Structural relatedness of lysis proteins from colicinogenic plasmids and icosahedral coliphages

The host-lysis-inducing functions of phi X174 protein E and MS2 protein L were recently shown to reside on the N-terminal and C-terminal halves of the two respective lysis proteins. In the present study it is shown that the small lysis proteins encoded in various colicinogenic plasmids share local sequence similarities and certain structural characteristics with the essential peptides of their coliphage-coded counterparts. Despite their dissimilar sizes and origins, it is suggested that the colicinogenic lysis proteins are functionally analogous and evolutionarily related to those of icosahedral single- stranded DNA and RNA phages.      

Enzymic synthesis,chemical characterisation and Sda activity of GalNAcß1-4[NeuAcα2-3]Galß1-4GlcNAc and GalNAcß1-4[NeuAcα2-3]Galß1-4Glc

The tetrasaccharides GalNAcß1-4[NeuAc2-3]Galß1-4Glc and GalNAcß1-4[NeuAc2-3]Galß1-4GlcNAc were synthesised by enzymic transfer of GalNAc from UDP-GalNAc to 3-sialyllactose (NeuAc2-3Galß1-4Glc) and 3-sialyl-N-acetyllactosamine (NeuAc2-3Galß1-4GlcNAc). The structures of the products were established by methylation and¹H-500 MHz NMR spectroscopy. In Sd^a serological tests the product formed with 3-sialyl-N-acetyllactosamine was highly active whereas that formed with 3-sialyllactose had only weak activity.     

Insulin and fructose regulate malic enzyme activity by different processes

A comparison of the regulatory processes controlling hepatic malic enzyme activity following treatment of diabetic rats with insulin or with a high fructose diet demonstrated several important differences. Insulin treatment caused a 50-fold increase in activity, due to a 12-fold increase in enzyme quantity and a 4-fold increase in specific activity(units/nmol). Dietary fructose caused a 3-fold increase in enzyme activity, due to a 3-fold increase in enzyme quantity, with no change in the specific activity of the enzyme. Thus, while fructose initiated a minor increase in malic enzyme activity, insulin was more effective, causing a substantially greater increase in enzyme activity and activating a hormone specific alteration in the catalytic activity of each enzyme molecule.     

Applications of DNA shuffling to pharmaceuticals and vaccines

DNA shuffling is a practical process for directed molecular evolution which uses recombination to dramatically accelerate the rate at which one can evolve genes. Single and multigene traits that require many mutations for improved phenotypes can be evolved rapidly. DNA shuffling technology has been significantly enhanced in the past year, extending its range of applications to small molecule pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical proteins, gene therapy vehicles and transgenes, vaccines and evolved viruses for vaccines, and laboratory animal models.     

Degradation of HeLa S3 cell chromatin by auromomycin and its chromophore

The antitumor protein agent auromomycin was found to degrade chromatin structure primarily by inducing strand scissions in linker regions. The reaction was stimulated by dithiothreitol. The chromophore form of the drug caused similar effects on chromatin, but it appeared to function at a more rapid rate. There was no evidence that auromomycin could cause breakage in core regions of chromatin.     

Worldwide distribution of commercial resources of seaweeds including Gelidium

The commercial exploitation of seaweeds for use as food and for the production of agar, alginate and carrageenan is outlined. The quantities of seaweed harvested for each purpose are tabulated and discussed. Seaweeds for food are derived chiefly from China, Japan and Korea, with almost 94% obtained by cultivation. Alginophytes are collected in 15 countries but six of these account for more than 80% of the total harvest; all are from natural stocks except for a large quantity of Laminaria cultivated in China. Natural carrageenophytes, from 12 countries, now account for only 20% of the total harvest; the remainder is cultivated Eucheuma species, 99% of which is produced in only two countries, the Philippines and Indonesia. Of the four categories of commercial resources of seaweeds considered, agarophytes are spread more evenly over a greater number of countries; they come from 20 countries and only five of these are minor contributors to the total. Gelidium species are particularly important because of the high quality agar they yield; their distribution and location are discussed.     

Interaction of guanine nucleotides with adenylate cyclase in normal and spontaneously transformed RL-RP-C cloned rat hepatocytes

Spontaneous transformation of RL-PR-C hepatocytes leads to alterations in the adenylate cyclase complex which include a lower than normal basal level of activity, a loss of sensitivity to exogenous GTP, and a decreased sensitivity to isoproterenol. Both normal and transformed membranes possess substantial GTPase activity. Treatment of transformed hepatocyte membranes with either isoproterenol plus GMP or with cholera toxin, under conditions that displace tightly bound GDP, restored the GTP effect on adenylate cyclase, and eliminated the lag in the activation by guanyl-5'-yl-imidodiphosphate. Such pretreatment also enhanced guanine nucleotide effects on the adenylate cyclase of normal hepatocytes. These results are explainable on the basis that transformation increases adenylate cyclase-associated GTPase activity, and increases occupancy of nucleotide regulatory sites by inactive or inhibitory guanine nucleotides, e.g., GDP. Seemingly, both catecholamines and cholera toxin promote an exchange reaction at the regulatory sites, resulting in clearance of these sites of inhibitory nucleotides.     

How much heat can we grow in our cities? Modelling UK urban biofuel production potential

Biofuel provides a globally significant opportunity to reduce fossil fuel dependence; however, its sustainability can only be meaningfully explored for individual cases. It depends on multiple considerations including: life cycle greenhouse gas emissions, air quality impacts, food versus fuel trade‐offs, biodiversity impacts of land use change and socio‐economic impacts of energy transitions. One solution that may address many of these issues is local production of biofuel on non‐agricultural land. Urban areas drive global change, for example, they are responsible for 70% of global energy use, but are largely ignored in their resource production potential; however, underused urban greenspaces could be utilized for biofuel production near the point of consumption. This could avoid food versus fuel land conflicts in agricultural land and long‐distance transport costs, provide ecosystem service benefits to urban dwellers and increase the sustainability and resilience of cities and towns. Here, we use a Geographic Information System to identify urban greenspaces suitable for biofuel production, using exclusion criteria, in 10 UK cities. We then model production potential of three different biofuels: Miscanthus grass, short rotation coppice (SRC) willow and SRC poplar, within the greenspaces identified and extrapolate up to a UK‐scale. We demonstrate that approximately 10% of urban greenspace (3% of built‐up land) is potentially suitable for biofuel production. We estimate the potential of this to meet energy demand through heat generation, electricity and combined heat and power (CHP) operations. Our findings show that, if fully utilized, urban biofuel production could meet nearly a fifth of demand for biomass in CHP systems in the United Kingdom's climate compatible energy scenarios by 2030, with potentially similar implications for other comparable countries and regions.