Proposal to add medievalist characters to the UCS

This is a proposal to add several Latin characters to the international character encoding standard Unicode. These additions were published in Unicode Standard version 5.1 in March 2008. This proposal includes characters that occur in medieval European philology and linguistics. Some changes were made after the proposal was written, so users should consult the latest Unicode code charts for the most up-to-date repertoire, accessible from:

Construction and in vitro analysis of a new bi-modular polypeptide synthetase for synthesis of N-methylated acyl peptides

AbstractBackground: Many active peptides are synthesized by nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs), large multimodular enzymes. Each module incorporates one amino acid, and is composed of two domains: an activation domain that activates the substrate amino acid and a condensation domain for peptide-bond formation. Activation domains sometimes contain additional activities (e.g. N-methylation or epimerization). Novel peptides can be generated by swapping domains. Exchange of domains containing N-methylation activity has not been reported, however.Results: The actinomycin NRPS was used to investigate domain swapping. The first two amino acids of actinomycin are threonine and valine. We replaced the valine activation domain of module 2 with an N-methyl valine (MeVal) activation domain. The recombinant NRPS (AcmTmVe) catalyzes the formation of threonyl–valine. In the presence of S-adenosyl-methionine, valine was converted to MeVal but subsequent dipeptide formation was blocked. When acyl-threonine (the natural intermediate) was present at module 1, formation of acyl-threonine–MeVal occurred. The epimerization domain of AcmTmVe was impaired.Conclusions: A simple activation domain can be replaced by one with N-methylation activity. The same condensation domain can catalyze peptide-bond formation between N-methyl and nonmethylated amino acids. Modification of the upstream amino acid (i.e. acylation of threonine), however, was required for condensation with MeVal. Steric hindrance reduces chemical reactivity of N-methyl amino acids — perfect substrate positioning may only be achieved with acylated threonine. Loss of the epimerase activity of AcmTmVe suggests N-methyltransferase and epimerase domains, not found together naturally, are incompatible

Proposal to add Medievalist punctuation characters to the UCS

This is an omnibus Unicode proposal for Medievalist punctuation characters. Two of the characters in this document, DOTTED SOLIDUS and TRIPLE DAGGER, were published in Unicode version 11.0 in 2018. The symbols were used in Latin and other European languages from the Middle Ages

Proposal to add Medievalist punctuation characters to the UCS

This is an omnibus Unicode proposal for Medievalist punctuation characters. Two of the characters in this document, DOTTED SOLIDUS and TRIPLE DAGGER, were published in Unicode version 11.0 in 2018. The symbols were used in Latin and other European languages from the Middle Ages

From nutrients to competition processes: Habitat specific threats to Arnica montana L. populations in Hesse, Germany.

Populations of Arnica montana, a characteristic species of nutrient poor grasslands in Central Europe, have been deteriorating over the last decades, especially in lowland regions. Population size has been declining and signs of sexual reproduction are scarce. To start a long-term regeneration program, we investigated the major habitat specific drivers for the decline in Hesse, Germany. Firstly, we conducted a field study to analyze habitat characteristics of 32 Hessian lowland sites, comparing those on which this species has become extinct during the last 15 years with sites of small and declining, as well as large, stable populations. We compared habitat traits focusing on soil parameters, nutrients, and vegetation characteristics. Secondly, we set up a greenhouse experiment to study the response of A. montana seedlings to competition and nutrient input to assess the effects of competition pressure and fertilization. The results show lower carbon-to-nitrogen ratios and higher Ellenberg nitrogen indicator values on sites with extinct populations compared to existing populations. Both pH and Ellenberg soil reaction indicator values were higher on sites with extinct populations. In the greenhouse, the combination of nitrogen addition and competition resulted in lower seedling numbers. While rosette size was not dependent on fertilization, growth was strongly enhanced in the plots lacking vegetation. Both studies suggest that soil nutrient enrichment followed by competition pressure diminishes the number of safe sites for A. montana seedling recruitment and establishment and negatively impacts the growth of existing rosettes, thus leading to the continuous decline of populations. There is an urgent need for actions to reduce unintentional nitrogen deposition in the remaining nutrient poor areas as well as to modify land use to withdraw nutrients from enriched soils in order to preserve the remaining A. montana populations and to create bare ground for the safekeeping and enhancement of self-sustainable populations

Proposal to add medievalist characters to the UCS

This is a proposal to add several Latin characters to the international character encoding standard Unicode. These additions were published in Unicode Standard version 5.1 in March 2008. This proposal includes characters that occur in medieval European philology and linguistics. Some changes were made after the proposal was written, so users should consult the latest Unicode code charts for the most up-to-date repertoire, accessible from: