Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Hydrogenative Kinetic Resolution of Vinyl Sulfoxides

Enantiopure sulfoxides are valuable precursors of organosulfur compounds with a broad application in organic and pharmaceutical chemistry. An unprecedented strategy for obtaining highly enantioenriched sulfoxides based on a hydrogenative kinetic resolution using Rh-complexes of phosphine-phosphites ligands as catalysts is reported. After optimization, highly efficient conditions for the kinetic resolution of racemic sulfoxides have been identified. This methodology has been applied to a set of racemic aralkyl or aryl vinyl sulfoxides and allowed the isolation of both recovered and reduced product in excellent yields and enantioselectivities (up to 99% and 97% ee, respectively; 16 examples). &nbsp;</p

Stereoselective Rh-Catalyzed Hydrogenative Desymmetrization of Achiral Substituted 1,4-Dienes

Highly efficient catalytic stereoselective hydrogenative desymmetrization reactions mediated by rhodium complexes derived from enantiopure phosphine–phosphite (P–OP) ligands are described. The highest performing ligand, which contains a TADDOL-derived phosphite fragment [TADDOL = (2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane-4,5-diyl)­bis­(diphenylmethanol)], presented excellent catalytic properties for the desymmetrization of a set of achiral 1,4-dienes, providing access to the selective formation of a variety of enantioenriched secondary and tertiary alcohols (six examples, up to 92% ee)

1,1-P–OP Ligands with P‑Stereogenic Phosphino Groups in Asymmetric Hydrogenations and Hydroformylations

A new series of narrow-bite-angle phosphine–phosphite (1,1-P–OP) ligands (<b>3a</b>–<b>d</b>) has been efficiently prepared from the enantiopure (<i>S</i>_P)-<i>tert</i>-butyl­(hydroxymethyl)­methylphosphino borane complex <b>1</b>, a crucial intermediate. The catalytic performance of the ligands in Rh-mediated asymmetric hydrogenations and hydroformylations is described. The corresponding rhodium complexes provided excellent efficiencies (full conversion in all cases) and high enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee) for the asymmetric hydrogenation of structurally diverse functionalized alkenes. Furthermore, rhodium catalysts derived from these 1,1-P–OP ligands were highly active and gave excellent regioselectivities (branched/linear product ratios of up to 97/3) and moderate enantioselectivities in the hydroformylation of different terminal olefins

Late Pleistocene leopards as a bone accumulator: taphonomic results from S’Espasa cave and other Iberian key sites

The Pleistocene faunal accumulations documented in caves have commonly been attributed to the activity of humans or carnivores. According to the palaeontological and archaeological literature, cave hyena (Crocuta spelaea) was the main known bone accumulator in karstic environments. However, in recent times, the role of leopards as bone accumulators has been revealed, and recent research has identified this behaviour in the Iberian Pleistocene. Moreover, there are other caves where leopard could have been claimed as an accumulator such as S’Espasa. In this work we present its taphonomic study. This cave was compared with the actualistic studies of leopards. Besides, the site of S’Espasa was compared with the other leopard dens in the Iberian Peninsula. These sites present faunal assemblages composed mainly by leopard (Panthera pardus) and Iberian wild goat (Capra pyrenaica), the bones of this ungulate present a similar pattern of bone modification by carnivores, skeletal survival rate, and bone breakage. These features indicate that goats could have been accumulated by leopards. With the data from this work and the previous ones, we try to establish a pattern that will help in the future to identify other accumulations created by this big cat.Fil: Sauqué Latas, Víctor. Universidad de Zaragoza; España. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades. Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Sanchis, Alfred. Museu de Prehistòria de València; EspañaFil: Madurell Malapeira, Joan. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; Españ