Structural insights into the human RyR2 N-terminal region involved in cardiac arrhythmias

Human ryanodine receptor 2 (hRyR2) mediates calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, enabling cardiomyocyte contraction. The N-terminal region of hRyR2 (amino acids 1–606) is the target of >30 arrhythmogenic mutations and contains a binding site for phosphoprotein phosphatase 1. Here, the solution and crystal structures determined under near-physiological conditions, as well as a homology model of the hRyR2 N-terminal region, are presented. The N-terminus is held together by a unique network of interactions among its three domains, A, B and C, in which the central helix (amino acids 410–437) plays a prominent stabilizing role. Importantly, the anion-binding site reported for the mouse RyR2 N-terminal region is notably absent from the human RyR2. The structure concurs with the differential stability of arrhythmogenic mutations in the central helix (R420W, I419F and I419F/R420W) which are owing to disparities in the propensity of mutated residues to form energetically favourable or unfavourable contacts. In solution, the N-terminus adopts a globular shape with a prominent tail that is likely to involve residues 545–606, which are unresolved in the crystal structure. Docking the N-terminal domains into cryo-electron microscopy maps of the closed and open RyR1 conformations reveals C atom movements of up to 8 A ° upon channel gating, and predicts the location of the leucine– isoleucine zipper segment and the interaction site for spinophilin and phosphoprotein phosphatase 1 on the RyR surface

Reduced Stability and Increased Dynamics in the Human Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) Relative to the Yeast Homolog

Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) is an essential factor for DNA replication and repair. PCNA forms a toroidal, ring shaped structure of 90 kDa by the symmetric association of three identical monomers. The ring encircles the DNA and acts as a platform where polymerases and other proteins dock to carry out different DNA metabolic processes. The amino acid sequence of human PCNA is 35% identical to the yeast homolog, and the two proteins have the same 3D crystal structure. In this report, we give evidence that the budding yeast (sc) and human (h) PCNAs have highly similar structures in solution but differ substantially in their stability and dynamics. hPCNA is less resistant to chemical and thermal denaturation and displays lower cooperativity of unfolding as compared to scPCNA. Solvent exchange rates measurements show that the slowest exchanging backbone amides are at the β-sheet, in the structure core, and not at the helices, which line the central channel. However, all the backbone amides of hPCNA exchange fast, becoming undetectable within hours, while the signals from the core amides of scPCNA persist for longer times. The high dynamics of the α-helices, which face the DNA in the PCNA-loaded form, is likely to have functional implications for the sliding of the PCNA ring on the DNA since a large hole with a flexible wall facilitates the establishment of protein-DNA interactions that are transient and easily broken. The increased dynamics of hPCNA relative to scPCNA may allow it to acquire multiple induced conformations upon binding to its substrates enlarging its binding diversity

Multinational prospective cohort study of rates and risk factors for ventilator-associated pneumonia over 24 years in 42 countries of Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East: Findings of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC)

Objective: Rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) are several times above those of high-income countries. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors (RFs) for VAP cases in ICUs of LMICs. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: This study was conducted across 743 ICUs of 282 hospitals in 144 cities in 42 Asian, African, European, Latin American, and Middle Eastern countries. Participants: The study included patients admitted to ICUs across 24 years. Results: In total, 289,643 patients were followed during 1,951,405 patient days and acquired 8,236 VAPs. We analyzed 10 independent variables. Multiple logistic regression identified the following independent VAP RFs: male sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16-1.28; P <.0001); longer length of stay (LOS), which increased the risk 7% per day (aOR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.07-1.08; P <.0001); mechanical ventilation (MV) utilization ratio (aOR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.23-1.31; P <.0001); continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), which was associated with the highest risk (aOR, 13.38; 95% CI, 11.57-15.48; P <.0001)Revisión por pare

Effect of fertilization and variety on the beta-glucan content in the grain of oats

The object of the study was to investigate the influence fertilization on the β-glucan content of the common oats varieties (Vendelin, Zvolen) and the naked oats varieties (Detvan, Avenuda). The trial was established in the years 2007 and 2008 in the potato growing area in the centre of Slovakia in VígľašPstruša. The field treatments were realized in natural conditions without irrigation with four variants of fertilization. Nitrogen fertilization was applied before sowing and foliar application of selenium together with nitrogen was done in the growth phase at the end of stooling (BBCH 29). The amount of β-glucan in the samples was determined by using the β-glucan assay kit (Megazyme, Ldt. Ireland). The total average of β-glucan content in the experiment was 4.08 %. The naked oats varieties reached higher content of β-glucan, when we compare it with the common oats. The variety Avenuda reached highest of β-glucan content (5.20 %). The nitrogen fertilization together with selenium fertilization statistically significantly increased the content of this polysaccharides. The influence of a particular year was statistically significant in β-glucan content

Structural insights into the human RyR2 N terminal region involved in cardiac arrhythmias

Human ryanodine receptor 2 hRyR2 mediates calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, enabling cardio myocyte contraction. The N terminal region of hRyR2 amino acids 1 606 is the target of gt;30 arrhythmogenic mutations and contains a binding site for phosphoprotein phosphatase 1. Here, the solution and crystal structures determined under near physiological conditions, as well as a homology model of the hRyR2 N terminal region, are presented. The N terminus is held together by a unique network of interactions among its three domains, A, B and C, in which the central helix amino acids 410 437 plays a prominent stabilizing role. Importantly, the anion binding site reported for the mouse RyR2 N terminal region is notably absent from the human RyR2. The structure concurs with the differential stability of arrhythmogenic mutations in the central helix R420W, I419F and I419F R420W which are owing to disparities in the propensity of mutated residues to form energetically favourable or unfavourable contacts. In solution, the N terminus adopts a globular shape with a prominent tail that is likely to involve residues 545 606, which are unresolved in the crystal structure. Docking the N terminal domains into cryo electron microscopy maps of the closed and open RyR1 conformations reveals C[alpha] atom movements of up to 8 upon channel gating, and predicts the location of the leucine isoleucine zipper segment and the interaction site for spinophilin and phosphoprotein phosphatase 1 on the RyR surfac

Simultaneous Removal of Metal Ions from Wastewater by a Greener Approach

The examination of the performance of raw and immobilized S. (Saccharomyces) cerevisiae in the simultaneous abatement of metal ions from wastewater effluent is the focal point of this article. The optimal storage time for raw and immobilized S. cerevisiae, during which they can be utilized, was estimated. The outcomes revealed that as the initial metal ion concentrations increased, the adsorption capacity improved, while the removal efficiency of S. cerevisiae yeast cells decreased, with the highest uptake obtained at the optimal conditions: pH = 5.0, 2.0 g S. cerevisiae/L, 25 &deg;C, and a contact time of 25 min. The maximum adsorption capacities (qmax) for Pb(II), Cd(II), and Ni(II) ions are shown by Langmuir at 65, 90, and 51 mg/g, respectively. It was discovered that the metal ions&rsquo; biosorption reactions were spontaneous and were fitted by the pseudo-second-order model. The mechanisms of the metal ions&rsquo; abatement were explained by using XRD (X-ray diffraction), FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), (BET) Brunauer&ndash;Emmett&ndash;Teller, and TEM (transmission electron microscopy) outputs. EDTA and citric acid can eliminate more than 70 &plusmn; 4 and 90 &plusmn; 5% of the adsorbed ions, respectively. The experiment of storage demonstrated that the immobilized S. cerevisiae was more stable for 8 months than the raw yeast