Present status and future directions of research in electron-transfer mediated by DNA

 This commentary article presents an overview of recent experimental results on DNA-mediated electron transfer (ET) from the perspective of semiclassical ET theory. The question concerning whether or not DNA can act as a wire is addressed. Much of the article focuses on a discussion of the decay of electronic coupling (β) between electron donors and acceptors with increasing donor/acceptor separation in DNA and in protein systems. In particular, the dependence of the electronic coupling itself (H _AB) on the energy gap between the tunneling energy of the reactants and the virtual ionic states of the DNA bridge is highlighted. The article concludes by suggesting that future experimental and theoretical work in this field should focus on the tunneling gap energies of the systems studied and that special attention should be paid to systems that are likely to be in the "small tunneling gap" regime. It is these systems that are expected to exhibit enhanced electronic couplings and consequently enhanced rates of long-distance ET. Received, accepted: 5 January 1998     

Protonmotive Mechanism of Heme-Copper Oxidases

The mechanism of coupling of proton and electron transfer in oxidases is reviewed and related to the structural information that is now available. A glutamate trap mechanism for proton/electron coupling is described.     

Bioenergetics of Neurotransmitter Transport

Neurotransmitter transporters are essential components in the recycling of neurotransmitters released during neuronal activity. These transporters are the targets for important drugs affecting mood and behavior. They fall into at least four gene families, two encoding proteins in the plasma membrane and two in the synaptic vesicle membrane, although the known vesicular transporters have not all been cloned. Each of these transporters works by coupling the downhill movement of small ions such as Na⁺, Cl^–, K⁺, and H⁺ to the uphill transport of neurotransmitter. Plasma membrane transporters move the transmitter into the cytoplasm by cotransport with Na⁺. Many transporters also couple Cl^– cotransport to transmitter influx and these all belong to the NaCl-coupled family, although within the family the coupling stoichiometry can vary. Transporters for glutamate couple influx of this excitatory amino acid to Na⁺ and H⁺ influx and K⁺ efflux. Transporters in synaptic vesicles couple H⁺ efflux to neurotransmitter transport from the cytoplasm to the vesicle lumen.     

陕西省新型城镇化与生态环境协调度研究

城镇化与生态环境之间相互影响、相互促进,两系统间耦合协调状态对于区域绿色可持续发展意义重大。以陕西省2005—2019年数据为例,在构建新型城镇化与生态环境系统评价指标体系的基础上结合耦合协调度模型、相对发展模型及面板向量自回归(PVAR)模型分析新型城镇化系统与生态环境系统间的耦合协调时空规律及互动关系。结果表明：(1)陕西省耦合协调度总体呈现“基本不协调—基本协调—中度协调”的演变规律。(2)各市耦合协调发展状态空间差异明显,2005年、2013年、2019年陕西省10个城市新型城镇化与生态环境耦合协调发展状态存在较大差异性,相对发展状态整体上由新型城镇化滞后状态发展为生态环境滞后状态。(3)脉冲响应图反映出新型城镇化与生态环境两系统间存在明显互动关系,前期生态环境受新型城镇化冲击的负向抑制作用,后期影响逐渐减小,受自身冲击较大,而新型城镇化发展前后期均主要受自身影响。本研究认为新型城镇化发展必须以生态为优先,在提高生态承载力的基础上,加速提升陕西省各区域空间人口等不同维度城镇化发展水平,从而实现高质量可持续的绿色发展目标。     

KCNJ8/ABCC9-containing K-ATP channel modulates brain vascular smooth muscle development and neurovascular coupling

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Measurement of two-bond JCOHα coupling constants in proteins uniformly enriched with13C

Summary A simple E.COSY type technique is described for measurement of two-bond J_COH coupling constants in proteins that are uniformly enriched with¹³C. The method has been used to measure²J_COH for 132 residues in the proteins calmodulin and staphylococcal nuclease having non-overlapping H–C correlations. Measured²J_COH coupling constants fall in the 0 to –9.5 Hz range. A separate experiment, measuring the accuracy of these values, indicates a root-mean-square error of 1 Hz. Comparison of the J couplings with the dihedral back bone angles from crystallographic studies confirms a weak but statistically significant correlation between the dihedral angle and the magnitude of²J_COH, but also indicates that parameters other than have a significant effect on the value of the coupling.     

南昌市城镇空间扩展与景观生态风险的耦合关系

为探究城镇用地空间扩展对景观生态风险的影响,以南昌市为例,运用遥感、GIS及数理统计的方法,借助城镇扩展强度指数研究了南昌市2000—2017年城镇空间扩展的时空变化特征,构建了景观生态风险指数,以3 km×3 km的单元网格进行系统采样,探究城镇扩展下南昌市景观格局的动态变化和景观生态风险,最后基于地理加权回归(GWR)模型,定量分析2000—2017年南昌市城镇空间扩展与景观生态风险之间的耦合关系。结果表明:(1)2000—2017年,南昌市城镇用地增加了247.56 km~2,年均扩展速率达17.75 km~2,其中2000—2005年扩展最快,呈现出剧烈扩展的态势,扩展强度达到0.55。城镇扩展主要沿正北和西北方向扩展,分布在青山湖区、南昌县、新建区等,总体上呈快速扩展趋势;(2)南昌市景观格局以耕地为主,建设用地快速扩张,耕地、林地、草地面积持续减少,土地利用的景观格局指数反映此期间人类活动的干扰程度加剧,景观斑块数量增加,整体破碎度提高。借助地统计分析方法,计算得到南昌市景观生态风险由2000年的0.1354上升至2017年的0.1420,景观生态风险呈逐渐升高的趋势;(3)2000—2017年,城镇用地面积与景观生态风险、城镇空间扩展强度指数和景观生态险变化值之间,都呈现负相关影响,后者相关性在减弱。回归系数的空间分布上,由中部向外逐渐升高,低值位于城镇扩展较快的南昌市区,城镇的快速扩展使城镇用面积大幅增加,景观破碎度、损失度降低,景观生态风险随之降低;高值出现在进贤县、安义县等经济发展缓慢的地区,城镇用地扩展幅度小,扩展边界斑块破碎度大,分离度上升,景观生态风险增加。研究结果为促进城市建设与生态环境保护的相互协调,正确评价人类活动对城市生态系统的影响,以及南昌市的可持续发展和科学管理提供借鉴。     

Local helix content in an alanine-rich peptide as determined by the complete set of 3JHNα coupling constants

Summary Alanine-rich peptides serve as models for exploring the factors that control helix structure in peptides and proteins. Scalar CH-NH couplings (³J_HN) are an extremely useful measure of local helix content; however, the large alanine content in these peptides leads to significant signal overlap in the CH region of ¹H 2D NMR spectra. Quantitative determination of all possible ³J_HN values is, therefore, very challenging. Szyperski and co-workers [(1992) J. Magn. Reson., 99, 552–560] have recently developed a method for determining ³J_HN from NOESY spectra. Because ³J_HN may be determined from 2D peaks outside of the CH region, there is a much greater likelihood of identifying resolved resonances and measuring the associated coupling constants. It is demonstrated here that ³J_HN can be obtained for every residue in the helical peptide Ac-(AAAAK)₃A-NH₂. The resulting ³J_HN profile clearly identifies a helical structure in the middle of the peptide and further suggests that the respective helix termini unfold via distinct pathways.Abbreviations ³J_HN three-bond CH-NH scalar coupling constant - NOE nuclear Overhauser enhancement - NOESY two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser spectroscopy - COSY two-dimensional correlated spectroscopy - DQF-COSY two-dimensional double-quantum-filtered correlated spectroscopy - TOCSY two-dimensional total correlation spectroscopy To whom correspondence should be addressed.Deceased March 5, 1996.     

Communicating junctions and calmodulin: Inhibition of electrical uncoupling inXenopus embryo by calmidazolium

Summary This paper reports the inhibitory effects of calmidazolium (CDZ), a calmodulin inhibitor, on electrical uncoupling by CO₂. Membrane potential and coupling ratio (V ₂/V₁) are measured in two neighboring cells ofXenopus embryos (16 to 64 cell stage) for periods as long as 5.5 hr. Upon exposure to 100% CO₂, control cells consistently uncouple even if the CO₂ treatments are repeated every 15 min for 2.5 hr. CDZ (5×10^–8–1×10^–7 m) strongly inhibits uncoupling. The inhibition starts after 30, 50 and 60 min of treatment with 1×10^–7, 7×10^–8 and 5×10^–8 m CDZ, respectively, is concentration-dependent and partially reversible. In the absence of CO₂, CDZ also improves electrical coupling. CDZ has no significant effect on membrane potential and nonjunctional membrane resistance. These data suggest that calmodulin or a calmodulin-like protein participates in the uncoupling mechanism.     

Responses of benthic–pelagic coupling to climate change in a temperate estuary

This article reports the first demonstration of the impact of climate change on benthic–pelagic coupling and the biogeochemical cycles of a coastal marine system. Over the last 30 years Narragansett Bay, a 328-km² temperate estuary on the east coast of the United States, has undergone a variety of ecological changes. Building on a robust data set that spans three decades, we present a link between warming (+1.7°C in annual mean water temperature) in the bay and a marked decrease in sediment oxygen consumption, in the fluxes of ammonium and phosphate from sediments to the overlying water, and in sediment denitrification. We attribute this reduction in biogeochemical exchange to a dramatic drop in the standing crop of water-column chlorophyll as the system has shifted from one characterized by a dominant winter–spring bloom to one supported by more ephemeral and less intense summer–autumn blooms. The recent climate-induced oligotrophication of the bay will be further exacerbated by forthcoming nitrogen reductions due to tertiary sewage treatment. Guest editors: J. H. Andersen & D. J. Conley Eutrophication in Coastal Ecosystems: Selected papers from the Second International Symposium on Research and Management of Eutrophication in Coastal Ecosystems, 20–23 June 2006, Nyborg, Denmark