A structural limitation on enzyme activity: the case of HMG-CoA synthase

Recent structural studies of the HMG-CoA synthase members of the thiolase superfamily have shown that the catalytic loop containing the nucleophilic cysteine follows the phi and psi angle pattern of a II' beta turn. However, the i + 1 residue is conserved as an alanine, which is quite unusual in this position as it must adopt a strained positive phi angle to accommodate the geometry of the turn. To assess the effect of the conserved strain in the catalytic loop, alanine 110 of Enterococcus faecalis 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) synthase was mutated to a glycine. Subsequent enzymatic studies showed that the overall reaction rate of the enzyme was increased 140-fold. An X-ray crystallographic study of the Ala110Gly mutant enzyme demonstrated unanticipated adjustments in the active site that resulted in additional stabilization of all three steps of the reaction pathway. The rates of acetylation and hydrolysis of the mutant enzyme increased because the amide nitrogen of Ser308 shifts 0.4 A toward the catalytic cysteine residue. This motion positions the nitrogen to better stabilize the intermediate negative charge that develops on the carbonyl oxygen of the acetyl group during both the formation of the acyl-enzyme intermediate and its hydrolysis. In addition, the hydroxyl of Ser308 rotates 120 degrees to a position where it is able to stabilize the carbanion intermediate formed by the methyl group of the acetyl-S-enzyme during its condensation with acetoacetyl-CoA.     

Compression or tension? The stress distribution in the proximal femur

Background  

Questions regarding the distribution of stress in the proximal human femur have never been adequately resolved. Traditionally, by considering the femur in isolation, it has been believed that the effect of body weight on the projecting neck and head places the superior aspect of the neck in tension. A minority view has proposed that this region is in compression because of muscular forces pulling the femur into the pelvis. Little has been done to study stress distributions in the proximal femur. We hypothesise that under physiological loading the majority of the proximal femur is in compression and that the internal trabecular structure functions as an arch, transferring compressive stresses to the femoral shaft.     

不同光质对烟草叶片组织结构及Rubisco羧化酶活性和rbc、rca基因表达的影响

通过对烟草植株覆盖白、红、黄、蓝、紫色滤膜获得不同光质,研究了烟草叶片在7～70d的生长发育期内,不同光质处理对烟叶组织结构特征、核酮糖1,5-二磷酸羧化酶/加氧酶（Rubisco）羧化酶活性、Rubisco基因（rbc）表达及其活化酶（Rca）基因（rca）表达的影响。结果表明,与黄膜处理下生长的烟叶相比,红、蓝、紫膜处理下生长的烟叶有较高的叶片厚度、栅栏组织厚度、海绵组织厚度、栅栏细胞密度和较小的组织空隙率。此外,红、蓝、紫膜处理的叶片有较高的Rubis-co羧化酶活性和净光合速率及较强的rbc和rca基因表达。实验结果表明不同光质对烟草叶片的组织结构特征有显著影响,光质可能通过影响Rubisco羧化酶活性进而影响叶片光合效率,而光质、叶片组织结构和光合效率之间存在某种程度的相互联系。     

A spatial analytical approach for selecting reintroduction sites for burbot in English rivers

1. Availability of suitable habitat is a prerequisite for species reintroduction success, and to ensure population persistence, investigations of a species’ habitat utilisation throughout its life history should be conducted as part of a feasibility study. 2. Habitat utilisation models for burbot, Lota lota, developed using data from field studies conducted in France and Germany and information from the literature were used to assess the feasibility of reintroducing burbot into rivers of its former native range in eastern England. 3. Per cent tree roots, aquatic vegetation and flow types were important predictors of adult burbot abundance. Furthermore, the habitat utilisation models were supplemented with information from the literature, which suggested that off‐channel habitat such as wetlands and backwaters is important for spawning and nursery stages. 4. An assessment of the habitat availability in the rivers of the burbot’s former native range using variables related to spawning and nursery and adult life stages showed that although adult habitat was widely distributed, the availability of spawning and nursery habitat was less abundant, potentially limiting successful reestablishment. 5. Potential suitable habitat was concentrated in the central and southern areas of the species’ former English distribution. Overall, rivers of the burbot’s former range potentially afford suitable habitat to sustain a reintroduced population. However, sites should be preferentially selected on the basis of having appropriate spawning and nursery areas.     

Vampire squid: detritivores in the oxygen minimum zone

Vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis) are considered phylogenetic relics with cephalopod features of both octopods and squids. They lack feeding tentacles, but in addition to their eight arms, they have two retractile filaments, the exact functions of which have puzzled scientists for years. We present the results of investigations on the feeding ecology and behaviour of Vampyroteuthis, which include extensive in situ, deep-sea video recordings from MBARI''s remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), laboratory feeding experiments, diet studies and morphological examinations of the retractile filaments, the arm suckers and cirri. Vampire squid were found to feed on detrital matter of various sizes, from small particles to larger marine aggregates. Ingested items included the remains of gelatinous zooplankton, discarded larvacean houses, crustacean remains, diatoms and faecal pellets. Both ROV observations and laboratory experiments led to the conclusion that vampire squid use their retractile filaments for the capture of food, supporting the hypothesis that the filaments are homologous to cephalopod arms. Vampyroteuthis'' feeding behaviour is unlike any other cephalopod, and reveals a unique adaptation that allows these animals to spend most of their life at depths where oxygen concentrations are very low, but where predators are few and typical cephalopod food is scarce.     

Family history of cancer and non-malignant diseases and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a Children's Oncology Group Study

Background: Studies of family history of cancer and non-malignant diseases in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) show inconsistent findings. Most studies show no increased risk with family history of cancer. Non-malignant diseases such as allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, birth defects and thyroid diseases have been reported to be associated with ALL. Methods: We conducted a case-control study of family history of cancer and selected non-malignant conditions (allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, birth defects, and thyroid diseases). ALL cases were obtained from Children's Cancer Group institutions from January 1989 to June 1993. Controls were recruited via random digit dialing. Family history for first degree relatives and grandparents of ALL cases and controls was collected by structured telephone questionnaires. Conditional logistical regression was used to calculate odds ratios adjusting for potential confounders. Results: We found a borderline association of ALL and having a family member with a history of cancer in cases (n = 1842) compared to controls (n = 1986) (OR = 0.98, 95%CI = 0.93, 1.00) and an inverse association for esophageal cancer based on small numbers. Family history of food and drug allergies demonstrated a modestly reduced risk (OR = 0.83, 95%CI = 0.73, 0.95) as did family history of rheumatoid arthritis (OR = 0.79, 95%CI = 0.65, 0.96). There were no associations with family history of any autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiencies, birth defects, thyroid diseases and risk of childhood ALL. Conclusions: These results show no association of overall family history of cancer with childhood ALL, while providing additional evidence for an inverse association with family history of allergic disease. Two potentially new associations of ALL with family history of esophageal cancer and rheumatoid arthritis require confirmation in other studies and validation with medical records.     

基于稀疏表示算法的蛋白质质谱数据特征选择

高维、小样本数据的特征选择方法在蛋白质质谱数据处理分析领域有着广泛应用。本文针对蛋白质质谱特征选择问题,结合稀疏表示这一新理论框架,提出了一种基于稀疏表示的特征选择算法(sparse representation based feature selection,SRFS)。该方法将稀疏表示分类的结果作为评定某一个特征子空间特征相对重要性的度量,然后通过对大量随机采样子空间计算结果的统计,得到特征空间中每个特征的排序,并进一步分析提炼出与肿瘤疾病相关的若干谱峰。通过在卵巢癌公共数据集OC-WCX2a和浙江省肿瘤医院乳腺癌数据集BC-WCX2a上的实验结果表明,SRFS算法可以有效应用于本文所使用的SELDI-TOF蛋白质质谱数据的分析。     

江西吉安灰头麦鸡的繁殖生态研究

灰头麦鸡Vanellus cinereus在江西吉安地区是夏候鸟.2010 ～2011年对当地灰头麦鸡的繁殖生态进行了调查研究.结果表明,当地灰头麦鸡最早2月20日迁入,最晚9月17日迁离,居留时间约为7个月;3月初开始产卵,平均窝卵数3.8枚(n=14),平均卵大小48.0 mm×34.5 mm,平均卵重28.8 g(n =38);产满窝卵后即开始孵卵,孵卵由雌雄鸟共同承担;孵卵期为28 ～31 d;孵化率为90.15％.     

Identification of xylanase-producing fungi EIM-30 and its optimization of submerged fermentation conditions

通过对木聚糖酶高产菌株EIM-30基于形态学和18S rDNA序列的系统发育进化分析,鉴定为里氏木霉Trichoderma reesei.在单因子实验确定EIM-30产木聚糖酶的最适碳源和氮源的基础上,通过Plackett-Burman实验对影响其产酶的相关因素进行评估并筛选出3个显著效应因子,然后应用最陡爬坡实验和响应面分析确定最适产酶培养基配方为:酵母浸膏1.50％,蛋白胨1.00％,NaCl 0.50％,PPG-2000 0.10％,MgSO4 1.20％,CaCl2 0.18％,(NH4)2 SO4 0.45％,甘油4.18％,乳糖3.05％,K2HPO41.59％.优化后Trichoderma reesei EIM-30的液体发酵产木聚糖酶的活力可达9.857×105 U/mL,较优化前提高1.98倍.