13,471 research outputs found
FISH mapping and molecular organization of the major repetitive sequences of tomato
This paper presents a bird's-eye view of the major repeats and chromatin types of tomato. Using fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) with Cot-1, Cot-10 and Cot-100 DNA as probes we mapped repetitive sequences of different complexity on pachytene complements. Cot-100 was found to cover all heterochromatin regions, and could be used to identify repeat-rich clones in BAC filter hybridization. Next we established the chromosomal locations of the tandem and dispersed repeats with respect to euchromatin, nucleolar organizer regions (NORs), heterochromatin, and centromeres. The tomato genomic repeats TGRII and TGRIII appeared to be major components of the pericentromeres, whereas the newly discovered TGRIV repeat was found mainly in the structural centromeres. The highly methylated NOR of chromosome 2 is rich in [GACA](4), a microsatellite that also forms part of the pericentromeres, together with [GA](8), [GATA](4) and Ty1-copia. Based on the morphology of pachytene chromosomes and the distribution of repeats studied so far, we now propose six different chromatin classes for tomato: (1) euchromatin, (2) chromomeres, (3) distal heterochromatin and interstitial heterochromatic knobs, (4) pericentromere heterochromatin, (5) functional centromere heterochromatin and (6) nucleolar organizer regio
Tomographic reconstruction of treponemal cytoplasmic filaments reveals novel bridging and anchoring components
An understanding of the involvement of bacterial cytoplasmic filaments in cell division requires the elucidation of the structural organization of those filamentous structures. Treponemal cytoplasmic filaments are composed of one protein, CfpA, and have been demonstrated to be involved in cell division. In this study, we used electron tomography to show that the filaments are part of a complex with a novel molecular organization that includes at least two distinct features decorating the filaments. One set of components appears to anchor the filaments to the cytoplasmic membrane. The other set of components appears to bridge the cytoplasmic filaments on the cytoplasmic side, and to be involved in the interfilament spacing within the cell. The filaments occupy between 3 and 18% of the inner surface of the cytoplasmic membrane. These results reveal a novel filamentous molecular organization of independent filaments linked by bridges and continuously anchored to the membrane
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Molecular Organization of Vomeronasal Chemoreception
The vomeronasal organ (VNO) has a key role in mediating the social and defensive responses of many terrestrial vertebrates to species- and sex-specific chemosignals. More than 250 putative pheromone receptors have been identified in the mouse VNO, but the nature of the signals detected by individual VNO receptors has not yet been elucidated. To gain insight into the molecular logic of VNO detection leading to mating, aggression or defensive responses, we sought to uncover the response profiles of individual vomeronasal receptors to a wide range of animal cues. Here we describe the repertoire of behaviourally and physiologically relevant stimuli detected by a large number of individual vomeronasal receptors in mice, and define a global map of vomeronasal signal detection. We demonstrate that the two classes (V1R and V2R) of vomeronasal receptors use fundamentally different strategies to encode chemosensory information, and that distinct receptor subfamilies have evolved towards the specific recognition of certain animal groups or chemical structures. The association of large subsets of vomeronasal receptors with cognate, ethologically and physiologically relevant stimuli establishes the molecular foundation of vomeronasal information coding, and opens new avenues for further investigating the neural mechanisms underlying behaviour specificity.Molecular and Cellular Biolog
Investigations in space-related molecular biology, including considerations of the molecular organization of extraterrestrial matter Technical progress report
Space related molecular biology and molecular organization of extraterrestrial matter - design and construction of high vacuum container for transfer of extraterrestrial collecting surface
Influence of Molecular Organization on the Electrical Characteristics of {\pi}-conjugated Self-assembled Monolayers
Two new thiol compounds with {\sigma}-{\pi}-{\sigma} structure were
synthesized and self-assembled on gold substrates. The morphology and the
structural characterization of SAMs assessed by infrared spectroscopy, contact
angle, XPS, electrochemistry and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) show the
formation of monolayers. SAMs with a terthiophene (3TSH) core as conjugated
system are much better organized compared to those with a naphthalene
carbodiimide (NaphSH) core as demonstrated by the cyclic voltammetry and STM
studies. The surface concentration of 3TSH and NaphSH is respectively three and
six times lower than ordered SAMs of pure alkyl chains. A large number of I/V
characteristics have been studied either by STS measurements on gold substrates
or by C-AFM on gold nanodots. Transition Voltage Spectroscopy (TVS) was used to
clearly identify the transport in these partially organized monolayers. The
chemical nature of the conjugated system, donor for 3TSH and acceptor for
NaphSH, involves an opposite rectification associated to the asymmetrical
coupling of the molecular orbitals and the electrodes. The conductance
histograms show that the 3TSH junctions are less dispersed than those of NaphSH
junctions. This is explained by a better control of the molecular organization
in the molecular junctions.Comment: Full paper with supporting informatio
Liquid Crystal-Solid Interface Structure at the Antiferroelectric-Ferroelectric Phase Transition
Total Internal Reflection (TIR) is used to probe the molecular organization
at the surface of a tilted chiral smectic liquid crystal at temperatures in the
vicinity of the bulk antiferroelectric-ferroelectric phase transition. Data are
interpreted using an exact analytical solution of a real model for
ferroelectric order at the surface. In the mixture T3, ferroelectric surface
order is expelled with the bulk ferroelectric-antiferroelectric transition. The
conditions for ferroelectric order at the surface of an antiferroelectric bulk
are presented
Molecular organization of selected prokaryotic S-Iayer proteins
Regular crystalline surface layers (S-layers) are widespread among prokaryotes and probably represent the earliest cell wall structures. S-layer genes have been found in approximately 400 different species of the prokaryotic domains bacteria and archaea. S-layers usually consist of a single (glyco-rprotein species with molecular masses ranging from about 40 to 200 kDa that form lattices of oblique, tetragonal, or hexagonal architecture. The primary sequences of hyperthermophilic archaeal species exhibit some characteristic signatures, Further adaptations to their specific environments occur by various post-translational modifications, such as linkage of glycans, lipids, phosphate, and sulfate groups to the protein or by proteolytic processing. Specific domains direct the anchoring of the S-layer to the underlying cell wall components and transport across the cytoplasma memhrane. In addition to their presumptive original role as protective coats in archaea and bacteria, they have adapted new functions, e.g., as molecular sieves, attachment sites for extracellular enzymes, and virulence factors.Peer reviewe
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