P5A-Type ATPase Cta4p Is Essential for Ca2+ Transport in the Endoplasmic Reticulum of Schizosaccharomyces pombe

This study establishes the role of P5A-type Cta4 ATPase in Ca2+ sequestration in the endoplasmic reticulum by detecting an ATP-dependent, vanadate-sensitive and FCCP insensitive 45Ca2+-transport in fission yeast membranes isolated by cellular fractionation. Specifically, the Ca2+-ATPase transport activity was decreased in ER membranes isolated from cells lacking a cta4+ gene. Furthermore, a disruption of cta4+ resulted in 6-fold increase of intracellular Ca2+ levels, sensitivity towards accumulation of misfolded proteins in ER and ER stress, stimulation of the calcineurin phosphatase activity and vacuolar Ca2+ pumping. These data provide compelling biochemical evidence for a P5A-type Cta4 ATPase as an essential component of Ca2+ transport system and signaling network which regulate, in conjunction with calcineurin, the ER functionality in fission yeast

The NA49 large acceptance hadron detector

The NA49 detector is a wide acceptance spectrometer for the study of hadron production in p+p, p+A, and A+A collisions at the CERN SPS. The main components are 4 large volume TPCs for tracking and particle identification via $dE/dx$. TOF scintillator arrays complement particle identification. Calorimeters for transverse energy determination and triggering, a detector for centrality selection in p+A collisions, and beam definition detectors complete the set-up. A description of all detector components is given with emphasis on new technical realizations. Performance and operational experience are discussed in particular with respect to the high track density environment of central Pb+Pb collisions