Abstract: The invention provides a system of heavy metal sequestration by bacteria. The bacteria expresses the ppk, mt, and/or ?-galactosidase (lacZ) genes and can tolerate at least 25 ?M mercury, 1,000 ?M zinc, 250 ?M cadmium, and 3,000 ?M Pb. The system allows for facile determination of the presence of heavy metal contaminants in a liquid and the facile collection of the bacteria that has sequestered large amounts of heavy metal. Further provided is a system of gene expression in bacteria that comprises phage and plastid gene expression elements and delivers a particularly high level of protein expression and heavy metal resistance.

Abstract: The invention provides a system of heavy metal sequestration by bacteria. The bacteria expresses the ppk, mt, and/or ?-galactosidase (lacZ) genes and can tolerate at least 25 ?M mercury, 1,000 ?M zinc, 250 ?M cadmium, and 3,000 ?M Pb. The system allows for facile determination of the presence of heavy metal contaminants in a liquid and the facile collection of the bacteria that has sequestered large amounts of heavy metal. Further provided is a system of gene expression in bacteria that comprises phage and plastid gene expression elements and delivers a particularly high level of protein expression and heavy metal resistance.

Abstract: The invention provides a system of heavy metal sequestration by bacteria. The bacteria expresses the ppk, mt, and/or ?-galactosidase (lacZ) genes and can tolerate at least 25 ?M mercury, 1,000 ?M zinc, 250 ?M cadmium, and 3,000 ?M Pb. The system allows for facile determination of the presence of heavy metal contaminants in a liquid and the facile collection of the bacteria that has sequestered large amounts of heavy metal. Further provided is a system of gene expression in bacteria that comprises phage and plastid gene expression elements and delivers a particularly high level of protein expression and heavy metal resistance.

Abstract: The invention provides a pharmaceutical composition which comprises a pharmaceutical carrier and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of cobaltocene-octamethyl, stigmastan-3,5 -diene,galaxolide, benzyl salicylate, eucalyptol, and ?-pinene. Also provided is a method of preparing a composition having antimicrobial activity comprising extracting a plant material in an organic solvent, contacting the extracted material to a chromatographic column, and eluting from the chromatographic column with a mobile polar phase to obtain a composition. The plant material is from Mammea Americana, Marchantaceae polymorpha, or Callistemon citrinus. Also provided is a method of inhibiting the growth of a mycobacterium, comprising administering a composition comprising a carrier and at least one compound selected from among cobaltocene-octamethyl, stigmastan, 3,5-diene, friedelin, galaxolide, benzyl salicylate, eucalyptol, and ?-pinene.

Abstract: The invention provides a pharmaceutical composition which comprises a pharmaceutical carrier and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of cobaltocene-octamethyl, stigmastan- 3,5 -diene, galoxolide, benzyl salicylate, eucalyptol, and ?-pinene. Also provided is a method of preparing a composition having antimicrobial activity comprising extracting a plant material in an organic solvent, contacting the extracted material to a chromatographic column, and eluting from the chromatographic column with a mobile polar phase to obtain a composition. The plant material is from Mammea Americana, Marchantaceae polymorpha, or Callistemon citrinus. Also provided is a method of inhibiting the growth of a mycobacterium, comprising administering a composition comprising a carrier and at least one compound selected from among cobaltocene-octamethyl, stigmastan, 3,5 -diene, friedelin, galoxolide, benzyl salicylate, eucalyptol, and ?-pinene.

Abstract: The invention provides a pharmaceutical composition which comprises a pharmaceutical carrier and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of cobaltacene-octgomet, stigmastan-3,5-diene, galoxolide, benzyl salicylate, eucalyptol, and &agr;-pinene. Also provided is a method of preparing a composition having antimicrobial activity comprising extracting a plant material in an organic solvent, contacting the extracted material to a chromatographic column, and eluting from the chromatographic column with a mobile polar phase to obtain a composition. The plant material is from Mammea Americana, Marchantaceae polymorpha, or Callistemon citrinus. Also provided is a method of inhibiting the growth of a mycobacterium, comprising administering a composition comprising a carrier and at least one compound selected from among cobaltacene-octgomet, stigmastan, 3,5-diene, friedelin, galoxolide, benzyl salicylate, eucalyptol, and &agr;-pinene.