Homoeologous chromosomal location of the genes encoding thionins in wheat and rye

Thionins are high sulphur basic polypeptides present in the endosperm of Gramineae. In wheat there are three thionins encoded by genes located in the long arms of chromosomes 1A, 1B and 1D. Rye has one thionin encoded by a gene which has been assigned to chromosome 1R after analysis of the Imperial-Chinese Spring rye-wheat disomic addition lines. Commercial varieties and experimental stocks with a 1B/1R substitution carry the thionin from rye ( R) instead of the B thionin from wheat. The R thionin gene is not located in the large chromosomal segment representing most of the short arm of chromosome 1R

APOE ɛ4 exacerbates age-dependent deficits in cortical microstructure

The apolipoprotein E ɛ4 allele is the primary genetic risk factor for the sporadic type of Alzheimer’s disease. However, the mechanisms by which apolipoprotein E ɛ4 are associated with neurodegeneration are still poorly understood. We applied the Neurite Orientation Dispersion Model to characterize the effects of apolipoprotein ɛ4 and its interactions with age and education on cortical microstructure in cognitively normal individuals. Data from 1954 participants were included from the PREVENT-Dementia and ALFA (ALzheimer and FAmilies) studies (mean age = 57, 1197 non-carriers and 757 apolipoprotein E ɛ4 carriers). Structural MRI datasets were processed with FreeSurfer v7.2. The Microstructure Diffusion Toolbox was used to derive Orientation Dispersion Index maps from diffusion MRI datasets. Primary analyses were focused on (i) the main effects of apolipoprotein E ɛ4, and (ii) the interactions of apolipoprotein E ɛ4 with age and education on lobar and vertex-wise Orientation Dispersion Index and implemented using Permutation Analysis of Linear Models. There were apolipoprotein E ɛ4 × age interactions in the temporo-parietal and frontal lobes, indicating steeper age-dependent Orientation Dispersion Index changes in apolipoprotein E ɛ4 carriers. Steeper age-related Orientation Dispersion Index declines were observed among apolipoprotein E ɛ4 carriers with lower years of education. We demonstrated that apolipoprotein E ɛ4 worsened age-related Orientation Dispersion Index decreases in brain regions typically associated with atrophy patterns of Alzheimer’s disease. This finding also suggests that apolipoprotein E ɛ4 may hasten the onset age of dementia by accelerating age-dependent reductions in cortical Orientation Dispersion Index

Discovery of widespread transcription initiation at microsatellites predictable by sequence-based deep neural network

Using the Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE) technology, the FANTOM5 consortium provided one of the most comprehensive maps of transcription start sites (TSSs) in several species. Strikingly, ~72% of them could not be assigned to a specific gene and initiate at unconventional regions, outside promoters or enhancers. Here, we probe these unassigned TSSs and show that, in all species studied, a significant fraction of CAGE peaks initiate at microsatellites, also called short tandem repeats (STRs). To confirm this transcription, we develop Cap Trap RNA-seq, a technology which combines cap trapping and long read MinION sequencing. We train sequence-based deep learning models able to predict CAGE signal at STRs with high accuracy. These models unveil the importance of STR surrounding sequences not only to distinguish STR classes, but also to predict the level of transcription initiation. Importantly, genetic variants linked to human diseases are preferentially found at STRs with high transcription initiation level, supporting the biological and clinical relevance of transcription initiation at STRs. Together, our results extend the repertoire of non-coding transcription associated with DNA tandem repeats and complexify STR polymorphism

The Consumer Rights Directive

This contribution discusses the impact of the CRD on Dutch private law. How will the new directive influence consumer rights and how does this fit with existing law? Considering the background of the directive and its importance for European consumer law, however, we discuss these questions in the light of a broader perspective. We find it helpful to not only discuss the content of the new provisions introduced by the directive, but also to sketch the legislative (and political) background against which they came into being. Part 2 gives a brief overview of the directive’s background and the major points on which criticism was raised and concessions were made in the legislative process. Parts 3-7 discuss the directive’s content, starting with the scope of the directive before moving to the ‘consumer’ definition, information duties, the right of withdrawal, and a few other provisions that are new in comparison to previous legislation. We will indicate at which points discussions arose between the various legislative actors at EU and national level, and how these debates have played out in the final text of the directive. Since the directive has not yet been implemented and the new rules, therefore, have not been tested in practice, we will not be able to fully assess the impact that the directive will have on Dutch private law, in particular on case law. Where relevant, we will, however, point out significant changes that the directive makes to the existing rules. Also, comparisons will be made with the rules of the directives that will be replaced by the CRD, taking into account relevant case law that has appeared since the first edition of the volume in which this contribution appears

Towards a European Civil Code

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