The DNA is then amplified by PCR containing two sets of primers that are specific for the different hepatitis viruses. Southern blot analysis confirms the presence of the viruses. The entire procedure takes a few days. Because NO has an important role in biological systems, much effort has gone into developing sensors that can measure it at physiological concentrations. The result is a measurable increase in current due to the NO binding.
Researchers Identify Chlorobenzene Bug.
The highly specialized bacterium, called CBDB1, could be useful for remediating sites contaminated with chlorobenzenes, chemical compounds that are considered persistent, toxic, and bioaccumulative. The researchers isolated the CBDB1 strain from a bio reactor containing a mixed culture enriched with dechlorinating bacteria and found that its growth occurred only in the presence of chlorobenzenes, hydrogen, and acetate. Hydrogen acts as an electron donor and chlorobenzene as an electron acceptor. Although reductive dechlorination by mixed cultures has been previously shown, this is the first time a pure culture has been shown to be capable of dechlorinating chlorobenzenes. Just as Dehalococcoides ethenogenes dechlorinates perchloroethene to nontoxic ethene, the CBDB1 strain dechlorinates higher chlorobenzenes to lower, less toxic forms.