20 research outputs found
New insights into the photochemistry of carotenoid spheroidenone in light-harvesting complex 2 from the purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides
Light-harvesting complex 2 (LH2) from the
semi-aerobically grown purple phototrophic bacterium
Rhodobacter sphaeroides was studied using optical (static
and time-resolved) and resonance Raman spectroscopies.
This antenna complex comprises bacteriochlorophyll
(BChl) a and the carotenoid spheroidenone, a ketolated
derivative of spheroidene. The results indicate that the
spheroidenone-LH2 complex contains two spectral forms
of the carotenoid: (1) a minor, ‘‘blue’’ form with an S2
(11
Bu
?) spectral origin band at 522 nm, shifted from the
position in organic media simply by the high polarizability
of the binding site, and (2) the major, ‘‘red’’ form with the
origin band at 562 nm that is associated with a pool of
pigments that more strongly interact with protein residues,
most likely via hydrogen bonding. Application of targeted
modeling of excited-state decay pathways after carotenoid
excitation suggests that the high (92%) carotenoid-to-BChl
energy transfer efficiency in this LH2 system, relative to
LH2 complexes binding carotenoids with comparable
double-bond conjugation lengths, derives mainly from
resonance energy transfer from spheroidenone S2 (11
Bu
?)
state to BChl a via the Qx state of the latter, accounting for
60% of the total transfer. The elevated S2 (11
Bu
?) ? Qx
transfer efficiency is apparently associated with substantially
decreased energy gap (increased spectral overlap)
between the virtual S2 (11
Bu
?) ? S0 (11
Ag
-) carotenoid
emission and Qx absorption of BChl a. This reduced
energetic gap is the ultimate consequence of strong carotenoid–protein
interactions, including the inferred hydrogen
bondin
The Waddlia Genome: A Window into Chlamydial Biology
Growing evidence suggests that a novel member of the Chlamydiales order, Waddlia chondrophila, is a potential agent of miscarriage in humans and abortion in ruminants. Due to the lack of genetic tools to manipulate chlamydia, genomic analysis is proving to be the most incisive tool in stimulating investigations into the biology of these obligate intracellular bacteria. 454/Roche and Solexa/Illumina technologies were thus used to sequence and assemble de novo the full genome of the first representative of the Waddliaceae family, W. chondrophila. The bacteria possesses a 2′116′312bp chromosome and a 15′593 bp low-copy number plasmid that might integrate into the bacterial chromosome. The Waddlia genome displays numerous repeated sequences indicating different genome dynamics from classical chlamydia which almost completely lack repetitive elements. Moreover, W. chondrophila exhibits many virulence factors also present in classical chlamydia, including a functional type III secretion system, but also a large complement of specific factors for resistance to host or environmental stresses. Large families of outer membrane proteins were identified indicating that these highly immunogenic proteins are not Chlamydiaceae specific and might have been present in their last common ancestor. Enhanced metabolic capability for the synthesis of nucleotides, amino acids, lipids and other co-factors suggests that the common ancestor of the modern Chlamydiales may have been less dependent on their eukaryotic host. The fine-detailed analysis of biosynthetic pathways brings us closer to possibly developing a synthetic medium to grow W. chondrophila, a critical step in the development of genetic tools. As a whole, the availability of the W. chondrophila genome opens new possibilities in Chlamydiales research, providing new insights into the evolution of members of the order Chlamydiales and the biology of the Waddliaceae
Experimental and theoretical studies of the interaction of gas phase nitric acid and water with a self-assembled monolayer
Heliostat manufacturing cost analysis. Volume 1
This study has two primary objectives. The first is to provide a detailed cost evaluation of the second generation of DOE heliostats, from which repowering heliostat designs are likely to be derived. A second objective is to provide an analytical foundation for the evaluation of futue heliostat designs. The approach taken for this study was to produce a cost estimate for the production of the McDonnell Douglas prototype design by generating estimates of the materials, labor, overhead, and facilities costs for two different production scenarios, 25,000 heliostats per year and 250,000 heliostats per year. The primary conclusion of this study is that the second generation of heliostat designs should cost approximately 80/m/sup 2/ at volumes of 250,000 units/year. A second conclusion is that cost reduction begins at relatively low production volumes and that many production benefits can be obtained at production rates of 5,000 to 15,000 units/year. A third conclusion is that the SAMICS model and the SAMIS III program can be useful tools in heliostat manufacturing, costing, and economic studies
Recommended from our members
Experimental and theoretical studies of the interaction of gas phase nitric acid and water with a self-assembled monolayer
Recommended from our members
Experimental and theoretical studies of the interaction of gas phase nitric acid and water with a self-assembled monolayer
Isolation of a previously undescribed rickettsia from an aborted bovine fetus
A previously undescribed obligate intracellular bacterium was isolated from an aborted bovine fetus. The organism was resistant to penicillin, replicated within cytoplasmic vacuoles, exhibited structural characteristics compatible with the rickettsias, and shared antigenic determinants with Cowdria ruminantium