8,874 research outputs found
The L-amino acid oxidase of Neurospora
In 1944 one of us described a D-amino acid oxidase in extracts of Neurospora crassa (1). Except for slight activity against L-glutamate, no oxidation of L-amino acids was observed. Recently a means for inducing the formation of a soluble L-amino acid oxidase by the mold was reported by Bender, Krebs, and Horowitz (2). This is accomplished by reducing the biotin content of the basal medium (3) from the 5 Îł per liter usually employed to 0.25 Îł per liter. When cultured in such a medium, Neurospora produces an active L-amino acid oxidase which can be demonstrated both in extracts and in the medium. Reduction of the biotin level produces no effect on the D-amino acid oxidase, which is still found in extracts but not in the culture medium. The activity of the L-oxidase toward thirty-eight amino acids has been investigated by Bender and Krebs (4).
The initial purpose of the present investigation was to explore certain possibilities for a genetic study of the enzyme. Of special interest was the fact, cited by Bender et al. (a), that the oxidase could not be detected in all of the wild type strains tested. The question arose as to whether this is due to the genetic inability of certain strains to form the enzyme. In connection with the investigation of this problem a general survey of the properties of the enzyme was carried out, together with a preliminary study of the mechanism of the biotin effect and of the adaptive formation of the enzyme. The results of these studies are reported below.
Simultaneously with our investigation and independently of it, Dr. K. Burton (5), working in Professor Krebs’ laboratory, has carried out a study of the Neurospora L-amino acid oxidase. Where our respective studies overlap mutual confirmation was obtained in most essential points. We wish to thank Dr. Burton for permission to read his manuscript before publication
The Origin of Life
The origin of life is in a sense a genetic problem, for, as H. J. Muller pointed out many years ago, the essential attribute that identifies living matter is its capacity to replicate itself and its variants (1). Because this uniquely biological property has its physical basis in proteins and nucleic acids, the goal of modern work on the origin of life is to discover the manner of origin of these polymers and of the interactions between them that constitute the genetic mechanism. In attempting to review this subject in a limited space, we cannot undertake an exhaustive treatment. Rather, we summarize work published principally since 1970 in the following areas, with emphasis on those aspects that are of greatest current interest: 1. precambrian paleontology, 2. chemical evolution of genetically important monomers, 3. prebiotic dehydration-condensation reactions, 4. organic compounds in meteorites and interstellar space, and 5. biological exploration of the planets.
A large number of review articles (2-5), critical and theoretical discussions (6-8), books (9-16), and conference proceedings (17-21) dealing with the origin of have appeared in recent years. In addition, a new serial, the Journal of Molecular Evolution, publishing papers on this and related subjects, appeared in 1971; the journal Space Life Sciences has been renamed "Origins of Life," and a society, the International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life, was recently founded
Photocatalytic production of organic compounds from CO and H2O in a simulated Martian atmosphere
[14C]CO2 and [14C]organic compounds are formed when a mixture of [14C]CO and water vapor diluted in [12C]CO2 or N2 is irradiated with ultraviolet light in the presence of soil or pulverized vycor substratum. The [14C]CO2 is recoverable from the gas phase, the [14C]organic products from the substratum. Three organic products have been tentatively identified as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and glycolic acid. The relative yields of [14C]CO2 and [14C]organics are wavelength- and surface-dependent. Conversion of CO to CO2 occurs primarily at wavelengths shorter than 2000 angstrom, apparently involves the photolysis of water, and is inhibited by increasing amounts of vycor substratum. Organic formation occurs over a broad spectral range below 3000 angstrom and increases with increasing amounts of substratum. It is suggested that organic synthesis results from adsorption of CO and H2O on surfaces, with excitation of one or both molecules occurring at wavelengths longer than those absorbed by the free gases. This process may occur on Mars and may have been important on the primitive earth
Charge-conjugation violating neutrino interactions in supernovae
The well known charge conjugation violating interactions in the Standard
Model increase neutrino- and decrease anti-neutrino- nucleon cross sections.
This impacts neutrino transport in core collapse supernovae through "recoil"
corrections of order the neutrino energy over the nucleon mass . All
corrections to neutrino transport deep inside a protoneutron star are
calculated from angular integrals of the Boltzmann equation. We find these
corrections significantly modify neutrino currents at high temperatures. This
produces a large mu and tau number for the protoneutron star and can change the
ratio of neutrons to protons. In addition, the relative size of neutrino mean
free paths changes. At high temperatures, the electron anti-neutrino mean free
path becomes {\it longer} than that for mu or tau neutrinos.Comment: 14 pages, 2 included ps figures, subm. to Phys. Rev.
The ground-state of General Relativity, Topological Theories and Dark Matter
We suggest a limit of Einstein equations incorporating the state
as a solution. The large scale behavior of this theory has
interesting properties. For a spherical source, the velocity profile for
circular motions is of the form observed in galaxies (approximately flat). For
FRW cosmologies, the Friedman equation contains an additional contribution in
the matter sector.Comment: More clarifications on the interpretation of the limits. Shorter
version. 4 pages, two column, no figure
A Correspondence Principle for Black Holes and Strings
For most black holes in string theory, the Schwarzschild radius in string
units decreases as the string coupling is reduced. We formulate a
correspondence principle, which states that (i) when the size of the horizon
drops below the size of a string, the typical black hole state becomes a
typical state of strings and D-branes with the same charges, and (ii) the mass
does not change abruptly during the transition. This provides a statistical
interpretation of black hole entropy. This approach does not yield the
numerical coefficient, but gives the correct dependence on mass and charge in a
wide range of cases, including neutral black holes.Comment: 24 pages, one typo correcte
pQCD vs. AdS/CFT Tested by Heavy Quark Energy Loss
We predict the charm and bottom quark nuclear modification factors using
weakly coupled pQCD and strongly coupled AdS/CFT drag methods. The
log(pT/M_Q)/pT dependence of pQCD loss and the momentum independence of drag
loss lead to different momentum dependencies for the R_{AA} predictions. This
difference is enhanced by examining a new experimental observable, the double
ratio of charm to bottom nuclear modification factors,
R^{cb}=R^c_{AA}/R^b_{AA}. At LHC the weakly coupled theory predicts R^{cb} goes
to 1; whereas the strongly coupled theory predicts R^{cb} .2 independent of pT.
At RHIC the differences are less dramatic, as the production spectra are
harder, but the drag formula is applicable to higher momenta, due to the lower
temperature.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. Proceedings for the International Conference on
Strangeness in Quark Matter (SQM 2007), Levoca, Slovakia, 24-29 June 200
Realistic Neutrino Opacities for Supernova Simulations With Correlations and Weak Magnetism
Advances in neutrino transport allow realistic neutrino interactions to be
incorporated into supernova simulations. We add tensor couplings to
relativistic RPA calculations of neutrino opacities. Our results reproduce
free-space neutrino-nucleon cross sections at low density, including weak
magnetism and recoil corrections. In addition, our opacities are
thermodynamically consistent with relativistic mean field equations of state.
We find antineutrino mean free paths that are considerably larger then those
for neutrinos. This difference depends little on density. In a supernova, this
difference could lead to an average energy of that is larger than
that for by an amount that is comparable to the energy difference
between and Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, submitted to PRC, minor changes to figs. (9,10
Fusion of neutron rich oxygen isotopes in the crust of accreting neutron stars
Fusion reactions in the crust of an accreting neutron star are an important
source of heat, and the depth at which these reactions occur is important for
determining the temperature profile of the star. Fusion reactions depend
strongly on the nuclear charge . Nuclei with can fuse at low
densities in a liquid ocean. However, nuclei with Z=8 or 10 may not burn until
higher densities where the crust is solid and electron capture has made the
nuclei neutron rich. We calculate the factor for fusion reactions of
neutron rich nuclei including O + O and Ne + Ne. We
use a simple barrier penetration model. The factor could be further
enhanced by dynamical effects involving the neutron rich skin. This possible
enhancement in should be studied in the laboratory with neutron rich
radioactive beams. We model the structure of the crust with molecular dynamics
simulations. We find that the crust of accreting neutron stars may contain
micro-crystals or regions of phase separation. Nevertheless, the screening
factors that we determine for the enhancement of the rate of thermonuclear
reactions are insensitive to these features. Finally, we calculate the rate of
thermonuclear O + O fusion and find that O should burn at
densities near g/cm. The energy released from this and similar
reactions may be important for the temperature profile of the star.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figs, minor changes, to be published in Phys. Rev.
Greybody factor for the BTZ black hole and a 5D black hole
We study the 5D black holes in the type IIB superstring theory compactified
on . Far from horizon, we have flat space-time. Near horizon,
we have . We calculate the
greybody factor of a minimally coupled scalar by replacing the original
geometry() by . In the
low-energy scattering, it turns out that the result agrees with the greybody
factor of the 5D black hole (or D1 + D5 branes)in the dilute gas approximation.
This confirms that the -theory() contains the
essential information about the bulk 5D black holes.Comment: some discussions are added, 15 Pages, No figure, RevTe
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