The role of posttranslational modification in moonlighting glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase structure and function

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is a moonlighting protein exhibiting distinct activities apart from its classical role in glycolysis. Regulation of its moonlighting functions and its subcellular localization may be dependent on its posttranslational modification (PTM). The latter include its phosphorylation, which is required for its role in intermembrane trafficking, synaptic transmission and cancer survival; nitrosylation, which is required for its function in apoptosis, heme metabolism and the immune response; acetylation which is necessary for its modulation of apoptotic gene regulation; and N-acetylglucosamine modification which may induce changes in GAPDH oligomeric structure. These findings suggest a structure function relationship between GAPDH posttranslational modification and its diverse moonlighting activities.

     

Composite effects of gene determinants on the translation speed and density of ribosomes

Background  

Translation is a central process of life, and its regulation is crucial for cell growth. In this article, focusing on two model organisms, Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we study how three major local features of a gene's coding sequence (its adaptation to the tRNA pool, its amino acid charge, and its mRNA folding energy) affect its translation elongation.     

Ostéologie et affinités de Trematochampsa taqueti (Crocodylia,Mesosuchia) du Sénonien inférieur d'In Beceten (République du Niger)

Among the abundant remains of Mesosuchia that have been yielded by the early Senonian locality of In Beceten (Niger), the most numerous belong to the species Trematochampsa taquetiBuffetaut, 1974. The osteology of this species is described here. This medium-sized crocodilian, with a moderately elongated skull, is characterized, among other features, by its antorbital fenestra, its surangular-quadratojugal articulation, its slightly displaced post-orbital pillar, its teeth with wrinkled enamel, and its amphicoelous vertebrae. In its general outlook, this animal is rather reminiscent of the Goniopholidae, from the Upper Jurassic and the Cretaceous of Laurasia, but it is more primitive than them, and resemblances are probably due to convergence phenomena. The family Trematochampsidae is probably essentially Gondwanian, and could persist until the Senonian thanks to a certain isolation from Laurasia, where more progressive Crocodylia became predominant much earlier than in Africa and South America.     

江津楼梯草, 重庆荨麻科一新种

描述了自重庆南部发现的荨麻科楼梯草一新种,江津楼梯草(Elatostema jiangjinense)。此新种与锐齿楼梯草(E. cyrtandrifolium)近缘,两者的区别在于江津楼梯草的叶在狭侧具2条二级脉,托叶卵形或披针形,以及雄总苞片在顶端具长角状突起。     

WHO at country level--a little impact,no strategy.

The acid test of WHO''s effect on the world''s health is its impact at country level. Unless it has an impact there, all of its declarations, its debates at the World Health Assembly, its conferences, its pamphlets, its political manouvering in Geneva and the regions, all of these come to nothing. Working as it does through national governments, WHO insists that it has no role in directly managing or delivering health care. Judging WHO''s impact in individual countries is therefore difficult--its approaches are largely indirect, and initiatives may take years to bear fruit. But from the meagre resources that WHO makes available at country level it is clear why its country operations are criticised as the weakest link in an already weak chain of influence from its headquarters in Geneva to the people in its member states. Poorly funded, undertrained, and with no clear strategy to follow, its staff at country level stand little chance of making an impact.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Grias theobromicarpa</Emphasis> (Lecythidaceae), a new species from northwestern Ecuador

Grias theobromicarpa, a new species from northwestern Ecuador is described. This species is found in wet forests at ca. 1500 m elevation, and is distinguished by its erect petals that conceal the androecium, filaments fused to form a very distinct staminal tube, anthers that are oblong with cucullate connectives enclosing most of the thecae, and especially by its fruits, which are prominently ridged when fresh. The species is illustrated and its relationship with its closest relative, G. purpuripetala, from southwestern Colombia, is discussed.     

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv3802c Encodes a Phospholipase/Thioesterase and Is Inhibited by the Antimycobacterial Agent Tetrahydrolipstatin

The cell wall of M. tuberculosis is central to its success as a pathogen. Mycolic acids are key components of this cell wall. The genes involved in joining the α and mero mycolates are located in a cluster, beginning with Rv3799c and extending at least until Rv3804c. The role of each enzyme encoded by these five genes is fairly well understood, except for Rv3802c. Rv3802 is one of seven putative cutinases encoded by the genome of M. tuberculosis. In phytopathogens, cutinases hydrolyze the waxy layer of plants, cutin. In a strictly mammalian pathogen, such as M. tuberculosis, it is likely that these proteins perform a different function. Of the seven, we chose to focus on Rv3802c because of its location in a mycolic acid synthesis gene cluster, its putative essentiality, its ubiquitous presence in actinomycetes, and its conservation in the minimal genome of Mycobacterium leprae. We expressed Rv3802 in Escherichia coli and purified the enzymatically active form. We probed its activities and inhibitors characterizing those relevant to its possible role in mycolic acid biosynthesis. In addition to its reported phospholipase A activity, Rv3802 has significant thioesterase activity, and it is inhibited by tetrahydrolipstatin (THL). THL is a described anti-tuberculous compound with an unknown mechanism, but it reportedly targets cell wall synthesis. Taken together, these data circumstantially support a role for Rv3802 in mycolic acid synthesis and, as the cell wall is integral to M. tuberculosis pathogenesis, identification of a novel cell wall enzyme and its inhibition has therapeutic and diagnostic implications.     

Four new species of the Genera Eudesme and Sphaerotrichia (Chordariaceae,Heterokontophyta) from the Chinese Coast

Four new species, Eudesme huanghaiensis Ding et Lu, E. qingdaoensis Ding et Lu, E. shandongensis Ding et Lu and Sphaerotrichia huanghaiensis Ding et Lu, from the western Yellow Sea coast of China are described. Eudesme huanghaiensis is mainly characterized by its spherical or sub-spherical sub-cortical cells, its rhizoidal filaments developing from the basal cells of sub-cortex and its broad sub-cortical and medullary layers. E. qingdaoensis is mainly characterized by its long medullary cells, generally hollow center of the medulla, short sub-cortex with only 3–4 cylindrical cells and long, slender and clavate terminal cells of the rhizoidal filaments. E. shandongensis is mainly characterized by its hollow frond, thick cell walls of both medulla and inner sub-cortical layers and the spherical terminal cells of the rhizoid filaments. Sphaerotrichia huanghaiensis is mainly characterized by its cylindrical, sparsely branched frond with acute angle, and its thick 5–6 layered sub-cortex with long assimilating filaments of 6–10 cells. %     

Tropaeolaceae: 684. TROPAEOLUM POLYPHYLLUM

Tropaeolum polyphyllum Cav. is illustrated and described. The history of its discovery and its distribution are given; its propagation and cultivation are discussed.     

Ophryogleua hypertrophica n.sp. (Giliata Hymenostomatida)

Ophryoglena hypertrophica is distinguished by its tomites and its pyriform theronts; by its elliptical and flattened macronucleus with 2 or 3 coupled micronuclei; by its large trophont; by its tomont covered with a thin mucous layer at the interior of which are formed 4 or 8 tomites closely bound one to another. Its physiological evolution is characteristic; the tomite when it comes out of the tomont undergoes a secondary encystment and then becomes the theront. Sometimes the tomite is rostrated and is not attracted by the tissues; the tomite undergoes as before a secondary encystment, but divides inside the cyst. This type also produces complete or partial particular palintomies and regularly forms resistant cysts.     

小麦温型现象研究

通过多年来用红外技术对不同品种小麦群体温度进行连续观测,结果发现,小麦具有温型现象.不同温度型的小麦在外部和内部性状上各有一些鲜明特点.冷型小麦的许多重要性状较暖型小麦为优.功能叶的功能期长10.8%,每株根数多20条,旗叶的叶绿素含量、蒸腾率和净光合率分别高出0.1389g·100g^-1·FW、0.0035mol·m^-2·s^-1和4.71μmol·m^-2·s^-1.由此可以认为,温度型和小麦的一系列重要性状密切相关.     

Male‐female differences in family size preferences among college students

Abstract

Three dimensions of isolated spousal separation largely determine its fertility impact: (1) length, (2) “completeness” (degree to which it is eliminating fecundability during fecundable months), and (3) its timing as defined by the reproductive state of the wife at its start. While it is obvious that by starting when the wife is in the fecundable state its net delaying of next conception is maximized, it is much less clear with which reproductive state its start should coincide in order to minimize its fertility impact. By means of a simple model, it is shown that for minimum impact a separation should start later in a pregnancy the longer is post‐partum anovulation, the higher is the level of intrauterine mortality, and the shorter is the period of separation. Conditions of natural fertility are assumed.     

城口荨麻,重庆荨麻科一新种

描述了自重庆市发现的荨麻科荨麻属一新种,城口荨麻,此种与异株荨麻有亲缘关系,区别特征为此种的茎被少数刺毛,叶片多为心形,雄、雌花序均不分枝,瘦果在中央稍凹陷。     

小麦温型现象研究

通过多年来用红外技术对不同品种小麦群体温度进行连续观测,结果发现,小麦具有温型现象.不同温度型的小麦在外部和内部性状上各有一些鲜明特点.冷型小麦的许多重要性状较暖型小麦为优.功能叶的功能期长10.8%,每株根数多20条,旗叶的叶绿素含量、蒸腾率和净光合率分别高出0.1389g·100g^-1·FW、0.0035mol·m^-2·s^-1和4.71μmol·m^-2·s^-1.由此可以认为,温度型和小麦的一系列重要性状密切相关.     

荨麻科三新种

该文描述了荨麻科三新种:(1)自中国重庆市发现的荨麻科荨麻属一新种,城口荨麻。此种与异株荨麻有亲缘关系,区别特征为此种的茎被少数刺毛,叶片多为心形,雄、雌花序均不分枝,瘦果在中央稍凹陷。(2)自中国广西发现的荨麻科赤车属一新种,来宾赤车。此种与特产云南东南部的富宁赤车相近缘,与后者的区别在于本种茎的毛开展或向上弯曲,叶片长椭圆形,基部斜楔形,雌花具3~4枚花被片,其中1~2枚较大花被片在背面顶端具一长筒状突起。(3)自缅甸北部发现的荨麻科楼梯草属一新种,克钦楼梯草。此种在体态上与骤尖楼梯草甚为相似,与后者的区别在于本种的每一茎节具正常叶和一退化叶,托叶狭披针状条形和无脉,雌总苞苞片无角状突起,雌小苞片较大,呈楔状长圆形,雌花具一小花被片,以及雌蕊具一宽倒卵球形柱头。     

Ecology of aphidophagous ladybird Propylea species: A review

Herein, the ecology of genus Propylea, with special reference to its three species — viz. P. dissecta (Mulsant), P. japonica (Thunberg), and P. quatuordecimpunctata Linnaeus is reviewed, with an eye toward its position in natural habitats and amongst other ladybirds and its biocontrol potential. Although Propylea is not as polyphagous as other successful species, it evidences a preference for certain prey, specifically aphids and whiteflies. This genus is a good model for studies of mating, reproduction, sexual selection, etc. Propylea is usually an intraguild prey in the guilds containing ladybirds, such as Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) and Coccinella septempunctata L. It also appears that it retains some intrinsic advantages that aid in the sustenance and survival of the species. Owing to its smaller size and level of victimization in the guild, its biocontrol potential is questionable, but its size disadvantages are counter-balanced by its high intrinsic rate of increase, high predation, reproductive potential, and bioconversion efficiency, as well as the ease with which it can be reared in the laboratory. Further research will be necessary to ascertain clearly the biocontrol potential of Propylea.     

State‐dependent cooperation in burying beetles: parents adjust their contribution towards care based on both their own and their partner's size

Handicapping experiments on species with biparental care show that a focal parent increases its contribution when its partner is handicapped. Such results are interpreted as evidence for negotiation, whereby each parent adjusts its amount of care to that of its partner. However, it is currently unclear whether the focal parent responds to a change in its handicapped partner's behaviour or state. To address this gap, we conducted an experiment on the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides where we first generated different‐sized males and females by varying the duration of larval development. We then used a 2 × 2 factorial design in which a small or large male was paired with a small or large female. Small females provided less direct care (food provisioning and interactions with larvae) than large females, and both males and females provided less direct care when paired with a small partner. Thus, the focal parent adjusted its contribution towards care based on both its own state and that of its partner. There was also evidence for negotiation between the two parents as the focal parent adjusted its contribution based on the amount of care by its partner. However, there was no evidence that negotiation accounted for how the focal parent responded to its partner's size. Our results have important implications for our understanding of biparental cooperation as they show that each parent adjusts its contribution not only based on the amount of care provided by its partner but also based on its own state and its partner's state.     

Characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycobacterium tuberculosis</Emphasis> Beijing isolates from the Mediterranean area

Background  

The Beijing lineage of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is causing concern due to its global distribution and its involvement in severe outbreaks. Studies focused on this lineage are mainly restricted to geographical settings where its prevalence is high, whereas those in other areas are scarce. In this study, we analyze Beijing isolates in the Mediterranean area, where this lineage is not prevalent and is mainly associated with immigrant cases.     

627. PHILIBERTIA BARBATA

Summary Philibertia barbata is illustrated, its habitat is described and its taxonomic relationships outlined.     

858. PAEONIA PARNASSICA

Paeonia parnassica is illustrated, its habitat is shown and suggestions for its successful cultivation are given.