Gambling in the deep sea

The genetic wealth hidden in the deep seas is attracting commercial and academic interest, raising the question whether to regulate bioprospecting in international water

Structure of the CRISPR Interference complex CSM reveals key similarities with Cascade

The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) system is an adaptive immune system in prokaryotes. Interference complexes encoded by CRISPR-associated (cas) genes utilize small RNAs for homology-directed detection and subsequent degradation of invading genetic elements, and they have been classified into three main types (I–III). Type III complexes share the Cas10 subunit but are subclassifed as type IIIA (CSM) and type IIIB (CMR), depending on their specificity for DNA or RNA targets, respectively. The role of CSM in limiting the spread of conjugative plasmids in Staphylococcus epidermidis was first described in 2008. Here, we report a detailed investigation of the composition and structure of the CSM complex from the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus, using a combination of electron microscopy, mass spectrometry, and deep sequencing. This reveals a three-dimensional model for the CSM complex that includes a helical component strikingly reminiscent of the backbone structure of the type I (Cascade) family.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Electron microscopy studies of Type III CRISPR machines in Sulfolobus solfataricus

The CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) system is an adaptive immune system that targets viruses and other mobile genetic elements in bacteria and archaea. Cells store information of past infections in their genome in repeat–spacer arrays. After transcription, these arrays are processed into unit-length crRNA (CRISPR RNA) that is loaded into effector complexes encoded by Cas (CRISPR-associated) genes. CRISPR–Cas complexes target invading nucleic acid for degradation. CRISPR effector complexes have been classified into three main types (I–III). Type III effector complexes share the Cas10 subunit. In the present paper, we discuss the structures of the two Type III effector complexes from Sulfolobus solfataricus, SsoCSM (subtype III-A) and SsoCMR (subtype III-B), obtained by electron microscopy and single particle analysis. We also compare these structures with Cascade (CRISPR-associated complex for antiviral defence) and with the RecA nucleoprotein

Immediate Removal From Activity After Sport-Related Concussion Is Associated With Shorter Clinical Recovery and Less Severe Symptoms in Collegiate Student-Athletes

Timely removal from activity after concussion symptoms remains problematic despite heightened awareness. Previous studies indicated potential adverse effects of continuing to participate in physical activity immediately after sustaining a concussion. Hypothesis/Purpose: The purpose was to determine the effect of timing of removal from play after concussion on clinical outcomes. It was hypothesized that immediate removal from activity after sport-related concussion (SRC) would be associated with less time missed from sport, a shorter symptomatic period, and better outcomes on acute clinical measures. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Data were reported from the National Collegiate Athletic Association and Department of Defense Grand Alliance: Concussion Awareness, Research, and Education (CARE) Consortium. Participants with 506 diagnosed SRCs from 18 sports and 25 institutions and military service academies were analyzed and classified as either immediate removal from activity (I-RFA) or delayed removal from activity (D-RFA). Outcomes of interest included time missed from sport attributed to their SRC, symptom duration, and clinical assessment scores. There were 322 participants (63.6%) characterized as D-RFA. I-RFA status was associated with significantly less time missed from sport ( R change = .022-.024, P < .001 to P = .001) and shorter symptom duration ( R change = .044-.046, P < .001 [all imputations]) while controlling for other SRC recovery modifiers. These athletes missed approximately 3 fewer days from sport participation. I-RFA athletes had significantly less severe acute SRC symptoms and were at lower risk of recovery taking ≥14 days (relative risk = .614, P < .001, small-medium effect size) and ≥21 days (relative risk = .534, P = .010, small effect size). I-RFA is a protective factor associated with less severe acute symptoms and shorter recovery after SRC. Conveying this message to athletes, coaches, and others involved in the care of athletes may promote timely injury reporting

Mechanisms of Injury Leading to Concussions in Collegiate Soccer Players: A CARE Consortium Study

Few previous studies have investigated how different injury mechanisms leading to sport-related concussion (SRC) in soccer may affect outcomes. To describe injury mechanisms and evaluate injury mechanisms as predictors of symptom severity, return to play (RTP) initiation, and unrestricted RTP (URTP) in a cohort of collegiate soccer players. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. The Concussion Assessment, Research and Education (CARE) Consortium database was used. The mechanism of injury was categorized into head-to-ball, head-to-head, head-to-body, and head-to-ground/equipment. Baseline/acute injury characteristics-including Sports Concussion Assessment Tool-3 total symptom severity (TSS), loss of consciousness (LOC), and altered mental status (AMS); descriptive data; and recovery (RTP and URTP)-were compared. Multivariable regression and Weibull models were used to assess the predictive value of the mechanism of injury on TSS and RTP/URTP, respectively. Among 391 soccer SRCs, 32.7% were attributed to a head-to-ball mechanism, 27.9% to a head-to-body mechanism, 21.7% to a head-to-head mechanism, and 17.6% to a head-to-ground/equipment mechanism. Event type was significantly associated with injury mechanism [χ (3) = 63; < .001), such that more head-to-ball concussions occurred in practice sessions (n = 92 [51.1%] vs n = 36 [17.1%]) and more head-to-head (n = 65 [30.8%] vs n = 20 [11.1]) and head-to-body (n = 76 [36%] vs n = 33 [18.3%]) concussions occurred in competition. The primary position was significantly associated with injury mechanism [χ (3) = 24; < .004], with goalkeepers having no SRCs from the head-to-head mechanism (n = 0 [0%]) and forward players having the least head-to-body mechanism (n = 15 [19.2%]). LOC was also associated with injury mechanism ( = .034), with LOC being most prevalent in head-to-ground/equipment. Finally, AMS was most prevalent in head-to-ball (n = 54 [34.2%]) and head-to-body (n = 48 [30.4%]) mechanisms [χ (3) = 9; = .029]. In our multivariable models, the mechanism was not a predictor of TSS or RTP; however, it was associated with URTP ( = .044), with head-to-equipment/ground injuries resulting in the shortest mean number of days (14 ± 9.1 days) to URTP and the head-to-ball mechanism the longest (18.6 ± 21.6 days). The mechanism of injury differed by event type and primary position, and LOC and AMS were different across mechanisms. Even though the mechanism of injury was not a significant predictor of acute symptom burden or time until RTP initiation, those with head-to-equipment/ground injuries spent the shortest time until URTP, and those with head-to-ball injuries had the longest time until URTP

Identification and Characterization of Small RNAs in the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

The term RNA silencing (RNA interference, RNAi) describes a set of mechanisms that regulate gene expression in eukaryotes. Small interfering RNAs (siRNA) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are two major types of RNAi-associated small RNAs (smRNAs) found in most eukaryotic organisms. Despite the presence of a plethora of non-coding RNAs longer than 50-nucleotide (nt) in length in various species of Archaea, little is known about smRNAs in archaea that resemble the 20–24-nt long smRNAs found in eukaryotes, which have been implicated in the post-transcriptional control of gene expression. Here, we report the finding of a large number of smRNAs approximatelly 20-nt in length, including phased smRNAs and potential miRNAs, from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus p2 (Ssp2) based on deep sequencing. The expression of some of the miRNA candidates in Ssp2 was confirmed. Consistent with the Ssp2 hyperthermophilic properties, we found that higher temperatures more efficiently induced the production of the miRNA candidates in an in vitro system using the putative foldback precursor transcripts incubated with Ssp2 extract. Although we initially predicted putative target genes of some miRNA candidates, further analysis mapped the cleavage sites downstream of the miRNA candidate complementary regions, similar to those involved in plant miRNA-mediated TAS transcript cleavage. We also identified smRNAs from clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) loci, which play important roles in prokaryotic microbial defense systems. Archaea represent a unique life form next to Bacteria and Eukarya, and our results may provide a useful resource for further in-depth study on the regulation and evolution of smRNAs in this special organism

Estimated age of first exposure to American football and outcome from concussion

To examine the association between estimated age at first exposure (eAFE) to American football and clinical measures throughout recovery following concussion. Participants were recruited across 30 colleges and universities as part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)-Department of Defense Concussion Assessment, Research and Education Consortium. There were 294 NCAA American football players (age 19 ± 1 years) evaluated 24-48 hours following concussion with valid baseline data and 327 (age 19 ± 1 years) evaluated at the time they were asymptomatic with valid baseline data. Participants sustained a medically diagnosed concussion between baseline testing and postconcussion assessments. Outcome measures included the number of days until asymptomatic, Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) composite scores, Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) total score, and Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI-18) subscores. The eAFE was defined as participant's age at the time of assessment minus self-reported number of years playing football. In unadjusted regression models, younger eAFE was associated with lower (worse) ImPACT Visual Motor Speed ( = 0.031, = 0.012) at 24-48 hours following injury and lower (better) BSI-18 Somatization subscores ( = 0.014, = 0.038) when the athletes were asymptomatic. The effect sizes were very small. The eAFE was not associated with the number of days until asymptomatic, other ImPACT composite scores, BESS total score, or other BSI-18 subscores. Earlier eAFE to American football was not associated with longer symptom recovery, worse balance, worse cognitive performance, or greater psychological distress following concussion. In these NCAA football players, longer duration of exposure to football during childhood and adolescence appears to be unrelated to clinical recovery following concussion