Reuse of structural domain–domain interactions in protein networks

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Protein interactions are thought to be largely mediated by interactions between structural domains. Databases such as <it>i</it>Pfam relate interactions in protein structures to known domain families. Here, we investigate how the domain interactions from the <it>i</it>Pfam database are distributed in protein interactions taken from the HPRD, MPact, BioGRID, DIP and IntAct databases.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We find that known structural domain interactions can only explain a subset of 4–19% of the available protein interactions, nevertheless this fraction is still significantly bigger than expected by chance. There is a correlation between the frequency of a domain interaction and the connectivity of the proteins it occurs in. Furthermore, a large proportion of protein interactions can be attributed to a small number of domain interactions. We conclude that many, but not all, domain interactions constitute reusable modules of molecular recognition. A substantial proportion of domain interactions are conserved between <it>E. coli</it>, <it>S. cerevisiae </it>and <it>H. sapiens</it>. These domains are related to essential cellular functions, suggesting that many domain interactions were already present in the last universal common ancestor.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results support the concept of domain interactions as reusable, conserved building blocks of protein interactions, but also highlight the limitations currently imposed by the small number of available protein structures.</p

Writing Class In and Out: Constructions of Class in Elite Businesswomen's Autobiographies

The final version of this paper has been published in Sociology, November 2020 by SAGE Publications Ltd, All rights reserved. © The Authors, 2020. It is available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/socThis article explores how meanings of class are constructed in elite businesswomen’s autobiographies. It extends existing sociological studies of elites in two ways. First, by theorising the cultural mechanisms that contribute to the reproduction of business elites, and second, by examining the hitherto under-researched gendered aspects of the reproduction of business elites, and the legitimisation of wealth. We show how these autobiographical texts acknowledge class yet render it irrelevant through discursive repertoires of ordinariness, a universal gender struggle and the unimportance of wealth. We argue that in doing so the genre of elite businesswomen autobiographies contributes to the cultural erasure of class, perpetuating messages that contribute to the creation of a cultural milieu in which class and wealth inequalities remain unquestioned. In an economic context where social disparities continue to grow, the article importantly furthers our understanding of the cultural means by which a plutocratic elite holds on to power

Proxy evidence for state-dependence of climate sensitivity in the Eocene greenhouse

Despite recent advances, the link between the evolution of atmospheric CO2 and climate during the Eocene greenhouse remains uncertain. In particular, modelling studies suggest that in order to achieve the global warmth that characterised the early Eocene, warmer climates must be more sensitive to CO2 forcing than colder climates. Here, we test this assertion in the geological record by combining a new high-resolution boron isotope-based CO2 record with novel estimates of Global Mean Temperature. We find that Equilibrium Climate Sensitivity (ECS) was indeed higher during the warmest intervals of the Eocene, agreeing well with recent model simulations, and declined through the Eocene as global climate cooled. These observations indicate that the canonical IPCC range of ECS (1.5 to 4.5 °C per doubling) is unlikely to be appropriate for high-CO2 warm climates of the past, and the state dependency of ECS may play an increasingly important role in determining the state of future climate as the Earth continues to warm

Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (Gorlin syndrome)

Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS), also known as Gorlin syndrome, is a hereditary condition characterized by a wide range of developmental abnormalities and a predisposition to neoplasms

The effects of customer equity drivers on loyalty across services industries and firms

Customer equity drivers (CEDs)—value equity, brand equity, and relationship equity—positively affect loyalty intentions, but this effect varies across industries and firms. We empirically examine potential industry and firm characteristics that explain why the CEDs–loyalty link varies across services industries and firms in the Netherlands. The results show that (1) some previously assumed industry and firm characteristics have moderating effects while others do not and (2) firm-level advertising expenditures constitute the most crucial moderator because they influence all three loyalty strategies (significant for value equity and brand equity; marginally significant for relationship equity), while three industry contexts (i.e., innovative markets, visibility to others, and complexity of purchase decisions) each influence two of the three loyalty strategies. Our results clearly show that specific industry and firm characteristics affect the effectiveness of specific loyalty strategies

The enigma of the CLIC proteins: Ion channels, redox proteins, enzymes, scaffolding proteins?

Chloride intracellular channel proteins (CLICs) are distinct from most ion channels in that they have both soluble and integral membrane forms. CLICs are highly conserved in chordates, with six vertebrate paralogues. CLIC-like proteins are found in other metazoans. CLICs form channels in artificial bilayers in a process favoured by oxidising conditions and low pH. They are structurally plastic, with CLIC1 adopting two distinct soluble conformations. Phylogenetic and structural data indicate that CLICs are likely to have enzymatic function. The physiological role of CLICs appears to be maintenance of intracellular membranes, which is associated with tubulogenesis but may involve other substructures. © 2010 Federation of European Biochemical Societies