Methionine, a sulfur-containing essential amino acid, plays a pivotal role in epigenetic regulation through its involvement in one-carbon metabolism and as a precursor to S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), the universal methyl donor. This review explores how methionine availability dynamically influences DNA and histone methylation, non-coding RNA expression, and RNA modifications, ultimately shaping gene expression, cellular identity, and developmental outcomes. Emerging evidence suggests that balanced methionine intake is critical for maintaining epigenetic homeostasis. At the same time, both deficiency and excess can disrupt this equilibrium, contributing to diseases such as cancer, metabolic disorders, neurodevelopmental abnormalities, and cardiovascular dysfunction. Methionine deficiency is shown to impair DNA and histone methylation, alter non-coding RNA profiles, and compromise stem cell pluripotency and neurogenesis. Conversely, excess methionine can trigger aberrant hypermethylation, genomic instability, and metabolic imbalances, with links to oncogenic transformation and accelerated aging. Notably, methionine restriction (MR) enhances stress resilience, promotes healthy aging, and reduces tumor progression by reprogramming the epigenetic landscape. This review highlights methionine's dualistic nature, both as a crucial epigenetic regulator and a potential contributor to disease when imbalanced. It also underscores the need for context-specific dietary strategies and further research into the intricate interplay between methionine metabolism, gene regulation, and long-term health outcomes. Understanding these molecular mechanisms may unlock novel nutritional and therapeutic approaches for disease prevention and epigenetic reprogramming.
The contribution of heavy metals in surface soils by the influences of agro-machinery factories is a significant growing concern. Heavy metals were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry technique to assess human and ecological risks. The concentrations of Fe, Cd, Cr, Cu, As, Pb, Mn, Ni, and Zn in soil ranged from 18,274-22,652, 2.06-4.92, 24.8-41.9, 126.8-137.5, 9.20-25.2, 17.8-46.1, 114.4-183.1, 86.9-118.1, and 101.6-159.6 mg/kg, respectively. The enrichment factor values of heavy metals were greater than 1.5, suggesting severe anthropogenic activities such as untreated waste discharging, burning of metallic wastes, wear, and tear, and dismantling of old batteries for heavy metals enrichment in studied soil. The contamination factor indicates considerable to very high contamination of heavy metals in soil. Moderate to high ecological risk was observed for analyzed metals which mainly originated from the maintenance and repairing of various engines in the workshop and welding and soldering of metallic substances. The target hazard quotient (THQ) was ranged from 6.99E-04 to 2.21E-01 for adults and 5.59E-03 to 1.82E + 00 for children, respectively; indicating children were more sensitive to heavy metals exposure from soil dust. The carcinogenic risk of As (1.72E-05) exceeded the USEPA acceptable limits indicating cancer risk to the residence. The current emphasized the significance of intensive heavy metals monitoring in surface soils around the agro-machinery areas due to their potential health risks associated with children.
As a cereal crop, maize ranked third place after wheat and rice in terms of land area coverage for its cultivation, and in Bangladesh, it ranked second place after rice in its production. As the substitution of wheat products, maize has been used widely in baking for human consumption and animal fodder. However, maize grown in this soil around the coal-burning power plant may cause heavy metals uptake that poses a risk to humans. The study was conducted at the maize fields in the Ganges delta floodplain soils of Bangladesh to know the concentration of eight heavy metals (Ni, Cr, Cd, Mn, As, Cu, Zn, and Pb) in soil and maize samples using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) and to estimate the risk of heavy metals in maize grains. Mean concentrations of heavy metals (mg/kg) in soil were in decreasing order of Zn (10.12) > Cu (10.02) > Mn (5.48) > Ni (4.95) > Cr (3.72) > As (0.51) > Pb (0.27) > Cd (0.23). The plant tissues showed the descending order of heavy metal concentration as roots > grains > stems > leaves. BCF values for As, Cd, Pb, and Mn in roots were higher than 1.0, indicating considerable accumulation of these elements in maize via roots. Total hazard quotient (ƩTHQ) of heavy metals through maize grain consumption was 3.7E+00 and 3.9E+00 for adults and children, respectively, indicating non-cancer risk to the consumers. Anthropogenic influences contributed to the heavy metals enrichment in the Ganges delta floodplain soils around the thermal plant, and potential risks (non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic) were observed due to the consumption of maize grain cultivated in the study area.
Nanocellulose, a promising green material derived from various bio-sources, has potentiality on and off-site in the agricultural sector. Due to its special qualities, which include high strength, hydrophilicity, and biocompatibility, it is a material that may be used in a variety of industries, especially agriculture. This review explores in this article production processes, post-processing procedures, and uses of nanocellulose in soil fertility increment and sustainable agriculture. A variety of plant materials, agricultural waste, and even microbes can be used to isolate nanocellulose. Nanocellulose is produced using both top-down and bottom-up methods, each of which has benefits and limitations of its own. It can be applied as nano-biofertilizer in agriculture to enhance beneficial microbial activity, increase nutrient availability, and improve soil health. Moreover, nanocellulose can be used in fertilizer and pesticide formulations with controlled releases to increase efficacy and lessen environmental effects. Innovative approaches to sustainable agriculture are provided by nanocellulose technologies, which also support the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those pertaining to eradicating hunger and encouraging responsible consumption. Nanocellulose promotes climate action and ecosystem preservation by increasing resource efficiency and decreasing dependency on hazardous chemicals, ultimately leading to the development of a circular bioeconomy. Nonetheless, there are still issues with the high cost of production and the energy-intensive isolation procedures. Despite its various potentialities, challenges such as high production costs, environmental concerns, and regulatory issues must be addressed for nanocellulose to be widely adopted and effectively integrated into farming practices.
The existence of heavy metal pollutants in fish within aquatic ecosystems presents a threat to human health due to trophic shift. This research sought to identify the concentrations of cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and chromium (Cr) in two economically significant cultured fish species, pangus (Pangasius hypophthalmus) and catla (Labeo catla), which were sourced from key fish markets in Khulna, Bangladesh. Nevertheless, there has been a scarcity of studies addressing the metal concentrations in these species within this region. To evaluate the levels of trace elements, atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) was employed following the acid digestion of the samples. The concentrations of Cd, As, Cu, Pb, and Cr were observed as 0.372, 0.232, 0.741, 0.758, and 1.356 mg/kg in pangus and 0.395, 0.297, 1.175, 0.616, and 0.959 mg/kg in catla fish, respectively. The concentrations of Pb and Cd exceeded the maximum permissible limits established by the FAO and WHO. Apart from Cu, the estimated daily intakes (EDI) for both seasons and age groups exceeded the recommended daily allowance (RDA), indicating that other trace elements could be detrimental to human health. In contrast, the calculated hazard index (HI) and total hazard quotient (THQ) remained below 1, suggesting that the fish examined would not pose health risks to adults but the HI value for children surpassed the acceptable limit. Moreover, Cd (for adult group) and Cd and Cr (for children group) surpassed the acceptable range for carcinogenic risk (CR), and the total carcinogenic risk (TCR) exceeded the permissible limit for both groups. This study concluded that studied fishes may represent a health risk for consumers, underscoring the necessity for ongoing monitoring of trace elements in other fish species within that catchment area.