Bioinformatic analysis of the L polymerase gene leads to discrimination of new rhabdoviruses

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Petrzik, Karel

2012-01-01

Roč. 160, 7-8 (2012), s. 377-381 ISSN 0931-1785 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP501/12/1747 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50510513 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Cytorhabdovirus * RNA polymerase * Hedera helix Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 1.000, year: 2012

Antithrombin activity of medicinal plants of the Azores.

Science.gov (United States)

de Medeiros, J M; Macedo, M; Contancia, J P; Nguyen, C; Cunningham, G; Miles, D H

2000-09-01

A chromogenic bioassay was utilized to determine the antithrombin activity of methylene chloride and methanol extracts prepared from 50 plants of Azores. Extracts of the six plants Hedychium gardneranum, Tropaeolum majus, Gunnera tinctoria, Hedera helix, Festuca jubata and Laurus azorica demonstrated activity of 78% or higher in this bioassay system.

Differences between water permeability of astomatous and stomatous cuticular membranes: effects of air humidity in two species of contrasting drought-resistance strategy

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Karbulková, J.; Schreiber, L.; Macek, Petr; Šantrůček, Jiří

2008-01-01

Roč. 59, č. 14 (2008), s. 3987-3995 ISSN 0022-0957 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA601410505 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50510513; CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : Hedera helix * stomatal conductance * Zamioculcas zamiifolia Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 4.001, year: 2008

Clepsis dumicolana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), new to the Belgian fauna

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Prins, W.; Baugnée, J.-Y.

2008-01-01

On 17 August 2008 a specimen of Clepsis dumicolana (Zeller, 1847) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) was caught at Liège, leg. J.-Y. Baugnée. It was resting on Hedera helix, in the vicinity of the Kennedy bridge. During the following days, about 40 specimens were seen in two localities of the slope to the

Evaluation of transpiration properties of wall greening using evaporation efficiency rate as an index

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, H.; Misaka, I.; Tashiro, Y.

2007-01-01

In this study, the evaporation efficiency, which is a heat balance parameter necessary for numerical simulation of greening effects, was derived in order quantitatively to evaluate the effects of wall greening panels on improving the thermal environment. The efficiency was determined by monitoring the amount of evapotranspiration from wall greening panels on which either Hedera helix or Euonymus fortunei was planted, calculating the sensible heat-flux from SAT measurements, and determining the convective heat transfer rate, material transfer rate and the difference between the measured and calculated amounts of evapotranspiration. The results showed that: 1) both the convection heat transfer rate and material transfer rate were highly correlated to wind speed, and the derived equations for calculating the rates were functions of wind speed, 2) the mean evaporation efficiency for the monitoring period was 0.25 for Hedera helix and 0.26 for Euonymus fortunei, and 3) the amounts of evaporation from the wall greening panels tested were 4 to 5 mm for both plant species and showed correlations to daily cumulative irradiation

Triple Helix going abroad?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Olav Jull; Hu, Yimei

2014-01-01

The aim of the article is to explore to what extent the Tripple helix is being internationalized. Each of the helixes have their own internationalization rationale but the article show by small example that the helix itself is being internationalized and integrated with the host country tripple h...

Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Jane

2011-06-24

Jun 24, 2011 ... Studies on Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae, associated with red stripe disease of sugarcane was ... fiber, organic fertilizer and many by-products/co-products with ... colour, colony diameter and size of bacteria (µm) (Dye and Kemp, ..... leaf blight of turmeric caused by Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae in.

Lactococcus lactis subsp. tructae subsp. nov. isolated from the intestinal mucus of brown trout (Salmo trutta) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez, Tania; Balcázar, José Luis; Peix, Alvaro; Valverde, Angel; Velázquez, Encarna; de Blas, Ignacio; Ruiz-Zarzuela, Imanol

2011-08-01

The species Lactococcus lactis currently includes three subspecies; L. lactis subsp. lactis and L. lactis subsp. cremoris, isolated from milk sources, and L. lactis subsp. hordniae, isolated from the leafhopper Hordnia circellata. In this study, three strains, designated L105(T), I3 and L101, were isolated from the intestinal mucus of brown trout (Salmo trutta) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). These strains were closely related to members of the species Lactococcus lactis. Strain L105(T) showed 99.4 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to that of the type strains L. lactis subsp. lactis NCDO 604(T) and L. lactis subsp. hordniae NCDO 2181(T) and showed 99.9 % similarity to the type strain Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris NCDO 607(T). Analysis of two housekeeping genes, rpoB and recA, confirmed the close relationship between the novel strains and L. lactis subsp. cremoris with similarities of 99.3 and 99.7 %, respectively. The three strains could, however, be differentiated from their closest relatives on the basis of several phenotypic characteristics, as was the case for L. lactis subsp. lactis and L. lactis subsp. hordniae, which were also closely related on the basis of 16S rRNA, rpoB and recA gene sequence similarities. The strains isolated in this study represent a new subspecies, for which the name Lactococcus lactis subsp. tructae subsp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is L105(T) ( = LMG 24662(T)  = DSM 21502(T)).

[Resistance of Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei SY13 and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LJJ to reactive oxygen species].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shuwen; Lv, Jiaping; Menghe, Bilige; Zhang, Heping; Zhang, Liyu; Song, Jinhui; Wang, Zhifei

2009-02-01

We evaluated antioxidative effect of two antioxidative strains, isolated from the traditional fermented dairy products. Both intact cells and cell-free extract of Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei SY13 and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LJJ were used to study the inhibited effect of linoleic acid peroxidation, the ability of scavenging 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical, hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion radical,the ability of tolerancing hydrogen peroxide and the chelating capacity of ferrous ion and reducting activity. Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei SY13 and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LJJ demonstrated highest inhibition on linoleic acid peroxidation by 62.95% and 66.16%, respectively. The cell-free extract showed excellent scavenging superoxide anion and hydroxyl radicals activity. However, the intact cells of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LJJ scavenging superoxide and hydroxyl radicals capacity were not detected. The intact cells of Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei SY13 and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LJJ on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging ability and chelating ferrous ion capacity were superior to cell-free extract. The highest reduced activety was equivalent to 305 micromol/L and 294 micromol/L L-cysteine. Two latobacilli strains had good antioxidant capacity. As potential probiotics, it can be used in future.

Study on carbon-fixing,oxygen-releasing,temperature-reducing and humidity-increasing effects of evergreen plants in south highway

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LIU Minmin

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Li-6400 portable photosynthesis system,was used to test the diurnal variations of photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance of evergreen plants in Southern Highway,and to calculate their ability of absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen and to calculate the transpiring water volume and absorbing heat quantity of plants.Results showed that Euonymus fortunei Hand-Mazz,Hedera helix.Aucuba eriobotryaefolia had better carbon-fixing and oxygen-releasing effects,while Photinia serrulata,Trachycarpus fortunei,Radix Ophiopogonis had worse carbon-fixing and oxygen-releasing effects.Radix Ophiopogonis,Photinia glabra,Euonymus fortunei Hand.-Mazz had higher cooling and humidification ability,while Photinia serrulata,Trachycarpus fortunei did not act as well as them.Euonymus fortunei Hand.-Mazz and Hedera helix had higher leaf chlorophyll in per unit mass,values are 12.91、10.34、9.93 mg·g-1.Radix Ophiopogonis、Cinnamomum camphora(Linn. Presl and Trachycarpus fortunei had lower leaf chlorophyll in per unit mass,value is 3.55、2.67、2.06 mg·g-1.Releasing oxygen,fixing carbon,net assimilation and chlorophyll content has good correlation(P＜0.05.

Use of PCR-based methods for rapid differentiation of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis.

Science.gov (United States)

Torriani, S; Zapparoli, G; Dellaglio, F

1999-10-01

Two PCR-based methods, specific PCR and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA PCR (RAPD-PCR), were used for rapid and reliable differentiation of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis. PCR with a single combination of primers which targeted the proline iminopeptidase (pepIP) gene of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus allowed amplification of genomic fragments specific for the two subspecies when either DNA from a single colony or cells extracted from dairy products were used. A numerical analysis of the RAPD-PCR patterns obtained with primer M13 gave results that were consistent with the results of specific PCR for all strains except L. delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii LMG 6412(T), which clustered with L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis strains. In addition, RAPD-PCR performed with primer 1254 provided highly polymorphic profiles and thus was superior for distinguishing individual L. delbrueckii strains.

Use of PCR-Based Methods for Rapid Differentiation of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis

Science.gov (United States)

Torriani, Sandra; Zapparoli, Giacomo; Dellaglio, Franco

1999-01-01

Two PCR-based methods, specific PCR and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA PCR (RAPD-PCR), were used for rapid and reliable differentiation of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis. PCR with a single combination of primers which targeted the proline iminopeptidase (pepIP) gene of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus allowed amplification of genomic fragments specific for the two subspecies when either DNA from a single colony or cells extracted from dairy products were used. A numerical analysis of the RAPD-PCR patterns obtained with primer M13 gave results that were consistent with the results of specific PCR for all strains except L. delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii LMG 6412T, which clustered with L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis strains. In addition, RAPD-PCR performed with primer 1254 provided highly polymorphic profiles and thus was superior for distinguishing individual L. delbrueckii strains. PMID:10508059

Multiple helix ecosystems for sustainable competitiveness

CERN Document Server

Ferreira, João; Farinha, Luís; Fernandes, Nuno

2016-01-01

This book discusses the main issues, challenges, opportunities, and trends involving the interactions between academia, industry, government and society. Specifically, it aims to explore how these interactions enhance the ways in which companies deliver products and services in order to achieve sustainable competitiveness in the marketplace. Sustainable competitiveness has been widely discussed by academics and practitioners, considering the importance of protecting the environment while sustaining the economic goals of organizations. The Quintuple Helix innovation model is a framework for facilitating knowledge, innovation and sustainable competitive advantage. It embeds the Triple and the Quadruple Helix models by adding a fifth helix, the “natural environment.” The Triple Helix model focuses on the university-industry-government triad, while the Quadruple adds civil society (the media- and culture-driven public) as a fourth helix. The Quintuple Helix model facilitates research, public policy, and pract...

Prevalence of Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis and S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus in a sample of healthy dogs, cats and horses.

Science.gov (United States)

Acke, E; Midwinter, A C; Lawrence, K; Gordon, S J G; Moore, S; Rasiah, I; Steward, K; French, N; Waller, A

2015-09-01

To estimate the prevalence of β-haemolytic Lancefield group C streptococci in healthy dogs, cats and horses; to determine if frequent contact with horses was associated with isolation of these species from dogs and cats; and to characterise recovered S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus isolates by multilocus sequence typing. Oropharyngeal swabs were collected from 197 dogs and 72 cats, and nasopharyngeal swabs from 93 horses. Sampling was carried out at the Massey University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, on sheep and beef farms or on premises where horses were present. All animals were healthy and were categorised as Urban dogs and cats (minimal contact with horses or farm livestock), Farm dogs (minimal contact with horses) and Stable dogs and cats (frequent contact with horses). Swabs were cultured for β-haemolytic Streptococcus spp. and Lancefield group C streptococcal subspecies were confirmed by phenotypic and molecular techniques. Of the 197 dogs sampled, 21 (10.7 (95% CI= 4.0-25.4)%) tested positive for S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis and 4 (2.0 (95% CI=0.7-5.5)%) tested positive for S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus. All these isolates, except for one S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis isolate in an Urban dog, were from Stable dogs. S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis was isolated from one Stable cat. Of the 93 horses, 22 (23.7 (95% CI=12.3-40.6)%) and 6 (6.5 (95% CI=2.8-14.1)%) had confirmed S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis and S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus isolation respectively. Isolation of S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis from dogs was associated with frequent contact with horses (OR=9.8 (95% CI=2.6-72.8)). Three different multilocus sequence type profiles of S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus that have not been previously reported in dogs were recovered. Subclinical infection or colonisation by S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus and S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis occurs in dogs and further research on inter-species transmission and the pathogenic potential of these

Use of PCR-Based Methods for Rapid Differentiation of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis

OpenAIRE

Torriani, Sandra; Zapparoli, Giacomo; Dellaglio, Franco

1999-01-01

Two PCR-based methods, specific PCR and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA PCR (RAPD-PCR), were used for rapid and reliable differentiation of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis. PCR with a single combination of primers which targeted the proline iminopeptidase (pepIP) gene of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus allowed amplification of genomic fragments specific for the two subspecies when either DNA from a single colony or cells extracted from dairy pr...

Generating structured light with phase helix and intensity helix using reflection-enhanced plasmonic metasurface at 2 μm

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yifan; Du, Jing; Zhang, Jinrun; Shen, Li; Wang, Jian

2018-04-01

Mid-infrared (2-20 μm) light has been attracting great attention in many areas of science and technology. Beyond the extended wavelength range from visible and near-infrared to mid-infrared, shaping spatial structures may add opportunities to grooming applications of mid-infrared photonics. Here, we design and fabricate a reflection-enhanced plasmonic metasurface and demonstrate efficient generation of structured light with the phase helix and intensity helix at 2 μm. This work includes two distinct aspects. First, structured light (phase helix, intensity helix) generation at 2 μm, which is far beyond the ability of conventional spatial light modulators, is enabled by the metasurface with sub-wavelength engineered structures. Second, the self-referenced intensity helix against environmental noise is generated without using a spatially separated light. The demonstrations may open up advanced perspectives to structured light applications at 2 μm, such as phase helix for communications and non-communications (imaging, sensing) and intensity helix for enhanced microscopy and advanced metrology.

Identification of Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis Isolated From Drinking Water

Science.gov (United States)

Mycobacterium avium (MA) is divided into four subspecies based primarily on host-range and consists of MA subsp. avium (birds), MA subsp. silvaticum (wood pigeons), MA subsp. paratuberculosis (broad, poorly-defined host range), and the recently described MA subsp. hominissuis (hu...

A Classification of Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors of Soybean

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karen A. Hudson

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The complete genome sequence of soybean allows an unprecedented opportunity for the discovery of the genes controlling important traits. In particular, the potential functions of regulatory genes are a priority for analysis. The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH family of transcription factors is known to be involved in controlling a wide range of systems critical for crop adaptation and quality, including photosynthesis, light signalling, pigment biosynthesis, and seed pod development. Using a hidden Markov model search algorithm, 319 genes with basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor domains were identified within the soybean genome sequence. These were classified with respect to their predicted DNA binding potential, intron/exon structure, and the phylogeny of the bHLH domain. Evidence is presented that the vast majority (281 of these 319 soybean bHLH genes are expressed at the mRNA level. Of these soybean bHLH genes, 67% were found to exist in two or more homeologous copies. This dataset provides a framework for future studies on bHLH gene function in soybean. The challenge for future research remains to define functions for the bHLH factors encoded in the soybean genome, which may allow greater flexibility for genetic selection of growth and environmental adaptation in this widely grown crop.

Characterization of physicochemical properties of ivy nanoparticles for cosmetic application

OpenAIRE

Huang, Yujian; Lenaghan, Scott C; Xia, Lijin; Burris, Jason N; Stewart, C Neal Jr; Zhang, Mingjun

2013-01-01

Abstract Background Naturally occurring nanoparticles isolated from English ivy (Hedera helix) have previously been proposed as an alternative to metallic nanoparticles as sunscreen fillers due to their effective UV extinction property, low toxicity and potential biodegradability. Methods This study focused on analyzing the physicochemical properties of the ivy nanoparticles, specifically, those parameters which are crucial for use as sunscreen fillers, such as pH, temperature, and UV irradia...

Origin and Diversification of Basic-Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins in Plants

OpenAIRE

Pires, Nuno; Dolan, Liam

2009-01-01

Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins are a class of transcription factors found throughout eukaryotic organisms. Classification of the complete sets of bHLH proteins in the sequenced genomes of Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa (rice) has defined the diversity of these proteins among flowering plants. However, the evolutionary relationships of different plant bHLH groups and the diversity of bHLH proteins in more ancestral groups of plants are currently unknown. In this study, we use wh...

Diversity of the subspecies Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bunesova, Vera; Killer, Jiri; Javurkova, Barbora; Vlkova, Eva; Tejnecky, Vaclav; Musilova, Sarka; Rada, Vojtech

2017-04-01

Strains of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis are well-known health-promoting probiotics used commercially. B. animalis subsp. lactis has been isolated from different sources, and little is known about animal isolates of this taxon. The aim of this study was to examine the genotypic and phenotypic diversity between B. animalis subsp. lactis strains different animal hosts including Cameroon sheep, Barbary sheep, okapi, mouflon, German shepard and to compare to BB12, food isolates and the collection strain DSM 10140. Ten strains of B. animalis subsp. lactis from different sources were characterised by phenotyping, fingerprinting, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Regardless of origin, MLST and phylogenetic analyses revealed a close relationship between strains of B. animalis subsp. lactis with commercial and animal origin with the exception of isolates from ovine cheese, mouflon and German Shepard dog. Moreover, isolates from dog and mouflon showed significant differences in fermentation profiles and peptide mass fingerprints (MALDI-TOF). Results indicated phenotypic and genotypic diversity among strains of B. animalis subsp. lactis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recognition and Binding of a Helix-Loop-Helix Peptide to Carbonic Anhydrase Occurs via Partly Folded Intermediate Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Lignell, Martin; Becker, Hans-Christian

2010-01-01

Abstract We have studied the association of a helix-loop-helix peptide scaffold carrying a benzenesulfonamide ligand to carbonic anhydrase using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The helix-loop-helix peptide, developed for biosensing applications, is labeled with the fluorescent probe dansyl, which serves as a polarity-sensitive reporter of the binding event. Using maximum entropy analysis of the fluorescence lifetime of dansyl at 1:1 stoichiometry reveals three characteristic fluorescence lifetime groups, interpreted as differently interacting peptide/protein structures. We characterize these peptide/protein complexes as mostly bound but unfolded, bound and partly folded, and strongly bound and folded. Furthermore, analysis of the fluorescence anisotropy decay resulted in three different dansyl rotational correlation times, namely 0.18, 1.2, and 23 ns. Using the amplitudes of these times, we can correlate the lifetime groups with the corresponding fluorescence anisotropy component. The 23-ns rotational correlation time, which appears with the same amplitude as a 17-ns fluorescence lifetime, shows that the dansyl fluorophore follows the rotational diffusion of carbonic anhydrase when it is a part of the folded peptide/protein complex. A partly folded and partly hydrated interfacial structure is manifested in an 8-ns dansyl fluorescence lifetime and a 1.2-ns rotational correlation time. This structure, we believe, is similar to a molten-globule-like interfacial structure, which allows segmental movement and has a higher degree of solvent exposure of dansyl. Indirect excitation of dansyl on the helix-loop-helix peptide through Förster energy transfer from one or several tryptophans in the carbonic anhydrase shows that the helix-loop-helix scaffold binds to a tryptophan-rich domain of the carbonic anhydrase. We conclude that binding of the peptide to carbonic anhydrase involves a transition from a disordered to an ordered structure of the

Demonstration of Mycoplasma capricolum subsp capripneumoniae and Mycoplasma mycoides subsp mycoides, small colony type in outbreaks of caprine pleuropneumonia in eastern Tanzania

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kusiluka, L.J.M.; Semuguruka, W.D.; Kazwala, R.R.

2000-01-01

by different degrees of vasculitis, and fibrinocellular exudation into the alveolar septae and lumina, and into interlobular septae and pleura. Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae, Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides, Small Colony type Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae and Mycoplasma arginini were isolated...... from some of the examined goats including a case with a sequestrum which yielded Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides, Small Colony type. This work reports the first description of an outbreak of caprine pleuropneumonia in Tanzania in which M. capripneumoniae and M. mycoides subsp. mycoides, Small...

Chirality-specific lift forces of helix under shear flows: Helix perpendicular to shear plane.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qi-Yi

2017-02-01

Chiral objects in shear flow experience a chirality-specific lift force. Shear flows past helices in a low Reynolds number regime were studied using slender-body theory. The chirality-specific lift forces in the vorticity direction experienced by helices are dominated by a set of helix geometry parameters: helix radius, pitch length, number of turns, and helix phase angle. Its analytical formula is given. The chirality-specific forces are the physical reasons for the chiral separation of helices in shear flow. Our results are well supported by the latest experimental observations. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Genetic Diversity of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliensis Isolated in Korea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dong Hwan Lee

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The plant pathogenic bacterial genus Pectobacteirum consists of heterogeneous strains. The P. carotovorum species is a complex strain showing divergent characteristics, and a new subspecies named P. carotovorum subsp. brasiliensis has been identified recently. In this paper, we re-identified the P. carotovorum subsp. brasiliensis isolates from those classified under the subspecies carotovorum and newly isolated P. carotovorum subsp. brasiliensis strains. All isolates were able to produce plant cell-wall degrading enzymes such as pectate lyase, polygalacturonase, cellulase and protease. We used genetic and biochemical methods to examine the diversity of P. carotovorum subsp. brasiliensis isolates, and found genetic diversity within the brasiliensis subsp. isolates in Korea. The restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis based on the recA gene revealed a unique pattern for the brasiliensis subspecies. The Korean brasiliensis subsp. isolates were divided into four clades based on pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. However, correlations between clades and isolated hosts or year could not be found, suggesting that diverse brasiliensis subsp. isolates existed.

Helix-Hopes on Finite Hyperfields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Vougiouklis

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Hyperstructure theory can overcome restrictions which ordinary algebraic structures have. A hyperproduct on non-square ordinary matrices can be defined by using the so called helix-hyperoperations. We study the helix-hyperstructures on the representations using ordinary fields. The related theory can be faced by defining the hyperproduct on the set of non square matrices. The main tools of the Hyperstructure Theory are the fundamental relations which connect the largest class of hyperstructures, the Hv-structures, with the corresponding classical ones. We focus on finite dimensional helix-hyperstructures and on small Hv-fields, as well.

Dzūkijos nacionalinio parko Liškiavos botanikos sodas: retų ir nykstančių augalų rūšių natūralizacijos galimybės

OpenAIRE

Baranauskas, Alius

2005-01-01

PAPER The possibilities of naturalization of rare and vanishing plants’ species are surveyed in master’s study The subject of research - The botanical gardens of Liskiava with the rare and vanishing plants’ species cultured and naturalized there. Objective of the research – Naturalized species of the plants: Turk’s-cap (Lilium martagon), medicinal angelica (Angelica archangelica), perennial satinflower (Lunaria rediviva), and ivy bedstraw (Hedera helix). Also the naturalization in site of rar...

Description of Mycobacterium chelonae subsp. bovis subsp. nov., isolated from cattle (Bos taurus coreanae), emended description of Mycobacterium chelonae and creation of Mycobacterium chelonae subsp. chelonae subsp. nov.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Byoung-Jun; Kim, Ga-Na; Kim, Bo-Ram; Jeon, Che Ok; Jeong, Joseph; Lee, Seon Ho; Lim, Ji-Hun; Lee, Seung-Heon; Kim, Chang Ki; Kook, Yoon-Hoh; Kim, Bum-Joon

2017-10-01

Three rapidly growing mycobacterial strains, QIA-37 T , QIA-40 and QIA-41, were isolated from the lymph nodes of three separate Korean native cattle, Hanwoo (Bos taurus coreanae). These strains were previously shown to be phylogenetically distinct but closely related to Mycobacterium chelonae ATCC 35752 T by taxonomic approaches targeting three genes (16S rRNA, hsp6 and rpoB) and were further characterized using a polyphasic approach in this study. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of all three strains showed 99.7 % sequence similarity with that of the M. chelonae type strain. A multilocus sequence typing analysis targeting 10 housekeeping genes, including hsp65 and rpoB, revealed a phylogenetic cluster of these strains with M. chelonae. DNA-DNA hybridization values of 78.2 % between QIA-37 T and M. chelonae indicated that it belongs to M. chelonae but is a novel subspecies distinct from M. chelonae. Phylogenetic analysis based on whole-genome sequences revealed a 95.44±0.06 % average nucleotide identity (ANI) value with M. chelonae, slightly higher than the 95.0 % ANI criterion for determining a novel species. In addition, distinct phenotypic characteristics such as positive growth at 37 °C, at which temperature M. chelonae does not grow, further support the taxonomic status of these strains as representatives of a novel subspecies of M. chelonae. Therefore, we propose an emended description of Mycobacterium chelonae, and descriptions of M. chelonae subsp. chelonae subsp. nov. and M. chelonae subsp. bovis subsp. nov. are presented; strains ATCC 35752 T (=CCUG 47445 T =CIP 104535 T =DSM 43804 T =JCM 6388 T =NCTC 946 T ) and QIA-37 T (=KCTC 39630 T =JCM 30986 T ) are the type strains of the two novel subspecies.

Gibberellin-regulated gene in the basal region of rice leaf sheath encodes basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor.

Science.gov (United States)

Komatsu, Setsuko; Takasaki, Hironori

2009-07-01

Genes regulated by gibberellin (GA) during leaf sheath elongation in rice seedlings were identified using the transcriptome approach. mRNA from the basal regions of leaf sheaths treated with GA3 was analyzed by high-coverage gene expression profiling. 33,004 peaks were detected, and 30 transcripts showed significant changes in the presence of GA3. Among these, basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor (AK073385) was significantly upregulated. Quantitative PCR analysis confirmed that expression of AK073385 was controlled by GA3 in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor (AK073385) is therefore involved in the regulation of gene expression by GA3.

Melissopalynological and volatile analysis of honeys from Corsican Arbutus unedo habitat.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yin; Battesti, Marie-José; Costa, Jean; Paolini, Julien

2014-10-01

Thirty Corsican "autumn maquis" honeys were characterized by the typical combination of autumnal taxa: Arbutus unedo, Hedera helix, Smilax aspera, Rosmarinus officinalis, and two Asteraceae pollen forms. Corsican origin was characterized by the diversity of the taxa's biogeographical origins and significant presence of Castanea sativa and Quercus sp. Volatile fractions of "autumn maquis" honeys were dominated by isophorone and 3,4,5-trimethylphenol. The latter is reported in A. unedo honey for the first time. Otherwise, both A. unedo flower and "autumn maquis" honeys exhibited high contents of isophorone derivatives. H. helix honey exhibited phenylacetaldehyde, benzyl nitrile, 3-hydroxy-4-phenylbutan-2-one and nonanal as major compounds, which were scarcely represented in the studied "autumn maquis" honey samples.

Biocontrol of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum using bacteriophage PP1.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Jeong-A; Jee, Samnyu; Lee, Dong Hwan; Roh, Eunjung; Jung, Kyusuk; Oh, Changsik; Heu, Sunggi

2013-08-01

Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (formerly Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora) is a plant pathogen that causes soft rot and stem rot diseases in several crops, including Chinese cabbage, potato, and tomato. To control this bacterium, we isolated a bacteriophage, PP1, with lytic activity against P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the PP1 phage belongs to the Podoviridae family of the order Caudovirales, which exhibit icosahedral heads and short non-contractile tails. PP1 phage showed high specificity for P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, and several bacteria belonging to different species and phyla were resistant to PP1. This phage showed rapid and strong lytic activity against its host bacteria in liquid medium and was stable over a broad range of pH values. Disease caused by P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum was significantly reduced by PP1 treatment. Overall, PP1 bacteriophage effectively controls P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum.

Double-helix stellarator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moroz, P.E.

1997-09-01

A new stellarator configuration, the Double-Helix Stellarator (DHS), is introduced. This novel configuration features a double-helix center post as the only helical element of the stellarator coil system. The DHS configuration has many unique characteristics. One of them is the extreme low plasma aspect ratio, A ∼ 1--1.2. Other advantages include a high enclosed volume, appreciable rotational transform, and a possibility of extreme-high-β MHD equilibria. Moreover, the DHS features improved transport characteristics caused by the absence of the magnetic field ripple on the outboard of the torus. Compactness, simplicity and modularity of the coil system add to the DHS advantages for fusion applications

Análisis comparativo del cariotipo en poblaciones de Alstroemeria ligtu subsp. ligtu y A. ligtu subsp. simsii (Alstroemeriaceae de Chile

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos M. Baeza

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Alstroemeria (Alstroemeriaceae es un género endémico de América del Sur. En Chile, este género se distribuye desde el extremo norte hasta la Patagonia, y la mayor diversidad de especies se encuentra en la zona central. Precisamente en esta zona crece Alstroemeria ligtu con sus 3 subespecies: A. ligtu subsp. ligtu, A. ligtu subsp. incarnata, A. ligtu subsp. simsii. Se realizó un estudio comparativo del cariotipo de individuos provenientes de 5 poblaciones de A. ligtu subsp. ligtu de la VIII Región, y de una población de A. ligtu subsp. simsii de la V Región, mediante tinción de los cromosomas con DAPI u orceína acética. Las seis poblaciones estudiadas presentaron un cariotipo asimétrico, con 2n=2x=16 cromosomas. Las poblaciones de A. ligtu subsp. ligtu presentaron una fórmula haploide conformada por cuatro cromosomas metacéntricos (los pares 1 y 2 con microsatélites, uno submetacéntrico con microsatélite y tres telocéntricos con microsatélites. La población de A. ligtu subsp. simsii se caracterizó por poseer cinco cromosomas metacéntricos (el par 2 con un microsatélite y el par 6 con una constricción secundaria y tres cromosomas telocéntricos con satélite. Estos resultados indican que el cariotipo en A. ligtu es variable, y es probable que cambios a nivel cromosómico hayan contribuido en la diversificación de esta especie.

Potential Transmission Pathways of Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessika Dumke

Full Text Available Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus (S. gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus, a member of group D streptococci, is an inhabitant of the animal and human gastrointestinal tract. Furthermore, it is a facultative pathogen which causes e.g. endocarditis, septicemia and mastitis. S. gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus may be transmitted either directly or indirectly between animals and humans. However, the transmission routes are an unsolved issue. In this study, we present systematic analyses of an S. gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus isolate of an infective endocarditis patient in relation to isolates of his laying hen flock. Isolates from pooled droppings of laying hens, pooled dust samples and human blood culture were characterized by using multilocus sequence typing (MLST and DNA fingerprinting. MLST revealed the same allelic profile of isolates from the human blood culture and from the droppings of laying hens. In addition, these isolates showed clonal identity regarding a similar DNA fingerprinting pattern. For the first time, we received a hint that transmission of S. gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus between poultry and humans may occur. This raises the question about the zoonotic potential of isolates from poultry and should be considered in future studies.

The swimming of a perfect deforming helix

Science.gov (United States)

Koens, Lyndon; Zhang, Hang; Mourran, Ahmed; Lauga, Eric

2017-11-01

Many bacteria rotate helical flagellar filaments in order to swim. When at rest or rotated counter-clockwise these flagella are left handed helices but they undergo polymorphic transformations to right-handed helices when the motor is reversed. These helical deformations themselves can generate motion, with for example Rhodobacter sphaeroides using the polymorphic transformation of the flagellum to generate rotation, or Spiroplasma propagating a change of helix handedness across its body's length to generate forward motion. Recent experiments reported on an artificial helical microswimmer generating motion without a propagating change in handedness. Made of a temperature sensitive gel, these swimmers moved by changing the dimensions of the helix in a non-reciprocal way. Inspired by these results and helix's ubiquitous presence in the bacterial world, we investigate how a deforming helix moves within a viscous fluid. Maintaining a single handedness along its entire length, we discuss how a perfect deforming helix can create a non-reciprocal swimming stroke, identify its principle directions of motion, and calculate the swimming kinematics asymptotically.

In vitro cholesterol uptake by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus isolates

OpenAIRE

Małgorzata Ziarno

2009-01-01

Background. Some researchers have indicated that Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus may provide additional health benefits, reduce serum cholesterol level, for example. The aim of this study was to determine cholesterol uptake by Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus commercial yoghurt starter isolates in artificial GIT fluids. Material and methods. Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus isolates were cultured in MRS broth and in artificial GIT fluids contained cholesterol at initial con...

Russian isolates enlarge the known geographic diversity of Francisella tularensis subsp. mediasiatica.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vitalii Timofeev

Full Text Available Francisella tularensis, a small Gram-negative bacterium, is capable of infecting a wide range of animals, including humans, and causes a plague-like disease called tularemia-a highly contagious disease with a high mortality rate. Because of these characteristics, F. tularensis is considered a potential agent of biological terrorism. Currently, F. tularensis is divided into four subspecies, which differ in their virulence and geographic distribution. Two of them, subsp. tularensis (primarily found in North America and subsp. holarctica (widespread across the Northern Hemisphere, are responsible for tularemia in humans. Subsp. novicida is almost avirulent in humans. The fourth subspecies, subsp. mediasiatica, is the least studied because of its limited distribution and impact in human health. It is found only in sparsely populated regions of Central Asia. In this report, we describe the first focus of naturally circulating F. tularensis subsp. mediasiatica in Russia. We isolated and characterized 18 strains of this subspecies in the Altai region. All strains were highly virulent in mice. The virulence of subsp. mediasiatica in a vaccinated mouse model is intermediate between that of subsp. tularensis and subsp. holarctica. Based on a multiple-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA, we show that the Altaic population of F. tularensis subsp. mediasiatica is genetically distinct from the classical Central Asian population, and probably is endemic to Southern Siberia. We propose to subdivide the mediasiatica subspecies into three phylogeographic groups, M.I, M.II and M.III.

Proposal to rename Carnobacterium inhibens as Carnobacterium inhibens subsp. inhibens subsp. nov. and description of Carnobacterium inhibens subsp. gilichinskyi subsp. nov., a psychrotolerant bacterium isolated from Siberian permafrost.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholson, Wayne L; Zhalnina, Kateryna; de Oliveira, Rafael R; Triplett, Eric W

2015-02-01

A novel, psychrotolerant facultative anaerobe, strain WN1359(T), was isolated from a permafrost borehole sample collected at the right bank of the Kolyma River in Siberia, Russia. Gram-positive-staining, non-motile, rod-shaped cells were observed with sizes of 1-2 µm long and 0.4-0.5 µm wide. Growth occurred in the range of pH 5.8-9.0 with optimal growth at pH 7.8-8.6 (pH optimum 8.2). The novel isolate grew at temperatures from 0-37 °C and optimal growth occurred at 25 °C. The novel isolate does not require NaCl; growth was observed between 0 and 8.8 % (1.5 M) NaCl with optimal growth at 0.5 % (w/v) NaCl. The isolate was a catalase-negative, facultatively anaerobic chemo-organoheterotroph that used sugars but not several single amino acids or dipeptides as substrates. The major metabolic end-product was lactic acid in the ratio of 86 % l-lactate : 14 % d-lactate. Strain WN1359(T) was sensitive to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, fusidic acid, lincomycin, monocycline, rifampicin, rifamycin SV, spectinomycin, streptomycin, troleandomycin and vancomycin, and resistant to nalidixic acid and aztreonam. The fatty acid content was predominantly unsaturated (70.2 %), branched-chain unsaturated (11.7 %) and saturated (12.5 %). The DNA G+C content was 35.3 mol% by whole genome sequence analysis. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed 98.7 % sequence identity between strain WN1359(T) and Carnobacterium inhibens. Genome relatedness was computed using both Genome-to-Genome Distance Analysis (GGDA) and Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI), which both strongly supported strain WN1359(T) belonging to the species C. inhibens. On the basis of these results, the permafrost isolate WN1359(T) represents a novel subspecies of C. inhibens, for which the name Carnobacterium inhibens subsp. gilichinskyi subsp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WN1359(T) ( = ATCC BAA-2557(T) = DSM 27470(T)). The subspecies Carnobacterium inhibens subsp. inhibens subsp. nov. is created automatically. An

Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei B21060 suppresses human T-cell proliferation.

Science.gov (United States)

Peluso, Ilaria; Fina, Daniele; Caruso, Roberta; Stolfi, Carmine; Caprioli, Flavio; Fantini, Massimo Claudio; Caspani, Giorgio; Grossi, Enzo; Di Iorio, Laura; Paone, Francesco Maria; Pallone, Francesco; Monteleone, Giovanni

2007-04-01

Recent studies have shown that probiotics are beneficial in T-cell-mediated inflammatory diseases. The molecular mechanism by which probiotics work remains elusive, but accumulating evidence indicates that probiotics can modulate immune cell responses. Since T cells express receptors for bacterial products or components, we examined whether different strains of lactobacilli directly regulate the functions of human T cells. CD4(+) T cells were isolated from blood and intestinal lamina propria (LP) of normal individuals and patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Mononuclear cells were also isolated from Peyer's patches. Cells were activated with anti-CD3/CD2/CD28 in the presence or absence of Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei B21060, L. paracasei subsp. paracasei F19, or L. casei subsp. casei DG. Cell proliferation and death, Foxp3, intracellular pH, and cytokine production were evaluated by flow cytometry. We showed that L. paracasei subsp. paracasei B21060 but neither L. paracasei subsp. paracasei F19 nor L. casei subsp. casei DG inhibited blood CD4(+) T-cell growth. This effect was associated with no change in cell survival, expression of Foxp3, or production of gamma interferon, interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-5, and IL-10. L. paracasei subsp. paracasei B21060-mediated blockade of CD4(+) T-cell proliferation required a viable bacterium and was associated with decreased MCT-1 expression and low intracellular pH. L. paracasei subsp. paracasei B21060 also inhibited the growth of Peyer's patch mononuclear cells, normal lymphocytes, and IBD CD4(+) LP lymphocytes without affecting cytokine production. The data show that L. paracasei subsp. paracasei B21060 blocks T-cell growth, thus suggesting a mechanism by which these probiotics could interfere with T-cell-driven immune responses.

Designing cooperatively folded abiotic uni- and multimolecular helix bundles

Science.gov (United States)

de, Soumen; Chi, Bo; Granier, Thierry; Qi, Ting; Maurizot, Victor; Huc, Ivan

2018-01-01

Abiotic foldamers, that is foldamers that have backbones chemically remote from peptidic and nucleotidic skeletons, may give access to shapes and functions different to those of peptides and nucleotides. However, design methodologies towards abiotic tertiary and quaternary structures are yet to be developed. Here we report rationally designed interactional patterns to guide the folding and assembly of abiotic helix bundles. Computational design facilitated the introduction of hydrogen-bonding functionalities at defined locations on the aromatic amide backbones that promote cooperative folding into helix-turn-helix motifs in organic solvents. The hydrogen-bond-directed aggregation of helices not linked by a turn unit produced several thermodynamically and kinetically stable homochiral dimeric and trimeric bundles with structures that are distinct from the designed helix-turn-helix. Relative helix orientation within the bundles may be changed from parallel to tilted on subtle solvent variations. Altogether, these results prefigure the richness and uniqueness of abiotic tertiary structure behaviour.

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. sunkii subsp. nov., isolated from sunki, a traditional Japanese pickle.

Science.gov (United States)

Kudo, Yuko; Oki, Kaihei; Watanabe, Koichi

2012-11-01

Although four strains of bacteria isolated from sunki, a traditional Japanese, non-salted pickle, were initially identified as Lactobacillus delbrueckii, the molecular and phenotypic characteristics of the strains did not match those of any of the four recognized subspecies of L. delbrueckii. Together, the results of phenotypic characterization, DNA-DNA hybridizations (in which the relatedness values between the novel strains and type strains of the recognized subspecies of L. delbrueckii were all >88.7%) and 16S rRNA gene sequence, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and whole-cell MALDI-TOF/MS spectral pattern analyses indicated that the four novel strains represented a single, novel subspecies, for which the name Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. sunkii subsp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIT 11221(T) (=JCM 17838(T) =DSM 24966(T)).

Role of Blossoms in Watermelon Seed Infestation by Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli.

Science.gov (United States)

Walcott, R R; Gitaitis, R D; Castro, A C

2003-05-01

ABSTRACT The role of watermelon blossom inoculation in seed infestation by Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli was investigated. Approximately 98% (84/87) of fruit developed from blossoms inoculated with 1 x 10(7) or 1 x 10(9) CFU of A. avenae subsp. citrulli per blossom were asymptomatic. Using immunomagnetic separation and the polymerase chain reaction, A. avenae subsp. citrulli was detected in 44% of the seed lots assayed, despite the lack of fruit symptoms. Furthermore, viable colonies were recovered from 31% of the seed lots. Of these lots, 27% also yielded seedlings expressing bacterial fruit blotch symptoms when planted under conditions of 30 degrees C and 90% relative humidity. A. avenae subsp. citrulli was detected and recovered from the pulp of 33 and 19%, respectively, of symptomless fruit whose blossoms were inoculated with A. avenae subsp. citrulli. The ability to penetrate watermelon flowers was not unique to A. avenae subsp. citrulli, because blossoms inoculated with Pantoea ananatis also resulted in infested seed and pulp. The data indicate that watermelon blossoms are a potential site of ingress for fruit and seed infestation by A. avenae subsp. citrulli.

Fluoride concentrations in soils, vegetation samples and soil fauna in the direct vicinity of a pollution source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vogel, J.; Ottow, J.C.G.; Breimer, R.F.

1989-01-01

Fluoride analyses CF t = total F; F w = water soluble F and F HCI HCI-extractable F) of different soils, vegetation samples and soil fauna (Helix pomatia, Lumbricus spp., arthropodes) in a locally polluted area (for nearly 65 years) clearly revealed an F-accumulation in top soil, vegetation and animals. Based on 1N HCI-extractable fluoride, two contamination zones around the emitting industry could be identified. In the calcareous soils, leaching of fluoride seems to be insignificant because of a strong immobilization as CaF 2 . A highly significant correlation between the F HCI content of soils and Lumbricus spp. (with and without gut content) or Helix pomatia shells was found. Fluoride concentrations in washed leaves of Hedera helix and in decaying grass reached levels of 306 and 997 μgF/g respectively. Saprophagous soil arthropods contained high fluoride levels, up to 732 μgF/g in Armadillidium vulgare. (orig.)

Helix probe areas for the utilization of geothermal power. A practical example; Helix-Sondenfelder zur Nutzung von Erdwaerme. Ein Praxisbeispiel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuebert, Markus; Walker-Hertkorn, Simone [tewag Technologie - Erdwaermeanlagen - Umweltschutz GmbH, Starzach (Germany); Tietz, Jan [REHAU AG und Co., Erlangen-Eltersdorf (Germany); Riepold, Markus; Gloeckl, Andreas [MR Tiefbau GmbH, Brunnen (Germany)

2013-02-01

Thanks to their spiral shape so-called helix probes with a tube length of 40 meter have a height of only three meter: A lot of heat exchange area in a small space. Thus, helix probes are an ideal solution for the utilization of geothermal energy at places at which one cannot drill deeply due to geothermal reasons. Under this aspect, the contribution under consideration reports on the planning of a helix probe area being sustainably adapted to the user requirements for the new construction of a production facility.

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. jakobsenii subsp. nov., isolated from dolo wort, an alcoholic fermented beverage in Burkina Faso.

Science.gov (United States)

Adimpong, David B; Nielsen, Dennis S; Sørensen, Kim I; Vogensen, Finn K; Sawadogo-Lingani, Hagrétou; Derkx, Patrick M F; Jespersen, Lene

2013-10-01

Lactobacillus delbrueckii is divided into five subspecies based on phenotypic and genotypic differences. A novel isolate, designated ZN7a-9(T), was isolated from malted sorghum wort used for making an alcoholic beverage (dolo) in Burkina Faso. The results of 16S rRNA gene sequencing, DNA-DNA hybridization and peptidoglycan cell-wall structure type analyses indicated that it belongs to the species L. delbrueckii. The genome sequence of isolate ZN7a-9(T) was determined by Illumina-based sequencing. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and split-decomposition analyses were performed on seven concatenated housekeeping genes obtained from the genome sequence of strain ZN7a-9(T) together with 41 additional L. delbrueckii strains. The results of the MLST and split-decomposition analyses could not establish the exact subspecies of L. delbrueckii represented by strain ZN7a-9(T) as it clustered with L. delbrueckii strains unassigned to any of the recognized subspecies of L. delbrueckii. Strain ZN7a-9(T) additionally differed from the recognized type strains of the subspecies of L. delbrueckii with respect to its carbohydrate fermentation profile. In conclusion, the cumulative results indicate that strain ZN7a-9(T) represents a novel subspecies of L. delbrueckii closely related to Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii for which the name Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. jakobsenii subsp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ZN7a-9(T) = DSM 26046(T) = LMG 27067(T).

Assessing the inactivation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis during composting of livestock carcasses.

Science.gov (United States)

Tkachuk, Victoria L; Krause, Denis O; McAllister, Tim A; Buckley, Katherine E; Reuter, Tim; Hendrick, Steve; Ominski, Kim H

2013-05-01

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis causes Johne's disease (JD) in ruminants, with substantial economic impacts on the cattle industry. Johne's disease is known for its long latency period, and difficulties in diagnosis are due to insensitivities of current detection methods. Eradication is challenging as M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis can survive for extended periods within the environment, resulting in new infections in naïve animals (W. Xu et al., J. Environ. Qual. 38:437-450, 2009). This study explored the use of a biosecure, static composting structure to inactivate M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Mycobacterium smegmatis was also assessed as a surrogate for M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Two structures were constructed to hold three cattle carcasses each. Naturally infected tissues and ground beef inoculated with laboratory-cultured M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis and M. smegmatis were placed in nylon and plastic bags to determine effects of temperature and compost environment on viability over 250 days. After removal, samples were cultured and growth of both organisms was assessed after 12 weeks. After 250 days, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis was still detectable by PCR, while M. smegmatis was not detected after 67 days of composting. Furthermore, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis remained viable in both implanted nylon and plastic bags over the composting period. As the compost never reached a homogenous thermophilic (55 to 65°C) state throughout each structure, an in vitro experiment was conducted to examine viability of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis after exposure to 80°C for 90 days. Naturally infected lymph tissues were mixed with and without compost. After 90 days, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis remained viable despite exposure to temperatures typically higher than that achieved in compost. In conclusion, it is unlikely composting can be used as a means of inactivating M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis associated with cattle

Assessing the Inactivation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis during Composting of Livestock Carcasses

Science.gov (United States)

Tkachuk, Victoria L.; Krause, Denis O.; McAllister, Tim A.; Buckley, Katherine E.; Reuter, Tim; Hendrick, Steve

2013-01-01

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis causes Johne's disease (JD) in ruminants, with substantial economic impacts on the cattle industry. Johne's disease is known for its long latency period, and difficulties in diagnosis are due to insensitivities of current detection methods. Eradication is challenging as M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis can survive for extended periods within the environment, resulting in new infections in naïve animals (W. Xu et al., J. Environ. Qual. 38:437-450, 2009). This study explored the use of a biosecure, static composting structure to inactivate M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Mycobacterium smegmatis was also assessed as a surrogate for M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Two structures were constructed to hold three cattle carcasses each. Naturally infected tissues and ground beef inoculated with laboratory-cultured M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis and M. smegmatis were placed in nylon and plastic bags to determine effects of temperature and compost environment on viability over 250 days. After removal, samples were cultured and growth of both organisms was assessed after 12 weeks. After 250 days, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis was still detectable by PCR, while M. smegmatis was not detected after 67 days of composting. Furthermore, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis remained viable in both implanted nylon and plastic bags over the composting period. As the compost never reached a homogenous thermophilic (55 to 65°C) state throughout each structure, an in vitro experiment was conducted to examine viability of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis after exposure to 80°C for 90 days. Naturally infected lymph tissues were mixed with and without compost. After 90 days, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis remained viable despite exposure to temperatures typically higher than that achieved in compost. In conclusion, it is unlikely composting can be used as a means of inactivating M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis associated with cattle

Environmental Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis hosted by free-living amoebae

Science.gov (United States)

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis is responsible for paratuberculosis in animals. This disease, leading to an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, has a high impact on animal health and an important economic burden. The environmental life cycle of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratube...

Relationship between presence of cows with milk positive for Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis-specific antibody by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and viable M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in dust in cattle barns.

Science.gov (United States)

Eisenberg, Susanne W F; Chuchaisangrat, Ruj; Nielen, Mirjam; Koets, Ad P

2013-09-01

Paratuberculosis, or Johne's disease, in cattle is caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, which has recently been suspected to be transmitted through dust. This longitudinal study on eight commercial M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis-positive dairy farms studied the relationship between the number of cows with M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis antibody-positive milk and the presence of viable M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in settled-dust samples, including their temporal relationship. Milk and dust samples were collected in parallel monthly for 2 years. M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis antibodies in milk were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and used as a proxy for M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis shedding. Settled-dust samples were collected by using electrostatic dust collectors (EDCs) at six locations in housing for dairy cattle and young stock. The presence of viable M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis was identified by liquid culture and PCR. The results showed a positive relationship (odds ratio [OR], 1.2) between the number of cows with ELISA-positive milk and the odds of having positive EDCs in the same airspace as the adult dairy cattle. Moreover, the total number of lactating cows also showed an OR slightly above 1. This relationship remained the same for settled-dust samples collected up to 2 months before or after the time of milk sampling. The results suggest that removal of adult cows with milk positive for M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis-specific antibody by ELISA might result in a decrease in the presence of viable M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in dust and therefore in the environment. However, this decrease is likely delayed by several weeks at least. In addition, the data support the notion that M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis exposure of young stock is reduced by separate housing.

Thermal Inactivation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in Artificially Contaminated Milk by Direct Steam Injection

Science.gov (United States)

Butot, Sophie; Jagadeesan, Balamurugan; Bakker, Douwe; Donaghy, John

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The efficiency of direct steam injection (DSI) at 105°C for 3 s to inactivate Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in milk at a pilot-plant scale was investigated. Milk samples were artificially contaminated with M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis and also with cow fecal material naturally infected with M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. We also tested milk artificially contaminated with Mycobacterium smegmatis as a candidate surrogate to compare thermal inactivation between M. smegmatis and M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Following the DSI process, no viable M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis or M. smegmatis was recovered using culture methods for both strains. For pure M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis cultures, a minimum reduction of 5.6 log10 was achieved with DSI, and a minimum reduction of 5.7 log10 was found with M. smegmatis. The minimum log10 reduction for wild-type M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis naturally present in feces was 3.3. In addition, 44 dairy and nondairy powdered infant formula (PIF) ingredients used during the manufacturing process of PIF were tested for an alternate source for M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis and were found to be negative by quantitative PCR (qPCR). In conclusion, the results obtained from this study indicate that a >7-fold-log10 reduction of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in milk can be achieved with the applied DSI process. IMPORTANCE M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis is widespread in dairy herds in many countries. M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis is the causative agent of Johne's disease in cattle, and infected animals can directly or indirectly (i.e., fecal contamination) contaminate milk. Despite much research and debate, there is no conclusive evidence that M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis is a zoonotic bacterium, i.e., one that causes disease in humans. The presence of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis or its DNA has been reported in dairy products, including pasteurized milk, cheese, and infant formula

Interactions between the mixotrophic dinoflagellate Takayama helix and common heterotrophic protists.

Science.gov (United States)

Ok, Jin Hee; Jeong, Hae Jin; Lim, An Suk; Lee, Kyung Ha

2017-09-01

The phototrophic dinoflagellate Takayama helix that is known to be harmful to abalone larvae has recently been revealed to be mixotrophic. Although mixotrophy elevates the growth rate of T. helix by 79%-185%, its absolute growth rate is still as low as 0.3d -1 . Thus, if the mortality rate of T. helix due to predation is high, this dinoflagellate may not easily prevail. To investigate potential effective protistan grazers on T. helix, feeding by diverse heterotrophic dinoflagellates such as engulfment-feeding Oxyrrhis marina, Gyrodinium dominans, Gyrodinium moestrupii, Polykrikos kofoidii, and Noctiluca scintillans, peduncle-feeding Aduncodinium glandula, Gyrodiniellum shiwhaense, Luciella masanensis, and Pfiesteria piscicida, pallium-feeding Oblea rotunda and Protoperidinium pellucidum, and the naked ciliates Pelagostrobilidium sp. (ca. 40μm in cell length) and Strombidinopsis sp. (ca. 150μm in cell length) on T. helix was explored. Among the tested heterotrophic protists, O. marina, G. dominans, G. moestrupii, A. glandula, L. masanensis, P. kofoidii, P. piscicida, and Strombidinopsis sp. were able to feed on T. helix. The growth rates of all these predators except Strombidinopsis sp. with T. helix prey were lower than those without the prey. The growth rate of Strombidinopsis sp. on T. helix was almost zero although the growth rate of Strombidinopsis sp. with T. helix prey was higher than those without the prey. Moreover, T. helix fed on O. marina and P. pellucidum and lysed the cells of P. kofoidii and G. shiwhaense. With increasing the concentrations of T. helix, the growth rates of O. marina and P. kofoidii decreased, but those of G. dominans and L. masanensis largely did not change. Therefore, reciprocal predation, lysis, no feeding, and the low ingestion rates of the common protists preying on T. helix may result in a low mortality rate due to predation, thereby compensating for this species' low growth rate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights

Comparative Study on the Adaptation and Growth Dynamics of the Helix pomatia and Helix aspersa Muller Terrestrial Snails Under Different Feeding Regimes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrian Toader-Williams

2010-05-01

Full Text Available We used Helix pomatia and Helix aspersa species and measure their growth as the snails were approaching the hibernation season. Helix pomatia 2yo shown a decrease in weight while being raised in enclosed parcels of 4sqm the younger Helix pomatia 1yo as well as Helix aspersa Muller demonstrated the ability to adapt relatively fast to the same conditions. We established 5 experimental lots in a Helix pomatia farm, GPS coordinates N46.606040 E23.599950. Control lot contained Taraxacum officinales, Sonchus oleraceus, Equisetum arvense and Atriplex hortensis, wild flora found within the farm. The other lots contained the same plants as the control lot plus different combinations of imported plants from other areals. The H. pomatia 2yo weight decreased in the control lot by a mean of -3.86% while H. aspersa 1yo marked an increase of +16.89% in the same lot during the same period. The lot containing lupinus polyphyllus delivered snails with weight gain of +24.66% for H. pomatia 2yo and an increase of only +1.98% for H. aspersa 1yo. As a contrast, H. pomatia 2yo gained only +7.72% while H. aspersa 1yo gained +28.89%, in the lot containing Lavanda officinalis, Foeniculum vulgare and Hyssopus officinalis among the other plants.

Antioxidant activity profiling by spectrophotometric methods of aqueous methanolic extracts of Helichrysum stoechas subsp. rupestre and Phagnalon saxatile subsp. saxatile.

Science.gov (United States)

Haddouchi, Farah; Chaouche, Tarik Mohammed; Ksouri, Riadh; Medini, Faten; Sekkal, Fatima Zohra; Benmansour, Abdelhafid

2014-06-01

The aqueous methanolic extracts of two plants from Algeria, Helichrysum stoechas subsp. rupestre and Phagnalon saxatile subsp. saxatile, were investigated for their antioxidant activity. Total phenolics, flavonoids, and tannins were determined by spectrophotometric techniques. In vitro antioxidant and radical scavenging profiling was determined by spectrophotometric methods, through: Total antioxidant capacity, and radical scavenging effects by the DPPH and ABTS methods, reducing and chelating power, and blanching inhibition of the β-carotene. All of the extracts showed interesting antioxidant and radical scavenging activity. The highest contents in phenolics, tannins, and the highest total antioxidant capacity as gallic acid equivalents of 97.5 ± 0.33 mg GAE/g DW was obtained for the flowers of H. stoechas subsp. rupestre extract in the phosphomolybdenum assay. An extract of the leafy stems of P. saxatile subsp. saxatile revealed the highest content of flavonoids, and the highest antioxidant activity by the radical scavenging and β-carotene assays when compared with standards. The best activity was by the scavenging radical DPPH with an IC50 value of 5.65 ± 0.10 μg·mL(-1). The studied medicinal plants could provide scientific evidence for some traditional uses in the treatment of diseases related to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress. Copyright © 2014 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Government and Governance of Regional Triple Helix Interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Danson, Mike; Todeva, Emanuela

2016-01-01

This conceptual paper contributes to the discussion of the role of regional government and regional Triple Helix constellations driving economic development and growth within regional boundaries. The impact of regionalism and subsidiarity on regional Triple Helix constellations, and the questions of governmentality, governance and institutional…

A basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, PhFBH4, regulates flower senescence by modulating ethylene biosynthesis pathway in petunia

Science.gov (United States)

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) play important roles in regulating multiple biological processes in plants. However, there are few reports about the function of bHLHs in flower senescence. In this study, a bHLH TF, PhFBH4, was found to be dramatically upregulated during...

Double helix vortex breakdown in a turbulent swirling annular jet flow

Science.gov (United States)

Vanierschot, M.; Percin, M.; van Oudheusden, B. W.

2018-03-01

In this paper, we report on the structure and dynamics of double helix vortex breakdown in a turbulent annular swirling jet. Double helix breakdown has been reported previously for the laminar flow regime, but this structure has rarely been observed in turbulent flow. The flow field is investigated experimentally by means of time-resolved tomographic particle image velocimetry. Notwithstanding the axisymmetric nature of the time-averaged flow, analysis of the instantaneous three-dimensional (3D) vortical structures shows the existence of a vortex core along the central axis which breaks up into a double helix downstream. The winding sense of this double helix is opposite to the swirl direction (m =-2 ) and it is wrapped around a central vortex breakdown bubble. This structure is quite different from double helix breakdown found in laminar flows where the helix is formed in the wake of the bubble and not upstream. The double helix precesses around the central axis of the jet with a precessing frequency corresponding to a Strouhal number of 0.27.

An α-Helix-Mimicking 12,13-Helix: Designed α/β/γ-Foldamers as Selective Inhibitors of Protein-Protein Interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Grison, Claire M; Miles, Jennifer A; Robin, Sylvie; Wilson, Andrew J; Aitken, David J

2016-09-05

A major current challenge in bioorganic chemistry is the identification of effective mimics of protein secondary structures that act as inhibitors of protein-protein interactions (PPIs). In this work, trans-2-aminocyclobutanecarboxylic acid (tACBC) was used as the key β-amino acid component in the design of α/β/γ-peptides to structurally mimic a native α-helix. Suitably functionalized α/β/γ-peptides assume an α-helix-mimicking 12,13-helix conformation in solution, exhibit enhanced proteolytic stability in comparison to the wild-type α-peptide parent sequence from which they are derived, and act as selective inhibitors of the p53/hDM2 interaction. © 2016 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

IFITM3 requires an amphipathic helix for antiviral activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Chesarino, Nicholas M; Compton, Alex A; McMichael, Temet M; Kenney, Adam D; Zhang, Lizhi; Soewarna, Victoria; Davis, Matthew; Schwartz, Olivier; Yount, Jacob S

2017-10-01

Interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3) is a cellular factor that blocks virus fusion with cell membranes. IFITM3 has been suggested to alter membrane curvature and fluidity, though its exact mechanism of action is unclear. Using a bioinformatic approach, we predict IFITM3 secondary structures and identify a highly conserved, short amphipathic helix within a hydrophobic region of IFITM3 previously thought to be a transmembrane domain. Consistent with the known ability of amphipathic helices to alter membrane properties, we show that this helix and its amphipathicity are required for the IFITM3-dependent inhibition of influenza virus, Zika virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, Ebola virus, and human immunodeficiency virus infections. The homologous amphipathic helix within IFITM1 is also required for the inhibition of infection, indicating that IFITM proteins possess a conserved mechanism of antiviral action. We further demonstrate that the amphipathic helix of IFITM3 is required to block influenza virus hemagglutinin-mediated membrane fusion. Overall, our results provide evidence that IFITM proteins utilize an amphipathic helix for inhibiting virus fusion. © 2017 The Authors.

Dimerization of the docking/adaptor protein HEF1 via a carboxy-terminal helix-loop-helix domain.

Science.gov (United States)

Law, S F; Zhang, Y Z; Fashena, S J; Toby, G; Estojak, J; Golemis, E A

1999-10-10

HEF1, p130(Cas), and Efs define a family of multidomain docking proteins which plays a central coordinating role for tyrosine-kinase-based signaling related to cell adhesion. HEF1 function has been specifically implicated in signaling pathways important for cell adhesion and differentiation in lymphoid and epithelial cells. While the SH3 domains and SH2-binding site domains (substrate domains) of HEF1 family proteins are well characterized and binding partners known, to date the highly conserved carboxy-terminal domains of the three proteins have lacked functional definition. In this study, we have determined that the carboxy-terminal domain of HEF1 contains a divergent helix-loop-helix (HLH) motif. This motif mediates HEF1 homodimerization and HEF1 heterodimerization with a recognition specificity similar to that of the transcriptional regulatory HLH proteins Id2, E12, and E47. We had previously demonstrated that the HEF1 carboxy-terminus expressed as a separate domain in yeast reprograms cell division patterns, inducing constitutive pseudohyphal growth. Here we show that pseudohyphal induction by HEF1 requires an intact HLH, further supporting the idea that this motif has an effector activity for HEF1, and implying that HEF1 pseudohyphal activity derives in part from interactions with yeast helix-loop-helix proteins. These combined results provide initial insight into the mode of function of the HEF1 carboxy-terminal domain and suggest that the HEF1 protein may interact with cellular proteins which control differentiation. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

The effect of disinfectants on Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus and Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica on different surface materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hilkka Koponen

1992-12-01

Full Text Available The effect of seven disinfectants on Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus and Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica was tested on metal, plastic and wood surfaces in laboratory trials. lobac P was the most effective disinfectant in the control of E. carotovora on clean and dirty surfaces. Ipasept and Menno-Ter-forte were effective on plastic surfaces, but dirt reduced their efficacy. The least effective preparations were Deskem-1, Virkon S and Korsolin. lobac P, Korsolin and Virkon S were the most effective disinfectants against C. michiganensis. The efficacy of Ipasept and Menno-Ter-forte was reduced by dirt. The least effective preparation was Deskem-1.

The basic helix-loop-helix region of the transcriptional repressor hairy and enhancer of split 1 is preorganized to bind DNA

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Popovic, Matija; Wienk, Hans; Coglievina, Maristella; Boelens, Rolf; Pongor, Sándor; Pintar, Alessandro

2014-01-01

Hairy and enhancer of split 1, one of the main downstream effectors in Notch signaling, is a transcriptional repressor of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family. Using nuclear magnetic resonance methods, we have determined the structure and dynamics of a recombinant protein, H1H, which includes an

Mode conversions by a discontinuous junction of two helix loaded waveguides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choe, J.Y.; Ahn, S.; Ganquly, A.K.; Uhm, H.S.

1983-01-01

For various reasons, it is desirable to vary the primary propagating mode from one section of the waveguide to another. We choose the base structure to be the sheath helix loaded waveguide. Specifically, we join two physically different helix loaded waveguides axisymmetrically, thereby providing the required discontinuities at the junction (Z = 0). The helix loaded waveguide is more advantageous to the simple waveguide in that the helix mode that exists uniquely in the helix waveguide in addition to the usual fast wave hybrid modes, is without cutoff and thus behaves like a transmission line. In order to obtain the mode conversion rates, we expand the waves in the both sides of the junction with its own eigenmodes including the evanescent modes, and by matching fields at the junction (Z = 0) obtain the matrix equation for the coefficients for the eigenmodes in both sides. By choosing the propagating incident wave (Z = 0) the resulting outgoing waves in the other end (Z > 0) will be computed from the matrix equation. A computer program is devised to solve the suitably truncated matrix equation, and the numerical examples for the mode conversion rates with the parameter variations will be presented. The relevant physical parameters to yield discontinuities at the junction are the radii of the outer conductor and the helix wire and the pitch angle of the helix. Special emphases are on the conversion rates from the helix mode (Z 0) for the application to the tapered gyrotron amplifier

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis: presencia en los alimentos y su relación con la enfermedad de Crohn Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in food and its relationship with Crohn's disease

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K. Cirone

2007-03-01

Full Text Available La paratuberculosis o enfermedad de Johne es una enteritis crónica producida por Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, que afecta a bovinos y a otras especies. En la Argentina se ha caracterizado en rodeos bovinos y de ciervos, con aislamientos tipificados en distintos patrones genéticos. M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis ha sido vinculado en humanos con una inflamación crónica del intestino, denominada enfermedad de Crohn. Existen evidencias clínicas y experimentales que relacionan a M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis con la enfermedad en el humano, mediante su detección por PCR y por cultivo a partir de biopsias de órganos, de leche materna y de sangre de pacientes afectados. La leche y sus subproductos serían posibles fuentes de infección y se ha sugerido que M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis resistiría las condiciones de pasteurización. Diversos trabajos de investigación demostraron que esta micobacteria podría estar presente en leches comercializadas en diversos países, como Reino Unido, Estados Unidos, República Checa, y también en la Argentina. La presencia de M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis en productos lácteos y agua de consumo ha sido relacionada con la resistencia del microorganismo tanto a los procesos de elaboración como a los factores climáticos adversos, lo que enfatiza el rol de los alimentos y del agua como vías de transmisión al humano. Las investigaciones en curso podrían ratificar el riesgo y las implicancias de la exposición del humano a M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis a través de los alimentos y del agua contaminados, para determinar la importancia de la paratuberculosis como enfermedad zoonótica.Paratuberculosis or Johne's disease is a chronic enteritis of the cattle and other small ruminant animals caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. In Argentina, the strains were characterized in beef and dairy cattle and deer in different genetic patterns by molecular tools. M. avium

Mechanical unfolding reveals stable 3-helix intermediates in talin and α-catenin.

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Vasyl V Mykuliak

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Mechanical stability is a key feature in the regulation of structural scaffolding proteins and their functions. Despite the abundance of α-helical structures among the human proteome and their undisputed importance in health and disease, the fundamental principles of their behavior under mechanical load are poorly understood. Talin and α-catenin are two key molecules in focal adhesions and adherens junctions, respectively. In this study, we used a combination of atomistic steered molecular dynamics (SMD simulations, polyprotein engineering, and single-molecule atomic force microscopy (smAFM to investigate unfolding of these proteins. SMD simulations revealed that talin rod α-helix bundles as well as α-catenin α-helix domains unfold through stable 3-helix intermediates. While the 5-helix bundles were found to be mechanically stable, a second stable conformation corresponding to the 3-helix state was revealed. Mechanically weaker 4-helix bundles easily unfolded into a stable 3-helix conformation. The results of smAFM experiments were in agreement with the findings of the computational simulations. The disulfide clamp mutants, designed to protect the stable state, support the 3-helix intermediate model in both experimental and computational setups. As a result, multiple discrete unfolding intermediate states in the talin and α-catenin unfolding pathway were discovered. Better understanding of the mechanical unfolding mechanism of α-helix proteins is a key step towards comprehensive models describing the mechanoregulation of proteins.

Block survey of wall covered with plant in the city of Tokyo [Japan] and evaluation of thermal environment of wall greening system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shibuya, K.; Soh, Y.; Satoh, S.

2007-01-01

There were 384 (8877 square m) walls which covered with plant on 10 square km in the city of Tokyo, and the green wall rate in the city of Tokyo was 0.88%. Vines, for example Parthenocissus tricuspidata and Hedera helix, were widely used. The factor of thinking better of the landscape in urban area was one of the easily management of plants. The three wall greening systems, a wall covered with hanging climbers and two types of self-contained living wall, mitigated the thermal environment. However its degree can be depended on the greening method and the greenery occupancy rate of wall

DNA-like double helix formed by peptide nucleic acid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wittung, P; Nielsen, Peter E.; Buchardt, O

1994-01-01

Although the importance of the nucleobases in the DNA double helix is well understood, the evolutionary significance of the deoxyribose phosphate backbone and the contribution of this chemical entity to the overall helical structure and stability of the double helix is not so clear. Peptide nucleic...

Hydroxyproline Ring Pucker Causes Frustration of Helix Parameters in the Collagen Triple Helix

Science.gov (United States)

Ying Chow, W.; Bihan, Dominique; Forman, Chris J.; Slatter, David A.; Reid, David G.; Wales, David J.; Farndale, Richard W.; Duer, Melinda J.

2015-07-01

Collagens, the most abundant proteins in mammals, are defined by their triple-helical structures and distinctive Gly-Xaa-Yaa repeating sequence, where Xaa is often proline and Yaa, hydroxyproline (Hyp/O). It is known that hydroxyproline in the Yaa position stabilises the triple helix, and that lack of proline hydroxylation in vivo leads to dysfunctional collagen extracellular matrix assembly, due to a range of factors such as a change in hydration properties. In addition, we note that in model peptides, when Yaa is unmodified proline, the Xaa proline has a strong propensity to adopt an endo ring conformation, whilst when Yaa is hydroxyproline, the Xaa proline adopts a range of endo and exo conformations. Here we use a combination of solid-state NMR spectroscopy and potential energy landscape modelling of synthetic triple-helical collagen peptides to understand this effect. We show that hydroxylation of the Yaa proline causes the Xaa proline ring conformation to become metastable, which in turn confers flexibility on the triple helix.

Nature of the Charged-Group Effect on the Stability of the C-Peptide Helix

Science.gov (United States)

Shoemaker, Kevin R.; Kim, Peter S.; Brems, David N.; Marqusee, Susan; York, Eunice J.; Chaiken, Irwin M.; Stewart, John M.; Baldwin, Robert L.

1985-04-01

The residues responsible for the pH-dependent stability of the helix formed by the isolated C-peptide (residues 1-13 of ribonuclease A) have been identified by chemical synthesis of analogues and measurement of their helix-forming properties. Each of the residues ionizing between pH 2 and pH 8 has been replaced separately by an uncharged residue. Protonation of Glu-2- is responsible for the sharp decrease in helix stability between pH 5 and pH 2, and deprotonation of His-12+ causes a similar decrease between pH 5 and pH 8. Glu-9- is not needed for helix stability. The results cannot be explained by the Zimm-Bragg model and host-guest data for α -helix formation, which predict that the stability of the C-peptide helix should increase when Glu-2- is protonated or when His-12+ is deprotonated. Moreover, histidine+ is a strong helix-breaker in host-guest studies. In proteins, acidic and basic residues tend to occur at opposite ends of α -helices: acidic residues occur preferentially near the NH2-terminal end and basic residues near the COOH-terminal end. A possible explanation, based on a helix dipole model, has been given [Blagdon, D. E. & Goodman, M. (1975) Biopolymers 14, 241-245]. Our results are consistent with the helix dipole model and they support the suggestion that the distribution of charged residues in protein helices reflects the helix-stabilizing propensity of those residues. Because Glu-9 is not needed for helix stability, a possible Glu-9-\\cdots His-12+ salt bridge does not contribute significantly to helix stability. The role of a possible Glu-2-\\cdots Arg-10+ salt bridge has not yet been evaluated. A charged-group effect on α -helix stability in water has also been observed in a different peptide system [Ihara, S., Ooi, T. & Takahashi, S. (1982) Biopolymers 21, 131-145]: block copolymers containing (Ala)20 and (Glu)20 show partial helix formation at low temperatures, pH 7.5, where the glutamic acid residues are ionized. (Glu)20(Ala)20Phe forms a

High quality draft genome sequence of Staphylococcus cohnii subsp. cohnii strain hu-01

OpenAIRE

Hu, XinJun; Li, Ang; Lv, LongXian; Yuan, Chunhui; Guo, Lihua; Jiang, Xiawei; Jiang, Haiyin; Qian, GuiRong; Zheng, BeiWen; Guo, Jing; Li, LanJuan

2014-01-01

Staphylococcus cohnii subsp. cohnii belongs to the family Staphylococcaceae in the order Bacillales , class Bacilli and phylum Firmicutes . The increasing relevance of S. cohnii to human health prompted us to determine the genomic sequence of Staphylococcus cohnii subsp. cohnii strain hu-01, a multidrug-resistant isolate from a hospital in China. Here we describe the features of S. cohnii subsp. cohnii strain hu-01, together with the genome sequence and its annotation. This is the first genom...

"Special Issue": Regional Dimensions of the Triple Helix Model

Science.gov (United States)

Todeva, Emanuela; Danson, Mike

2016-01-01

This paper introduces the rationale for the special issue and its contributions, which bridge the literature on regional development and the Triple Helix model. The concept of the Triple Helix at the sub-national, and specifically regional, level is established and examined, with special regard to regional economic development founded on…

A smallest 6 kda metalloprotease, mini-matrilysin, in living world: a revolutionary conserved zinc-dependent proteolytic domain- helix-loop-helix catalytic zinc binding domain (ZBD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Wei-Hsuan

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Aim of this study is to study the minimum zinc dependent metalloprotease catalytic folding motif, helix B Met loop-helix C, with proteolytic catalytic activities in metzincin super family. The metzincin super family share a catalytic domain consisting of a twisted five-stranded β sheet and three long α helices (A, B and C. The catalytic zinc is at the bottom of the cleft and is ligated by three His residues in the consensus sequence motif, HEXXHXXGXXH, which is located in helix B and part of the adjacent Met turn region. An interesting question is - what is the minimum portion of the enzyme that still possesses catalytic and inhibitor recognition?” Methods We have expressed a 60-residue truncated form of matrilysin which retains only the helix B-Met turn-helix C region and deletes helix A and the five-stranded β sheet which form the upper portion of the active cleft. This is only 1/4 of the full catalytic domain. The E. coli derived 6 kDa MMP-7 ZBD fragments were purified and refolded. The proteolytic activities were analyzed by Mca-Pro-Leu-Gly-Leu-Dpa-Ala-Arg-NH2 peptide assay and CM-transferrin zymography analysis. SC44463, BB94 and Phosphoramidon were computationally docked into the 3day structure of the human MMP7 ZBD and TAD and thermolysin using the docking program GOLD. Results This minimal 6 kDa matrilysin has been refolded and shown to have proteolytic activity in the Mca-Pro-Leu-Gly-Leu-Dpa-Ala-Arg-NH2 peptide assay. Triton X-100 and heparin are important factors in the refolding environment for this mini-enzyme matrilysin. This minienzyme has the proteolytic activity towards peptide substrate, but the hexamer and octamer of the mini MMP-7 complex demonstrates the CM-transferrin proteolytic activities in zymographic analysis. Peptide digestion is inhibited by SC44463, specific MMP7 inhibitors, but not phosphorimadon. Interestingly, the mini MMP-7 can be processed by autolysis and producing ~ 6�

Tulum Peynirlerinden izole Edilen Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis YBML9 ve

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasin TUNCER

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Bu çalısmanın amacı tulum peynirlerinden izole edilen Lactococcus lactis suslarının fenotipik tanısı ve bu suslar tarafından üretilen bakteriyosinlerin kısmi karakterizasyonlarıdır. Bu amaçla Türkiye'nin sekiz farklı ilinden (Ankara, Antalya, Burdur, Denizli, Erzincan, Isparta, İstanbul ve İzmir yöresel pazarlardan toplanan 60 adet tulum peyniri örneginden 40 adet Lactococcus lactis susu (31 adet L. lactis subsp. lactis ve 9 adet L. lactis subsp. cremoris izole edildi. 40 adet L. lactis susu içerisinden, 2 adet L. lactis subsp. lactis (YBML9 ve YBML21 susu bakteriyosin üretme yeteneginde bulundu. L. lactis subsp. lactis YBML9 ve YBML21 susları tarafından üretilen bakteriyosinler, farklı enzim, pH ve sıcaklık uygulamaları sonucu; sırasıyla nisin ve laktisin 481 olarak tanımlandı.

High quality draft genome sequence of Staphylococcus cohnii subsp. cohnii strain hu-01.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, XinJun; Li, Ang; Lv, LongXian; Yuan, Chunhui; Guo, Lihua; Jiang, Xiawei; Jiang, Haiyin; Qian, GuiRong; Zheng, BeiWen; Guo, Jing; Li, LanJuan

2014-06-15

Staphylococcus cohnii subsp. cohnii belongs to the family Staphylococcaceae in the order Bacillales, class Bacilli and phylum Firmicutes. The increasing relevance of S. cohnii to human health prompted us to determine the genomic sequence of Staphylococcus cohnii subsp. cohnii strain hu-01, a multidrug-resistant isolate from a hospital in China. Here we describe the features of S. cohnii subsp. cohnii strain hu-01, together with the genome sequence and its annotation. This is the first genome sequence of the species Staphylococcus cohnii.

[Identification and phylogenetic analysis of one strain of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus separated from yoghourt].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chuan; Zhang, Chaowu; Pei, Xiaofang; Liu, Hengchuan

2007-11-01

For being further applied and studied, one strain of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (wch9901) separated from yoghourt which had been identified by phenotype characteristic analysis was identified by 16S rDNA and phylogenetic analyzed. The 16S rDNA of wch9901 was amplified with the genomic DNA of wch9901 as template, and the conservative sequences of the 16S rDNA as primers. Inserted 16S rDNA amplified into clonal vector pGEM-T under the function of T4 DNA ligase to construct recombined plasmid pGEM-wch9901 16S rDNA. The recombined plasmid was identified by restriction enzyme digestion, and the eligible plasmid was presented to sequencing company for DNA sequencing. Nucleic acid sequence was blast in GenBank and phylogenetic tree was constructed using neighbor-joining method of distance methods by Mega3.1 soft. Results of blastn showed that the homology of 16S rDNA of wch9901 with the 16S rDNA of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strains was higher than 96%. On the phylogenetic tree, wch9901 formed a separate branch and located between Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LGM2 evolution branch and another evolution branch which was composed of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus DL2 evolution cluster and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus JSQ evolution cluster. The distance between wch9901 evolution branch and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LGM2 evolution branch was the closest. wch9901 belonged to Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. wch9901 showed the closest evolution relationship to Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LGM2.

Role of species diversity and secondary compound complementarity on diet selection of Mediterranean shrubs by goats.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogosic, Jozo; Estell, Richard E; Skobic, Dragan; Martinovic, Anita; Maric, Stanislava

2006-06-01

Goats foraging on Mediterranean shrubs containing secondary compounds (toxins) may consume a variety of shrubs that contain different phytotoxins, thereby increasing shrub intake and avoiding toxicosis. We conducted eight experiments to examine whether goats offered different mixtures of shrubs containing different phytotoxins (tannins and saponins) would consume more shrub biomass than goats offered one shrub a single phytotoxin (tannin or saponin). In the first three experiments, goats fed a mixture of three tannin-rich shrubs (Quercus ilex, Arbutus unedo, and Pistacia lentiscus) ate more foliage than goats offered only one shrub (23.2 vs. 10.7 g/kg BW; 25.2 vs. 13.4 g/kg BW, and 27.9 vs. 7.9 g/kg BW), regardless of tannin concentration in individual shrub species. Goats also consumed more foliage when offered the same three tannin-rich shrubs than when offered the saponin-rich shrub Hedera helix (25.4 vs. 8.0 g/kg BW). However, goats offered a mixture of the same three tannin-rich shrubs consumed less foliage than goats offered a mixture of two shrubs containing tannins and saponins: Quercus and Hedera (21.6 vs. 27.1 g/kg BW), Arbutus and Hedera (21.8 vs. 27.1 g/kg BW), and Pistacia and Hedera (19.7 vs. 22.0 g/kg BW). Comparison of intake of shrubs containing only tannins or saponins to intake of shrubs containing both tannins and saponins indicated that goats consumed more total biomass when fed with shrubs with both classes of compounds than with either tannins or saponins alone. Our results suggest that goats can increase intake of Mediterranean shrubs high in secondary compounds by selecting those with different classes of phytotoxins. Simultaneous ingestion of shrubs containing tannins and saponins may promote chemical interactions that inhibit toxic effects of these phytotoxins in the intestinal tract. In addition to complementary interactions between tannins and saponins, biological diversity within Mediterranean maquis vegetation also plays a positive

The C-Terminal RpoN Domain of sigma54 Forms an unpredictedHelix-Turn-Helix Motif Similar to domains of sigma70

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Doucleff, Michaeleen; Malak, Lawrence T.; Pelton, Jeffrey G.; Wemmer, David E.

2005-11-01

The ''{delta}'' subunit of prokaryotic RNA-polymerase allows gene-specific transcription initiation. Two {sigma} families have been identified, {sigma}{sup 70} and {sigma}{sup 54}, which use distinct mechanisms to initiate transcription and share no detectable sequence homology. Although the {sigma}{sup 70}-type factors have been well characterized structurally by x-ray crystallography, no high-resolution structural information is available for the {sigma}{sup 54}-type factors. Here we present the NMR derived structure of the C-terminal domain of {sigma}{sup 54} from Aquifex aeolicus. This domain (Thr323 to Gly389), which contains the highly conserved RpoN box sequence, consists of a poorly structured N-terminal tail followed by a three-helix bundle, which is surprisingly similar to domains of the {sigma}{sup 70}-type proteins. Residues of the RpoN box, which have previously been shown to be critical for DNA binding, form the second helix of an unpredicted helix-turn-helix motif. This structure's homology with other DNA binding proteins, combined with previous biochemical data, suggest how the C-terminal domain of {sigma}{sup 54} binds to DNA.

Identification of basic/helix-loop-helix transcription factors reveals candidate genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis from the strawberry white-flesh mutant

OpenAIRE

Zhao, Fengli; Li, Gang; Hu, Panpan; Zhao, Xia; Li, Liangjie; Wei, Wei; Feng, Jiayue; Zhou, Houcheng

2018-01-01

As the second largest transcription factor family in plant, the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor family, characterized by the conserved bHLH domain, plays a central regulatory role in many biological process. However, the bHLH transcription factor family of strawberry has not been systematically identified, especially for the anthocyanin biosynthesis. Here, we identified a total of 113 bHLH transcription factors and described their chromosomal distribution and bioinformatics...

Investigation of Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Mentha spicata L. subsp. spicata and M. longifolia (L.) L. subsp. typhoides (Briq.) Harley Decoction and Infusion

OpenAIRE

ÖZER, Züleyha

2018-01-01

In present study, we report phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of decoctionand infusion of Mentha spicata L. subsp. spicataand M. longifolia (L.) L. subsp. typhoides (Briq.) Harley. The quantitativeamounts of the phenolic contents were determined by LC-MS/MS.  The main compounds and amounts of M. spicata weredetermined as follow for decoction; caffeic acid, quercetagetin-3,6-dimethyletherand penduletin (4126.6; 2141.5; 1472.7 mg/kg dried herba, respectively), for infusion;fumaric aci...

Tomato fruit and seed colonization by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis through external and internal routes.

Science.gov (United States)

Tancos, Matthew A; Chalupowicz, Laura; Barash, Isaac; Manulis-Sasson, Shulamit; Smart, Christine D

2013-11-01

The Gram-positive bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis, causal agent of bacterial wilt and canker of tomato, is an economically devastating pathogen that inflicts considerable damage throughout all major tomato-producing regions. Annual outbreaks continue to occur in New York, where C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis spreads via infected transplants, trellising stakes, tools, and/or soil. Globally, new outbreaks can be accompanied by the introduction of contaminated seed stock; however, the route of seed infection, especially the role of fruit lesions, remains undefined. In order to investigate the modes of seed infection, New York C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis field strains were stably transformed with a gene encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP). A constitutively eGFP-expressing virulent C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis isolate, GCMM-22, was used to demonstrate that C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis could not only access seeds systemically through the xylem but also externally through tomato fruit lesions, which harbored high intra- and intercellular populations. Active movement and expansion of bacteria into the fruit mesocarp and nearby xylem vessels followed, once the fruits began to ripen. These results highlight the ability of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis to invade tomato fruits and seeds through multiple entry routes.

TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING OF HELIX B BASED CONFORMATIONAL DISEASES IN SERPIN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamad Aman Jairajpuri

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Serine protease inhibitors (serpins are a unique family of protease inhibitors that are prone to polymer formation due to their metastable nature and a complex inhibition mechanism that involves large scale conformational change. Helix B is in the shutter region near the strand 2A and strand 3A of �-sheet A, where reactive centre loop inserts during the serpin inhibition mechanism. Helix B region in serpins is a mutation hotspot for naturally occurring variants that result in pathological conditions due to polymerization. Helix B residues are completely buried in the native state and loop inserted latent state but not in the inhibitory loop inserted cleaved conformation. Native to cleaved transition during inhibition forms a large cavity in the shutter region, which invariably is the largest cavity in most serpins in native state. In a recent paper we had for the first time hypothesized that exposure of helix B at the N-terminal end is important for smooth insertion of the reactive center loop during serpin inhibition mechanism. It is therefore possible that natural variant that induces conformational deformation of helix B probably alter the cavity size which increases the rate of loop-sheet interaction between the monomers resulting in increased polymerization.

Genetic variation in Mediterranean Helichrysum italicum (Asteraceae; Gnaphalieae): do disjunct populations of subsp. microphyllum have a common origin?

Science.gov (United States)

Galbany-Casals, M; Blanco-Moreno, J M; Garcia-Jacas, N; Breitwieser, I; Smissen, R D

2011-07-01

The yellow-flowered everlasting daisy Helichrysum italicum (Asteraceae, Gnaphalieae) is widely distributed in the Mediterranean basin, where it grows in continuous and widespread populations in diverse open habitats. Helichrysum italicum subsp. microphyllum has a disjunct distribution in the Balearic Islands (Majorca and Dragonera), Corsica, Sardinia, Crete and Cyprus. Numerous morphological intermediates between subsp. italicum and subsp. microphyllum are known from Corsica, where the two subspecies co-occur. The aims of the study were to investigate if subsp. microphyllum has a common origin, constituting an independent gene pool from subsp. italicum, or if the morphological differences between subsp. microphyllum and subsp. italicum have arisen independently in different locations from a common wider gene pool. Our analyses of AFLP, cpDNA sequences and morphological characters show that there is geographic structure to the genetic variation within H. italicum, with eastern and western Mediterranean groups, which do not correspond with the division into subsp. microphyllum and subsp. italicum as currently circumscribed. Local selection on quantitative trait loci provides sufficient explanation for the morphological divergence observed and is consistent with genetic data. Within the western Mediterranean group of the species we found considerable polymorphism in chloroplast DNA sequences among and within some populations. Comparison with chloroplast DNA sequences from other Helichrysum species showed that some chloroplast haplotypes are shared across species. © 2010 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Pork meat as a potential source of Salmonella enterica subsp. arizonae infection in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Evangelopoulou, Grammato; Kritas, Spyridon; Govaris, Alexander; Burriel, Angeliki R

2014-03-01

Salmonella enterica subsp. arizonae was isolated from 13 of 123 slaughtered pigs in central Greece. The samples cultured were feces, ileum tissue, mesenteric lymph nodes, and gallbladder swabs. A total of 74 isolates from 492 samples were identified as Salmonella spp. by use of standard laboratory culture media and two commercial micromethods and by use of a polyvalent slide agglutination test for the detection of O and H antigens. Among them were 19 (25.68%) suspected to be S. enterica subsp. arizonae according to analysis with standard laboratory culture media. Of those, 14 were identified as S. enterica subsp. arizonae by the API 20E (bioMérieux, France) and the Microgen GnA+B-ID (Microgen Bioproducts, Ltd., United Kingdom) identification systems. All the isolates were tested for resistance to 23 antimicrobials. Strains identified as S. enterica subsp. arizonae were resistant to 17 (70.8%) antibiotics. The highest proportions of resistance were observed for sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (71.4%), tetracycline (71.4%), ampicillin (64.3%), and amoxicillin (57.1%). Two isolates were resistant to aztreonam (7.1%) and tigecycline (7.1%), used only for the treatment of humans. Thus, pork meat may play a role in the transmission of antibiotic-resistant S. enterica subsp. arizonae to human consumers. This is the first report of S. enterica subsp. arizonae isolation from pigs.

Nucleic acid helix structure determination from NMR proton chemical shifts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Werf, Ramon M. van der; Tessari, Marco; Wijmenga, Sybren S., E-mail: S.Wijmenga@science.ru.nl [Radboud University Nijmegen, Department of Biophysical Chemistry, Institute of Molecules and Materials (Netherlands)

2013-06-15

We present a method for de novo derivation of the three-dimensional helix structure of nucleic acids using non-exchangeable proton chemical shifts as sole source of experimental restraints. The method is called chemical shift de novo structure derivation protocol employing singular value decomposition (CHEOPS) and uses iterative singular value decomposition to optimize the structure in helix parameter space. The correct performance of CHEOPS and its range of application are established via an extensive set of structure derivations using either simulated or experimental chemical shifts as input. The simulated input data are used to assess in a defined manner the effect of errors or limitations in the input data on the derived structures. We find that the RNA helix parameters can be determined with high accuracy. We finally demonstrate via three deposited RNA structures that experimental proton chemical shifts suffice to derive RNA helix structures with high precision and accuracy. CHEOPS provides, subject to further development, new directions for high-resolution NMR structure determination of nucleic acids.

Improvement of DNA transfer frequency and transposon mutagenesis of Erwinia carotovora subsp. betavasculorum.

Science.gov (United States)

Rella, M; Axelrood, P E; Weinhold, A R; Schroth, M N

1989-01-01

The production of antibiotics and their role in microbial competition under natural conditions can be readily studied by the use of transposon mutants. Several antibiotic-producing strains of Erwinia carotovora subsp. betavasculorum were unable to accept foreign DNA. A plasmid delivery system was developed, using ethyl methanesulfonate mutagenesis, which entailed isolating E. carotovora subsp. betavasculorum mutants able to accept foreign DNA and transfer it to other strains. This enabled transposon mutagenesis of a wild-type antibiotic-producing strain of E. carotovora subsp. betavasculorum. Twelve antibiotic-negative mutants were isolated, and one of these showed a reduction in antibiotic production in vitro. Many of these mutants also showed a reduction in their ability to macerate potato tissue. The mutants were classified into four genetic groups on the basis of their genetic and phenotypic characteristics, indicating that several genes are involved in antibiotic biosynthesis by E. carotovora subsp. betavasculorum. PMID:2543291

Sap flow measurements to determine the transpiration of facade greenings

Science.gov (United States)

Hölscher, Marie-Therese; Nehls, Thomas; Wessolek, Gerd

2014-05-01

Facade greening is expected to make a major contribution to the mitigation of the urban heat-island effect through transpiration cooling, thermal insulation and shading of vertical built structures. However, no studies are available on water demand and the transpiration of urban vertical green. Such knowledge is needed as the plants must be sufficiently watered, otherwise the posited positive effects of vertical green can turn into disadvantages when compared to a white wall. Within the framework of the German Research Group DFG FOR 1736 "Urban Climate and Heat Stress" this study aims to test the practicability of the sap flow technique for transpiration measurements of climbing plants and to obtain potential transpiration rates for the most commonly used species. Using sap flow measurements we determined the transpiration of Fallopia baldschuanica, Parthenocissus tricuspidata and Hedera helix in pot experiments (about 1 m high) during the hot summer period from August 17th to August 30th 2012 under indoor conditions. Sap flow measurements corresponded well to simultaneous weight measurement on a daily base (factor 1.19). Fallopia baldschuanica has the highest daily transpiration rate based on leaf area (1.6 mm d-1) and per base area (5.0 mm d-1). Parthenocissus tricuspidata and Hedera helix show transpiration rates of 3.5 and 0.4 mm d-1 (per base area). Through water shortage, transpiration strongly decreased and leaf temperature measured by infrared thermography increased by 1 K compared to a well watered plant. We transferred the technique to outdoor conditions and will present first results for facade greenings in the inner-city of Berlin for the hottest period in summer 2013.

Complete Genome Sequence of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus Strain ND02▿

OpenAIRE

Sun, Zhihong; Chen, Xia; Wang, Jicheng; Zhao, Wenjing; Shao, Yuyu; Guo, Zhuang; Zhang, Xingchang; Zhou, Zhemin; Sun, Tiansong; Wang, Lei; Meng, He; Zhang, Heping; Chen, Wei

2011-01-01

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strain ND02 is a Chinese commercial dairy starter used for the manufacture of yoghurt. It was isolated from naturally fermented yak milk in Qinghai, China. Here, we report the main genome features of ND02 and several differences with two other published genomes of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strains.

Multilocus sequence typing reveals two evolutionary lineages of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Jianjun; Schuenzel, Erin L; Li, Jianqiang; Schaad, Norman W

2009-08-01

Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli, causal agent of bacterial fruit blotch, has caused considerable damage to the watermelon and melon industry in China and the United States. Understanding the emergence and spread of this pathogen is important for controlling the disease. To build a fingerprinting database for reliable identification and tracking of strains of A. avenae subsp. citrulli, a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme was developed using seven conserved loci. The study included 8 original strains from the 1978 description of A. avenae subsp. citrulli, 51 from China, and 34 from worldwide collections. Two major clonal complexes (CCs), CC1 and CC2, were identified within A. avenae subsp. citrulli; 48 strains typed as CC1 and 45 as CC2. All eight original 1978 strains isolated from watermelon and melon grouped in CC1. CC2 strains were predominant in the worldwide collection and all but five were isolated from watermelon. In China, a major seed producer for melon and watermelon, the predominant strains were CC1 and were found nearly equally on melon and watermelon.

Genome-wide identification of basic helix-loop-helix and NF-1 motifs underlying GR binding sites in male rat hippocampus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pooley, John R.; Flynn, Ben P.; Grøntved, Lars

2017-01-01

linked to structural and organizational roles, an absence of major tethering partners for GRs, and little or no evidence for binding at negative glucocorticoid response elements. A basic helix-loop-helix motif closely resembling a NeuroD1 or Olig2 binding site was found underlying a subset of GR binding......Glucocorticoids regulate hippocampal function in part by modulating gene expression through the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). GR binding is highly cell type specific, directed to accessible chromatin regions established during tissue differentiation. Distinct classes of GR binding sites...

Streptococcus equi subsp zooepidemicus Invades and Survives in Epithelial Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skive, Bolette; Rohde, Manfred; Molinari, Gabriella

2017-01-01

Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) is an opportunistic pathogen of several species including humans. S. zooepidemicus is found on mucus membranes of healthy horses, but can cause acute and chronic endometritis. Recently S. zooepidemicus was found able to reside in the endo......Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) is an opportunistic pathogen of several species including humans. S. zooepidemicus is found on mucus membranes of healthy horses, but can cause acute and chronic endometritis. Recently S. zooepidemicus was found able to reside...

Regional Dimensions of the Triple Helix Model: Setting the Context

Science.gov (United States)

Todeva, Emanuela; Danson, Mike

2016-01-01

This paper introduces the rationale for the special issue and its contributions, which bridge the literature on regional development and the Triple Helix model. The concept of the Triple Helix at the sub-national, and specifically regional, level is established and examined, with special regard to regional economic development founded on…

Quantitative assessment of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris present in artisanal raw cow’s milk cheese

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milena Alicja Stachelska

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris belongs to lactic acid bacteria that play a crucial role in cheese production and it is known to be beneficial to human health. The aim of the study was to establish a rapid and accurate quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR method to detect and enumerate L. lactis subsp. cremoris in artisanal raw cow’s milk cheese. Artisanal raw cow’s milk cheese samples were used to check for presence and number of L. lactis subsp. cremoris strains. The method applies a set of target-specific PCR (polymerase chain reaction primers and a fluorogenic probe, and amplifies a part of the LACR_RS01280 gene that encodes the aminoacetone oxidase family flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD binding enzyme. All 5 L. lactis subsp. cremoris strains examined were found to be qPCR positive. There was no signal recorded for 8 strains which belong to closely related species. The limit of detection amounted to ten copies per reaction and the assay indicated a linear dynamic range of seven logs. This method may be applied in detection and enumeration of L. lactis subsp. cremoris in cheese during its ripening. Moreover, it may be applied to examine the distribution of L. lactis subsp. cremoris during the cheese production and ripening.

Effects of six substances on the growth and freeze-drying of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, He; Huang, Jie; Shi, Xiaoyu; Li, Yichao; Liu, Yu

2017-01-01

The efficacy of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus as starter cultures for the dairy industry depends largely on the number of viable and active cells. Freeze-drying is the most convenient and successful method to preserve the bacterial cells. However, not all strains survived during freeze-drying. The effects of six substances including NaCl, sorbitol, mannitol, mannose, sodium glutamate, betaine added to the MRS medium on the growth and freeze-drying survival rate and viable counts of Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus were studied through a single-factor test and Plackett-Burman design. Subsequently, the optimum freeze-drying conditions of Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus were determined. Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus survival rates were up to the maximum of 42.7%, 45.4%, 23.6%, while the concentrations of NaCl, sorbitol, sodium glutamate were 0.6%, 0.15%, 0.09%, respectively. In the optimum concentration, the viable counts in broth is 6.1, 6.9, 5.13 (×108 CFU/mL), respectively; the viable counts in freeze-drying power are 3.09, 5.2, 2.7 (×1010 CFU/g), respectively. Three antifreeze factors including NaCl, sorbitol, sodium glutamate have a positive effect on the growth and freeze-drying of Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. The results are beneficial for developing Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus.

FMRFamide receptors of Helix aspersa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Payza, K.

1988-01-01

A receptor binding assay and an isolated heart bioassay were used to identify and characterize the FMRFamide receptors in Helix. In the heart bioassay, FMRFamide increased myocardial contraction force. A potent FMRFamide analog, desaminoTyr-Phe-norLeu-arg-Phe-amide (daYFnLRFamide), was used as a radioiodinated receptor ligand. The high affinity binding of 125 I-daYFnLRFamide at 0 degree C to Helix brain membranes was reversible, saturable, pH-dependent and specific, with a K D of 13-14 nM. A lower affinity (245 nM) site was also observed. Radioligand binding sites were also identified in the heart, male reproductive organs and digestive organs. The structure-activity relations (SAR) of cardiostimulation correlated with the specificity of 125 I-daYFnLRFamide binding to brain and heart receptors. The SAR were similar to those of other molluscan FMRFamide bioassays, except that they showed a marked preference for some analogs with blocked amino-terminals

Elevated temperature triggers human respiratory syncytial virus F protein six-helix bundle formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yunus, Abdul S.; Jackson, Trent P.; Crisafi, Katherine; Burimski, Irina; Kilgore, Nicole R.; Zoumplis, Dorian; Allaway, Graham P.; Wild, Carl T.; Salzwedel, Karl

2010-01-01

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of severe lower respiratory tract infection in infants, immunocompromised patients, and the elderly. The RSV fusion (F) protein mediates fusion of the viral envelope with the target cell membrane during virus entry and is a primary target for antiviral drug and vaccine development. The F protein contains two heptad repeat regions, HR1 and HR2. Peptides corresponding to these regions form a six-helix bundle structure that is thought to play a critical role in membrane fusion. However, characterization of six-helix bundle formation in native RSV F protein has been hindered by the fact that a trigger for F protein conformational change has yet to be identified. Here we demonstrate that RSV F protein on the surface of infected cells undergoes a conformational change following exposure to elevated temperature, resulting in the formation of the six-helix bundle structure. We first generated and characterized six-helix bundle-specific antibodies raised against recombinant peptides modeling the RSV F protein six-helix bundle structure. We then used these antibodies as probes to monitor RSV F protein six-helix bundle formation in response to a diverse array of potential triggers of conformational changes. We found that exposure of 'membrane-anchored' RSV F protein to elevated temperature (45-55 deg. C) was sufficient to trigger six-helix bundle formation. Antibody binding to the six-helix bundle conformation was detected by both flow cytometry and cell-surface immunoprecipitation of the RSV F protein. None of the other treatments, including interaction with a number of potential receptors, resulted in significant binding by six-helix bundle-specific antibodies. We conclude that native, untriggered RSV F protein exists in a metastable state that can be converted in vitro to the more stable, fusogenic six-helix bundle conformation by an increase in thermal energy. These findings help to better define the mechanism of

Comparative Phenotypic and Molecular Genetic Profiling of Wild Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis Strains of the L. lactis subsp. lactis and L. lactis subsp. cremoris Genotypes, Isolated from Starter-Free Cheeses Made of Raw Milk▿

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández, Elena; Alegría, Ángel; Delgado, Susana; Martín, M. Cruz; Mayo, Baltasar

2011-01-01

Twenty Lactococcus lactis strains with an L. lactis subsp. lactis phenotype isolated from five traditional cheeses made of raw milk with no added starters belonging to the L. lactis subsp. lactis and L. lactis subsp. cremoris genotypes (lactis and cremoris genotypes, respectively; 10 strains each) were subjected to a series of phenotypic and genetic typing methods, with the aims of determining their phylogenetic relationships and suitability as starters. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis of intact genomes digested with SalI and SmaI proved that all strains were different except for three isolates of the cremoris genotype, which showed identical PFGE profiles. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis using internal sequences of seven loci (namely, atpA, rpoA, pheS, pepN, bcaT, pepX, and 16S rRNA gene) revealed considerable intergenotype nucleotide polymorphism, although deduced amino acid changes were scarce. Analysis of the MLST data for the present strains and others from other dairy and nondairy sources showed that all of them clustered into the cremoris or lactis genotype group, by using both independent and combined gene sequences. These two groups of strains also showed distinctive carbohydrate fermentation and enzyme activity profiles, with the strains in the cremoris group showing broader profiles. However, the profiles of resistance/susceptibility to 16 antibiotics were very similar, showing no atypical resistance, except for tetracycline resistance in three identical cremoris genotype isolates. The numbers and concentrations of volatile compounds produced in milk by the strains belonging to these two groups were clearly different, with the cremoris genotype strains producing higher concentrations of more branched-chain, derived compounds. Together, the present results support the idea that the lactis and cremoris genotypes of phenotypic Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis actually represent true subspecies. Some strains of the two subspecies

Protein Profile and Plasmid Content of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis LL52 and Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris LC79 Strains under Several Stress Conditions

OpenAIRE

LALE, Rahmi; TÜKEL, Çağla; AKÇELİK, Mustafa

2014-01-01

Differences in the protein and plasmid content of 2 Lactococcus lactis strains, L. lactis subsp. lactis LL52 and L. lactis subsp. cremoris LC79, under the stresses of high and low temperature, osmotic shock, and low pH were determined. We identified 3 new proteins with molecular masses of 16.0, 29.4, and 45.0 kDa as high temperature stress response specific in strain LL52. High temperature stress did not cause any changes in the protein content of strain LC79. Proteins that were specific for ...

Crosslinked Aspartic Acids as Helix-Nucleating Templates.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Hui; Liu, Qi-Song; Geng, Hao; Tian, Yuan; Cheng, Min; Jiang, Yan-Hong; Xie, Ming-Sheng; Niu, Xiao-Gang; Jiang, Fan; Zhang, Ya-Ou; Lao, Yuan-Zhi; Wu, Yun-Dong; Xu, Nai-Han; Li, Zi-Gang

2016-09-19

Described is a facile helix-nucleating template based on a tethered aspartic acid at the N-terminus [terminal aspartic acid (TD)]. The nucleating effect of the template is subtly influenced by the substituent at the end of the side-chain-end tether as indicated by circular dichroism, nuclear magnetic resonance, and molecular dynamics simulations. Unlike most nucleating strategies, the N-terminal amine is preserved, thus enabling further modification. Peptidomimetic estrogen receptor modulators (PERMs) constructed using this strategy show improved therapeutic properties. The current strategy can be regarded as a good complement to existing helix-stabilizing methods. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Bioaccessible Antioxidants in Milk Fermented by Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum Strains

Science.gov (United States)

Gagnon, Mérilie; Savard, Patricia; Rivière, Audrey; LaPointe, Gisèle

2015-01-01

Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum is among the dominant species of the human gastrointestinal microbiota and could thus have potential as probiotics. New targets such as antioxidant properties have interest for beneficial effects on health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the bioaccessibility of antioxidants in milk fermented by selected B. longum subsp. longum strains during in vitro dynamic digestion. The antioxidant capacity of cell extracts from 38 strains, of which 32 belong to B. longum subsp. longum, was evaluated with the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) method. On the basis of screening and gene sequence typing by multilocus locus sequence analysis (MLSA), five strains were chosen for fermenting reconstituted skim milk. Antioxidant capacity varied among the strains tested (P = 0.0009). Two strains of B. longum subsp. longum (CUETM 172 and 171) showed significantly higher ORAC values than the other bifidobacteria strains. However, there does not appear to be a relationship between gene sequence types and antioxidant capacity. The milk fermented by each of the five strains selected (CUETM 268, 172, 245, 247, or PRO 16-10) did not have higher initial ORAC values compared to the nonfermented milk samples. However, higher bioaccessibility of antioxidants in fermented milk (175–358%) was observed during digestion. PMID:25802836

MAO-A inhibition profiles of some benzophenone glucosides from Gentiana verna subsp. pontica

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaya, Duygu; Jäger, Anna; Yalçin, Funda N

2014-01-01

Gentiana verna L. subsp. pontica (Soltok.) Hayek, G. pyrenaica L., and G. verna L. subsp. balcanica Pritchard from Turkey were tested for their MAO-A inhibitory effects. A photometric peroxidase linked MAO-A bioassay performed on the H20 extracts prepared from the methanolic extracts of the title...

A single or multistage mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis subunit vaccine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2014-01-01

The present invention provides one or more immunogenic polypeptides for use in a preventive or therapeutic vaccine against latent or active infection in a human or animal caused by a Mycobacterium species, e.g. Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Furthermore a single or multi-phase vaccine...... comprising the one or more immunogenic polypeptides is provided for administration for the prevention or treatment of infection with a Mycobacterium species, e.g. Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Additionally, nucleic acid vaccines, capable of in vivo expression of the multi-phase vaccine...

On the helix equation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taouil Hajer

2012-08-01

Full Text Available This paper is devoted to the helices processes, i.e. the solutions H : ℝ × Ω → ℝd, (t, ω ↦ H(t, ω of the helix equation egin{eqnarray} H(0,o=0; quad H(s+t,o= H(s,Phi(t,o +H(t,oonumber end{eqnarray} H ( 0 ,ω = 0 ;   H ( s + t,ω = H ( s, Φ ( t,ω + H ( t,ω where Φ : ℝ × Ω → Ω, (t, ω ↦ Φ(t, ω is a dynamical system on a measurable space (Ω, ℱ. More precisely, we investigate dominated solutions and non differentiable solutions of the helix equation. For the last case, the Wiener helix plays a fundamental role. Moreover, some relations with the cocycle equation defined by Φ, are investigated. Ce papier est consacré aux hélices, c’est-à-dire les solutions H : ℝ × Ω → ℝd, (t, ω ↦ H(t, ω de l’équation fonctionnelle egin{eqnarray} H(0,o=0; quad H(s+t,o= H(s,Phi(t,o +H(t,o onumber end{eqnarray} H ( 0 ,ω = 0 ;   H ( s + t,ω = H ( s, Φ ( t,ω + H ( t,ω où Φ : ℝ × Ω → Ω, (t, ω ↦ Φ(t, ω est un système dynamique défini sur un espace mesurable (Ω, ℱ. Plus présisément, nous déterminons d’abord les hélices dominées puis nous caractérisons les hélices non différentiables. Dans ce dernier cas, l’hélice de Wiener joue un rôle important. Nous précisons aussi quelques relations des hélices avec les cocycles définis par Φ.

Genome-wide identification and analysis of the chicken basic helix-loop-helix factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wu-Yi; Zhao, Chun-Jiang

2010-01-01

Members of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family of transcription factors play important roles in a wide range of developmental processes. In this study, we conducted a genome-wide survey using the chicken (Gallus gallus) genomic database, and identified 104 bHLH sequences belonging to 42 gene families in an effort to characterize the chicken bHLH transcription factor family. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that chicken has 50, 21, 15, 4, 8, and 3 bHLH members in groups A, B, C, D, E, and F, respectively, while three members belonging to none of these groups were classified as ''orphans". A comparison between chicken and human bHLH repertoires suggested that both organisms have a number of lineage-specific bHLH members in the proteomes. Chromosome distribution patterns and phylogenetic analyses strongly suggest that the bHLH members should have arisen through gene duplication at an early date. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment statistics showed 51 top GO annotations of biological processes counted in the frequency. The present study deepens our understanding of the chicken bHLH transcription factor family and provides much useful information for further studies using chicken as a model system.

A genome-wide survey on basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors in giant panda.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunwang Dang

Full Text Available The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca is a critically endangered mammalian species. Studies on functions of regulatory proteins involved in developmental processes would facilitate understanding of specific behavior in giant panda. The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH proteins play essential roles in a wide range of developmental processes in higher organisms. bHLH family members have been identified in over 20 organisms, including fruit fly, zebrafish, mouse and human. Our present study identified 107 bHLH family members being encoded in giant panda genome. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that they belong to 44 bHLH families with 46, 25, 15, 4, 11 and 3 members in group A, B, C, D, E and F, respectively, while the remaining 3 members were assigned into "orphan". Compared to mouse, the giant panda does not encode seven bHLH proteins namely Beta3a, Mesp2, Sclerax, S-Myc, Hes5 (or Hes6, EBF4 and Orphan 1. These results provide useful background information for future studies on structure and function of bHLH proteins in the regulation of giant panda development.

Electrotransformation of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis with Various Plasmids

OpenAIRE

Serror, Pascale; Sasaki, Takashi; Ehrlich, S. Dusko; Maguin, Emmanuelle

2002-01-01

We describe, for the first time, a detailed electroporation procedure for Lactobacillus delbrueckii. Three L. delbrueckii strains were successfully transformed. Under optimal conditions, the transformation efficiency was 104 transformants per μg of DNA. Using this procedure, we identified several plasmids able to replicate in L. delbrueckii and integrated an integrative vector based on phage integrative elements into the L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus chromosome. These vectors provide a goo...

Inside the adaptation process of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis to bile

OpenAIRE

Burns, Patricia; Sánchez García, Borja; Vinderola, Gabriel; Ruas-Madiedo, Patricia; Ruíz García, Lorena; Margolles Barros, Abelardo; Reinheimer, Jorge A.; González de los Reyes-Gavilán, Clara

2010-01-01

Progressive adaptation to bile might render some lactobacilli able to withstand physiological bile salt concentrations. In this work, the adaptation to bile was evaluated on previously isolated dairy strains of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis 200 and L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis 200+, a strain derived thereof with stable bile-resistant phenotype. The adaptation to bile was obtained by comparing cytosolic proteomes of both strains grown in the presence or absence of bile. Proteomics we...

Bacterial Canker (Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis) of tomato in commercial seed produced in Indonesia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Anwar, A.; Zouwen, van der P.S.; Ilyas, S.; Wolf, van der J.M.

2004-01-01

In 2002, Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Smith) Davis, the causal organism of bacterial canker of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), was isolated from two of six commercial asymptomatic tomato seed lots produced on Java in Indonesia. C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis has not been

Organizing product innovation: hierarchy, market or triple-helix networks?

Science.gov (United States)

Fitjar, Rune Dahl; Gjelsvik, Martin; Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés

This paper assesses the extent to which the organization of the innovation effort in firms, as well as the geographical scale at which this effort is pursued, affects the capacity to benefit from product innovations. Three alternative modes of organization are studied: hierarchy, market and triple-helix-type networks. Furthermore, we consider triple-helix networks at three geographical scales: local, national and international. These relationships are tested on a random sample of 763 firms located in five urban regions of Norway which reported having introduced new products or services during the preceding 3 years. The analysis shows that firms exploiting internal hierarchy or triple-helix networks with a wide range of partners managed to derive a significantly higher share of their income from new products, compared to those that mainly relied on outsourcing within the market. In addition, the analysis shows that the geographical scale of cooperation in networks, as well as the type of partner used, matters for the capacity of firms to benefit from product innovation. In particular, firms that collaborate in international triple-helix-type networks involving suppliers, customers and R&D institutions extract a higher share of their income from product innovations, regardless of whether they organize the processes internally or through the network.

Laminaria japonica Extract, an Inhibitor of Clavibater michiganense Subsp. Sepedonicum.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin Cai

Full Text Available Bacterial ring rot of potato is one of the most serious potato plant and tuber diseases. Laminaria japonica extract was investigated for its antimicrobial activity against Clavibater michiganense subsp. sepedonicum (Spieckermann & Kotthoff Davis et al., the causative agent of bacterial ring rot of potato. The results showed that the optimum extraction conditions of antimicrobial substances from L. japonica were an extraction temperature of 80°C, an extraction time of 12 h, and a solid to liquid ratio of 1∶25. Active compounds of L. japonica were isolated by solvent partition, thin layer chromatography (TLC and column chromatography. All nineteen fractionations had antimicrobial activities against C. michiganense subsp. sepedonicum, while Fractionation three (Fr.3 had the highest (P<0.05 antimicrobial activity. Chemical composition analysis identified a total of 26 components in Fr.3. The main constituents of Fr.3 were alkanes (80.97%, esters (5.24%, acids (4.87% and alcohols (2.21%. Antimicrobial activity of Fr.3 against C. michiganense subsp. sepedonicum could be attributed to its ability to damage the cell wall and cell membrane, induce the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS, increase cytosolic Ca2+ concentration, inhibit the glycolytic pathway (EMP and tricarboxylic acid (TCA cycle, inhibit protein and nucleic acid synthesis, and disrupt the normal cycle of DNA replication. These findings indicate that L. japonica extracts have potential for inhibiting C. michiganense subsp. sepedonicum.

Reproductive biology of Corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Reproductive biology of Corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata and effective pollination across its native range in Queensland, Australia. CFE Bacles, J Brooks, DJ Lee, PM Schenk, AJ Lowe, A Kremer ...

Cloning, Sequencing, and Expression of the Pyruvate Carboxylase Gene in Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis C2†

OpenAIRE

Wang, H.; O'Sullivan, D. J.; Baldwin, K. A.; McKay, L. L.

2000-01-01

A functional pyc gene was isolated from Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis C2 and was found to complement a Pyc defect in L. lactis KB4. The deduced lactococcal Pyc protein was highly homologous to Pyc sequences of other bacteria. The pyc gene was also detected in Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris and L. lactis subsp. lactis bv. diacetylactis strains.

Rapid and sensitive method to identify Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in cow's milk by DNA methylase genotyping.

Science.gov (United States)

Mundo, Silvia Leonor; Gilardoni, Liliana Rosa; Hoffman, Federico José; Lopez, Osvaldo Jorge

2013-03-01

Paratuberculosis is an infectious, chronic, and incurable disease that affects ruminants, caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. This bacterium is shed primarily through feces of infected cows but can be also excreted in colostrum and milk and might survive pasteurization. Since an association of genomic sequences of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in patients with Crohn's disease has been described; it is of interest to rapidly detect M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in milk for human consumption. IS900 insertion is used as a target for PCR amplification to identify the presence of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in biological samples. Two target sequences were selected: IS1 (155 bp) and IS2 (94 bp). These fragments have a 100% identity among all M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis strains sequenced. M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis was specifically concentrated from milk samples by immunomagnetic separation prior to performing PCR. The amplicons were characterized using DNA methylase Genotyping, i.e., the amplicons were methylated with 6-methyl-adenine and digested with restriction enzymes to confirm their identity. The methylated amplicons from 100 CFU of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis can be visualized in a Western blot format using an anti-6-methyl-adenine monoclonal antibody. The use of DNA methyltransferase genotyping coupled to a scintillation proximity assay allows for the detection of up to 10 CFU of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis per ml of milk. This test is rapid and sensitive and allows for automation and thus multiple samples can be tested at the same time.

Isolation of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica (O:4,5:i and Salmonella enterica subsp. Typhimurium from free-living domestic pigeons (Columba livia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R.C. Rocha-e-Silva

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The present study reports the isolation of Salmonella enterica in organs of free-living domestic pigeons. In the clinic examination, the presence of feces in the peri-cloacal and abdominal regions were observed, as well as symptoms such as cachexy, incoordination and opisthotonos. Before any therapeutic protocol was applied the bird died and a necropsy was then performed for the removal of spleen, liver, kidney and intestine for bacteriological examination and antibiotic sensitivity test. Salmonella enterica subsp.enterica (O:4,5:i- and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium were isolated from the liver and intestine and the sensitivity test demonstrated that these strains are sensitive to several antibiotics.

Double helix vortex breakdown in a turbulent swirling annular jet flow

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vanierschot, M.; Perçin, M.; van Oudheusden, B.W.

2018-01-01

In this paper, we report on the structure and dynamics of double helix vortex breakdown in a turbulent annular swirling jet. Double helix breakdown has been reported previously for the laminar flow regime, but this structure has rarely been observed in turbulent flow. The flow field is

The Karyotype of Alstroemeria diluta Ehr. Bayer subsp. chrysantha (Alstroemeriaceae Karyotype of Alstroemeria diluta Ehr. Bayer subsp. chrysantha (Alstroemeriaceae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos M Baeza

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The karyotype of Alstroemeria diluta subsp. chrysantha Ehr. Bayer from Chile was examined. The species has 2n = 2x = 16 chromosomes, with 4m + 4sm + 2st-sat + 4t + 2t-sat. The reported karyotype is very asymmetrical (AsK % = 71.4 and Syi = 40.0%. This karyotype is similar to that published previously for Alstroemeria graminea Phil.Alstroemeria diluta subsp. chrysantha Ehr. Bayer (Alstroemeriaceae fue examinada citológicamente. Esta especie presenta un número cromosómico somático de 2n = 2x = 16 cromosomas, con una fórmula haploide constituida por 4m + 4sm + 2st-sat + 4t + 2t-sat cromosomas. El cariotipo es muy asimétrico, con valores de AsK % = 71,4 y Syi = 40,0%. Estos resultados se compararon con los de Alstroemeria graminea Phil., especie que presenta un cariotipo muy similar.

Unraveling the Role of the C-terminal Helix Turn Helix of the Coat-binding Domain of Bacteriophage P22 Scaffolding Protein*

Science.gov (United States)

Padilla-Meier, G. Pauline; Gilcrease, Eddie B.; Weigele, Peter R.; Cortines, Juliana R.; Siegel, Molly; Leavitt, Justin C.; Teschke, Carolyn M.; Casjens, Sherwood R.

2012-01-01

Many viruses encode scaffolding and coat proteins that co-assemble to form procapsids, which are transient precursor structures leading to progeny virions. In bacteriophage P22, the association of scaffolding and coat proteins is mediated mainly by ionic interactions. The coat protein-binding domain of scaffolding protein is a helix turn helix structure near the C terminus with a high number of charged surface residues. Residues Arg-293 and Lys-296 are particularly important for coat protein binding. The two helices contact each other through hydrophobic side chains. In this study, substitution of the residues of the interface between the helices, and the residues in the β-turn, by aspartic acid was used examine the importance of the conformation of the domain in coat binding. These replacements strongly affected the ability of the scaffolding protein to interact with coat protein. The severity of the defect in the association of scaffolding protein to coat protein was dependent on location, with substitutions at residues in the turn and helix 2 causing the most significant effects. Substituting aspartic acid for hydrophobic interface residues dramatically perturbs the stability of the structure, but similar substitutions in the turn had much less effect on the integrity of this domain, as determined by circular dichroism. We propose that the binding of scaffolding protein to coat protein is dependent on angle of the β-turn and the orientation of the charged surface on helix 2. Surprisingly, formation of the highly complex procapsid structure depends on a relatively simple interaction. PMID:22879595

Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of the Chicken Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Factors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wu-yi Liu

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Members of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH family of transcription factors play important roles in a wide range of developmental processes. In this study, we conducted a genome-wide survey using the chicken (Gallus gallus genomic database, and identified 104 bHLH sequences belonging to 42 gene families in an effort to characterize the chicken bHLH transcription factor family. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that chicken has 50, 21, 15, 4, 8, and 3 bHLH members in groups A, B, C, D, E, and F, respectively, while three members belonging to none of these groups were classified as ‘‘orphans’’. A comparison between chicken and human bHLH repertoires suggested that both organisms have a number of lineage-specific bHLH members in the proteomes. Chromosome distribution patterns and phylogenetic analyses strongly suggest that the bHLH members should have arisen through gene duplication at an early date. Gene Ontology (GO enrichment statistics showed 51 top GO annotations of biological processes counted in the frequency. The present study deepens our understanding of the chicken bHLH transcription factor family and provides much useful information for further studies using chicken as a model system.

Bioprocessing of some agro-industrial residues for endoglucanase production by the new subsp.; Streptomyces albogriseolus subsp. cellulolyticus strain NEAE-J

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noura El-Ahmady El-Naggar

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The use of low cost agro-industrial residues for the production of industrial enzymes is one of the ways to reduce significantly production costs. Cellulase producing actinomycetes were isolated from soil and decayed agricultural wastes. Among them, a potential culture, strain NEAE-J, was selected and identified on the basis of morphological, cultural, physiological and chemotaxonomic properties, together with 16S rDNA sequence. It is proposed that strain NEAE-J should be included in the species Streptomyces albogriseolus as a representative of a novel sub-species, Streptomyces albogriseolus subsp. cellulolyticus strain NEAE-J and sequencing product was deposited in the GenBank database under accession number JN229412. This organism was tested for its ability to produce endoglucanase and release reducing sugars from agro-industrial residues as substrates. Sugarcane bagasse was the most suitable substrate for endoglucanase production. Effects of process variables, namely incubation time, temperature, initial pH and nitrogen source on production of endoglucanase by submerged fermentation using Streptomyces albogriseolus subsp. cellulolyticus have been studied. Accordingly optimum conditions have been determined. Incubation temperature of 30 ºC after 6 days, pH of 6.5, 1% sugarcane bagasse as carbon source and peptone as nitrogen source were found to be the optimum for endoglucanase production. Optimization of the process parameters resulted in about 2.6 fold increase in the endoglucanase activity. Therefore, Streptomyces albogriseolus subsp. cellulolyticus coud be potential microorganism for the intended application.

Bioprocessing of some agro-industrial residues for endoglucanase production by the new subsp.; Streptomyces albogriseolus subsp. cellulolyticus strain NEAE-J

Science.gov (United States)

El-Naggar, Noura El-Ahmady; Abdelwahed, Nayera A.M.; Saber, Wesam I.A.; Mohamed, Asem A.

2014-01-01

The use of low cost agro-industrial residues for the production of industrial enzymes is one of the ways to reduce significantly production costs. Cellulase producing actinomycetes were isolated from soil and decayed agricultural wastes. Among them, a potential culture, strain NEAE-J, was selected and identified on the basis of morphological, cultural, physiological and chemotaxonomic properties, together with 16S rDNA sequence. It is proposed that strain NEAE-J should be included in the species Streptomyces albogriseolus as a representative of a novel sub-species, Streptomyces albogriseolus subsp. cellulolyticus strain NEAE-J and sequencing product was deposited in the GenBank database under accession number JN229412. This organism was tested for its ability to produce endoglucanase and release reducing sugars from agro-industrial residues as substrates. Sugarcane bagasse was the most suitable substrate for endoglucanase production. Effects of process variables, namely incubation time, temperature, initial pH and nitrogen source on production of endoglucanase by submerged fermentation using Streptomyces albogriseolus subsp. cellulolyticus have been studied. Accordingly optimum conditions have been determined. Incubation temperature of 30 °C after 6 days, pH of 6.5, 1% sugarcane bagasse as carbon source and peptone as nitrogen source were found to be the optimum for endoglucanase production. Optimization of the process parameters resulted in about 2.6 fold increase in the endoglucanase activity. Therefore, Streptomyces albogriseolus subsp. cellulolyticus coud be potential microorganism for the intended application. PMID:25242966

Anoxybacillus kamchatkensis subsp. asaccharedens subsp. nov., a thermophilic bacterium isolated from a hot spring in Batman.

Science.gov (United States)

Gul-Guven, Reyhan; Guven, Kemal; Poli, Annarita; Nicolaus, Barbara

2008-12-01

A new thermophilic spore-forming strain KG8(T) was isolated from the mud of Taslidere hot spring in Batman. Strain KG8(T) was aerobe, Gram-positive, rod-shaped, motile, occurring in pairs or filamentous. Growth was observed from 35-65 degrees C (optimum 55 degrees C) and at pH 5.5-9.5 (optimum pH 7.5). It was capable of utilizing starch, growth was observed until 3% NaCl (w/v) and it was positive for nitrate reduction. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strain KG8(T) was shown to be related most closely to Anoxybacillus species. Chemotaxonomic data (major isoprenoid quinone-menaquinone-7; major fatty acid-iso-C15:0 and iso-C17:0) supported the affiliation of strain KG8(T) to the genus Anoxybacillus. The results of DNA-DNA hybridization, physiological and biochemical tests allowed genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of strain KG8(T). Based on these results we propose assigning a novel subspecies of Anoxybacillus kamchatkensis, to be named Anoxybacillus kamchatkensis subsp. asaccharedens subsp. nov. with the type strain KG8(T) (DSM 18475(T)=CIP 109280(T)).

Chemical composition of essential oil of mentha longifolia l. subsp. longifolia growing wild

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okut, N.; Yagmur, M.; Yildirim, B.

2017-01-01

The essential oil of Mentha longifolia L., is very important to some culinary usage and antimicrobial activity. The essential oil of Mentha longifolia subsp. longifolia growing in the Bahcesaray area (Van Province, Turkey) was studied. This study designed for determine of essential oil constituent Mentha longifolia subsp. longifolia that collected from wild area. Mint leaves sample essential oils obtained by hydro distillation and essential oil components were determined using GC-MS. The main component of wild grown Mentha longifolia subsp. longifolia was Menthone (19.31%). Second one and others were Pulegone (12.42%), Piperitone (11.05%), Dihydrocarvon (8.32%), Limonene (6.1%), 3-Terpinolenone (5.66%), 1,8-Cineole (4.37%), Germacrene D (3.38%) and Caryopyllene (3.19%), respectively. (author)

The Discovery of the Double Helix

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2011-01-01

Professor James D. Watson has kindly agreed to make a presentation on the 1953 finding of the Double Helix at the Cavendish Laboratory by Francis Crick and himself. Being one of the greatest scientific discoveries in human history, little else needs to be added.

Stable transformation of the gram-positive phytopathogenic bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus with several cloning vectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Laine, M J; Nakhei, H; Dreier, J; Lehtilä, K; Meletzus, D; Eichenlaub, R; Metzler, M C

1996-05-01

In this paper we describe transformation of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus, the potato ring rot bacterium, with plasmid vectors. Three of the plasmids used, pDM100, pDM302, and pDM306, contain the origin of replication from pCM1, a native plasmid of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis. We constructed two new cloning vectors, pHN205 and pHN216, by using the origin of replication of pCM2, another native plasmid of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis. Plasmids pDM302, pHN205, and pHN216 were stably maintained without antibiotic selection in various strains of C. michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus. We observed that for a single plasmid, different strains of C. michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus showed significantly different transformation efficiencies. We also found unexplained strain-to-strain differences in stability with various plasmid constructions containing different arrangements of antibiotic resistance genes and origins of replication. We examined the effect of a number of factors on transformation efficiency. The best transformation efficiencies were obtained when C. michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus cells were grown on DM agar plates, harvested during the early exponential growth phase, and used fresh (without freezing) for electroporation. The maximal transformation efficiency obtained was 4.6 x 10(4) CFU/microgram of pHN216 plasmid DNA. To demonstrate the utility of this transformation system, we cloned a beta-1,4-endoglucanase-encoding gene from C. michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus into pHN216. When this construction, pHN216:C8, was electroporated into competent cells of a cellulase-deficient mutant, it restored cellulase production to almost wild-type levels.

Proteomes of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LBB.B5 Incubated in Milk at Optimal and Low Temperatures.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Xiaochen; Salemi, Michelle R; Phinney, Brett S; Gotcheva, Velitchka; Angelov, Angel; Marco, Maria L

2017-01-01

We identified the proteins synthesized by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strain LBB.B5 in laboratory culture medium (MRS) at 37°C and milk at 37 and 4°C. Cell-associated proteins were measured by gel-free, shotgun proteomics using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrophotometry. A total of 635 proteins were recovered from all cultures, among which 72 proteins were milk associated (unique or significantly more abundant in milk). LBB.B5 responded to milk by increasing the production of proteins required for purine biosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism (LacZ and ManM), energy metabolism (TpiA, PgK, Eno, SdhA, and GapN), amino acid synthesis (MetE, CysK, LBU0412, and AspC) and transport (GlnM and GlnP), and stress response (Trx, MsrA, MecA, and SmpB). The requirement for purines was confirmed by the significantly improved cell yields of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus when incubated in milk supplemented with adenine and guanine. The L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus -expressed proteome in milk changed upon incubation at 4°C for 5 days and included increased levels of 17 proteins, several of which confer functions in stress tolerance (AddB, UvrC, RecA, and DnaJ). However, even with the activation of stress responses in either milk or MRS, L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus did not survive passage through the murine digestive tract. These findings inform efforts to understand how L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus is adapted to the dairy environment and its implications for its health-benefiting properties in the human digestive tract. IMPORTANCE Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus has a long history of use in yogurt production. Although commonly cocultured with Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus in milk, fundamental knowledge of the adaptive responses of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus to the dairy environment and the consequences of those responses on the use of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus as

Modulating Transmembrane α-Helix Interactions through pH-Sensitive Boundary Residues.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Derek P; Deber, Charles M

2016-08-09

Changes in pH can alter the structure and activity of proteins and may be used by the cell to control molecular function. This coupling can also be used in non-native applications through the design of pH-sensitive biomolecules. For example, the pH (low) insertion peptide (pHLIP) can spontaneously insert into a lipid bilayer when the pH decreases. We have previously shown that the α-helicity and helix-helix interactions of the TM2 α-helix of the proteolipid protein (PLP) are sensitive to the local hydrophobicity at its C-terminus. Given that there is an ionizable residue (Glu-88) at the C-terminus of this transmembrane (TM) segment, we hypothesized that changing the ionization state of this residue through pH may alter the local hydrophobicity of the peptide enough to affect both its secondary structure and helix-helix interactions. To examine this phenomenon, we synthesized peptide analogues of the PLP TM2 α-helix (wild-type sequence (66)AFQYVIYGTASFFFLYGALLLAEGF(90)). Using circular dichroism and Förster resonance energy transfer in the membrane-mimetic detergent sodium dodecyl sulfate, we found that a decrease in pH increases both peptide α-helicity and the extent of self-association. This pH-dependent effect is due specifically to the presence of Glu-88 at the C-terminus. Additional experiments in which Phe-90 was mutated to residues of varying hydrophobicities indicated that the strength of this effect is dependent on the local hydrophobicity near Glu-88. Our results have implications for the design of TM peptide switches and improve our understanding of how membrane protein structure and activity can be regulated through local molecular environmental changes.

Exploring the membrane fusion mechanism through force-induced disassembly of HIV-1 six-helix bundle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Kai [Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); Beijing Key Laboratory of Noncoding RNA, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Zhang, Yong [Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); Beijing Key Laboratory of Noncoding RNA, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); Lou, Jizhong, E-mail: jlou@ibp.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); Beijing Key Laboratory of Noncoding RNA, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China)

2016-05-13

Enveloped virus, such as HIV-1, employs membrane fusion mechanism to invade into host cell. HIV-1 gp41 ectodomain uses six-helix bundle configuration to accomplish this process. Using molecular dynamic simulations, we confirmed the stability of this six-helix bundle by showing high occupancy of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. Key residues and interactions important for the bundle integration were characterized by force-induced unfolding simulations of six-helix bundle, exhibiting the collapse order of these groups of interactions. Moreover, our results in some way concerted with a previous theory that the formation of coiled-coil choose a route which involved cooperative interactions between the N-terminal and C-terminal helix. -- Highlights: •Unfolding of HIV-1 gp41 six-helix bundle is studied by molecular dynamics simulations. •Specific interactions responsible for the stability of HIV-1 envelope post-fusion conformation were identified. •The gp41 six-helix bundle transition inducing membrane fusion might be a cooperative process of the three subunits.

Rapid detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Therefore, alternative diagnostic tests such as PCR, are needed for quick detection of infected animals. In this study, the conventional enrichment and isolation procedure and two IS900-based PCR methods for detection of Mycobactrium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in clinical samples from zoo animals and cattle were ...

FPGA helix tracking algorithm for PANDA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, Yutie; Galuska, Martin; Gessler, Thomas; Kuehn, Wolfgang; Lange, Jens Soeren; Muenchow, David; Spruck, Bjoern [II. Physikalisches Institut, Giessen University (Germany); Ye, Hua [Institute of High Energy Physics, Beijing (China); Collaboration: PANDA-Collaboration

2015-07-01

The PANDA detector is a general-purpose detector for physics with high luminosity cooled antiproton beams, planed to operate at the FAIR facility in Darmstadt, Germany. The central detector includes a silicon Micro Vertex Detector (MVD) and a Straw Tube Tracker (STT). Without any hardware trigger, large amounts of raw data are streaming into the data acquisition system. The data reduction task is performed in the online system by reconstruction algorithms programmed on FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) as first level and on a farm of GPUs or PCs as a second level. One important part in the system is the online track reconstruction. In this presentation, an online tracking algorithm for helix tracking reconstruction in the solenoidal field is shown. The tracking algorithm is composed by two parts, a road finding module followed by an iterative helix parameter calculation module. A performance study using C++ and the status of the VHDL implementation are presented.

Intersegment interactions and helix-coil transition within the generalized model of polypeptide chains approach

Science.gov (United States)

Badasyan, A. V.; Hayrapetyan, G. N.; Tonoyan, Sh. A.; Mamasakhlisov, Y. Sh.; Benight, A. S.; Morozov, V. F.

2009-09-01

The generalized model of polypeptide chains is extended to describe the helix-coil transition in a system comprised of two chains interacting side-by-side. The Hamiltonian of the model takes into account four possible types of interactions between repeated units of the two chains, i.e., helix-helix, helix-coil, coil-helix, and coil-coil. Analysis reveals when the energy Ihh+Icc of (h-h, c-c) interactions overwhelms the energy Ihc+Ich of mixed (h-c, c-h) interactions, the correlation length rises substantially, resulting in narrowing of the transition interval. In the opposite case, when Ihh+Icchelix formation and disfavored intersegment interactions from the same theoretical perspective.

Regulation of TCF ETS-domain transcription factors by helix-loop-helix motifs.

Science.gov (United States)

Stinson, Julie; Inoue, Toshiaki; Yates, Paula; Clancy, Anne; Norton, John D; Sharrocks, Andrew D

2003-08-15

DNA binding by the ternary complex factor (TCF) subfamily of ETS-domain transcription factors is tightly regulated by intramolecular and intermolecular interactions. The helix-loop-helix (HLH)-containing Id proteins are trans-acting negative regulators of DNA binding by the TCFs. In the TCF, SAP-2/Net/ERP, intramolecular inhibition of DNA binding is promoted by the cis-acting NID region that also contains an HLH-like motif. The NID also acts as a transcriptional repression domain. Here, we have studied the role of HLH motifs in regulating DNA binding and transcription by the TCF protein SAP-1 and how Cdk-mediated phosphorylation affects the inhibitory activity of the Id proteins towards the TCFs. We demonstrate that the NID region of SAP-1 is an autoinhibitory motif that acts to inhibit DNA binding and also functions as a transcription repression domain. This region can be functionally replaced by fusion of Id proteins to SAP-1, whereby the Id moiety then acts to repress DNA binding in cis. Phosphorylation of the Ids by cyclin-Cdk complexes results in reduction in protein-protein interactions between the Ids and TCFs and relief of their DNA-binding inhibitory activity. In revealing distinct mechanisms through which HLH motifs modulate the activity of TCFs, our results therefore provide further insight into the role of HLH motifs in regulating TCF function and how the inhibitory properties of the trans-acting Id HLH proteins are themselves regulated by phosphorylation.

Selective intercalation of six ligands molecules in a self-assembled triple helix

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mateos timoneda, Miguel; Kerckhoffs, J.M.C.A.; Reinhoudt, David; Crego Calama, Mercedes

2007-01-01

The addition of a ligand molecule to an artificial self-assembled triple helix leads to the selective intercalation of two hydrogen-bonded trimers in specific binding pockets. Furthermore, the triple helix suffers large conformational rearrangements in order to accommodate the ligand molecules in a

Thermal helix-coil transition in UV irradiated collagen from rat tail tendon.

Science.gov (United States)

Sionkowska, A; Kamińska, A

1999-05-01

The thermal helix-coil transition in UV irradiated collagen solution, collagen film and pieces of rat tail tendon (RTT) were compared. Their thermal stability's were determined by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and by viscometric measurements. The denaturation temperatures of collagen solution, film and pieces of RTT were different. The helix-coil transition occur near 40 degrees C in collagen solution, near 112 degrees C in collagen film, and near 101 degrees C in pieces of RTT. After UV irradiation the thermal helix-coil transition of collagen samples were changed. These changes depend on the degree of hydratation.

Mean effective sensitivity for Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis infection in cattle herds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirkeby, Carsten; Græsbøll, Kaare; Hisham Beshara Halasa, Tariq

2015-01-01

Background: Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infections in cattle are generally challenging to detect and cost-effective test strategies are consequently difficult to identify. MAP-specific antibody ELISAs for milk and serum are relatively inexpensive, but their utility is influe......Background: Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infections in cattle are generally challenging to detect and cost-effective test strategies are consequently difficult to identify. MAP-specific antibody ELISAs for milk and serum are relatively inexpensive, but their utility...

Plant regeneration from petiole segments of some species in tissue culture

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Krystyna Klimaszewska

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The regeneration ability of 21 plant species belonging to 14 families was tested. The method of tissue culture in vitro was applied, on basic MS medium with an addition of growth regulators from the auxin and cytokinin groups. From among the investigated plant groups Peperomia scandens and Caladium × hortulanum were capable of plant regeneration, Passiilora coerulea regenerated shoots, Hedera helix, Begonia glabra, Coleus blumei, Fuchsia hybrida, Passiflora suberosa and Peperomia eburnea formed callus and roots, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Pelargonium grandiflorum, P. peltatum, P. radula, Coleus shirensis and Magnolia soulangeana produced callus, Philodendron scandens, Rhododendron smirnovii, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Coprosma baueri, Cestrum purpureum and Solanum rantonnetii did not exhibit any regeneration reactions.

Xylella fastidiosa Isolates from Both subsp. multiplex and fastidiosa Cause Disease on Southern Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium sp.) Under Greenhouse Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliver, J E; Cobine, P A; De La Fuente, L

2015-07-01

Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-limited gram-negative plant pathogen that affects numerous crop species, including grape, citrus, peach, pecan, and almond. Recently, X. fastidiosa has also been found to be the cause of bacterial leaf scorch on blueberry in the southeastern United States. Thus far, all X. fastidiosa isolates obtained from infected blueberry have been classified as X. fastidiosa subsp. multiplex; however, X. fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa isolates are also present in the southeastern United States and commonly cause Pierce's disease of grapevines. In this study, seven southeastern U.S. isolates of X. fastidiosa, including three X. fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa isolates from grape, one X. fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa isolate from elderberry, and three X. fastidiosa subsp. multiplex isolates from blueberry, were used to infect the southern highbush blueberry 'Rebel'. Following inoculation, all isolates colonized blueberry, and isolates from both X. fastidiosa subsp. multiplex and X. fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa caused symptoms, including characteristic stem yellowing and leaf scorch symptoms as well as dieback of the stem tips. Two X. fastidiosa subsp. multiplex isolates from blueberry caused more severe symptoms than the other isolates examined, and infection with these two isolates also had a significant impact on host mineral nutrient content in sap and leaves. These findings have potential implications for understanding X. fastidiosa host adaptation and expansion and the development of emerging diseases caused by this bacterium.

Intoxicação espontânea por Ipomoea carnea subsp. fistulosa (Convolvulaceae em bovinos no Pantanal Matogrossense Spontaneous Ipomoea carnea subsp. fistulosa (Convolvulaceae poisoning of cattle in the Brazilian Pantanal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nadia A.B. Antoniassi

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Relata-se a intoxicação espontânea por Ipomoea carnea subsp. fistulosa (canudo, algodoeiro em bovinos no Pantanal Matogrossense. As investigações iniciaram após a morte de 12 bovinos, de um rebanho de 500 animais, criados em uma extensa área intensamente infestada por I. carnea subsp. fistulosa com escassa disponibilidade de outra forragem. As mortes ocorreram entres os meses de junho e setembro de 2006. O quadro clínico foi caracterizado por emagrecimento e sinais neurológicos com dificuldade locomotora. Um bovino foi necropsiado sem que se observassem alterações macroscópicas significativas. Histologicamente havia tumefação e vacuolização celular, em neurônios, células acinares pancreáticas, tubulares renais e foliculares da tireóide. Bovinos com quadro clínico similar foram retirados da área invadida por I. carnea subsp. fistulosa e colocadas em áreas com pastagem nativa e de Brachiaria sp. e apresentaram melhora clínica após período de 15 dias.A spontaneous Ipomoea carnea subsp. fistulosa (canudo, algodoeiro poisoning of cattle in the county of Poconé, Brazilian Pantanal, is reported. The investigation began after 12 cattle had died from a flock of 500 animals maintained in an extensive area intensely infested by I. carnea subsp. fistulosa with scarce availability of other fodder plants. The deaths occurred from June to September of 2006. Clinical signs were loss of weight and neurological deficits with hypermetry and incoordination. No significant gross lesions were observed at postmortem examination of one bovine. Histological changes comprised widespread cytoplasmic vacuolation of neurons, cells of the thyroid, kidney and pancreas. Cattle with similar clinical picture, that had been removed from the area invaded by I. carnea subsp. fistulosa and placed into areas with native and Brachiaria sp. pasture, recovered clinically within 15 days.

Isolation of Bartonella henselae and Two New Bartonella Subspecies, Bartonella koehlerae Subspecies boulouisii subsp. nov. and Bartonella koehlerae Subspecies bothieri subsp. nov. from Free-Ranging Californian Mountain Lions and Bobcats

Science.gov (United States)

Chomel, Bruno B.; Molia, Sophie; Kasten, Rickie W.; Borgo, Gina M.; Stuckey, Matthew J.; Maruyama, Soichi; Chang, Chao-chin; Haddad, Nadia; Koehler, Jane E.

2016-01-01

Domestic cats are the natural reservoir of Bartonella henselae, B. clarridgeiae and B. koehlerae. To determine the role of wild felids in the epidemiology of Bartonella infections, blood was collected from 14 free-ranging California mountain lions (Puma concolor) and 19 bobcats (Lynx rufus). Bartonella spp. were isolated from four (29%) mountain lions and seven (37%) bobcats. These isolates were characterized using growth characteristics, biochemical reactions, molecular techniques, including PCR-RFLP of selected genes or interspacer region, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), partial sequencing of several genes, and DNA-DNA hybridization. Two isolates were identical to B. henselae genotype II. All other isolates were distinguished from B. henselae and B. koehlerae by PCR-RFLP of the gltA gene using endonucleases HhaI, TaqI and AciI, with the latter two discriminating between the mountain lion and the bobcat isolates. These two novel isolates displayed specific PFGE profiles distinct from B. henselae, B. koehlerae and B. clarridgeiae. Sequences of amplified gene fragments from the three mountain lion and six bobcat isolates were closely related to, but distinct from, B. henselae and B. koehlerae. Finally, DNA-DNA hybridization studies demonstrated that the mountain lion and bobcat strains are most closely related to B. koehlerae. We propose naming the mountain lion isolates B. koehlerae subsp. boulouisii subsp. nov. (type strain: L-42-94), and the bobcat isolates B. koehlerae subsp. bothieri subsp. nov. (type strain: L-17-96), and to emend B. koehlerae as B. koehlerae subsp. koehlerae. The mode of transmission and the zoonotic potential of these new Bartonella subspecies remain to be determined. PMID:26981874

Triple helix interactions for eco-innovation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hermann, Roberto Rivas; Riisgaard, Henrik; Remmen, Arne

the role of science parks in promoting eco-innovation. This study uses qualitative data gathered in two units of analysis: Panama Canal Authority and City of Knowledge Science Park. The study examines how Triple Helix interactions have built the regional system of eco-innovation at the Panama Canal...

Solitons in an isolated helix chain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Peter Leth; Zolotaryuk, Alexander; Savin, A.V.

1997-01-01

as a generalization of the well-known one-dimensional Fermi-Pasta-Ulam model to include transverse degrees of freedom of the chain molecules. In the particular case of the alpha-helix molecular chain, the intermolecular interactions involved into the model are the point-point bonds connecting the first-, second...

Complete Genome Sequence of the Yogurt Isolate Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus ACA-DC 87.

Science.gov (United States)

Alexandraki, Voula; Kazou, Maria; Pot, Bruno; Tsakalidou, Effie; Papadimitriou, Konstantinos

2017-08-24

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus is widely used in the production of yogurt and cheese. In this study, we present the complete genome sequence of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus ACA-DC 87 isolated from traditional Greek yogurt. Whole-genome analysis may reveal desirable technological traits of the strain for dairy fermentations. Copyright © 2017 Alexandraki et al.

A Rapid Method for Quantifying Viable Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in Cellular Infection Assays

Science.gov (United States)

Pooley, Hannah B.; de Silva, Kumudika; Purdie, Auriol C.; Begg, Douglas J.; Whittington, Richard J.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Determining the viability of bacteria is a key outcome of in vitro cellular infection assays. Currently, this is done by culture, which is problematic for fastidious slow-growing bacteria such as Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, where it can take up to 4 months to confirm growth. This study aimed to identify an assay that can rapidly quantify the number of viable M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis cells in a cellular sample. Three commercially available bacterial viability assays along with a modified liquid culture method coupled with high-throughput quantitative PCR growth detection were assessed. Criteria for assessment included the ability of each assay to differentiate live and dead M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis organisms and their accuracy at low bacterial concentrations. Using the culture-based method, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis growth was reliably detected and quantified within 2 weeks. There was a strong linear association between the 2-week growth rate and the initial inoculum concentration. The number of viable M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis cells in an unknown sample was quantified based on the growth rate, by using growth standards. In contrast, none of the commercially available viability assays were suitable for use with samples from in vitro cellular infection assays. IMPORTANCE Rapid quantification of the viability of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in samples from in vitro cellular infection assays is important, as it allows these assays to be carried out on a large scale. In vitro cellular infection assays can function as a preliminary screening tool, for vaccine development or antimicrobial screening, and also to extend findings derived from experimental animal trials. Currently, by using culture, it takes up to 4 months to obtain quantifiable results regarding M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis viability after an in vitro infection assay; however, with the quantitative PCR and liquid culture method

Arabis soyeri Reuter ex Huet subsp. soyeri (Brassicaceae en el Pirineo aragonés [Arabis soyeri Reuter & Huet subsp. soyeri (Brassicaceae, in the Aragonese Pyrenees

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José Vicente FERRÁNDEZ PALACIO

2012-12-01

Full Text Available RESUMEN: En esta nota confirmamos la presencia de Arabis soyeri subsp. soyeri en el Pirineo aragonés (provincia de Huesca. Esta cita oscense se sitúa en el límite SW de su área de distribución endémica. Además, comentamos algunos aspectos sobre su autoecología y conservación.SUMMARY: Arabis soyeri Reuter & Huet subsp. soyeri is confirmed for the flora of the Aragonese Pyrenees (Huesca province, Spain. Moreower, this new station is located on the south-western border of its endemic range. Some aspects on its autecology and conservation are discussed as well.

Democracy and environment as references for quadruple and quintuple helix innovation systems

Science.gov (United States)

Carayannis, Elias G.; Campbell, David F. J.; Orr, Barron J.

2015-04-01

The perspective of democracy and the ecological context define key references for knowledge production and innovation in innovation systems. Particularly under conditions of environmental change where enhancing the potential for adaptation is critical, this requires a closer look at ecological responsibility and sensitivity in the different innovation models and governance regimes. The "Quintuple Helix" innovation model is an approach that stresses the necessary socio-ecological transition of society and economy by adding an environment helix to an innovation system already made up of three (university-industry-government) or four (civil society relations) helices in a way that supports adaptation by incorporating global warming as both a challenge to and a driver of innovation. There is the proposition that knowledge production and innovation co-evolve with democracy (Carayannis and Campbell, 2014). In the Triple Helix model (Etzkowitz and Leydesdorff, 2000) the existence of a democracy does not appear to be necessary for knowledge production and innovation. However, the Quadruple Helix (Carayannis and Campbell, 2009, 2010 and 2014) is defined and represented by additional key attributes and components: "media-based and culture-based public", "civil society" and "arts, artistic research and arts-based innovation" (Bast, Carayannis and Campbell, 2015). Implications of this are that the fourth helix in the Quadruple Helix innovation systems brings in and represents the perspective of "dimension of democracy" or the "context of democracy" for knowledge in general and knowledge production and innovation in more particular. Within theories of democracy there is a competition between narrow and broader concepts of democracy (Campbell, 2013). This is particularly true when democracy is to be understood to transcend more substantially the narrow understanding of being primarily based on or being primarily rooted in government institutions (within a Triple Helix

Stable transformation of the gram-positive phytopathogenic bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus with several cloning vectors.

OpenAIRE

Laine, M J; Nakhei, H; Dreier, J; Lehtilä, K; Meletzus, D; Eichenlaub, R; Metzler, M C

1996-01-01

In this paper we describe transformation of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus, the potato ring rot bacterium, with plasmid vectors. Three of the plasmids used, pDM100, pDM302, and pDM306, contain the origin of replication from pCM1, a native plasmid of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis. We constructed two new cloning vectors, pHN205 and pHN216, by using the origin of replication of pCM2, another native plasmid of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis. Plasmids pDM302, pHN205, a...

Structure of bacteriophage [phi]29 head fibers has a supercoiled triple repeating helix-turn-helix motif

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiang, Ye; Rossmann, Michael G. (Purdue)

2011-12-22

The tailed bacteriophage {phi}29 capsid is decorated with 55 fibers attached to quasi-3-fold symmetry positions. Each fiber is a homotrimer of gene product 8.5 (gp8.5) and consists of two major structural parts, a pseudohexagonal base and a protruding fibrous portion that is about 110 {angstrom} in length. The crystal structure of the C-terminal fibrous portion (residues 112-280) has been determined to a resolution of 1.6 {angstrom}. The structure is about 150 {angstrom} long and shows three distinct structural domains designated as head, neck, and stem. The stem region is a unique three-stranded helix-turn-helix supercoil that has not previously been described. When fitted into a cryoelectron microscope reconstruction of the virus, the head structure corresponded to a disconnected density at the distal end of the fiber and the neck structure was located in weak density connecting it to the fiber. Thin section studies of Bacillus subtilis cells infected with fibered or fiberless {phi}29 suggest that the fibers might enhance the attachment of the virions onto the host cell wall.

A case of acute diarrhea due to the emerging pathogen Campylobacter jejuni subsp. doylei in Southern Chile Um caso de diarréia aguda devido ao patógeno emergente Campylobacter jejuni subsp. doylei no sul do Chile

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heriberto Fernández

2003-04-01

Full Text Available The first documented case of acute diarrhea due to C. jejuni subsp. doylei in Chile is reported. The clinical findings, the absence of other enteropathogens, virus or parasites and the fact that C. jejuni subsp. doylei was the only bacteria isolated support the assumption that it was the etiological agent of this diarrheal case.O primeiro caso documentado de diarréia aguda por C. jejuni subsp. doylei no sul do Chile é apresentado. As características clínicas, a ausência de outros enteropatógenos, vírus ou parasitas, e o fato de C. jejuni subsp. doylei ter sido a única bactéria isolada, permitem assumir que este microrganismo é o agente etiológico neste caso de diarréia.

Salmonella enterica suppresses Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum population and soft rot progression by acidifying the microaerophilic environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwan, Grace; Charkowski, Amy O; Barak, Jeri D

2013-02-12

Although enteric human pathogens are usually studied in the context of their animal hosts, a significant portion of their life cycle occurs on plants. Plant disease alters the phyllosphere, leading to enhanced growth of human pathogens; however, the impact of human pathogens on phytopathogen biology and plant health is largely unknown. To characterize the interaction between human pathogens and phytobacterial pathogens in the phyllosphere, we examined the interactions between Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum and Salmonella enterica or Escherichia coli O157:H7 with regard to bacterial populations, soft rot progression, and changes in local pH. The presence of P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum enhanced the growth of both S. enterica and E. coli O157:H7 on leaves. However, in a microaerophilic environment, S. enterica reduced P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum populations and soft rot progression by moderating local environmental pH. Reduced soft rot was not due to S. enterica proteolytic activity. Limitations on P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum growth, disease progression, and pH elevation were not observed on leaves coinoculated with E. coli O157:H7 or when leaves were coinoculated with S. enterica in an aerobic environment. S. enterica also severely undermined the relationship between the phytobacterial population and disease progression of a P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum budB mutant defective in the 2,3-butanediol pathway for acid neutralization. Our results show that S. enterica and E. coli O157:H7 interact differently with the enteric phytobacterial pathogen P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum. S. enterica inhibition of soft rot progression may conceal a rapidly growing human pathogen population. Whereas soft rotted produce can alert consumers to the possibility of food-borne pathogens, healthy-looking produce may entice consumption of contaminated vegetables. Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli O157:H7 may use plants to move between animal

Improvement of DNA transfer frequency and transposon mutagenesis of Erwinia carotovora subsp. betavasculorum.

OpenAIRE

Rella, M; Axelrood, P E; Weinhold, A R; Schroth, M N

1989-01-01

The production of antibiotics and their role in microbial competition under natural conditions can be readily studied by the use of transposon mutants. Several antibiotic-producing strains of Erwinia carotovora subsp. betavasculorum were unable to accept foreign DNA. A plasmid delivery system was developed, using ethyl methanesulfonate mutagenesis, which entailed isolating E. carotovora subsp. betavasculorum mutants able to accept foreign DNA and transfer it to other strains. This enabled tra...

Structural and functional aspects of winged-helix domains at the core of transcription initiation complexes.

Science.gov (United States)

Teichmann, Martin; Dumay-Odelot, Hélène; Fribourg, Sébastien

2012-01-01

The winged helix (WH) domain is found in core components of transcription systems in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. It represents a sub-class of the helix-turn-helix motif. The WH domain participates in establishing protein-DNA and protein-protein-interactions. Here, we discuss possible explanations for the enrichment of this motif in transcription systems.

Development of a pentaplex PCR assay for the simultaneous detection of Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis, L. helveticus, L. fermentum in whey starter for Grana Padano cheese.

Science.gov (United States)

Cremonesi, Paola; Vanoni, Laura; Morandi, Stefano; Silvetti, Tiziana; Castiglioni, Bianca; Brasca, Milena

2011-03-30

A pentaplex PCR assay for the rapid, selective and simultaneous detection of Lactobacillus helveticus, L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis, L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, and L. fermentum, was developed. The target sequences were a group of genes coding for beta-galactosidase production (S. thermophilus and L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus), for cell-enveloped associated proteinase synthesis (L. helveticus), for dipeptide transport system production (L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis) and for arginine-ornithine antiporter protein production (L. fermentum). The analytical specificity of the assay was evaluated with 5 reference strains and 140 lactic acid bacterial strains derived from raw milk cheeses and belonging to the Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Lactococcus and Enterococcus genera. The identification limit for each target strain was 10(3)CFU/ml. This new molecular assay was used to investigate the LAB population by direct extraction of DNA from the 12 whey cultures for Grana Padano. The pentaplex PCR assay revealed a good correspondence with microbiological analyses and allowed to identify even minor LAB community members which, can be out-competed in vitro by numerically more abundant microbial species. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimized molecular dynamics force fields applied to the helix-coil transition of polypeptides.

Science.gov (United States)

Best, Robert B; Hummer, Gerhard

2009-07-02

Obtaining the correct balance of secondary structure propensities is a central priority in protein force-field development. Given that current force fields differ significantly in their alpha-helical propensities, a correction to match experimental results would be highly desirable. We have determined simple backbone energy corrections for two force fields to reproduce the fraction of helix measured in short peptides at 300 K. As validation, we show that the optimized force fields produce results in excellent agreement with nuclear magnetic resonance experiments for folded proteins and short peptides not used in the optimization. However, despite the agreement at ambient conditions, the dependence of the helix content on temperature is too weak, a problem shared with other force fields. A fit of the Lifson-Roig helix-coil theory shows that both the enthalpy and entropy of helix formation are too small: the helix extension parameter w agrees well with experiment, but its entropic and enthalpic components are both only about half the respective experimental estimates. Our structural and thermodynamic analyses point toward the physical origins of these shortcomings in current force fields, and suggest ways to address them in future force-field development.

Inactivation of colicin Y by intramembrane helix–helix interaction with its immunity protein

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Šmajs, D.; Doležalová, M.; Macek, Pavel; Žídek, L.

2008-01-01

Roč. 275, č. 21 (2008), s. 5325-5331 ISSN 1742-464X Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Keywords : colicin immunity * colicin y * helix-helix interaction Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 3.139, year: 2008

Characteristics of the Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides strains from fresh vegetables

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Dimić Gordana R.

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Strains synthesizing extracellular polysaccharide dextran on a medium with 10% sucrose were isolated from different kind of vegetables (cabbage, cucumber, cauliflower, kohlrabi, carrot, green beans, red beet, pepper, eggplant, radish. Carbohydrate fermentation was examined using a bioMerieux API 50 CHL test system. Among micropopulations with characteristic spherical cell morphology, 94.9% belonged to Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides and 5.1% were identified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. dextranicum. According to fermentation of pentoses L. mesenteroides strains were divided into three groups with a certain number of biotypes; 10 strains were tested on acid production. .

PH4 of petunia is an R2R3-MYB protein that activates vacuolar acidification through interactions with Basic-Helix-Loop-Helix transcription factors of the anthocyanin pathway.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Quattrocchio, F.M.; Verweij, C.W.; Spelt, C.E.; Mol, J.N.M.; Koes, R.E.

2007-01-01

The Petunia hybrids genes ANTHOCYANIN1 (AN1) and AN2 encode transcription factors with a basic-helix-loop-helix (BHLH) and a MYB domain, respectively, that are required for anthocyanin synthesis and acidification of the vacuole in petal cells. Mutation of PH4 results in a bluer flower color,

Electrotransformation of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis with Various Plasmids

Science.gov (United States)

Serror, Pascale; Sasaki, Takashi; Ehrlich, S. Dusko; Maguin, Emmanuelle

2002-01-01

We describe, for the first time, a detailed electroporation procedure for Lactobacillus delbrueckii. Three L. delbrueckii strains were successfully transformed. Under optimal conditions, the transformation efficiency was 104 transformants per μg of DNA. Using this procedure, we identified several plasmids able to replicate in L. delbrueckii and integrated an integrative vector based on phage integrative elements into the L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus chromosome. These vectors provide a good basis for developing molecular tools for L. delbrueckii and open the field of genetic studies in L. delbrueckii. PMID:11772607

Draft genome sequence of the first human isolate of the ruminant pathogen Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Seersholm, Frederik Valeur; Fischer, Anne; Heller, Martin

2015-01-01

Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum is a well-known pathogen of small ruminants. A recent human case of septicemia involving this agent raised the question of its potential pathogenicity to humans. We present the first draft genome sequence of a human Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum...

Helianthus debilis Nuttall subsp. cucumerifolius (Torrey & A. Gray Heiser (Asteraceae, a Newly Naturalized Plant in Taiwan

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Yen-Hsueh Tseng

2008-09-01

Full Text Available We document the naturalization of the New World Helianthus debilis Nuttall subsp. cucumerifolius (Torrey & A. Gray Heiser in central Taiwan. A taxonomic treatment, line drawings, and color photographs of this species from the wild are provided to aid in identification. This represents the first report of Helianthus species in Taiwan. The colony of H. debilis subsp. cucumerifolius was first observed in Taiwan in 1999. During our field survey in 2007 we witnessed the significant range expansion though the coast of Changhua County. The potential of H. debilis subsp. cucumerifolius to become an invasive species in Taiwan is worthy of attention.

Lysine as helix C-capping residue in a synthetic peptide.

Science.gov (United States)

Esposito, G; Dhanapal, B; Dumy, P; Varma, V; Mutter, M; Bodenhausen, G

1997-01-01

The structure of the synthetic peptide CH3CO(Leu-Ser-Leu-Leu-Leu-Ser-Leu)3Lys-NH2 in trifluoroethanol/water 60/40 (volume ratio) was characterized by two-dimensional nmr spectroscopy. The peptide, closely related to the amphiphilic helix models designed by W. F. De-Grado and co-workers to mimic protein ion channels [(1988) Science, Vol. 240, p. 1177-1181], folds into a regular helix spanning residues 1-20. Evidence for a helix C-terminal capping conformation, involving the terminal lysine residue, was observed from Overhauser effects and checked for consistency by restrained molecular dynamics simulations. The side-chain amino group of Lys22 forms a hydrogen bond with the carbonyl of Leu18, and the distorted helical geometry of the terminal dipeptide allows the inclusion of a water bridge between the backbone NH of the Lys22 residue and the carbonyls of Leu19 and Ser20.

Thermodynamic Effects of Replacements of Pro Residues in Helix Interiors of Maltose-Binding Protein

OpenAIRE

Prajapati, RS; Lingaraju, GM; Bacchawat, Kiran; Surolia, Avadhesha; Varadarajan, Raghavan

2003-01-01

Introduction of Pro residues into helix interiors results in protein destabilization. It is currently unclear if the converse substitution (i.e., replacement of Pro residues that naturally occur in helix interiors would be stabilizing). Maltose-binding protein is a large 370-amino acid protein that contains 21 Pro residues. Of these, three nonconserved residues (P48, P133, and P159) occur at helix interiors. Each of the residues was replaced with Ala and Ser. Stabilities were characterized by...

Culture Phenotypes of Genomically and Geographically Diverse Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis Isolates from Different Hosts▿

Science.gov (United States)

Whittington, Richard J.; Marsh, Ian B.; Saunders, Vanessa; Grant, Irene R.; Juste, Ramon; Sevilla, Iker A.; Manning, Elizabeth J. B.; Whitlock, Robert H.

2011-01-01

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis causes paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) in ruminants in most countries. Historical data suggest substantial differences in culturability of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis isolates from small ruminants and cattle; however, a systematic comparison of culture media and isolates from different countries and hosts has not been undertaken. Here, 35 field isolates from the United States, Spain, Northern Ireland, and Australia were propagated in Bactec 12B medium and Middlebrook 7H10 agar, genomically characterized, and subcultured to Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ), Herrold's egg yolk (HEY), modified Middlebrook 7H10, Middlebrook 7H11, and Watson-Reid (WR) agars, all with and without mycobactin J and some with sodium pyruvate. Fourteen genotypes of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis were represented as determined by BstEII IS900 and IS1311 restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. There was no correlation between genotype and overall culturability, although most S strains tended to grow poorly on HEY agar. Pyruvate was inhibitory to some isolates. All strains grew on modified Middlebrook 7H10 agar but more slowly and less prolifically on LJ agar. Mycobactin J was required for growth on all media except 7H11 agar, but growth was improved by the addition of mycobactin J to 7H11 agar. WR agar supported the growth of few isolates. The differences in growth of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis that have historically been reported in diverse settings have been strongly influenced by the type of culture medium used. When an optimal culture medium, such as modified Middlebrook 7H10 agar, is used, very little difference between the growth phenotypes of diverse strains of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis was observed. This optimal medium is recommended to remove bias in the isolation and cultivation of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. PMID:21430104

Faecal bacterial composition in dairy cows shedding Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in faeces in comparison with nonshedding cows.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaevska, Marija; Videnska, Petra; Sedlar, Karel; Bartejsova, Iva; Kralova, Alena; Slana, Iva

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to determine possible differences in the faecal microbiota of dairy cows infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) in comparison with noninfected cows from the same herds. Faecal samples from cows in 4 herds were tested for M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis by real-time PCR, and faecal bacterial populations were analysed by 454 pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The most notable differences between shedding and nonshedding cows were an increase in the genus Psychrobacter and a decrease in the genera Oscillospira, Ruminococcus, and Bifidobacterium in cows infected with M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. The present study is the first to report the faecal microbial composition in dairy cows infected with M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis.

Type IV Pili are required for virulence, twitching motility, and biofilm formation of acidovorax avenae subsp. Citrulli.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahar, Ofir; Goffer, Tal; Burdman, Saul

2009-08-01

Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli is the causal agent of bacterial fruit blotch (BFB), a threatening disease of watermelon, melon, and other cucurbits. Despite the economic importance of BFB, relatively little is known about basic aspects of the pathogen's biology and the molecular basis of its interaction with host plants. To identify A. avenae subsp. citrulli genes associated with pathogenicity, we generated a transposon (Tn5) mutant library on the background of strain M6, a group I strain of A. avenae subsp. citrulli, and screened it for reduced virulence by seed-transmission assays with melon. Here, we report the identification of a Tn5 mutant with reduced virulence that is impaired in pilM, which encodes a protein involved in assembly of type IV pili (TFP). Further characterization of this mutant revealed that A. avenae subsp. citrulli requires TFP for twitching motility and wild-type levels of biofilm formation. Significant reductions in virulence and biofilm formation as well as abolishment of twitching were also observed in insertional mutants affected in other TFP genes. We also provide the first evidence that group I strains of A. avenae subsp. citrulli can colonize and move through host xylem vessels.

Complete genome sequence of Beijerinckia indica subsp. indica.

Science.gov (United States)

Tamas, Ivica; Dedysh, Svetlana N; Liesack, Werner; Stott, Matthew B; Alam, Maqsudul; Murrell, J Colin; Dunfield, Peter F

2010-09-01

Beijerinckia indica subsp. indica is an aerobic, acidophilic, exopolysaccharide-producing, N(2)-fixing soil bacterium. It is a generalist chemoorganotroph that is phylogenetically closely related to facultative and obligate methanotrophs of the genera Methylocella and Methylocapsa. Here we report the full genome sequence of this bacterium.

One Peptide Reveals the Two Faces of α-Helix Unfolding-Folding Dynamics.

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Jesus, Catarina S H; Cruz, Pedro F; Arnaut, Luis G; Brito, Rui M M; Serpa, Carlos

2018-04-12

The understanding of fast folding dynamics of single α-helices comes mostly from studies on rationally designed peptides displaying sequences with high helical propensity. The folding/unfolding dynamics and energetics of α-helix conformations in naturally occurring peptides remains largely unexplored. Here we report the study of a protein fragment analogue of the C-peptide from bovine pancreatic ribonuclease-A, RN80, a 13-amino acid residue peptide that adopts a highly populated helical conformation in aqueous solution. 1 H NMR and CD structural studies of RN80 showed that α-helix formation displays a pH-dependent bell-shaped curve, with a maximum near pH 5, and a large decrease in helical content in alkaline pH. The main forces stabilizing this short α-helix were identified as a salt bridge formed between Glu-2 and Arg-10 and the cation-π interaction involving Tyr-8 and His-12. Thus, deprotonation of Glu-2 or protonation of His-12 are essential for the RN80 α-helix stability. In the present study, RN80 folding and unfolding were triggered by laser-induced pH jumps and detected by time-resolved photoacoustic calorimetry (PAC). The photoacid proton release, amino acid residue protonation, and unfolding/folding events occur at different time scales and were clearly distinguished using time-resolved PAC. The partial unfolding of the RN80 α-helix, due to protonation of Glu-2 and consequent breaking of the stabilizing salt bridge between Glu-2 and Arg-10, is characterized by a concentration-independent volume expansion in the sub-microsecond time range (0.8 mL mol -1 , 369 ns). This small volume expansion reports the cost of peptide backbone rehydration upon disruption of a solvent-exposed salt bridge, as well as backbone intrinsic expansion. On the other hand, RN80 α-helix folding triggered by His-12 protonation and subsequent formation of a cation-π interaction leads to a microsecond volume contraction (-6.0 mL mol -1 , ∼1.7 μs). The essential role of two

Conformational Diffusion and Helix Formation Kinetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hummer, Gerhard; Garcia, Angel E.; Garde, Shekhar

2000-01-01

The time, temperature, and sequence dependences of helix formation kinetics of fully atomistic peptide models in explicit solvent are described quantitatively by a diffusive search within the coil state with barrierless transitions into the helical state. Conformational diffusion leads to nonexponential kinetics and jump-width dependences in temperature jump experiments. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society

Conformational Diffusion and Helix Formation Kinetics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hummer, Gerhard [Laboratory of Chemical Physics, Building 5, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0520 (United States); Garcia, Angel E. [Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group T-10, MS K710, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States); Garde, Shekhar [Department of Chemical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Street, Troy, New York 12180 (United States)

2000-09-18

The time, temperature, and sequence dependences of helix formation kinetics of fully atomistic peptide models in explicit solvent are described quantitatively by a diffusive search within the coil state with barrierless transitions into the helical state. Conformational diffusion leads to nonexponential kinetics and jump-width dependences in temperature jump experiments. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.

Disruption of the LOV-Jalpha helix interaction activates phototropin kinase activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Harper, Shannon M; Christie, John M; Gardner, Kevin H

2004-12-28

Light plays a crucial role in activating phototropins, a class of plant photoreceptors that are sensitive to blue and UV-A wavelengths. Previous studies indicated that phototropin uses a bound flavin mononucleotide (FMN) within its light-oxygen-voltage (LOV) domain to generate a protein-flavin covalent bond under illumination. In the C-terminal LOV2 domain of Avena sativa phototropin 1, formation of this bond triggers a conformational change that results in unfolding of a helix external to this domain called Jalpha [Harper, S. M., et al. (2003) Science 301, 1541-1545]. Though the structural effects of illumination were characterized, it was unknown how these changes are coupled to kinase activation. To examine this, we made a series of point mutations along the Jalpha helix to disrupt its interaction with the LOV domain in a manner analogous to light activation. Using NMR spectroscopy and limited proteolysis, we demonstrate that several of these mutations displace the Jalpha helix from the LOV domain independently of illumination. When placed into the full-length phototropin protein, these point mutations display constitutive kinase activation, without illumination of the sample. These results indicate that unfolding of the Jalpha helix is the critical event in regulation of kinase signaling for the phototropin proteins.

Effect of Soil Slope on the Appearance of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in Water Running off Grassland Soil after Application of Contaminated Slurry

Science.gov (United States)

Alfaro, M.; Salazar, F.; Troncoso, E.; Mitchell, R. M.; Ramirez, L.; Naguil, A.; Zamorano, P.; Collins, M. T.

2013-01-01

The study assessed the effect of soil slope on Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis transport into rainwater runoff from agricultural soil after application of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis-contaminated slurry. Under field conditions, 24 plots of undisturbed loamy soil 1 by 2 m2 were placed on platforms. Twelve plots were used for water runoff: 6 plots at a 3% slope and 6 plots at a 15% slope. Half of the plots of each slope were treated with M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis-contaminated slurry, and half were not treated. Using the same experimental design, 12 plots were established for soil sampling on a monthly basis using the same spiked slurry application and soil slopes. Runoff following natural rainfall was collected and analyzed for M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis, coliforms, and turbidity. M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis was detected in runoff from all plots treated with contaminated slurry and one control plot. A higher slope (15%) increased the likelihood of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis detection but did not affect the likelihood of finding coliforms. Daily rainfall increased the likelihood that runoff would have coliforms and the coliform concentration, but it decreased the M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis concentration in the runoff. When there was no runoff, rain was associated with increased M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis concentrations. Coliform counts in runoff were related to runoff turbidity. M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis presence/absence, however, was related to turbidity. Study duration decreased bacterial detection and concentration. These findings demonstrate the high likelihood that M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in slurry spread on pastures will contaminate water runoff, particularly during seasons with high rainfall. M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis contamination of water has potential consequences for both animal and human health. PMID:23542616

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SUBSP. plantarum PROBIOTIC STRAINS AS PROTEASE PRODUCERS

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E. V. Маtseliukh

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Proteases from probiotic strains of the genus Bacillus, just like the antibiotics, bacteriocins and other hydrolytic enzymes, are one of the main factors that determine their biological activity. The aim of this work was to study the synthesis and biochemical properties of proteases from two strains Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum UCM B-5139 and UCM B-5140 that included in the probiotic Endosporin. The cultivation of strains was carried out in flasks under rotating for two days. The influence of physico-chemical parameters of the reaction medium on proteolytic activity was studied on partially purified protease preparations. Lytic activity was determined by turbidimetric method. On the second day of cultivation B. amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum UCM В-5139 and UCM В-5140 synthesized the metal-dependent peptidase and serine protease, respectively. The optimum conditions of their action were the following: temperature 37–40 °C and pH 6.5–7.0. Isolated proteases are able to lyse the living cells of Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Thus we demonstrated that B. amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum UCM B-5140 and UCM B-5139, included in the probiotic veterinary preparation Endosporin, produced proteolytic enzymes that hydrolyze the native insoluble proteins (elastin, fibrin and collagen. These enzymes belong to the group of neutral metal-dependent and serine proteases. They are active under physiological conditions against gram-positive bacteria and yeasts. The application of these proteases in biotechnology is considered.

Complete Genome Sequence of Beijerinckia indica subsp. indica▿

Science.gov (United States)

Tamas, Ivica; Dedysh, Svetlana N.; Liesack, Werner; Stott, Matthew B.; Alam, Maqsudul; Murrell, J. Colin; Dunfield, Peter F.

2010-01-01

Beijerinckia indica subsp. indica is an aerobic, acidophilic, exopolysaccharide-producing, N2-fixing soil bacterium. It is a generalist chemoorganotroph that is phylogenetically closely related to facultative and obligate methanotrophs of the genera Methylocella and Methylocapsa. Here we report the full genome sequence of this bacterium. PMID:20601475

13-Helix folding of a β/γ-peptide manifold designed from a "minimal-constraint" blueprint.

Science.gov (United States)

Grison, Claire M; Robin, Sylvie; Aitken, David J

2016-06-14

A bottom-up design rationale was adopted to devise β/γ-peptide foldamer manifolds which would adopt preferred 13-helix conformations, relying on minimal steric imposition brought by the constituent amino acid residues. In this way, a well-defined 13-helix conformer was revealed for short oligomers of trans-2-aminocyclobutanecarboxylic acid and γ(4)-amino acids in alternation, which gave good topological superposition upon an α-helix motif.

Human Treponema pallidum 11q/j isolate belongs to subsp. endemicum but contains two loci with a sequence in TP0548 and TP0488 similar to subsp. pertenue and subsp. pallidum, respectively.

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Lenka Mikalová

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Treponema pallidum subsp. endemicum (TEN is the causative agent of endemic syphilis (bejel. An unusual human TEN 11q/j isolate was obtained from a syphilis-like primary genital lesion from a patient that returned to France from Pakistan.The TEN 11q/j isolate was characterized using nested PCR followed by Sanger sequencing and/or direct Illumina sequencing. Altogether, 44 chromosomal regions were analyzed. Overall, the 11q/j isolate clustered with TEN strains Bosnia A and Iraq B as expected from previous TEN classification of the 11q/j isolate. However, the 11q/j sequence in a 505 bp-long region at the TP0488 locus was similar to Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum (TPA strains, but not to TEN Bosnia A and Iraq B sequences, suggesting a recombination event at this locus. Similarly, the 11q/j sequence in a 613 bp-long region at the TP0548 locus was similar to Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue (TPE strains, but not to TEN sequences.A detailed analysis of two recombinant loci found in the 11q/j clinical isolate revealed that the recombination event occurred just once, in the TP0488, with the donor sequence originating from a TPA strain. Since TEN Bosnia A and Iraq B were found to contain TPA-like sequences at the TP0548 locus, the recombination at TP0548 took place in a treponeme that was an ancestor to both TEN Bosnia A and Iraq B. The sequence of 11q/j isolate in TP0548 represents an ancestral TEN sequence that is similar to yaws-causing treponemes. In addition to the importance of the 11q/j isolate for reconstruction of the TEN phylogeny, this case emphasizes the possible role of TEN strains in development of syphilis-like lesions.

Reovirus FAST Proteins Drive Pore Formation and Syncytiogenesis Using a Novel Helix-Loop-Helix Fusion-Inducing Lipid Packing Sensor.

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Jolene Read

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Pore formation is the most energy-demanding step during virus-induced membrane fusion, where high curvature of the fusion pore rim increases the spacing between lipid headgroups, exposing the hydrophobic interior of the membrane to water. How protein fusogens breach this thermodynamic barrier to pore formation is unclear. We identified a novel fusion-inducing lipid packing sensor (FLiPS in the cytosolic endodomain of the baboon reovirus p15 fusion-associated small transmembrane (FAST protein that is essential for pore formation during cell-cell fusion and syncytiogenesis. NMR spectroscopy and mutational studies indicate the dependence of this FLiPS on a hydrophobic helix-loop-helix structure. Biochemical and biophysical assays reveal the p15 FLiPS preferentially partitions into membranes with high positive curvature, and this partitioning is impeded by bis-ANS, a small molecule that inserts into hydrophobic defects in membranes. Most notably, the p15 FLiPS can be functionally replaced by heterologous amphipathic lipid packing sensors (ALPS but not by other membrane-interactive amphipathic helices. Furthermore, a previously unrecognized amphipathic helix in the cytosolic domain of the reptilian reovirus p14 FAST protein can functionally replace the p15 FLiPS, and is itself replaceable by a heterologous ALPS motif. Anchored near the cytoplasmic leaflet by the FAST protein transmembrane domain, the FLiPS is perfectly positioned to insert into hydrophobic defects that begin to appear in the highly curved rim of nascent fusion pores, thereby lowering the energy barrier to stable pore formation.

Production of Angiotensin-I-Converting-Enzyme-Inhibitory Peptides in Fermented Milks Started by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus SS1 and Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris FT4

Science.gov (United States)

Gobbetti, M.; Ferranti, P.; Smacchi, E.; Goffredi, F.; Addeo, F.

2000-01-01

Two fermented milks containing angiotensin-I-converting-enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory peptides were produced by using selected Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus SS1 and L. lactis subsp. cremoris FT4. The pH 4.6-soluble nitrogen fraction of the two fermented milks was fractionated by reversed-phase fast-protein liquid chromatography. The fractions which showed the highest ACE-inhibitory indexes were further purified, and the related peptides were sequenced by tandem fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry. The most inhibitory fractions of the milk fermented by L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus SS1 contained the sequences of β-casein (β-CN) fragment 6-14 (f6-14), f7-14, f73-82, f74-82, and f75-82. Those from the milk fermented by L. lactis subsp. cremoris FT4 contained the sequences of β-CN f7-14, f47-52, and f169-175 and κ-CN f155-160 and f152-160. Most of these sequences had features in common with other ACE-inhibitory peptides reported in the literature. In particular, the β-CN f47-52 sequence had high homology with that of angiotensin-II. Some of these peptides were chemically synthesized. The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) of the crude purified fractions containing the peptide mixture were very low (8.0 to 11.2 mg/liter). When the synthesized peptides were used individually, the ACE-inhibitory activity was confirmed but the IC50s increased considerably. A strengthened inhibitory effect of the peptide mixtures with respect to the activity of individual peptides was presumed. Once generated, the inhibitory peptides were resistant to further proteolysis either during dairy processing or by trypsin and chymotrypsin. PMID:10966406

Pharamcognostical and physicochemical characterization of Amaranthus graecizans subsp. Silvestris: an anatomical perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishtiaq, S.; Hanif, U.; Ajaib, M.

2018-01-01

Amaranthus graecizans subsp. silvestris (Vill.) Brenan, a medicinal herb belongs to family Amranthaceae. Pharamcognostical and physicochemical characterization of A. graecizans subsp. silvestris which included; macro and microscopic evaluation, phytochemical and physicochemical analysis of leaf, stem, root, fruit and seeds was investigated. Transverse sections of leaf, stem and root showed the arrangement of different cells, certain tissues that will serve as diagnostic characters to standardize this plant. The powder microscopy of leaf, stem, root, fruit and seed depicted various microscopic structures including; fibres, vessels, tracheids, oil cells, starch granules, cortical cells, cork cells, phloem, collenchyma and parenchyma tissues etc. In fluorescence analysis different colors were seen when extracts were exposed to ordinary and UV light. Phytochemical screening of methanolic extract of whole herb exhibited the occurrence of saponins, tannins, carbohydrates, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, sterols, lipids and alkaloids. Physicochemical analysis i.e. extractive values and ash values were calculated to strengthen standardization process. These findings and estimations will help in characterization, verification and quality maintenance of A. graecizans subsp. silvestris. (author)

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CRL 454 cleaves allergenic peptides of β-lactoglobulin.

Science.gov (United States)

Pescuma, Micaela; Hébert, Elvira M; Haertlé, Thomas; Chobert, Jean-Marc; Mozzi, Fernanda; Font de Valdez, Graciela

2015-03-01

Whey, a cheese by-product used as a food additive, is produced worldwide at 40.7 million tons per year. β-Lactoglobulin (BLG), the main whey protein, is poorly digested and is highly allergenic. We aimed to study the contribution of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CRL 454 to BLG digestion and to analyse its ability to degrade the main allergenic sequences of this protein. Pre-hydrolysis of BLG by L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CRL 454 increases digestion of BLG assayed by an in vitro simulated gastrointestinal system. Moreover, peptides from hydrolysis of the allergenic sequences V41-K60, Y102-R124, C121-L140 and L149-I162 were found when BLG was hydrolysed by this strain. Interestingly, peptides possessing antioxidant, ACE inhibitory, antimicrobial and immuno-modulating properties were found in BLG degraded by both the Lactobacillus strain and digestive enzymes. To conclude, pre-hydrolysis of BLG by L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CRL 454 has a positive effect on BLG digestion and could diminish allergenic reactions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Verminephrobacter aporrectodeae sp. nov. subsp. tuberculatae and subsp. caliginosae; the specific nephridial symbionts of the earthworms Aporrectodea tuberculata and A. caliginosa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Marie Braad; Schätzle, Sarah; Schramm, Andreas

2012-01-01

.3%, their earthworm host specificity, differing temperature ranges and pH optima suggest that they represent two subspecies of a novel species of Verminephrobacter. For this species, the name V. aporrectodeae sp. nov. is proposed, with the two subspecies V. aporrectodeae subsp. tuberculatae (type strain, At4T = DSM...

A new methodology for rapid detection of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus based on multiplex PCR.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikolaou, Anastasios; Saxami, Georgia; Kourkoutas, Yiannis; Galanis, Alex

2011-02-01

In this study we present a novel multiplex PCR assay for rapid and efficient detection of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. The accuracy of our method was confirmed by the successful identification of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus in commercial yoghurts and food supplements and it may be readily applied to the food industry. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Geometry of the toroidal N-helix: optimal-packing and zero-twist

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Kasper; Bohr, Jakob

2012-01-01

Two important geometrical properties of N-helix structures are influenced by bending. One is maximizing the volume fraction, which is called optimal-packing, and the other is having a vanishing strain-twist coupling, which is called zero-twist. Zero-twist helices rotate neither in one nor...... helix. General N-helices are discussed, as well as zero-twist helices for N > 1. The derived geometrical restrictions are gradually modified by changing the aspect ratio of the torus....

Phenotypic variation in Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis isolates derived from intestinal tracts of marine and freshwater fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Itoi, S; Yuasa, K; Washio, S; Abe, T; Ikuno, E; Sugita, H

2009-09-01

We compared phenotypic characteristics of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis derived from different sources including the intestinal tract of marine fish and freshwater fish, and cheese starter culture. In the phylogenetic analysis based on partial 16S rRNA gene nucleotide sequences (1371 bp), freshwater fish-, marine fish- and cheese starter culture-derived strains were identical to that of L. lactis subsp. lactis previously reported. Fermentation profiles determined using the API 50 CH system were similar except for fermentation of several sugars including l-arabinose, mannitol, amygdalin, saccharose, trehalose, inulin and gluconate. The strains did have distinct levels of halotolerance: marine fish-derived strains > cheese starter-derived strain > freshwater fish-derived isolate. Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis showed extensive diversity in phenotypic adaptation to various environments. The phenotypic properties of these strains suggested that L. lactis subsp. lactis strains from fish intestine have additional functions compared with the cheese starter-derived strain that has previously described. The unique phenotypic traits of the fish intestinal tract-derived L. lactis subsp. lactis might make them useful as a probiotics in aquaculture, and contribute to the development of functional foods and novel food additives, since the strains derived from fish intestines might have additional functions such as antibacterial activity.

Efficacy of various pasteurization time-temperature conditions in combination with homogenization on inactivation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in milk.

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, Irene R; Williams, Alan G; Rowe, Michael T; Muir, D Donald

2005-06-01

The effect of various pasteurization time-temperature conditions with and without homogenization on the viability of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis was investigated using a pilot-scale commercial high-temperature, short-time (HTST) pasteurizer and raw milk spiked with 10(1) to 10(5) M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis cells/ml. Viable M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis was cultured from 27 (3.3%) of 816 pasteurized milk samples overall, 5 on Herrold's egg yolk medium and 22 by BACTEC culture. Therefore, in 96.7% of samples, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis had been completely inactivated by HTST pasteurization, alone or in combination with homogenization. Heat treatments incorporating homogenization at 2,500 lb/in2, applied upstream (as a separate process) or in hold (at the start of a holding section), resulted in significantly fewer culture-positive samples than pasteurization treatments without homogenization (P HTST pasteurization with or without homogenization was estimated to be 4.0 to 5.2 log10. The impact of homogenization on clump size distribution in M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis broth suspensions was subsequently assessed using a Mastersizer X spectrometer. These experiments demonstrated that large clumps of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis cells were reduced to single-cell or "miniclump" status by homogenization at 2,500 lb/in2. Consequently, when HTST pasteurization was being applied to homogenized milk, the M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis cells would have been present as predominantly declumped cells, which may possibly explain the greater inactivation achieved by the combination of pasteurization and homogenization.

Persistence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis at a Farm-Scale Biogas Plant Supplied with Manure from Paratuberculosis-Affected Dairy Cattle▿

Science.gov (United States)

Slana, I.; Pribylova, R.; Kralova, A.; Pavlik, I.

2011-01-01

In this study, products from all steps of anaerobic digestion at a farm-scale biogas plant supplied with manure from paratuberculosis-affected dairy cattle were examined and quantified for the presence of the causal agent of paratuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, using culture and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Viable M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis cells were detected using culture in fermentors for up to 2 months; the presence of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis DNA (101 cells/g) was demonstrated in all anaerobic fermentors and digestate 16 months after initiation of work at a biogas plant, using IS900 qPCR. F57 qPCR was able to detect M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis DNA (102 cells/g) at up to 12 months. According to these results, a fermentation process that extended beyond 2 months removed all viable M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis cells and therefore rendered its product M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis free. However, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis DNA was found during all the examined periods (more than 1 year), which could be explained by either residual DNA being released from dead cells or by the presence of viable cells whose amount was under the limit of cultivability. As the latter hypothesis cannot be excluded, the safety of the final products of digestion used for fertilization or animal bedding cannot be defined, and further investigation is necessary to confirm or refute this risk. PMID:21398476

Efficacy of Various Pasteurization Time-Temperature Conditions in Combination with Homogenization on Inactivation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in Milk

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, Irene R.; Williams, Alan G.; Rowe, Michael T.; Muir, D. Donald

2005-01-01

The effect of various pasteurization time-temperature conditions with and without homogenization on the viability of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis was investigated using a pilot-scale commercial high-temperature, short-time (HTST) pasteurizer and raw milk spiked with 101 to 105 M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis cells/ml. Viable M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis was cultured from 27 (3.3%) of 816 pasteurized milk samples overall, 5 on Herrold's egg yolk medium and 22 by BACTEC culture. Therefore, in 96.7% of samples, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis had been completely inactivated by HTST pasteurization, alone or in combination with homogenization. Heat treatments incorporating homogenization at 2,500 lb/in2, applied upstream (as a separate process) or in hold (at the start of a holding section), resulted in significantly fewer culture-positive samples than pasteurization treatments without homogenization (P pasteurization with or without homogenization was estimated to be 4.0 to 5.2 log10. The impact of homogenization on clump size distribution in M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis broth suspensions was subsequently assessed using a Mastersizer X spectrometer. These experiments demonstrated that large clumps of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis cells were reduced to single-cell or “miniclump” status by homogenization at 2,500 lb/in2. Consequently, when HTST pasteurization was being applied to homogenized milk, the M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis cells would have been present as predominantly declumped cells, which may possibly explain the greater inactivation achieved by the combination of pasteurization and homogenization. PMID:15932977

Genetic diversity in barley landraces (Hordeum vulgare L. subsp.

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Genetic diversity in barley landraces (Hordeum vulgare L. subsp. vulgare) originated from Crescent Fertile region as detected by seed storage proteins. RIM MZID FARHAT CHIBANI RAYDA BEN AYED MOHSEN HANANA JOELLE BREIDI RABIH KABALAN SAMIH EL-HAJJ HASSAN MACHLAB AHMED REBAI LAMIS ...

Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris strain JFR1 attenuates Salmonella adhesion to human intestinal cells in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Justina Su; Guri, Anilda; Corredig, Milena; Morales-Rayas, Rocio; Hassan, Ashraf; Griffiths, Mansel; LaPointe, Gisèle

2016-12-01

Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris JFR1 has been studied in reduced fat cheese due to its ability to produce exopolysaccharides (EPS) in situ, contributing to improved textural and organoleptic properties. In this study, the effect of strain JFR1 on virulence gene expression and attachment of Salmonella to HT-29 human colon carcinoma cells was investigated. Overnight cultures of L. lactis subsp. cremoris JFR1 containing EPS, grown in M17 media with 0.5% glucose supplementation, decreased attachment as well as down regulated virulence gene expression in Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica when tested on HT-29 cells. However, EPS isolated from milk fermented with L. lactis subsp. cremoris JFR1 did not affect Salmonella virulence gene expression or attachment to HT-29 cells. These results suggest that EPS does not contribute to the attachment of Salmonella to human intestinal cells. However, the possibility that the isolation process may have affected the structural features of EPS cannot be ruled out. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Progesterone modulation of transmembrane helix-helix interactions between the α-subunit of Na/K-ATPase and phospholipid N-methyltransferase in the oocyte plasma membrane

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Askari Amir

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Progesterone binding to the surface of the amphibian oocyte initiates the meiotic divisions. Our previous studies with Rana pipiens oocytes indicate that progesterone binds to a plasma membrane site within the external loop between the M1 and M2 helices of the α-subunit of Na/K-ATPase, triggering a cascade of lipid second messengers and the release of the block at meiotic prophase. We have characterized this site, using a low affinity ouabain binding isoform of the α1-subunit. Results Preparations of isolated plasma membranes from Rana oocytes demonstrate that physiological levels of progesterone (or the non-metabolizable progestin R5020 successively activate phosphatidylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PE-NMT and sphingomyelin synthase within seconds. Inhibition of PE-NMT blocks the progesterone induction of meiosis in intact oocytes, whereas its initial product, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine (PME, can itself initiate meiosis in the presence of the inhibitor. Published X-ray crystallographic data on Na/K-ATPase, computer-generated 3D projections, heptad repeat analysis and hydrophobic cluster analysis of the transmembrane helices predict that hydrophobic residues L, V, V, I, F and Y of helix M2 of the α1-subunit interact with F, L, G, L, L and F, respectively, of helix M3 of PE-NMT. Conclusion We propose that progesterone binding to the first external loop of the α1-subunit facilitates specific helix-helix interactions between integral membrane proteins to up-regulate PE-NMT, and, that successive interactions between two or more integral plasma membrane proteins induce the signaling cascades which result in completion of the meiotic divisions.

Knowledge on Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra with emphasis on its ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Knowledge on Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra with emphasis on its importance as a non-timber forest product in South and southern Africa: a summary: Part 1: Taxonomy, ecology and role in rural livelihoods: review paper.

Plant regeneration of Brassica oleracea subsp. italica (Broccoli) CV ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2009-06-03

Jun 3, 2009 ... Department of Agriculture Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor Darul. Ehsan, Malaysia. Accepted 20 March, 2009. Hypocotyls and shoot tips were used as explants in in vitro plant regeneration of broccoli (Brassica oleracea subsp.italica) cv. Green Marvel.

Genome-wide identification and analysis of basic helix-loop-helix domains in dog, Canis lupus familiaris.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xu-Hua; Wang, Yong; Liu, A-Ke; Liu, Xiao-Ting; Zhou, Yang; Yao, Qin; Chen, Ke-Ping

2015-04-01

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) domain is a highly conserved amino acid motif that defines a group of DNA-binding transcription factors. bHLH proteins play essential regulatory roles in a variety of biological processes in animal, plant, and fungus. The domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris, is a good model organism for genetic, physiological, and behavioral studies. In this study, we identified 115 putative bHLH genes in the dog genome. Based on a phylogenetic analysis, 51, 26, 14, 4, 12, and 4 dog bHLH genes were assigned to six separate groups (A-F); four bHLH genes were categorized as ''orphans''. Within-group evolutionary relationships inferred from the phylogenetic analysis were consistent with positional conservation, other conserved domains flanking the bHLH motif, and highly conserved intron/exon patterns in other vertebrates. Our analytical results confirmed the GenBank annotations of 89 dog bHLH proteins and provided information that could be used to update the annotations of the remaining 26 dog bHLH proteins. These data will provide good references for further studies on the structures and regulatory functions of bHLH proteins in the growth and development of dogs, which may help in understanding the mechanisms that underlie the physical and behavioral differences between dogs and wolves.

Campylobacter fetus subsp. jejuni in poultry reared under different management systems in Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Adekeye, J O; Abdu, P A; Bawa, E K

1989-01-01

Cloacal swabs from 487 live birds in 36 flocks and 70 poultry carcasses were cultured for Campylobacter fetus subsp. jejuni. It was isolated from 12.3% of the birds in 19 flocks. Chickens, turkeys, and guinea fowl differed from one another in isolation rates of the organism. Management system affected its occurrence, and only 7.1% of eviscerated carcasses yielded it. It was concluded that bird species, management system, and immersing slaughtered poultry in boiling water before dressing affect recovery of C. fetus subsp. jejuni from live birds and carcasses.

DNA binding specificity of the basic-helix-loop-helix protein MASH-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Meierhan, D; el-Ariss, C; Neuenschwander, M; Sieber, M; Stackhouse, J F; Allemann, R K

1995-09-05

Despite the high degree of sequence similarity in their basic-helix-loop-helix (BHLH) domains, MASH-1 and MyoD are involved in different biological processes. In order to define possible differences between the DNA binding specificities of these two proteins, we investigated the DNA binding properties of MASH-1 by circular dichroism spectroscopy and by electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA). Upon binding to DNA, the BHLH domain of MASH-1 underwent a conformational change from a mainly unfolded to a largely alpha-helical form, and surprisingly, this change was independent of the specific DNA sequence. The same conformational transition could be induced by the addition of 20% 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol. The apparent dissociation constants (KD) of the complexes of full-length MASH-1 with various oligonucleotides were determined from half-saturation points in EMSAs. MASH-1 bound as a dimer to DNA sequences containing an E-box with high affinity KD = 1.4-4.1 x 10(-14) M2). However, the specificity of DNA binding was low. The dissociation constant for the complex between MASH-1 and the highest affinity E-box sequence (KD = 1.4 x 10(-14) M2) was only a factor of 10 smaller than for completely unrelated DNA sequences (KD = approximately 1 x 10(-13) M2). The DNA binding specificity of MASH-1 was not significantly increased by the formation of an heterodimer with the ubiquitous E12 protein. MASH-1 and MyoD displayed similar binding site preferences, suggesting that their different target gene specificities cannot be explained solely by differential DNA binding. An explanation for these findings is provided on the basis of the known crystal structure of the BHLH domain of MyoD.

Draft Genome Sequence of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CRL871, a Folate-Producing Strain Isolated from a Northwestern Argentinian Yogurt.

Science.gov (United States)

Laiño, Jonathan Emiliano; Hebert, Elvira María; Savoy de Giori, Graciela; LeBlanc, Jean Guy

2015-06-25

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CRL871 is the first strain of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus reported as a folate-producing strain. We report the draft genome sequence of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CRL871 (2,063,981 bp, G+C content of 49.1%). This strain is of great biotechnological importance to the dairy industry because it constitutes an alternative to folic acid fortification. Copyright © 2015 Laiño et al.

First identification of Francisella noatunensis subsp. orientalis causing mortality in Mexican tilapia Oreochromis spp.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortega, Cesar; Mancera, Gerardo; Enríquez, Ricardo; Vargas, Augusto; Martínez, Simón; Fajardo, Raúl; Avendaño-Herrera, Ruben; Navarrete, María José; Romero, Alex

2016-08-09

Francisellosis, an emerging disease in tilapia Oreochromis spp., is caused by the facultative, intracellular bacterium Francisella noatunensis subsp. orientalis, which is present in various countries where tilapia farming is commercially important. We confirmed the presence of francisellosis in Mexican tilapia cultures in association with an outbreak during the second semester of 2012. Broodstock fish presented a mortality rate of approximately 40%, and disease was characterized by histologically classified granulomas, or whitish nodules, in different organs, mainly the spleen and kidney. Through DNA obtained from infected tissue and pure cultures in a cysteine heart medium supplemented with hemoglobin, F. noatunensis subsp. orientalis was initially confirmed through the amplification and analysis of the 16S rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer region. Phylogenetic analysis of these genes demonstrated close similarity with previously reported F. noatunensis subsp. orientalis sequences obtained from infected tilapia from various countries. The identification of this subspecies as the causative agent of the outbreak was confirmed using the iglC gene as a target sequence, which showed 99.5% identity to 2 F. noatunensis subsp. orientalis strains (Ethime-1 and Toba04). These findings represent the first documented occurrence of francisellosis in Mexican tilapia cultures, which highlights the importance of establishing preventative measures to minimize the spread of this disease within the Mexican aquaculture industry.

Tah1 helix-swap dimerization prevents mixed Hsp90 co-chaperone complexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morgan, Rhodri M. L.; Pal, Mohinder; Roe, S. Mark; Pearl, Laurence H.; Prodromou, Chrisostomos

2015-01-01

A helix swap involving the fifth helix between two adjacently bound Tah1 molecules restores the normal binding environment of the conserved MEEVD peptide of Hsp90. Dimerization also explains how other monomeric TPR-domain proteins are excluded from forming inappropriate mixed co-chaperone complexes with Hsp90 and Tah1. Specific co-chaperone adaptors facilitate the recruitment of client proteins to the Hsp90 system. Tah1 binds the C-terminal conserved MEEVD motif of Hsp90, thus linking an eclectic set of client proteins to the R2TP complex for their assembly and regulation by Hsp90. Rather than the normal complement of seven α-helices seen in other tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domains, Tah1 unusually consists of the first five only. Consequently, the methionine of the MEEVD peptide remains exposed to solvent when bound by Tah1. In solution Tah1 appears to be predominantly monomeric, and recent structures have failed to explain how Tah1 appears to prevent the formation of mixed TPR domain-containing complexes such as Cpr6–(Hsp90) 2 –Tah1. To understand this further, the crystal structure of Tah1 in complex with the MEEVD peptide of Hsp90 was determined, which shows a helix swap involving the fifth α-helix between two adjacently bound Tah1 molecules. Dimerization of Tah1 restores the normal binding environment of the bound Hsp90 methionine residue by reconstituting a TPR binding site similar to that in seven-helix-containing TPR domain proteins. Dimerization also explains how other monomeric TPR-domain proteins are excluded from forming inappropriate mixed co-chaperone complexes

Tah1 helix-swap dimerization prevents mixed Hsp90 co-chaperone complexes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morgan, Rhodri M. L.; Pal, Mohinder; Roe, S. Mark; Pearl, Laurence H., E-mail: laurence.pearl@sussex.ac.uk; Prodromou, Chrisostomos, E-mail: laurence.pearl@sussex.ac.uk [University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9RQ (United Kingdom)

2015-05-01

A helix swap involving the fifth helix between two adjacently bound Tah1 molecules restores the normal binding environment of the conserved MEEVD peptide of Hsp90. Dimerization also explains how other monomeric TPR-domain proteins are excluded from forming inappropriate mixed co-chaperone complexes with Hsp90 and Tah1. Specific co-chaperone adaptors facilitate the recruitment of client proteins to the Hsp90 system. Tah1 binds the C-terminal conserved MEEVD motif of Hsp90, thus linking an eclectic set of client proteins to the R2TP complex for their assembly and regulation by Hsp90. Rather than the normal complement of seven α-helices seen in other tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domains, Tah1 unusually consists of the first five only. Consequently, the methionine of the MEEVD peptide remains exposed to solvent when bound by Tah1. In solution Tah1 appears to be predominantly monomeric, and recent structures have failed to explain how Tah1 appears to prevent the formation of mixed TPR domain-containing complexes such as Cpr6–(Hsp90){sub 2}–Tah1. To understand this further, the crystal structure of Tah1 in complex with the MEEVD peptide of Hsp90 was determined, which shows a helix swap involving the fifth α-helix between two adjacently bound Tah1 molecules. Dimerization of Tah1 restores the normal binding environment of the bound Hsp90 methionine residue by reconstituting a TPR binding site similar to that in seven-helix-containing TPR domain proteins. Dimerization also explains how other monomeric TPR-domain proteins are excluded from forming inappropriate mixed co-chaperone complexes.

Fluorophores, environments, and quantification techniques in the analysis of transmembrane helix interaction using FRET.

Science.gov (United States)

Khadria, Ambalika S; Senes, Alessandro

2015-07-01

Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) has been widely used as a spectroscopic tool in vitro to study the interactions between transmembrane (TM) helices in detergent and lipid environments. This technique has been instrumental to many studies that have greatly contributed to quantitative understanding of the physical principles that govern helix-helix interactions in the membrane. These studies have also improved our understanding of the biological role of oligomerization in membrane proteins. In this review, we focus on the combinations of fluorophores used, the membrane mimetic environments, and measurement techniques that have been applied to study model systems as well as biological oligomeric complexes in vitro. We highlight the different formalisms used to calculate FRET efficiency and the challenges associated with accurate quantification. The goal is to provide the reader with a comparative summary of the relevant literature for planning and designing FRET experiments aimed at measuring TM helix-helix associations. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Transcriptome-based characterization of interactions between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus in lactose-grown chemostat cocultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendes, Filipa; Sieuwerts, Sander; de Hulster, Erik; Almering, Marinka J H; Luttik, Marijke A H; Pronk, Jack T; Smid, Eddy J; Bron, Peter A; Daran-Lapujade, Pascale

2013-10-01

Mixed populations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts and lactic acid bacteria occur in many dairy, food, and beverage fermentations, but knowledge about their interactions is incomplete. In the present study, interactions between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, two microorganisms that co-occur in kefir fermentations, were studied during anaerobic growth on lactose. By combining physiological and transcriptome analysis of the two strains in the cocultures, five mechanisms of interaction were identified. (i) Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus hydrolyzes lactose, which cannot be metabolized by S. cerevisiae, to galactose and glucose. Subsequently, galactose, which cannot be metabolized by Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, is excreted and provides a carbon source for yeast. (ii) In pure cultures, Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus grows only in the presence of increased CO2 concentrations. In anaerobic mixed cultures, the yeast provides this CO2 via alcoholic fermentation. (iii) Analysis of amino acid consumption from the defined medium indicated that S. cerevisiae supplied alanine to the bacterium. (iv) A mild but significant low-iron response in the yeast transcriptome, identified by DNA microarray analysis, was consistent with the chelation of iron by the lactate produced by Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. (v) Transcriptome analysis of Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus in mixed cultures showed an overrepresentation of transcripts involved in lipid metabolism, suggesting either a competition of the two microorganisms for fatty acids or a response to the ethanol produced by S. cerevisiae. This study demonstrates that chemostat-based transcriptome analysis is a powerful tool to investigate microbial interactions in mixed populations.

Interactions between an alpha-helix and a beta-sheet. Energetics of alpha/beta packing in proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Chou, K C; Némethy, G; Rumsey, S; Tuttle, R W; Scheraga, H A

1985-12-05

Conformational energy computations have been carried out to determine the favorable ways of packing a right-handed alpha-helix on a right-twisted antiparallel or parallel beta-sheet. Co-ordinate transformations have been developed to relate the position and orientation of the alpha-helix to the beta-sheet. The packing was investigated for a CH3CO-(L-Ala)16-NHCH3 alpha-helix interacting with five-stranded beta-sheets composed of CH3CO-(L-Val)6-NHCH3 chains. All internal and external variables for both the alpha-helix and the beta-sheet were allowed to change during energy minimization. Four distinct classes of low-energy packing arrangements were found for the alpha-helix interacting with both the parallel and the anti-parallel beta-sheet. The classes differ in the orientation of the axis of the alpha-helix relative to the direction of the strands of the right-twisted beta-sheet. In the class with the most favorable arrangement, the alpha-helix is oriented along the strands of the beta-sheet, as a result of attractive non-bonded side-chain-side-chain interactions along the entire length of the alpha-helix. A class with nearly perpendicular orientation of the helix axis to the strands is also of low energy, because it allows similarly extensive attractive interactions. In the other two classes, the helix is oriented diagonally relative to the strands of the beta-sheet. In one of them, it interacts with the convex surface near the middle of the saddle-shaped twisted beta-sheet. In the other, it is oriented along the concave diagonal of the beta-sheet and, therefore, it interacts only with the corner regions of the sheet, so that this packing is energetically less favorable. The packing arrangements involving an antiparallel and a parallel beta-sheet are generally similar, although the antiparallel beta-sheet has been found to be more flexible. The major features of 163 observed alpha/beta packing arrangements in 37 proteins are accounted for in terms of the computed

Biological Control to Protect Watermelon Blossoms and Seed from Infection by Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli.

Science.gov (United States)

Fessehaie, A; Walcott, R R

2005-04-01

ABSTRACT The efficacy of biological control seed treatments with Pseudomonas fluorescens (A506), Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae (AAA 99-2), and an unidentified gram-positive bacterium recovered from watermelon seed (WS-1) was evaluated for the management of bacterial fruit blotch (BFB) of watermelon. In growth chamber and greenhouse experiments, seed treated with AAA 99-2 displayed superior disease suppression, reducing BFB transmission by 96.5%. AAA 99-2, P. fluorescens A506, and Kocide also suppressed the epiphytic growth of A. avenae subsp. citrulli when applied to attached watermelon blossoms 5 h prior to inoculation. Watermelon blossom protection reduced seed infestation by A. avenae subsp. citrulli. From blossoms treated with 0.1 M phosphate buffered saline (PBS), 63% of the resulting seed lots were infested with A. avenae subsp. citrulli. In contrast, for blossoms protected with WS-1, Kocide, P. fluorescens A506, and AAA 99-2, the proportion of infested seed lots were 48.3, 21.1, 24.1, and 13.8%, respectively. The effect of blossom treatments on seed lot infestation was statistically significant (P = 0.001) but WS-1 was not significantly different from PBS. These findings suggest that blossom protection with biological control agents could be a feasible option for managing BFB.

Gate-controlled switching between persistent and inverse persistent spin helix states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshizumi, K.; Sasaki, A.; Kohda, M.; Nitta, J.

2016-01-01

We demonstrate gate-controlled switching between persistent spin helix (PSH) state and inverse PSH state, which are detected by quantum interference effect on magneto-conductance. These special symmetric spin states showing weak localization effect give rise to a long spin coherence when the strength of Rashba spin-orbit interaction (SOI) is close to that of Dresselhaus SOI. Furthermore, in the middle of two persistent spin helix states, where the Rashba SOI can be negligible, the bulk Dresselhaus SOI parameter in a modulation doped InGaAs/InAlAs quantum well is determined.

Gate-controlled switching between persistent and inverse persistent spin helix states

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoshizumi, K.; Sasaki, A.; Kohda, M.; Nitta, J. [Department of Materials Science, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan)

2016-03-28

We demonstrate gate-controlled switching between persistent spin helix (PSH) state and inverse PSH state, which are detected by quantum interference effect on magneto-conductance. These special symmetric spin states showing weak localization effect give rise to a long spin coherence when the strength of Rashba spin-orbit interaction (SOI) is close to that of Dresselhaus SOI. Furthermore, in the middle of two persistent spin helix states, where the Rashba SOI can be negligible, the bulk Dresselhaus SOI parameter in a modulation doped InGaAs/InAlAs quantum well is determined.

The Quadruple Helix Model Enhancing Innovative Performance Of Indonesian Creative Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sri Wahyu Lelly Hana Setyanti

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The creative industry in Indonesia has contributed positively to the national economic growth. Creative industry grows from the creativity and innovation performance of the business actors. The challenge of creative industry is how to completely understand the creative and innovative processes in business management. Therefore it requires an approach that combines the synergy between academicians entrepreneurs government and society in a quadruple helix model. The objective of this research is to develop a creativity model through a quadruple helix model in improving innovation performance of the creative industry.

Design and synthesis of DNA four-helix bundles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rangnekar, Abhijit; Gothelf, Kurt V [Department of Chemistry, Centre for DNA Nanotechnology (CDNA) and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C (Denmark); LaBean, Thomas H, E-mail: kvg@chem.au.dk, E-mail: thl@cs.duke.edu [Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 (United States)

2011-06-10

The field of DNA nanotechnology has evolved significantly in the past decade. Researchers have succeeded in synthesizing tile-based structures and using them to form periodic lattices in one, two and three dimensions. Origami-based structures have also been used to create nanoscale structures in two and three dimensions. Design and construction of DNA bundles with fixed circumference has added a new dimension to the field. Here we report the design and synthesis of a DNA four-helix bundle. It was found to be extremely rigid and stable. When several such bundles were assembled using appropriate sticky-ends, they formed micrometre-long filaments. However, when creation of two-dimensional sheet-like arrays of the four-helix bundles was attempted, nanoscale rings were observed instead. The exact reason behind the nanoring formation is yet to be ascertained, but it provides an exciting prospect for making programmable circular nanostructures using DNA.

Design and synthesis of DNA four-helix bundles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rangnekar, Abhijit; Gothelf, Kurt V; LaBean, Thomas H

2011-01-01

The field of DNA nanotechnology has evolved significantly in the past decade. Researchers have succeeded in synthesizing tile-based structures and using them to form periodic lattices in one, two and three dimensions. Origami-based structures have also been used to create nanoscale structures in two and three dimensions. Design and construction of DNA bundles with fixed circumference has added a new dimension to the field. Here we report the design and synthesis of a DNA four-helix bundle. It was found to be extremely rigid and stable. When several such bundles were assembled using appropriate sticky-ends, they formed micrometre-long filaments. However, when creation of two-dimensional sheet-like arrays of the four-helix bundles was attempted, nanoscale rings were observed instead. The exact reason behind the nanoring formation is yet to be ascertained, but it provides an exciting prospect for making programmable circular nanostructures using DNA.

Design, synthesis, and evaluation of an alpha-helix mimetic library targeting protein-protein interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaginian, Alex; Whitby, Landon R; Hong, Sukwon; Hwang, Inkyu; Farooqi, Bilal; Searcey, Mark; Chen, Jiandong; Vogt, Peter K; Boger, Dale L

2009-04-22

The design and solution-phase synthesis of an alpha-helix mimetic library as an integral component of a small-molecule library targeting protein-protein interactions are described. The iterative design, synthesis, and evaluation of the candidate alpha-helix mimetic was initiated from a precedented triaryl template and refined by screening the designs for inhibition of MDM2/p53 binding. Upon identifying a chemically and biologically satisfactory design and consistent with the screening capabilities of academic collaborators, the corresponding complete library was assembled as 400 mixtures of 20 compounds (20 x 20 x 20-mix), where the added subunits are designed to mimic all possible permutations of the naturally occurring i, i + 4, i + 7 amino acid side chains of an alpha-helix. The library (8000 compounds) was prepared using a solution-phase synthetic protocol enlisting acid/base liquid-liquid extractions for purification on a scale that insures its long-term availability for screening campaigns. Screening of the library for inhibition of MDM2/p53 binding not only identified the lead alpha-helix mimetic upon which the library was based, but also suggests that a digestion of the initial screening results that accompany the use of such a comprehensive library can provide insights into the nature of the interaction (e.g., an alpha-helix mediated protein-protein interaction) and define the key residues and their characteristics responsible for recognition.

Knowledge on Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra with emphasis on its ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Knowledge on Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra with emphasis on its importance as a non-timber forest product in South and southern Africa: a summary: part 2: commercial use, tenure and policy, domestication, intellectual property rights and benefit-sharing: review paper.

pH-jump induced α-helix folding of poly-L-glutamic acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donten, Mateusz L.; Hamm, Peter

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► pH-jump as truly biomimetic tool to initiate non-equilibrium dynamics of biomolecules. ► Design criteria to widen the applicability of pH-jumps are developed. ► Folding of poly-L-Glu in dependence of starting pH, pH jump size and helix length. ► Length dependence provides strong evidence for a nucleation–propagation scenario. - Abstract: pH jumps are a truly biomimetic technique to initiate non-equilibrium dynamics of biomolecules. In this work, the pH jump induced α-helix folding of poly-L-glutamic acid is investigated upon proton release from o-nitrobenzaldehyde. The aim of this work is twofold: On the one hand, design criteria of pH jump experiments are discussed, on the other hand, the folding mechanism of poly-L-glutamic acid is clarified by probing the IR response of the amide I band. Its folding kinetics is studied in dependence of the starting pD, the size of the pD jump and the length of the helix. While no dependence on the first two parameters could be detected, the folding time varies from 0.6 μs to 1.8 μs for helix lengths of 20 residue to 440 residue, respectively. It converges to a long-length limit at about 50 residue, a result which is attributed to a nucleation–propagation mechanism

Mechanism of death at high temperatures in Helix and Patella

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grainger, J N.R.

1975-10-01

In Patella vulgata and Helix aspersa which had been killed by exposure to high temperatures, the rates of oxygen consumption of gill, foot muscle and hepatopancreas are remarkably steady when measured at lower temperatures, although the absolute levels are in some cases different from normal animals. These tissues are thus substantially metabolically intact in heat dead individuals. In Helix there is a fall in blood sodium and a rise in blood potassium during heat death. In Patella there is a marked rise in blood Na/sup +/ and a consequent disturbance of the Na/sup +//K/sup +/ ratio. These ionic disturbances are thought to be a prime cause of heat death. The significance of the results is discussed.

Desulfovibrio oceani subsp. oceani sp. nov., subsp. nov. and Desulfovibrio oceani subsp. galateae subsp. nov., novel sulfate-reducing bacteria isolated from the oxygen minimum zone off the coast of Peru.

Science.gov (United States)

Finster, Kai W; Kjeldsen, Kasper U

2010-03-01

Two deltaproteobacterial sulfate reducers, designated strain I.8.1(T) and I.9.1(T), were isolated from the oxygen minimum zone water column off the coast of Peru at 400 and 500 m water depth. The strains were Gram-negative, vibrio-shaped and motile. Both strains were psychrotolerant, grew optimally at 20 degrees C at pH 7.0-8.0 and at 2.5-3.5% NaCl (w/v). The strains grew by utilizing hydrogen/acetate, C(3-4) fatty acids, amino acids and glycerol as electron acceptors for sulfate reduction. Fumarate, lactate and pyruvate supported fermentative growth. Sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate and taurin supported growth as electron acceptors. Both strains were catalase-positive and highly oxygen-tolerant, surviving 24 days of exposure to atmospheric concentrations. MK6 was the only respiratory quinone. The most prominent cellular fatty acid was iso-17:1-omega9c (18%) for strain I.8.1(T) and iso-17:0-omega9c (14%) for strain I.9.1(T). The G+C contents of their genomic DNA were 45-46 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and dsrAB gene sequences showed that both strains belong to the genus Desulfovibrio. Desulfovibrio acrylicus DSM 10141(T) and Desulfovibrio marinisediminis JCM 14577(T) represented their closest validly described relatives with pairwise 16S rRNA gene sequence identities of 98-99%. The level of DNA-DNA hybridization between strains I.8.1(T) and I.9.1(T) was 30-38%. The two strains shared 10-26% DNA-DNA relatedness with D. acrylicus. Based on a polyphasic investigation it is proposed that strains I.8.1(T) and I.9.1(T) represent a novel species for which the name Desulfovibrio oceani sp. nov. is proposed with the two subspecies D. oceani subsp. oceani (type strain, I.8.1(T) = DSM 21390(T) = JCM 15970(T)) and D. oceani subsp. galateae (type strain, I.9.1(T) = DSM 21391(T) = JCM 15971(T)).

The morphological and anatomical studies on endemic crocus biflorus miller subsp. Pulchricolor (herbert) mathew (iridaceae) in turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akyol, Y.

2014-01-01

In this study, the morphological and anatomical characteristics of Crocus biflorus subsp. pulchricolor (Iridaceae)were investigated. The subsp. pulchricolor has, 4 leaves, 1 mm broad, bracts drying brownish. these properties are characteristics of these plants. In anatomical studies, cross-sections of the root, stem and leaves were examined. These parts photographed and compared with the other crocus and Iridaceae family species. (author)

Nucleotide sequence, organization and expression of rdgA and rdgB genes that regulate pectin lyase production in the plant pathogenic bacterium Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora in response to DNA-damaging agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Y; Chatterjee, A; Chatterjee, A K

1994-12-01

In most soft-rotting Erwinia spp., including E. carotovora subsp. carotovora strain 71 (Ecc71), production of the plant cell wall degrading enzyme pectin lyase (Pnl) is activated by DNA-damaging agents such as mitomycin C (MC). Induction of Pnl production in Ecc71 requires a functional recA gene and the rdg locus. DNA sequencing and RNA analyses revealed that the rdg locus contains two regulatory genes, rdgA and rdgB, in separate transcriptional units. There is high homology between RdgA and repressors of lambdoid phages, specially phi 80. RdgB, however, has significant homology with transcriptional activators of Mu phage. Both RdgA and RdgB are also predicted to possess helix-turn-helix motifs. By replacing the rdgB promoter with the IPTG-inducible tac promoter, we have determined that rdgB by itself can activate Pnl production in Escherichia coli. However, deletion analysis of rdg+ DNA indicated that, when driven by their native promoters, functions of both rdgA and rdgB are required for the induction of pnlA expression by MC treatment. While rdgB transcription occurs only after MC treatment, a substantial level of rdgA mRNA is detected in the absence of MC treatment. Moreover, upon induction with MC, a new rdgA mRNA species, initiated from a different start site, is produced at a high level. Thus, the two closely linked rdgA and rdgB genes, required for the regulation of Pnl production, are expressed differently in Ecc71.

Ab initio theory of helix <-> coil phase transition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yakubovich, Alexander V.; Solov'yov, Ilia; Solov'yov, Andrey V.

2008-01-01

In this paper, we suggest a theoretical method based on the statistical mechanics for treating the alpha-helix <-> random coil transition in alanine polypeptides. We consider this process as a first-order phase transition and develop a theory which is free of model parameters and is based solely ...

Reclassification of Lactobacillus kefirgranum Takizawa et al. 1994 as Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens subsp. kefirgranum subsp. nov. and emended description of L. kefiranofaciens Fujisawa et al. 1988.

Science.gov (United States)

Vancanneyt, M; Mengaud, J; Cleenwerck, I; Vanhonacker, K; Hoste, B; Dawyndt, P; Degivry, M C; Ringuet, D; Janssens, D; Swings, J

2004-03-01

Fourteen homofermentative lactic acid bacteria that were isolated from kefir grains and kefir fermented milks were assigned to either Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens or Lactobacillus kefirgranum, based on their characteristic morphotypes, phenotypic features and SDS-PAGE profiles of whole-cell proteins. Further genotypic analyses on representative strains from both taxa demonstrated that L. kefiranofaciens and L. kefirgranum share 100 % 16S rDNA sequence similarity and belong phylogenetically to the Lactobacillus acidophilus species group. DNA-DNA binding values of >79 % and analogous DNA G+C contents of 37-38 mol% showed that the strains studied belonged to one species: L. kefirgranum is a later synonym of L. kefiranofaciens. An emended description is proposed for L. kefiranofaciens. Due to the specific morphological and biochemical characteristics of these taxa in kefir grain formation, it is proposed that L. kefirgranum should be reclassified as L. kefiranofaciens subsp. kefirgranum subsp. nov.

Complete genome and comparative analysis of Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus, an emerging pathogen of infective endocarditis

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Dreier Jens

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus is an important causative agent of infectious endocarditis, while the pathogenicity of this species is widely unclear. To gain insight into the pathomechanisms and the underlying genetic elements for lateral gene transfer, we sequenced the entire genome of this pathogen. Results We sequenced the whole genome of S. gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus strain ATCC BAA-2069, consisting of a 2,356,444 bp circular DNA molecule with a G+C-content of 37.65% and a novel 20,765 bp plasmid designated as pSGG1. Bioinformatic analysis predicted 2,309 ORFs and the presence of 80 tRNAs and 21 rRNAs in the chromosome. Furthermore, 21 ORFs were detected on the plasmid pSGG1, including tetracycline resistance genes telL and tet(O/W/32/O. Screening of 41 S. gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus isolates revealed one plasmid (pSGG2 homologous to pSGG1. We further predicted 21 surface proteins containing the cell wall-sorting motif LPxTG, which were shown to play a functional role in the adhesion of bacteria to host cells. In addition, we performed a whole genome comparison to the recently sequenced S. gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus strain UCN34, revealing significant differences. Conclusions The analysis of the whole genome sequence of S. gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus promotes understanding of genetic factors concerning the pathogenesis and adhesion to ECM of this pathogen. For the first time we detected the presence of the mobilizable pSGG1 plasmid, which may play a functional role in lateral gene transfer and promote a selective advantage due to a tetracycline resistance.

Flowering plants of Hedera helix L. in the Grunwald district of the city of Poznań

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Stanisława Korszun

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In the period from September 2008 to July 2009 in the Grunwald district in the city of Poznań, Poland, a total of 609 localities of flowering English ivy were recorded, for which 769 plants were described. These plants were found in different localities, most of them euhemerobic. The biggest number of flowering specimens was recorded in home gardens. Support for climbing plants was mainly provided by trees and shrubs, including fruit trees – pear and apple trees. Among the other tree species, the biggest group comprises Scots pine, common birch, European larch and common locust. Other types of supports included fences, buildings and elements of small architecture. A very high number of specimens in the generative stage in the Grunwald district indicates considerable popularity and at the same time very good adaptation of ivy not only to the climatic conditions of the city of Poznań, but also to anthropogenic changes in the habitat.

Factors Affecting Exocellular Polysaccharide Production by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus Grown in a Chemically Defined Medium†

Science.gov (United States)

Petry, Sandrine; Furlan, Sylviane; Crepeau, Marie-Jeanne; Cerning, Jutta; Desmazeaud, Michel

2000-01-01

We developed a chemically defined medium (CDM) containing lactose or glucose as the carbon source that supports growth and exopolysaccharide (EPS) production of two strains of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. The factors found to affect EPS production in this medium were oxygen, pH, temperature, and medium constituents, such as orotic acid and the carbon source. EPS production was greatest during the stationary phase. Composition analysis of EPS isolated at different growth phases and produced under different fermentation conditions (varying carbon source or pH) revealed that the component sugars were the same. The EPS from strain L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CNRZ 1187 contained galactose and glucose, and that of strain L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CNRZ 416 contained galactose, glucose, and rhamnose. However, the relative proportions of the individual monosaccharides differed, suggesting that repeating unit structures can vary according to specific medium alterations. Under pH-controlled fermentation conditions, L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strains produced as much EPS in the CDM as in milk. Furthermore, the relative proportions of individual monosaccharides of EPS produced in pH-controlled CDM or in milk were very similar. The CDM we developed may be a useful model and an alternative to milk in studies of EPS production. PMID:10919802

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection, immunology and pathology of livestock

Science.gov (United States)

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection in ruminants leads to a chronic and progressive enteric disease (Johne’s disease) that results in loss of intestinal function, poor body condition, and eventual death. Transmission is primarily through a fecal-oral route in neonates but con...

Fitness and its variation among populations of Acacia tortilis subsp ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Therefore, this study aims to determine if A. tortilis subsp. raddiana populations suffer reduced fitness and its correlation or association with genetic diversity and mating parameters. Correlations and association between fitness, population size, genetic variation, and mating system parameters were tested using Spearman ...

De novo design, synthesis and characterisation of MP3, a new catalytic four-helix bundle hemeprotein.

Science.gov (United States)

Faiella, Marina; Maglio, Ornella; Nastri, Flavia; Lombardi, Angela; Lista, Liliana; Hagen, Wilfred R; Pavone, Vincenzo

2012-12-07

A new artificial metalloenzyme, MP3 (MiniPeroxidase 3), designed by combining the excellent structural properties of four-helix bundle protein scaffolds with the activity of natural peroxidases, was synthesised and characterised. This new hemeprotein model was developed by covalently linking the deuteroporphyrin to two peptide chains of different compositions to obtain an asymmetric helix-loop-helix/heme/helix-loop-helix sandwich arrangement, characterised by 1) a His residue on one chain that acts as an axial ligand to the iron ion; 2) a vacant distal site that is able to accommodate exogenous ligands or substrates; and 3) an Arg residue in the distal site that should assist in hydrogen peroxide activation to give an HRP-like catalytic process. MP3 was synthesised and characterised as its iron complex. CD measurements revealed the high helix-forming propensity of the peptide, confirming the appropriateness of the model procedure; UV/Vis, MCD and EPR experiments gave insights into the coordination geometry and the spin state of the metal. Kinetic experiments showed that Fe(III)-MP3 possesses peroxidase-like activity comparable to R38A-hHRP, highlighting the possibility of mimicking the functional features of natural enzymes. The synergistic application of de novo design methods, synthetic procedures, and spectroscopic characterisation, described herein, demonstrates a method by which to implement and optimise catalytic activity for an enzyme mimetic. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Structural plasticity of the N-terminal capping helix of the TPR domain of kinesin light chain.

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The Quyen Nguyen

Full Text Available Kinesin1 plays a major role in neuronal transport by recruiting many different cargos through its kinesin light chain (KLC. Various structurally unrelated cargos interact with the conserved tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR domain of KLC. The N-terminal capping helix of the TPR domain exhibits an atypical sequence and structural features that may contribute to the versatility of the TPR domain to bind different cargos. We determined crystal structures of the TPR domain of both KLC1 and KLC2 encompassing the N-terminal capping helix and show that this helix exhibits two distinct and defined orientations relative to the rest of the TPR domain. Such a difference in orientation gives rise, at the N-terminal part of the groove, to the formation of one hydrophobic pocket, as well as to electrostatic variations at the groove surface. We present a comprehensive structural analysis of available KLC1/2-TPR domain structures that highlights that ligand binding into the groove can be specific of one or the other N-terminal capping helix orientations. Further, structural analysis reveals that the N-terminal capping helix is always involved in crystal packing contacts, especially in a TPR1:TPR1' contact which highlights its propensity to be a protein-protein interaction site. Together, these results underline that the structural plasticity of the N-terminal capping helix might represent a structural determinant for TPR domain structural versatility in cargo binding.

Biological control of Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida infection in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) using Aeromonas phage PAS-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, J H; Choresca, C H; Shin, S P; Han, J E; Jun, J W; Park, S C

2015-02-01

The potential control efficacy of Aeromonas phage PAS-1 was evaluated against Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida infection in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) model in this study. The phage was co-cultured with the virulent A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida strain AS05 that possesses the type III secretion system (TTSS) ascV gene, and efficient bacteriolytic activity was observed against the bacteria. The administration of PAS-1 in rainbow trout demonstrated that the phage was cleared from the fish within 200 h post-administration, and a temporal neutralizing activity against the phage was detected in the sera of phage-administrated fish. The administration of PAS-1 (multiplicity of infection: 10 000) in A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida infected rainbow trout model showed notable protective effects, with increased survival rates and mean times to death. These results demonstrated that Aeromonas phage PAS-1 could be considered as an alternative biological control agent against A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida infections in rainbow trout culture. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Geography of Genetic Structure in Barley Wild Relative Hordeum vulgare subsp. spontaneum in Jordan.

Science.gov (United States)

Thormann, Imke; Reeves, Patrick; Reilley, Ann; Engels, Johannes M M; Lohwasser, Ulrike; Börner, Andreas; Pillen, Klaus; Richards, Christopher M

2016-01-01

Informed collecting, conservation, monitoring and utilization of genetic diversity requires knowledge of the distribution and structure of the variation occurring in a species. Hordeum vulgare subsp. spontaneum (K. Koch) Thell., a primary wild relative of barley, is an important source of genetic diversity for barley improvement and co-occurs with the domesticate within the center of origin. We studied the current distribution of genetic diversity and population structure in H. vulgare subsp. spontaneum in Jordan and investigated whether it is correlated with either spatial or climatic variation inferred from publically available climate layers commonly used in conservation and ecogeographical studies. The genetic structure of 32 populations collected in 2012 was analyzed with 37 SSRs. Three distinct genetic clusters were identified. Populations were characterized by admixture and high allelic richness, and genetic diversity was concentrated in the northern part of the study area. Genetic structure, spatial location and climate were not correlated. This may point out a limitation in using large scale climatic data layers to predict genetic diversity, especially as it is applied to regional genetic resources collections in H. vulgare subsp. spontaneum.

Espeletia pycnophylla subsp. angelensis, el ángel del norte

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Rodríguez Rebeca

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Espeletia pycnophylla subsp. angelensis es una subespecie del género Espeletia, comúnmente conocido como frailejón, nativo de Ecuador y Colombia. Uno de sus asentamientos primarios es la Reserva Ecológica El Ángel. Al ser miembro de los frailejones domina el páramo de la reserva, y ayuda a cumplir su función esencial: captar y distribuir el agua hacia tierras bajas. Además, posee ventajas adaptativas que le permiten soportar los climas extremos del páramo, así como una alta especificidad en la altura en donde crece. Los estudios realizados sobre esta especie muestran que los frailejones son un ecosistema en sí mismos. En especial, recientes investigaciones los identifican como hogar de varias especies de artrópodos. Espeletia pycnophylla subsp. angelensis sufre varias amenazas relacionados con alteraciones en el clima de su hábitat, y es de vital importancia un plan de acción para protegerlo, así como también a su hábitat.

Controlling chirality with helix inversion in cholesteric liquid crystals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Katsonis, Nathalie Hélène; Lacaze, E.; Ferrarini, A.

2012-01-01

The helical organization of cholesteric liquid crystals is omnipresent in living matter. Achieving control over the structure of the cholesteric helix consequently holds great potential for developing stimuli-responsive materials matching the level of sophistication of biological systems. In

Equilibrium shift in solution: molecular shape recognition and precipitation of a synthetic double helix using helicene-grafted silica nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyagawa, Masamichi; Ichinose, Wataru; Yamaguchi, Masahiko

2014-01-27

Chiral silica nanoparticles (70 nm) grafted with (P)-helicene recognized the molecular shape of double helix and random coil (P)-ethynylhelicene oligomers in solution. A mixture of the (P)-nanoparticles and double helix precipitated much faster than a mixture of the (P)-nanoparticles and random coil, and the precipitate contained only the double helix. The mixture of the (P)-nanoparticles and (P)-ethynylhelicene pentamer reversibly dispersed in trifluoromethylbenzene upon heating at 70 °C and precipitated upon cooling at 25 °C. When a 10:90 equilibrium mixture of the double helix and random coil in solution was treated with the (P)-nanoparticles, the double helix was precipitated in 53% yield and was accompanied by equilibrium shift. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Classification and evolutionary analysis of the basic helix-loop-helix gene family in the green anole lizard, Anolis carolinensis.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ake; Wang, Yong; Zhang, Debao; Wang, Xuhua; Song, Huifang; Dang, Chunwang; Yao, Qin; Chen, Keping

2013-08-01

Helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins play essential regulatory roles in a variety of biological processes. These highly conserved proteins form a large transcription factor superfamily, and are commonly identified in large numbers within animal, plant, and fungal genomes. The bHLH domain has been well studied in many animal species, but has not yet been characterized in non-avian reptiles. In this study, we identified 102 putative bHLH genes in the genome of the green anole lizard, Anolis carolinensis. Based on phylogenetic analysis, these genes were classified into 43 families, with 43, 24, 16, 3, 10, and 3 members assigned into groups A, B, C, D, E, and F, respectively, and 3 members categorized as "orphans". Within-group evolutionary relationships inferred from the phylogenetic analysis were consistent with highly conserved patterns observed for introns and additional domains. Results from phylogenetic analysis of the H/E(spl) family suggest that genome and tandem gene duplications have contributed to this family's expansion. Our classification and evolutionary analysis has provided insights into the evolutionary diversification of animal bHLH genes, and should aid future studies on bHLH protein regulation of key growth and developmental processes.

Derivation of Mutants of Erwinia carotovora subsp. betavasculorum Deficient in Export of Pectolytic Enzymes with Potential for Biological Control of Potato Soft Rot

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, José M.; Loper, Joyce E.

1994-01-01

Erwinia carotovora subsp. betavasculorum Ecb168 produces an antibiotic(s) that suppresses growth of the related bacterium Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora in culture and in wounds of potato tubers. Strain Ecb168 also produces and secretes pectolytic enzymes and causes a vascular necrosis and root rot of sugar beet. Genes (out) involved in secretion of pectolytic enzymes by Ecb168 were localized to two HindIII fragments (8.5 and 10.5 kb) of Ecb168 genomic DNA by hybridization to the cloned out region of E. carotovora subsp. carotovora and by complementation of Out- mutants of E. carotovora subsp. carotovora. Out- mutants of Ecb168, which did not secrete pectate lyase into the culture medium, were obtained when deletions internal to either HindIII fragment were introduced into the genome of Ecb168 through marker exchange mutagenesis. Out- mutants of Ecb168 were complemented to the Out+ phenotype by introduction of the corresponding cloned HindIII fragment. Out- mutants of Ecb168 were less virulent than the Out+ parental strain on potato tubers. Strain Ecb168 and Out- derivatives inhibited the growth of E. carotovora subsp. carotovora in culture, indicating that the uncharacterized antibiotic(s) responsible for antagonism was exported through an out-independent mechanism. Strain Ecb168 and Out- derivatives reduced the establishment of large populations of E. carotovora subsp. carotovora in wounds of potato tubers and suppressed tuber soft rot caused by E. carotovora subsp. carotovora. PMID:16349316

Phylogeny, Functional Annotation, and Protein Interaction Network Analyses of the Xenopus tropicalis Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors

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Wuyi Liu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The previous survey identified 70 basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH proteins, but it was proved to be incomplete, and the functional information and regulatory networks of frog bHLH transcription factors were not fully known. Therefore, we conducted an updated genome-wide survey in the Xenopus tropicalis genome project databases and identified 105 bHLH sequences. Among the retrieved 105 sequences, phylogenetic analyses revealed that 103 bHLH proteins belonged to 43 families or subfamilies with 46, 26, 11, 3, 15, and 4 members in the corresponding supergroups. Next, gene ontology (GO enrichment analyses showed 65 significant GO annotations of biological processes and molecular functions and KEGG pathways counted in frequency. To explore the functional pathways, regulatory gene networks, and/or related gene groups coding for Xenopus tropicalis bHLH proteins, the identified bHLH genes were put into the databases KOBAS and STRING to get the signaling information of pathways and protein interaction networks according to available public databases and known protein interactions. From the genome annotation and pathway analysis using KOBAS, we identified 16 pathways in the Xenopus tropicalis genome. From the STRING interaction analysis, 68 hub proteins were identified, and many hub proteins created a tight network or a functional module within the protein families.

Observation of helix associations for insertion of a retinal molecule and distortions of helix structures in bacteriorhodopsin

Science.gov (United States)

Urano, Ryo; Okamoto, Yuko

2015-12-01

We applied a newly proposed prediction method for membrane protein structures to bacteriorhodopsin that has distorted transmembrane helices in the native structure. This method uses an implicit membrane model, which restricts sampling space during folding in a membrane region, and includes helix bending. Replica-exchange simulations were performed with seven transmembrane helices only without a retinal molecule. Obtained structures were classified into clusters of similar structures, which correspond to local-minimum free energy states. The two lowest free energy states corresponded to a native-like structure with the correct empty space for retinal and a structure with this empty space filled with a helix. Previous experiments of bacteriorhodopsin suggested that association of transmembrane helices enables them to make a room for insertion of a retinal. Our results are consistent with these results. Moreover, distortions of helices in the native-like structures were successfully reproduced. In the distortions, whereas the locations of kinks for all helices were similar to those of Protein Data Bank's data, the amount of bends was more similar for helices away from the retinal than for those close to the retinal in the native structure. This suggests a hypothesis that the amino-acid sequence specifies the location of kinks in transmembrane helices and that the amount of distortions depends on the interactions with the surrounding molecules such as neighboring helices, lipids, and retinal.

Perlakuan Panas Kering dan Bakterisida untuk Menekan Infeksi Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii pada Benih Jagung Manis

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Suswi Nalis

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Stewart’s Wilt is an important bacterial disease of sweet corn caused by Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii (synonim Erwinia stewartii. This bacteria is a seed transmitted pathogen therefore seed treatment is one method to control stewart’s wilt. The aim of this research was to study the effectiveness of dry heat, bactericide treatment, and their combinations to eliminate P. stewartii subsp. stewartii infection on sweet corn seed without damaging seed quality. The research was conducted in 3 experiments. Experiment I was conducted to determine the treatment window of dry heat and bactericide treatment. The treatment was carried out on sweet corn seed using the P. stewartii subsp. stewartii in vitro. Experiment II was conducted to study dry heat and bactericide treatment on sweet corn seed infested by P. stewartii subsp. stewartii. Experiment III was conducted to study combination of dry heat and bactericide treatment on sweet corn seed infested by P. stewartii subsp. stewartii. The results showed that dry heat treatment at 50 °C for 24 hours was able to eliminate pathogen populations in vitro but was unable to eliminate the 128 pathogen on infected seed (in vivo. Germination tests indicated that seed treatments with dry heat up to 55 °C did not decrease the germination level. The use of bactericide treatment in 100 ppm could reduce the population of bacteria on sweet corn seeds. Bactericide concentration of 150 and 200 ppm could decrease the population of bacteria on sweet corn seeds, however it could cause phytotoxic effect. The combination of bactericide (100 ppm, w/v with dry heat treatment (55 °C for 24 hours was able to eliminate bacteria on infected seed with seed germination above 85%.

Isolamento de esporos de Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae no Brasil Detectionof Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae spores in Brazil

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Dulce Maria Tocchetto Schuch

2003-03-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho objetivou detectar presença de esporos de Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae em produtos de um entreposto do interior do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, a identificação de possíveis fontes de contaminação e a avaliação da possibilidade da transferência de esporos para colméias de apiários adjacentes a partir de produtos importados contaminados. Foram analisados mel e pólen importados disponíveis no entreposto, favo do ninho (crias, pólen e mel colhido de uma colméia sadia, mel estocado em um dos apiários e abelhas adultas. Os resultados foram positivosem relação ao mel e pólen importados, a três grupos de abelhas adultas e ao mel do favo.The objective of this work was to detect the presence of Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae spores in products from a warehouse located in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, the identification of possible contamination sources, and the assessment of spores transference possibility from contaminated imported products from the warehouse to apiaries located in the surrounding area. Samples of imported pollen and bulk honey stocked in the warehouse, and honeycomb (brood, honey and pollen from a healthy hive, honey from one apiary and adult bees were analyzed. Imported honey and pollen, and three groups of adult bees and the honey collected from the honeycomb resulted positive.

Prospección y evaluación de especies con potencial de follaje para la elaboración de bouquets

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Gutiérrez Iveth Cristina

2007-06-01

Full Text Available

El presente trabajo incluyó labores de documentación, prospección, establecimiento, caracterización y evaluación de especies con potencial de follaje para uso en la industria de flor cortada. La fase de documentación se realizó en el Herbario Nacional de Colombia en donde se identificaron 88 especies; los departamentos de Cundinamarca, Antioquia, Valle del Cauca y Meta son las zonas con mayor número de especies referenciadas. En la fase de prospección se colectaron 105 especies, de las cuales se logró establecer en invernadero con éxito el 81%. Con las especies establecidas se realizaron tres evaluaciones para determinar el comportamiento de los tallos en cuarto frío, la vida en florero y el potencial de mercado. Las diferentes evaluaciones señalaron que Dianthus caryophyllus(var. Espiga, Coprosma kikiicu, Eucalipto sp.(var. Silver dolar, Euonymus japonicus L., Hedera madeirensis, Hedera helix (verde, Ligustrum lucidum, Fotinia serrulata, Protea grandiceps, Pyracantha coccinea y Rosmarinus oficcinalis son especies con potencial de follaje para su uso en bouquets por presentar tallos largos, erectos, firmes, forma atractiva, follaje denso, colores vistosos, brillo, consistencia en las hojas, buen comportamiento en cuarto frío, duración en florero y aceptación comercial.

A quantitative and direct PCR assay for the subspecies-specific detection of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis based on a ferredoxin reductase gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Min Seok; Lee, Jang Ha; Her, Nam Han; Kim, Changkug; Seol, Young-Joo; Hahn, Jang Ho; Baeg, Ji Hyoun; Kim, Hong Gi; Park, Dong Suk

2012-06-01

The Gram-positive bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis is the causal agent of canker disease in tomato. Because it is very important to control newly introduced inoculum sources from commercial materials, the specific detection of this pathogen in seeds and seedlings is essential for effective disease control. In this study, a novel and efficient assay for the detection and quantitation of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis in symptomless tomato and red pepper seeds was developed. A pair of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers (Cmm141F/R) was designed to amplify a specific 141 bp fragment on the basis of a ferredoxin reductase gene of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis NCPPB 382. The specificity of the primer set was evaluated using purified DNA from 16 isolates of five C. michiganensis subspecies, one other Clavibacter species, and 17 other reference bacteria. The primer set amplified a single band of expected size from the genomic DNA obtained from the C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis strains but not from the other C. michiganensis subspecies or from other Clavibacter species. The detection limit was a single cloned copy of the ferredoxin reductase gene of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis. In conclusion, this quantitative direct PCR assay can be applied as a practical diagnostic method for epidemiological research and the sanitary management of seeds and seedlings with a low level or latent infection of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis.

Self-assembled RNA-triple-helix hydrogel scaffold for microRNA modulation in the tumour microenvironment

Science.gov (United States)

Conde, João; Oliva, Nuria; Atilano, Mariana; Song, Hyun Seok; Artzi, Natalie

2016-03-01

The therapeutic potential of miRNA (miR) in cancer is limited by the lack of efficient delivery vehicles. Here, we show that a self-assembled dual-colour RNA-triple-helix structure comprising two miRNAs--a miR mimic (tumour suppressor miRNA) and an antagomiR (oncomiR inhibitor)--provides outstanding capability to synergistically abrogate tumours. Conjugation of RNA triple helices to dendrimers allows the formation of stable triplex nanoparticles, which form an RNA-triple-helix adhesive scaffold upon interaction with dextran aldehyde, the latter able to chemically interact and adhere to natural tissue amines in the tumour. We also show that the self-assembled RNA-triple-helix conjugates remain functional in vitro and in vivo, and that they lead to nearly 90% levels of tumour shrinkage two weeks post-gel implantation in a triple-negative breast cancer mouse model. Our findings suggest that the RNA-triple-helix hydrogels can be used as an efficient anticancer platform to locally modulate the expression of endogenous miRs in cancer.

Strong contributions from vertical triads to helix-partner preferences in parallel coiled coils.

Science.gov (United States)

Steinkruger, Jay D; Bartlett, Gail J; Woolfson, Derek N; Gellman, Samuel H

2012-09-26

Pairing preferences in heterodimeric coiled coils are determined by complementarities among side chains that pack against one another at the helix-helix interface. However, relationships between dimer stability and interfacial residue identity are not fully understood. In the context of the "knobs-into-holes" (KIH) packing pattern, one can identify two classes of interactions between side chains from different helices: "lateral", in which a line connecting the adjacent side chains is perpendicular to the helix axes, and "vertical", in which the connecting line is parallel to the helix axes. We have previously analyzed vertical interactions in antiparallel coiled coils and found that one type of triad constellation (a'-a-a') exerts a strong effect on pairing preferences, while the other type of triad (d'-d-d') has relatively little impact on pairing tendencies. Here, we ask whether vertical interactions (d'-a-d') influence pairing in parallel coiled-coil dimers. Our results indicate that vertical interactions can exert a substantial impact on pairing specificity, and that the influence of the d'-a-d' triad depends on the lateral a' contact within the local KIH motif. Structure-informed bioinformatic analyses of protein sequences reveal trends consistent with the thermodynamic data derived from our experimental model system in suggesting that heterotriads involving Leu and Ile are preferred over homotriads involving Leu and Ile.

Is the Evolution of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Linked to Restriction-Modification Systems?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roer, Louise; Hendriksen, Rene S.; Leekitcharoenphon, Pimlapas

2016-01-01

Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica bacteria are highly diverse foodborne pathogens that are subdivided into more than 1,500 serovars. The diversity is believed to result from mutational evolution, as well as intra- and interspecies recombination that potentially could be influenced by restriction...... to the conjugational mode of horizontal gene transfer in Salmonella. Thus, we conclude that other factors must be involved in shaping the evolution of bacteria.......-modification (RM) systems. The aim of this study was to investigate whether RM systems were linked to the evolution of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica. The study included 221 Salmonella enterica genomes, of which 68 were de novo sequenced and 153 were public available genomes from ENA. The data set covered 97...

What can triple helix frameworks offer to the analysis of eco-innovation dynamics? Theoretical and methodological considerations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, Yan; Holgaard, Jette Egelund; Remmen, Arne

2012-01-01

stakeholder groups are interacting in this connection. Taking the triple helix as the theoretical departure point, this paper discusses the opportunities offered by these triple helix frameworks for analyzing eco-innovation dynamics from both theoretical and practical perspectives. It adds to the debate about......Bringing environmental concerns into focus of innovation processes will in several cases also expand the numbers of actors involved. Eco-innovation and triple helix are often frameworks applied to analyse how environmental concerns are integrated in the innovation processes and how different...

Factors affecting survival of Clavibacter michiganesis subsp. sepedonicus in water

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wolf, van der J.M.; Beckhoven, van J.R.C.M.

2004-01-01

The survival of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus (Cms), the causal organism of bacterial ring rot in potato, was studied in water, to assess the risks for dissemination of Cms via surface water and infection of potato crops by irrigation. Cms was able to survive for a maximum period of 7

Living Labs as boundary-spanners between Triple Helix actors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Geenhuizen, M.S.

2016-01-01

Living labs are an increasingly popular methodology to enhance innovation. Living labs aim to span boundaries between different organizations, among others Triple helix actors, by acting as a network organization typically in a real-life environment to foster co-creation by user-groups. This paper

The Triple Helix Model and the Knowledge-Based Economy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leydesdorff, L.; Meyer, M.

2010-01-01

The Triple Helix model of university-industry-government relations can be generalized from a neo-institutional model of networks of relations to a neo-evolutionary model of how three selection environments operate upon one another. Two selection mechanisms operating upon each other can mutually

Role of amphipathic helix of a herpesviral protein in membrane deformation and T cell receptor downregulation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chan-Ki Min

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Lipid rafts are membrane microdomains that function as platforms for signal transduction and membrane trafficking. Tyrosine kinase interacting protein (Tip of T lymphotropic Herpesvirus saimiri (HVS is targeted to lipid rafts in T cells and downregulates TCR and CD4 surface expression. Here, we report that the membrane-proximal amphipathic helix preceding Tip's transmembrane (TM domain mediates lipid raft localization and membrane deformation. In turn, this motif directs Tip's lysosomal trafficking and selective TCR downregulation. The amphipathic helix binds to the negatively charged lipids and induces liposome tubulation, the TM domain mediates oligomerization, and cooperation of the membrane-proximal helix with the TM domain is sufficient for localization to lipid rafts and lysosomal compartments, especially the mutivesicular bodies. These findings suggest that the membrane-proximal amphipathic helix and TM domain provide HVS Tip with the unique ability to deform the cellular membranes in lipid rafts and to downregulate TCRs potentially through MVB formation.

A rare polyglycine type II-like helix motif in naturally occurring proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Warkentin, Eberhard; Weidenweber, Sina; Schühle, Karola; Demmer, Ulrike; Heider, Johann; Ermler, Ulrich

2017-11-01

Common structural elements in proteins such as α-helices or β-sheets are characterized by uniformly repeating, energetically favorable main chain conformations which additionally exhibit a completely saturated hydrogen-bonding network of the main chain NH and CO groups. Although polyproline or polyglycine type II helices (PP II or PG II ) are frequently found in proteins, they are not considered as equivalent secondary structure elements because they do not form a similar self-contained hydrogen-bonding network of the main chain atoms. In this context our finding of an unusual motif of glycine-rich PG II -like helices in the structure of the acetophenone carboxylase core complex is of relevance. These PG II -like helices form hexagonal bundles which appear to fulfill the criterion of a (largely) saturated hydrogen-bonding network of the main-chain groups and therefore may be regarded in this sense as a new secondary structure element. It consists of a central PG II -like helix surrounded by six nearly parallel PG II -like helices in a hexagonal array, plus an additional PG II -like helix extending the array outwards. Very related structural elements have previously been found in synthetic polyglycine fibers. In both cases, all main chain NH and CO groups of the central PG II -helix are saturated by either intra- or intermolecular hydrogen-bonds, resulting in a self-contained hydrogen-bonding network. Similar, but incomplete PG II -helix patterns were also previously identified in a GTP-binding protein and an antifreeze protein. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Three new flavonoids from the seeds of Hippophae rhamnoides subsp. sinensis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jing; Gao, Wen; Cao, Min-Sheng; Kong, De-Yun

2012-01-01

To study the chemical constituents of the seeds of Hippophae rhamnoides subsp. sinensis, three new flavonoids acylated with one monoterpenic acid, named 3-O-β-D-glucosyl-kaempferol-7-O-{2-O-[2(E)-2,6-dimethyl-6-hydroxy-2,7-octadienoyl]}-α-L-rhamnoside (3), 3-O-β-D-sophorosyl-kaempferol-7-O-{3-O-[2(E)-2,6-dimethyl-6-hydroxy-2,7-octadienoyl]}-α-L-rhamnoside (4), and 3-O-β-D-sophorosyl-kaempferol-7-O-{2-O-[2(E)-2,6-dimethyl-6-hydroxy-2,7-octadienoyl]}-α-L-rhamnoside (5), together with four known compounds, were isolated from the seeds of H. rhamnoides subsp. sinensis. Compounds 1 and 2 are reported for the first time from this genus. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectral analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR and HR-MS, and by comparison with literature data.

Identification and characterization of Nip, necrosis-inducing virulence protein of Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora.

Science.gov (United States)

Mattinen, Laura; Tshuikina, Marina; Mäe, Andres; Pirhonen, Minna

2004-12-01

Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora is a gram-negative bacterium that causes soft rot disease of many cultivated crops. When a collection of E. carotovora subsp. carotovora isolates was analyzed on a Southern blot using the harpin-encoding gene hrpN as probe, several harpinless isolates were found. Regulation of virulence determinants in one of these, strain SCC3193, has been characterized extensively. It is fully virulent on potato and in Arabidopsis thaliana. An RpoS (SigmaS) mutant of SCC3193, producing elevated levels of secreted proteins, was found to cause lesions resembling the hypersensitive response when infiltrated into tobacco leaf tissue. This phenotype was evident only when bacterial cells had been cultivated on solid minimal medium at low pH and temperature. The protein causing'the cell death was purified and sequenced, and the corresponding gene was cloned. The deduced sequence of the necrosis-inducing protein (Nip) showed homology to necrosis- and ethylene-inducing elicitors of fungi and oomycetes. A mutant strain of E. carotovora subsp. carotovora lacking the nip gene showed reduced virulence in potato tuber assay but was unaffected in virulence in potato stem or on other tested host plants.

Milk-derived angiotensin-I-converting enzymeinhibitory peptides generated by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis CRL 581

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Villegas Josefina M.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Several strains of Lactobacillus helveticus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis were evaluated for their ability to release angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE inhibitory peptides from α-casein (α-CN and β-casein (β-CN. Casein peptides resulting from L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis CRL 581-mediated hydrolysis exhibited the highest ACE-inhibitory (ACEI activities, with values of 53 and 40% for α-CN and β-CN, respectively. The casein hydrolysates were fractionated by reversedphase high pressure liquid chromatography and some of the active peptides were identified by mass spectrometry. The fraction with the highest ACEI activity arose from β-CN and contained a mixture of the β-CN f194-206 (QEPVLGPVRGPFP and f198-206 (LGPVRGPFP peptides. Furthermore, the ACEI tripeptide IPP was identified in all β-CN hydrolysates; L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis CRL 581 produced the highest amount of this peptide. The bioactive peptides released by CRL 581 strain may be used in the formulation of functional foods and nutraceuticals, representing a healthier and natural alternative for regulating blood pressure.

Efficient Fatigue Analysis of Helix Elements in Umbilicals and Flexible Risers: Theory and Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geir Skeie

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Fatigue analysis of structural components such as helix tensile armors and steel tubes is a critical design issue for dynamic umbilicals and flexible pipes. The basis for assessment of fatigue damage of such elements is the long-term stress cycle distribution at critical locations on the helix elements caused by long-term environmental loading on the system. The long-term stress cycle distribution will hence require global dynamic time domain analysis followed by a detailed cross-sectional analysis in a large number of irregular sea states. An overall computational consistent and efficient fatigue analysis scheme is outlined with due regard of the cross-sectional analysis technique required for fatigue stress calculation with particular attention to the helix elements. The global cross-section is exposed to pure bending, tensile, torsion, and pressure loading. The state of the different cross-section elements is based on the global response. Special emphasis is placed on assessment of friction stresses caused by the stick-slip behavior of helix elements in bending that are of special importance for fatigue life assessments. The described cross-sectional analysis techniques are based on an extensive literature survey and are hence considered to represent industry consensus. The performance of the described calculation scheme is illustrated by case studies.

Identification of a basic helix-loop-helix-type transcription regulator gene in Aspergillus oryzae by systematically deleting large chromosomal segments.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Feng Jie; Takahashi, Tadashi; Machida, Masayuki; Koyama, Yasuji

2009-09-01

We previously developed two methods (loop-out and replacement-type recombination) for generating large-scale chromosomal deletions that can be applied to more effective chromosomal engineering in Aspergillus oryzae. In this study, the replacement-type method is used to systematically delete large chromosomal DNA segments to identify essential and nonessential regions in chromosome 7 (2.93 Mb), which is the smallest A. oryzae chromosome and contains a large number of nonsyntenic blocks. We constructed 12 mutants harboring deletions that spanned 16- to 150-kb segments of chromosome 7 and scored phenotypic changes in the resulting mutants. Among the deletion mutants, strains designated Delta5 and Delta7 displayed clear phenotypic changes involving growth and conidiation. In particular, the Delta5 mutant exhibited vigorous growth and conidiation, potentially beneficial characteristics for certain industrial applications. Further deletion analysis allowed identification of the AO090011000215 gene as the gene responsible for the Delta5 mutant phenotype. The AO090011000215 gene was predicted to encode a helix-loop-helix binding protein belonging to the bHLH family of transcription factors. These results illustrate the potential of the approach for identifying novel functional genes.

Peritonitis in a llama caused by Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus.

Science.gov (United States)

Hewson, J; Cebra, C K

2001-01-01

A 7-month-old, male llama was diagnosed with peritonitis caused by Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus. Clinical findings, medical treatment, and case outcome are described. Hematogenous dissemination from suspected pneumonia is proposed as the route of infection in this case. Possible transmission of the organism through contact with horses is discussed. PMID:11424579

Nonlinear time-dependent simulation of helix traveling wave tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng Wei-Feng; Yang Zhong-Hai; Hu Yu-Lu; Li Jian-Qing; Lu Qi-Ru; Li Bin

2011-01-01

A one-dimensional nonlinear time-dependent theory for helix traveling wave tubes is studied. A generalized electromagnetic field is applied to the expression of the radio frequency field. To simulate the variations of the high frequency structure, such as the pitch taper and the effect of harmonics, the spatial average over a wavelength is substituted by a time average over a wave period in the equation of the radio frequency field. Under this assumption, the space charge field of the electron beam can be treated by a space charge wave model along with the space charge coefficient. The effects of the radio frequency and the space charge fields on the electrons are presented by the equations of the electron energy and the electron phase. The time-dependent simulation is compared with the frequency-domain simulation for a helix TWT, which validates the availability of this theory. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Analysis of eco-innovation with triple helix approach: case-study of biofloc catfish farming in Yogyakarta

Science.gov (United States)

Purwadi, D.; Nurlaily, I.

2018-03-01

Concerning environmental into focus of innovation process will expand the number of actor involved. Eco-innovation and triple helix are often frameworks applied to analyse how environmental concern are integrated in innovation process and how different stakeholder groups are having inter relation. Case study from biofloc catfish farming in Yogyakarta is presented to demonstrate a possible approach for researching the success of triple helix frameworks. This case is considered on basic of the result of a survey among farmers, academician and government. The paper concludes the creating of full triple helix encounters problem in practice. It also includes suggestion for further research on fisheries development.

Tunable single photonic defect-mode in cholesteric liquid crystals with laser-induced local modifications of helix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Lee, Chee Heng; Fujii, Akihiko; Ozaki, Masanori

2006-01-01

The authors demonstrate a tunable single photonic defect-mode in a single cholesteric liquid crystal material based on a structural defect introduced by local modification of the helix. An unpolymerized region of cholesteric liquid crystal acting as the defect was left between two polymerized regions via a two-photon excitation laser-lithography process. Upon polymerization, the cholesteric liquid crystal helix elongated and became thermally stable, and a single photonic defect mode was exhibited due to the contrast in the helix pitch at the defect. The defect mode showed tunability upon heating, and a 36 nm redshift was seen over a temperature range of 30 deg. C

Kevlar: Transitioning Helix for Research to Practice

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-01

x86 binaries, although it can be targeted to any platform that is targeted by IDA Pro. Currently, IDA Pro targets more than 40 processors and...effects its own transformations. Helix/Kevlar then automatically generates SPRI rules for any program variants by essentially performing a “ smart diff...execute permission on the pages of memory it uses, leaving only execute (but not write) permission on the code cache. Strata also watches for attempts

Draft Genome Sequence of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LBB.B5

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Urshev, Z.; Hajo, K.; Lenoci, L.; Bron, P.A.; Dijkstra, A.; Alkema, W.; Wels, M.; Siezen, R.J.; Minkova, S.; Hijum, S.A. van

2016-01-01

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LBB.B5 originates from homemade Bulgarian yogurt and was selected for its ability to form a strong association with Streptococcus thermophilus The genome sequence will facilitate elucidating the genetic background behind the contribution of LBB.B5 to the

Draft genome sequence of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa strain Stag’s Leap

Science.gov (United States)

Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa causes Pierce’s disease of grapevine. Presented here is the draft genome sequence of the Stag’s Leap strain, previously used in pathogenicity/virulence assays to evaluate grapevine germplasm bearing Pierce’s disease....

Stretched versus compressed exponential kinetics in α-helix folding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamm, Peter; Helbing, Jan; Bredenbeck, Jens

2006-01-01

In a recent paper (J. Bredenbeck, J. Helbing, J.R. Kumita, G.A. Woolley, P. Hamm, α-helix formation in a photoswitchable peptide tracked from picoseconds to microseconds by time resolved IR spectroscopy, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 102 (2005) 2379), we have investigated the folding of a photo-switchable α-helix with a kinetics that could be fit by a stretched exponential function exp(-(t/τ) β ). The stretching factor β became smaller as the temperature was lowered, a result which has been interpreted in terms of activated diffusion on a rugged energy surface. In the present paper, we discuss under which conditions diffusion problems occur with stretched exponential kinetics (β 1). We show that diffusion problems do have a strong tendency to yield stretched exponential kinetics, yet, that there are conditions (strong perturbation from equilibrium, performing the experiment in the folding direction) under which compressed exponential kinetics would be expected instead. We discuss the kinetics on free energy surfaces predicted by simple initiation-propagation models (zipper models) of α-helix folding, as well as by folding funnel models. We show that our recent experiment has been performed under condition for which models with strong downhill driving force, such as the zipper model, would predict compressed, rather than stretched exponential kinetics, in disagreement with the experimental observation. We therefore propose that the free energy surface along a reaction coordinate that governs the folding kinetics must be relatively flat and has a shape similar to a 1D golf course. We discuss how this conclusion can be unified with the thermodynamically well established zipper model by introducing an additional kinetic reaction coordinate

Effective heat inactivation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in raw milk contaminated with naturally infected feces.

Science.gov (United States)

Rademaker, Jan L W; Vissers, Marc M M; Te Giffel, Meike C

2007-07-01

The effectiveness of high-temperature, short holding time (HTST) pasteurization and homogenization with respect to inactivation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis was evaluated quantitatively. This allowed a detailed determination of inactivation kinetics. High concentrations of feces from cows with clinical symptoms of Johne's disease were used to contaminate raw milk in order to realistically mimic possible incidents most closely. Final M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis concentrations varying from 10(2) to 3.5 x 10(5) cells per ml raw milk were used. Heat treatments including industrial HTST were simulated on a pilot scale with 22 different time-temperature combinations, including 60 to 90 degrees C at holding (mean residence) times of 6 to 15 s. Following 72 degrees C and a holding time of 6 s, 70 degrees C for 10 and 15 s, or under more stringent conditions, no viable M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis cells were recovered, resulting in >4.2- to >7.1-fold reductions, depending on the original inoculum concentrations. Inactivation kinetic modeling of 69 quantitative data points yielded an E(a) of 305,635 J/mol and an lnk(0) of 107.2, corresponding to a D value of 1.2 s at 72 degrees C and a Z value of 7.7 degrees C. Homogenization did not significantly affect the inactivation. The conclusion can be drawn that HTST pasteurization conditions equal to 15 s at > or =72 degrees C result in a more-than-sevenfold reduction of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis.

Effective Heat Inactivation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in Raw Milk Contaminated with Naturally Infected Feces▿

Science.gov (United States)

Rademaker, Jan L. W.; Vissers, Marc M. M.; te Giffel, Meike C.

2007-01-01

The effectiveness of high-temperature, short holding time (HTST) pasteurization and homogenization with respect to inactivation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis was evaluated quantitatively. This allowed a detailed determination of inactivation kinetics. High concentrations of feces from cows with clinical symptoms of Johne's disease were used to contaminate raw milk in order to realistically mimic possible incidents most closely. Final M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis concentrations varying from 102 to 3.5 × 105 cells per ml raw milk were used. Heat treatments including industrial HTST were simulated on a pilot scale with 22 different time-temperature combinations, including 60 to 90°C at holding (mean residence) times of 6 to 15 s. Following 72°C and a holding time of 6 s, 70°C for 10 and 15 s, or under more stringent conditions, no viable M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis cells were recovered, resulting in >4.2- to >7.1-fold reductions, depending on the original inoculum concentrations. Inactivation kinetic modeling of 69 quantitative data points yielded an Ea of 305,635 J/mol and an lnk0 of 107.2, corresponding to a D value of 1.2 s at 72°C and a Z value of 7.7°C. Homogenization did not significantly affect the inactivation. The conclusion can be drawn that HTST pasteurization conditions equal to 15 s at ≥72°C result in a more-than-sevenfold reduction of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. PMID:17496131

Identification of genomic differences between Campylobacter jejuni subsp. jejuni and C. jejuni subsp. doylei at the nap locus leads to the development of a C. jejuni subspeciation multiplex PCR method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heath Sekou

2007-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The human bacterial pathogen Campylobacter jejuni contains two subspecies: C. jejuni subsp. jejuni (Cjj and C. jejuni subsp. doylei (Cjd. Although Cjd strains are isolated infrequently in many parts of the world, they are obtained primarily from human clinical samples and result in an unusual clinical symptomatology in that, in addition to gastroenteritis, they are associated often with bacteremia. In this study, we describe a novel multiplex PCR method, based on the nitrate reductase (nap locus, that can be used to unambiguously subspeciate C. jejuni isolates. Results Internal and flanking napA and napB primer sets were designed, based on existing C. jejuni and Campylobacter coli genome sequences to create two multiplex PCR primer sets, nap mpx1 and nap mpx2. Genomic DNA from 161 C. jejuni subsp. jejuni (Cjj and 27 C. jejuni subsp. doylei (Cjd strains were amplified with these multiplex primer sets. The Cjd strains could be distinguished clearly from the Cjj strains using either nap mpx1 or mpx2. In addition, combination of either nap multiplex method with an existing lpxA speciation multiplex method resulted in the unambiguous and simultaneous speciation and subspeciation of the thermophilic Campylobacters. The Cjd nap amplicons were also sequenced: all Cjd strains tested contained identical 2761 bp deletions in napA and several Cjd strains contained deletions in napB. Conclusion The nap multiplex PCR primer sets are robust and give a 100% discrimination of C. jejuni subspecies. The ability to rapidly subspeciate C. jejuni as well as speciate thermophilic Campylobacter species, most of which are pathogenic in humans, in a single amplification will be of value to clinical laboratories in strain identification and the determination of the environmental source of campylobacterioses caused by Cjd. Finally, the sequences of the Cjd napA and napB loci suggest that Cjd strains arose from a common ancestor, providing clues as to

Rotational symmetry and the transformation of innovation systems in a Triple Helix of university-industry-government relations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ivanova, I.A.; Leydesdorff, L.

2014-01-01

Using a mathematical model, we show that a Triple Helix (TH) system contains self-interaction, and therefore self-organization of innovations can be expected in waves, whereas a Double Helix (DH) remains determined by its linear constituents. (The mathematical model is fully elaborated in the

The triple helix of collagens - an ancient protein structure that enabled animal multicellularity and tissue evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Fidler, Aaron L; Boudko, Sergei P; Rokas, Antonis; Hudson, Billy G

2018-04-09

The cellular microenvironment, characterized by an extracellular matrix (ECM), played an essential role in the transition from unicellularity to multicellularity in animals (metazoans), and in the subsequent evolution of diverse animal tissues and organs. A major ECM component are members of the collagen superfamily -comprising 28 types in vertebrates - that exist in diverse supramolecular assemblies ranging from networks to fibrils. Each assembly is characterized by a hallmark feature, a protein structure called a triple helix. A current gap in knowledge is understanding the mechanisms of how the triple helix encodes and utilizes information in building scaffolds on the outside of cells. Type IV collagen, recently revealed as the evolutionarily most ancient member of the collagen superfamily, serves as an archetype for a fresh view of fundamental structural features of a triple helix that underlie the diversity of biological activities of collagens. In this Opinion, we argue that the triple helix is a protein structure of fundamental importance in building the extracellular matrix, which enabled animal multicellularity and tissue evolution. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Composition and potency characterization of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis purified protein derivatives

Science.gov (United States)

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) purified protein derivatives (PPDs) are immunologic reagents prepared from cultured filtrates of the type strain ATCC 19698. Traditional production consists of floating culture incubation at 37oC, organism inactivation by autoclaving, coarse filtrat...

Predictive modeling of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12 growth in cow’s, goat’s and soy milk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vedran Slačanac

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to use a predictive model to analyse the growth of a probiotic strain Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12 in cow’s, goat’s and soy milk. The Gompertz model was used, and the suitability of the model was estimated by the Schnute algorithm. Except for the analysis of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12 growth, the Gompertz model was also used for the analysis of pH changes during the fermentation process. Experimental results, as well as the values of kinetic parameters obtained in this study, showed that the highest growth rate of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12 was obtained in goat’s milk, and the lowest in soy milk. Contrary to the growth of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12, pH decreased faster in soy milk than in cow’s milk. The highest rate of pH decrease was also observed in goat’s milk, which is in correspondence with results of various previous studies. The Gompertz model proved to be highly suitable for analysing the course and the fermentation kinetics in these three kinds of milk, and might be used to analyse the growth kinetics of other probiotic and starter cultures in milk.

Survival of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus in the Terminal Ileum of Fistulated Göttingen Minipigs

Science.gov (United States)

Lick, Sonja; Drescher, Karsten; Heller, Knut J.

2001-01-01

The ability of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus administered in yogurt to survive the passage through the upper gastrointestinal tract was investigated with Göttingen minipigs that were fitted with ileum T-cannulas. After ingestion of yogurt containing viable microorganisms, ileostomy samples were collected nearly every hour beginning 3 h after food uptake. Living L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus were detected in the magnitude of 106 to 107 per gram of intestinal contents (wet weight) in all animals under investigation. A calculation of the minimum amount of surviving bacteria that had been administered is presented. Total DNA extracted from ileostomy samples was subjected to PCR, which was species specific for L. delbrueckii and S. thermophilus and subspecies specific for L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. All three bacterial groups could be detected by PCR after yogurt uptake but not after uptake of a semisynthetic diet. One pig apparently had developed an endogenous L. delbrueckii flora. When heat-treated yogurt was administered, L. delbrueckii was detected in all animals. S. thermophilus or L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus was not detected, indicating that heat-inactivated cells and their DNAs had already been digested and their own L. delbrueckii flora had been stimulated for growth. PMID:11526016

Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii and Bartonella henselae bacteremia in a father and daughter with neurological disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Woods Christopher W

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii is an important, emerging, intravascular bacterial pathogen that has been recently isolated from immunocompetent patients with endocarditis, arthritis, neurological disease and vasoproliferative neoplasia. Vector transmission is suspected among dogs and wild canines, which are the primary reservoir hosts. This investigation was initiated to determine if pets and family members were infected with one or more Bartonella species. Methods PCR and enrichment blood culture in Bartonella alpha Proteobacteria growth medium (BAPGM was used to determine infection status. Antibody titers to B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii genotypes I-III and B. henselae were determined using a previously described indirect fluorescent antibody test. Two patients were tested sequentially for over a year to assess the response to antibiotic treatment. Results Intravascular infection with B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii genotype II and Bartonella henselae (Houston 1 strain were confirmed in a veterinarian and his daughter by enrichment blood culture, followed by PCR and DNA sequencing. Symptoms included progressive weight loss, muscle weakness, lack of coordination (the father and headaches, muscle pain and insomnia (the daughter. B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii genotype II was also sequenced from a cerebrospinal fluid BAPGM enrichment culture and from a periodontal swab sample. After repeated courses of antibiotics, post-treatment blood cultures were negative, there was a decremental decrease in antibody titers to non-detectable levels and symptoms resolved in both patients. Conclusions B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii and B. henselae are zoonotic pathogens that can be isolated from the blood of immunocompetent family members with arthralgias, fatigue and neurological symptoms. Therapeutic elimination of Bartonella spp. infections can be challenging, and follow-up testing is recommended. An increasing number of arthropod

Cytogenetic characterization of Amaranthus caudatus L. and Amaranthus hybridus subsp. cruentus (L.) Thell.

Science.gov (United States)

Prajitha, V; Thoppil, J E

2018-02-01

The present study is aimed to identify genetic variability between two species of Amaranthus viz., A. caudatus and A. hybridus subsp. cruentus, two economically important species, cultivated mainly for grain production. Karyomorphological studies in Amaranthus are scarce, probably due to higher number of small sized chromosomes. Karyomorphological studies were conducted using mitotic squash preparation of young healthy root tips. Karyological parameters and karyotypic formula were established using various software programs and tabulated the karyomorphometric and asymmetry indices viz., Disparity index, Variation coefficient, Total forma percentage, Karyotype asymmetry index, Syi index, Rec index, Interchromosomal and Intrachromosomal asymmetry index and Degree of asymmetry of karyotypes. The mitotic chromosome number observed for A. caudatus was 2n = 32 with a gametic number n = 16 and A. hybridus subsp. cruentus was 2n = 34 with a gametic number n = 17. In A. caudatus the chromosome length during somatic metaphase ranged from 0.8698 to 1.7722 μm with a total length of 39.1412 μm. In A. hybridus subsp. cruentus the length of chromosome ranged from 0.7756 to 1.9421 μm with a total length of 44.9922 μm. Various karyomorphometry and asymmetry indices analyzed revealed the extend of interspecific variation and their evolutionary status.

Association between milk antibody and interferon-gamma responses in cattle from Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infected herds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mikkelsen, Heidi; Jungersen, Gregers; Nielsen, Søren Saxmose

2009-01-01

Paratuberculosis is a chronic infection of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). It is possible to detect infection with paratuberculosis at different stages of disease by means of various diagnostic test strategies. The objective of the present study was to evalu......Paratuberculosis is a chronic infection of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). It is possible to detect infection with paratuberculosis at different stages of disease by means of various diagnostic test strategies. The objective of the present study...

Anatomy and Micromorphology of Inula helenium subsp. orgyalis and I. ensifolia (Asteraceae from Turkey

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Tulay AYTAS AKCIN

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Inula helenium L. subsp. orgyalis (Boiss. Grierson and Inula ensifolia L. were investigated anatomically and micromorphologically. The secretory cavities in the leaves and stem of both investigated taxa were located in the neighbourhood of the vascular bundles and in the rhizomes in the secondary cortex. The leaf mesophylls of investigated Inula taxa were homogeneous. Stomata were anomocytic in two species. The distribution and density of the eglandular and glandular trichomes provide information of taxonomical significance. Moreover, the cypselas of I. helenium L. subsp. orgyalis were homomorphic, whereas in I. ensifolia cypselas were heteromorphic. Additionally, the number of ribs, the shape of carpopodium and stylopodium were diagnostic taxonomic characters between the two taxa.

Hydrated and Dehydrated Tertiary Interactions–Opening and Closing–of a Four-Helix Bundle Peptide

Science.gov (United States)

Lignell, Martin; Tegler, Lotta T.; Becker, Hans-Christian

2009-01-01

Abstract The structural heterogeneity and thermal denaturation of a dansyl-labeled four-helix bundle homodimeric peptide was studied with steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy and with circular dichroism (CD). At room temperature the fluorescence decay of the polarity-sensitive dansyl, located in the hydrophobic core region, can be described by a broad distribution of fluorescence lifetimes, reflecting the heterogeneous microenvironment. However, the lifetime distribution is nearly bimodal, which we ascribe to the presence of two major conformational subgroups. Since the fluorescence lifetime reflects the water content of the four-helix bundle conformations, we can use the lifetime analysis to monitor the change in hydration state of the hydrophobic core of the four-helix bundle. Increasing the temperature from 9°C to 23°C leads to an increased population of molten-globule-like conformations with a less ordered helical backbone structure. The fluorescence emission maximum remains constant in this temperature interval, and the hydrophobic core is not strongly affected. Above 30°C the structural dynamics involve transient openings of the four-helix bundle structure, as evidenced by the emergence of a water-quenched component and less negative CD. Above 60°C the homodimer starts to dissociate, as shown by the increasing loss of CD and narrow, short-lived fluorescence lifetime distributions. PMID:19619472

Increased helix and protein stability through the introduction of a new tertiary hydrogen bond.

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, R W; Nicholson, E M; Thapar, R; Klevit, R E; Scholtz, J M

1999-03-12

In an effort to quantify the importance of hydrogen bonding and alpha-helix formation to protein stability, a capping box motif was introduced into the small phosphocarrier protein HPr. Previous studies had confirmed that Ser46, at the N-cap position of the short helix-B in HPr, serves as an N-cap in solution. Thus, only a single-site mutation was required to produce a canonical S-X-X-E capping box: Lys49 at the N3 position was substituted with a glutamic acid residue. Thermal and chemical denaturation studies on the resulting K49E HPr show that the designed variant is approximately 2 kcal mol-1 more stable than the wild-type protein. However, NMR studies indicate that the side-chain of Glu49 does not participate in the expected capping H-bond interaction, but instead forms a new tertiary H-bond that links helix-B to the four-stranded beta-sheet of HPr. Here, we demonstrate that a strategy in which new non-native H-bonds are introduced can generate proteins with increased stability. We discuss why the original capping box design failed, and compare the energetic consequences of the new tertiary side-chain to main-chain H-bond with a local (helix-capping) side-chain to main-chain H-bond on the protein's global stability. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

The anti-tick properties of the root extracts of Senna italica subsp ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SERVER

2007-11-15

Nov 15, 2007 ... extract of S. italica subsp. arachoides in 24 h was 8.66% (w/v) while in 48 h was 3.59% ..... extract of neem seed oil (Azadirachta indica) on egg, immature and ... insecticides on diamondbuck moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae).

Stawamycin analog, JBIR-11 from Streptomyces viridochromogenes subsp. sulfomycini NBRC 13830.

Science.gov (United States)

Izumikawa, Miho; Komaki, Hisayuki; Hashimoto, Junko; Takagi, Motoki; Shin-ya, Kazuo

2008-05-01

A stawamycin analog, JBIR-11 (1) was isolated from mycelium of Streptomyces viridochromogenes subsp. sulfomycini NBRC 13830. The structure was determined on the basis of the spectroscopic data. Compound 1 exhibited growth inhibitory effect against human fibrosarcoma HT1080 cells with an IC50 value of 25 microM.

Inside the adaptation process of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis to bile.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Patricia; Sánchez, Borja; Vinderola, Gabriel; Ruas-Madiedo, Patricia; Ruiz, Lorena; Margolles, Abelardo; Reinheimer, Jorge; de los Reyes-Gavilán, Clara G

2010-08-15

Progressive adaptation to bile might render some lactobacilli able to withstand physiological bile salt concentrations. In this work, the adaptation to bile was evaluated on previously isolated dairy strains of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis 200 and L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis 200+, a strain derived thereof with stable bile-resistant phenotype. The adaptation to bile was obtained by comparing cytosolic proteomes of both strains grown in the presence or absence of bile. Proteomics were complemented with physiological studies on both strains focusing on glycolytic end-products, the ability to adhere to the human intestinal epithelial cell line HT29-MTX and survival to simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Protein pattern comparison of strains grown with and without bile allowed us to identify 9 different proteins whose production was regulated by bile in both strains, and 17 proteins that showed differences in their levels between the parental and the bile-resistant derivative. These included general stress response chaperones, proteins involved in transcription and translation, in peptidoglycan/exopolysaccharide biosynthesis, in the lipid and nucleotide metabolism and several glycolytic and pyruvate catabolism enzymes. Differences in the level of metabolic end-products of the sugar catabolism were found between the strains 200 and 200+. A decrease in the adhesion of both strains to the intestinal cell line was detected in the presence of bile. In simulated gastric and intestinal juices, a protective effect was exerted by milk improving the survival of both microorganisms. These results indicate that bile tolerance in L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis involves several mechanisms responding to the deleterious impact of bile salts on bacterial physiology. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

H(+) -ATPase-defective variants of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus contribute to inhibition of postacidification of yogurt during chilled storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xinhui; Ren, Hongyang; Liu, Dayu; Wang, Bing; Zhu, Wenyou; Wang, Wei

2013-02-01

Continued acid production by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus during the chilled storage of yogurt is the major cause of postacidification, resulting in a short shelf life. Two H(+) -ATPase defective variants of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus were successfully isolated and their H(+) -ATPase activities were reduced by 51.3% and 34.3%, respectively. It was shown that growth and acid production of variants were remarkably inhibited. The variants were more sensitive to acidic condition and had a significant rate for inactivation of H(+) -ATPase by N, N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD), along with a low H(+) -extrusion, suggesting that H(+) -ATPase is direct response for H(+) -extrusion. In addition, the variants were also more sensitive to NaCl, while H(+) -ATPase activities of variants and parent strain were significantly enhanced by NaCl stress. Obviously, H(+) -ATPase might be involved in Na(+) transportation. Furthermore, variants were inoculated in fermented milk to ferment yogurt. There was no significant difference in flavor, whereas the postacidification of yogurt during chilled storage was remarkably inhibited. It is suggested that application of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus with reduced H(+) -ATPase activity in yogurt fermentation is one of effect, economic and simple avenues of inhibiting postacidification of yogurt during refrigerated storage, giving a longer shelf life. During yogurt fermentation, continued acid production by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus during the chilled storage of yogurt leads to milk fermentation with high postacidification, resulting in a short shelf life. In this work, 2 acid-sensitive variant strains of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus were isolated. The characteristics related to H(+) -ATPase were compared and it was observed that milk fermented by the variants had lower postacidification, giving a longer shelf life. Application of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus with reduced H(+) -ATPase activity

Helix Nebula Science Cloud pilot phase open session

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2018-01-01

This Helix Nebula Science Cloud (HNSciCloud) public session is open to everyone and will be webcast. The session will provide the audience with an overview of the HNSciCloud pre-commercial procurement project and the innovative cloud platforms that have been developed. A number of practical use-cases from the physics community will be presented as well as the next steps to be undertaken.

An amphipathic alpha-helix controls multiple roles of brome mosaic virus protein 1a in RNA replication complex assembly and function.

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Ling Liu

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Brome mosaic virus (BMV protein 1a has multiple key roles in viral RNA replication. 1a localizes to perinuclear endoplasmic reticulum (ER membranes as a peripheral membrane protein, induces ER membrane invaginations in which RNA replication complexes form, and recruits and stabilizes BMV 2a polymerase (2a(Pol and RNA replication templates at these sites to establish active replication complexes. During replication, 1a provides RNA capping, NTPase and possibly RNA helicase functions. Here we identify in BMV 1a an amphipathic alpha-helix, helix A, and use NMR analysis to define its structure and propensity to insert in hydrophobic membrane-mimicking micelles. We show that helix A is essential for efficient 1a-ER membrane association and normal perinuclear ER localization, and that deletion or mutation of helix A abolishes RNA replication. Strikingly, mutations in helix A give rise to two dramatically opposite 1a function phenotypes, implying that helix A acts as a molecular switch regulating the intricate balance between separable 1a functions. One class of helix A deletions and amino acid substitutions markedly inhibits 1a-membrane association and abolishes ER membrane invagination, viral RNA template recruitment, and replication, but doubles the 1a-mediated increase in 2a(Pol accumulation. The second class of helix A mutations not only maintains efficient 1a-membrane association but also amplifies the number of 1a-induced membrane invaginations 5- to 8-fold and enhances viral RNA template recruitment, while failing to stimulate 2a(Pol accumulation. The results provide new insights into the pathways of RNA replication complex assembly and show that helix A is critical for assembly and function of the viral RNA replication complex, including its central role in targeting replication components and controlling modes of 1a action.

Profiles of Volatile Flavor Compounds in Milk Fermented with Different Proportional Combinations of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus.

Science.gov (United States)

Dan, Tong; Wang, Dan; Wu, Shimei; Jin, Rulin; Ren, Weiyi; Sun, Tiansong

2017-09-29

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus are key factors in the fermentation process and the final quality of dairy products worldwide. This study was performed to investigate the effects of the proportions of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus isolated from traditionally fermented dairy products in China and Mongolia on the profile of volatile compounds produced in samples. Six proportional combinations (1:1, 1:10, 1:50, 1:100, 1:1000, and 1:10,000) of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus IMAU20401 to S. thermophilus ND03 were considered, and the volatiles were identified and quantified by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) against an internal standard. In total, 89 volatile flavor compounds, consisting of aldehydes, ketones, acids, alcohols, esters, and aromatic hydrocarbons, were identified. Among these, some key flavor volatile compounds were identified, including acetaldehyde, 3-methylbutanal, acetoin, 2-heptanone, acetic acid, butanoic acid, and 3-methyl-1-butanol. The of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus IMAU20401 to S. thermophilus ND03 influenced the type and concentration of volatiles produced. In particular, aldehydes and ketones were present at higher concentrations in the 1:1000 treatment combination than in the other combinations. Our findings emphasize the importance of selecting the appropriate proportions of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus for the starter culture in determining the final profile of volatiles and the overall flavor of dairy products.

Profiles of Volatile Flavor Compounds in Milk Fermented with Different Proportional Combinations of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tong Dan

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus are key factors in the fermentation process and the final quality of dairy products worldwide. This study was performed to investigate the effects of the proportions of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus isolated from traditionally fermented dairy products in China and Mongolia on the profile of volatile compounds produced in samples. Six proportional combinations (1:1, 1:10, 1:50, 1:100, 1:1000, and 1:10,000 of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus IMAU20401 to S. thermophilus ND03 were considered, and the volatiles were identified and quantified by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS against an internal standard. In total, 89 volatile flavor compounds, consisting of aldehydes, ketones, acids, alcohols, esters, and aromatic hydrocarbons, were identified. Among these, some key flavor volatile compounds were identified, including acetaldehyde, 3-methylbutanal, acetoin, 2-heptanone, acetic acid, butanoic acid, and 3-methyl-1-butanol. The of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus IMAU20401 to S. thermophilus ND03 influenced the type and concentration of volatiles produced. In particular, aldehydes and ketones were present at higher concentrations in the 1:1000 treatment combination than in the other combinations. Our findings emphasize the importance of selecting the appropriate proportions of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus for the starter culture in determining the final profile of volatiles and the overall flavor of dairy products.

Molecular Characterization of Three Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus Phages

OpenAIRE

Casey, Eoghan; Mahony, Jennifer; O'Connell-Motherway, Mary; Bottacini, Francesca; Cornelissen, Anneleen; Neve, Horst; Heller, Knut J.; Noben, Jean-Paul; Dal Bello, Fabio; van Sinderen, Douwe

2014-01-01

In this study, three phages infecting Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, named Ld3, Ld17, and Ld25A, were isolated from whey samples obtained from various industrial fermentations. These phages were further characterized in a multifaceted approach: (i) biological and physical characterization through host range analysis and electron microscopy; (ii) genetic assessment through genome analysis; (iii) mass spectrometry analysis of the structural components of the phages; and (iv), for ...

Levantamento da incidência de Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli em plantios de cana-de-açúcar do noroeste do Paraná Survey of Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli incidence in sugarcane plantations of the northwest region of Paraná State

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernanda Santos Marcuz

2009-01-01

Full Text Available O raquitismo-da-soqueira, causado por Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli é considerado uma das mais importantes doenças bacterianas da cana-de-açúcar (Saccharum spp.. Para verificar a possível ocorrência de Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli na região noroeste do Paraná, foi realizado um levantamento em 32 áreas de plantio de duas usinas, utilizando-se o método sorológico "Dot blot" e um protocolo baseado na reação em cadeia da polimerase. As amostras foram coletadas em áreas cultivadas com 8 variedades e 2 clones, a partir de plantas em diferentes épocas de corte, perfazendo um total de 1395 amostras. Constatou-se a presença da bactéria no fluído fibrovascular de plantas da variedade SP77-5181 coletado em uma das propriedades, com índice de incidência de 23%. Esses resultados indicam a incidência de Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli no noroeste do Paraná.Ratoon stunting disease caused by Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli is one of the most important bacterial diseases of sugarcane (Saccharum spp.. A ratoon stunting desease survey was carried in 32 sugarcane producing areas from two mills in the northwest region of Paraná State through a dot blot serological protocol and a polymerase chain reaction-based assay. A total of 1395 samples were collected in areas planted with 8 varieties and 2 sugarcane clones collected from plants at different harvest periods. The bacterium was detected in the fibrovascular fluid of the SP77-5181 variety from a producing area in a 23% rate of incidence. These data indicated that Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli is present in the northwest region of Paraná.

[The occurrence of campylobacter fetus subsp. jejuni and Salmonella bacteria in some wild birds (author's transl)].

Science.gov (United States)

Rosef, O

1981-12-01

An investigation was carried out into the occurrence of Campylobacter fetus subsp. jejuni and Salmonella species in some wild birds. A total of 129 birds was examined, consisting of 71 pigeons, 54 seagulls, three crows and one raven. Campylobacter bacteria were isolated from 32 birds (24.8%), of which three were pigeons, 27 seagulls and two were crows. Of the 27 Campylobacter strains isolated from seagulls, four had the biochemical characteristics of the NARTC biotype described by Skirrow and Benjamin, seven were grouped as Campylobacter coli biotype and 16 as the biotype of Campylobacter jejuni. All the strains isolated from crows and pigeons had the biochemical characteristics of Campylobacter jejuni biotypes. Salmonella bacteria were isolated from the intestinal contents of two of the 54 seagulls (3.7%), and were identified serologically as Salmonella indiana and Salmonella typhimurium. One seagull was found to be a carrier of both Campylobacter fetus subsp. jejuni and Salmonella typhimurium. A correlation could not be demonstrated between the occurrence of Salmonella bacteria and Campylobacter fetus subsp. jejuni.

Identification of an Extracellular Endoglucanase That Is Required for Full Virulence in Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri.

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Tian Xia

Full Text Available Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri causes citrus canker disease, which is characterized by the formation of water-soaked lesions, white or yellow spongy pustules and brown corky canker. In this work, we report the contribution of extracellular endoglucanase to canker development during infection. The ectopic expression of nine putative cellulases in Escherichia coli indicated that two endoglucanases, BglC3 and EngXCA, show carboxymethyl cellulase activity. Both bglC3 and engXCA genes were transcribed in X. citri subsp. citri, however, only BglC3 protein was detected outside the cell in western blot analysis. The deletion of bglC3 gene resulted in complete loss of extracellular carboxymethyl cellulase activity and delayed the onset of canker symptoms in both infiltration- and wound-inoculation assays. When growing in plant tissue, the cell density of bglC3 mutant was lower than that of the wild type. Our data demonstrated that BglC3 is an extracellular endoglucanase required for the full virulence of X. citri subsp. citri.

RelB and RelE of Escherichia coli Form a Tight Complex That Represses Transcription via The Ribbon-Helix-Helix Motif in RelB

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Overgaard, Martin; Borch, Jonas; Gerdes, Kenn

2009-01-01

RelB, the Ribbon-Helix-Helix (RHH) repressor encoded by the relBE toxin-antitoxin locus of Escherichia coli, forms a tight complex with RelE and thereby counteracts the mRNA cleavage activity of RelE. In addition, RelB dimers repress the strong relBE promoter and this repression by RelB is enhanced...... by RelE - that is - RelE functions as a transcriptional co-repressor. RelB is a Lon protease substrate and Lon is required both for activation of relBE transcription and for activation of the mRNA cleavage activity of RelE. Here we characterize the molecular interactions important for transcriptional...... motif recognizes four 6 bp repeats within the bipartite binding site. The spacing between each half-site was found to be essential for cooperative interactions between adjacently bound RelB dimers stabilized by the co-repressor RelE. Kinetic and stoichiometric measurements of the interaction between Rel...

From Family Based to Industrial Based Production: Local Economic Development Initiatives and the HELIX Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bartjan W Pennink

2013-01-01

Full Text Available To build a strong local economy, good practice tells us that each community should undertake a collaborative, strategically planned process to understand and then act upon its own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. From this perspective we start with the local communities but how is this related to the perspective from the Helix model in which three actors are explicitly introduced: the Government, the Industry and the Universities? The purpose of local economic development (LED is to build up the economic capacity of a local area to improve its economic future and the quality of life for all. To support  the Local Economic Development in remote areas,   a program  has been developed based on the LED frame work of the world bank. This approach and  the experiences over  the past years with this program are  described in the first part.  In the second part of the paper, We analyse work done with that program with the help of the social capital concept and the triple helix model.  In all cases it is important to pay attention to who is taken the initiative after the first move (and it is not always the governance as actor and for the triple helix we suggest  that the concepts of (national Government, Industry and University need a translation to Local Governance Agency, Cooperation or other ways of cooperation of local communities and Local Universities. Although a push from outside might help  a local region in development the endogenous factors are  also needed. Keywords: Triple Helix model, Local Economic Development, Local Actors, Double Triangle within the Helix Model

Quorum sensing in the plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora: the role of expR(Ecc).

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, R A; Eriksson, A R; Heikinheimo, R; Mäe, A; Pirhonen, M; Kõiv, V; Hyytiäinen, H; Tuikkala, A; Palva, E T

2000-04-01

The production of the main virulence determinants of the plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora, the extracellular cell wall-degrading enzymes, is partly controlled by the diffusible signal molecule N-(3-oxohexanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (OHHL). OHHL is synthesized by the product of the expI/carI gene. Linked to expI we found a gene encoding a putative transcriptional regulator of the LuxR-family. This gene, expR(Ecc), is transcribed convergently to the expI gene and the two open reading frames are partially overlapping. The ExpR(Ecc) protein showed extensive amino acid sequence similarity to the repressor EsaR from Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii (formerly Erwinia stewartii subsp. stewartii) and to the ExpR(Ech) protein of Erwinia chrysanthemi. Inactivation of the E. carotovora subsp. carotovora expR(Ecc) gene caused no decrease in virulence or production of virulence determinants in vitro. In contrast, there was a slight increase in the maceration capacity of the mutant strain. The effects of ExpR(Ecc) were probably mediated by changes in OHHL levels. Inactivation of expR(Ecc) resulted in increased OHHL levels during early logarithmic growth. In addition, overexpression of expR(Ecc) caused a clear decrease in the production of virulence determinants and part of this effect was likely to be caused by OHHL binding to ExpR(Ecc). ExpR(Ecc) did not appear to exhibit transcriptional regulation of expI, but the effect on OHHL was apparently due to other mechanisms.

Different Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis MIRU-VNTR patterns coexist within cattle herds

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hulzen, van K.J.E.; Heuven, H.C.M.; Nielen, M.; Hoeboer, J.; Santema, W.J.; Koets, A.P.

2011-01-01

A better understanding of the biodiversity of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) offers more insight in the epidemiology of paratuberculosis and therefore may contribute to the control of the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity in bovine MAP

Variable-Number Tandem-Repeat Analysis of Respiratory and Household Water Biofilm Isolates of “Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis” with Establishment of a PCR Database

Science.gov (United States)

Iakhiaeva, Elena; Howard, Susan T.; Brown Elliott, Barbara A.; McNulty, Steven; Newman, Kristopher L.; Falkinham, Joseph O.; Williams, Myra; Kwait, Rebecca; Lande, Leah; Vasireddy, Ravikiran; Turenne, Christine

2016-01-01

“Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis” is an important cause of pulmonary disease. It is acquired from environmental sources, but there is no methodology for large population studies. We evaluated the potential of variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR) analysis. Clinical and household biofilm M. avium isolates underwent molecular identification. Testing for IS901 was done to separate M. avium subsp. avium from M. avium subsp. hominissuis. VNTR types were defined using VNTR loci, and subtyping was performed using 3′ hsp65 and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing. Forty-nine VNTR types and eight subtypes of M. avium subsp. hominissuis (IS901 negative) were identified among 416 isolates of M. avium from 121 patients and 80 biofilm sites. Of those types, 67% were found only among patient isolates, 11% only among household water isolates, and 23% among both. Of 13 VNTR types that included ≥4 patients, the majority (61.5%) represented geographic clustering (same city). Most VNTR types with multiple patients belonged to the same 3′ hsp65 sequence code (sequevar). A total of 44 isolates belonging to four M. avium subsp. hominissuis VNTR types (8%), including three with the rare Mav-F ITS sequence and 0/8 subspecies, produced amplicons with IS901 PCR primers. By sequencing, all 44 amplicons were not IS901 but ISMav6, which was recently observed in Japan but had not been previously described among U.S. isolates. VNTR analysis of M. avium subsp. hominissuis isolates is easier and faster than pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Seven VNTR loci separated 417 isolates into 49 types. No isolates of M. avium subsp. avium were identified. The distributions of the VNTR copy numbers, the allelic diversity, and the low prevalence of ISMav6 differed from the findings for respiratory isolates reported from Japan. PMID:26739155

Structural studies of polypeptides: Mechanism of immunoglobin catalysis and helix propagation in hybrid sequence, disulfide containing peptides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Storrs, Richard Wood [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

1992-08-01

Catalytic immunoglobin fragments were studied Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy to identify amino acid residues responsible for the catalytic activity. Small, hybrid sequence peptides were analyzed for helix propagation following covalent initiation and for activity related to the protein from which the helical sequence was derived. Hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl carbonates and esters by specific immunoglobins is thought to involve charge complementarity. The pK of the transition state analog P-nitrophenyl phosphate bound to the immunoglobin fragment was determined by ³¹P-NMR to verify the juxtaposition of a positively charged amino acid to the binding/catalytic site. Optical studies of immunoglobin mediated photoreversal of cis, syn cyclobutane thymine dimers implicated tryptophan as the photosensitizing chromophore. Research shows the chemical environment of a single tryptophan residue is altered upon binding of the thymine dimer. This tryptophan residue was localized to within 20 Å of the binding site through the use of a nitroxide paramagnetic species covalently attached to the thymine dimer. A hybrid sequence peptide was synthesized based on the bee venom peptide apamin in which the helical residues of apamin were replaced with those from the recognition helix of the bacteriophage 434 repressor protein. Oxidation of the disufide bonds occured uniformly in the proper 1-11, 3-15 orientation, stabilizing the 434 sequence in an α-helix. The glycine residue stopped helix propagation. Helix propagation in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol mixtures was investigated in a second hybrid sequence peptide using the apamin-derived disulfide scaffold and the S-peptide sequence. The helix-stop signal previously observed was not observed in the NMR NOESY spectrum. Helical connectivities were seen throughout the S-peptide sequence. The apamin/S-peptide hybrid binded to the S-protein (residues 21-166 of ribonuclease A) and reconstituted enzymatic activity.

Structural studies of polypeptides: Mechanism of immunoglobin catalysis and helix propagation in hybrid sequence, disulfide containing peptides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Storrs, R.W.

1992-08-01

Catalytic immunoglobin fragments were studied Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy to identify amino acid residues responsible for the catalytic activity. Small, hybrid sequence peptides were analyzed for helix propagation following covalent initiation and for activity related to the protein from which the helical sequence was derived. Hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl carbonates and esters by specific immunoglobins is thought to involve charge complementarity. The pK of the transition state analog P-nitrophenyl phosphate bound to the immunoglobin fragment was determined by [sup 31]P-NMR to verify the juxtaposition of a positively charged amino acid to the binding/catalytic site. Optical studies of immunoglobin mediated photoreversal of cis, syn cyclobutane thymine dimers implicated tryptophan as the photosensitizing chromophore. Research shows the chemical environment of a single tryptophan residue is altered upon binding of the thymine dimer. This tryptophan residue was localized to within 20 [Angstrom] of the binding site through the use of a nitroxide paramagnetic species covalently attached to the thymine dimer. A hybrid sequence peptide was synthesized based on the bee venom peptide apamin in which the helical residues of apamin were replaced with those from the recognition helix of the bacteriophage 434 repressor protein. Oxidation of the disufide bonds occured uniformly in the proper 1-11, 3-15 orientation, stabilizing the 434 sequence in an [alpha]-helix. The glycine residue stopped helix propagation. Helix propagation in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol mixtures was investigated in a second hybrid sequence peptide using the apamin-derived disulfide scaffold and the S-peptide sequence. The helix-stop signal previously observed was not observed in the NMR NOESY spectrum. Helical connectivities were seen throughout the S-peptide sequence. The apamin/S-peptide hybrid binded to the S-protein (residues 21-166 of ribonuclease A) and reconstituted enzymatic activity.

Autecology and ex situ growth of Onobrychis pindicola Hausskn. subsp. urumovii Deg. & Dren. (Fabaceae – endemic with medicinal potential

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kozuharova, E.

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Onobrychis pindicola subsp. urumovii Degen & Dren. is an endemic with very restricted distribution on just two mountains Pirin Mts. and Slavjanka Mts. SW Bulgaria. The taxon is evaluated as least concerned by the IUCN criteria but it is an element in several Natura 2000 habitats with conservation significance. The aim of this study is to investigate the microhabitat specifics of O. pindicola subsp. urumovii, namely slope, exposure, bed rock, soils, and vegetation as well as spatial distribution and phenology regarding the possible future cultivation. Basically O. pindicola subsp. urumovii demonstrates high tolerance to its environment although it is a calciphilous species. It grows successfully ex situ in experimental plots in the foothills of the mountains, which indicates prospects for successful cultivation. This will be important in case of future industrial necessity of the plant substance for medicinal purposes.

Extreme bendability of DNA double helix due to bending asymmetry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Salari, H.; Eslami-Mossallam, B.; Nederi, S.; Ejtehadi, M.R.

2015-01-01

Experimental data of the DNA cyclization (J-factor) at short length scales exceed the theoretical expectation based on the wormlike chain (WLC) model by several orders of magnitude. Here, we propose that asymmetric bending rigidity of the double helix in the groove direction can be responsible for

An Amphipathic Helix Directs Cellular Membrane Curvature Sensing and Function of the BAR Domain Protein PICK1.

Science.gov (United States)

Herlo, Rasmus; Lund, Viktor K; Lycas, Matthew D; Jansen, Anna M; Khelashvili, George; Andersen, Rita C; Bhatia, Vikram; Pedersen, Thomas S; Albornoz, Pedro B C; Johner, Niklaus; Ammendrup-Johnsen, Ina; Christensen, Nikolaj R; Erlendsson, Simon; Stoklund, Mikkel; Larsen, Jannik B; Weinstein, Harel; Kjærulff, Ole; Stamou, Dimitrios; Gether, Ulrik; Madsen, Kenneth L

2018-05-15

BAR domains are dimeric protein modules that sense, induce, and stabilize lipid membrane curvature. Here, we show that membrane curvature sensing (MCS) directs cellular localization and function of the BAR domain protein PICK1. In PICK1, and the homologous proteins ICA69 and arfaptin2, we identify an amphipathic helix N-terminal to the BAR domain that mediates MCS. Mutational disruption of the helix in PICK1 impaired MCS without affecting membrane binding per se. In insulin-producing INS-1E cells, super-resolution microscopy revealed that disruption of the helix selectively compromised PICK1 density on insulin granules of high curvature during their maturation. This was accompanied by reduced hormone storage in the INS-1E cells. In Drosophila, disruption of the helix compromised growth regulation. By demonstrating size-dependent binding on insulin granules, our finding highlights the function of MCS for BAR domain proteins in a biological context distinct from their function, e.g., at the plasma membrane during endocytosis. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

One-dimensional nonlinear theory for rectangular helix traveling-wave tube

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Chengfang, E-mail: fchffchf@126.com; Zhao, Bo; Yang, Yudong; Ju, Yongfeng [Faculty of Electronic Information Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai' an 223003 (China); Wei, Yanyu [School of Physical Electronics, University of Electronic and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China)

2016-08-15

A 1-D nonlinear theory of a rectangular helix traveling-wave tube (TWT) interacting with a ribbon beam is presented in this paper. The RF field is modeled by a transmission line equivalent circuit, the ribbon beam is divided into a sequence of thin rectangular electron discs with the same cross section as the beam, and the charges are assumed to be uniformly distributed over these discs. Then a method of computing the space-charge field by solving Green's Function in the Cartesian Coordinate-system is fully described. Nonlinear partial differential equations for field amplitudes and Lorentz force equations for particles are solved numerically using the fourth-order Runge-Kutta technique. The tube's gain, output power, and efficiency of the above TWT are computed. The results show that increasing the cross section of the ribbon beam will improve a rectangular helix TWT's efficiency and reduce the saturated length.

Clear cell hidradenocarcinoma of the ear helix: report of primary ear helix adnexal carcinoma with regional lymph node metastasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bae, Tae Hui; Kang, Shin Hyuk; Kim, Han Koo; Kim, Woo Seob; Kim, Mi Kyung

2014-07-01

Clear cell hidradenocarcinoma is a rare tumor of eccrine sweat gland origin that has a predilection for the head and neck. It has an indolent growth pattern and a higher incidence of regional and distant metastases. Metastasizing adnexal carcinomas are rare; thus, currently there is no uniform treatment guideline. We report a case of an 89-year-old female patient with clear cell hidradenocarcinoma manifesting in the right ear helix that metastasized to the right parotid gland who was treated by wide local excision and radiation therapy.

Comparison of the acidifying activity of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis strains isolated from goat's milk and Valdeteja cheese.

Science.gov (United States)

Alonso-Calleja, C; Carballo, J; Capita, R; Bernardo, A; García-López, M L

2002-01-01

This work was carried out to study the acid production by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis strains isolated from goat's milk and goat cheese (Valdeteja variety) in order to select a suitable starter culture for industrial goat cheese manufacturing. The titrable acidity of 45 Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis strains isolated from a home-made batch of Valdeteja cheese with excellent sensory characteristics was measured over a period of 18 h. The strains were divided into two groups depending on the acid production rate: 20 fast acid producer (F) strains and 25 slow acid producer (S) strains. The kinetic parameters (lag phase, maximum acid production rate and value of upper asymptote curve) of the acid production curves for F and S strains were significantly (P titrable acidity of F and S strains were observed after the second hour of incubation. An F strain acetoin producer (Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis 470Ch2) was selected as autochthonous starter culture for industrial Valdeteja goat cheese manufacturing.

The Effect of a Helix-Coil Transition on the Extension Elasticity

Science.gov (United States)

Buhot, Arnaud; Halperin, Avi

2000-03-01

The secondary structure of a polymer affects its deformation behavior in accordance with the Le Chatelier principle. An important example of such secondary structure is the alpha helix encountered in polypeptides. Similar structure was recently proposed for PEO in aqueous media. Our discussion concerns the coupling of the cooperative helix-coil transition and the extension elasticity. In particular, we analyze the extension of a long single chain by use of optical tweezers or AFM. We consider chains that exist in the coil-state when unperturbed. The transition nevertheless occurs because the extension favors the low entropy helical state. As a result, the corresponding force law exhibits a plateau. The analysis of this situation involves two ingredients: (I) the stretching free energy penalty for a rod-coil mutiblock copolymer (II) the entropy associated with the possible placements of the rod and coil blocks.

Chiral transformation: From single nanowire to double helix

KAUST Repository

Wang, Yong

2011-12-21

We report a new type of water-soluble ultrathin Au-Ag alloy nanowire (NW), which exhibits unprecedented behavior in a colloidal solution. Upon growth of a thin metal (Pd, Pt, or Au) layer, the NW winds around itself to give a metallic double helix. We propose that the winding originates from the chirality within the as-synthesized Au-Ag NWs, which were induced to untwist upon metal deposition. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

A Helix-Stabilizing Linker Improves Subcutaneous Bioavailability of a Helical Peptide Independent of Linker Lipophilicity

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Liang; Navaratna, Tejas; Thurber, Greg M.

2016-01-01

Stabilized peptides address several limitations to peptide-based imaging agents and therapeutics such as poor stability and low affinity due to conformational flexibility. There is also active research in developing these compounds for intracellular drug targeting, and significant efforts have been invested to determine the effects of helix stabilization on intracellular delivery. However, much less is known about the impact on other pharmacokinetic parameters such as plasma clearance and bioavailability. We investigated the effect of different fluorescent helix-stabilizing linkers with varying lipophilicity on subcutaneous (SC) bioavailability using the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor ligand exendin as a model system. The stabilized peptides showed significantly higher protease resistance and increased bioavailability independent of linker hydrophilicity, and all subcutaneously delivered conjugates were able to successfully target the islets of Langerhans with high specificity. The lipophilic peptide variants had slower absorption and plasma clearance than their respective hydrophilic conjugates, and the absolute bioavailability was also lower likely due to the longer residence times in the skin. The ease and efficiency of double-click helix stabilization chemistries is a useful tool for increasing the bioavailability of peptide therapeutics, many of which suffer from rapid in vivo protease degradation. Helix stabilization using linkers of varying lipophilicity can further control SC absorption and clearance rates to customize plasma pharmacokinetics. PMID:27327034

The human early-life exposome (HELIX): project rationale and design.

Science.gov (United States)

Vrijheid, Martine; Slama, Rémy; Robinson, Oliver; Chatzi, Leda; Coen, Muireann; van den Hazel, Peter; Thomsen, Cathrine; Wright, John; Athersuch, Toby J; Avellana, Narcis; Basagaña, Xavier; Brochot, Celine; Bucchini, Luca; Bustamante, Mariona; Carracedo, Angel; Casas, Maribel; Estivill, Xavier; Fairley, Lesley; van Gent, Diana; Gonzalez, Juan R; Granum, Berit; Gražulevičienė, Regina; Gutzkow, Kristine B; Julvez, Jordi; Keun, Hector C; Kogevinas, Manolis; McEachan, Rosemary R C; Meltzer, Helle Margrete; Sabidó, Eduard; Schwarze, Per E; Siroux, Valérie; Sunyer, Jordi; Want, Elizabeth J; Zeman, Florence; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J

2014-06-01

Developmental periods in early life may be particularly vulnerable to impacts of environmental exposures. Human research on this topic has generally focused on single exposure-health effect relationships. The "exposome" concept encompasses the totality of exposures from conception onward, complementing the genome. The Human Early-Life Exposome (HELIX) project is a new collaborative research project that aims to implement novel exposure assessment and biomarker methods to characterize early-life exposure to multiple environmental factors and associate these with omics biomarkers and child health outcomes, thus characterizing the "early-life exposome." Here we describe the general design of the project. In six existing birth cohort studies in Europe, HELIX will estimate prenatal and postnatal exposure to a broad range of chemical and physical exposures. Exposure models will be developed for the full cohorts totaling 32,000 mother-child pairs, and biomarkers will be measured in a subset of 1,200 mother-child pairs. Nested repeat-sampling panel studies (n = 150) will collect data on biomarker variability, use smartphones to assess mobility and physical activity, and perform personal exposure monitoring. Omics techniques will determine molecular profiles (metabolome, proteome, transcriptome, epigenome) associated with exposures. Statistical methods for multiple exposures will provide exposure-response estimates for fetal and child growth, obesity, neurodevelopment, and respiratory outcomes. A health impact assessment exercise will evaluate risks and benefits of combined exposures. HELIX is one of the first attempts to describe the early-life exposome of European populations and unravel its relation to omics markers and health in childhood. As proof of concept, it will form an important first step toward the life-course exposome.

Co-culturing of Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei with a Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii mutant to make high cell density for increased lactate productivity from cassava bagasse hydrolysate.

Science.gov (United States)

John, Rojan Pappy; Nampoothiri, K Madhavan

2011-03-01

To increase the productivity of lactic acid, a co-culture of lactobacilli was made by mixing 1:1 ratio of Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei and a fast growing L. delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii mutant. The culture was embedded on to polyurethane foam (PUF) cubes as a biofilm and used for fermentation. In order to prevent the cell leakage, the PUF cubes were further entrapped in calcium cross-linked alginate. The maximum lactic acid production using a high cell density free culture was >38 g l(-1) from ~40 g l(-1) of reducing sugar within 12 h of fermentation. Using PUF biofilms, the same yield of lactic acid attained after 24 h. When the cubes were further coated with alginate it took 36 h for the maximum yield. Even though, the productivity is slightly lesser with the alginate coating, cell leakage was decreased and cubes were reused without much decrease in production in repeated batches. Using a conventional control inoculum (3%, w/v), it took 120 h to yield same amount of lactic acid.

Right- and left-handed three-helix proteins. I. Experimental and simulation analysis of differences in folding and structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Glyakina, Anna V; Pereyaslavets, Leonid B; Galzitskaya, Oxana V

2013-09-01

Despite the large number of publications on three-helix protein folding, there is no study devoted to the influence of handedness on the rate of three-helix protein folding. From the experimental studies, we make a conclusion that the left-handed three-helix proteins fold faster than the right-handed ones. What may explain this difference? An important question arising in this paper is whether the modeling of protein folding can catch the difference between the protein folding rates of proteins with similar structures but with different folding mechanisms. To answer this question, the folding of eight three-helix proteins (four right-handed and four left-handed), which are similar in size, was modeled using the Monte Carlo and dynamic programming methods. The studies allowed us to determine the orders of folding of the secondary-structure elements in these domains and amino acid residues which are important for the folding. The obtained data are in good correlation with each other and with the experimental data. Structural analysis of these proteins demonstrated that the left-handed domains have a lesser number of contacts per residue and a smaller radius of cross section than the right-handed domains. This may be one of the explanations of the observed fact. The same tendency is observed for the large dataset consisting of 332 three-helix proteins (238 right- and 94 left-handed). From our analysis, we found that the left-handed three-helix proteins have some less-dense packing that should result in faster folding for some proteins as compared to the case of right-handed proteins. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Investigating Intraspecific Variation of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli Using DNA Fingerprinting and Whole Cell Fatty Acid Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Walcott, R R; Langston, D B; Sanders, F H; Gitaitis, R D

2000-02-01

ABSTRACT To assess the diversity of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli, 121 strains from watermelon, cantaloupe, and pumpkin were compared using pulse field gel electrophoresis of SpeI-digested DNA and gas chromatographic analysis of fatty acid methyl esters. Twenty-nine unique DNA fragments resulted from DNA digestion, and 14 distinct haplotypes were observed. Based on cluster analysis, two subgroups, I and II, were recognized, which accounted for 84.8% (eight haplotypes) and 15.2% (six haplotypes) of the strains, respectively. Results of cellular fatty acid analysis varied quantitatively and qualitatively for the A. avenae subsp. citrulli strains and supported the existence of the two subgroups. Group I includes strains from cantaloupe and pumpkin as well as the ATCC type strain, which was first described in the United States in 1978, whereas group II represents the typical watermelon fruit blotch-causing strains that appeared in the mainland United States in 1989. Knowledge of the two A. avenae subsp. citrulli groups may be useful in screening for watermelon fruit blotch resistance.

Production and characterization of bioemulsifier from a marine bacterium, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus subsp. anitratus SM7

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kulnaree Phetrong

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Marine bacterium strain SM7 was isolated as a bioemulsifier-producing bacterium from oil-spilled seawater in Songkhla lagoon, Thailand. It was identified as Acinetobacter calcoaceticus subsp. anitratus based on morphology, biochemicalcharacteristics and 16S rRNA sequence. A. calcoaceticus subsp. anitratus SM7 produced an extracellular emulsifying agent when grown in a minimal salt medium (pH 7.0 containing 0.3% (v/v n-heptadecane and 0.1% (w/v ammoniumhydrogen carbonate as carbon source and nitrogen source, respectively, at 30oC with agitation rate of 200 rpm. Crude bioemulsifier was recovered from the culture supernatant by ethanol precipitation with a yield of 2.94 g/l and had a criticalemulsifier concentration of 0.04 g/ml. The crude bioemulsifier was capable of emulsifying n-hexadecane in a broad pH range (6-12, temperatures (30-121oC and in the presence of NaCl up to 12% (w/v. The bioemulsifier was stable in saltsolution ranging from 0 to 0.1% (w/v of MgCl2 and CaCl2. The broad range of pH stability, thermostability and salt tolerance suggested that the bioemulsifier from A. calcoaceticus subsp. anitratus SM7 could be useful in environmentalapplication, especially bioremediation of oil-polluted seawater.

Actinobacillus equuli subsp. equuli associated with equine valvular endocarditis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aalbæk, Bent; Østergaard, Stine; Buhl, Rikke

2007-01-01

Microbiological and pathological data from a case of equine valvular endocarditis are reported. Limited information is available on the pathogenic potential of equine Actinobacillus species as several strains originate from apparently healthy horses. After the establishment of two subspecies within...... this species, this seems to be the first report of an etiological association between A. equuli subsp. equuli and equine endocarditis. Furthermore, new information on some phenotypical characteristics of this subspecies are reported, compared to previous findings...

An unusual helix-turn-helix protease inhibitory motif in a novel trypsin inhibitor from seeds of Veronica (Veronica hederifolia L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Conners, Rebecca; Konarev, Alexander V; Forsyth, Jane; Lovegrove, Alison; Marsh, Justin; Joseph-Horne, Timothy; Shewry, Peter; Brady, R Leo

2007-09-21

The storage tissues of many plants contain protease inhibitors that are believed to play an important role in defending the plant from invasion by pests and pathogens. These proteinaceous inhibitor molecules belong to a number of structurally distinct families. We describe here the isolation, purification, initial inhibitory properties, and three-dimensional structure of a novel trypsin inhibitor from seeds of Veronica hederifolia (VhTI). The VhTI peptide inhibits trypsin with a submicromolar apparent K(i) and is expected to be specific for trypsin-like serine proteases. VhTI differs dramatically in structure from all previously described families of trypsin inhibitors, consisting of a helix-turn-helix motif, with the two alpha helices tightly associated by two disulfide bonds. Unusually, the crystallized complex is in the form of a stabilized acyl-enzyme intermediate with the scissile bond of the VhTI inhibitor cleaved and the resulting N-terminal portion of the inhibitor remaining attached to the trypsin catalytic serine 195 by an ester bond. A synthetic, truncated version of the VhTI peptide has also been produced and co-crystallized with trypsin but, surprisingly, is seen to be uncleaved and consequently forms a noncovalent complex with trypsin. The VhTI peptide shows that effective enzyme inhibitors can be constructed from simple helical motifs and provides a new scaffold on which to base the design of novel serine protease inhibitors.

Genome-wide analysis of basic/helix-loop-helix gene family in peanut and assessment of its roles in pod development.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chao Gao

Full Text Available The basic/helix-loop-helix (bHLH proteins constitute a superfamily of transcription factors that are known to play a range of regulatory roles in eukaryotes. Over the past few decades, many bHLH family genes have been well-characterized in model plants, such as Arabidopsis, rice and tomato. However, the bHLH protein family in peanuts has not yet been systematically identified and characterized. Here, 132 and 129 bHLH proteins were identified from two wild ancestral diploid subgenomes of cultivated tetraploid peanuts, Arachis duranensis (AA and Arachis ipaensis (BB, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that these bHLHs could be classified into 19 subfamilies. Distribution mapping results showed that peanut bHLH genes were randomly and unevenly distributed within the 10 AA chromosomes and 10 BB chromosomes. In addition, 120 bHLH gene pairs between the AA-subgenome and BB-subgenome were found to be orthologous and 101 of these pairs were highly syntenic in AA and BB chromosomes. Furthermore, we confirmed that 184 bHLH genes expressed in different tissues, 22 of which exhibited tissue-specific expression. Meanwhile, we identified 61 bHLH genes that may be potentially involved in peanut-specific subterranean. Our comprehensive genomic analysis provides a foundation for future functional dissection and understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of bHLH transcription factors in peanuts.

Salt- and pH-Triggered Helix-Coil Transition of Ionic Polypeptides under Physiology Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Jingsong; Zhang, Yi; Sun, Yue; Cai, Zhicheng; Yang, Lijiang; Lu, Hua

2018-06-11

Controlling the helix-coil transition of polypeptides under physiological conditions is an attractive way toward smart functional materials. Here, we report the synthesis of a series of tertiary amine-functionalized ethylene glycol (EG x )-linked polypeptide electrolytes with their secondary structures tunable under physiological conditions. The resultant polymers, denoted as P(EG x DMA-Glu) ( x = 1, 2, and 3), show excellent aqueous solubility (>20 mg/mL) regardless of their charge states. Unlike poly-l-lysine that can form a helix only at pH above 10, P(EG x DMA-Glu) undergo a pH-dependent helix-coil switch with their transition points within the physiological range (pH ∼5.3-6.5). Meanwhile, P(EG x DMA-Glu) exhibit an unusual salt-induced helical conformation presumably owing to the unique properties of EG x linkers. Together, the current work highlights the importance of fine-tuning the linker chemistry in achieving conformation-switchable polypeptides and represents a facile approach toward stimuli-responsive biopolymers for advanced biological applications.

Ruby-Helix: an implementation of helical image processing based on object-oriented scripting language.

Science.gov (United States)

Metlagel, Zoltan; Kikkawa, Yayoi S; Kikkawa, Masahide

2007-01-01

Helical image analysis in combination with electron microscopy has been used to study three-dimensional structures of various biological filaments or tubes, such as microtubules, actin filaments, and bacterial flagella. A number of packages have been developed to carry out helical image analysis. Some biological specimens, however, have a symmetry break (seam) in their three-dimensional structure, even though their subunits are mostly arranged in a helical manner. We refer to these objects as "asymmetric helices". All the existing packages are designed for helically symmetric specimens, and do not allow analysis of asymmetric helical objects, such as microtubules with seams. Here, we describe Ruby-Helix, a new set of programs for the analysis of "helical" objects with or without a seam. Ruby-Helix is built on top of the Ruby programming language and is the first implementation of asymmetric helical reconstruction for practical image analysis. It also allows easier and semi-automated analysis, performing iterative unbending and accurate determination of the repeat length. As a result, Ruby-Helix enables us to analyze motor-microtubule complexes with higher throughput to higher resolution.

Structure of the Membrane Anchor of Pestivirus Glycoprotein Erns, a Long Tilted Amphipathic Helix

Science.gov (United States)

Aberle, Daniel; Muhle-Goll, Claudia; Bürck, Jochen; Wolf, Moritz; Reißer, Sabine; Luy, Burkhard; Wenzel, Wolfgang; Ulrich, Anne S.; Meyers, Gregor

2014-01-01

Erns is an essential virion glycoprotein with RNase activity that suppresses host cellular innate immune responses upon being partially secreted from the infected cells. Its unusual C-terminus plays multiple roles, as the amphiphilic helix acts as a membrane anchor, as a signal peptidase cleavage site, and as a retention/secretion signal. We analyzed the structure and membrane binding properties of this sequence to gain a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms. CD spectroscopy in different setups, as well as Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the helical folding and showed that the helix is accommodated in the amphiphilic region of the lipid bilayer with a slight tilt rather than lying parallel to the surface. This model was confirmed by NMR analyses that also identified a central stretch of 15 residues within the helix that is fully shielded from the aqueous layer, which is C-terminally followed by a putative hairpin structure. These findings explain the strong membrane binding of the protein and provide clues to establishing the Erns membrane contact, processing and secretion. PMID:24586172

SclR, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, regulates hyphal morphology and promotes sclerotial formation in Aspergillus oryzae.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Feng Jie; Takahashi, Tadashi; Matsushima, Ken-ichiro; Hara, Seiichi; Shinohara, Yasutomo; Maruyama, Jun-ichi; Kitamoto, Katsuhiko; Koyama, Yasuji

2011-07-01

Most known basic-region helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins belong to a superfamily of transcription factors often involved in the control of growth and differentiation. Therefore, inappropriate expression of genes encoding bHLH proteins is frequently associated with developmental dysfunction. In our previously reported study, a novel bHLH protein-encoding gene (AO090011000215) of Aspergillus oryzae was identified. The gene-disrupted strain was found to produce dense conidia, but sparse sclerotia, relative to the parent strain. Here, to further analyze its function, we generated an overexpressing strain using the A. oryzae amyB gene promoter. Genetic overexpression led to a large number of initial hyphal aggregations and then the formation of mature sclerotia; it was therefore designated sclR (sclerotium regulator). At the same time, the sclR-overexpressing strain also displayed both delayed and decreased conidiation. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that the aerial hyphae of the sclR-overexpressing strain were extremely branched and intertwined with each other. In the generation of the SclR-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) expression strain, the SclR-EGFP protein fusion was conditionally detected in the nuclei. In addition, the loss of sclR function led to rapid protein degradation and cell lysis in dextrin-polypeptone-yeast extract liquid medium. Taken together, these observations indicate that SclR plays an important role in hyphal morphology, asexual conidiospore formation, and the promotion of sclerotial production, even retaining normal cell function, at least in submerged liquid culture.

Draft Genome Sequence of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa Strain Stag?s Leap

OpenAIRE

Chen, J.; Wu, F.; Zheng, Z.; Deng, X.; Burbank, L. P.; Stenger, D. C.

2016-01-01

Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa causes Pierce?s disease of grapevine. Presented here is the draft genome sequence of the Stag?s Leap strain, previously used in pathogenicity/virulence assays to evaluate grapevine germplasm bearing Pierce?s disease resistance and a phenotypic assessment of knockout mutants to determine gene function.

Lactobacillus paracasei subsp paracasei L. casei W8 suppresses energy intake acutely

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjerg, Anne Toksvig; Kristensen, Mette Bredal; Ritz, Christian

2014-01-01

Background: Probiotic bacteria have been shown to have various effects on the microbiota; this may also affect appetite and may help promote weight loss and maintenance. Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Lactobacillus paracasei subsp paracasei L. casei W8 (L. casei W8...

Autecology and ex situ growth of Onobrychis pindicola Hausskn. subsp. urumovii Deg. & Dren. (Fabaceae) – endemic with medicinal potential

OpenAIRE

Kozuharova, Ekaterina; Nash, Robert

2017-01-01

Onobrychis pindicola subsp. urumovii Degen & Dren. is an endemic with very restricted distribution on just two mountains Pirin Mts. and Slavjanka Mts. SW Bulgaria. The taxon is evaluated as least concerned by the IUCN criteria but it is an element in several Natura 2000 habitats with conservation significance. The aim of this study is to investigate the microhabitat specifics of O. pindicola subsp. urumovii, namely slope, exposure, bed rock, soils, and vegetation as well as spatia...

Phytochemical composition and antinociceptive activity of Bauhinia glauca subsp. hupehana in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jinlong; Zhao, Qizhi; Wei, Lei; Yang, Yu; Xu, Rui; Yu, Nengjiang; Zhao, Yimin

2015-01-01

In traditional medicine, Bauhinia glauca subsp. hupehana has long been used as an analgesic agent in China. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antinociceptive activity of the ethanol extract of the aerial parts of B. glauca subsp. hupehana (BHE) in rats and its chemical fingerprint. The antinociceptive activity of BHE was assessed in mice using chemically and heat-induced pain models, such as the acetic acid-induced writhing, hot plate, tail-flick and glutamate tests. Naltrexone hydrochloride, a non-selective opioid receptor antagonist, was utilized to determine the involvement of the opioid system. In addition to this, the involvements of the cGMP and ATP-sensitive K+ channel pathways were also detected using methylene blue and glibenclamide. The oral administration of BHE (at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) produced significant and dose-related inhibitions in both the chemically and heat-induced pain models. Interestingly, in the abdominal constriction test, when the dose of BHE was increased to 800 mg/kg (p.o., n = 10), the inhibition rate was 100%. The antinociceptive mechanism may involve the cGMP pathway and ATP sensitive K+ channel pathway. The central antinociceptive effect was not antagonized by naltrexone. One phenolic acid, one lignin and five flavonoids were isolated from BHE. The antinociceptive activity of BHE was most likely due to the presence of the flavonoids. The acute toxicity results showed that BHE was safe at a high dose (2 g/kg, p.o.). The current investigation demonstrates that B. glauca subsp. hupehana is a potential candidate for the development of novel, non-opioid, analgesic phytomedicines.

A highly efficient transposon mutagenesis system for the tomato pathogen Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirchner, O; Gartemann, K H; Zellermann, E M; Eichenlaub, R; Burger, A

2001-11-01

A transposon mutagenesis system for Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis was developed based on antibiotic resistance transposons that were derived from the insertion element IS1409 from Arthrobacter sp. strain TM1 NCIB12013. As a prerequisite, the electroporation efficiency was optimized by using unmethylated DNA and treatment of the cells with glycine such that about 5 x 10(6) transformants per microg of DNA were generally obtained. Electroporation of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis with a suicide vector carrying transposon Tn1409C resulted in approximately 1 x 10(3) transposon mutants per pg of DNA and thus is suitable for saturation mutagenesis. Analysis of Tn1409C insertion sites suggests a random mode of transposition. Transposition of Tn1409C was also demonstrated for other subspecies of C. michiganensis.

Health and Environment Linked for Information Exchange in Atlanta (HELIX-Atlanta): A Pilot Tracking System

Science.gov (United States)

Rickman, Doug; Shire, J.; Qualters, J.; Mitchell, K.; Pollard, S.; Rao, R.; Kajumba, N.; Quattrochi, D.; Estes, M., Jr.; Meyer, P.;

Evaluation of the effects of Olea europaea L. subsp. africana (Mill.) P.S. Green (Oleaceae) leaf methanol extract against castor oil-induced diarrhoea in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Amabeoku, George J; Bamuamba, Kapinga

2010-03-01

Olea europaea L. subsp. africana (Mill.) P.S. Green is widely used in South Africa by traditional medicine practitioners to treat diarrhoea. However, little is known scientifically about this South African species in the treatment of diarrhoea. The main aim of the study therefore was to investigate the antidiarrhoeal effect of the leaf methanol extract of the plant species in mice. The antidiarrhoeal activity of the leaf methanol extract of O. europaea subsp. africana was studied using a castor oil-induced diarrhoeal test. The antipropulsive activity of the plant extract was also investigated using the charcoal meal transit test. Standard methods were used to investigate the acute toxicity and effect of O. europaea subsp. africana on castor oil-induced intraluminal fluid accumulation. Leaf methanol extract of O. europaea subsp. africana and loperamide, a standard antidiarrhoeal drug, significantly reduced the number of diarrhoeal episodes induced by castor oil, significantly decreased the stool mass, significantly delayed the onset of the diarrhoea and protected the animals against castor oil-induced diarrhoea. Both O. europaea subsp. africana and loperamide significantly decreased the gastrointestinal transit of charcoal meal and castor oil-induced intraluminal fluid accumulation in mice. The LD50 value was found to be 3475 mg/kg (p.o.). The results obtained suggest that the leaf methanol extract of O. europaea subsp. africana has an antidiarrhoeal property and that, given orally, it may be non-toxic and/or safe in mice.

Defining the structural requirements for a helix in 23 S ribosomal RNA that confers erythromycin resistance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Douthwaite, S; Powers, T; Lee, J Y

1989-01-01

The helix spanning nucleotides 1198 to 1247 (helix 1200-1250) in Escherichia coli 23 S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is functionally important in protein synthesis, and deletions in this region confer erythromycin resistance. In order to define the structural requirements for resistance, we have dissected...... deletion mutants show a sensitive phenotype. Deletions that extend into the base-pairing between GCC1208 and GGU1240 result in non-functional 23 S RNAs, which consequently do not confer resistance. A number of phylogenetically conserved nucleotides have been shown to be non-essential for 23 S RNA function....... However, removal of either these or non-conserved nucleotides from helix 1200-1250 measurably reduces the efficiency of 23 S RNA in forming functional ribosomes. We have used chemical probing and a modified primer extension method to investigate erythromycin binding to wild-type and resistant ribosomes...

Use of 1–4 interaction scaling factors to control the conformational equilibrium between α-helix and β-strand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pang, Yuan-Ping

2015-01-01

Highlights: • 1–4 interaction scaling factors are used to adjust conformational energy. • This article reports the effects of these factors on protein conformations. • Reducing these factors changes a helix to a strand in molecular dynamics simulation. • Increasing these factors causes the reverse conformational change. • These factors control the conformational equilibrium between helix and strand. - Abstract: 1–4 interaction scaling factors are used in AMBER forcefields to reduce the exaggeration of short-range repulsion caused by the 6–12 Lennard-Jones potential and a nonpolarizable charge model and to obtain better agreements of small-molecule conformational energies with experimental data. However, the effects of these scaling factors on protein secondary structure conformations have not been investigated until now. This article reports the finding that the 1–4 interactions among the protein backbone atoms separated by three consecutive covalent bonds are more repulsive in the α-helix conformation than in two β-strand conformations. Therefore, the 1–4 interaction scaling factors of protein backbone torsions ϕ and ψ control the conformational equilibrium between α-helix and β-strand. Molecular dynamics simulations confirm that reducing the ϕ and ψ scaling factors readily converts the α-helix conformation of AcO-(AAQAA) 3 -NH 2 to a β-strand conformation, and the reverse occurs when these scaling factors are increased. These results suggest that the ϕ and ψ scaling factors can be used to generate the α-helix or β-strand conformation in situ and to control the propensities of a forcefield for adopting secondary structure elements

Ethnoveterinary medicines used for ruminants in British Columbia, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Lans, Cheryl; Turner, Nancy; Khan, Tonya; Brauer, Gerhard; Boepple, Willi

2007-01-01

helix and Alchemilla vulgaris are fed for retained placenta. Conclusion Some of the plants showing high levels of validity were Hedera helix for retained placenta and Euphrasia officinalis for eye problems. Plants with high validity for wounds and injuries included Hypericum perforatum, Malva parviflora and Prunella vulgaris. Treatments with high validity against endoparasites included those with Juniperus communis and Pinus ponderosa. Anxiety and pain are well treated with Melissa officinalis and Nepeta caesarea. PMID:17324258

Ethnoveterinary medicines used for ruminants in British Columbia, Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brauer Gerhard

2007-02-01

Symphytum officinale. Hedera helix and Alchemilla vulgaris are fed for retained placenta. Conclusion Some of the plants showing high levels of validity were Hedera helix for retained placenta and Euphrasia officinalis for eye problems. Plants with high validity for wounds and injuries included Hypericum perforatum, Malva parviflora and Prunella vulgaris. Treatments with high validity against endoparasites included those with Juniperus communis and Pinus ponderosa. Anxiety and pain are well treated with Melissa officinalis and Nepeta caesarea.

Cytotoxic and antibacterial activities of sesquiterpene lactones isolated from Tanacetum praeteritum subsp praeteritum

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Goren, N; Woerdenbag, HJ; BozokJohansson, C

1996-01-01

Ten sesquiterpene lactones and one sesquiterpene isolated from Tanacetum praeteritum subsp. praeteritum: 1 alpha,6 alpha-dihydroxyisocostic acid methyl ester (2), 1 alpha-hydroxy-1-deoxoarglanine (3), douglanin (5), santamarin (6), reynosin (7), 1-epi-tatridin B (8), ludovicin A (10), armexin (12),

Increased Production of Hydrogen Peroxide by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus upon Aeration: Involvement of an NADH Oxidase in Oxidative Stress

Science.gov (United States)

Marty-Teysset, C.; de la Torre, F.; Garel, J.-R.

2000-01-01

The growth of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus) on lactose was altered upon aerating the cultures by agitation. Aeration caused the bacteria to enter early into stationary phase, thus reducing markedly the biomass production but without modifying the maximum growth rate. The early entry into stationary phase of aerated cultures was probably related to the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in the medium. Indeed, the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in aerated cultures was two to three times higher than in unaerated ones. Also, a similar shift from exponential to stationary phase could be induced in unaerated cultures by adding increasing concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. A significant fraction of the hydrogen peroxide produced by L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus originated from the reduction of molecular oxygen by NADH catalyzed by an NADH:H2O2 oxidase. The specific activity of this NADH oxidase was the same in aerated and unaerated cultures, suggesting that the amount of this enzyme was not directly regulated by oxygen. Aeration did not change the homolactic character of lactose fermentation by L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and most of the NADH was reoxidized by lactate dehydrogenase with pyruvate. This indicated that NADH oxidase had no (or a very small) energetic role and could be involved in eliminating oxygen. PMID:10618234

Facilitating Quintuple helix innovation with urban living labs

OpenAIRE

Baccarne, Bastiaan; Schuurman, Dimitri; De Marez, Lieven

2015-01-01

This paper discusses the Urban Living Lab approach as a way to put the Quintuple Helix model for innovation into practice. In this analysis we focus on the concepts innovation democracy, ‘mode 3’ knowledge production, the innovation ecosystem as a system of societal subsystems and socioecological transition. The empirical analysis is performed by means of a multidimensional case study design, applied on a project-based ad hoc collaborative innovation development process in an ecological doma...

Complete Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium fortuitum subsp. fortuitum Type Strain DSM46621

KAUST Repository

Ho, Y. S

2012-10-26

Mycobacterium fortuitum is a member of the rapidly growing nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). It is ubiquitous in water and soil habitats, including hospital environments. M. fortuitum is increasingly recognized as an opportunistic nosocomial pathogen causing disseminated infection. Here we report the genome sequence of M. fortuitum subsp. fortuitum type strain DSM46621.

Complete Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium fortuitum subsp. fortuitum Type Strain DSM46621

KAUST Repository

Ho, Y. S; Adroub, S. A.; Aleisa, F.; Mahmood, H.; Othoum, G.; Rashid, F.; Zaher, M.; Ali, Shahjahan; Bitter, W.; Pain, Arnab; Abdallah, A. M.

2012-01-01

Mycobacterium fortuitum is a member of the rapidly growing nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). It is ubiquitous in water and soil habitats, including hospital environments. M. fortuitum is increasingly recognized as an opportunistic nosocomial pathogen causing disseminated infection. Here we report the genome sequence of M. fortuitum subsp. fortuitum type strain DSM46621.

The type II collagen fragments Helix-II and CTX-II reveal different enzymatic pathways of human cartilage collagen degradation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Charni-Ben Tabassi, N; Desmarais, S; Jensen, Anne-Christine Bay

2008-01-01

human recombinant cathepsins (Cats) and matrix-metalloproteases (MMPs). Next, we analyzed the spontaneous release of Helix-II and CTX-II from cartilage sections of patients with knee OA who were immediately deep frozen after joint replacement to preserve endogenous enzyme activity until assay. Cartilage....... Cat D was unable to digest intact cartilage. MMPs-1, -3, -7, -9, and -13 efficiently released CTX-II, but only small amount of Helix-II. Neither CTX-II nor Helix-II alone was able to reflect accurately the collagenolytic activity of Cats and MMPs as reflected by the release of hydroxyproline. In OA...

Helix Nebula and CERN: A Symbiotic approach to exploiting commercial clouds

CERN Document Server

Barreiro Megino, Fernando Harald; Kucharczyk, Katarzyna; Medrano Llamas, Ramón; van der Ster, Daniel

2014-01-01

The recent paradigm shift toward cloud computing in IT, and general interest in "Big Data" in particular, have demonstrated that the computing requirements of HEP are no longer globally unique. Indeed, the CERN IT department and LHC experiments have already made significant R&D investments in delivering and exploiting cloud computing resources. While a number of technical evaluations of interesting commercial offerings from global IT enterprises have been performed by various physics labs, further technical, security, sociological, and legal issues need to be address before their large-scale adoption by the research community can be envisaged. Helix Nebula - the Science Cloud is an initiative that explores these questions by joining the forces of three European research institutes (CERN, ESA and EMBL) with leading European commercial IT enterprises. The goals of Helix Nebula are to establish a cloud platform federating multiple commercial cloud providers, along with new business models, which can sustain ...

Helix Nebula and CERN: A Symbiotic approach to exploiting commercial clouds

CERN Multimedia

Barreiro Megino, Fernando Harald; Kucharczyk, Katarzyna; Medrano Llamas, Ramón; van der Ster, Daniel

2013-01-01

The recent paradigm shift toward cloud computing in IT, and general interest in "Big Data" in particular, have demonstrated that the computing requirements of HEP are no longer globally unique. Indeed, the CERN IT department and LHC experiments have already made significant R&D; investments in delivering and exploiting cloud computing resources. While a number of technical evaluations of interesting commercial offerings from global IT enterprises have been performed by various physics labs, further technical, security, sociological, and legal issues need to be address before their large-scale adoption by the research community can be envisaged. Helix Nebula - the Science Cloud is an initiative that explores these questions by joining the forces of three European research institutes (CERN, ESA and EMBL) with leading European commercial IT enterprises. The goals of Helix Nebula are to establish a cloud platform federating multiple commercial cloud providers, along with new business models, which can sustain...

Elevated endogenous expression of the dominant negative basic helix-loop-helix protein ID1 correlates with significant centrosome abnormalities in human tumor cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gutmann Anja

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background ID proteins are dominant negative inhibitors of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors that have multiple functions during development and cellular differentiation. Ectopic (over-expression of ID1 extends the lifespan of primary human epithelial cells. High expression levels of ID1 have been detected in multiple human malignancies, and in some have been correlated with unfavorable clinical prognosis. ID1 protein is localized at the centrosomes and forced (over-expression of ID1 results in errors during centrosome duplication. Results Here we analyzed the steady state expression levels of the four ID-proteins in 18 tumor cell lines and assessed the number of centrosome abnormalities. While expression of ID1, ID2, and ID3 was detected, we failed to detect protein expression of ID4. Expression of ID1 correlated with increased supernumerary centrosomes in most cell lines analyzed. Conclusions This is the first report that shows that not only ectopic expression in tissue culture but endogenous levels of ID1 modulate centrosome numbers. Thus, our findings support the hypothesis that ID1 interferes with centrosome homeostasis, most likely contributing to genomic instability and associated tumor aggressiveness.

Helix Nebula and CERN: A Symbiotic approach to exploiting commercial clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Barreiro Megino, Fernando H.; Jones, Robert; Kucharczyk, Katarzyna; Medrano Llamas, Ramón; van der Ster, Daniel

2014-06-01

The recent paradigm shift toward cloud computing in IT, and general interest in "Big Data" in particular, have demonstrated that the computing requirements of HEP are no longer globally unique. Indeed, the CERN IT department and LHC experiments have already made significant R&D investments in delivering and exploiting cloud computing resources. While a number of technical evaluations of interesting commercial offerings from global IT enterprises have been performed by various physics labs, further technical, security, sociological, and legal issues need to be address before their large-scale adoption by the research community can be envisaged. Helix Nebula - the Science Cloud is an initiative that explores these questions by joining the forces of three European research institutes (CERN, ESA and EMBL) with leading European commercial IT enterprises. The goals of Helix Nebula are to establish a cloud platform federating multiple commercial cloud providers, along with new business models, which can sustain the cloud marketplace for years to come. This contribution will summarize the participation of CERN in Helix Nebula. We will explain CERN's flagship use-case and the model used to integrate several cloud providers with an LHC experiment's workload management system. During the first proof of concept, this project contributed over 40.000 CPU-days of Monte Carlo production throughput to the ATLAS experiment with marginal manpower required. CERN's experience, together with that of ESA and EMBL, is providing a great insight into the cloud computing industry and highlighted several challenges that are being tackled in order to ease the export of the scientific workloads to the cloud environments.

Draft Genome Sequence of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LBB.B5.

Science.gov (United States)

Urshev, Zoltan; Hajo, Karima; Lenoci, Leonardo; Bron, Peter A; Dijkstra, Annereinou; Alkema, Wynand; Wels, Michiel; Siezen, Roland J; Minkova, Svetlana; van Hijum, Sacha A F T

2016-10-06

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LBB.B5 originates from homemade Bulgarian yogurt and was selected for its ability to form a strong association with Streptococcus thermophilus The genome sequence will facilitate elucidating the genetic background behind the contribution of LBB.B5 to the taste and aroma of yogurt and its exceptional protocooperation with S. thermophilus. Copyright © 2016 Urshev et al.

Genome Sequence of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis NCDO 2118, a GABA-Producing Strain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oliveira, Letícia C; Saraiva, Tessália D L; Soares, Siomar C

2014-01-01

Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis NCDO 2118 is a nondairy lactic acid bacterium, a xylose fermenter, and a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) producer isolated from frozen peas. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of L. lactis NCDO 2118, a strain with probiotic potential activity....

Chemical composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of hydro-ethanolic extracts from Bauhinia forficata subsp. pruinosa and B. variegata.

Science.gov (United States)

Sayago, Carla T M; Camargo, Vanessa B; Barbosa, F; Gularte, Cláudia; Pereira, Geovana; Miotto, Silvia; Cechinel Filho, V; Luiz Puntel, R; Folmer, V; Mendez, A

2013-03-01

Bauhinia species are known to have hypoglycemiant and antioxidant activities. Here, hydro-ethanolic leaf extracts from Bauhinia forficata subsp. pruinosa and Bauhinia variegata, collected in a Pampa biome region of Brazil, were investigated to characterize their chromatographic profile, flavonoid content and in vitro antioxidant activity (TBARS and DPH assays). The extracts were obtained from dried and fresh leaves. The total flavonoid content was assessed by spectrophotometric determination, and the results ranged between 572.08 and 1,102.99 μg mL-1. Moreover, flavonoids were more predominant in B. variegata than in B. forficata subsp. pruinosa. HPLC analysis detected a complex profile of phenolic compounds, being the flavonoid kaempferitrin founded B. forficata subsp. pruinosa; in addition, other kaempferol and quercetin derivatives were present. In vitro antioxidant assays demonstrated a different behavior depending on the species, leaf treatment and extract concentration. In general, B. variegata extracts obtained from fresh material presented higher antioxidant potential, which can be attributed to the predominance of flavonoids in their chemical composition.

The Impact of the ‘Austrian’ Mutation of the Amyloid Precursor Protein Transmembrane Helix is Communicated to the Hinge Region

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stelzer, Walter; Scharnagl, Christina; Leurs, Ulrike

2016-01-01

The transmembrane helix of the amyloid precursor protein is subject to proteolytic cleavages by γ-secretase at different sites resulting in Aβ peptides of different length and toxicity. A number of point mutations within this transmembrane helix alter the cleavage pattern thus enhancing production...... destabilizes amide hydrogen bonds in the hinge which connects dimerization and cleavage regions. Weaker intrahelical hydrogen bonds at the hinge may enhance helix bending and thereby affect recognition of the transmembrane substrate by the enzyme and/or presentation of its cleavage sites to the catalytic cleft....

Rendezvous of the "Third Kind": Triple Helix Origins and Future Possibilities

Science.gov (United States)

Etzkowitz, Henry

2015-01-01

The Triple Helix, representing university-industry-government interactions, was rooted in a 1993 International Workshop on University-Industry Relations at UNAM's Centro Para la Innovacion Technologica in Mexico City. Impelled by Mexican reality, where university-industry interactions and the institutions themselves operated within a governmental…

Unpredictable responses of garden snail (Helix aspersa) populations to climate change

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bezemer, T.M.; Knight, K.J.

2001-01-01

We studied the impact of climate change on the population dynamics of the garden snail (Helix aspersa) in the Ecotron controlled environment facility. The experimental series ran for three plant generations, allowing the snails to reproduce. We investigated the isolated and combined effects of

Use of 1–4 interaction scaling factors to control the conformational equilibrium between α-helix and β-strand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pang, Yuan-Ping, E-mail: pang@mayo.edu

2015-02-06

Highlights: • 1–4 interaction scaling factors are used to adjust conformational energy. • This article reports the effects of these factors on protein conformations. • Reducing these factors changes a helix to a strand in molecular dynamics simulation. • Increasing these factors causes the reverse conformational change. • These factors control the conformational equilibrium between helix and strand. - Abstract: 1–4 interaction scaling factors are used in AMBER forcefields to reduce the exaggeration of short-range repulsion caused by the 6–12 Lennard-Jones potential and a nonpolarizable charge model and to obtain better agreements of small-molecule conformational energies with experimental data. However, the effects of these scaling factors on protein secondary structure conformations have not been investigated until now. This article reports the finding that the 1–4 interactions among the protein backbone atoms separated by three consecutive covalent bonds are more repulsive in the α-helix conformation than in two β-strand conformations. Therefore, the 1–4 interaction scaling factors of protein backbone torsions ϕ and ψ control the conformational equilibrium between α-helix and β-strand. Molecular dynamics simulations confirm that reducing the ϕ and ψ scaling factors readily converts the α-helix conformation of AcO-(AAQAA){sub 3}-NH{sub 2} to a β-strand conformation, and the reverse occurs when these scaling factors are increased. These results suggest that the ϕ and ψ scaling factors can be used to generate the α-helix or β-strand conformation in situ and to control the propensities of a forcefield for adopting secondary structure elements.

The genome of Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida A449: insights into the evolution of a fish pathogen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Murphy Colleen

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida is a Gram-negative bacterium that is the causative agent of furunculosis, a bacterial septicaemia of salmonid fish. While other species of Aeromonas are opportunistic pathogens or are found in commensal or symbiotic relationships with animal hosts, A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida causes disease in healthy fish. The genome sequence of A. salmonicida was determined to provide a better understanding of the virulence factors used by this pathogen to infect fish. Results The nucleotide sequences of the A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida A449 chromosome and two large plasmids are characterized. The chromosome is 4,702,402 bp and encodes 4388 genes, while the two large plasmids are 166,749 and 155,098 bp with 178 and 164 genes, respectively. Notable features are a large inversion in the chromosome and, in one of the large plasmids, the presence of a Tn21 composite transposon containing mercury resistance genes and an In2 integron encoding genes for resistance to streptomycin/spectinomycin, quaternary ammonia compounds, sulphonamides and chloramphenicol. A large number of genes encoding potential virulence factors were identified; however, many appear to be pseudogenes since they contain insertion sequences, frameshifts or in-frame stop codons. A total of 170 pseudogenes and 88 insertion sequences (of ten different types are found in the A. salmonicida genome. Comparison with the A. hydrophila ATCC 7966T genome reveals multiple large inversions in the chromosome as well as an approximately 9% difference in gene content indicating instances of single gene or operon loss or gain. A limited number of the pseudogenes found in A. salmonicida A449 were investigated in other Aeromonas strains and species. While nearly all the pseudogenes tested are present in A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida strains, only about 25% were found in other A. salmonicida subspecies and none were detected in other

Quorum sensing in the plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora

OpenAIRE

Sjöblom, Solveig

2009-01-01

Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora (Ecc) is a Gram-negative enterobacterium that causes soft-rot in potato and other crops. The main virulence determinants, the extracellular plant cell wall -degrading enzymes (PCWDEs), lead to plant tissue maceration. In order to establish a successful infection the production of PCWDEs are controlled by a complex regulatory network, including both specific and global activators and repressors. One of the most important virulence regulation systems in Ecc ...

Virulence of Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida in cultured cobia Rachycentron canadum.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ping-Chung; Lin, Ji-Yang; Lee, Kuo-Kau

2003-01-01

An outbreak of serious mortality among the cultured cobia Rachycentron canadum (weighing 3 kg) characterized by the presence of whitish granulomatous deposits on the kidney, liver and spleen occurred in July of 2000 in Taiwan. A non-motile strain CP1 was isolated from kidney and/or liver on tryptic soy agar and/or brain heart infusion agar plates (both supplemented with 1% NaCl, w/v). This strain was characterized and identified as Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida using biochemical characteristics and Bionor mono-Pp tests. The bacterium and its extracellular products (ECP) were lethal to the cobia (weighing 10 g) with LD50 values of 1.03 x 10(4) colony forming units and 1.26 microg protein/g fish body weight, respectively. All the moribund/dead fish exhibited darkness in color with no gross or internal leasions. However, the bacteria could be reisolated from kidney and liver after bacterial challenge. The present results reveal that Ph. damselae subsp. piscicida is the causative agent of fish photobacteriosis in the cobia and the bacterium isolated from sub-adult cobia (chronic form) is virulent to young cobia causing acute form of the disease.

Clonal Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus post breeding endometritis in thoroughbred broodmares

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christoffersen, Mette; Söderlind, Maja; Rydemann Rudefalk, Sofia

Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus is one of the most commonly isolated pathogens from the uterus of mares with infectious endometritis. Its ability to cause chronic latent infection by residing deep within the endometrial tissue has previously been described. The aim of the study was to inv......Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus is one of the most commonly isolated pathogens from the uterus of mares with infectious endometritis. Its ability to cause chronic latent infection by residing deep within the endometrial tissue has previously been described. The aim of the study...... was to investigate whether clonal or genetically distinct S. zooepidemicus strains isolated from mares with endometritis were associated with mare risk factors and the outcome of natural cover. Uterine swabs were obtained from mares with intrauterine fluid after natural cover (n=31) at thoroughbred stud farms...... in Australia. Fifty two percent of the mares (n=16) were diagnosed with infectious endometritis, and S.zooepidemicus was isolated in 81% (n=13) of these mares. Up to four S. zooepidemicus isolates were selected from each mare with growth of S. zooepidemicus and isolates from an additional five mares were...

Genome-wide identification, classification, and functional analysis of the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors in the cattle, Bos Taurus.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Fengmei; Liu, Wuyi

2017-06-01

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) form a huge superfamily and play crucial roles in many essential developmental, genetic, and physiological-biochemical processes of eukaryotes. In total, 109 putative bHLH TFs were identified and categorized successfully in the genomic databases of cattle, Bos Taurus, after removing redundant sequences and merging genetic isoforms. Through phylogenetic analyses, 105 proteins among these bHLH TFs were classified into 44 families with 46, 25, 14, 3, 13, and 4 members in the high-order groups A, B, C, D, E, and F, respectively. The remaining 4 bHLH proteins were sorted out as 'orphans.' Next, these 109 putative bHLH proteins identified were further characterized as significantly enriched in 524 significant Gene Ontology (GO) annotations (corrected P value ≤ 0.05) and 21 significantly enriched pathways (corrected P value ≤ 0.05) that had been mapped by the web server KOBAS 2.0. Furthermore, 95 bHLH proteins were further screened and analyzed together with two uncharacterized proteins in the STRING online database to reconstruct the protein-protein interaction network of cattle bHLH TFs. Ultimately, 89 bHLH proteins were fully mapped in a network with 67 biological process, 13 molecular functions, 5 KEGG pathways, 12 PFAM protein domains, and 25 INTERPRO classified protein domains and features. These results provide much useful information and a good reference for further functional investigations and updated researches on cattle bHLH TFs.

The N-terminal tail of hERG contains an amphipathic α-helix that regulates channel deactivation.

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Chai Ann Ng

Full Text Available The cytoplasmic N-terminal domain of the human ether-a-go-go related gene (hERG K+ channel is critical for the slow deactivation kinetics of the channel. However, the mechanism(s by which the N-terminal domain regulates deactivation remains to be determined. Here we show that the solution NMR structure of the N-terminal 135 residues of hERG contains a previously described Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS domain (residues 26-135 as well as an amphipathic α-helix (residues 13-23 and an initial unstructured segment (residues 2-9. Deletion of residues 2-25, only the unstructured segment (residues 2-9 or replacement of the α-helix with a flexible linker all result in enhanced rates of deactivation. Thus, both the initial flexible segment and the α-helix are required but neither is sufficient to confer slow deactivation kinetics. Alanine scanning mutagenesis identified R5 and G6 in the initial flexible segment as critical for slow deactivation. Alanine mutants in the helical region had less dramatic phenotypes. We propose that the PAS domain is bound close to the central core of the channel and that the N-terminal α-helix ensures that the flexible tail is correctly orientated for interaction with the activation gating machinery to stabilize the open state of the channel.

Genome Sequence of the Cheese-Starter Strain Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis CRL 581.

Science.gov (United States)

Hebert, Elvira María; Raya, Raúl R; Brown, Lucía; Font de Valdez, Graciela; Savoy de Giori, Graciela; Taranto, María Pía

2013-08-08

We report the genome sequence of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis CRL 581 (1,911,137 bp, GC 49.7%), a proteolytic strain isolated from a homemade Argentinian hard cheese which has a key role in bacterial nutrition and releases bioactive health-beneficial peptides from milk proteins.

Restrictions on TWT Helix Voltage Ripple for Acceptable Notch Filter Performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hyslop, B.

1984-12-01

An ac ripple on the helix voltage of the 1-2 GHz TWT's creates FM sidebands that cause amplitude and phase modulation of the microwave TWT output signal. A limit of 16 volts peak-to-peak is required for acceptable superconducting notch filter performance.

Some Biological Compounds, Radical Scavenging Capacities and Antimicrobial Activities in the seeds of Nepeta italica L. and Sideritis montana L. subsp. montana from Turkey

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Erecevit, Pınar

2011-03-01

Full Text Available This study determined some biological compounds (fatty acid compositions, lipid-soluble vitamins, sterols, flavonoids, radical scavenging capacities and antimicrobial activities in the seeds of Nepeta italica L. and Sideritis montana L. subsp. montana. It was found that palmitic acid (C16:0; 8.54±0.13- 3.05±0.04%, oleic acid (C18:1 n9, 22.41±0.8-18.83±0.1% and α-linolenic acid (C18:3 n3;39.56±0.67-77.04±2.07% were the dominant fatty acids in both Nepeta italica L. and Sideritis montana L. subsp. montana. It was concluded that both Nepeta italica L. and Sideritis montana L. subsp. montana contained stigmasterol (630.07±1.81µg/g, 80.74±0.71µg/g, respectively and ergosterol (1.11±0.14µg/g, 161.32±0.63µg/g respectively as well as beta-sitosterol (2.93±0.03 µg/g. The present findings show that Nepeta italica L. contains morin (37.79±1.09μg/g, catechin (124.39±2.23µg/g, naringin (475.96±3.57µg/g and Sideritis montana L. subsp. montana contains morin (188.41±2.53µg/g, catechin (64.14±1.86μg/g, naringenin (38.34±1.78μg/g as major flavonoids. It was also determined that methanol extracts of Nepeta italica L. and Sideritis montana L. subsp. montana were most effective against DPPH radicals. The results of the present study show that the vitamins, flavonoids and fatty acid extracts in the seeds of N. italica L. and S. montana L. subsp. montana prevented the growth of the microorganisms used in the tests at different ratios.Este estudio ha determinado algunos compuestos biológicos (ácidos grasos, vitaminas liposolubles, esteroles y flavonoides, capacidad atrapadora de radicales libres, y actividades antimicrobianas de las semillas de Nepeta italica L. y Sideritis montana L. subsp. montana. Se encontró que el ácido palmítico (C16:0; 8.54±0.13-3.05±0.04%, ácido oleico (C18:1 n9, 22.41±0.8-18.83±0.1% y α-linolénico (C18:3 n 3;39.56±0.67-77.04±2.07% eran mayoritarios en ambas semillas de Nepeta italica L. y Sideritis

Glass-like dynamics of the strain-induced coil/helix transition on a permanent polymer network.

Science.gov (United States)

Ronsin, O; Caroli, C; Baumberger, T

2016-02-14

We study the stress response to a step strain of covalently bonded gelatin gels in the temperature range where triple helix reversible crosslink formation is prohibited. We observe slow stress relaxation towards a T-dependent finite asymptotic level. We show that this is assignable to the strain-induced coil → helix transition, previously evidenced by Courty et al. [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 102, 13457 (2005)], of a fraction of the polymer strands. Relaxation proceeds, in a first stage, according to a stretched exponential dynamics, then crosses over to a terminal simple exponential decay. The respective characteristic times τK and τf exhibit an Arrhenius-like T-dependence with an associated energy E incompatibly larger than the activation barrier height for the isomerisation process which sets the clock for an elementary coil → helix transformation event. We tentatively assign this glass-like slowing down of the dynamics to the long-range couplings due to the mechanical noise generated by the local elementary events in this random elastic medium.

Structure of the membrane anchor of pestivirus glycoprotein E(rns, a long tilted amphipathic helix.

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Daniel Aberle

2014-02-01

Full Text Available E(rns is an essential virion glycoprotein with RNase activity that suppresses host cellular innate immune responses upon being partially secreted from the infected cells. Its unusual C-terminus plays multiple roles, as the amphiphilic helix acts as a membrane anchor, as a signal peptidase cleavage site, and as a retention/secretion signal. We analyzed the structure and membrane binding properties of this sequence to gain a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms. CD spectroscopy in different setups, as well as Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the helical folding and showed that the helix is accommodated in the amphiphilic region of the lipid bilayer with a slight tilt rather than lying parallel to the surface. This model was confirmed by NMR analyses that also identified a central stretch of 15 residues within the helix that is fully shielded from the aqueous layer, which is C-terminally followed by a putative hairpin structure. These findings explain the strong membrane binding of the protein and provide clues to establishing the E(rns membrane contact, processing and secretion.

Structure of the membrane anchor of pestivirus glycoprotein E(rns), a long tilted amphipathic helix.

Science.gov (United States)

Aberle, Daniel; Muhle-Goll, Claudia; Bürck, Jochen; Wolf, Moritz; Reißer, Sabine; Luy, Burkhard; Wenzel, Wolfgang; Ulrich, Anne S; Meyers, Gregor

2014-02-01

E(rns) is an essential virion glycoprotein with RNase activity that suppresses host cellular innate immune responses upon being partially secreted from the infected cells. Its unusual C-terminus plays multiple roles, as the amphiphilic helix acts as a membrane anchor, as a signal peptidase cleavage site, and as a retention/secretion signal. We analyzed the structure and membrane binding properties of this sequence to gain a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms. CD spectroscopy in different setups, as well as Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the helical folding and showed that the helix is accommodated in the amphiphilic region of the lipid bilayer with a slight tilt rather than lying parallel to the surface. This model was confirmed by NMR analyses that also identified a central stretch of 15 residues within the helix that is fully shielded from the aqueous layer, which is C-terminally followed by a putative hairpin structure. These findings explain the strong membrane binding of the protein and provide clues to establishing the E(rns) membrane contact, processing and secretion.

Unfolding four-helix bundles

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Harry B.; Winkler, Jay R.; Kozak, John J.

2011-03-01

A geometrical model has been developed to describe the early stages of unfolding of cytochromes c‧ and c-b562 . Calculations are based on a step-wise extension of the polypeptide chain subject to the constraint that the spatial relationship among the residues of each triplet is fixed by the native-state crystallographic data. The response of each protein to these structural perturbations allows the evolution of each of the four helices in these two proteins to be differentiated. It is found that the two external helices in c‧ unfold before its two internal helices, whereas exactly the opposite behaviour is demonstrated by c-b562 . Each of these cytochromes has an extended, internal, non-helical ('turning') region that initially lags behind the most labile helix but then, at a certain stage (identified for each cytochrome), unravels before any of the four helices present in the native structure. It is believed that these predictions will be useful in guiding future experimental studies on the unfolding of these two cytochromes.

The Basic/Helix-Loop-Helix Protein Family in Gossypium: Reference Genes and Their Evolution during Tetraploidization.

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Qian Yan

Full Text Available Basic/helix-loop-helix (bHLH proteins comprise one of the largest transcription factor families and play important roles in diverse cellular and molecular processes. Comprehensive analyses of the composition and evolution of the bHLH family in cotton are essential to elucidate their functions and the molecular basis of cotton development. By searching bHLH homologous genes in sequenced diploid cotton genomes (Gossypium raimondii and G. arboreum, a set of cotton bHLH reference genes containing 289 paralogs were identified and named as GobHLH001-289. Based on their phylogenetic relationships, these cotton bHLH proteins were clustered into 27 subfamilies. Compared to those in Arabidopsis and cacao, cotton bHLH proteins generally increased in number, but unevenly in different subfamilies. To further uncover evolutionary changes of bHLH genes during tetraploidization of cotton, all genes of S5a and S5b subfamilies in upland cotton and its diploid progenitors were cloned and compared, and their transcript profiles were determined in upland cotton. A total of 10 genes of S5a and S5b subfamilies (doubled from A- and D-genome progenitors maintained in tetraploid cottons. The major sequence changes in upland cotton included a 15-bp in-frame deletion in GhbHLH130D and a long terminal repeat retrotransposon inserted in GhbHLH062A, which eliminated GhbHLH062A expression in various tissues. The S5a and S5b bHLH genes of A and D genomes (except GobHLH062 showed similar transcription patterns in various tissues including roots, stems, leaves, petals, ovules, and fibers, while the A- and D-genome genes of GobHLH110 and GobHLH130 displayed clearly different transcript profiles during fiber development. In total, this study represented a genome-wide analysis of cotton bHLH family, and revealed significant changes in sequence and expression of these genes in tetraploid cottons, which paved the way for further functional analyses of bHLH genes in the cotton genus.

Studies upon morhological and biological traits of Festuca rubra, subsp.fallax (Poaceae

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Bogusław Sawicki

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Observation and measurements of some traits of Festuca rubra L., subsp. fallax (Thuill. Hack. ecotypes were made in 1995-1997 using samples selected from natural habitats and collected in Grassland Experimental Station in Sosnowica. High differentiation of traits under study and their correlations were found. Valorized ecotypes are good material for new varieties breeding.

First isolation of Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum, one of the causal agents of caprine contagious agalactia, on the island of Lanzarote (Spain).

Science.gov (United States)

De la Fe, C; Gutiérrez, A; Poveda, J B; Assunção, P; Ramírez, A S; Fabelo, F

2007-03-01

During an unusually long period of bad weather, several outbreaks of caprine contagious agalactia (CCA) were reported in a number of flocks on the island of Lanzarote (Canary Islands, Spain). Clinical and subclinical mastitis in lactating goats and some cases of arthritis and pneumonia in kids were observed in the affected flocks. Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum was isolated as the main causal agent of the outbreaks, associated with M. mycoides subsp. mycoides "large colony type" (Mmm LC) in two flocks. This is the first report of an isolation of M. capricolum subsp. capricolum on the island of Lanzarote. The finding is of epidemiological importance and could complicate plans to control the disease. The significance of this mycoplasma species in association with CCA must now be studied in detail.

Helix Nebula and CERN: A Symbiotic approach to exploiting commercial clouds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Megino, Fernando H Barreiro; Jones, Robert; Llamas, Ramón Medrano; Ster, Daniel van der; Kucharczyk, Katarzyna

2014-01-01

The recent paradigm shift toward cloud computing in IT, and general interest in 'Big Data' in particular, have demonstrated that the computing requirements of HEP are no longer globally unique. Indeed, the CERN IT department and LHC experiments have already made significant R and D investments in delivering and exploiting cloud computing resources. While a number of technical evaluations of interesting commercial offerings from global IT enterprises have been performed by various physics labs, further technical, security, sociological, and legal issues need to be address before their large-scale adoption by the research community can be envisaged. Helix Nebula – the Science Cloud is an initiative that explores these questions by joining the forces of three European research institutes (CERN, ESA and EMBL) with leading European commercial IT enterprises. The goals of Helix Nebula are to establish a cloud platform federating multiple commercial cloud providers, along with new business models, which can sustain the cloud marketplace for years to come. This contribution will summarize the participation of CERN in Helix Nebula. We will explain CERN's flagship use-case and the model used to integrate several cloud providers with an LHC experiment's workload management system. During the first proof of concept, this project contributed over 40.000 CPU-days of Monte Carlo production throughput to the ATLAS experiment with marginal manpower required. CERN's experience, together with that of ESA and EMBL, is providing a great insight into the cloud computing industry and highlighted several challenges that are being tackled in order to ease the export of the scientific workloads to the cloud environments.

CFD analysis and flow model reduction for surfactant production in helix reactor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nikačević, N.M.; Thielen, L.; Twerda, A.; Hof, P.M.J. van den

2014-01-01

Flow pattern analysis in a spiral Helix reactor is conducted, for the application in the commercial surfactant production. Step change response curves (SCR) were obtained from numerical tracer experiments by three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Non-reactive flow is

Two-Dimensional Electrophoresis Study of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus Thermotolerance

OpenAIRE

Gouesbet, Gwenola; Jan, Gwenael; Boyaval, Patrick

2002-01-01

The response of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus cells to heat stress was studied by use of a chemically defined medium. Two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) analysis was used to correlate the kinetics of heat shock protein (HSP) induction with cell recovery from heat injury. We demonstrated that enhanced viability, observed after 10 min at 65°C, resulted from the overexpression of HSP and from mechanisms not linked to protein synthesis. In order to analyze the thermoadaptation m...

Inferring biomarkers for Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection and disease progression using experimental data

Science.gov (United States)

Available diagnostic assays for Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (MAP) have poor sensitivities and cannot detect early stages of the infection, therefore, there is need to find new diagnostic markers for early infection detection and disease stages. We analyzed longitudinal IFN- gamma, ELI...

Surface expression and subunit specific control of steady protein levels by the Kv7.2 helix A-B linker.

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Paloma Aivar

Full Text Available Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 are the main components of the neuronal voltage-dependent M-current, which is a subthreshold potassium conductance that exerts an important control on neuronal excitability. Despite their predominantly intracellular distribution, these channels must reach the plasma membrane in order to control neuronal activity. Thus, we analyzed the amino acid sequence of Kv7.2 to identify intrinsic signals that may control its surface expression. Removal of the interlinker connecting helix A and helix B of the intracellular C-terminus produces a large increase in the number of functional channels at the plasma membrane. Moreover, elimination of this linker increased the steady-state amount of protein, which was not associated with a decrease of protein degradation. The magnitude of this increase was inversely correlated with the number of helix A - helix B linkers present in the tetrameric channel assemblies. In contrast to the remarkable effect on the amount of Kv7.2 protein, removal of the Kv7.2 linker had no detectable impact on the steady-state levels of Kv7.3 protein.

Helix-helix inversion of an optically-inactive π-conjugated foldamer triggered by concentration changes of a single enantiomeric guest leading to a change in the helical stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Lijia; Ousaka, Naoki; Horie, Miki; Mamiya, Fumihiko; Yashima, Eiji

2016-09-27

A preferred-handed helicity induced in an optically-inactive poly(phenyleneethynylene)-based foldamer bearing carboxylic acid pendants upon complexation with a single enantiomeric diamine was subsequently inverted into the opposite helix upon further addition of the diamine, accompanied by a remarkable change in the stability of the helices.

Cesium-134 assimilation and retention in the landsnail Helix aspersa Muller 1974. Its potential usefulness as bioindicator for radioactive contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alfonso, L.A.; Carvalho, F.P.

1986-01-01

Cesium-134 retention was experimentally studied on two groups (n=20 in each) of the land-snail Helix aspersa, labelled either through ingestion of labelled food or the radionuclide injection into the foot muscle. Cesium elimination was found to be not dependent from the labelling technique used. The mean biological half-life for Cs retention in both Helix groups was 53.6+- 0.8 d for the largest retention component, accounting for 0.88 of the initally absorbed Cs. Another experiment runned on a similar size Helix group allowed the gravimetric determination of food ingestion rate (8.8 mg/ g/day) and food assimilation efficiency (0.70+-0.20). Predictive modelling of Cs accumulation by Helix indicates a relatively high bioaccumulation potential in this species. This fact, together with the long biological half-life found for Cs retention, indicate that land snails could be used as suitable bioindicators for radioactive pollution in restrict terrestrial areas. (author)

Estudo dos parâmetros da ultrafiltração de permeado de soro de queijo fermentado por Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis Ultrafiltration conditions of whey permeate fermented by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis

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Viviane BRONSTEIN

1998-04-01

Full Text Available Permeado de soro doce, suplementado com extrato de levedura e peptona, foi utilizado como meio de crescimento para Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis. No final da fase exponencial de crescimento, o meio de cultura fermentado foi submetido a uma ultrafiltração com o objetivo de concentrar o microrganismo. Foram realizados 6 processamentos diferentes, nos quais variou-se as condições iniciais da ultrafiltração, tendo sido avaliados os seguintes parâmetros: porosidade da membrana, pH e número de células viáveis no permeado e no retentado, a fim de ser estudado a influência de cada parâmetro na taxa de permeação da ultrafiltração. As membranas utilizadas foram eficazes como meio de barragem para o microrganismo Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, ficando o retentado com uma média celular de 10(8 ufc/ml e o permeado com uma média celular de 10² ufc/ml. Membranas de diferentes porosidades tiveram taxas de fluxo semelhantes. O aumento da concentração celular provocou a diminuição do fluxo. O pH também influenciou a taxa de permeação, havendo um aumento do fluxo quando foi utilizado um pH inicial mais alto.Cheese whey permeate supplemented with yeast extract and peptone was used as a growth medium for the bacteria Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis. At the end of the exponential growth phase, the fermented growth medium was ultrafiltered to concentrate the microorganism and to evaluate the effect of the membrane porosity, inicial UF pH and cellular concentration in permeation rate during the ultrafiltration process. The membranes used were efficient as a mean of a barrage for the Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis. On average, the cellular concentrations were 10(8 CFU/mL and 10² CFU/mL for retentate and permeate, respectively. Membranes of different porosities had very similar flux rates. Better flow rates were obtained with inicial UF pH 6,5 and with the minors micrrorganism concentration.

Contact Stress Analysis for Gears of Different Helix Angle Using Finite Element Method

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Patil Santosh

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The gear contact stress problem has been a great point of interest for many years, but still an extensive research is required to understand the various parameters affecting this stress. Among such parameters, helix angle is one which has played a crucial role in variation of contact stress. Numerous studies have been carried out on spur gear for contact stress variation. Hence, the present work is an attempt to study the contact stresses among the helical gear pairs, under static conditions, by using a 3D finite element method. The helical gear pairs on which the analysis is carried are 0, 5, 15, 25 degree helical gear sets. The Lagrange multiplier algorithm has been used between the contacting pairs to determine the stresses. The helical gear contact stress is evaluated using FE model and results have also been found at different coefficient of friction, varying from 0.0 to 0.3. The FE results have been further compared with the analytical calculations. The analytical calculations are based upon Hertz and AGMA equations, which are modified to include helix angle. The commercial finite element software was used in the study and it was shown that this approach can be applied to gear design efficiently. The contact stress results have shown a decreasing trend, with increase in helix angle.

Isolation of Bartonella henselae, Bartonella koehlerae subsp. koehlerae, Bartonella koehlerae subsp. bothieri and a new subspecies of B. koehlerae from free-ranging lions (Panthera leo) from South Africa, cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) from Namibia and captive cheetahs from California.

Science.gov (United States)

Molia, S; Kasten, R W; Stuckey, M J; Boulouis, H J; Allen, J; Borgo, G M; Koehler, J E; Chang, C C; Chomel, B B

2016-11-01

Bartonellae are blood- and vector-borne Gram-negative bacteria, recognized as emerging pathogens. Whole-blood samples were collected from 58 free-ranging lions (Panthera leo) in South Africa and 17 cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) from Namibia. Blood samples were also collected from 11 cheetahs (more than once for some of them) at the San Diego Wildlife Safari Park. Bacteria were isolated from the blood of three (5%) lions, one (6%) Namibian cheetah and eight (73%) cheetahs from California. The lion Bartonella isolates were identified as B. henselae (two isolates) and B. koehlerae subsp. koehlerae. The Namibian cheetah strain was close but distinct from isolates from North American wild felids and clustered between B. henselae and B. koehlerae. It should be considered as a new subspecies of B. koehlerae. All the Californian semi-captive cheetah isolates were different from B. henselae or B. koehlerae subsp. koehlerae and from the Namibian cheetah isolate. They were also distinct from the strains isolated from Californian mountain lions (Felis concolor) and clustered with strains of B. koehlerae subsp. bothieri isolated from free-ranging bobcats (Lynx rufus) in California. Therefore, it is likely that these captive cheetahs became infected by an indigenous strain for which bobcats are the natural reservoir.

Phylogeography and seed dispersal in islands: the case of Rumex bucephalophorus subsp. canariensis (Polygonaceae).

Science.gov (United States)

Talavera, María; Navarro-Sampedro, Laura; Ortiz, Pedro L; Arista, Montserrat

2013-02-01

Rumex bucephalophorus subsp. canariensis is an endemic taxon to Macaronesia with diaspore polymorphism. The origin and colonizing route of this taxon in Macaronesia was studied using molecular data and information on diaspore types. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) was used in 260 plants from 22 populations of R. bucephalophorus subsp. canariensis, four from the Madeiran archipelago and 18 from the Canary archipelago. Diaspore production was analysed in 9-50 plants from each population used for AFLP analysis. One hundred and one plants from the Madeiran archipelago and 375 plants from the Canary Islands were studied. For each plant the type of diaspore produced was recorded. Overall populations had low genetic diversity but they showed a geographical pattern of genetic diversity that was higher in the older eastern islands than in the younger western ones. Two types of dispersible diaspores were found: in the eastern Canary islands (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria), plants produced exclusively long-dispersible diaspores, whereas in the western Canary islands (Tenerife, La Gomera, El Hierro) and the Madeiran archipelago plants produced exclusively short-dispersible diaspores. Genetically, the studied populations fell into four main island groups: Lanzarote-Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife-El Hierro and La Gomera-Madeira archipelago. A Moroccan origin of R. bucephalophorus subsp. canariensis is hypothesized with a colonization route from the eastern to the western islands. In addition, at least one gene flow event from La Gomera to the Madeiran archipelago has taken place. During the colonization process the type of dispersible diaspore changed so that dispersability decreased in populations of the westernmost islands.

Gene Replacement and Fluorescent Labeling to Study the Functional Role of Exopolysaccharides in Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis

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Nuria Castro-Bravo

2017-07-01

Full Text Available An extracellular layer of exopolysaccharides (EPS covers the surface of some Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis strains, which could be of relevance for its probiotic performance. In order to understand the functional characteristics of B. animalis subsp. lactis, two isogenic strains that differ in their EPS-producing phenotype, due to a single mutation in the gene Balat_1410, were studied. By means of a double crossover recombination strategy, successfully used for the first time in bifidobacteria, Balat_1410 in the type strain B. animalis subsp. lactis DSM10140 was replaced by a mutated gene containing a non-synonymous mutation previously associated with the appearance of a mucoid-ropy phenotype. Nuclear magnetic resonance and SEC-MALS analyses showed that the novel strain harboring the mutation acquired a ropy phenotype, due to the production of a high molecular weight (HMW-EPS that is not produced in the wild-type strain. Fluorescence labeling of both strains with two fluorescent proteins, m-Cherry and Green Fluorescent Protein, was achieved by expressing the corresponding genes under the control of a native selected promoter (the elongation factor Tu promoter. Remarkably, qualitative and quantitative fluorescence analyses demonstrated that the ropy strain displays a lower capability to adhere to human intestinal epithelial cells. In addition, the presence of the HMW-EPS reduced the capability of the producing strain to form biofilms upon three different abiotic surfaces. This work also highlights the fact that different EPS confer variable functional characteristics to the bifidobacterial surface, which may be relevant for the performance of B. animalis subsp. lactis as a probiotic. The construction of molecular tools allowing the functional characterization of surface structures in next generation probiotics is still a challenging issue that deserves further attention, given the relevant role that such molecules must play in the

In vtro adventitious shoot regeneration from cotyledon explant of brassica oleracea subsp. Italica and brassica oleracea subsp. capitata using tdz and naa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salim, S.; Rashid, A.

2014-01-01

Broccoli(Brassica oleracea subsp. italica) cv. Green Dragon King and cabbage (Brassica oleracea subsp. capitata) cv. Gianty are important vegetable crops grown in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. The cotyledons of both cultivars were used as explant source for in vitro shoot regeneration. The objective of this research was to examine the influence of the growth regulators thidiazuron (TDZ) and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) on adventitious shoot formation in these cultivars. This system of adventitious shoot regeneration from cotyledon explants could be useful as a tool for genetic transformation of the subspecies. Cotyledon explants of both cultivars excised from 5-day-old in vitro germinated seedlings were placed on shoot induction medium containing basal salts of Murashige and Skoog (MS) and various concentrations of TDZ and NAA. The highest percentage of cotyledon explant of broccoli cv. Green Dragon King producing shoot (76.66%) and the highest mean number of shoots produced per explant (0.9) were obtained on 0.1 mg/l TDZ with 0.1 mg/l NAA. Meanwhile, the highest percentage of cotyledon explant of cabbage cv. Gianty producing shoots (86.67%) and highest number of shoots produced per explant (1.1) were recorded on 0.5 mg/l TDZ with 0.1 mg/l NAA. Therefore, 0.1 mg/l TDZ with 0.1 mg/l NAA and 0.5 mg/l TDZ with 0.1mg/l NAA are the recommended combinations for adventitious shoot regeneration from cotyledonary explants of broccoli cv. Dragon King and cabbage cv. Gianty respectively. (author)

Bacterial morphogenesis and the enigmatic MreB helix.

Science.gov (United States)

Errington, Jeff

2015-04-01

Work over the past decade has highlighted the pivotal role of the actin-like MreB family of proteins in the determination and maintenance of rod cell shape in bacteria. Early images of MreB localization revealed long helical filaments, which were suggestive of a direct role in governing cell wall architecture. However, several more recent, higher-resolution studies have questioned the existence or importance of the helical structures. In this Opinion article, I navigate a path through these conflicting reports, revive the helix model and summarize the key questions that remain to be answered.

Detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in Drinking Water and Biofilms Using Quantitative PCR

Science.gov (United States)

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) causes Johne’s disease in domestic animals and has been implicated in Crohn’s disease in humans. Cows infected with Johne’s disease shed large quantities of MAP into soil. Further, MAP has been isolated from surface water, is resi...

Molecular analysis and MIRU-VNTR typing of Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium, 'hominissuis' and silvaticum strains of veterinary origin.

Science.gov (United States)

Rónai, Zsuzsanna; Csivincsik, Ágnes; Dán, Ádám; Gyuranecz, Miklós

2016-06-01

Besides Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), M. avium subsp. avium (MAA), M. avium subsp. silvaticum (MAS), and 'M. avium subsp. hominissuis' (MAH) are equally important members of M. avium complex, with worldwide distribution and zoonotic potential. Genotypic discrimination is a prerequisite to epidemiological studies which can facilitate disease prevention through revealing infection sources and transmission routes. The primary aim of this study was to identify the genetic diversity within 135 MAA, 62 MAS, and 84 MAH strains isolated from wild and domestic mammals, reptiles and birds. Strains were tested for the presence of large sequence polymorphism LSP(A)17 and were submitted to Mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units-variable-number tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) analysis at 8 loci, including MIRU1, 2, 3, and 4, VNTR25, 32, and 259, and MATR9. In 12 strains hsp65 sequence code type was also determined. LSP(A)17 was present only in 19.9% of the strains. All LSP(A)17 positive strains belonged to subspecies MAH. The discriminatory power of the MIRU-VNTR loci set used reached 0.9228. Altogether 54 different genotypes were detected. Within MAH, MAA, and MAS strains 33, 16, and 5 different genotypes were observed. The described genotypes were not restricted to geographic regions or host species, but proved to be subspecies specific. Our knowledge about MAS is limited due to isolation and identification difficulties. This is the first study including a large number of MAS field strains. Our results demonstrate the high diversity of MAH and MAA strains and the relative uniformity of MAS strains. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mechanical evaluation of quad-helix appliance made of low-nickel stainless steel wire.

Science.gov (United States)

dos Santos, Rogério Lacerda; Pithon, Matheus Melo

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that there is no difference between stainless steel and low-nickel stainless steel wires as regards mechanical behavior. Force, resilience, and elastic modulus produced by Quad-helix appliances made of 0.032-inch and 0.036-inch wires were evaluated. Sixty Quad-helix appliances were made, thirty for each type of alloy, being fifteen for each wire thickness, 0.032-in and 0.036-in. All the archwires were submitted to mechanical compression test using an EMIC DL-10000 machine simulating activations of 4, 6, 9, and 12 mm. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) with multiple comparisons and Tukey's test were used (p nickel stainless steel alloy had force, resilience, and elastic modulus similar to those made of stainless steel alloy.

Two-component regulators involved in the global control of virulence in Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora.

Science.gov (United States)

Eriksson, A R; Andersson, R A; Pirhonen, M; Palva, E T

1998-08-01

Production of extracellular, plant cell wall degrading enzymes, the main virulence determinants of the plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora, is coordinately controlled by a complex regulatory network. Insertion mutants in the exp (extracellular enzyme production) loci exhibit pleiotropic defects in virulence and the growth-phase-dependent transcriptional activation of genes encoding extracellular enzymes. Two new exp mutations, designated expA and expS, were characterized. Introduction of the corresponding wild-type alleles to the mutants complemented both the lack of virulence and the impaired production of plant cell wall degrading enzymes. The expA gene was shown to encode a 24-kDa polypeptide that is structurally and functionally related to the uvrY gene product of Escherichia coli and the GacA response regulator of Pseudomonas fluorescens. Functional similarity of expA and uvrY was demonstrated by genetic complementation. The expA gene is organized in an operon together with a uvrC-like gene, identical to the organization of uvrY and uvrC in E. coli. The unlinked expS gene encodes a putative sensor kinase that shows 92% identity to the recently described rpfA gene product from another E. carotovora subsp. carotovora strain. Our data suggest that ExpS and ExpA are members of two-component sensor kinase and response regulator families, respectively. These two proteins might interact in controlling virulence gene expression in E. carotovora subsp. carotovora.

Rapid and Specific Detection of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli Using SYBR Green-Based Real-Time PCR Amplification of the YD-Repeat Protein Gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Min Seok; Park, Duck Hwan; Ahn, Tae-Young; Park, Dong Suk

2015-09-01

The aim of this study was to develop a SYBR Green-based real-time PCR assay for the rapid, specific, and sensitive detection of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli, which causes bacterial fruit blotch (BFB), a serious disease of cucurbit plants. The molecular and serological methods currently available for the detection of this pathogen are insufficiently sensitive and specific. Thus, a novel SYBR Green-based real-time PCR assay targeting the YD-repeat protein gene of A. avenae subsp. citrulli was developed. The specificity of the primer set was evaluated using DNA purified from 6 isolates of A. avenae subsp. citrulli, 7 other Acidovorax species, and 22 of non-targeted strains, including pathogens and non-pathogens. The AC158F/R primer set amplified a single band of the expected size from genomic DNA obtained from the A. avenae subsp. citrulli strains but not from the genomic DNA of other Acidovorax species, including that of other bacterial genera. Using this assay, it was possible to detect at least one genomeequivalents of the cloned amplified target DNA using 5 × 10(0) fg/μl of purified genomic DNA per reaction or using a calibrated cell suspension, with 6.5 colony-forming units per reaction being employed. In addition, this assay is a highly sensitive and reliable method for identifying and quantifying the target pathogen in infected samples that does not require DNA extraction. Therefore, we suggest that this approach is suitable for the rapid and efficient diagnosis of A. avenae subsp. citrulli contaminations of seed lots and plants.

Ocorrência da infecção por Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis e Tritrichomonas foetus em búfalos no estado de Pernambuco, Brasil

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J.M. Borges

Full Text Available RESUMO Objetivou-se com estudo determinar a ocorrência da infecção por Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis e Tritrichomonas foetus em búfalos no estado de Pernambuco, Brasil. Foram coletadas 133 amostras biológicas (muco cervicovaginal e raspado prepucial de animais, procedentes de oito propriedades, de diferentes regiões do estado. O material biológico coletado foi transferido para solução salina tamponada (PBS e, posteriormente, inoculado em meios de transporte específicos, Lander para diagnóstico de C. fetus subsp. venerealis e Diamond para T. foetus. Para o diagnóstico das infecções por Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis e Tritrichomonas foetus, as amostras foram submetidas à reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR e cultivadas em meio ágar Columbia acrescido de antibiótico e Diamond, respectivamente. Para pesquisa de C. fetus subsp. venerealis, observou-se uma ocorrência de 1,8% (2/113 de animais positivos no exame microbiológico com confirmação pela PCR. Em relação à procedência, observou-se que 100% das amostras positivas pertenciam a dois machos do mesmo rebanho. Nenhum animal foi positivo na pesquisa de T. foetus. Este é o primeiro registro da infecção por C. fetus subsp. venerealis em búfalos no Brasil. Apesar da baixa ocorrência, recomenda-se adoção de medidas de controle, com o intuito de se evitar a disseminação do agente para outros rebanhos.

Métodos de preservação de Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli Preservation of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli

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Dário Venâncio de Araújo

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli (Aac, agente da mancha-aquosa, causa grandes prejuízos ao melão e outras cucurbitáceas no Brasil e no mundo. Os métodos dessecação em papel de filtro, repicagens periódicas, água esterilizada e folhas herborizadas foram testados para preservação de Aac1 e Aac1.12 durante 180 dias. Mensalmente, a viabilidade de Aac foi avaliada pelo crescimento em meio de cultura e a patogenicidade das culturas viáveis foi avaliada pela incidência e severidade da doença em plântulas de melão. A preservação em papel de filtro resultou em 100% de viabilidade dos isolados durante o período, enquanto que nos demais métodos houve perda de viabilidade no decorrer das avaliações. Os métodos de dessecação em papel de filtro e o de repicagens periódicas foram mais eficientes que a água esterilizada e folhas herborizadas na manutenção da patogenicidade dos isolados durante os 180 dias.The phytopathogenic bacteria Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli (Aac, agent of bacterial blotch, causes severe damages to melon and other cucurbits in Brazil and worlwide. The methods desiccation in filter paper, periodic transfer, sterile water and dried leaves were tested for preserving the strains Aac1 and Aac1.12 of this bacterium during 180 days. Evaluations of bacterial viability were performed monthly by growing strains on culture media. The pathogenicity of viable cultures was evaluated by disease incidence and severity on melon seedlings. The desiccation in filter paper maintained 100% viability of the strains during the period while using the other methods, viability was lost during evaluations. Desiccation in filter paper and periodic transfer were more efficient than sterile water and dried leaves in maintening strain pathogenicity during the time evaluated 180 days.

Effects of Pistacia atlantica (subsp. Mutica oil extracts on antioxidant activities during experimentally induced cutaneous wound healing in rats

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Ahmad Reza Hamidi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The fruits of Pistacia atlantica (subsp. mutica have been used traditionally for the treatment of peptic ulcer, as a mouth freshener and have recently been introduced as a source of antioxidant vegetable oils. The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant activity of the gel forms, from P. atlantica (subsp. mutica oil extraction on enzymatic antioxidants in experimental wound created in rat. A square-shaped skin defect (2×2 cm was created aseptically by surgical excision at the first thoracic vertebrae. Then animals were randomly allocated in four groups (I, untreated controls; II, topically treated base gel; III, topically treated 5% gel; IV, topically treated 10% gel. Blood sampling was accomplished at 3, 7, 10, 14 and 21 days post-injury. Samples were collected for measuring antioxidant enzymes activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activity in red cells and lipid peroxidation (plasma malondialdehyde. The data analysis generally evidenced that the activities of the main antioxidant enzymes began to decrease significantly at 7 days after the wound was created in control and base gel groups. This remarkable decline became more evident in the period between 10 to 21 days post injury but increased progressively in P. atlantica (subsp. mutica treatment groups, especially in gel 10% treatment group during wound healing. The results of this study suggest that excision of the wound leads to oxidative stress and topical administration of P. atlantica (subsp. mutica gels causes remarkable changes in antioxidant parameter during wound closure (especially gel 10% via pro-oxidative, and antioxidant activity can improve oxidative stress.

Streptococcus equi subsp zooepidemicus pleuropneumonia and peritonitis in a dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) calf in North America.

Science.gov (United States)

Stoughton, William B; Gold, Jenifer

2015-08-01

A 12-week-old female dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) calf was evaluated because of acute (blood, peritoneal fluid, and pleural fluid samples indicated Streptococcus equi subsp zooepidemicus septicemia as the etiology for the polyserositis (ie, alpaca fever). Treatment with IV broad-spectrum antimicrobials, an NSAID, and pleural drainage was initiated. Clinical signs of pleuropneumonia, peritonitis, and systemic infection improved rapidly 24 hours after initiation of medical treatment. The calf was discharged from the hospital after 11 days, and antimicrobial treatment continued for 2 weeks after discharge. At follow-up approximately 4 weeks after hospital discharge (6 weeks after the initial examination), there were no clinical signs suggestive of relapse or any reported complications. S equi subsp zooepidemicus may cause polyserositis in Old World camelids (eg, dromedary camels) with signs similar to those seen in New World camelids (eg, alpaca and llama). The rapid response to medical treatment for the patient described suggested that S equi subsp zooepidemicus-induced polyserositis (alpaca fever) in dromedary camels may respond favorably to appropriate treatment. Reducing stress, reducing overcrowding, and separate housing of equids and camelids are suggested. Further studies are needed to better assess the epidemiology of alpaca fever in dromedary camels in North America.

The Penta Helix Model of Innovation in Oman: An HEI Perspective

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Alrence S Halibas

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Aim/Purpose: Countries today strategically pursue regional development and economic diversification to compete in the world market. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs are at the crux of this political strategy. The paper reviews how HEIs can propel regional socio-economic growth and development by way of research innovation and entrepreneurship. Background: Offering an academic perspective about the role of HEIs using the Penta Helix innovation network for business and social innovation, the paper discusses opportunities and challenges in gestating an innovation culture. It likewise seeks, identifies and details strategies and workable programs. Methodology: Best-practice innovation campaigns initiated by Omani HEIs in collaboration with capstone programs organized by the government were parsed from selected local and international literature. The study includes a causal analysis of innovation information contained in 40 out of 44 published OAAA Quality Audit reports about HEIs from 2009 to 2016. The best-practice programs serve as success indicators and will be used as a field metric effect a Penta Helix blueprint for innovation. Contribution: The paper discusses how HEIs can engender, nurture, drive, and sustain innovation and entrepreneurial activity by using an innovation strategic blueprint like the Penta Helix model. It gathers together the recent historical attempts at promoting innovation by HEIs. It likewise suggests the creation of a network channel to allow key players in the innovation network to share innovation information and to collaborate with each other. Furthermore, it contributes to the development of innovation culture in HEIs. Findings: Expectations run high in academia. For one, universities believe that all innovations embryonically begin within their halls. Universities–too–believe it is naturally incumbent on them to stimulate and advance innovation despite that most innovation programs are initiated by the

Cadmium tolerant characteristic of a newly isolated Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheng, Yao; Wang, Ying; Yang, Xuan; Zhang, Boyang; He, Xiaoyun; Xu, Wentao; Huang, Kunlun

2016-12-01

Environmental contamination caused by heavy metals poses a major threat to the wildlife and human health for their toxicity and intrinsically persistent nature. Some specific food grade bacteria have properties that enable them to eliminate heavy metals from food and water. Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, newly isolated from pickles, is a cadmium (Cd) tolerant bacteria. Cd resistant properties of the lactis was evaluated under different Cd stresses. Cd accumulation in different cellular parts was determined by ICP-MS and cell morphology changes were measured by SEM-EDS and TEM-EDS. In addition, functional groups associated with Cd resistance were detected by infrared spectroscopic analysis. The results indicated that Cd mainly accumulated in the cell surface structures including cytoderm and cytomembrane. Functional groups such as OH and NH 2 in the cell surface played essential roles in Cd biosorption. The elements of O, P, S, and N of polysaccharide, membrane protein and phosphatidate in the cell surface structures might be responsible for Cd biosorption for their strong electronegativity. This study indicated that ultrastructural analysis can be a supplemental method to study heavy metal resistance mechanism of microorganism and the newly isolated lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis has great potential to be applied to decontamination of heavy metals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lead reduces shell mass in juvenile garden snails (Helix aspersa)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beeby, Alan; Richmond, Larry; Herpe, Florian

2002-01-01

A high Pb diet causes differential depression of juvenile shell mass in populations of Helix. - In an earlier paper examining inherited tolerance to Pb, the shell growth of laboratory-bred offspring of Helix aspersa from contaminated sites was compared with that of juveniles from naieve populations on dosed and undosed diets. Eight-week-old snails were fed either 500 μg g -1 Pb or a control food in competitive trials between two populations. In the first series of trials, a parental history of exposure to Pb did not confer any advantage to either of two populations (BI and MI) competing with a naieve population (LE), whether Pb was present in the diet or not. However, in the analysis of their metal concentrations reported here, LE are found to retain higher levels of Pb in the soft tissues than either BI or MI. Compared to their siblings on the unleaded diet, dosed LE and BI juveniles had lower soft tissue concentrations of Ca and Mg. Although the growth in shell height is unaffected by diet, LE and BI juveniles build lighter shells on the Pb-dosed diet, achieving around 75% of the shell mass of their controls. In contrast, the shell weights of dosed MI juveniles are depressed by only 15% and show no change in the essential metal concentrations of their soft tissues. A second experiment using five populations fed only the dosed food show that the shell weight/soft tissue weight ratios are comparable to the dosed snails of the previous experiment. Building a lighter shell thus appears to be the common response of all Helix populations to a high Pb diet, at least amongst juveniles. The reduction in its mass means that less Ca and Mg is added to the shell and, along with the lowered soft tissue concentrations observed in some populations, may be a consequence of an increased effort to excrete Pb. The possibility that the MI population shows a genotypic adaptation, perhaps as some form of modification of its Ca metabolism, is briefly discussed

Epidemiology of Danish Aeromonas salmonicida subsp salmonicida in Fish Farms Using Whole Genome Sequencing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bartkova, Simona; Leekitcharoenphon, Pimlapas; Aarestrup, Frank Møller

2017-01-01

transmission of the bacterium could have been from seawater to freshwater or vice versa, and most minor clades include a mixture of strains from different fresh- and seawater farms. Genomic variation of A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida mostly appeared to be associated with their plasmids and plasmid encoded...

Lymphoproliferative and gamma interferon responses to stress-regulated Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis recombinant proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Johne’s disease in ruminants is a chronic infection of the intestines caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Economic losses associated with Johne’s disease arise due to premature culling, reduced production of milk and wool and mortalities. The disease is characterised by a long inc...

An original case of Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica bacteremia after a near-drowning accident.

Science.gov (United States)

Ughetto, Estelle; Héry-Arnaud, Geneviève; Cariou, Marie-Estelle; Pelloux, Isabelle; Maurin, Max; Caillon, Jocelyne; Moreau, Philippe; Ygout, Jean-François; Corvec, Stéphane

2015-08-01

We report the first case of Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica bacteremia after water contamination in France. A 75-year-old man developed septic pneumonic tularemia after a near-drowning accident. We highlight the need for a longer incubation time for isolation of F. tularensis from blood cultures.

Sensitive detection of Myobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis in bovine semen by real-time PCR

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Herthnek, D.; Englund, S.; Willemsen, P.T.J.; Bolske, G.

2006-01-01

Aims: To develop a fast and sensitive protocol for detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) in bovine semen and to make a critical evaluation of the analytical sensitivity. Methods and Results: Processed semen was spiked with known amounts of MAP. Semen from different bulls as

Regulatory role of tetR gene in a novel gene cluster of Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae RS-1 under oxidative stress

OpenAIRE

Liu, He; Yang, Chun-Lan; Ge, Meng-Yu; Ibrahim, Muhammad; Li, Bin; Zhao, Wen-Jun; Chen, Gong-You; Zhu, Bo; Xie, Guan-Lin

2014-01-01

Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae is the causal agent of bacterial brown stripe disease in rice. In this study, we characterized a novel horizontal transfer of a gene cluster, including tetR, on the chromosome of A. avenae subsp. avenae RS-1 by genome-wide analysis. TetR acted as a repressor in this gene cluster and the oxidative stress resistance was enhanced in tetR-deletion mutant strain. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay demonstrated that TetR regulator bound directly to the promoter of ...

Production of lactic acid from whey using Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus

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Adriana M. Rojas

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this research was to determine the proper growth conditions of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus for the production of lactic acid using serum as substract. This serum was obtain from the department of Cesar, Colombia. Lactic acid is the result of the extraction and purification of fermentation broths in which bacteria Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus are used, which are usually used for the production of yogurt. The substrate was supplemented with yeast extract, ammonium phosphate as a nitrogen source, and calcium carbonate as a neutralizer, in order to optimize the consumption, by the bacteria, of the main carbohydrate present in serum (lactose. During the fermentation (up to 72 h the inoculums concentration, and temperature were controlled. Purification consisted in esterification, filtration of solids formed during the reaction, and removing of water by evaporation and nitrogen influx. Finally, lactic acid was obtained with 78,0% purity (36.7 g/L, which was characterized by infrared spectroscopy

Antimicrobial Effects of Helix D-derived Peptides of Human Antithrombin III*

Science.gov (United States)

Papareddy, Praveen; Kalle, Martina; Bhongir, Ravi K. V.; Mörgelin, Matthias; Malmsten, Martin; Schmidtchen, Artur

2014-01-01

Antithrombin III (ATIII) is a key antiproteinase involved in blood coagulation. Previous investigations have shown that ATIII is degraded by Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, leading to release of heparin binding fragments derived from its D helix. As heparin binding and antimicrobial activity of peptides frequently overlap, we here set out to explore possible antibacterial effects of intact and degraded ATIII. In contrast to intact ATIII, the results showed that extensive degradation of the molecule yielded fragments with antimicrobial activity. Correspondingly, the heparin-binding, helix d-derived, peptide FFFAKLNCRLYRKANKSSKLV (FFF21) of human ATIII, was found to be antimicrobial against particularly the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy studies demonstrated that FFF21 binds to and permeabilizes bacterial membranes. Analogously, FFF21 was found to induce membrane leakage of model anionic liposomes. In vivo, FFF21 significantly reduced P. aeruginosa infection in mice. Additionally, FFF21 displayed anti-endotoxic effects in vitro. Taken together, our results suggest novel roles for ATIII-derived peptide fragments in host defense. PMID:25202017

Transcriptome profiling of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris CECT 8666 in response to agmatine

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Del Rio, Beatriz; Redruello, Begoña; Martin, M Cruz; Fernandez, Maria; de Jong, Anne; Kuipers, Oscar P; Ladero, Victor; Alvarez, Miguel A

2016-01-01

The dairy strain Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris CECT 8666 (formerly GE2-14) synthesizes the biogenic amine putrescine from agmatine via the agmatine deiminase (AGDI) pathway [1]. The AGDI cluster of L. lactis is composed by five genes aguR, aguB, aguD, aguA and aguC. The last four genes are

Evidence for a central role of PrP helix 2 in the nucleation of amyloid fibrils.

Science.gov (United States)

Honda, Ryo; Kuwata, Kazuo

2018-02-01

Amyloid fibrils are filamentous protein aggregates associated with the pathogenesis of a wide variety of human diseases. The formation of such aggregates typically follows nucleation-dependent kinetics, wherein the assembly and structural conversion of amyloidogenic proteins into oligomeric aggregates (nuclei) is the rate-limiting step of the overall reaction. In this study, we sought to gain structural insights into the oligomeric nuclei of the human prion protein (PrP) by preparing a series of deletion mutants lacking 14-44 of the C-terminal 107 residues of PrP and examined the kinetics and thermodynamics of these mutants in amyloid formation. An analysis of the experimental data using the concepts of the Φ-value analysis indicated that the helix 2 region (residues 168-196) acquires an amyloid-like β-sheet during nucleation, whereas the other regions preserves a relatively disordered structure in the nuclei. This finding suggests that the helix 2 region serves as the nucleation site for the assembly of amyloid fibrils.-Honda, R., Kuwata, K. Evidence for a central role of PrP helix 2 in the nucleation of amyloid fibrils.

Bacteriocinogenic Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis DF04Mi isolated from goat milk: characterization of the bacteriocin

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Danielle N. Furtado

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Lactic acid bacteria capable of producing bacteriocins and presenting probiotic potential open innovative technological applications in the dairy industry. In this study, a bacteriocinogenic strain (Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis DF4Mi was isolated from goat milk, and studied for its antimicrobial activity. The bacteriocin presented a broad spectrum of activity, was sensitive to proteolytic enzymes, resistant to heat and pH extremes, and not affected by the presence of SDS, Tween 20, Tween 80, EDTA or NaCl. Bacteriocin production was dependent on the components of the culture media, especially nitrogen source and salts. When tested by PCR, the bacteriocin gene presented 100% homology to nisin Z gene. These properties indicate that this L. lactis subsp. lactis DF4Mi can be used for enhancement of dairy foods safety and quality.

Bacteriocinogenic Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis DF04Mi isolated from goat milk: Characterization of the bacteriocin

Science.gov (United States)

Furtado, Danielle N.; Todorov, Svetoslav D.; Landgraf, Mariza; Destro, Maria T.; Franco, Bernadette D.G.M.

2014-01-01

Lactic acid bacteria capable of producing bacteriocins and presenting probiotic potential open innovative technological applications in the dairy industry. In this study, a bacteriocinogenic strain (Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis DF4Mi) was isolated from goat milk, and studied for its antimicrobial activity. The bacteriocin presented a broad spectrum of activity, was sensitive to proteolytic enzymes, resistant to heat and pH extremes, and not affected by the presence of SDS, Tween 20, Tween 80, EDTA or NaCl. Bacteriocin production was dependent on the components of the culture media, especially nitrogen source and salts. When tested by PCR, the bacteriocin gene presented 100% homology to nisin Z gene. These properties indicate that this L. lactis subsp. lactis DF4Mi can be used for enhancement of dairy foods safety and quality. PMID:25763065

Assessment of volatile organic compound removal by indoor plants-a novel experimental setup

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dela Cruz, Majbrit; Müller, Renate; Svensmark, Bo

2014-01-01

plants which allows for an improved real-life simulation. Parameters such as relative humidity, air exchange rate and VOC concentration are controlled and can be varied to simulate different real-life settings. For example, toluene diffusion through a needle gave concentrations in the range of 0......Indoor plants can remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air. The majority of knowledge comes from laboratory studies where results cannot directly be transferred to real-life settings. The aim of this study was to develop an experimental test system to assess VOC removal by indoor.......10-2.35 μg/L with deviations from theoretical values of 3.2-10.5 %. Overall, the system proved to be functional for the assessment of VOC removal by indoor plants with Hedera helix reaching a toluene removal rate of up to 66.5 μg/m2/h. The mode of toluene exposure (semi-dynamic or dynamic) had a significant...

Human telomeric DNA: G-quadruplex, i-motif and Watson–Crick double helix

Science.gov (United States)

Phan, Anh Tuân; Mergny, Jean-Louis

2002-01-01

Human telomeric DNA composed of (TTAGGG/CCCTAA)n repeats may form a classical Watson–Crick double helix. Each individual strand is also prone to quadruplex formation: the G-rich strand may adopt a G-quadruplex conformation involving G-quartets whereas the C-rich strand may fold into an i-motif based on intercalated C·C+ base pairs. Using an equimolar mixture of the telomeric oligonucleotides d[AGGG(TTAGGG)3] and d[(CCCTAA)3CCCT], we defined which structures existed and which would be the predominant species under a variety of experimental conditions. Under near-physiological conditions of pH, temperature and salt concentration, telomeric DNA was predominantly in a double-helix form. However, at lower pH values or higher temperatures, the G-quadruplex and/or the i-motif efficiently competed with the duplex. We also present kinetic and thermodynamic data for duplex association and for G-quadruplex/i-motif unfolding. PMID:12409451

Academic Spin-off as Triple Helix Element: Case-Study of Russian Regions

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Konstantin Ivanovich Grasmik

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The innovation process is becoming more open. According to the concept of the Triple Helix, this requires the creation of institutions capable of mediating the interaction of agents, primarily related to the different elements of the innovation system. The academic spin-off is not only a form of technology transfer, set up at the university but also the institution that provides the interaction of scientists and entrepreneurs. This article gives an analysis of the implementation of the program of creating academic spin-offs in Russia. The main focus of the study is to analyze the affiliation of university spin-off with other companies, including personal links of founders. Research reveals that linkages are substantially personal: University staff member at the same time could be an entrepreneur. This finding allows not only clarifying the concept of the Triple Helix but also increasing the effectiveness of innovation policy, focusing on employees who can combine science and entrepreneurship.

Salt bridge interactions within the β2 integrin α7 helix mediate force-induced binding and shear resistance ability.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiao; Li, Linda; Li, Ning; Shu, Xinyu; Zhou, Lüwen; Lü, Shouqin; Chen, Shenbao; Mao, Debin; Long, Mian

2018-01-01

The functional performance of the αI domain α 7 helix in β 2 integrin activation depends on the allostery of the α 7 helix, which axially slides down; therefore, it is critical to elucidate what factors regulate the allostery. In this study, we determined that there were two conservative salt bridge interaction pairs that constrain both the upper and bottom ends of the α 7 helix. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for three β 2 integrin members, lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1; α L β 2 ), macrophage-1 antigen (Mac-1; α M β 2 ) and α x β 2 , indicated that the magnitude of the salt bridge interaction is related to the stability of the αI domain and the strength of the corresponding force-induced allostery. The disruption of the salt bridge interaction, especially with double mutations in both salt bridges, significantly reduced the force-induced allostery time for all three members. The effects of salt bridge interactions of the αI domain α 7 helix on β 2 integrin conformational stability and allostery were experimentally validated using Mac-1 constructs. The results demonstrated that salt bridge mutations did not alter the conformational state of Mac-1, but they did increase the force-induced ligand binding and shear resistance ability, which was consistent with MD simulations. This study offers new insight into the importance of salt bridge interaction constraints of the αI domain α 7 helix and external force for β 2 integrin function. © 2017 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

The Helix Nebula Viewed in HCO+: Large-scale Mapping of the J = 1 → 0 Transition

Science.gov (United States)

Zeigler, N. R.; Zack, L. N.; Woolf, N. J.; Ziurys, L. M.

2013-11-01

The J = 1 → 0 transition of HCO+ at 89 GHz has been mapped across the Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) with 70'' spatial resolution (1.68 km s-1 velocity resolution) using the Arizona Radio Observatory 12 m telescope. This work is the first large-scale mapping project of a dense gas tracer (n(H2) ~ 105 cm-3) in old planetary nebulae. Observations of over 200 positions encompassing the classical optical image were conducted with a 3σ noise level of ~20 mK. HCO+ was detected at most positions, often exhibiting multiple velocity components indicative of complex kinematic structures in dense gas. The HCO+ spectra suggest that the Helix is composed of a bipolar, barrel-like structure with red- and blue-shifted halves, symmetric with respect to the central star and oriented ~10° east from the line of sight. A second bipolar, higher velocity outflow exists as well, situated along the direction of the Helix "plumes." The column density of HCO+ across the Helix is N tot ~ 1.5 × 1010-5.0 × 1011 cm-2, with an average value N ave ~ 1 × 1011 cm-2, corresponding to an abundance, relative to H2, of f ~ 1.4 × 10-8. This value is similar to that observed in young PN, and contradicts chemical models, which predict that the abundance of HCO+ decreases with nebular age. This study indicates that polyatomic molecules readily survive the ultraviolet field of the central white dwarf, and can be useful in tracing nebular morphology in the very late stages of stellar evolution.

Transcriptomic profile of aguR deletion mutant of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris CECT 8666

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Del Rio, Beatriz; Linares, Daniel M; Redruello, Begoña; Martin, Maria Cruz; Fernandez, Maria; de Jong, Anne; Kuipers, Oscar P; Ladero, Victor; Alvarez, Miguel A

2015-01-01

Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris CECT 8666 (formerly GE2-14) is a dairy strain that catabolizes agmatine (a decarboxylated derivative of arginine) into the biogenic amine putrescine by the agmatine deiminase (AGDI) pathway [1]. The AGDI cluster of L. lactis is composed by five genes aguR, aguB,

Effect of Weather on the Occurrence of Puccinia Graminis Subsp. Graminicola and Puccinia Coronata F. Sp. Lolii at Lolium Perenne L. and Deschampsia Caespitosa (L. P. B.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Novotná

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Monitoring of Puccinia graminis subsp. graminicola and Puccinia coronata f. sp. lolii was carried out in Plant breeding station called Větrov. The pathogens were estimated on turf grass (Lolium perenne L., Deschampsia caespitosa (L. P. B. from 2009 to 2014. Puccinia graminis subsp. graminicola was detected in the increased level in 2009 and 2012. The highest amount of mixed infections was determined in 2014 because of the warmest winter from all monitored years and low precipitations. Significant differences were found out in the resistance of similar plant materials grown in different fields. Significant effect of weather conditions and supposed effect of different infectious pressure on various fields were reflected in these facts. At evaluated grasses, the highest (P < 0.05 occurence of Puccinia graminis subsp. graminicola. Lolium perenne L. was observed and the infection of Puccinia graminis subsp. graminicola (P < 0.05 was determined higher than in Deschampsia caespitosa (L. P. B.

Chemical Diversity and Biological Potential of Tanacetum praeteritum subsp. praeteritum Essential Oils

OpenAIRE

Özek, Gülmira

2018-01-01

Two samples of Tanacetumpraeteritum (Horwood) Heywood subsp. praeteritum(Horwood) were collected in flowering period and subjected separately tohydrodistillation to yield the essential oils (A and B). The oils wereinvestigated for chemical composition with GC-FID and GC/MS techniques andevaluated against acetylcholinesterase and a-amylase enzymes andfree radicals (DPPH• and ABTS•+) using microtiter plateassays. Both of the oils were characterized with high abundance of oxygenatedmonoterpenes....

Development of a Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) scheme for Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue: Application to yaws in Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Godornes, Charmie; Giacani, Lorenzo; Barry, Alyssa E; Mitja, Oriol; Lukehart, Sheila A

2017-12-01

Yaws is a neglected tropical disease, caused by Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue. The disease causes chronic lesions, primarily in young children living in remote villages in tropical climates. As part of a global yaws eradication campaign initiated by the World Health Organization, we sought to develop and evaluate a molecular typing method to distinguish different strains of T. pallidum subsp. pertenue for disease control and epidemiological purposes. Published genome sequences of strains of T. pallidum subsp. pertenue and pallidum were compared to identify polymorphic genetic loci among the strains. DNA from a number of existing historical Treponema isolates, as well as a subset of samples from yaws patients collected in Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea, were analyzed using these targets. From these data, three genes (tp0548, tp0136 and tp0326) were ultimately selected to give a high discriminating capability among the T. pallidum subsp. pertenue samples tested. Intragenic regions of these three target genes were then selected to enhance the discriminating capability of the typing scheme using short readily amplifiable loci. This 3-gene multilocus sequence typing (MLST) method was applied to existing historical human yaws strains, the Fribourg-Blanc simian isolate, and DNA from 194 lesion swabs from yaws patients on Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea. Among all samples tested, fourteen molecular types were identified, seven of which were found in patient samples and seven among historical isolates or DNA. Three types (JG8, TD6, and SE7) were predominant on Lihir Island. This MLST approach allows molecular typing and differentiation of yaws strains. This method could be a useful tool to complement epidemiological studies in regions where T. pallidum subsp. pertenue is prevalent with the overall goals of improving our understanding of yaws transmission dynamics and helping the yaws eradication campaign to succeed.

Development of a Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) scheme for Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue: Application to yaws in Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Godornes, Charmie; Giacani, Lorenzo; Barry, Alyssa E.; Mitja, Oriol

2017-01-01

Background Yaws is a neglected tropical disease, caused by Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue. The disease causes chronic lesions, primarily in young children living in remote villages in tropical climates. As part of a global yaws eradication campaign initiated by the World Health Organization, we sought to develop and evaluate a molecular typing method to distinguish different strains of T. pallidum subsp. pertenue for disease control and epidemiological purposes. Methods and principal findings Published genome sequences of strains of T. pallidum subsp. pertenue and pallidum were compared to identify polymorphic genetic loci among the strains. DNA from a number of existing historical Treponema isolates, as well as a subset of samples from yaws patients collected in Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea, were analyzed using these targets. From these data, three genes (tp0548, tp0136 and tp0326) were ultimately selected to give a high discriminating capability among the T. pallidum subsp. pertenue samples tested. Intragenic regions of these three target genes were then selected to enhance the discriminating capability of the typing scheme using short readily amplifiable loci. This 3-gene multilocus sequence typing (MLST) method was applied to existing historical human yaws strains, the Fribourg-Blanc simian isolate, and DNA from 194 lesion swabs from yaws patients on Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea. Among all samples tested, fourteen molecular types were identified, seven of which were found in patient samples and seven among historical isolates or DNA. Three types (JG8, TD6, and SE7) were predominant on Lihir Island. Conclusions This MLST approach allows molecular typing and differentiation of yaws strains. This method could be a useful tool to complement epidemiological studies in regions where T. pallidum subsp. pertenue is prevalent with the overall goals of improving our understanding of yaws transmission dynamics and helping the yaws eradication campaign to succeed

Differential effects of the essential oils of Lavandula luisieri and Eryngium duriaei subsp. juresianum in cell models of two chronic inflammatory diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Rufino, Ana T; Ferreira, Isabel; Judas, Fernando; Salgueiro, Lígia; Lopes, M Celeste; Cavaleiro, Carlos; Mendes, Alexandrina F

2015-08-01

Effective drugs to treat osteoarthritis (OA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are needed. To identify essential oils (EOs) with anti-inflammatory activity in cell models of OA and IBD. EOs from Eryngium duriaei subsp. juresianum (M. Laínz) M. Laínz (Apiaceae), Laserpitium eliasii subsp. thalictrifolium Sennen & Pau (Apiaceae), Lavandula luisieri (Rozeira) Rivas-Martínez (Lamiaceae), Othantus maritimus (L.) Hoff. & Link (Asteraceae), and Thapsia villosa L. (Apiaceae) were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The anti-inflammatory activity of EOs (5-200 μg/mL) was evaluated by measuring inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation (total and phosphorylated IκB-α), in primary human chondrocytes and the intestinal cell line, C2BBe1, stimulated with interleukin-1β (IL-1β) or interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), respectively. The EO of L. luisieri significantly reduced iNOS (by 54.9 and 81.0%, respectively) and phosphorylated IκB-α (by 87.4% and 62.3%, respectively) in both cell models. The EO of E. duriaei subsp. juresianum caused similar effects in human chondrocytes, but was inactive in intestinal cells, even at higher concentrations. The EOs of L. eliasii subsp. thalictrifolium and O. maritimus decreased iNOS expression by 45.2 ± 8.7% and 45.2 ± 6.2%, respectively, in C2BBe1 cells and were inactive in chondrocytes. The EO of T. villosa was inactive in both cell types. This is the first study showing anti-inflammatory effects of the EOs of L. luisieri and E. duriaei subsp. juresianum. These effects are specific of the cell type and may be valuable to develop new therapies or as sources of active compounds with improved efficacy and selectivity towards OA and IBD.

Oral supplementation with Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus 8481 enhances systemic immunity in elderly subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Moro-García, Marco Antonio; Alonso-Arias, Rebeca; Baltadjieva, Maria; Fernández Benítez, Carlos; Fernández Barrial, Manuel Amadeo; Díaz Ruisánchez, Enrique; Alonso Santos, Ricardo; Alvarez Sánchez, Magdalena; Saavedra Miján, Juan; López-Larrea, Carlos

2013-08-01

Throughout life, there is an aging of the immune system that causes impairment of its defense capability. Prevention or delay of this deterioration is considered crucial to maintain general health and increase longevity. We evaluated whether dietary supplementation with Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus 8481 could enhance the immune response in the elderly. This multi-center, double-blind, and placebo controlled study enrolled 61 elderly volunteers who were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or probiotics. Each capsule of probiotics contained at least 3 × 10(7)  L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus 8481. Individuals in the study were administered three capsules per day for 6 months. Blood samples were obtained at baseline (time 0), end of month 3, and month 6. We characterized cell subpopulations, measured cytokines by flow cytometry, quantified T cell receptor excision circle (TREC) by real-time PCR (RT-PCR), and determined human β-defensin-2 (hBD-2) concentrations and human cytomegalovirus (CMV) titers by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Elderly responded to the intake of probiotic with an increase in the percentage of NK cells, an improvement in the parameters defining the immune risk profile (IRP), and an increase in the T cell subsets that are less differentiated. The probiotic group also showed decreased concentrations of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8 but increased antimicrobial peptide hBD-2. These effects disappeared within 6 months of stopping the probiotic intake. Immunomodulation induced by L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus 8481 could favor the maintenance of an adequate immune response, mainly by slowing the aging of the T cell subpopulations and increasing the number of immature T cells which are potential responders to new antigens.

Complete Whole-Genome Sequence of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Serovar Java NCTC5706.

Science.gov (United States)

Fazal, Mohammed-Abbas; Alexander, Sarah; Burnett, Edward; Deheer-Graham, Ana; Oliver, Karen; Holroyd, Nancy; Parkhill, Julian; Russell, Julie E

2016-11-03

Salmonellae are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Here, we report the first complete genome sequence for Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Java strain NCTC5706. This strain is of historical significance, having been isolated in the pre-antibiotic era and was deposited into the National Collection of Type Cultures in 1939. © Crown copyright 2016.

Essential oil composition and enantiomeric distribution of fenchone and camphor of Lavandula cariensis and L. stoechas subsp. stoechas grown in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Tzakou, Olga; Bazos, Ioannis; Yannitsaros, Artemios

2009-08-01

The essential oils from leaves and inflorescences of L. cariensis Boiss. and L. stoechas L. subsp. stoechas collected in Greece were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. In the inflorescences and leaves essential oils of L. cariensis the most abundant metabolite was camphor (51.8, 48.8% respectively), whereas in the essential oils of L. stoechas subsp. stoechas, the main constituents were fenchone (39.9, 21.0% respectively) and camphor (24.2, 26.3% respectively). Both enantiomers of camphor were present, whereas only (+) fenchone was detected.

Draft Genome Sequence of the Putrescine-Producing Strain Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis 1AA59

Science.gov (United States)

del Rio, Beatriz; Linares, Daniel M.; Fernandez, María; Mayo, Baltasar; Martín, M. Cruz

2015-01-01

We report here the 2,576,542-bp genome annotated draft assembly sequence of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis 1AA59. This strain—isolated from a traditional cheese—produces putrescine, one of the most frequently biogenic amines found in dairy products. PMID:26089428

Genomic variations of Mycoplasma capricolum subsp capripneumoniae detected by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kokotovic, Branko; Bolske, G.; Ahrens, Peter

2000-01-01

The genetic diversity of Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae strains based on determination of amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP) is described. AFLP fingerprints of 38 strains derived from different countries in Africa and the Middle East consisted of over 100 bands in the size...

Geography of genetic differentiation in the barley wild relative Hordeum vulgare subsp. spontaneum in Jordan

Science.gov (United States)

Informed collecting, conservation, monitoring and utilization of genetic diversity require knowledge of the distribution and structure of genetic variation occurring in a species. Hordeum vulgare subsp. spontaneum (K. Koch) Thell., a primary wild relative of barley, is an important source of genetic...

Chemical Eradication of the Ring Rot Bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus on Potato Storage Crates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stevens, L.H.; Lamers, J.G.; Zouwen, van der P.S.; Mendes, O.; Berg, van den W.; Tjou-Tam-Sin, N.N.A.; Jilesen, C.J.T.J.; Spoorenberg, P.M.; Wolf, van der J.M.

2017-01-01

Four commercially available disinfection products were tested for their efficacy against Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus (Cms), causative agent of bacterial ring rot, on wooden potato storage crates. Each of these products represented a different class of biocide, i.e. organic acids

Effects of copper-based compounds, antibiotics and a plant activator on population sizes and spread of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis in greenhouse tomato seedlings

OpenAIRE

Milijašević Svetlana; Todorović Biljana; Potočnik Ivana; Rekanović Emil; Stepanović Miloš

2009-01-01

Three copper-based compounds (copper hydroxide, copper oxychloride, copper sulphate), two antibiotics (streptomycin and kasugamycin) and a plant activator (ASM) significantly reduced population sizes and spread of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis among tomato seedlings in the greenhouse. Streptomycin had the best effect in reducing pathogen population size in all sampling regions. Moreover, this antibiotic completely stopped the spread of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis in the regi...

Continuous D-lactic acid production by a novel thermotolerant Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis QU 41.

Science.gov (United States)

Tashiro, Yukihiro; Kaneko, Wataru; Sun, Yanqi; Shibata, Keisuke; Inokuma, Kentaro; Zendo, Takeshi; Sonomoto, Kenji

2011-03-01

We isolated and characterized a D-lactic acid-producing lactic acid bacterium (D-LAB), identified as Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis QU 41. When compared to Lactobacillus coryniformis subsp. torquens JCM 1166 (T) and L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis JCM 1248 (T), which are also known as D-LAB, the QU 41 strain exhibited a high thermotolerance and produced D-lactic acid at temperatures of 50 °C and higher. In order to optimize the culture conditions of the QU 41 strain, we examined the effects of pH control, temperature, neutralizing reagent, and initial glucose concentration on D-lactic acid production in batch cultures. It was found that the optimal production of 20.1 g/l D-lactic acid was acquired with high optical purity (>99.9% of D-lactic acid) in a pH 6.0-controlled batch culture, by adding ammonium hydroxide as a neutralizing reagent, at 43 °C in MRS medium containing 20 g/l glucose. As a result of product inhibition and low cell density, continuous cultures were investigated using a microfiltration membrane module to recycle flow-through cells in order to improve D-lactic acid productivity. At a dilution rate of 0.87 h(-1), the high cell density continuous culture exhibited the highest D-lactic acid productivity of 18.0 g/l/h with a high yield (ca. 1.0 g/g consumed glucose) and a low residual glucose (<0.1 g/l) in comparison with systems published to date.

Genome Sequence of the Rice-Pathogenic Bacterium Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae RS-1 ▿

OpenAIRE

Xie, Guan-Lin; Zhang, Guo-Qing; Liu, He; Lou, Miao-Miao; Tian, Wen-Xiao; Li, Bin; Zhou, Xue-Ping; Zhu, Bo; Jin, Gu-Lei

2011-01-01

Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae is a phytobacterium which is the causative agent of several plant diseases with economic significance. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of strain RS-1, which was isolated from rice shoots in a rice field in China. This strain can cause bacterial stripe of rice.

A conserved phenylalanine as a relay between the α5 helix and the GDP binding region of heterotrimeric Gi protein α subunit.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaya, Ali I; Lokits, Alyssa D; Gilbert, James A; Iverson, Tina M; Meiler, Jens; Hamm, Heidi E

2014-08-29

G protein activation by G protein-coupled receptors is one of the critical steps for many cellular signal transduction pathways. Previously, we and other groups reported that the α5 helix in the G protein α subunit plays a major role during this activation process. However, the precise signaling pathway between the α5 helix and the guanosine diphosphate (GDP) binding pocket remains elusive. Here, using structural, biochemical, and computational techniques, we probed different residues around the α5 helix for their role in signaling. Our data showed that perturbing the Phe-336 residue disturbs hydrophobic interactions with the β2-β3 strands and α1 helix, leading to high basal nucleotide exchange. However, mutations in β strands β5 and β6 do not perturb G protein activation. We have highlighted critical residues that leverage Phe-336 as a relay. Conformational changes are transmitted starting from Phe-336 via β2-β3/α1 to Switch I and the phosphate binding loop, decreasing the stability of the GDP binding pocket and triggering nucleotide release. When the α1 and α5 helices were cross-linked, inhibiting the receptor-mediated displacement of the C-terminal α5 helix, mutation of Phe-336 still leads to high basal exchange rates. This suggests that unlike receptor-mediated activation, helix 5 rotation and translocation are not necessary for GDP release from the α subunit. Rather, destabilization of the backdoor region of the Gα subunit is sufficient for triggering the activation process. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Involvement of Na,K-pump in SEPYLRFamide-mediated reduction of cholinosensitivity in Helix neurons.

Science.gov (United States)

Pivovarov, Arkady S; Foreman, Richard C; Walker, Robert J

2007-02-01

SEPYLRFamide acts as an inhibitory modulator of acetylcholine (ACh) receptors in Helix lucorum neurones. Ouabain, a specific inhibitor of Na,K-pump, (0.1 mM, bath application) decreased the ACh-induced inward current (ACh-current) and increased the leak current. Ouabain decreased the modulatory SEPYLRFamide effect on the ACh-current. There was a correlation between the effects of ouabain on the amplitude of the ACh-current and on the modulatory peptide effect. Ouabain and SEPYLRFamide inhibited the activity of Helix aspersa brain Na,K-ATPase. Activation of Na,K-pump by intracellular injection of 3 M Na acetate or 3 M NaCl reduced the modulatory peptide effect on the ACh-current. An inhibitor of Na/Ca-exchange, benzamil (25 muM, bath application), and an inhibitor of Ca(2+)-pump in the endoplasmic reticulum, thapsigargin (TG, applied intracellularly), both prevented the effect of ouabain on SEPYLRFamide-mediated modulatory effect. Another inhibitor of Ca(2+)-pump in the endoplasmic reticulum, cyclopiazonic acid (applied intracellularly), did not prevent the effect of ouabain on SEPYLRFamide-mediated modulatory effect. These results indicate that Na,K-pump is responsible for the SEPYLRFamide-mediated inhibition of ACh receptors in Helix neurons. Na/Ca-exchange and intracellular Ca(2+) released from internal pools containing TG-sensitive Ca(2+)-pump are involved in the Na,K-pump pathway for the SEPYLRFamide-mediated inhibition of ACh receptors.

Thermodynamic effects of replacements of Pro residues in helix interiors of maltose-binding protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Prajapati, R S; Lingaraju, G M; Bacchawat, Kiran; Surolia, Avadhesha; Varadarajan, Raghavan

2003-12-01

Introduction of Pro residues into helix interiors results in protein destabilization. It is currently unclear if the converse substitution (i.e., replacement of Pro residues that naturally occur in helix interiors would be stabilizing). Maltose-binding protein is a large 370-amino acid protein that contains 21 Pro residues. Of these, three nonconserved residues (P48, P133, and P159) occur at helix interiors. Each of the residues was replaced with Ala and Ser. Stabilities were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as a function of pH and by isothermal urea denaturation studies as a function of temperature. The P48S and P48A mutants were found to be marginally more stable than the wild-type protein. In the pH range of 5-9, there is an average increase in T(m) values of P48A and P48S of 0.4 degrees C and 0.2 degrees C, respectively, relative to the wild-type protein. The other mutants are less stable than the wild type. Analysis of the effects of such Pro substitutions in MBP and in three other proteins studied to date suggests that substitutions are more likely to be stabilizing if the carbonyl group i-3 or i-4 to the mutation site is not hydrogen bonded in the wild-type protein. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Insights into physiological traits of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 through membrane proteome analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gilad, Ofir; Hjernø, Karin; Østerlund, Eva Christina

2012-01-01

Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 is a widely used probiotic strain associated with a variety of health-promoting traits. There is, however, only limited knowledge available regarding the membrane proteome and the proteins involved in oligosaccharide transport in BB-12. We applied two...

Characterisation of an ELISA detecting immunoglobulin G to Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in bovine colostrum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zervens, Lisa Marie-Louise; Nielsen, Søren Saxmose; Jungersen, Gregers

2013-01-01

Although colostrum has been used to detect specific immunoglobulin (Ig) G to Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) in cattle, confounding, non-specific reactions can be a problem. The objectives of this study were to determine the proportion of non-specific ELISA reactions in samples...

Introduction of peptidase genes from Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis into Lactococcus lactis and controlled expression

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wegmann, U.; Klein, J.R.; Drumm, I.; Kuipers, O.P.; Henrich, B.

Peptidases PepI, PepL, PepW, and PepG from Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp, lactis, which have no counterparts in Lactococcus lactis, and peptidase PepQ were examined to determine their potential to confer new peptidolytic properties to lactococci, Controllable expression of the corresponding genes

A Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis predicted serine protease is associated with acid stress and intraphagosomal survival

Science.gov (United States)

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is an intracellular pathogen that persists inside host macrophages despite severe oxidative stress and nutrient deprivation. Intrabacterial pH homeostasis is vital to pathogenic mycobacteria to preserve cellular biological processes and stability of ...

Prévalence de Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae, agent des rayures bactériennes du riz dans les semences de base produites au Burkina Faso

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dakouo, D.

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Prevalence of Bacterial Stripe Organism, Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae, in Breeder Rice Seed Samples from Burkina Faso. Nine rice seed samples of improved and local varieties were tested at DGISP (Denmark for the incidence of seed-borne bacterial stripe organism, Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae, using the cassette holder method. Twenty-six suspected bacterial colonies were identified by different methods including colony morphology, pigmentation, biochemical and pathogenicity tests. Using Biolog GN computer identification system, isolates were also identified as A. avenae subsp. avenae (sim 0.51 to 0.9. All the 26 isolates reacted positively in ELISA tests performed with antiserum against A. avenae subsp. avenae. The bacterium was detected in all the samples, except in that of the local variety, indicating that seeds of improved varieties are highly infected by this pathogen. Seedlings raised from infected seed samples showed typical bacterial stripe symptoms with infection rates ranging from 4.7 to 20.1%. Since such seeds are used for production of certified rice seed, it is important to develop an effective control strategy against this disease to reduce the propagation of the bacterial agent in other healthy regions of rice culture in Burkina Faso.

Complete Genome Sequence of the Quality Control Strain Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC 25923.

Science.gov (United States)

Treangen, Todd J; Maybank, Rosslyn A; Enke, Sana; Friss, Mary Beth; Diviak, Lynn F; Karaolis, David K R; Koren, Sergey; Ondov, Brian; Phillippy, Adam M; Bergman, Nicholas H; Rosovitz, M J

2014-11-06

Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC 25923 is commonly used as a control strain for susceptibility testing to antibiotics and as a quality control strain for commercial products. We present the completed genome sequence for the strain, consisting of the chromosome and a 27.5-kb plasmid. Copyright © 2014 Treangen et al.

Genome Sequence of the Rice-Pathogenic Bacterium Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae RS-1 ▿

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Guan-Lin; Zhang, Guo-Qing; Liu, He; Lou, Miao-Miao; Tian, Wen-Xiao; Li, Bin; Zhou, Xue-Ping; Zhu, Bo; Jin, Gu-Lei

2011-01-01

Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae is a phytobacterium which is the causative agent of several plant diseases with economic significance. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of strain RS-1, which was isolated from rice shoots in a rice field in China. This strain can cause bacterial stripe of rice. PMID:21742879

Efficacy of novel lipid-formulated whole bacterial cell vaccines against Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis in sheep

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Griffin, J.F.T.; Hughes, A.D.; Liggett, S.; Farquhar, P.A.; Mackintosh, C.G.; Bakker, D.

2009-01-01

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis [MAP], the Causative agent of enteric Johne's disease, incurs significant economic losses to the livestock industry. Prophylactic vaccination can be employed as a control means, however mineral oil-based vaccines Currently in practice have limited

High-resolution orientation and depth of insertion of the voltage-sensing S4 helix of a potassium channel in lipid bilayers.

Science.gov (United States)

Doherty, Tim; Su, Yongchao; Hong, Mei

2010-08-27

The opening and closing of voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels are controlled by several conserved Arg residues in the S4 helix of the voltage-sensing domain. The interaction of these positively charged Arg residues with the lipid membrane has been of intense interest for understanding how membrane proteins fold to allow charged residues to insert into lipid bilayers against free-energy barriers. Using solid-state NMR, we have now determined the orientation and insertion depth of the S4 peptide of the KvAP channel in lipid bilayers. Two-dimensional (15)N correlation experiments of macroscopically oriented S4 peptide in phospholipid bilayers revealed a tilt angle of 40 degrees and two possible rotation angles differing by 180 degrees around the helix axis. Remarkably, the tilt angle and one of the two rotation angles are identical to those of the S4 helix in the intact voltage-sensing domain, suggesting that interactions between the S4 segment and other helices of the voltage-sensing domain are not essential for the membrane topology of the S4 helix. (13)C-(31)P distances between the S4 backbone and the lipid (31)P indicate a approximately 9 A local thinning and 2 A average thinning of the DMPC (1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphochloline)/DMPG (1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylglycerol) bilayer, consistent with neutron diffraction data. Moreover, a short distance of 4.6 A from the guanidinium C(zeta) of the second Arg to (31)P indicates the existence of guanidinium phosphate hydrogen bonding and salt bridges. These data suggest that the structure of the Kv gating helix is mainly determined by protein-lipid interactions instead of interhelical protein-protein interactions, and the S4 amino acid sequence encodes sufficient information for the membrane topology of this crucial gating helix. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Draft Genome Sequence of Staphylococcus cohnii subsp. urealyticus Isolated from a Healthy Dog.

Science.gov (United States)

Bean, David C; Wigmore, Sarah M; Wareham, David W

2017-02-16

Staphylococcus cohnii subsp. urealyticus strain SW120 was isolated from the ear swab of a healthy dog. The isolate is resistant to methicillin and fusidic acid. The SW120 draft genome is 2,805,064 bp and contains 2,667 coding sequences, including 58 tRNAs and nine complete rRNA coding regions. Copyright © 2017 Bean et al.

Genome sequence of the rice-pathogenic bacterium Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae RS-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Guan-Lin; Zhang, Guo-Qing; Liu, He; Lou, Miao-Miao; Tian, Wen-Xiao; Li, Bin; Zhou, Xue-Ping; Zhu, Bo; Jin, Gu-Lei

2011-09-01

Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae is a phytobacterium which is the causative agent of several plant diseases with economic significance. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of strain RS-1, which was isolated from rice shoots in a rice field in China. This strain can cause bacterial stripe of rice. Copyright © 2011, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Forced evolution of a regulatory RNA helix in the HIV-1 genome

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berkhout, B.; Klaver, B.; Das, A. T.

1997-01-01

The 5'and 3'end of the HIV-1 RNA genome forms a repeat (R) element that encodes a double stem-loop structure (the TAR and polyA hairpins). Phylogenetic analysis of the polyA hairpin in different human and simian immunodeficiency viruses suggests that the thermodynamic stability of the helix is

Influence of ions on growth and production of exopolysaccharides by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus NCFB 2772

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grobben, G.J.; Boels, I.C.; Sikkema, J.; Smith, M.R.; Bont, de J.A.M.

2000-01-01

Several lactic acid bacteria produce exopolysaccharides (EPS), either attached to the cell wall or excreted into the environment as slime material. EPS produced by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (Lb. bulgaricus) and Streptococcus thermophilus play an important role in improving the

POTENSI BAKTERI ENDOFIT DALAM MENEKAN PENYAKIT LAYU STEWART (PANTOEA STEWARTII SUBSP. STEWARTII PADA TANAMAN JAGUNG

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haliatur Rahma

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Potential of endophytic bacteria to control stewart wilt disease (Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii in maize. The purpose of this study was to explore endophytic bacteria from seedling, maize roots and grass roots as well as to test the ability of endophytic bacteria which could potentially suppress stewart wilt disease development in maize. Characterization of endophytic bacteria as biocontrol agents including: do not induce HR on tobacco, synthesize IAA, dissolve phosphate, produce siderophores, and antibiotic to Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii (Pnss. The results of research shoed 17 isolates of endophytic bacteria potentially as candidate biocontrol agents. Nine isolates were able to produce IAA, siderofores and phosphatase; two isolates produce IAA and phosphatase; six isolates produce IAA. Six isolates ie: AR1, AJ34, AJ15, AJ19, and AJ14 AN6, can increase maize plant resistance and suppress stewart wilt disease severity with a range of 48.95-55.60%.

Antimicrobial effects of helix D-derived peptides of human antithrombin III.

Science.gov (United States)

Papareddy, Praveen; Kalle, Martina; Bhongir, Ravi K V; Mörgelin, Matthias; Malmsten, Martin; Schmidtchen, Artur

2014-10-24

Antithrombin III (ATIII) is a key antiproteinase involved in blood coagulation. Previous investigations have shown that ATIII is degraded by Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, leading to release of heparin binding fragments derived from its D helix. As heparin binding and antimicrobial activity of peptides frequently overlap, we here set out to explore possible antibacterial effects of intact and degraded ATIII. In contrast to intact ATIII, the results showed that extensive degradation of the molecule yielded fragments with antimicrobial activity. Correspondingly, the heparin-binding, helix D-derived, peptide FFFAKLNCRLYRKANKSSKLV (FFF21) of human ATIII, was found to be antimicrobial against particularly the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy studies demonstrated that FFF21 binds to and permeabilizes bacterial membranes. Analogously, FFF21 was found to induce membrane leakage of model anionic liposomes. In vivo, FFF21 significantly reduced P. aeruginosa infection in mice. Additionally, FFF21 displayed anti-endotoxic effects in vitro. Taken together, our results suggest novel roles for ATIII-derived peptide fragments in host defense. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

The close-packed triple helix as a possible new structural motif for collagen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bohr, Jakob; Olsen, Kasper

2010-01-01

that close packing form the underlying principle behind the structure of collagen, and the implications of this suggestion are considered. Further, it is shown that the unique zero-twist structure with no strain-twist coupling is practically identical to the close-packed triple helix. Some...

Helix Nebula - the Science Cloud: a public-private partnership to build a multidisciplinary cloud platform for data intensive science

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Bob; Casu, Francesco

2013-04-01

The feasibility of using commercial cloud services for scientific research is of great interest to research organisations such as CERN, ESA and EMBL, to the suppliers of cloud-based services and to the national and European funding agencies. Through the Helix Nebula - the Science Cloud [1] initiative and with the support of the European Commission, these stakeholders are driving a two year pilot-phase during which procurement processes and governance issues for a framework of public/private partnership will be appraised. Three initial flagship use cases from high energy physics, molecular biology and earth-observation are being used to validate the approach, enable a cost-benefit analysis to be undertaken and prepare the next stage of the Science Cloud Strategic Plan [2] to be developed and approved. The power of Helix Nebula lies in a shared set of services for initially 3 very different sciences each supporting a global community and thus building a common e-Science platform. Of particular relevance is the ESA sponsored flagship application SuperSites Exploitation Platform (SSEP [3]) that offers the global geo-hazard community a common platform for the correlation and processing of observation data for supersites monitoring. The US-NSF Earth Cube [4] and Ocean Observatory Initiative [5] (OOI) are taking a similar approach for data intensive science. The work of Helix Nebula and its recent architecture model [6] has shown that is it technically feasible to allow publicly funded infrastructures, such as EGI [7] and GEANT [8], to interoperate with commercial cloud services. Such hybrid systems are in the interest of the existing users of publicly funded infrastructures and funding agencies because they will provide "freedom of choice" over the type of computing resources to be consumed and the manner in which they can be obtained. But to offer such freedom-of choice across a spectrum of suppliers, various issues such as intellectual property, legal responsibility

Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of capulin (Prunus serotina subsp capuli) extracts

OpenAIRE

Jimenez, M.; Castillo, I.; Azuara, E.; Beristain, C.I.

2011-01-01

Capulin (Prunus serotina subsp. capuli) is an annual fruit widely used in Mexico for the elaboration of several traditional products, such as medicinal tea, which is considered to present antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The aim of this work was to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of aqueous, acetone, ethanol and methanol extracts. The ethanol extract presented a high anthocyanin (102±7.70 mg Cyd-3-glu/100 g extract) and polyphenol (1732±43.40 mg GAE /100 g extra...

Sequence and conformational preferences at termini of α-helices in membrane proteins: role of the helix environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Shelar, Ashish; Bansal, Manju

2014-12-01

α-Helices are amongst the most common secondary structural elements seen in membrane proteins and are packed in the form of helix bundles. These α-helices encounter varying external environments (hydrophobic, hydrophilic) that may influence the sequence preferences at their N and C-termini. The role of the external environment in stabilization of the helix termini in membrane proteins is still unknown. Here we analyze α-helices in a high-resolution dataset of integral α-helical membrane proteins and establish that their sequence and conformational preferences differ from those in globular proteins. We specifically examine these preferences at the N and C-termini in helices initiating/terminating inside the membrane core as well as in linkers connecting these transmembrane helices. We find that the sequence preferences and structural motifs at capping (Ncap and Ccap) and near-helical (N' and C') positions are influenced by a combination of features including the membrane environment and the innate helix initiation and termination property of residues forming structural motifs. We also find that a large number of helix termini which do not form any particular capping motif are stabilized by formation of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions contributed from the neighboring helices in the membrane protein. We further validate the sequence preferences obtained from our analysis with data from an ultradeep sequencing study that identifies evolutionarily conserved amino acids in the rat neurotensin receptor. The results from our analysis provide insights for the secondary structure prediction, modeling and design of membrane proteins. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cell-Wall-Bound Proteinase of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis ACA-DC 178: Characterization and Specificity for β-Casein

Science.gov (United States)

Tsakalidou, E.; Anastasiou, R.; Vandenberghe, I.; van Beeumen, J.; Kalantzopoulos, G.

1999-01-01

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis ACA-DC 178, which was isolated from Greek Kasseri cheese, produces a cell-wall-bound proteinase. The proteinase was removed from the cell envelope by washing the cells with a Ca2+-free buffer. The crude proteinase extract shows its highest activity at pH 6.0 and 40°C. It is inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, showing that the enzyme is a serine-type proteinase. Considering the substrate specificity, the enzyme is similar to the lactococcal PI-type proteinases, since it hydrolyzes β-casein mainly and α- and κ-caseins to a much lesser extent. The cell-wall-bound proteinase from L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis ACA-DC 178 liberates four main peptides from β-casein, which have been identified. PMID:10223997

FPGA helix tracking algorithm for PANDA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, Yutie; Galuska, Martin; Gessler, Thomas; Hu, Jifeng; Kuehn, Wolfgang; Lange, Jens Soeren; Muenchow, David; Spruck, Bjoern [II. Physikalisches, Giessen University (Germany); Ye, Hua [II. Physikalisches, Giessen University (Germany); Institute of High Energy Physics, Beijing (China); Collaboration: PANDA-Collaboration

2014-07-01

The PANDA detector is a general-purpose detector for physics with high luminosity cooled antiproton beams, planed to operate at the FAIR facility in Darmstadt, Germany. The central detector includes a silicon Micro Vertex Detector (MVD) and a Straw Tube Tracker (STT). Without any hardware trigger, large amounts of raw data are streaming into the data acquisition system. The data reduction task is performed in the online system by reconstruction algorithms programmed in VHDL (Very High Speed Integrated Circuit Hardware Description Language) on FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) as first level and on a farm of GPUs or PCs as a second level. One important part in the system is the online track reconstruction. In this presentation, an online tracking finding algorithm for helix track reconstruction in the solenoidal field is shown. A performance study using C++ and the status of the VHDL implementation are presented.

Introduction of potential helix-capping residues into an engineered helical protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, M H; Hefford, M A

1998-08-01

MB-1 is an engineered protein that was designed to incorporate high percentages of four amino acid residues and to fold into a four-alpha-helix bundle motif. Mutations were made in the putative loop I and III regions of this protein with the aim of increasing the stability of the helix ends. Four variants, MB-3, MB-5, MB-11 and MB-13, have replacements intended to promote formation of an 'N-capping box'. The loop I and III sequences of MB-3 (both GDLST) and MB-11 (GGDST) were designed to cause alphaL C-terminal 'capping' motifs to form in helices I and III. MB-5 has a sequence, GPDST, that places proline in a favourable position for forming beta-turns, whereas MB-13 (GLDST) has the potential to form Schellman C-capping motifs. Size-exclusion chromatography suggested that MB-1, MB-3, MB-5, MB-11 and MB-13 all form dimers, or possibly trimers. Free energies for the unfolding of each of these variants were determined by urea denaturation, with the loss of secondary structure followed by CD spectroscopy. Assuming an equilibrium between folded dimer and unfolded monomer, MB-13 had the highest apparent stability (40.5 kJ/mol, with +/-2.5 kJ/mol 95% confidence limits), followed by MB-11 (39.3+/-5.9 kJ/mol), MB-3 (36.4+/-1.7 kJ/mol), MB-5 (34.7+/-2.1 kJ/mol) and MB-1 (29.3+/-1.3 kJ/mol); the same relative stabilities of the variants were found when a folded trimer to unfolded monomer model was used to calculate stabilities. All of the variants were relatively unstable for dimeric proteins, but were significantly more stable than MB-1. These findings suggest that it might be possible to increase the stability of a protein for which the three-dimensional structure is unknown by placing amino acid residues in positions that have the potential to form helix- and turn-stabilizing motifs.

Genome-wide DNA microarray analysis of Francisella tularensis strains demonstrates extensive genetic conservation within the species but identifies regions that are unique to the highly virulent F. tularensis subsp. tularensis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Broekhuijsen, M.P.; Larsson, P.; Johansson, A.; Byström, M.; Eriksson, U.; Larsson, E.; Prior, R.G.; Sjöstedt, A.; Titball, R.W.; Forsman, M.

2003-01-01

Francisella tularensis is a potent pathogen and a possible bioterrorism agent. Little is known, however, to explain the molecular basis for its virulence and the distinct differences in virulence found between the four recognized subspecies, F. tularensis subsp. tularensis, F. tularensis subsp.

Chemical Composition of a New Taxon, Seseli gummiferum subsp. ilgazense, and its Larvicidal Activity against Aedesaegypti

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mine Kurkcuoglu

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Mosquitoes are vectors for many pathogens and parasites that cause human diseases including dengue, yellow fever, West Nile, chikungunya, filariasis and malaria which cause high rates of human morbidity and mortality under extreme conditions. Plants are an excellent source for mosquito control agents because they constitute rich sources of bioactive chemicals. They are also biodegradable and environment-friendly. The present study reports on the larvicidal activity of the essential oil of Seseli gummiferum. subsp. ilgazense (Apiaceae against Aedes aegypti larvae. Essential oil showed 100 and 70% mortality at 125 and 62.6 ppm, respectively, with no mortality at 31.25 ppm. Aerial parts of S. gummiferum subsp. ilgazense were subjected to hydrodistillation to yield 0.6% oil. The essential oil was analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS techniques. The main constituents in the oil were sabinene (28.8%, germacrene D (9.5% and α -pinene (7.2%.

Microsatellites for Oenothera gayleana and O. hartwegii subsp. filifolia (Onagraceae), and their utility in section Calylophus.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Emily M; Fant, Jeremie B; Moore, Michael J; Hastings, Amy P; Larson, Erica L; Agrawal, Anurag A; Skogen, Krissa A

2016-02-01

Eleven nuclear and four plastid microsatellite markers were screened for two gypsum endemic species, Oenothera gayleana and O. hartwegii subsp. filifolia, and tested for cross-amplification in the remaining 11 taxa within Oenothera sect. Calylophus (Onagraceae). Microsatellite markers were tested in two to three populations spanning the ranges of both O. gayleana and O. hartwegii subsp. filifolia. The nuclear microsatellite loci consisted of both di- and trinucleotide repeats with one to 17 alleles per population. Several loci showed significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, which may be evidence of chromosomal rings. The plastid microsatellite markers identified one to seven haplotypes per population. The transferability of these markers was confirmed in all 11 taxa within Oenothera sect. Calylophus. The microsatellite loci characterized here are the first developed and tested in Oenothera sect. Calylophus. These markers will be used to assess whether pollinator foraging distance influences population genetic parameters in predictable ways.

Prévalence de Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae, agent des rayures bactériennes du riz dans les semences de base produites au Burkina Faso

OpenAIRE

Dakouo, D.; Ouedraogo, SL.; Somda, I.; Mortensen, CN.

2005-01-01

Prevalence of Bacterial Stripe Organism, Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae, in Breeder Rice Seed Samples from Burkina Faso. Nine rice seed samples of improved and local varieties were tested at DGISP (Denmark) for the incidence of seed-borne bacterial stripe organism, Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae, using the cassette holder method. Twenty-six suspected bacterial colonies were identified by different methods including colony morphology, pigmentation, biochemical and pathogenicity tests. Using ...

Identification and Phytotoxicity Assessment of Phenolic Compounds in Chrysanthemoides monilifera subsp. monilifera (Boneseed)

OpenAIRE

Al Harun, Md Abdullah Yousuf; Johnson, Joshua; Uddin, Md Nazim; Robinson, Randall W.

2015-01-01

Chrysanthemoides monilifera subsp. monilifera (boneseed), a weed of national significance in Australia, threatens indigenous species and crop production through allelopathy. We aimed to identify phenolic compounds produced by boneseed and to assess their phytotoxicity on native species. Phenolic compounds in water and methanol extracts, and in decomposed litter-mediated soil leachate were identified using HPLC, and phytotoxicity of identified phenolics was assessed (repeatedly) through a stan...

Ação de tinturas e óleos essenciais de plantas medicinais sobre o crestamento bacteriano comum do feijoeiro e na produção de proteínas de indução de resistência

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra Cristina Vigo

2009-12-01

Full Text Available A exploração da atividade biológica de compostos secundários presentes nas tinturas ou em óleos essenciais de plantas podem representar, ao lado da indução de resistência, mais uma forma potencial de controle de doenças em plantas cultivadas. O presente trabalho objetivou avaliar o potencial de tinturas de Lippia alba, Lippia sidoides, Mikania glomerata, Equisetum sp. e Hedera helix e óleos essenciais de Rosmarinus officinalis e Cinnamomum zeylanicum nas atividades in vitro, in vivo e na produção de proteínas na indução de resistência, em plantas de feijão vagem cultivar Bragança. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que as tinturas de L. alba e L. sidoides e os óleos essenciais (R. officinalis e C. zeylanicum apresentaram atividade in vitro aos isolados de Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli. Todas as tinturas ensaiadas apresentaram menores valores do progresso da doença (AACPD, em relação à testemunha, merecendo destaque a tintura de L. alba, que estavam correlacionadas com os maiores teores de polifenoloxidase, peroxidase e proteínas solúveis totais, evidenciando uma possível indução de resistência. Os óleos essenciais não apresentaram diferença na AACPD e nem na indução de proteínas.Additionally to resistance inducers, the exploitation of secondary compounds biological activity present in plants alcohol extracts or essential oils could potential way to control diseases in cultivated plants. This aimed to evaluate the potential of Lippia alba, Lippia sidoides, Mikania glomerata, Equisetum sp. and Hedera helix alcohol extracts and, Rosmarinus officinalis and Cinnamomum zeylanicum essential oils on in vitro and in vivo activity, and protein production on resistance induction in snap beans Bragança cultivar. Results showed in vitro activity against Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli for L. alba and L. sidoides extracts, and essential oils. Although all alcohol extracts have showed the lowest area under the

Microencapsulation of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis and Lactobacillus acidophilus in cocoa butter using spray chilling technology

Science.gov (United States)

Pedroso, D.L.; Dogenski, M.; Thomazini, M.; Heinemann, R.J.B.; Favaro-Trindade, C.S.

2013-01-01

In the present study, the cells of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (BI-01) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (LAC-04) were encapsulated in cocoa butter using spray-chilling technology. Survival assays were conducted to evaluate the resistance of the probiotics to the spray-chilling process, their resistance to the simulated gastric and intestinal fluids (SGF and SIF), and their stability during 90 days of storage. The viability of the cells was not affected by microencapsulation. The free and encapsulated cells of B. animalis subsp. lactis were resistant to both SGF and SIF. The micro-encapsulated cells of L. acidophilus were more resistant to SGF and SIF than the free cells; the viability of the encapsulated cells was enhanced by 67%, while the free cells reached the detection limit of the method (103 CFU/g). The encapsulated probiotics were unstable when they were stored at 20 °C. The population of encapsulated L. acidophilus decreased drastically when they were stored at 7 °C; only 20% of cells were viable after 90 days of storage. The percentage of viable cells of the encapsulated B. animalis subsp.lactis, however, was 72% after the same period of storage. Promising results were obtained when the microparticles were stored at −18 °C; the freeze granted 90 days of shelf life to the encapsulated cells. These results suggest that the spray-chilling process using cocoa butter as carrier protects L. acidophilus from gastrointestinal fluids. However, the viability of the cells during storage must be improved. PMID:24516445

Microencapsulation of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis and Lactobacillus acidophilus in cocoa butter using spray chilling technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D.L. Pedroso

2013-09-01

Full Text Available In the present study, the cells of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (BI-01 and Lactobacillus acidophilus (LAC-04 were encapsulated in cocoa butter using spray-chilling technology. Survival assays were conducted to evaluate the resistance of the probiotics to the spray-chilling process, their resistance to the simulated gastric and intestinal fluids (SGF and SIF, and their stability during 90 days of storage. The viability of the cells was not affected by microencapsulation. The free and encapsulated cells of B. animalis subsp. lactis were resistant to both SGF and SIF. The micro-encapsulated cells of L. acidophilus were more resistant to SGF and SIF than the free cells; the viability of the encapsulated cells was enhanced by 67%, while the free cells reached the detection limit of the method (10³ CFU/g. The encapsulated probiotics were unstable when they were stored at 20 °C. The population of encapsulated L. acidophilus decreased drastically when they were stored at 7 °C; only 20% of cells were viable after 90 days of storage. The percentage of viable cells of the encapsulated B. animalis subsp.lactis, however, was 72% after the same period of storage. Promising results were obtained when the microparticles were stored at -18 °C; the freeze granted 90 days of shelf life to the encapsulated cells. These results suggest that the spray-chilling process using cocoa butter as carrier protects L. acidophilus from gastrointestinal fluids. However, the viability of the cells during storage must be improved.

Live Attenuated Tularemia Vaccines for Protection Against Respiratory Challenge With Virulent F. tularensis subsp. tularensis

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Qingmei; Horwitz, Marcus A.

2018-01-01

Francisella tularensis is the causative agent of tularemia and a Tier I bioterrorism agent. In the 1900s, several vaccines were developed against tularemia including the killed “Foshay” vaccine, subunit vaccines comprising F. tularensis protein(s) or lipoproteins(s) in an adjuvant formulation, and the F. tularensis Live Vaccine Strain (LVS); none were licensed in the U.S.A. or European Union. The LVS vaccine retains toxicity in humans and animals—especially mice—but has demonstrated efficacy in humans, and thus serves as the current gold standard for vaccine efficacy studies. The U.S.A. 2001 anthrax bioterrorism attack spawned renewed interest in vaccines against potential biowarfare agents including F. tularensis. Since live attenuated—but not killed or subunit—vaccines have shown promising efficacy and since vaccine efficacy against respiratory challenge with less virulent subspecies holarctica or F. novicida, or against non-respiratory challenge with virulent subsp. tularensis (Type A) does not reliably predict vaccine efficacy against respiratory challenge with virulent subsp. tularensis, the route of transmission and species of greatest concern in a bioterrorist attack, in this review, we focus on live attenuated tularemia vaccine candidates tested against respiratory challenge with virulent Type A strains, including homologous vaccines derived from mutants of subsp. holarctica, F. novicida, and subsp. tularensis, and heterologous vaccines developed using viral or bacterial vectors to express F. tularensis immunoprotective antigens. We compare the virulence and efficacy of these vaccine candidates with that of LVS and discuss factors that can significantly impact the development and evaluation of live attenuated tularemia vaccines. Several vaccines meet what we would consider the minimum criteria for vaccines to go forward into clinical development—safety greater than LVS and efficacy at least as great as LVS, and of these, several meet the

Draft Genome Sequence of Staphylococcus carnosus subsp. utilis LTH 7013, Isolated from South Tyrolean Ham

OpenAIRE

M?ller, Anne; Huptas, Christopher; Wenning, Mareike; Schmidt, Herbert; Weiss, Agnes

2015-01-01

Staphylococcus carnosus is used as a starter culture in meat fermentation, where it contributes to color formation and produces aromatic compounds. Here, we report the first draft genome sequence of an S.?carnosus subsp. utilis strain, LTH 7013, isolated from South Tyrolean ham, with potential application as a starter culture.

Draft Genome Sequences of 64 Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Enteritidis Isolates from Mice in US

Science.gov (United States)

A ciprofloxacin resistant (CipR) Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Kentucky ST198 has rapidly and extensively disseminated globally to become a major food-safety and public health concern. Here, we report a complete genome sequence of a CipR S. Kentucky ST198 strain PU131 isolated from a ...

Basic Tilted Helix Bundle – A new protein fold in human FKBP25/FKBP3 and HectD1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helander, Sara; Montecchio, Meri; Lemak, Alexander; Farès, Christophe; Almlöf, Jonas; Li, Yanjun; Yee, Adelinda; Arrowsmith, Cheryl H.; Dhe-Paganon, Sirano; Sunnerhagen, Maria

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We describe the structure of a novel fold in FKBP25 and HectD. • The new fold is named the Basic Tilted Helix Bundle (BTHB) domain. • A conserved basic surface patch is presented, suggesting a functional role. - Abstract: In this paper, we describe the structure of a N-terminal domain motif in nuclear-localized FKBP25 1–73 , a member of the FKBP family, together with the structure of a sequence-related subdomain of the E3 ubiquitin ligase HectD1 that we show belongs to the same fold. This motif adopts a compact 5-helix bundle which we name the Basic Tilted Helix Bundle (BTHB) domain. A positively charged surface patch, structurally centered around the tilted helix H4, is present in both FKBP25 and HectD1 and is conserved in both proteins, suggesting a conserved functional role. We provide detailed comparative analysis of the structures of the two proteins and their sequence similarities, and analysis of the interaction of the proposed FKBP25 binding protein YY1. We suggest that the basic motif in BTHB is involved in the observed DNA binding of FKBP25, and that the function of this domain can be affected by regulatory YY1 binding and/or interactions with adjacent domains

Basic Tilted Helix Bundle – A new protein fold in human FKBP25/FKBP3 and HectD1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Helander, Sara; Montecchio, Meri [Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Division of Chemistry, Linköping University, SE-58183 Linköping (Sweden); Lemak, Alexander [Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7 (Canada); Northeast Structural Genomics Consortium, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Farès, Christophe [Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7 (Canada); Almlöf, Jonas [Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Division of Chemistry, Linköping University, SE-58183 Linköping (Sweden); Li, Yanjun [Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, 101 College St, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7 (Canada); Yee, Adelinda [Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7 (Canada); Northeast Structural Genomics Consortium, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Arrowsmith, Cheryl H. [Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7 (Canada); Northeast Structural Genomics Consortium, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, 101 College St, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7 (Canada); Dhe-Paganon, Sirano [Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, 101 College St, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7 (Canada); Sunnerhagen, Maria, E-mail: maria.sunnerhagen@liu.se [Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Division of Chemistry, Linköping University, SE-58183 Linköping (Sweden)

2014-04-25

Highlights: • We describe the structure of a novel fold in FKBP25 and HectD. • The new fold is named the Basic Tilted Helix Bundle (BTHB) domain. • A conserved basic surface patch is presented, suggesting a functional role. - Abstract: In this paper, we describe the structure of a N-terminal domain motif in nuclear-localized FKBP25{sub 1–73}, a member of the FKBP family, together with the structure of a sequence-related subdomain of the E3 ubiquitin ligase HectD1 that we show belongs to the same fold. This motif adopts a compact 5-helix bundle which we name the Basic Tilted Helix Bundle (BTHB) domain. A positively charged surface patch, structurally centered around the tilted helix H4, is present in both FKBP25 and HectD1 and is conserved in both proteins, suggesting a conserved functional role. We provide detailed comparative analysis of the structures of the two proteins and their sequence similarities, and analysis of the interaction of the proposed FKBP25 binding protein YY1. We suggest that the basic motif in BTHB is involved in the observed DNA binding of FKBP25, and that the function of this domain can be affected by regulatory YY1 binding and/or interactions with adjacent domains.

Functional cream cheese supplemented with Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis DSM 10140 and Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 20016 and prebiotics.

Science.gov (United States)

Speranza, Barbara; Campaniello, Daniela; Monacis, Noemi; Bevilacqua, Antonio; Sinigaglia, Milena; Corbo, Maria Rosaria

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to develop a functional fresh cream cheese with Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis DSM 10140 or Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 20016 and prebiotics (inulin, FOS and lactulose). The research was divided into two steps: in vitro evaluation of the effects of prebiotic compounds; validation at laboratory level with production of functional cream mini-cheeses. Prebiotics showed a protective effect: B. animalis subsp. lactis DSM 10140 cultivability on Petri dishes was positively influenced by lactulose, whereas fructooligosaccharides (FOS) were the prebiotic compounds able to prolong Lb. reuteri DSM 20016 cultivability. At 30 °C, a prolongation of the death time (more than 300 days) was observed, while the controls showed death time values about 100 days. At 45 °C, death time values increased from 32.2 (control) to 33, 35, and 38 days in the samples added with FOS, inulin and lactulose, respectively. Lactulose and FOS were chosen to be added to cream mini-cheeses inoculated with B. animalis subsp. lactis DSM 10140 and Lb. reuteri DSM 20016, respectively; the proposed functional cream cheese resulted in a product with favourable conditions for the viability of both probiotics which maintained cultivable cells above the recommended level during 28 days of storage at 4 °C with good sensory characteristics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantitative elemental localisation in leaves and stems of nickel hyperaccumulating shrub Hybanthusfloribundus subsp. floribundus using micro-PIXE spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kachenko, Anthony G; Singh, Balwant; Bhatia, Naveen P; Siegele, Rainer

2008-01-01

Hybanthusfloribundus (Lindl.) F.Muell. subsp. floribundus is a native Australian nickel (Ni) hyperaccumulating shrub and a promising species for rehabilitation and phytoremediation of Ni tailings. Spatial localisation and quantification of Ni in leaf and stem tissues of H.floribundus subsp. floribundus was studied using micro-proton-induced X-ray emission (micro-PIXE) spectroscopy. Young plants, grown in a potting mix under controlled glasshouse conditions were exposed to Ni concentrations of 0 and 26 mM kg -1 for 20 weeks. Leaf and stem samples were hand-sectioned and freeze-dried prior to micro-PIXE analysis. Elemental distribution maps of leaves revealed Ni concentration of 7800 mg kg -1 dry weight (DW) in whole leaf sections, which was identical to the bulk tissue analysis. Elemental maps showed that Ni was preferentially localised in the adaxial epidermis (10,000 mg kg -1 DW) and reached a maximum of up to 10,000 mg kg -1 DW in the leaf margin. Freeze-dried stem sections from the same plants contained lower Ni than leaf tissues (1800 mg kg -1 versus 7800 mg kg -1 DW, respectively), however did not resolve a clear pattern of compartmentalisation across different anatomical regions. Our results suggest localisation in epidermal cells is an important physiological mechanism involved in Ni accumulation and tolerance in leaves of H.floribundus subsp. floribundus

Resistance of sweet orange Pera (Citrus sinensis) genotypes to Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri under field conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Citrus canker control is based on protection measures and eradication of plants infected with Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri. Although these measures show satisfactory results, the use of resistant genotypes is an important alternative for citrus canker control. The aim of this study was to evaluate...

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp lactis CIDCA 133 modulates response of human epithelial and dendritic cells infected with Bacillus cereus.

Science.gov (United States)

Rolny, I S; Tiscornia, I; Racedo, S M; Pérez, P F; Bollati-Fogolín, M

2016-11-30

It is known that probiotic microorganisms are able to modulate pathogen virulence. This ability is strain dependent and involves multiple interactions between microorganisms and relevant host's cell populations. In the present work we focus on the effect of a potentially probiotic lactobacillus strain (Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis CIDCA 133) in an in vitro model of Bacillus cereus infection. Our results showed that infection of intestinal epithelial HT-29 cells by B. cereus induces nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. Noteworthy, the presence of strain L. delbrueckii subsp.lactis CIDCA 133 increases stimulation. However, B. cereus-induced interleukin (IL)-8 production by epithelial cells is partially abrogated by L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis CIDCA 133. These findings suggest that signalling pathways other than that of NF-κB are involved. In a co-culture system (HT-29 and monocyte-derived dendritic cells), B. cereus was able to translocate from the epithelial (upper) to the dendritic cell compartment (lower). This translocation was partially abrogated by the presence of lactobacilli in the upper compartment. In addition, infection of epithelial cells in the co-culture model, led to an increase in the expression of CD86 by dendritic cells. This effect could not be modified in the presence of lactobacilli. Interestingly, infection of enterocytes with B. cereus triggers production of proinflammatory cytokines by dendritic cells (IL-8, IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)). The production of TNF-α (a protective cytokine in B. cereus infections) by dendritic cells was increased in the presence of lactobacilli. The present work demonstrates for the first time the effect of L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis CIDCA 133, a potentially probiotic strain, in an in vitro model of B. cereus infection. The presence of the probiotic strain modulates cell response both in infected epithelial and dendritic cells thus suggesting a possible beneficial effect of

FPGA helix tracking algorithm for PANDA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, Yutie; Galuska, Martin; Gessler, Thomas; Kuehn, Wolfgang; Lange, Jens Soeren; Muenchow, David [II. Physikalisches Institut, University of Giessen (Germany); Ye, Hua [Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS (China); Collaboration: PANDA-Collaboration

2016-07-01

The PANDA detector is a general-purpose detector for physics with high luminosity cooled antiproton beams, planed to operate at the FAIR facility in Darmstadt, Germany. The central detector includes a silicon Micro Vertex Detector (MVD) and a Straw Tube Tracker (STT). Without any hardware trigger, large amounts of raw data are streaming into the data acquisition system. The data reduction task is performed in the online system by reconstruction algorithms programmed on FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) as first level and on a farm of GPUs or PCs as a second level. One important part in the system is the online track reconstruction. In this presentation, an online tracking algorithm for helix tracking reconstruction in the solenoidal field is shown. The VHDL-based algorithm is tested with different types of events, at different event rate. Furthermore, a study of T0 extraction from the tracking algorithm is performed. A concept of simultaneous tracking and T0 determination is presented.

Drug susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium Avium subsp. Avium isolates from naturally infected domestic pigeons to avian tuberculosis

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Kaveh Parvandar

2016-01-01

Conclusion: We suggest drug susceptibility testing for more nontuberculous mycobateria, particularly M. avium complex isolated from infected birds and humans, as well as molecular basics of drug sensitivity in order to detect resistance genes of pathogenic M. avium subsp. avium.

Triple helix networks matching knowledge demand and supply in seven Dutch horticulture Greenport regions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geerling-Eiff, Florentien A.; Hoes, Anne-Charlotte; Dijkshoorn-Dekker, Marijke

2017-01-01

This paper investigates the triple helix (industry, knowledge workers and governments) cooperation on knowledge co-production and valorisation for innovation, which took place in seven horticultural regions in the Netherlands. It thus provides more empirical insight into the functioning of this form

Networks of entrepreneurs driving the Triple Helix: two cases of the Dutch energy system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Werker, C.; Ubacht, J.; Ligtvoet, A.

2017-01-01

Entrepreneurs are often envisioned as small private start-up firms operating against all odds. Here, we investigate how in the context of the Triple Helix various entrepreneurs form communities and drive institutional and technological change. To theoretically shape a socialized view of

Influence of season, temperature, and photoperiod on growth of the land snail Helix aperta

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Benbellil-Tafoughalt, S.; Koene, J.M.

2015-01-01

Growth strategies are often plastic and influenced by environmental conditions. Terrestrial gastropods are particularly affected by seasonal and climatic variables, and growth rate and size at maturity are key traits in their life history. Therefore, we investigated juvenile growth of Helix aperta

β-D-Glucoside utilization by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides SC: possible involvement in the control of cytotoxicity towards bovine lung cells

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Bischof Daniela F

2007-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides small-colony type (SC is among the most serious threats for livestock producers in Africa. Glycerol metabolism-associated H2O2 production seems to play a crucial role in virulence of this mycoplasma. A wide number of attenuated strains of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC are currently used in Africa as live vaccines. Glycerol metabolism is not affected in these vaccine strains and therefore it does not seem to be the determinant of their attenuation. A non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP in the bgl gene coding for the 6-phospho-β-glucosidase (Bgl has been described recently. The SNP differentiates virulent African strains isolated from outbreaks with severe CBPP, which express the Bgl isoform Val204, from strains to be considered less virulent isolated from CBPP outbreaks with low mortality and vaccine strains, which express the Bgl isoform Ala204. Results Strains of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC considered virulent and possessing the Bgl isoform Val204, but not strains with the Bgl isoform Ala204, do trigger elevated levels of damage to embryonic bovine lung (EBL cells upon incubation with the disaccharides (i.e., β-D-glucosides sucrose and lactose. However, strains expressing the Bgl isoform Val204 show a lower hydrolysing activity on the chromogenic substrate p-nitrophenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside (pNPbG when compared to strains that possess the Bgl isoform Ala204. Defective activity of Bgl in M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC does not lead to H2O2 production. Rather, the viability during addition of β-D-glucosides in medium-free buffers is higher for strains harbouring the Bgl isoform Val204 than for those with the isoform Ala204. Conclusion Our results indicate that the studied SNP in the bgl gene is one possible cause of the difference in bacterial virulence among strains of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC. Bgl does not act as

Aversão alimentar condicionada para o controle da intoxicação por Ipomoea carnea subsp. fistulosa em caprinos

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Luciano A. Pimentel

2013-06-01

Full Text Available A aversão alimentar condicionada é uma técnica que pode ser utilizada em animais para evitar a ingestão de plantas tóxicas. O presente estudo teve como objetivo testar a eficiência e durabilidade da aversão alimentar condicionada em caprinos para evitar o consumo de Ipomoea carnea subsp. fistulosa. Foram utilizados 14 caprinos jovens da raça Moxotó, que foram adaptados ao consumo da planta. Inicialmente foi administrada I. carnea subsp. fistulosa dessecada e triturada misturada à ração concentrada por 30 dias e, posteriormente, foi fornecida a planta verde por mais 10 dias. Para constatação da adaptação ao consumo da planta os caprinos foram colocados a pastar em um piquete de 510 m² onde tinha sido plantada I. carnea subsp. fistulosa em uma área de 30m² (10 plantas/m². No 42º dia de experimento, após a constatação do consumo espontâneo os animais receberam a planta verde individualmente na baia por alguns minutos, e todos os animais que consumiam qualquer quantidade da planta foram tratados com uma solução de LiCl na dose 175mg por kg de peso vivo. Este procedimento repetiu-se por mais dois dias. Posteriormente, os caprinos foram divididos em dois grupos: Grupo 1 com seis animais, quatro deles avertidos e dois não avertidos (facilitadores; e o Grupo 2, com oito caprinos, todos avertidos. Para constatar a eficiência e duração da aversão e a influência de animais facilitadores na durabilidade da aversão, os caprinos foram colocados a pastar, em dias alternados, três dias por semana, durante duas horas, no piquete plantado com I. carnea subsp. fistulosa. Por 12 meses os animais foram monitorados durante o pastejo, identificando-se o consumo e a preferência dos animais pelas plantas presentes no piquete. No Grupo 1 tanto os caprinos avertidos quanto os não avertidos iniciaram a ingerir a planta em 1-6 semanas e gradualmente foram aumentando a planta consumida, mas nunca a ingeriram exclusivamente. Nenhum caprino

Phenotypic, Genotypic, and Antimicrobial Characteristics of Streptococcus halichoeri Isolates from Humans, Proposal To Rename Streptococcus halichoeri as Streptococcus halichoeri subsp. halichoeri, and Description of Streptococcus halichoeri subsp. hominis subsp. nov., a Bacterium Associated with Human Clinical Infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Shewmaker, P L; Whitney, A M; Humrighouse, B W

2016-03-01

Phenotypic, genotypic, and antimicrobial characteristics of six phenotypically distinct human clinical isolates that most closely resembled the type strain of Streptococcus halichoeri isolated from a seal are presented. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA, rpoB, sodA, and recN genes; comparative whole-genome analysis; conventional biochemical and Rapid ID 32 Strep identification methods; and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed on the human isolates, the type strain of S. halichoeri, and type strains of closely related species. The six human clinical isolates were biochemically indistinguishable from each other and showed 100% 16S rRNA, rpoB, sodA, and recN gene sequence similarity. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis revealed 98.6% similarity to S. halichoeri CCUG 48324(T), 97.9% similarity to S. canis ATCC 43496(T), and 97.8% similarity to S. ictaluri ATCC BAA-1300(T). A 3,530-bp fragment of the rpoB gene was 98.8% similar to the S. halichoeri type strain, 84.6% to the S. canis type strain, and 83.8% to the S. ictaluri type strain. The S. halichoeri type strain and the human clinical isolates were susceptible to the antimicrobials tested based on CLSI guidelines for Streptococcus species viridans group with the exception of tetracycline and erythromycin. The human isolates were phenotypically distinct from the type strain isolated from a seal; comparative whole-genome sequence analysis confirmed that the human isolates were S. halichoeri. On the basis of these results, a novel subspecies, Streptococcus halichoeri subsp. hominis, is proposed for the human isolates and Streptococcus halichoeri subsp. halichoeri is proposed for the gray seal isolates. The type strain of the novel subspecies is SS1844(T) = CCUG 67100(T) = LMG 28801(T). Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Revisiting Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica, Causative Agent of Tularemia in Germany With Bioinformatics: New Insights in Genome Structure, DNA Methylation and Comparative Phylogenetic Analysis

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Anne Busch

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Francisella (F. tularensis is a highly virulent, Gram-negative bacterial pathogen and the causative agent of the zoonotic disease tularemia. Here, we generated, analyzed and characterized a high quality circular genome sequence of the F. tularensis subsp. holarctica strain 12T0050 that caused fatal tularemia in a hare. Besides the genomic structure, we focused on the analysis of oriC, unique to the Francisella genus and regulating replication in and outside hosts and the first report on genomic DNA methylation of a Francisella strain. The high quality genome was used to establish and evaluate a diagnostic whole genome sequencing pipeline. A genotyping strategy for F. tularensis was developed using various bioinformatics tools for genotyping. Additionally, whole genome sequences of F. tularensis subsp. holarctica isolates isolated in the years 2008–2015 in Germany were generated. A phylogenetic analysis allowed to determine the genetic relatedness of these isolates and confirmed the highly conserved nature of F. tularensis subsp. holarctica.

In Vitro and In Vivo Antibacterial Activity of Some Organic and Inorganic Salts Against Asiatic Citrus Canker Agent Xanthomonas Citri Subsp. Citri

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Vahideh Hasabi

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Asiatic citrus canker caused by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri is becoming a disease of high economic impact, affecting all types of important citrus crops. In this study, the potential antibacterial activity of ten organic and inorganic salts on X. citri subsp. citri and on citrus canker disease development was evaluated. Among the salt compounds, copper, iron and zinc inorganic salts particularly zinc (with the highest diameter of inhibition, the lowest MIC and MBC values and the highest bacterial growth inhibitory effect had direct antibacterial activity and strongly reduced the development of canker disease and bacterial population of lime plants.

Experimental Inoculation of BFDV-Positive Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus with Two Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium Isolates

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Aleksandra Ledwoń

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Beak and feather disease virus- (BFDV- positive (naturally infected but clinically healthy budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus were inoculated with two isolates of Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium isolated from naturally infected golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus and peafowl (Pavo cristatus. During a period of more than two months after inoculation, samples of cloacal and crop swabs, faeces, and blood were obtained for BFDV and Mycobacterium avium testing with PCR. Birds were euthanized nine weeks after inoculation. All infected budgerigars developed signs typical of mycobacteriosis, but more advanced clinical and pathological changes were visible in the group infected with the pheasant isolate. Only a few cloacal and crop swab samples were positive for Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium despite advanced pathological changes in the internal organs. In the groups infected with mycobacterium isolates the frequency of BFDV-positive samples was higher than in the control group. In the infected groups the frequency of BFDV was substantially higher in the cloacal swabs of birds inoculated with the pheasant isolate than in the peafowl-isolate-infected group.

Experimental inoculation of BFDV-positive budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) with two Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium isolates.

Science.gov (United States)

Ledwoń, Aleksandra; Sapierzyński, Rafał; Augustynowicz-Kopeć, Ewa; Szeleszczuk, Piotr; Kozak, Marcin

2014-01-01

Beak and feather disease virus- (BFDV-) positive (naturally infected) but clinically healthy budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) were inoculated with two isolates of Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium isolated from naturally infected golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) and peafowl (Pavo cristatus). During a period of more than two months after inoculation, samples of cloacal and crop swabs, faeces, and blood were obtained for BFDV and Mycobacterium avium testing with PCR. Birds were euthanized nine weeks after inoculation. All infected budgerigars developed signs typical of mycobacteriosis, but more advanced clinical and pathological changes were visible in the group infected with the pheasant isolate. Only a few cloacal and crop swab samples were positive for Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium despite advanced pathological changes in the internal organs. In the groups infected with mycobacterium isolates the frequency of BFDV-positive samples was higher than in the control group. In the infected groups the frequency of BFDV was substantially higher in the cloacal swabs of birds inoculated with the pheasant isolate than in the peafowl-isolate-infected group.

The complete and fully assembled genome sequence of Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. pectinolytica and its comparative analysis with other Aeromonas species: investigation of the mobilome in environmental and pathogenic strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfeiffer, Friedhelm; Zamora-Lagos, Maria-Antonia; Blettinger, Martin; Yeroslaviz, Assa; Dahl, Andreas; Gruber, Stephan; Habermann, Bianca H

2018-01-05

Due to the predominant usage of short-read sequencing to date, most bacterial genome sequences reported in the last years remain at the draft level. This precludes certain types of analyses, such as the in-depth analysis of genome plasticity. Here we report the finalized genome sequence of the environmental strain Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. pectinolytica 34mel, for which only a draft genome with 253 contigs is currently available. Successful completion of the transposon-rich genome critically depended on the PacBio long read sequencing technology. Using finalized genome sequences of A. salmonicida subsp. pectinolytica and other Aeromonads, we report the detailed analysis of the transposon composition of these bacterial species. Mobilome evolution is exemplified by a complex transposon, which has shifted from pathogenicity-related to environmental-related gene content in A. salmonicida subsp. pectinolytica 34mel. Obtaining the complete, circular genome of A. salmonicida subsp. pectinolytica allowed us to perform an in-depth analysis of its mobilome. We demonstrate the mobilome-dependent evolution of this strain's genetic profile from pathogenic to environmental.

Identification of new antigen candidates for the early diagnosis of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in goats

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Souriau, Armel; Freret, Sandrine; Foret, Benjamin; Willemsen, Peter T.J.; Bakker, Douwe; Guilloteau, Laurence A.

2017-01-01

Currently Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection is diagnosed through indirect tests based on the immune response induced by the infection. The antigens commonly used in IFN-γ release assays (IGRA) are purified protein derivative tuberculins (PPD). However, PPDs, lack both

Isolation and characterization of Campylobacter jejuni subsp jejuni from macaroni penguins (Eudyptes chrysolophus) in the subantarctic region

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Broman, T.; Bergstrom, S.; On, Stephen L.W.

2000-01-01

On Bird Island, South Georgia, albatrosses (n = 140), penguins (n = 100), and fur seals (n = 206) were sampled for Campylobacter jejuni. C. jejuni subsp. jejuni was recovered from three macaroni penguins (Eudyptes chrysolophus). These isolates, the first reported for the subantarctic region, showed...

Characterization of cry1Cb3 and cry1Fb7 from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. galleriae

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Huang, T.; Xiao, Y.; Pan, J.; Zhang, L.; Gelbič, Ivan; Guan, X.

2015-01-01

Roč. 10, č. 1 (2015), s. 521-528 ISSN 2391-5412 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. galleriae * PCR-RFLP * cloning Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/biol.2015.10.issue-1/biol-2015-0054/biol-2015-0054.xml

Genome Sequence of Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris Strain T26, Isolated from Mesophilic Undefined Cheese Starter.

Science.gov (United States)

Pedersen, T B; Kot, W P; Hansen, L H; Sørensen, S J; Broadbent, J R; Vogensen, F K; Ardö, Y

2014-06-05

Leuconostoc is the main group of heterofermentative bacteria found in mesophilic dairy starters. They grow in close symbiosis with the Lactococcus population and are able to degrade citrate. Here we present a draft genome sequence of Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris strain T26. Copyright © 2014 Pedersen et al.

Stimulation of indigenous lactobacilli by fermented milk prepared with probiotic bacterium, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strain 2038, in the pigs.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohashi, Yuji; Tokunaga, Makoto; Taketomo, Naoki; Ushida, Kazunari

2007-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of feeding yoghurt, prepared with Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strain 2038, on indigenous lactobacilli in the pig cecum. Three female pigs fistulated at the cecum were fed 250 g of this yoghurt that contained over 10(11) colony-forming units of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strain 2038 with their daily meal for 2 wk. The relative abundance and the composition of cecal lactobacilli was monitored by analysis of bacterial 16S rDNA with real time PCR and amplified bacterial rDNA restriction analysis using Lactobacillus-group specific primers, respectively, for 2 wk prior to, at the end of 2 wk of and 2 wk after the administration of this yoghurt. The relative abundance of lactobacilli was significantly increased by feeding yoghurt (pdelbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strain 2038 was not detected by amplified bacterial rDNA restriction analysis during this study. The number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) detected was increased with feeding of the yoghurt in all pigs. At the same time, the estimated cell number of each OTU was increased with feeding of the yoghurt. It is demonstrated that continuous consumption of the probiotic lactobacilli will stimulate the growth of some indigenous lactobacilli and alter the composition of the lactobacilli.

Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis infection in swine associated with peat used for bedding.

Science.gov (United States)

Johansen, Tone Bjordal; Agdestein, Angelika; Lium, Bjørn; Jørgensen, Anne; Djønne, Berit

2014-01-01

Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis is an environmental bacterium causing opportunistic infections in swine, resulting in economic losses. Additionally, the zoonotic aspect of such infections is of concern. In the southeastern region of Norway in 2009 and 2010, an increase in condemnation of pig carcasses with tuberculous lesions was seen at the meat inspection. The use of peat as bedding in the herds was suspected to be a common factor, and a project examining pigs and environmental samples from the herds was initiated. Lesions detected at meat inspection in pigs originating from 15 herds were sampled. Environmental samples including peat from six of the herds and from three peat production facilities were additionally collected. Samples were analysed by culture and isolates genotyped by MLVA analysis. Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis was detected in 35 out of 46 pigs, in 16 out of 20 samples of peat, and in one sample of sawdust. MLVA analysis demonstrated identical isolates from peat and pigs within the same farms. Polyclonal infection was demonstrated by analysis of multiple isolates from the same pig. To conclude, the increase in condemnation of porcine carcasses at slaughter due to mycobacteriosis seemed to be related to untreated peat used as bedding.

Transcriptome-Based Characterization of Interactions between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus in Lactose-Grown Chemostat Cocultures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mendes, F.; Sieuwerts, S.; De Hulster, E.; Almering, M.J.; Luttik, M.A.; Pronk, J.T.; Smid, E.J.; Bron, P.A.; Daran-Lapujade, P.

2013-01-01

Mixed populations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts and lactic acid bacteria occur in many dairy, food, and beverage fermentations, but knowledge about their interactions is incomplete. In the present study, interactions between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp.

Transcriptome-based characterization of interactions between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus in lactose-grown chemostat cocultures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mendes, F.; Sieuwerts, S.; Hulster, de E.; Almering, M.J.; Luttik, M.A.H.; Pronk, J.T.; Smid, E.J.; Baron, P.A.; Daran-Lapujade, P.

2013-01-01

Mixed populations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts and lactic acid bacteria occur in many dairy, food, and beverage fermentations, but knowledge about their interactions is incomplete. In the present study, interactions between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp.

Bioactive Compounds of Endemic Species Sideritis raeseri subsp. raeseri Grown in National Park Galičica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nebojša Menković

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Collection of Sideritis raeseri subsp. raeseri has a long tradition in local communities in the Ohrid-Prespa region. The aim of the present study was the analysis of bioactive compounds especially those with anti-inflammatory activity. Combination of the UV and MS data allowed the characterization of 17 compounds, which could be classified into flavonoid glycosides or hydroxycynnamic acid derivatives. Six of them were isolated using preparative HPLC: isoscutellarein 7-O-[6′″-O-acetyl- β -D-allopyranosyl-(1→2]- β -D-glucopyranoside, 4′-O-methylhypolaetin 7-O-[6′″-O-acetyl- β -D-allopyranosyl-(1→2]- β -D-glucopyranoside, hypolaetin 7-O-[6′″-O-acetyl- β -D-allopyranosyl-(1→2]-6″-O-acetyl- β -D-glucopyranoside, 4′-O-methylisoscutellarein 7-O-[6′″-O-acetyl- β -D-allopyranosyl-(1→2]- β -D-glucopyranoside, isoscutellarein 7-O-[6′″-O-acetyl- β -D-allopyranosyl-(1→2]-6″-O-acetyl- β -D-glucopyranoside and 4′-O-methylhypolaetin 7-O-[6′″-O-acetyl- β -D-allopyranosyl-(1→2]-6″-O-acetyl- β -D-glucopyranoside. The presence of phenylpropanoid glycoside martynoside was reported for the first time in the wild growing S. raeseri subsp. raeseri. Hypolaetin derivatives, known for their antiinflammatory activity, dominated and were more abundant in S. raeseri subsp. raeseri grown in NPG in comparison with S. scardica grown nearby the NPG. The type of solvent affected distribution and the amount of bioactive compounds and the advantage was given to less polar extracts which were richer in hypolaetin derivatives.

The generalized model of polypeptide chain describing the helix-coil transition in biopolymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mamasakhlisov, E.S.; Badasyan, A.V.; Tsarukyan, A.V.; Grigoryan, A.V.; Morozov, V.F.

2005-07-01

In this paper we summarize some results of our theoretical investigations of helix-coil transition both in single-strand (polypeptides) and two-strand (polynucleotides) macromolecules. The Hamiltonian of the Generalized Model of Polypeptide Chain (GMPC) is introduced to describe the system in which the conformations are correlated over some dimensional range Δ (it equals 3 for polypeptide, because one H-bond fixes three pairs of rotation, for double strand DNA it equals to one chain rigidity because of impossibility of loop formation on the scale less than Δ). The Hamiltonian does not contain any parameter designed especially for helix-coil transition and uses pure molecular microscopic parameters (the energy of hydrogen bond formation, reduced partition function of repeated unit, the number of repeated units fixed by one hydrogen bond, the energies of interaction between the repeated units and the solvent molecules). To calculate averages we evaluate the partition function using the transfer-matrix approach. The GMPC allowed to describe the influence of a number of factors, affecting the transition, basing on a unified microscopic approach. Thus we obtained, that solvents change transition temperature and interval in different ways, depending on type of solvent and on energy of solvent- macromolecule interaction; stacking on the background of H-bonding increases stability and decreases cooperativity of melting. For heterogeneous DNA we could analytically derive well known formulae for transition temperature and interval. In the framework of GMPC we calculate and show the difference of two order parameters of helix-coil transition - the helicity degree, and the average fraction of repeated units in helical conformation. Given article has the aim to review the results obtained during twenty years in the context of GMPC. (author)

PRESSURE - WATER and Other Data from ALPHA HELIX from 19981002 to 19990513 (NODC Accession 9900149)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Temperature and salinity profiles were collected from CTD casts from the Alpha Helix from 02 October 1998 to 13 May 1999. These 6 CTD data sets are from two...

Draft Genome Sequence of Staphylococcus carnosus subsp. utilis LTH 7013, Isolated from South Tyrolean Ham.

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Anne; Huptas, Christopher; Wenning, Mareike; Schmidt, Herbert; Weiss, Agnes

2015-05-14

Staphylococcus carnosus is used as a starter culture in meat fermentation, where it contributes to color formation and produces aromatic compounds. Here, we report the first draft genome sequence of an S. carnosus subsp. utilis strain, LTH 7013, isolated from South Tyrolean ham, with potential application as a starter culture. Copyright © 2015 Müller et al.

Tingkat Keterjadian Penyakit Layu Stewart pada Benih dan Respon beberapa Varietas Jagung terhadap Infeksi Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii

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Haliatur Rahma

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Disease incidence of Stewart’s wilt on the seed and response of several maize varieties to Pantoea stewartii subp. stewartii. Stewart’s wilt disease of maize is caused by Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii.  This bacterium is seed-borne pathogens, when attacked maize caused yield lost 40-100%.  The objective of this research was to detemine the incidence level of stewart’s wilt disease, growth of some varieties of maize and their response to stewart’s wilt pathogens Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii.  The research was conducted in the Laboratory of Bacteriology and Greenhouse Cikabayan IPB from November 2011 to March 2012. In experiment I, nineteen samples of maize were used for symptom test  in the maize seedling stage, using Randomized Block Design with three replications. Experiment II used a Randomized Block Design with 2 factors: maize varieties (8 hybrids varieties, 3 open pollinated varieties, and 7 sweet corn varieties and bacteria isolates  (BGR 2, BGR 4, BGR 28, BGR7 and PSM 27, with three replications. The results showed in experiment I, the incidence of stewart’s wilt disease ranged 2.00 – 15.33%, germination and vigor index of maize seed were 68.00 – 95.33% and 55.33 – 90.67% respectively.  While in experiment II, hybrid and open pollinated of maize varieties were resistant to moderately susceptible   while all sweet corn varieties were susceptible to infection of Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii.

Re-evaluation of the taxonomy of the Mitis group of the genus Streptococcus based on whole genome phylogenetic analyses, and proposed reclassification of Streptococcus dentisani as Streptococcus oralis subsp. dentisani comb. nov., Streptococcus tigurinus as Streptococcus oralis subsp. tigurinus comb. nov., and Streptococcus oligofermentans as a later synonym of Streptococcus cristatus.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Anders; Scholz, Christian F P; Kilian, Mogens

2016-11-01

The Mitis group of the genus Streptococcus currently comprises 20 species with validly published names, including the pathogen S. pneumoniae. They have been the subject of much taxonomic confusion, due to phenotypic overlap and genetic heterogeneity, which has hampered a full appreciation of their clinical significance. The purpose of this study was to critically re-examine the taxonomy of the Mitis group using 195 publicly available genomes, including designated type strains for phylogenetic analyses based on core genomes, multilocus sequences and 16S rRNA gene sequences, combined with estimates of average nucleotide identity (ANI) and in silico and in vitro analyses of specific phenotypic characteristics. Our core genomic phylogenetic analyses revealed distinct clades that, to some extent, and from the clustering of type strains represent known species. However, many of the genomes have been incorrectly identified adding to the current confusion. Furthermore, our data show that 16S rRNA gene sequences and ANI are unsuitable for identifying and circumscribing new species of the Mitis group of the genus Streptococci. Based on the clustering patterns resulting from core genome phylogenetic analysis, we conclude that S. oligofermentans is a later synonym of S. cristatus. The recently described strains of the species Streptococcus dentisani includes one previously referred to as 'S. mitis biovar 2'. Together with S. oralis, S. dentisani and S. tigurinus form subclusters within a coherent phylogenetic clade. We propose that the species S. oralis consists of three subspecies: S. oralis subsp. oralis subsp. nov., S. oralis subsp. tigurinus comb. nov., and S. oralis subsp. dentisani comb. nov.

Alternative generation of well-aligned uniform lying helix texture in a cholesteric liquid crystal cell

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Chia-Hua Yu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This work demonstrates a simple approach for obtaining a well-aligned uniform lying helix (ULH texture and a tri-bistable feature at ambient temperature in a typical 90°-twisted cell filled with a short-pitch cholesteric liquid crystal. This ULH texture is obtained at room temperature from initially field-induced helix-free homeotropic state by gradually decreasing the applied voltage. Depending on the way and rate of reducing the voltage, three stable states (i.e., Grandjean planar, focal conic, and ULH are generated and switching between any two of them is realized. Moreover, the electrical operation of the cell in the ULH state enables the tunability in phase retardation via the deformation of the ULH. The observations made in this work may be useful for applications such as tunable phase modulators and energy-efficient photonic devices.