A review of the USAF/NASA proton bioeffects project: rationale and acute effects.

Ionizing radiation represented one of the important hazards facing the first manned lunar mission. A combined USAF/NASA project was conducted from 1963 through 1969 to estimate the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of the radiations of space. Approximately 2000 primates (Macaca mulatta) and 5000 mice were irradiated with protons and electromagnetic radiations. The proton energies studied were selected to be representative of the proton spectrum in space. Much of the project was concerned with the use of cyclotrons for proton irradiations and with dosimetry. Biological measurements included clinical findings, physiological changes, hematological changes, histopathology, and mortality. When allowance was made for variation of response as a consequence of depth-dose distribution, the RBE for protons was approximately 1. This was anticipated from earlier theoretical studies and radiation therapy in humans with high-energy charged-particle beams.     

Chick embryo fibroblasts produce two forms of hyaluronidase

Cultured chick embryo fibroblasts derived from skin and skeletal muscle exhibit hyaluronidase activity both associated with the cell layer and secreted into the medium. Although both forms of the enzyme have a number of similar characteristics (R.W. Orkin and B.P. Toole, 1980, J. Biol. CHem. 255), they differ in thermal stability at neutral pH and in behavior on ion-exchange chromatography. Both forms of the enzyme are equally stable at acidic pH for long intervals, but the cell-associated hyaluronidase is significantly less stable than the secreted froms at neutral pH and at temperatures more than or equal to 30 degrees C. Neither the presence of proteases nor inhibitors of hyaluronidase appear to be involved in the cell-asspcoated enzyme. Chromatography of the two forms of hyaluronidase on carboxymethyl cellulose reveals that most (60-90 percent) of the secreted form of the enzyme elutes at a lower ionic strength than the cell- associated enzyme. Treatment of the secreted form of hyaluronidase with neuraminidase shifts its elution profile on carboxymethyl cellulose toward that of the cell-associated form, and also decreases its thermal stability at neutral pH. In contrast, treatment of the secreted form of hyaluronidase with alkaline phosphatase has no detectable effect. These data suggest that the secreted hyaluronidase differs from the cellular form in possessing additional sialic acid residues which endow the former with increased stability in the extracellular milieu.     

What we (don't) know about global plant diversity

The era of big biodiversity data has led to rapid, exciting advances in the theoretical and applied biological, ecological and conservation sciences. While large genetic, geographic and trait databases are available, these are neither complete nor random samples of the globe. Gaps and biases in these databases reduce our inferential and predictive power, and this incompleteness is even more worrisome because we are ignorant of both its kind and magnitude. We performed a comprehensive examination of the taxonomic and spatial sampling in the most complete current databases for plant genes, locations and functional traits. To do this, we downloaded data from The Plant List (taxonomy), the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (locations), TRY (traits) and GenBank (genes). Only 17.7% of the world's described and accepted land plant species feature in all three databases, meaning that more than 82% of known plant biodiversity lacks representation in at least one database. Species coverage is highest for location data and lowest for genetic data. Bryophytes and orchids stand out taxonomically and the equatorial region stands out spatially as poorly represented in all databases. We have highlighted a number of clades and regions about which we know little functionally, spatially and genetically, on which we should set research targets. The scientific community should recognize and reward the significant value, both for biodiversity science and conservation, of filling in these gaps in our knowledge of the plant tree of life.     

Intense photon emission induced by fracture of γ–irradiated Dy‐, Tm‐, Sm‐ and Mn‐doped CaSO4 single crystals

When an γ‐irradiated Dy‐, Tm‐, Sm‐ or Mn‐doped CaSO₄ crystal is impulsively deformed, two peaks appear in the ML intensity versus time curve, whereby the first ML peak is found in the deformation region and the second in the post‐deformation region of the crystals. In this study, intensities I_m1 and I_m2 corresponding to first and second ML peaks, respectively, increased linearly with an impact velocity v₀ of the piston used to deform the crystals, and times t_m1 and t_m2 corresponding to the first and second ML peaks, respectively, decreased with impact velocity. Total ML intensity initially increased with impact velocity and then reached a saturation value for higher values of impact velocity. ML intensity increased with increasing γ‐doses and size of crystals. Results showed that the electric field produced as a result of charging of newly‐created surfaces caused tunneling of electrons to the valence band of the hole‐trapping centres. The free holes generated moved in the valence band and their subsequent recombination with electron trapping centres released energy, thereby resulting in excitation of luminescent centres. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Elucidation of Substrate Specificity in Aspergillus nidulans UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase

The frequency of invasive fungal infections has rapidly increased in recent years. Current clinical treatments are experiencing decreased potency due to severe host toxicity and the emergence of fungal drug resistance. As such, new targets and their corresponding synthetic pathways need to be explored for drug development purposes. In this context, galactofuranose residues, which are employed in fungal cell wall construction, but are notably absent in animals, represent an appealing target. Herein we present the structural and biochemical characterization of UDP-galactose-4-epimerase from Aspergillus nidulans which produces the precursor UDP-galactopyranose required for galactofuranose synthesis. Examination of the structural model revealed both NAD⁺ and UDP-glucopyranose were bound within the active site cleft in a near identical fashion to that found in the Human epimerase. Mutational studies on the conserved catalytic motif support a similar mechanism to that established for the Human counterpart is likely operational within the A. nidulans epimerase. While the K _m and k _cat for the enzyme were determined to be 0.11 mM and 12.8 s^-1, respectively, a single point mutation, namely L320C, activated the enzyme towards larger N-acetylated substrates. Docking studies designed to probe active site affinity corroborate the experimentally determined activity profiles and support the kinetic inhibition results.