308 research outputs found
SUN-domain proteins: 'Velcro' that links the nucleoskeleton to the cytoskeleton
The novel SUN-domain family of nuclear envelope proteins interacts with various KASH-domain partners to form SUN-domain-dependent 'bridges' across the inner and outer nuclear membranes. These bridges physically connect the nucleus to every major component of the cytoskeleton. SUN-domain proteins have diverse roles in nuclear positioning, centrosome localization, germ-cell development, telomere positioning and apoptosis. By serving both as mechanical adaptors and nuclear envelope receptors, we propose that SUN-domain proteins connect cytoplasmic and nucleoplasmic activities
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Drosophila nuclear lamin precursor Dm0 is translated from either of two developmentally regulated mRNA species apparently encoded by a single gene.
A cDNA clone encoding a portion of Drosophila nuclear lamins Dm1 and Dm2 has been identified by screening a lambda-gt11 cDNA expression library using Drosophila lamin-specific monoclonal antibodies. Two different developmentally regulated mRNA species were identified by Northern blot analysis using the initial cDNA as a probe, and full-length cDNA clones, apparently corresponding to each message, have been isolated. In vitro transcription of both full-length cDNA clones in a pT7 transcription vector followed by in vitro translation in wheat germ lysate suggests that both clones encode lamin Dm0, the polypeptide precursor of lamins Dm1 and Dm2. Nucleotide sequence analyses confirm the impression that both cDNA clones code for the identical polypeptide, which is highly homologous with human lamins A and C as well as with mammalian intermediate filament proteins. The two clones differ in their 3'-untranslated regions. In situ hybridization of lamin cDNA clones to Drosophila polytene chromosomes shows only a single locus of hybridization at or near position 25F on the left arm of chromosome 2. Southern blot analyses of genomic DNA are consistent with the notion that a single or only a few highly similar genes encoding Drosophila nuclear lamin Dm0 exist in the genome
The temperature dependence of FeRh's transport properties
The finite-temperature transport properties of FeRh compounds are
investigated by first-principles Density Functional Theory-based calculations.
The focus is on the behavior of the longitudinal resistivity with rising
temperature, which exhibits an abrupt decrease at the metamagnetic transition
point, between ferro- and antiferromagnetic phases. A detailed
electronic structure investigation for K explains this feature and
demonstrates the important role of (i) the difference of the electronic
structure at the Fermi level between the two magnetically ordered states and
(ii) the different degree of thermally induced magnetic disorder in the
vicinity of , giving different contributions to the resistivity. To
support these conclusions, we also describe the temperature dependence of the
spin-orbit induced anomalous Hall resistivity and Gilbert damping parameter.
For the various response quantities considered the impact of thermal lattice
vibrations and spin fluctuations on their temperature dependence is
investigated in detail. Comparison with corresponding experimental data finds
in general a very good agreement
Generalized Bell Inequality Experiments and Computation
We consider general settings of Bell inequality experiments with many
parties, where each party chooses from a finite number of measurement settings
each with a finite number of outcomes. We investigate the constraints that Bell
inequalities place upon the correlations possible in a local hidden variable
theories using a geometrical picture of correlations. We show that local hidden
variable theories can be characterized in terms of limited computational
expressiveness, which allows us to characterize families of Bell inequalities.
The limited computational expressiveness for many settings (each with many
outcomes) generalizes previous results about the many-party situation each with
a choice of two possible measurements (each with two outcomes). Using this
computational picture we present generalizations of the Popescu-Rohrlich
non-local box for many parties and non-binary inputs and outputs at each site.
Finally, we comment on the effect of pre-processing on measurement data in our
generalized setting and show that it becomes problematic outside of the binary
setting, in that it allows local hidden variable theories to simulate maximally
non-local correlations such as those of these generalised Popescu-Rohrlich
non-local boxes.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figures, supplemental material available upon request.
Typos corrected and references adde
Blood-Brain Barrier Breakdown in a Single Post-stroke Rodent Brain
Stroke is a major cause of global morbidity and mortality. Middle cerebral artery
occlusion (MCAO) has historically been the most common animal model of simulating
ischemic stroke. The extent of neurological injury after MCAO is typically measured by
cerebral edema, infarct zone, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. A significant
limitation of these methods is that separate sets of brains must be used for each
measurement. Here we examine an alternative method of measuring cerebral edema,
infarct zone and BBB permeability following MCAO in the same set of brain samples.
Ninety-six rats were randomly divided into three experimental groups. Group 1 (n = 27)
was used for the evaluation of infarct zone and brain edema in rats post-MCAO (n = 17)
vs. sham-operated controls (n = 10). Group 2 (n = 27) was used for the evaluation of
BBB breakdown in rats post-MCAO (n = 15) vs. sham-operated controls (n = 10). In
Group 3 (n = 42), all three parameters were measured in the same set of brain slices in
rats post-MCAO (n = 26) vs. sham-operated controls (n = 16). The effect of Evans blue
on the accuracy of measuring infarct zone by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC)
staining was determined by measuring infarct zone with and without an applied blue
filter. The effects of various concentrations of TTC (0, 0.05, 0.35, 0.5, 1, and 2%) on the
accuracy of measuring BBB permeability was also assessed. There was an increase in
infarct volume (p < 0.01), brain edema (p < 0.01) and BBB breakdown (p < 0.01) in rats
following MCAO compared to sham-operated controls, whether measured separately
or together in the same set of brain samples. Evans blue had an effect on measuring
infarct volume that was minimized by the application of a blue filter on scanned brain slices. There was no difference in the Evans blue extravasation index for the brain
tissue samples without TTC compared to brain tissue samples incubated in TTC. Our
results demonstrate that measuring cerebral edema, infarct zone and BBB permeability
following MCAO can accurately be measured in the same set of brain samples
A note on light velocity anisotropy
It is proved that in experiments on or near the Earth, no anisotropy in the
one-way velocity of light may be detected. The very accurate experiments which
have been performed to detect such an effect are to be considered significant
tests of both special relativity and the equivalence principleComment: 8 pages, LaTex, Gen. Relat. Grav. accepte
The temperature dependence of FeRh’s transport properties
The finite-temperature transport properties of FeRh compounds are investigated by first-principles
Density Functional Theory-based calculations. The focus is on the behavior of the longitudinal resistivity
with rising temperature, which exhibits an abrupt decrease at the metamagnetic transition
point, T = Tm between ferro- and antiferromagnetic phases. A detailed electronic structure investigation
for T ≥ 0 K explains this feature and demonstrates the important role of (i) the difference
of the electronic structure at the Fermi level between the two magnetically ordered states and (ii)
the different degree of thermally induced magnetic disorder in the vicinity of Tm, giving different
contributions to the resistivity. To support these conclusions, we also describe the temperature
dependence of the spin-orbit induced anomalous Hall resistivity and Gilbert damping parameter.
For the various response quantities considered the impact of thermal lattice vibrations and spin fluctuations
on their temperature dependence is investigated in detail. Comparison with corresponding
experimental data finds in general a very good agreement
LEM-3 – A LEM Domain Containing Nuclease Involved in the DNA Damage Response in C. elegans
The small nematode Caenorhabditis elegans displays a spectrum of DNA damage responses similar to humans. In order to identify new DNA damage response genes, we isolated in a forward genetic screen 14 new mutations conferring hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation. We present here our characterization of lem-3, one of the genes identified in this screen. LEM-3 contains a LEM domain and a GIY nuclease domain. We confirm that LEM-3 has DNase activity in vitro. lem-3(lf) mutants are hypersensitive to various types of DNA damage, including ionizing radiation, UV-C light and crosslinking agents. Embryos from irradiated lem-3 hermaphrodites displayed severe defects during cell division, including chromosome mis-segregation and anaphase bridges. The mitotic defects observed in irradiated lem-3 mutant embryos are similar to those found in baf-1 (barrier-to-autointegration factor) mutants. The baf-1 gene codes for an essential and highly conserved protein known to interact with the other two C. elegans LEM domain proteins, LEM-2 and EMR-1. We show that baf-1, lem-2, and emr-1 mutants are also hypersensitive to DNA damage and that loss of lem-3 sensitizes baf-1 mutants even in the absence of DNA damage. Our data suggest that BAF-1, together with the LEM domain proteins, plays an important role following DNA damage – possibly by promoting the reorganization of damaged chromatin
Dynamic Chromatin Organization during Foregut Development Mediated by the Organ Selector Gene PHA-4/FoxA
Central regulators of cell fate, or selector genes, establish the identity of cells by direct regulation of large cohorts of genes. In Caenorhabditis elegans, foregut (or pharynx) identity relies on the FoxA transcription factor PHA-4, which activates different sets of target genes at various times and in diverse cellular environments. An outstanding question is how PHA-4 distinguishes between target genes for appropriate transcriptional control. We have used the Nuclear Spot Assay and GFP reporters to examine PHA-4 interactions with target promoters in living embryos and with single cell resolution. While PHA-4 was found throughout the digestive tract, binding and activation of pharyngeally expressed promoters was restricted to a subset of pharyngeal cells and excluded from the intestine. An RNAi screen of candidate nuclear factors identified emerin (emr-1) as a negative regulator of PHA-4 binding within the pharynx, but emr-1 did not modulate PHA-4 binding in the intestine. Upon promoter association, PHA-4 induced large-scale chromatin de-compaction, which, we hypothesize, may facilitate promoter access and productive transcription. Our results reveal two tiers of PHA-4 regulation. PHA-4 binding is prohibited in intestinal cells, preventing target gene expression in that organ. PHA-4 binding within the pharynx is limited by the nuclear lamina component EMR-1/emerin. The data suggest that association of PHA-4 with its targets is a regulated step that contributes to promoter selectivity during organ formation. We speculate that global re-organization of chromatin architecture upon PHA-4 binding promotes competence of pharyngeal gene transcription and, by extension, foregut development
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