Peroxynitrite scavenging by ferrous truncated hemoglobin GlbO from Mycobacterium leprae

Mycobacterium leprae GlbO has been proposed to represent merging of both O(2) uptake/transport and scavenging of nitrogen reactive species. Peroxynitrite reacts with M. leprae GlbO(II)-NO leading to GlbO(III) via the GlbO(III)-NO species. The value of the second order rate constant for GlbO(III)-NO formation is >1x10(8)M(-1)s(-1) in the absence and presence of CO(2) (1.2x10(-3)M). The CO(2)-independent value of the first order rate constant for GlbO(III)-NO denitrosylation is (2.5+/-0.4)x10(1)s(-1). Furthermore, peroxynitrite reacts with GlbO(II)-O(2) leading to GlbO(III) via the GlbO(IV)O species. Values of the second order rate constant for GlbO(IV)O formation are (4.8+/-0.5)x10(4) and (6.3+/-0.7)x10(5)M(-1)s(-1) in the absence and presence of CO(2) (=1.2x10(-3)M), respectively. The value of the second order rate constant for the peroxynitrite-mediated GlbO(IV)O reduction (= (1.5+/-0.2)x10(4)M(-1)s(-1)) is CO(2)-independent. These data argue for a role of GlbO in the defense of M. leprae against nitrosative stress.     

突变型人HGF(tvNK1)对CCl_4诱导的大鼠肝纤维化的影响

目的:探讨突变型人肝细胞生长因子(HGF~(K132E,R134E),tvNK1)对四氯化碳(CCl_4)诱导的SD大鼠肝纤维化的影响。方法:生物发酵大量制备tvNK1,并经腹腔注射于CCl_4诱导的纤维化SD大鼠体内,6周后取肝脏组织,通过real-time PCR和Western blot检测tvNK1对纤维化SD大鼠肝脏中I型胶原蛋白(Collagen type I,Col1A1)、IV型胶原蛋白(Collagen type IV,Col4A1)和α-平滑肌肌动蛋白(α-smooth muscle actin,α-SMA)在mRNA和蛋白水平表达的影响,并进一步通过HE和Masson染色观察tvNK1对纤维化SD大鼠肝脏形态和肝组织胶原纤维的影响。结果:SDSPAGE检测结果显示,获得纯度≥95%的tvNK1。Real-time PCR和Western blot结果显示,tvNK1降低纤维化大鼠肝脏中Col1A1、Col4A1和α-SMA在mRNA和蛋白水平上的表达。HE和Masson染色结果显示,tvNK1减缓纤维化大鼠肝结构的病理性改变,并降低肝脏中胶原纤维含量。结论:tvNK1能抑制CCl_4诱导的大鼠肝纤维化,为预防肝纤维化和其他器官纤维化疾病提供实验依据。     

The analysis of group truncated binary data with random effects: injury severity in motor vehicle accidents

The analysis of group truncated binary data has been previously considered by O'Neill and Barry (1995b, Biometrics 51, 533-541), where the analysis assumed that responses within each group were independent. In this paper, we consider the analysis of such data when there is group-level heterogeneity. A generalized linear mixed model is hypothesized to model the response and maximum likelihood estimates are derived for the truncated case. A score test is derived to test for heterogeneity. Finally, the method is applied to a set of traffic accident data.     

Complementation of a truncated membrane-bound Enzyme IINag from Klebsiella pneumoniae with a soluble Enzyme III in Escherichia coli K12

Summary Cloning and analysis of the gene nagE encoding Enzyme II^Nag (EII^Nag) from Klebsiella pneumoniae revealed strong similarities with the corresponding gene from Escherichia coli K12. Truncated EII^Nag proteins were generated by inserting a series of Tn1725 transposons into the structural gene; the positions of the insertions were mapped by restriction enzyme analysis, and the activity of the polypeptides determined by in vitro and in vivo tests. Insertions in the region encoding the amino-terminal half of the protein invariably abolished transport and phosphorylation activity, while truncated proteins lacking a C-terminal domain homologous to the soluble Enzyme III (crr gene) could be complemented by this molecule to nearly wild-type activity.     

The origin of multiple polypeptides of molecular weight below 110 000 encoded by tobacco mosaic virus RNA in the messenger-dependent rabbit reticulocyte lysate

Multiple polypeptides encoded by tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) RNA in the messenger-dependent rabbit reticulocyte lysate are not attributable to contaminating 3′-coterminal RNA fragments, multiple leaky termination codons or endonuclease activity opening-up legitimate or spurious internal initiation sites. Quantitative analysis of polypeptides encoded over a range of added RNA concentrations from 0.09 μg·ml^?1 to 180 μg·ml^?1 compared wi preparation, or with RNA extracted from the alkali-stable fraction of TMV suggest that apart from four legitimate virus-coded products of apparent M_r approx. 165 000, 110 000, 30 000 and 17 500 all other polypeptides arise from the overlapping 5′-proximal cistrons either by (i) site-selective endonucleolytic cleavage, (ii) sense codon misreading, or (iii) specific regions of secondary structure on TMV RNA which impede ribosome translocation.     

A probabilistic space-time prism to explore changes in white Stork habitat use in Iran

Studying bird habitats, particularly, those of endangered birds, facilitates effective conservation efforts. The concept of a probabilistic space-time prism (PSTP), which has been introduced in GIScience circle in recent years, can be used to explore bird habitat selection behaviors. The theoretical methods behind the PSTP approach are based on the assumption that a bird’s maximum habitat visit probability occurs along the axis of a prism; however, so far, this approach has not been used in a practical setting. In this paper, using movement data for the White Stork in Iran during the breeding and wintering seasons, the capability of a theoretical PSTP simulation method, named Truncated Brownian Bridge (TBB) was evaluated. To simulate the PSTPs, a Brownian motion variance was used. It was calculated, based on the collected movement data for the calibration of the dispersion parameters, so increasing the accuracy of the results. A comparison between the theoretical results and the movement data shows the method’s ability to identify changes in the storks’ habitat use was greater in the breeding season than during the wintering season. Also, no significant correlation was found between the predicted results and both the density of land use patches and the evenness of land use classes.     

Bayesian variable selection in multinomial probit models to identify molecular signatures of disease stage

Here we focus on discrimination problems where the number of predictors substantially exceeds the sample size and we propose a Bayesian variable selection approach to multinomial probit models. Our method makes use of mixture priors and Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques to select sets of variables that differ among the classes. We apply our methodology to a problem in functional genomics using gene expression profiling data. The aim of the analysis is to identify molecular signatures that characterize two different stages of rheumatoid arthritis.     

Inferring extinction from a sighting record

The extinctions of plant and animal species are almost never observed directly, but must be inferred from sighting records. This paper reviews some methods for statistical inference about the extinction of a single species based on a record of its sightings.     

Combined overexpression of genes of the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway leads to accumulation of sterols in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Genes of the post-squalene ergosterol biosynthetic pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been overexpressed in a systematic approach with the aim to construct yeast strains that produce high amounts of sterols from a squalene-accumulating strain. This strain had previously been deregulated by overexpressing a truncated HMG-CoA reductase (tHMG1) in the main bottleneck of the early ergosterol pathway. The overexpression of the gene ERG1 (squalene epoxidase) induced a significant decrease of the direct substrate squalene, a high increase of lanosterol, and a small increase of later sterols. The overexpression of the ERG11 gene encoding the sterol-14alpha-demethylase resulted in a decrease of lanosterol and an increase of downstream sterols. When these two genes were simultaneously overexpressed, later sterols from zymosterol to ergosterol accumulated and the content of squalene was decreased about three-fold, indicating that these steps had limited the transformation of squalene into sterols. The total sterol content in this strain was three-fold higher than in a wild-type strain.