Evidence for interstitial carbon in nitrogenase FeMo cofactor

The identity of the interstitial light atom in the center of the FeMo cofactor of nitrogenase has been enigmatic since its discovery. Atomic-resolution x-ray diffraction data and an electron spin echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) analysis now provide direct evidence that the ligand is a carbon species.     

X-ray emission spectroscopy evidences a central carbon in the nitrogenase iron-molybdenum cofactor

Nitrogenase is a complex enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of dinitrogen to ammonia. Despite insight from structural and biochemical studies, its structure and mechanism await full characterization. An iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMoco) is thought to be the site of dinitrogen reduction, but the identity of a central atom in this cofactor remains unknown. Fe Kβ x-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) of intact nitrogenase MoFe protein, isolated FeMoco, and the FeMoco-deficient nifB protein indicates that among the candidate atoms oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon, it is carbon that best fits the XES data. The experimental XES is supported by computational efforts, which show that oxidation and spin states do not affect the assignment of the central atom to C(4-). Identification of the central atom will drive further studies on its role in catalysis.     

Structure of a cofactor-deficient nitrogenase MoFe protein

One of the most complex biosynthetic processes in metallobiochemistry is the assembly of nitrogenase, the key enzyme in biological nitrogen fixation. We describe here the crystal structure of an iron-molybdenum cofactor-deficient form of the nitrogenase MoFe protein, into which the cofactor is inserted in the final step of MoFe protein assembly. The MoFe protein folds as a heterotetramer containing two copies each of the homologous alpha and beta subunits. In this structure, one of the three alpha subunit domains exhibits a substantially changed conformation, whereas the rest of the protein remains essentially unchanged. A predominantly positively charged funnel is revealed; this funnel is of sufficient size to accommodate insertion of the negatively charged cofactor.     

Beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine neurotoxicity: requirement for bicarbonate as a cofactor

Ingestion of the excitotoxic cycad seed amino acid beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine may be responsible for the neuronal degeneration associated with Guam amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-parkinsonism-dementia in man. However, the basis for the central neurotoxicity of beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine has been unclear, as it lacks the omega acidic (or equivalent electronegative) moiety characteristic of other excitatory amino acids. beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine produced neurotoxic and neuroexcitatory effects in murine cortical cell cultures only when physiological concentrations of bicarbonate were available in the extracellular bathing medium. Bicarbonate may interact noncovalently with beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine to produce, in combination, a molecular configuration that activates glutamate receptors.     

Trypanothione: a novel bis(glutathionyl)spermidine cofactor for glutathione reductase in trypanosomatids

Glutathione reductase from trypanosomes and leishmanias, unlike glutathione reductase from other organisms, requires an unusual low molecular weight cofactor for activity. The cofactor was purified from the insect trypanosomatid Crithidia fasciculata and identified as a novel glutathione-spermidine conjugate, N1,N8-bis(L-gamma-glutamyl-L-hemicystinyl-glycyl)spermidine, for which the trivial name trypanothione is proposed. This discovery may open a new chemotherapeutic approach to trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis.     

Identification of a cellular cofactor required for infection by feline leukemia virus

Retroviral infection involves continued genetic variation, leading to phenotypic and immunological selection for more fit virus variants in the host. For retroviruses that cause immunodeficiency, pathogenesis is linked to the emergence of T cell-tropic, cytopathic viruses. Here we show that an immunodeficiency-inducing, T cell-tropic feline leukemia virus (FeLV) has evolved such that it cannot infect cells unless both a classic multiple membrane-spanning receptor molecule (Pit1) and a second coreceptor or entry factor are present. This second receptor component, which we call FeLIX, was identified as an endogenously expressed protein that is similar to a portion of the FeLV envelope protein. This cellular protein can function either as a transmembrane protein or as a soluble component to facilitate infection.     

Polymer Structure: Cross-Linking of a Polybenzimidazole

The torsional braid technique was used to monitor the changes in rigidity and damping characteristics of a polybenzimidazole as it changes from a thermoplastic polymer to a thermoset resin at about 450 degrees C. In an intermediate process the thermoplastic backbone of the polymer becomes flexible.     

A new cofactor in a prokaryotic enzyme: tryptophan tryptophylquinone as the redox prosthetic group in methylamine dehydrogenase

Methylamine dehydrogenase (MADH), an alpha 2 beta 2 enzyme from numerous methylotrophic soil bacteria, contains a novel quinonoid redox prosthetic group that is covalently bound to its small beta subunit through two amino acyl residues. A comparison of the amino acid sequence deduced from the gene sequence of the small subunit for the enzyme from Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 with the published amino acid sequence obtained by the Edman degradation method, allowed the identification of the amino acyl constituents of the cofactor as two tryptophyl residues. This information was crucial for interpreting 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectral data collected for the semicarbazide- and carboxymethyl-derivatized bis(tripeptidyl)-cofactor of MADH from bacterium W3A1. The cofactor is composed of two cross-linked tryptophyl residues. Although there are many possible isomers, only one is consistent with all the data: The first tryptophyl residue in the peptide sequence exists as an indole-6,7-dione, and is attached at its 4 position to the 2 position of the second, otherwise unmodified, indole side group. Contrary to earlier reports, the cofactor of MADH is not 2,7,9-tricarboxypyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), a derivative thereof, or pro-PQQ. This appears to be the only example of two cross-linked, modified amino acyl residues having a functional role in the active site of an enzyme, in the absence of other cofactors or metal ions.     

Structure of a Bag/Hsc70 complex: convergent functional evolution of Hsp70 nucleotide exchange factors

Bag (Bcl2-associated athanogene) domains occur in a class of cofactors of the eukaryotic chaperone 70-kilodalton heat shock protein (Hsp70) family. Binding of the Bag domain to the Hsp70 adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) domain promotes adenosine 5'-triphosphate-dependent release of substrate from Hsp70 in vitro. In a 1.9 angstrom crystal structure of a complex with the ATPase of the 70-kilodalton heat shock cognate protein (Hsc70), the Bag domain forms a three-helix bundle, inducing a conformational switch in the ATPase that is incompatible with nucleotide binding. The same switch is observed in the bacterial Hsp70 homolog DnaK upon binding of the structurally unrelated nucleotide exchange factor GrpE. Thus, functional convergence has allowed proteins with different architectures to trigger a conserved conformational shift in Hsp70 that leads to nucleotide exchange.     

Plankton: Optimum Diversity Structure of a Summer Community

The summer plankton community of the York River, Virginia, expends energy to establish and maintain a definite vertical diversity structure in a comparatively unstructured environment. The resultant organization, which involves relationships between diversity, power and efficiency, and stability, is nearly optimal for maximizing profit on the original energy investment.     

禄丰村林场云南松人工幼林的林分结构分析

在禄丰村林场尖山林区,调查1 m ×2 m ×5 m非均匀密度造林的10年生云南松人工林,分析其径阶、树高、断面积结构和重要值等特征变化。结果表明：林分的平均胸径为8.3 cm,分布于1.7~14.7 cm,其中5.0~11.0 cm胸径的株数频率达83.8%;按2 cm径阶划分,8、10 cm径阶的林木占总株数的2/3,株数与径阶间呈正态分布。林分平均树高4.5 m,各径阶的平均树高为2.6~5.3 m,树高与胸径呈现线性相关,y=1.891lnx + 0.593 3。各径阶总胸高断面积和重要值分别为4.3~2 057.3 cm²和0.2%~23.0%,与径阶间亦呈现正态分布。根据胸径和树高的分化程度,建议该林分开展首次抚育疏伐。     

A new redox cofactor in eukaryotic enzymes: 6-hydroxydopa at the active site of bovine serum amine oxidase

An active site, cofactor-containing peptide has been obtained in high yield from bovine serum amine oxidase. Sequencing of this pentapeptide indicates: Leu-Asn-X-Asp-Tyr. Analysis of the peptide by mass spectrometry, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance leads to the identification of X as 6-hydroxydopa. This result indicates that, contrary to previous proposals, pyrroloquinoline quinone is not the active site cofactor in mammalian copper amine oxidases. Although 6-hydroxydopa has been implicated in neurotoxicity, the data presented suggest that this compound has a functional role at an enzyme active site.     

加筋壳体结构分析

作者用半解析有限条法分析了加筋圆柱壳。将壳体沿轴向划分为大单元、环向的力学量和几何量均展为正交系的级数形式,轴向采用多项式位移函数,与一般有限元法比较,该方法能以少得多的单元获得较精确的结果。     

白菜型油菜雄性不育材料的花药结构及遗传研究

白菜型油菜新型不育源的发现及研究是其杂种优势利用的重要基础工作。以笔者发现的白菜型油菜雄性不育材料0A193衍生系为材料,对其花药败育特征及遗传进行研究。结果表明,该不育材料育性受环境温度影响,早期低温条件下表现不育,后期温度升高其育性可得到恢复。育性转换前大部分花药发育止步于孢原细胞分化期,个别角隅能分化形成花粉囊,最终能产生花粉,大量药室不能正常开裂、花粉粘连无法散开,个别花药出现多花药合生、相邻花粉囊退化等现象;育性转换后,花药可以产生大量花粉。18个白菜型油菜和9个甘蓝型油菜的测交结果表明,该不育材料与Pol CMS有不同的恢保关系。遗传研究表明,该不育材料育性受细胞质和1对核基因控制。该白菜型不育材料的遗传分类,及在杂优育种中的利用价值有待深入研究。     

Structure of human serum lipoproteins: nuclear magnetic resonance supports a micellar model

High-resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of low- and high-density lipoproteins from human serum closely resemble those of dispersions of lipoprotein lipids in water. Linewidths of hydrocarbon proton absorptions are not increased in the lipoproteins. In contrast, apolar binding of lysolecithin on serum albumin causes extensive line-broadening and an upfield chemical shift of the hydrocarbon proton resonances of lysolecithin. The results are consistent with a predominantly micellar structure for the lipoproteins rather than with extensive hydrophobic association of lipid and protein.     

地震波作用下高层框剪结构的非线性动力响应

In this paper, a method is presented for analysing the nonlinear dynamic response of R/C frame-wall structure under a strong earthguake ground motion. Based on the assumption that the bending stiffness of injured member is in a parabolic distribution, a n     

Structure of a Langmuir film on a liquid metal surface

The structure of organic monolayers on liquid surfaces depends sensitively on the details of the molecular interactions. The structure of a stearic acid film on a mercury surface was measured as a function of coverage with angstrom resolution. Unlike monolayers on water, the molecules were found here to undergo a transition from surface-parallel to surface-normal orientation with increasing coverage. At high coverage, two condensed hexatic phases of standing-up molecules were found. At low coverage, a two-dimensional (2D) gas phase and condensed single- and double-layered phases of flat-lying molecular dimers were revealed, exhibiting a 1D longitudinal positional order. This system should provide a broader tunability range for nanostructure construction than solid-supported self-assembled monolayers.     

Pt／PZT／Pt结构铁电场效应晶体管性能研究

目的 研究金属/铁电/金属/多晶硅/绝缘层/Si衬底(MFMIS)结构的p沟道铁电场效应晶体管的性能.方法 制备金属/铁电/金属/多晶硅/绝缘层/Si衬底(MFMIS)结构的p沟道铁电场效应晶体管并对其性能进行测量分析.结果 具有顺时针的Id-Vg滞回曲线的p沟道PZT铁电场效应晶体管能实现极化存储性能,并且在-5V到+5V的Vg电压下从Id-Vg滞回曲线中都得到了1V的存储窗口.存储窗口随-Vg的增大而增大.结论 MFMIS结构的p沟道PZT铁电场效应晶体管适合在大规模、高密度、高速度铁电存储器上使用.     

思茅松天然林林分空间结构分析

以普洱市墨江县思茅松天然林为研究对象,在样地数据调查基础上,利用角尺度、混交度和大小比数,建立3个空间结构参数的多元分布,全面分析其空间结构特征。结果表明：思茅松天然林中各树种类型以思茅松为优势树种,伴生一定数量的硬阔类和软阔类树种,且具有丰富的下层木;思茅松天然林林分整体呈均匀分布并趋于随机分布,混交良好介于强度混交和极强度混交之间,为典型的混交林,林分整体趋于中庸,处于亚优势与中庸状态之间;从结构参数多元分布来看,无论3个空间结构参数间如何组合,思茅松天然林内各树种类型林木在不同结构组合下多呈随机分布或混交良好。