Exploring the functional decapping ability of the dogfish shark Nudt16 homolog

Abstract only availableA nuclear decapping and binding protein, X29/Nudt16, was originally characterized in Xenopus, and has also been characterized in humans. It is suggested that not only the protein's sequence, but also its functions has been preserved through evolution. The purpose of this study is to characterize a homologue of Nudt16 in the dogfish shark, which on an evolutionary scale is quite diverged from frogs and mammals. Here the open reading frame encoding the dogfish shark protein was amplified via PCR and cloned into an expression vector. When placed into bacteria under the proper growth conditions, a Histidine-tagged dogfish shark protein is synthesized. The protein can be purified from bacteria. The purified dogfish shark protein will be tested to determine if it has the same biochemical properties as the mammalian and frog proteins: can the protein decap RNA in vitro and can it bind RNA directly. Does this protein have catalytic activity that is essential for a healthy life?NSF grant to B. Peculus, NSF-REU Program in Biological Sciences & Biochemistr

The contribution of smoking-attributable mortality to differences in mortality and life expectancy among US African-American and white adults, 2000-2019

Background: The role of smoking in racial disparities in mortality and life expectancy in the United States has been examined previously, but up-to-date estimates are generally unavailable, even though smoking prevalence has declined in recent decades. Objective: We estimate the contribution of smoking-attributable mortality to observed differences in mortality and life expectancy for US African-American and white adults from 2000-2019. Methods: The indirect Preston-Glei-Wilmoth method was used with national vital statistics and population data and nationally representative never-smoker lung cancer death rates to estimate the smoking-attributable fraction (SAF) of deaths in the United States by sex-race group from 2000-2019. Mortality rates without smoking-attributable mortality were used to estimate life expectancy at age 50 (e_50) by group during the period. Results: African-American men had the highest estimated SAF during the period, beginning at 26.4Š (95Š CI:25.0Š-27.8Š) in 2000 and ending at 12.1Š (95Š CI:11.4Š-12.8Š) in 2019. The proportion of the difference in e_50 for white and African-American men that was due to smoking decreased from 27.7Š to 14.8Š. For African-American and white women, the estimated differences in e_50 without smoking-attributable mortality were similar to observed differences. Conclusions: Smoking continues to contribute to racial disparities in mortality and life expectancy among men in the United States. Contribution: We present updated estimates of the contribution of smoking to mortality differences in the United States using nationally representative data sources