Characterization of the RNA-binding properties of the triple-gene-block protein 2 of Bamboo mosaic virus

The triple-gene-block protein 2 (TGBp2) of Bamboo mosaic virus (BaMV) is a transmembrane protein which was proposed to be involved in viral RNA binding during virus transport. Here, we report on the RNA-binding properties of TGBp2. Using tyrosine fluorescence spectroscopy and UV-crosslinking assays, the TGBp2 solubilized with Triton X-100 was found to interact with viral RNA in a non-specific manner. These results raise the possibility that TGBp2 facilitates intracellular delivery of viral RNA through non-specific protein-RNA interaction

Natural, Dense, and Stable Frustrated Lewis Pairs on Wurtzite Crystal Surfaces

The surface frustrated Lewis pairs (SFLPs) open up new opportunities for substituting noble metals in heterogeneous catalysis. However, its applications are severely impeded by complex construction, low surface density, and instability. Herein, we report that SFLPs exist naturally on wurtzite crystal (e.g., GaN, ZnO, and AlP) surfaces. Taking GaN as an example, the surface density of SFLPs on GaN surface is up to 7.26 * 10^14 cm^-2, which nearly quintuples the highest theoretical value on regulated metal oxide surfaces. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the natural SFLPs are very stable under high temperatures and reactive atmospheres of CO and H2O. Moreover, outstanding performance for activating important molecules is demonstrated over these natural SFLPs, which originated from the unique orbital orientation of SFLPs. These findings provide a simple method to obtain dense and stable SFLPs and unfold the nature of SFLPs toward the facile activation of small molecules

The Stable Association of Virion with the Triple-geneblockProtein 3-based Complex of Bamboo mosaic virus

The triple-gene-block protein 3 (TGBp3) of Bamboo mosaic virus (BaMV) is an integral endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membraneprotein which is assumed to form a membrane complex to deliver the virus intracellularly. However, the virus entity that isdelivered to plasmodesmata (PD) and its association with TGBp3-based complexes are not known. Results from chemicalextraction and partial proteolysis of TGBp3 in membrane vesicles revealed that TGBp3 has a right-side-out membranetopology; i.e., TGBp3 has its C-terminal tail exposed to the outer surface of ER. Analyses of the TGBp3-specificimmunoprecipitate of Sarkosyl-extracted TGBp3-based complex revealed that TGBp1, TGBp2, TGBp3, capsid protein (CP),replicase and viral RNA are potential constituents of virus movement complex. Substantial co-fractionation of TGBp2, TGBp3and CP, but not TGBp1, in the early eluted gel filtration fractions in which virions were detected after TGBp3-specificimmunoprecipitation suggested that the TGBp2- and TGBp3-based complex is able to stably associate with the virion. Thisnotion was confirmed by immunogold-labeling transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the purified virions. In addition,mutational and confocal microscopy analyses revealed that TGBp3 plays a key role in virus cell-to-cell movement byenhancing the TGBp2- and TGBp3-dependent PD localization of TGBp1. Taken together, our results suggested that the cellto-cell movement of potexvirus requires stable association of the virion cargo with the TGBp2- and TGBp3-based membranecomplex and recruitment of TGBp1 to the PD by this complex

Risk of cardiovascular disease in Chinese patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross sectional study based on hospital medical records in 10 years

Objective: Though the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been established in Western population, little is known about the risk in Chinese people with RA. Our objective was to estimate the risk of CVD in Chinese people with RA using hospital medical records data. Methods The inpatients medical record database 2005‐2015 of Sichuan provincial people’s hospital was examined. All individuals with a primary diagnosis of RA were included as cases, and those of osteoarthritis (OA) were included as controls, which consisted of the unmatched dataset. Then, RA cases and OA controls were matched by sex and age at 1:1 ratio, forming the matched dataset. The morbidity of CVD (including ischemia heart disease (IHD), congestive heart failure (CHF), et al), stroke and arthrosclerosis were extracted from the database, so as the demographic data and comorbidities related to CVD. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the risk of CVD in RA adjusted for demographics and comorbidities using the unmatched dataset. Sensitivity analysis was conducted 1) considering interaction terms between RA and comorbidities, and 2) using multivariable conditional logistic regression for the matched dataset. Results: The unmatched data set comprised of 1824RA cases and 1995 OA controls and the matched dataset comprised of 1022 pairs of sex and age matched RA and OA patients. RA exhibited increased odds of prevalent CVD compared with OA, and the adjusted ORs (95%CIs) for CVD, stroke, IHD, CHF, and atherosclerosis were1.86(1.42‐2.43), 1.11(0.71‐1.74), 1.47(0.97‐2.24), 2.09(1.03‐4.22), and 2.49 (1.97‐3.13), respectively, and was 2.26 (1.29‐3.96) for IHD further adjusted for interaction term. The matched dataset analysis found similar results. Conclusions: Chinese people with RA were approximated 2 times more 1 likely to have CVD, IHD, CHF and atherosclerosis compared with those with OA. The findings justified the need of further longitudinal study to establish the causal‐relationship between RA and CVD and to estimate the precise risk in this population

Nitrogen-doped graphene guided formation of monodisperse microspheres of LiFePO4 nanoplates as the positive electrode material of lithium-ion batteries

Three-dimensional porous composite microspheres of LiFePO4 and nitrogen doped graphene have been synthesized by a solvothermal process coupled with subsequent calcination. The morphologies and microstructures of the composites are investigated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electrochemical properties are evaluated by constant current charge/discharge tests, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The unique porous structure of the microspheres is constructed by the assembly of nitrogen-doped graphene and LiFePO4 nanoplates, and can remarkably enlarge the electrode/electrolyte interface area, facilitate the electron transfer process, shorten the ionic diffusion path and accelerate the ionic transport throughout the electrode. In electrochemical measurements of specific charge capacity, rate capability and cycling stability, the obtained porous composite microsphere materials offer remarkably promising results for application in high-performance lithium-ion power batteries

Risk of cardiovascular disease in Chinese patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross sectional study based on hospital medical records in 10 years

Objective: Though the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been established in Western population, little is known about the risk in Chinese people with RA. Our objective was to estimate the risk of CVD in Chinese people with RA using hospital medical records data.MethodsThe inpatients medical record database 2005‐2015 of Sichuan provincial people’s hospital was examined. All individuals with a primary diagnosis of RA were included as cases, and those of osteoarthritis (OA) were included as controls, which consisted of the unmatched dataset. Then, RA cases and OA controls were matched by sex and age at 1:1 ratio, forming the matched dataset. The morbidity of CVD (including ischemia heart disease (IHD), congestive heart failure (CHF), et al), stroke and arthrosclerosis were extracted from the database, so as the demographic data and comorbidities related to CVD. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the risk of CVD in RA adjusted for demographics and comorbidities using the unmatched dataset. Sensitivity analysis was conducted 1) considering interaction terms between RA and comorbidities, and 2) using multivariable conditional logistic regression for the matched dataset.Results: The unmatched data set comprised of 1824RA cases and 1995 OA controls and the matched dataset comprised of 1022 pairs of sex and age matched RA and OA patients. RA exhibited increased odds of prevalent CVD compared with OA, and the adjusted ORs (95%CIs) for CVD, stroke, IHD, CHF, and atherosclerosis were1.86(1.42‐2.43), 1.11(0.71‐1.74), 1.47(0.97‐2.24), 2.09(1.03‐4.22), and 2.49 (1.97‐3.13), respectively, and was 2.26 (1.29‐3.96) for IHD further adjusted for interaction term. The matched dataset analysis found similar results.Conclusions: Chinese people with RA were approximated 2 times more 1 likely to have CVD, IHD, CHF and atherosclerosis compared with those with OA. The findings justified the need of further longitudinal study to establish the causal‐relationship between RA and CVD and to estimate the precise risk in this population

The core-independent promoter-specific interaction of primary sigma factor

Previous studies have led to a model in which the promoter-specific recognition of prokaryotic transcription initiation factor, sigma (σ), is core dependent. Most σ functions were studied on the basis of this tenet. Here, we provide in vitro evidence demonstrating that the intact Bacillus subtilis primary sigma, σA, by itself, is able to interact specifically with promoter deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), albeit with low sequence selectivity. The core-independent promoter-specific interaction of the σA is −10 specific. However, the promoter −10 specific interaction is unable to allow the σA to discern the optimal promoter spacing. To fulfill this goal, the σA requires assistance from core RNA polymerase (RNAP). The ability of σ, by itself, to interact specifically with promoter might introduce a critical new dimension of study in prokaryotic σ function

Identification of novel genetic susceptibility loci in African American lupus patients in a candidate gene association study

Objective Candidate gene and genome‐wide association studies have identified several disease susceptibility loci in lupus patients. These studies have largely been performed in lupus patients who are Asian or of European ancestry. This study was undertaken to examine whether some of these same susceptibility loci increase lupus risk in African American individuals. Methods Single‐nucleotide polymorphisms tagging 15 independent lupus susceptibility loci were genotyped in a set of 1,724 lupus patients and 2,024 healthy controls of African American descent. The loci examined included PTPN22 , FCGR2A , TNFSF4 , STAT4 , CTLA4 , PDCD1 , PXK , BANK1 , MSH5 (HLA region), CFB (HLA region), C8orf13‐BLK region, MBL2 , KIAA1542 , ITGAM , and MECP2 / IRAK1 . Results We found the first evidence of genetic association between lupus in African American patients and 5 susceptibility loci ( C8orf13‐BLK , BANK1 , TNFSF4 , KIAA1542 , and CTLA4 ; P = 8.0 × 10 −6 , P = 1.9 × 10 −5 , P = 5.7 × 10 −5 , P = 0.00099, and P = 0.0045, respectively). Further, we confirmed the genetic association between lupus and 5 additional lupus susceptibility loci ( ITGAM , MSH5 , CFB , STAT4 , and FCGR2A ; P = 7.5 × 10 −11 , P = 5.2 × 10 −8 , P = 8.7 × 10 −7 , P = 0.0058, and P = 0.0070, respectively), and provided evidence, for the first time, of genome‐wide significance for the association between lupus in African American patients and ITGAM and MSH5 (HLA region). Conclusion These findings provide evidence of novel genetic susceptibility loci for lupus in African Americans and demonstrate that the majority of lupus susceptibility loci examined confer lupus risk across multiple ethnicities.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/88030/1/30563_ftp.pd

RNA FRABASE version 1.0: an engine with a database to search for the three-dimensional fragments within RNA structures

The RNA FRABASE is a web-accessible engine with a relational database, which allows for the automatic search of user-defined, 3D RNA fragments within a set of RNA structures. This is a new tool to search and analyse RNA structures, directed at the 3D structure modelling. The user needs to input either RNA sequence(s) and/or secondary structure(s) given in a ‘dot-bracket’ notation. The algorithm searching for the requested 3D RNA fragments is very efficient. As of August 2007, the database contains: (i) RNA sequences and secondary structures, in the ‘dot-bracket’ notation, derived from 1065 protein data bank (PDB)-deposited RNA structures and their complexes, (ii) a collection of atom coordinates of unmodified and modified nucleotide residues occurring in RNA structures, (iii) calculated RNA torsion angles and sugar pucker parameters and (iv) information about base pairs. Advanced query involves filters sensitive to: modified residue contents, experimental method used and limits of conformational parameters. The output list of query-matching RNA fragments gives access to their coordinates in the PDB-format files, ready for direct download and visualization, conformational parameters and information about base pairs. The RNA FRABASE is automatically, monthly updated and is freely accessible at http://rnafrabase.ibch.poznan.pl (mirror at http://cerber.cs.put.poznan.pl/rnadb)

Two-station measurement of Rayleigh-wave phase velocities for the Huatung basin, the westernmost Philippine Sea, with OBS : implications for regional tectonics

Author Posting. © The Authors, 2009. This article is posted here by permission of John Wiley & Sons for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geophysical Journal International 179 (2009): 1859-1869, doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.2009.04391.x.A broad-band ocean-bottom seismometer (OBS) deployed ~180 km east of Taiwan provides a first glimpse into the upper mantle beneath the westernmost section of the Philippine Sea or the Huatung basin (HB). We measured interstation phase velocities of Rayleigh waves between the OBS and stations on the eastern coast of Taiwan. The phase velocities show smooth variations from 3.8 to 3.9 km s−1 for periods of 25–40 s. In this short period range, phase velocities are comparable to those characterizing the 15–30 Ma Parece-Vela basin of the Philippine Sea. Modelling of the finite-frequency effect proves the validity of the measurement for the average HB. The shear-wave velocity models inverted from the 25 to 40 s dispersion show a velocity at lithospheric depths about 0.1 km s−1 lower than that of the west Philippine Sea, which agrees with the age effect derived from the Pacific pure-path model. Inversions incorporating the less reliable data above 40 s yield a shear velocity <4.0 km s−1 below 150 km, an unrealistic value even for a hotspot plume environment. The seismological evidence, together with the correlation in seafloor depth, suggests that the HB and the Parece-Vela basin may have a similar age. This is at odds with the previous geochronological study suggesting an early-Cretaceous age for the HB. Thermal rejuvenation of the lithosphere was examined as a potential solution to reconciling the two age models.The research is supported by the National Science Council, Taiwan, Republic of China, under grant NSC 96–2745-M-001–005