Use of191Pt radiotracer for the development of enrichment procedures to detect natural levels of platinum in biological and environmental materials

Biological Trace Element Research - The191Pt-radiotracer is a powerful tool to develop separation and preconcentration methods for Pt. The radiotracer was produced either through190Pt...     

Revisiting the use of Iprodione and Trichoderma in the integrated management of onion white rot

The biocontrol properties of Trichoderma species are well documented, but their effectiveness in antagonism of the problematic Sclerotium cepivorum, the causal agent of white rot in Allium species, appears limited with reports of significant control only relating to deliberately-mutated strains of Trichoderma. Our previous studies have indicated the possibility of using selected naturally-occurring strains of the antagonist in the suppression of other diseases; now in vitro and controlled environment in vivo studies have indicated that a degree of control of Onion White Rot is possible, and that the selected antagonist strains can be used in integrated treatments with Iprodione to good effect. The possible value of such treatments is considered in light of other approaches to the suppression of this continuing problem.     

The crystal structure of dihydrofolate reductase from Thermotoga maritima: molecular features of thermostability

Two high-resolution structures have been obtained for dihydrofolate reductase from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima in its unliganded state, and in its ternary complex with the cofactor NADPH and the inhibitor, methotrexate. While the overall fold of the hyperthermophilic enzyme is closely similar to monomeric mesophilic dihydrofolate reductase molecules, its quaternary structure is exceptional, in that T. maritima dihydrofolate reductase forms a highly stable homodimer. Here, the molecular reasons for the high intrinsic stability of the enzyme are elaborated and put in context with the available data on the physical parameters governing the folding reaction. The molecule is extremely rigid, even with respect to structural changes during substrate binding and turnover. Subunit cooperativity can be excluded from structural and biochemical data. Major contributions to the high intrinsic stability of the enzyme result from the formation of the dimer. Within the monomer, only subtle stabilizing interactions are detectable, without clear evidence for any of the typical increments of thermal stabilization commonly reported for hyperthermophilic proteins. The docking of the subunits is optimized with respect to high packing density in the dimer interface, additional salt-bridges and beta-sheets. The enzyme does not show significant structural changes upon binding its coenzyme, NADPH, and the inhibitor, methotrexate. The active-site loop, which is known to play an important role in catalysis in mesophilic dihydrofolate reductase molecules, is rearranged, participating in the association of the subunits; it no longer participates in catalysis.     

A spatiotemporal characterization of the effect of p53 phosphorylation on its interaction with MDM2

The interaction of p53 and MDM2 is modulated by the phosphorylation of p53. This mechanism is key to activating p53, yet its molecular determinants are not fully understood. To study the spatiotemporal characteristics of this molecular process we carried out Brownian dynamics simulations of the interactions of the MDM2 protein with a p53 peptide in its wild type state and when phosphorylated at Thr18 (pThr18) and Ser20 (pSer20). We found that p53 phosphorylation results in concerted changes in the topology of the interaction landscape in the diffusively bound encounter complex domain. These changes hinder phosphorylated p53 peptides from binding to MDM2 well before reaching the binding site. The underlying mechanism appears to involve shift of the peptide away from the vicinity of the MDM2 protein, peptide reorientation, and reduction in peptide residence time relative to wild-type p53 peptide. pThr18 and pSr20 p53 peptides experience reduction in residence times by factors of 13.6 and 37.5 respectively relative to the wild-type p53 peptide, indicating a greater role for Ser20 phosphorylation in abrogating p53 MDM2 interactions. These detailed insights into the effect of phosphorylation on molecular interactions are not available from conventional experimental and theoretical approaches and open up new avenues that incorporate molecular interaction dynamics, for stabilizing p53 against MDM2, which is a major focus of anticancer drug lead development.     

Non-linear viscoelastic behavior of abdominal aortic aneurysm thrombus

The objective of this work was to determine the linear and non-linear viscoelastic behavior of abdominal aortic aneurysm thrombus and to study the changes in mechanical properties throughout the thickness of the thrombus. Samples are gathered from thrombi of seven patients. Linear viscoelastic data from oscillatory shear experiments show that the change of properties throughout the thrombus is different for each thrombus. Furthermore the variations found within one thrombus are of the same order of magnitude as the variation between patients. To study the non-linear regime, stress relaxation experiments are performed. To describe the phenomena observed experimentally, a non-linear multimode model is presented. The parameters for this model are obtained by fitting this model successfully to the experiments. The model cannot only describe the average stress response for all thrombus samples but also the highest and lowest stress responses. To determine the influence on the wall stress of the behavior observed the model proposed needs to implemented in the finite element wall stress analysis.     

Nucleotide sequence analysis of the CT operon of the Vibrio cholerae classical strain 569B

The complete nucleotide sequence of the Vibrio cholerae classical strain 569B was determined. The results prove the exactness of the amino acid CT B sequence published by Takao et al. (1985, Eur. J. Biochem. 146, 503-508). A comparison is made with already reported CT genes.     

The primer specificity of cytoplasmic poly(A) polymerase from cryptobiotic gastrulae of Artemia salina

Poly(A) polymerase has been purified to near homogeneity from the cytoplasm of Artemia salina as described previously (Roggen, E and Slegers, H. (1985) Eur. J. Biochem. 147, 225–232). Affinity chromatography on poly(A)-Sepharose 4B separates the enzyme preparation into two fractions. In standard assay conditions poly(A) polymerase fraction I (poly(A)-Sepharose 4B unbound) and fraction II (poly(A)-Sepharose 4B bound) have specific activities of 2.4 and 8.0 μmol AMP/h per mg enzyme, respectively. Poly(A) polymerase fraction II shows a high primer specificity towards the 17 S poly(A)-containing mRNP. Depending on the reaction conditions used, poly(A) sequences of 140 ± 15 AMP residues/μg enzyme are synthesized on the latter primer. In contrast, poly(A) polymerase fraction I only elongates oligo(A) primers efficiently. An endogenous RNA is detected in poly(A) polymerase II preparations. This RNA has a length of 83 ± 2 nucleotides and is a component of a 60 kDa particle. After removal of the latter the specificity of poly(A) polymerase fraction II for the 17 S poly(A)-containing mRNP is abolished and the characteristics of the enzyme resemble those of poly(A) polymerase I.     

Ground wētā in vines of the Awatere Valley,Marlborough: biology,density and distribution

The endemic New Zealand ground wētā (Hemiandrus sp. ‘promontorius’) has a Naturally Uncommon conservation status. This is because of the paucity of information on its density and distribution. Here, the biology, density and distribution of a population of this wētā found in and around vineyards in the Awatere Valley, Marlborough was studied. Wētā density was assessed in vineyards, paddocks and shrublands in this valley. Soil moisture, penetration resistance, pH and organic matter were recorded at locations with and without wētā. Wētā density in vineyards was significantly higher than in either paddocks or shrub habitats. In vineyards, the density of this insect was significantly higher under-vines than in the inter-rows. Higher numbers of this wētā were found in moist soils that required lower force to burrow. Females laid an average of 55 eggs between March and April, which hatched in September. These findings highlight the intersection between agriculture and conservation.     

Capitalizing on multi-element interactions through bal-anced nutrition——A pathway to improve nitrogen use efficiency in China,India and North America

A viable option for increasing nitrogen (N) use efficiency and mitigation of negative impacts of N on the environment is to capitalize on multi-element interactions through implementation of nutrient management programs that provide balanced nutrition. Numerous studies have demonstrated the immediate efficacy of this approach in the developing regions like China and India as well as developed countries in North America. Based on 241 site-years of experiments in these countries, the first-year N recovery efficiency (RE) for the conventional or check treatments averaged 21% while the balanced treatments averaged 54% RE, for an average increase of 33% in RE due to balanced nutrition. Effective policies to promote adoption are most likely those that enable site-specific approaches to nutrient management decisions rather than sweeping, nation-wide incentives supporting one nutrient over another. Local farmers, advisers and officials need to be empowered with tools and information to help them define necessary changes in practices to create more balanced nutrient management.     

Excess of de novo deleterious mutations in genes associated with glutamatergic systems in nonsyndromic intellectual disability

Little is known about the genetics of nonsyndromic intellectual disability (NSID). We hypothesized that de novo mutations (DNMs) in synaptic genes explain an important fraction of sporadic NSID cases. In order to investigate this possibility, we sequenced 197 genes encoding glutamate receptors and a large subset of their known interacting proteins in 95 sporadic cases of NSID. We found 11 DNMs, including ten potentially deleterious mutations (three nonsense, two splicing, one frameshift, four missense) and one neutral mutation (silent) in eight different genes. Calculation of point-substitution DNM rates per functional and neutral site showed significant excess of functional DNMs compared to neutral ones. De novo truncating and/or splicing mutations in SYNGAP1, STXBP1, and SHANK3 were found in six patients and are likely to be pathogenic. De novo missense mutations were found in KIF1A, GRIN1, CACNG2, and EPB41L1. Functional studies showed that all these missense mutations affect protein function in cell culture systems, suggesting that they may be pathogenic. Sequencing these four genes in 50 additional sporadic cases of NSID identified a second DNM in GRIN1 (c.1679_1681dup/p.Ser560dup). This mutation also affects protein function, consistent with structural predictions. None of these mutations or any other DNMs were identified in these genes in 285 healthy controls. This study highlights the importance of the glutamate receptor complexes in NSID and further supports the role of DNMs in this disorder.