Efficient Symmetry Reduction and the Use of State Symmetries for Symbolic Model Checking

One technique to reduce the state-space explosion problem in temporal logic model checking is symmetry reduction. The combination of symmetry reduction and symbolic model checking by using BDDs suffered a long time from the prohibitively large BDD for the orbit relation. Dynamic symmetry reduction calculates representatives of equivalence classes of states dynamically and thus avoids the construction of the orbit relation. In this paper, we present a new efficient model checking algorithm based on dynamic symmetry reduction. Our experiments show that the algorithm is very fast and allows the verification of larger systems. We additionally implemented the use of state symmetries for symbolic symmetry reduction. To our knowledge we are the first who investigated state symmetries in combination with BDD based symbolic model checking

The active enhancer network operated by liganded RXR supports angiogenic activity in macrophages

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Increased retention of functional fusions to toxic genes in new two-hybrid libraries of the E. coli strain MG1655 and B. subtilis strain 168 genomes, prepared without passaging through E. coli

BACKGROUND: Cloning of genes in expression libraries, such as the yeast two-hybrid system (Y2H), is based on the assumption that the loss of target genes is minimal, or at worst, managable. However, the expression of genes or gene fragments that are capable of interacting with E. coli or yeast gene products in these systems has been shown to be growth inhibitory, and therefore these clones are underrepresented (or completely lost) in the amplified library. RESULTS: Analysis of candidate genes as Y2H fusion constructs has shown that, while stable in E. coli and yeast for genetic studies, they are rapidly lost in growth conditions for genomic libraries. This includes the rapid loss of a fragment of the E. coli cell division gene ftsZ which encodes the binding site for ZipA and FtsA. Expression of this clone causes slower growth in E. coli. This clone is also rapidly lost in yeast, when expressed from a GAL1 promoter, relative to a vector control, but is stable when the promoter is repressed. We have demonstrated in this report that the construction of libraries for the E. coli and B. subtilis genomes without passaging through E. coli is practical, but the number of transformants is less than for libraries cloned using E. coli as a host. Analysis of several clones in the libraries that are strongly growth inhibitory in E. coli include genes for many essential cellular processes, such as transcription, translation, cell division, and transport. CONCLUSION: Expression of Y2H clones capable of interacting with E. coli and yeast targets are rapidly lost, causing a loss of complexity. The strategy for preparing Y2H libraries described here allows the retention of genes that are toxic when inappropriately expressed in E. coli, or yeast, including many genes that represent potential antibacterial targets. While these methods are generally applicable to the generation of Y2H libraries from any source, including mammalian and plant genomes, the potential of functional clones interacting with host proteins to inhibit growth would make this approach most relevant for the study of prokaryotic genomes

'Pragmatics and discourse analysis' [Review]

Review of work in 201

Multiple-clause constituent questions: intonation and variation in Hungarian

When a question phrase bears a grammatical function in a subordinate clause but the interrogativity it introduces extends over a higher clause, there are two main possibilities in Hungarian: (i) the question phrase appears preverbally in the clause over which it takes scope, or (ii) the question phrase appears in the subordinate clause while the scope of interrogativity is indicated by the presence of another question phrase in the higher clause (the scope-marking construction). In order to understand the features shared by these two types of question and the ways in which they differ, this article explores the intonation of these types of multiple-clause constituent questions in Hungarian. The results of experimental investigation are reported and discussed, and the significance of these findings is evaluated in the context of wider typological variation in the formation of multiple-clause constituent questions

Network analysis of human protein location

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Understanding cellular systems requires the knowledge of a protein's subcellular localization (SCL). Although experimental and predicted data for protein SCL are archived in various databases, SCL prediction remains a non-trivial problem in genome annotation. Current SCL prediction tools use amino-acid sequence features and text mining approaches. A comprehensive analysis of protein SCL in human PPI and metabolic networks for various subcellular compartments is necessary for developing a robust SCL prediction methodology.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Based on protein-protein interaction (PPI) and metabolite-linked protein interaction (MLPI) networks of proteins, we have compared, contrasted and analysed the statistical properties across different subcellular compartments. We integrated PPI and metabolic datasets with SCL information of human proteins from LOCATE and GOA (Gene Ontology Annotation) and estimated three statistical properties: Chi-square (χ²) test, Paired Localisation Correlation Profile (PLCP) and network topological measures. For the PPI network, Pearson's chi-square test shows that for the same SCL category, twice as many interacting protein pairs are observed than estimated when compared to non-interacting protein pairs (χ²= 1270.19, <it>P-value </it>< 2.2 × 10^-16), whereas for MLPI, metabolite-linked protein pairs having the same SCL are observed 20% more than expected, compared to non-metabolite linked proteins (χ²= 110.02, <it>P-value </it>< 2.2 x10^-16). To address the issue of proteins with multiple SCLs, we have specifically used the PLCP (Pair Localization Correlation Profile) measure. PLCP analysis revealed that protein interactions are majorly restricted to the same SCL, though significant cross-compartment interactions are seen for nuclear proteins. Metabolite-linked protein pairs are restricted to specific compartments such as the mitochondrion (<it>P-value </it>< 6.0e-07), the lysosome (<it>P-value </it>< 4.7e-05) and the Golgi apparatus (<it>P-value </it>< 1.0e-15). These findings indicate that the metabolic network adds value to the information in the PPI network for the localisation process of proteins in human subcellular compartments.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The MLPI network differs significantly from the PPI network in its SCL distribution. The PPI network shows passive protein interaction, possibly due to its high false positive rate, across different subcellular compartments, which seem to be absent in the MLPI network, as the MLPI network has evolved to maintain high substrate specificity for proteins.</p

An outline of an asymmetric two-component theory of aspect

The paper presents the bases of an asymmetric two-component model of aspect. The main theoretical conclusion of the study is that (grammatical) viewpoint aspect and situation aspect are not independent aspectual levels, since the former often modifies the input situation aspect of the phrase/sentence. As it is shown, besides the arguments and adjuncts of the predicate, viewpoint aspect is also an important factor in compositionally marking situation aspect. The aspectual framework put forward in the paper is verified and illustrated on the basis of the aspectual system of Hungarian and some examples taken from English linguistic data

MSTO1 is a cytoplasmic pro-mitochondrial fusion protein, whose mutation induces myopathy and ataxia in humans.

The protein MSTO1 has been localized to mitochondria and linked to mitochondrial morphology, but its specific role has remained unclear. We identified a c.22G > A (p.Val8Met) mutation of MSTO1 in patients with minor physical abnormalities, myopathy, ataxia, and neurodevelopmental impairments. Lactate stress test and myopathological results suggest mitochondrial dysfunction. In patient fibroblasts, MSTO1 mRNA and protein abundance are decreased, mitochondria display fragmentation, aggregation, and decreased network continuity and fusion activity. These characteristics can be reversed by genetic rescue. Short-term silencing of MSTO1 in HeLa cells reproduced the impairment of mitochondrial morphology and dynamics observed in the fibroblasts without damaging bioenergetics. At variance with a previous report, we find MSTO1 to be localized in the cytoplasmic area with limited colocalization with mitochondria. MSTO1 interacts with the fusion machinery as a soluble factor at the cytoplasm-mitochondrial outer membrane interface. After plasma membrane permeabilization, MSTO1 is released from the cells. Thus, an MSTO1 loss-of-function mutation is associated with a human disorder showing mitochondrial involvement. MSTO1 likely has a physiologically relevant role in mitochondrial morphogenesis by supporting mitochondrial fusion

Biphasic targeting and cleavage furrow ingression directed by the tail of a myosin II

The tail of yeast myosin II is localized to the division site by two distinct molecular pathways and sufficient for promoting actomyosin ring assembly, furrow ingression, and guidance in ECM remodeling