California's cattle producers and agricultural communities are all too familiar with the rising challenge of antibiotic resistance, making common bacterial infections harder to treat in livestock. But imagine a future where we could tackle these infections with a natural, powerful alternative. Our research points to just that: antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) found in African catfish.
We're really excited about these peptides because African catfish thrive in pathogen-rich freshwater, naturally producing these robust immune compounds in their skin mucus as a defense. This natural origin makes them highly appealing alternatives to synthetic drugs.
Predicted Safety and Potent Action
One of the most compelling aspects of these AMPs is their predicted safety for mammals. Our initial computer analyses suggest that various catfish AMPs are generally recognized as safe (GRAS). We predict they'll be absorbed in the human intestine without causing liver, brain, or heart toxicity. Furthermore, lab tests on a promising peptide, NACAP-II, confirmed it was non-hemolytic, meaning it didn't damage rabbit red blood cells—a strong indicator of its potential safety for mammalian cells.
Beyond safety, these peptides demonstrate effectiveness against problematic bacteria. One study revealed NACAP-II's strong activity against Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli—a critical concern for both animal and human health due to its resistance to many common antibiotics. Another peptide, ACAP-IV, also showed antibacterial activity against E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus. We believe these AMPs work by directly disrupting bacterial cell membranes, a mechanism that makes it harder for bacteria to develop resistance compared to how they resist traditional antibiotics.
Great Tomato Plant Sale: Bringing You Summer Veggies Since 2012!
Spring is in the air! And we hope you are prepping your gardens for a season full of fresh, homegrown veggies. The Great Tomato Plant Sale (GTPS) is just a little over a week away. We can’t wait to help you find the perfect veggies for your garden.
We’ve got plenty of exciting varieties to choose from. Over our 3 county area sales, we have 75 varieties of tomatoes, 39 varieties of peppers, and 78 varieties of other veggies, including eggplant, summer and winter squash, cucumbers, beans, leafy greens, and more! There’s something for everyone!
Plan your shopping trip in advance by visiting our website [link] for detailed variety descriptions, printable shopping lists, and helpful articles on growing summer veggies . Please note that availability varies by location—be sure to check the county-specific shopping lists and the description lists to find exactly what you’re looking for.
As a reminder, the dates of our sales are:
- Our Garden, Walnut Creek
(at N. Wiget & Shadelands Dr.)- Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
*ADA-accessible station with all plant varieties will be available in the parking lot on Saturday and Sunday - Wednesdays, April 9 and 16, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Rivertown Demonstration Garden, Antioch
(in the Contra Costa Event Park, 1201 W. 10th St.)- Saturday, April 12th, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Richmond Civic Center Library
(325 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond)- Saturday, April 19th, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For safety reasons, pets are not allowed inside the sales area.
We are very much looking forward to seeing you and assisting you in any way we can. Our “Ask a Master Gardener” team will be on-site at each of the 3 county area sales to help answer your gardening questions. We will also have a speaker at Our Garden, Walnut Creek, who will talk about “Pro Tips for the Summer Garden” on both Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6, from noon to 1:00pm.
