Cysteine-free peptides in scorpion venom: geographical distribution, structure-function relationship and mode of action

Scorpion venoms are well known sources of Na+-channel, K+-channel, Cl--channel, Ca2+-channel and ryanodine channel selective peptides. In 1993, the first cysteine-free peptide was isolated from scorpionvenom. Within the last six years, cysteine-free peptides with and without antimicrobial activity have been isolated from scorpion venom. The first antimicrobial peptides being parabutoporin and hadrurin, after which nine more have followed. Characteristics of these peptides include pore-formation and/or antimicrobial activity. Six peptides of similar structures without antimicrobial activity have also been isolated. Two of these peptides have bradykinin-potentiating functions. The functions of the other four are unknown. These peptides have the potential to combat cancer, a variety of skin or wound bacterial and fungal infections. This review will focus on the primary and secondary structures as well asreported functions and applications of the cysteine-free peptides identified in scorpion venom

Die grondwet as gedenkteken en die werkdadigheid van onopvallende, grondwetlike kragte

Memorialising a constitution: the power of unspectacular constitutional forces Annette Combrink’s appointment as rector of the (new) North- West University’s Potchefstroom Campus is telling of modest beginnings – for both the North-West University as a new institution and for the “principle of CHE” in terms of which the previous Potchefstroom University asserted the right to be a confessional university with a Christian-Reformational (or Calvinistic) profile. The point of this article is that modest beginnings need not be equated with weakness, inconsequeuntialness or failure: strength is often to be found not (only) in the spectacular, the ostentatious and the triumphant, but (also) in the unspectacular, the unassuming and the restrained. This point is illustrated by the various modes of functioning of South Africa’s constitution in protecting fundamental rights. Such (contrasting) modes of functioning are investigated and assessed in this article

Editorial

Let’s work together to make breastfeeding work

Infant and young child feeding in South Africa: stop the crying, beloved country

Nutrition during the first 1 000 days of life, i.e. from pregnancy to a child’s second birthday, has been shown to present a golden opportunity for nutrition interventions.1-3 Therefore, it is critical to improve feeding and care practices during this period to enhance children’s growth, nutritional status, health and development

Learned staatsrecht from the heartland of the Rechtsstaat

No Abstract

Calvinisme en Marxisme*

Die tradisionele Calvinistiese standpunt was sterk afwy- send teenoor die Sosialisme, omrede van die eensydige ekono- miese (arbeids-) teorie en ateïstiese standpunt. Kuyper was egter meer simpatiek teenoor die sosiale beweging, en hy het, veral onder invloed van Bismarck, selfs leidend opgetree ten opsigte van sosiale versekering en verteenwoordiging van eko- nomiese groepe

Ons Suid-Afrikaanse regsteoretiese grondbegrippe gekonfronteer met die van Prof. Dooyeweerd

Tevore (Des. 1956) is reeds hier aangetoon dat ons Afrikaanse regsgeleerdesoor die geheel, in hul geregverdigde reaksie teen die voorheenheersende Angliserende rigting op hierdie gebied, hul beperk het tot ’n terugkeerna die Romeins-Hollandse beskouinge en tot ’n afwending na vastelands-Europese outoriteite

Universiteit Kaapstad en die Calvinistiese staatsteorie: 'n Aankondigin en woord van waardering

Met besondere waardering het ons so pas kennisgemaak met die voorneme van die Departement Wysbegeerte van Universiteit Kaapstad, onder die leiding van prof. dr. A. H. Murray, om o.a. ’n reeks Calvinistiesegeskrifte uit die 16de en 17de eeue oor die Staatsteorie aan die Suid-Afrikaanse publiek voor te stel, in die vorm van saaklike en duidelike kommentare, met toepassing op die deurwerking daarvan in die Suid-Afrikaanse geskiedenis

Die Loop van die Dinge

Seker ’n vyftien jaar gelede het ek ’n rubriek in Koers onder bostaande hoof afgesluit met die versugting: „Laat die dooies hulle eie dooies begrawe!” Dit was toe die Nasionale Party sy onvrugbare stryd teen die Ossewabrandwag ten top gevoer het. Sedertdien is daardie stryd op ’n manier bygelê met hoogs heilsame gevolge

Die nuwe Franse grondwet

Hieroor is reeds heelwat gepubliseer en hierdie artikel wil kortliks die beskikbare gegewens saamvat veral na aanleiding van een van die jongstepublikasies, nl. ’n artikel van Stanley H. Hoffmann van Harvard in The American Political Science Quarterly van Junie, 1959. Die eksperiment van genl. De Gaulle is ook van belang met die oog op die konstitusionele vorm van ons komende republiek en die ontwikkeling van ons sogenaamde Bantoestans