in the expression of the stress ER-marker genes, protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) and Binding immunoglobulin Protein (BiP), and OsMC4 in overexpressing calli. These expression analyses of the OsMC family provide valuable information for further functional studies on the biological roles of OsMCs in PCD related to ER and salinity stress responses.

Additional file 3:. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) of EgERF113 with DRE/CRT probe. Lane 1 to 3 consist of EBNA control system. Lane 4 to 8 consist of EgERF113 test system. Lane 1 and 8 are the blank for EBNA and EgERF113 systems, respectively. Lane 2 is the positive control for EMSA. EMSA shows direct binding of EgERF113 to DRE/CRT probe in lane 6. EgERF113 is unable to bind to untransformed yeast and biotinylated mutant DRE/CRT (mDRE/CRT) probe in lane 4 and 5, respectively. Successful binding of 200-fold molar excess of unlabelled DRE/CRT (competitor) probe is shown in lane 7.

Additional file 1:. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) of EgJUB1 with SNBE1 probe. Lane 1 to 3 consist of EBNA control system. Lane 4 to 8 consist of EgJUB1 test system. Lane 1 and 8 are the blank for EBNA and EgJUB1 systems, respectively. Lane 2 is the positive control for EMSA. EMSA shows direct binding of EgJUB1 to SNBE1 probe in lane 6. EgJUB1 is unable to bind to untransformed yeast and biotinylated mutant SNBE1 (mSNBE1) probe in lane 4 and 5, respectively. Successful binding of 200-fold molar excess of unlabelled SNBE1 (competitor) probe is shown in lane 7.

Additional file 2:. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) of EgERF113 with GCC-box probe. Lane 1 to 3 consist of EBNA control system. Lanes 4 to 8 consist of EgERF113 test system. Lane 1 and 8 are the blank for EBNA and EgERF113 systems, respectively. Lane 2 is the positive control for EMSA. EMSA shows direct binding of EgERF113 to GCC-box probe in lane 6. EgERF113 is unable to bind to untransformed yeast and biotinylated mutant GCC-box (mGCC-box) probe in lane 4 and 5, respectively. Successful binding of 200-fold molar excess of unlabelled GCC-box (competitor) probe is shown in lane 7.

Atherosclerosis is the process of hardening and narrowing the arteries. Atherosclerosis is generally associated with cardiovascular diseases such as strokes, heart attacks, and peripheral vascular diseases. Since the usage of the synthetic drug, statins, leads to various side effects, the plants flavonoids with antiartherosclerotic activity gained much attention and were proven to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis in vitro and in vivo based on different animal models. The flavonoids compounds also exhibit lipid lowering effects and anti-inflammatory and antiatherogenic properties. The future development of flavonoids-based drugs is believed to provide significant effects on atherosclerosis and its related diseases. This paper discusses the antiatherosclerotic effects of selected plant flavonoids such as quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, rutin, naringenin, catechin, fisetin, and gossypetin.