Molecular characterization of novel ADP-ribosyl cyclases from the sea urchin

Calcium signalling is ubiquitous and regulates diverse cellular processes. Cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) and nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP) are second messengers that are involved in calcium release from the intracellular organelles. These molecules are structurally and mechanistically distinct but synthesised by a common enzyme, ADP-ribosyl cyclase (ARC). The sea urchin has long been a model system for both calcium signalling and embryogenesis. In fact, cADPR and NAADP were both discovered in the sea urchin. However, molecular details of ARCs and their roles during development are limited. Recently three ARC isoforms: SpARC1, SpARC2 and SpARC3 were identified from the sea urchin. In this study, additional novel isoforms including SpARC4 were cloned from S.purpuratus, highlighting the further expansion of ARCs in basal deuterostomes. SpARC2, SpARC3 and SpARC4 were found to be glycoproteins tethered to the plasma membrane via a GPI-anchor. SpARC2 and SpARC4 were multi-functional and able to produce both cADPR and NAADP over a wide pH range. SpARC2 was a preferential base-exchanger and SpARC4 a preferential cyclase. A unique non-canonical active site tyrosine residue regulated the cyclisation: base-exchange activity ratio of SpARC4. Both SpARC2 and SpARC4 were poor hydrolases and unable to cyclise NGD, a NAD surrogate. A single non-conserved glycine residue in the “TLEDTL domain” of SpARC2 was responsible for its poor hydrolase activity. All SpARC isoforms were detectable in S.purpuratus egg and the majority of ARC activity was GPI-anchored. During the course of early development, SpARC isoforms were differentially expressed and the endogenous ARC activity also varied. Over-expression and knock-down of SpARC4 during embryo development interfered with gastrulation. These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of multifunctionality of this remarkable family of enzymes and suggest that the expression and activities of ARCs could be fine-tuned for production of specific calcium messengers during embryogenesis of S.purpuratus

Providing a Meaningful Opportunity for Release: A Proposal for Improving Washington\u27s Miller-Fix

Miller v. Alabama1 set forth new constitutional requirements that necessitated changes in Washington State’s sentencing law for children. In response, the Washington legislature passed RCW 9.94A.730: a parole statute that presumptively releases children who committed crimes after they have served twenty years. Unless the parole board finds they are more likely than not to commit a future crime if released, the Miller-fix statute requires that eligible petitioners are released. The parole board has wide discretion in determining whether someone is more likely than not to commit a future crime because the statute provides no guidance about how to make this prediction. It is nearly impossible to determine what someone will do in the future, and justifications for continuing to incarcerate an individual convicted of a crime as a child after they have served a twenty-year sentence are limited. Therefore, this Comment argues that the Washington legislature should instead require that sentences for children are twenty years or shorter

Isozyme Studies on some Selected Camellia Clones

Polyphenoloxidase and peroxidase enzymes were extracted and the isozyme banding pattern was studied in twelve south Indian tea clones of Camellia species conserved an ex situ gene bank. Banding pattern exhibited variations at inter specific and clonal level. A maximum of 6 isozymes were observed for polyphenol oxidase in UPASI 2 clone and a minimum of 3 in the clone BSS 1. Peroxidase isozyme exhibited two bands in all the clones with variation in its mobility (Rf). Isozyme profile of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidise in few clones have shown unique pattern not detected in others. The isozyme profile of PPO indicates that the clones of the respective Camellia species are more similar than those of the other species. In the present study, isozyme banding pattern was compared among the Camellia species to understand the existing inter and intra clonal relationship

A Pathwise Ergodic Theorem for Quantum Trajectories

If the time evolution of an open quantum system approaches equilibrium in the time mean, then on any single trajectory of any of its unravelings the time averaged state approaches the same equilibrium state with probability 1. In the case of multiple equilibrium states the quantum trajectory converges in the mean to a random choice from these states.Comment: 8 page

Effect of Ni-doping on magnetism and superconductivity in Eu0.5K0.5Fe2As2

The effect of Ni-doping on the magnetism and superconductivity in Eu0.5K0.5Fe2As2 has been studied through a systematic investigation of magnetic and superconducting properties of Eu0.5K0.5(Fe1-xNix)2As2 (x = 0, 0.03, 0.05, 0.08 and 0.12) compounds by means of dc and ac magnetic susceptibilities, electrical resistivity and specific heat measurements. Eu0.5K0.5Fe2As2 is known to exhibit superconductivity with superconducting transition temperature Tc as high as 33 K. The Ni-doping leads to a rapid decrease in Tc; Tc is reduced to 23 K with 3% Ni-doping, and 8% Ni-doping suppresses the superconductivity to below 1.8 K. In 3% Ni-doped sample Eu0.5K0.5(Fe0.97Ni0.03)2As2 superconductivity coexists with short range ordering of Eu2+ magnetic moments at Tm ~ 6 K. The suppression of superconductivity with Ni-doping is accompanied with the emergence of a long range antiferromagnetic ordering with TN = 8.5 K and 7 K for Eu0.5K0.5(Fe0.92Ni0.08)2As2 and Eu0.5K0.5(Fe0.88Ni0.12)2As2, respectively. The temperature and field dependent magnetic measurements for x = 0.08 and 0.12 samples reflect the possibility of a helical magnetic ordering of Eu2 moments. We suspect that the helimagnetism of Eu spins could be responsible for the destruction of superconductivity as has been observed in Co-doped EuFe2As2. The most striking feature seen in the resistivity data for x = 0.08 is the reappearance of the anomaly presumably due to spin density wave transition at around 60 K. This could be attributed to the compensation of holes (K-doping at Eu-site) by the electrons (Ni-doping at Fe site). The anomaly associated with spin density wave further shifts to 200 K for x = 0.12 for which the electron doping has almost compensated the holes in the system.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figure

Modeling and Analysis of Interactions in Virtual Enterprises

Advances in computer networking technology and open system standards are making the creation and management of virtual enterprises feasible. A virtual enterprise is a temporary consortium of autonomous, diverse, and possibly geographically dispersed organizations that pool their resources to meet short-term objectives and exploit fastchanging market trends. For a virtual enterprise to succeed, its business processes must be automated, and its startup costs must be minimized. In this paper we describe a formal framework for modeling and reasoning about interactions in a virtual enterprise. Such a framework will form the basis for tools that provide automated support for creation and operation of virtual enterprises. 1

A review on the genome-based approaches for the development of stress and climate resilient tea crops

Teais one of the most significant plantation crops to be emphasized towards research on development for climate-resilient variants that suits across different climate crisisimpacted countries including India. Recent tea genome research advancements eased our thoughts to begin, and apply that addresses biotic, abiotic stresses and productivity. Though the effect of climate change with unpredictable weather conditions on tea crop’s resistance is unclear, DNA based and genomics-assisted breeding techniques might play prominent role in facing future challenges of crop improving set-ups. Transgene based technological advancements and molecular breeding strategies have simplified the progress of elite tea genotypes with robust adaptation to climate change and the genomics-assisted breeding strategies in specific, found to play a substantial part in the advance of climate resilient tea crops. In this review, we briefed the signs of progress in tea genome-based research and their further perspectives needed to address the current challenges we face due to the climate crisis that resolve to breed for the water-stress-tolerant tea plant