Biochemical analysis of BmNPV attachment toBombyx mori BmN-4 cells

Binding characteristics ofBombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) toB. mori BmN-4 cells was determined. The cells had a single class of BmNPV-binding sites and displayed a low binding capacity for BmNPV in the range of 70 sites per cell. The biochemical nature of BmNPV-binding sites on the cell surface was identified. Treatment of BmN-4 cells with protease, wheat germ agglutinin, metabolic inhibitors, or lysosomotropic agents reduced BmNPV binding to BmN-4 cells, whereas treatment with phospholipase C showed no effect on virus binding. These results indicate that the structure of the binding site moiety is a protein-oligosaccharide complex.     

Ca(2+)-induced folding of a family I.3 lipase with repetitive Ca(2+) binding motifs at the C-terminus.

In order to understand a role of the Ca(2+) ion on the structure and function of a Ca(2+)-dependent family I.3 lipase from Pseudomonas sp. MIS38, apo-PML, holo-PML, holo-PML*, and the N-terminal domain alone (N-fragment) were prepared and biochemically characterized. Apo-PML and holo-PML represent refolded proteins in the absence and presence of the Ca(2+) ion, respectively. Holo-PML* represents a holo-PML dialyzed against 20 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5). The results suggest that the C-terminal domain of PML is almost fully unfolded in the apo-form and its folding is induced by Ca(2+) binding. The folding of this C-terminal domain may be required to make a conformation of the N-terminal catalytic domain functional.     

Induction of adventitious roots and analysis of ginsenoside content and the genes involved in triterpene biosynthesis inPanax ginseng

Adventitious roots were produced directly from root segments ofPanax ginseng seedlings when cultured on an MS solid medium containing 3.0 mg L^-1 IBA. Omitting NH₄NO₃ from this medium greatly enhanced both the frequency of adventitious root formation and the number of roots per expiants. This frequency declined markedly with the age of the root, but could be increased through repeated sub-culturing events. A two-step procedure that included NH₄NO₃ free media for the first two weeks of culture, followed by transfer onto media containing NH₄NO₃ for another four weeks, greatly improved total fresh weights of these adventitious roots compared with a method of continuous culture over six weeks in media that always contained NH₄NO₃. Expression of the genes involved in triterpene biosynthesis was analyzed by RT-PCR. Ginsenoside contents were enhanced by the omission of NH₄NO₃ and were also greatly increased by treatment with methyl jasmonate.     

Adjusting the Anisotropy of 1D Sb2Se3 Nanostructures for Highly Efficient Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

Sb₂Se₃ has recently spurred great interest as a promising light‐absorbing material for solar energy conversion. Sb₂Se₃ consists of 1D covalently linked nanoribbons stacked via van der Waals forces and its properties strongly depend on the crystallographic orientation. However, strategies for adjusting the anisotropy of 1D Sb₂Se₃ nanostructures are rarely investigated. Here, a novel approach is presented to fabricate 1D Sb₂Se₃ nanostructure arrays with different aspect ratios on conductive substrates by simply spin‐coating Sb‐Se solutions with different molar ratios of thioglycolic acid and ethanolamine. A relatively small proportion of thioglycolic acid induces the growth of short Sb₂Se₃ nanorod arrays with preferred orientation, leading to fast carrier transport and enhanced photocurrent. After the deposition of TiO₂ and Pt, an appropriately oriented Sb₂Se₃ nanostructure array exhibits a significantly enhanced photoelectrochemical performance; the photocurrent reaches 12.5 mA cm^?2 at 0 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode under air mass 1.5 global illumination.     

Improving the Performance and Stability of Inverted Planar Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells Employing a Novel NDI‐Based Polymer as the Electron Transport Layer

A new naphthalene diimide (NDI)‐based polymer with strong electron withdrawing dicyanothiophene (P(NDI2DT‐TTCN)) is developed as the electron transport layer (ETL) in place of the fullerene‐based ETL in inverted perovskite solar cells (Pero‐SCs). A combination of characterization techniques, including atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, grazing‐incidence wide‐angle X‐ray scattering, near‐edge X‐ray absorption fine‐structure spectroscopy, space‐charge‐limited current, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL), and time‐resolved PL decay, is used to demonstrate the interface phenomena between perovskite and P(NDI2DT‐TTCN) or [6,6]‐phenyl‐C61‐butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). It is found that P(NDI2DT‐TTCN) not only improves the electron extraction ability but also prevents ambient condition interference by forming a hydrophobic ETL surface. In addition, P(NDI2DT‐TTCN) has excellent mechanical stability compared to PCBM in flexible Pero‐SCs. With these improved functionalities, the performance of devices based on P(NDI2DT‐TTCN) significantly outperform those based on PCBM from 14.3 to 17.0%, which is the highest photovoltaic performance with negligible hysteresis in the field of polymeric ETLs.     

Effect of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in IGFBP2 and IGFBP3 Genes on Litter Size Traits in Berkshire Pigs

Litter size is among the most important traits in swine breeding. However, information on the genetics of litter size in pigs is lacking. In this study, we identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 and 3 (IGFBP2 and IGFBP3) genes in Berkshire pigs and analyzed their association with litter size traits. The IGFBP2 SNP was located on chromosome 15 intron 2 (455, A?>?T) and the IGFBP3 SNP was on chromosome 18 intron 2 (53, A?>?G). The AT type of IGFBP2 and the GG type of IGFBP3 had the highest values for all litter size traits including total number born (TNB), number of pigs born alive, and breeding value according to TNB. Homozygous GG pigs expressed higher levels of IGFBP3 mRNA in the endometrium than pigs of other genotypes, and a positive correlation was observed between litter size traits and IGFBP3 but not IGFBP2 expression level. These results suggest that SNPs in the IGFBP2 and the IGFBP3 gene are useful biomarkers for increasing the reproductive productivity of Berkshire pigs.