Representing a basal branch of arachnids, scorpions are known as ‘living
fossils’ that maintain an ancient anatomy and are adapted to have survived
extreme climate changes. Here we report the genome sequence of Mesobuthus
martensii, containing 32,016 protein-coding genes, the most among sequenced
arthropods. Although M. martensii appears to evolve conservatively, it has a
greater gene family turnover than the insects that have undergone diverse morphological
and physiological changes, suggesting the decoupling of the molecular and morphological
evolution in scorpions. Underlying the long-term adaptation of scorpions is the
expansion of the gene families enriched in basic metabolic pathways, signalling
pathways, neurotoxins and cytochrome P450, and the different dynamics of expansion
between the shared and the scorpion lineage-specific gene families. Genomic and
transcriptomic analyses further illustrate the important genetic features associated
with prey, nocturnal behaviour, feeding and detoxification. The M. martensii
genome reveals a unique adaptation model of arthropods, offering new insights into the
genetic bases of the living fossils.
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) present in foods have been a major concern for food safety due to their persistence and toxic effects. To ensure food safety and protect human health from POPs, it is critical to achieve a better understanding of POP pathways into food and develop strategies to reduce human exposure. POPs could present in food in the raw stages, transferred from the environment or artificially introduced during food preparation steps. Exposure to these pollutants may cause various health problems such as endocrine disruption, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, birth defects, and dysfunctional immune and reproductive systems. This review describes potential sources of POP food contamination, analytical approaches to measure POP levels in food and efforts to control food contamination with POPs.
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