Phthalates constitute a family of anthropogenic chemicals developed to be used in the manufacture of plastics, solvents, and personal care products. Their dispersion and accumulation in many environments can occur at all stages of their use (from synthesis to recycling). However, many phthalates together with other accumulated engineered chemicals have been shown to interfere with hormone activities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFor several decades, questions have been raised about the effects of endocrine disruptors (ED) on environment and health. In humans, EDs interferes with hormones that are responsible for the maintenance of homeostasis, reproduction and development and therefore can cause developmental, metabolic and reproductive disorders. Because of their ubiquity in the environment, EDs can adversely impact microbial communities and pathogens virulence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnthropogenic activities contribute to the spread of chemicals considered as endocrine disruptors (ED) in freshwater ecosystems. While several studies have reported interactions of EDs with organisms in those ecosystems, very few have assessed the effect of these compounds on pathogenic bacteria. Here we have evaluated the impact of five EDs found in aquatic resources on the virulence of human pathogen P.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn esca disease affecting grapevines, Phaeomoniella chlamydospora and Phaeoacremonium minimum colonize the woody parts of the trunks and arms, where they obtain nutrition from xylem sap and, potentially, from residues resulting from the enzymatic breakdown of lignified cell walls, particularly osidic residues. We quantified the secretion of lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase and laccase by these fungi in woody tissues of selectively infected cuttings using immunolabeling and transmission electron microscopy. Our results indicated that the detection of these enzymes was generally higher in tissues infected with Phaeoacremonium minimum.
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