The transcriptional repressor protein NsrR senses nitric oxide directly via a [2Fe-2S] cluster

The regulatory protein NsrR, a member of the Rrf2 family of transcription repressors, is specifically dedicated to sensing nitric oxide (NO) in a variety of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria. It has been proposed that NO directly modulates NsrR activity by interacting with a predicted [Fe-S] cluster in the NsrR protein, but no experimental evidence has been published to support this hypothesis. Here we report the purification of NsrR from the obligate aerobe Streptomyces coelicolor. We demonstrate using UV-visible, near UV CD and EPR spectroscopy that the protein contains an NO-sensitive [2Fe-2S] cluster when purified from E. coli. Upon exposure of NsrR to NO, the cluster is nitrosylated, which results in the loss of DNA binding activity as detected by bandshift assays. Removal of the [2Fe-2S] cluster to generate apo-NsrR also resulted in loss of DNA binding activity. This is the first demonstration that NsrR contains an NO-sensitive [2Fe-2S] cluster that is required for DNA binding activity

The optical design of the Litebird middle and high frequency telescope

LiteBIRD is a JAXA strategic L-class mission devoted to the measurement of polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background, searching for the signature of primordial gravitational waves in the B-modes pattern of the polarization. The onboard instrumentation includes a Middle and High Frequency Telescope (MHFT), based on a pair of cryogenically cooled refractive telescopes covering, respectively, the 89-224 GHz and the 166-448 GHz bands. Given the high target sensitivity and the careful systematics control needed to achieve the scientific goals of the mission, optical modeling and characterization are performed with the aim to capture most of the physical effects potentially affecting the real performance of the two refractors. We describe the main features of the MHFT, its design drivers and the major challenges in system optimization and characterization. We provide the current status of the development of the optical system and we describe the current plan of activities related to optical performance simulation and validation

The geometry of the magnetic field in the central molecular zone measured by PILOT

We present the first far infrared (FIR) dust emission polarization map covering the full extent of Milky Way’s central molecular zone (CMZ). The data, obtained with the PILOT balloon-borne experiment, covers the Galactic center region − 2° < ℓ < 2°, − 4° < b < 3° at a wavelength of 240 μm and an angular resolution of 2.2′. From our measured dust polarization angles, we infer a magnetic field orientation projected onto the plane of the sky (POS) that is remarkably ordered over the full extent of the CMZ, with an average tilt angle of ≃22° clockwise with respect to the Galactic plane. Our results confirm previous claims that the field traced by dust polarized emission is oriented nearly orthogonally to the field traced by GHz radio synchrotron emission in the Galactic center region. The observed field structure is globally compatible with the latest Planck polarization data at 353 and 217 GHz. Upon subtraction of the extended emission in our data, the mean field orientation that we obtain shows good agreement with the mean field orientation measured at higher angular resolution by the JCMT within the 20 and 50 km s−1 molecular clouds. We find no evidence that the magnetic field orientation is related to the 100 pc twisted ring structure within the CMZ. The low polarization fraction in the Galactic center region measured with Planck at 353 GHz combined with a highly ordered projected field orientation is unusual. This feature actually extends to the whole inner Galactic plane. We propose that it could be caused by the increased number of turbulent cells for the long lines of sight towards the inner Galactic plane or to dust properties specific to the inner regions of the Galaxy. Assuming equipartition between magnetic pressure and ram pressure, we obtain magnetic field strength estimates of the order of 1 mG for several CMZ molecular clouds

C-terminal UBA domains protect ubiquitin receptors by preventing initiation of protein degradation

The ubiquitin receptors Rad23 and Dsk2 deliver polyubiquitylated substrates to the proteasome for destruction. The C-terminal ubiquitin-associated (UBA) domain of Rad23 functions as a cis-acting stabilization signal that protects this protein from proteasomal degradation. Here, we provide evidence that the C-terminal UBA domains guard ubiquitin receptors from destruction by preventing initiation of degradation at the proteasome. We show that introduction of unstructured polypeptides that are sufficiently long to function as initiation sites for degradation abrogates the protective effect of UBA domains. Vice versa, degradation of substrates that contain an unstructured extension can be attenuated by the introduction of C-terminal UBA domains. Our study gains insight into the molecular mechanism responsible for the protective effect of UBA domains and explains how ubiquitin receptors can shuttle substrates to the proteasome without themselves becoming subject to proteasomal degradation

MS/MS networking guided analysis of molecule and gene cluster families

The paper introduces the concepts of molecular families (MFs) and gene cluster families (GCFs). We define MFs as structurally related molecules based on their mass spectral fragmentation patterns, whereas GCFs are biosynthetic gene clusters that show similar gene cluster organization with a high degree of sequence similarity. We use MS/MS networking as a tool to map the molecular network of more than 60 organisms, most of which are unsequenced, and locate their nonribosomal peptide MFs. These MFs from unsequenced organisms are then connected to GCFs of publicly available genome sequences of closely related organisms

Rethinking Proteasome Evolution: Two Novel Bacterial Proteasomes

The proteasome is a multisubunit structure that degrades proteins. Protein degradation is an essential component of regulation because proteins can become misfolded, damaged, or unnecessary. Proteasomes and their homologues vary greatly in complexity: from HslV (heat shock locus v), which is encoded by 1 gene in bacteria, to the eukaryotic 20S proteasome, which is encoded by more than 14 genes. Despite this variation in complexity, all the proteasomes are composed of homologous subunits. We searched 238 complete bacterial genomes for structures related to the proteasome and found evidence of two novel groups of bacterial proteasomes. The first, which we name Anbu, is sparsely distributed among cyanobacteria and proteobacteria. We hypothesize that Anbu must be very ancient because of its distribution within the cyanobacteria, and that it has been lost in many more recent species. We also present evidence for a fourth type of bacterial proteasome found in a few β-proteobacteria, which we call β-proteobacteria proteasome homologue (BPH). Sequence and structural analyses show that Anbu and BPH are both distinct from known bacterial proteasomes but have homologous structures. Anbu is encoded by one gene, so we postulate a duplication of Anbu created the 20S proteasome. Anbu’s function appears to be related to transglutaminase activity, not the general stress response associated with HslV. We have found different combinations of Anbu, BPH, and HslV within these bacterial genomes, which raises questions about specialized protein degradation systems

Effects of co-habitation between Anopheles gambiae s.s. and Culex quinquefasciatus aquatic stages on life history traits

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The effective measures for the control of malaria and filariasis vectors can be achieved by targeting immature stages of anopheline and culicine mosquitoes in productive habitat. To design this strategy, the mechanisms (like biotic interactions with conspecifc and heterospecific larvae) regulating mosquito aquatic stages survivorship, development time and the size of emerging adults should be understood. This study explored the effect of co-habitation between <it>An. gambiae </it>s.s. and <it>Cx. quinquefasciatus </it>on different life history traits of both species under different densities and constant food supply in the habitats of the same size under semi-natural conditions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Experiments were set up with three combinations; <it>Cx. quinquefasciatus </it>alone (single species treatment), <it>An. gambiae </it>s.s. alone (single species treatment); and <it>An. gambiae </it>s.s. with <it>Cx. quiquefasciatus </it>(co-habitation treatment) in different densities in semi field situation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The effect of co-habitation of <it>An. gambiae </it>s.s. and <it>Cx. quinquefasciatus </it>was found to principally affect three parameters. The wing-lengths (a proxy measure of body size) of <it>An. gambiae </it>s.s. in co-habitation treatments were significantly shorter in both females and males than in <it>An. gambiae </it>s.s single species treatments. In <it>Cx. quinquefasciatus</it>, no significant differences in wing-length were observed between the single species and co-habitation treatments. Daily survival rates were not significantly different between co-habitation and single species treatments for both <it>An. gambiae </it>s.s. and <it>Cx. quinquefasciatus</it>. Developmental time was found to be significantly different with single species treatments developing better than co-habitation treatments. Sex ratio was found to be significantly different from the proportion of 0.5 among single and co-habitation treatments species at different densities. Single species treatments had more males than females emerging while in co-habitation treatments more females emerged than males. In this study, there was no significant competitive survival advantage in co-habitation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results suggest that co-habitation of <it>An. gambiae </it>s.s. and <it>Cx. quinquefasciatus </it>in semi-natural conditions affect mostly <it>An. gambiae </it>s.s. body size. Hence, more has to be understood on the effects of co-habitation of <it>An. gambiae </it>s.s. and <it>Cx. quinquefasciatus </it>in a natural ecology and its possible consequences in malaria and filariasis epidemiology.</p