Structural energetics of the molten globule state

Certain partly ordered protein conformations, commonly called “moltenglobule states,” are widely believed to represent protein folding intermediates. Recentstructural studies of molten globule states ofdifferent proteins have revealed features whichappear to be general in scope. The emergingconsensus is that these partly ordered forms exhibit a high content of secondary structure, considerable compactness, nonspecific tertiary structure, and significant structural flexibility. These characteristics may be used to define ageneral state of protein folding called “the molten globule state,” which is structurally andthermodynamically distinct from both the native state and the denatured state. Despite exaatensive knowledge of structural features of afew molten globule states, a cogent thermodynamic argument for their stability has not yetbeen advanced. The prevailing opinion of thelast decade was that there is little or no enthalpy difference or heat capacity differencebetween the molten globule state and the unfolded state. This view, however, appears to beat variance with the existing database of protein structural energetics and with recent estimates of the energetics of denaturation of α-lactalbumin, cytochrome c, apomyoglobin, and T4 lysozyme. We discuss these four proteins at length. The results of structural studies, together with the existing thermodynamic values for fundamental interactions in proteins, provide the foundation for a structural thermodynamic framework which can account for the observed behavior of molten globule states. Within this framework, we analyze the physical basis for both the high stability of several molten globule states and the low probability of other protential folding intermediates. Additionally, we consider, in terms of reduced enthalpy changes and disrupted cooperative interactions, the thermodynamic basis for the apparent absence of a thermally induced, cooperative unfolding transition for some molten globule states. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Oxide-Based Solid-State Batteries: A Perspective on Composite Cathode Architecture

The garnet-type phase Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ (LLZO) attracts significant attention as an oxide solid electrolyte to enable safe and robust solid-state batteries (SSBs) with potentially high energy density. However, while significant progress has been made in demonstrating compatibility with Li metal, integrating LLZO into composite cathodes remains a challenge. The current perspective focuses on the critical issues that need to be addressed to achieve the ultimate goal of an all-solid-state LLZO-based battery that delivers safety, durability, and pack-level performance characteristics that are unobtainable with state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries. This perspective complements existing reviews of solid/solid interfaces with more emphasis on understanding numerous homo- and heteroionic interfaces in a pure oxide-based SSB and the various phenomena that accompany the evolution of the chemical, electrochemical, structural, morphological, and mechanical properties of those interfaces during processing and operation. Finally, the insights gained from a comprehensive literature survey of LLZO–cathode interfaces are used to guide efforts for the development of LLZO-based SSBs.     

Influence of handling and conditioning protocol on learning and memory of Microplitis croceipes

Microplitis croceipes (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) learns odors in association with both hosts and food. The food‐associated ‘seeking’ behavior of M. croceipes was investigated under various training protocols utilizing the conditioning odor, 3‐octanone. We investigated the effects of odor training, or its lack, training duration, training frequency, time elapsed after training, wasp hunger state, and training reinforcement, on the food‐seeking responses of M. croceipes females. We found that odor‐trained females show strong food seeking responses, whereas non‐odor‐trained females do not respond to the odor, and that a single 10 s association with the odor whilst feeding on sugar water subsequently conditioned the wasps to exhibiting significant responses to it. Increases in training time to more than 10 s did not improve their responses. Repetition of the food–odor associations increased a wasp's recall, as well as its response over time, compared to a single exposure. Repeated exposure to the learned odor in the absence of a food reward decreased the responses of less hungry individuals. However, the level of response increased significantly following a single reinforcement with the food–odor association. Understanding the factors that influence learning in parasitoids can enhance our ability to predict their foraging behavior, and opens up avenues for the development of effective biological detectors.     

Search for substrate-based inhibitors fitting the S2' space of malarial aspartic protease plasmepsin II.

Plasmepsin (Plm) has been identified as an important target for the development of new antimalarial drugs, since its inhibition leads to the starvation of Plasmodium falciparum. A series of substrate-based dipeptide-type Plm II inhibitors containing the hydroxymethylcarbonyl isostere as a transition-state mimic were synthesized. The general design principle was provision of a conformationally restrained hydroxyl group (corresponding to the set residue at the P2' position in native substrates) and a bulky unit to fit the S2' pocket.     

Production of pectinases by Aspergillus niger in solid state fermentation at high initial glucose concentrations

Exopectinase (exo-p) and endopectinase (endo-p) production by Aspergillus niger CH4 in solid state culture was studied at initial glucose concentrations of 100, 250, 350 and 450 g/l. The highest activity of exo-p (35 U/g) was produced at 72 and 120 h in the medium containing 100 and 250 g glucose/l, respectively. The maximum endo-p activity (9 U/g) was produced at 72 h in the medium with 250 g glucose/l. The reduction in pectinase production at 350 and 450 g/l initial glucose concentration was due neither to repression of the synthesis of the enzyme nor to the glucose consumption rate of the strain but due to a drastic drop in pH of the medium.S. Solis-Pereyra, E. Favela-Torres, M. Gutiérrez-Rojas, G. Saucedo-Castañeda and G. Viniegra-González are with the Departamento de Biotecnologia, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, A.P. 55-535, C.P. 09340, México D.F., México; S. Roussos is with the Laboratoire de Biotechnologie, ORSTOM, B.P. 5045, 34032, Montpellier Cedex, France, and P. Gunasekaran is with the Department of Microbial Technology, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, 625-021, India.     

Anaerobic bioprocessing of organic wastes

Anaerobic digestion of dissolved, suspended and solid organics has rapidly evolved in the last decades but nevertheless still faces several scientific unknowns. In this review, some fundamentals of bacterial conversions and adhesion are addressed initially. It is argued in the light of G-values of reactions, and in view of the minimum energy quantum per mol, that anaerobic syntrophs must have special survival strategies in order to support their existence: redistributing the available energy between the partners, reduced end-product fermentation reactions and special cell-to-cell physiological interactions. In terms of kinetics, it appears that both reaction rates and residual substrate thresholds are strongly related to minimum G-values. These new fundamental insights open perspectives for efficient design and operation of anaerobic bioprocesses. Subsequently, an overview is given of the current anaerobic biotechnology. For treating wastewaters, a novel and high performance new system has been introduced during the last decade; the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket system (UASB). This reactor concept requires anaerobic consortia to grow in a dense and eco-physiologically well-organized way. The microbial principles of such granular sludge growth are presented. Using a thermodynamic approach, the formation of different types of aggregates is explained. The application of this bioprocess in worldwide wastewater treatment is indicated. Due to the long retention times of the active biomass, the UASB is also suitable for the development of bacterial consortia capable of degrading xenobiotics. Operating granular sludge reactors at high upflow velocities (5–6 m/h) in expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) systems enlarges the application field to very low strength wastewaters (chemical oxygen demand < 1 g/l) and psychrophilic temperatures (10°C). For the treatment of organic suspensions, there is currently a tendency to evolve from the conventional mesophilic continuously stirred tank system to the thermophilic configuration, as the latter permits higher conversion rates and easier sanitation. Integration of ultrafiltration in anaerobic slurry digestion facilitates operation at higher volumetric loading rates and at shorter residence times. With respect to organic solids, the recent trend in society towards source separated collection of biowaste has opened a broad range of new application areas for solid state anaerobic fermentation.W. Verstraete and D. de Beer are with the Center for Environmental Sanitation, University of Gent, Coupure L 653, B-9000 Gent, Belgium; D. de Beer is also with the Max Plank Institut für Marine Mikrobiologie-Microzensor Group, Fahrenstrasse 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany. M. Pena is with the Groupo de Biotechnologia Ambiental, Departamento de Ingenieria Quimica, Universidad de Valladolid, Prado de la Magdalena, 47005 Valladolid, Spain. G. Lettinga is with the Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen Agricultural University, Bomenweg 2, 6703 HD Wageningen, The Netherlands. P. Lens is with the Environmental Research Unit. Department of Microbiology, University College Galway, Galway, Ireland.     

真核生物DNA复制起始调控

复制起始调控是真核生物复制调控机制的重要环节,也是细胞生长调控的核心问题．对SV40病毒和酵母体系的研究为阐明真核生物的复制起始机制及其与细胞周期的关系提供了线索．目前,与DNA复制起始有关的多种蛋白质因子（如核蛋白P₁,DNA单链结合蛋白,DNA聚合酶α,增殖细胞核抗原等）的作用机理逐渐明朗,周期依赖的调控特点得到了证实文章着重介绍了DNA复制起始在细胞周期中的两个调控点及各种周期蛋白在该点的作用,文中还涉及复制起始异常与肿瘤发生的关系.     

灰色多目标局势决策在晋西北植树造林中的应用

采用灰色多目标局势决策方法确定了晋西北地区不同土地类型上的最佳造林树种．在梁峁坡地、阴沟坡地、阳沟坡地和河滩地上的最佳造林树种分别是柠条、油松、刺槐和杨树     

内蒙古草原退化群落恢复演替的研究II. 恢复演替时间进程的分析

 根据内蒙古典型草原地带的羊草+大针茅草原退化变型一冷蒿群落封育12年(1983—1994)的动态监测数据进行分析,对群落恢复演替轨迹取得以下认识： 1．依据群落优势种的更替及主分量分析结果可将恢复演替过程划分为冷蒿优势阶段、冷蒿+冰草阶段、冰草优势阶段、羊草优势阶段。 2;退化草原群落在恢复演替过程中,群落生产力的变化表现出阶梯式跃变和亚稳态阶面相间的特点。第一次跃变发生在1984年,上升到第二个阶面,第二次跃变发生在1990年,进入了第三个阶面,已接近于原生群落的生产力。 3．群落生产力与水资源量的关系因恢复演替阶段不同而异。第一亚稳态时期,群落地上现存生物量大体处于166g·m-2的水平上,生长季降水量达176mm以上时,增加降水对群落生产力的提高不发生显著影响。第二亚稳态时期,群落生物量与降水量之间的相关性显著。可推算出群落于物质生产用水量介于1.1～1.6mm·g-1之间。此值在1.1mm·g-1时,群落对水资源的利用效率最高,而在1.6mm·g-1时群落生物量达到最大值。 4．在恢复演替进程中,群落密度的位点常数约为271.5株·m-2,循此常数上下波动,表现出拥挤与稀疏交替发生的过程,构成了恢复演替的节奏性变化。群落生物量的跃变与亚稳态的形成,以及群落密度的拥挤与稀疏交替作用是群落恢复演替的内在机制。恢复演替的速度,到第10年发生了1.78个半变的生态距离。5．草原退化群落恢复演替过程中,按照其节奏性及生产力跃变与亚稳态的规律,调控放牧利用强度或采取技术措施,调节群落拥挤和稀疏的交替过程可加速恢复演替进程。     

Growth and nutrient dynamics of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) seedlings in acid soils

The relative uptake rates of N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and Al were estimated in beech seedlings pot cultured in the field in six acid soils (treatments). The relative uptake rates were compared with the relative growth rates. The relative uptake rates of N, K and Ca agreed well with the growth rates of the seedlings irrespective of widely differing soil conditions (acid sand-clayey till, pH 4–6). The relative uptake rates of P, Fe, and Al differed from that predicted by the growth rate. The uptake rates of Fe and Al were highest at the lowest growth rates, and the P uptake rate was lower than the growth rate in these treatments. Thus the P availability probably limited growth in an eluvial (E) horizon of a podzol, and possibly in the illuvial (B) horizon of a podzol and in an acid clayey till (Dystric Cambisol). Low P uptake was associated with a tendency towards higher relative root growth rates. In terms of the concept of steady state nutrition the high relative root growth rate in some treatments may be interpreted as an acclimation to low P supply. The P limitation seemed to be related to interactions among Fe, Al and organic compounds of the soil solution.FAX no: +4646104423