Outer membrane efflux protein (OMEP) is a suitable molecular marker for resolving the phylogeny and taxonomic status of closely related cyanobacteria

Taxonomy of Cyanobacteria, the oldest phototrophic prokaryotes, is problematic for many years due to their simple morphology, high variability and adaptability to diverse ecological niches. After introduction of the polyphasic approach, which is based on the combination of several criteria (molecular sequencing, morphological and ecological), the whole classification system of these organisms is subject to reorganization. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the outer membrane efflux protein (OMEP) sequences can be used as a molecular marker for resolving the phylogeny and taxonomic status of closely related cyanobacteria. We have performed phylogenetic analyses based on the amino acid sequences of the OMEP and the DNA sequences of the 16S rRNA gene from 86 cyanobacterial species/strains with completely sequenced genomes. Phylogenetic trees based on the OMEP showed that most of the cyanobacterial species/strains belonging to different genera are clustered in separate clades supported by high bootstrap values. Comparing the OMEP trees with the 16S rDNA tree clearly showed that the OMEP is more suitable marker in resolving phylogenetic relationships within Cyanobacteria at generic and species level.     

Electromagnetic pulse propagation in dispersive planar dielectrics

The responses of a plane-wave pulse train irradiating a lossy dispersive dielectric half-space are investigated. The incident pulse train is expressed as a Fourier series with summing done by the inverse fast Fourier transform. The Fourier series technique is adopted to avoid the many difficulties often encountered in finding the inverse Fourier transform when transform analyses are used. Calculations are made for propagation in pure water, and typical waveforms inside the dielectric half-space are presented. Higher harmonics are strongly attenuated, resulting in a single continuous sinusoidal waveform at the frequency of the fundamental depth in the material. The time-averaged specific absorption rate (SAR) for pulse-train propagation is shown to be the sum of the time-averaged SARs of the individual harmonic components of the pulse train. For the same average power, calculated SARs reveal that pulse trains generally penetrate deeper than carrier-frequency continuous waves but not deeper than continuous waves at frequencies approaching the fundamental of the pulse train. The effects of rise time on the propagating pulse train in the dielectrics are shown and explained. Since most practical pulsed systems are very limited in bandwidth, no pronounced differences between their response and continuous wave (CW) response would be expected. Typical results for pulse-train propagation in arrays of dispersive planar dielectric slabs are presented. Expressing the pulse train as a Fourier series provides a practical way of interpreting the dispersion characteristics from the spectral point of view.     

Design of an Epitope-Based Peptide Vaccine Against the Major Allergen Amb a 11 Using Immunoinformatic Approaches

The Protein Journal - Allergic diseases are a socially significant problem of global importance. The number of people suffering from pollen allergies has increased dramatically in recent decades....     

Electromagnetic pulsed-wave radiation in spherical models of dispersive biological substances.

In analytical studies, we investigated induced-field patterns and SAR distributions in a lossy, dispersive, homogeneous, dielectric sphere typical of muscle tissue as irradiated by a plane-wave pulse train consisting of a pulse-modulated sinusoidal carrier wave. Calculations were made for carrier frequencies of 1, 3, and 15 GHz, pulse widths of 0.333, 2.0 and 4 ns, and pulse repetition rates of 1.11 x 10(6), 100 x 10(6), and 181.18 x 10(6) pps. The classical Mie solution was modified for a train of incident pulses that was represented by a Fourier series, and the fast-Fourier transform was used to sum the series. Computationally, the technique proved to be feasible and less expensive than we expected. The calculated field patterns show that the sphere's physical dimensions and the internal wavelength of the carrier greatly influence the nature of pulse-train propagation in the sphere. Harmonics having internal wavelengths nearly equal to the radius of the sphere produce most of the absorption; other harmonics produce little absorption. An intense hot spot is observed in spheres with radii that match the carriers' wavelengths.