فصلنامه ایمنی زیستی
سال چهاردهم شماره 3 (پاییز 1400)

Coronaviruses cause diseases such as the Middle East respiratory syndrome and acute respiratory syndrome. SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19 and ongoing pandemic, was first identified in Wuhan, China. SARS-CoV-2 mainly infects the respiratory tract leading to infect other organs. Gastrointestinal symptom, for instance, have been widely reported in patients with COVID-19. In fact, numerous investigations have shown that SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in feces and this may be associated with the risk of viral transmission. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in human feces and transmission in the sewage system is a public health concern. Therefore, wastewater-based epidemiology can play a critical role in the early detection of COVID-19 outbreaks in rural and urban areas. Compared to conventional viral detection methods, it has been suggested that SARS-CoV-2 can be rapidly detected in sewage even one week before observing the symptom in a population. In this study, we first focus on the importance of sewage system monitoring and screening to control the COVID-19 pandemic and the required protocols and factors to remove and to disinfect wastewater from the virus to provide safe water recycling and environmental health protection.

Development of the gluten-free products is important due to their role in gluten related disorders and health improvement. This study aimed to investigate the effect of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) protein isolates and bioactive peptides on the quality of gluten-free bread. For production of the bioactive peptides, the quinoa protein isolate was hydrolyzed with alcalase for 1, 2, 3, 4 and 24 h. Production of the bioactive peptides were confirmed by OPA analysis and SDS-PAGE. The maximum antioxidant activity of the hydrolysates was found after 4 h of hydrolysis which possessed 80.42% and 56.02% ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging, respectively. Presence of the quinoa protein isolate reduced the hardness, chewiness and gumminess of the bread and bioactive peptides and its combination with quinoa protein increased these factors. The rheological measurement showed solid-elastic behavior in batters. Based on the results of this study, addition of the quinoa protein and bioactive peptides resulted in a production of antioxidant gluten-free bread and reduced the quality of bread.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when consumed in sufficient quantities, show obvious health effects on the consumer. Probiotics mainly belong to the Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) group, which can be isolated from traditional dairy sources. Therefore, this study aimed to isolate, identify and investigate the probiotic properties of LAB strains from Colostrum in Kermanshah Province. Tolerance of strains under simulated gastrointestinal conditions including low pH (pH 2.5 for 3 h), high bile salt (0.3% (w/v) for 4 h), and enzymatic conditions (5% pepsin (w/v) and pancreatin 0.1% (w/v) for 2-3 hours) was assessed and then their antagonistic activity was evaluated against 8 Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. Hemolytic activity, adhesion capacity to the hydrophobic phase, and potential binding to intestinal epithelial cells were investigated. On the other hand, the efficiency of cholesterol removal from the culture medium and the ability of auto- and co-aggregation were investigated. Finally, the presence of virulence genes encoding ten pathogens and assessing antibiotic susceptibility to nine important and widely used antibiotics were performed. The results revealed that Lactococcus lactis A11, and L. lactis A21 are safe and showed higher tolerance to low pH and bile salt in gastrointestinal conditions, favorable anti-pathogenic activity, acceptable cell surface hydrophobicity, high cell adhesion, higher cholesterol uptake, ideal auto- and co-aggregation, and acceptable antibiotic susceptibility; so they could be considered as novel candidates of probiotics for use in the food industry.

Improper use of soil resources leads to reduced fertility and soil degradation, and ultimately reduced crop production. Chemical fertilizers are a very strong competitor to biofertilizers because they are cheaper, easier to access, and faster return on investment. Accordingly, the aim of this study was conducted to evaluate the rhizosphere bacteria that stimulate plant growth and provide biosecurity with the approach of modifying the root structure of plants. The study showed that the rhizosphere supports the development and activity of a large and diverse community of microbial organisms, including organisms in plant growth, which can be used in the biological control of plant diseases. Bacillus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. It also causes an increase in all biological diseases. These microorganisms are investigated in the present study. Findings showed that reducing production costs on a large scale is a difficult task but can be achieved with careful research. In addition, the analysis of the benefits, risks, and limitations of the use of Rhizobacteria requires a more comprehensive and detailed investigation. Because the choice of appropriate method of plant disease control is based on balance.

Microorganisms make a significant portion of biodiversity, and the growth of inventions related to microorganisms shows their importance for various industries, including biotechnology. Maintenance of microorganisms can be studied from two points of view in the framework of “conservation of genetic resources and “patent requirements”. When an invention relates to a microorganism, in some countries, such as the United States, the written description is not necessarily sufficient to disclose the invention, and a sample of the microorganism needs to be submitted to a specialized center. In fact, the deposit of microorganisms for the purposes of patent procedures has also been recognized internationally by the Budapest Treaty. In the present article, based on the documentary and library research method, while delimitation of the scope of the term “microorganism” in the Budapest Treaty, the technical and legal rules for the conservation of microorganisms and biological materials in international depository authorities have been examinated according to the Budapest Treaty. By examining the challenge of Iranian cultivation collections for acceding to the Budapest Treaty, it has been concluded that an appropriate legal protection system and completion of specialized infrastructures are the important missing links in the field of conservation of Iran's genetic resources and patenting of microorganisms.

Triticum aestivum L. is an important food crop that provides more than 40% of the per capita calories and protein in the diet in many developing countries. Wheat production plays an important role in food security and the global economy. Sunn pest is one of the most serious pests of wheat in Asia, North Africa, and Eastern Europe. Yield losses caused by Sunn pest are estimated at 50-90% in wheat in case of pest out break. The use of chemical pesticides is the most common method of controlling Sunn pest. Although chemical pesticides have decreased in recent years, the damage caused by the chemicals, and how long they remain in the environment are the causes of most worrying. Thus, finding more effective alternative methods to be safer are a necessity. The Promising new technologies are attractive on many levels, mainly because they have been developed to target specific species and eradicate pest populations more gently. Many researchers worldwide have performed several studies to control various pests using new techniques such as RNA interference, genomic modification, and microbiome studies. The use of new methods may play effective roles in controlling the sunn pest of wheat and reduce some concerns.