307 research outputs found

    Purification and fine structure of reduced coenzyme Q-cytochrome C reductase in the mitochondrial membrane

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    For the purpose of revealing the molecular organization of the mitochondrial membrane the authors attempted to clarify the fine structure of reduced coenzyme Q-cytochrome c reductase and also studied how the CoQH2-cyt. c reductase is arranged in the mitochondrial membrane by systematic analyses of fractions from the purification process of CoQH2-cyt. c reductase. 1. Purified CoQH2-cyt. c reductase contained high concentration of cyt. b (9.5 m&#956;moles per mg protein) and cyt. Cl (4.5 m&#956;moles per mg protein), and was almost free from cyt. c, a, flavoproteins, primary dehydrogenases and ATPase. The enzyme complex also showed a high specific activity (48 &#956;moles of cyt. c reduced per mg protein per min at 30°). 2. CoQH2-cyt. c reductase was composed of particles of about 120 &#197; in diameter with irregular form, some time exhibiting electron opaque cores. In the loose aggregates of the particles, the size of each particle was about 95 &#197; in diameter. 3. An intimate correlation was observed between the particles of CoQH2cyt. c reductase and those on the surface of the NADH-cyt. c reductase fraction. 4. Regular arrays of uniform particles (about 82 &#197; in diameter with a center to center distance of about 100 &#197;) were observed on the surface of the submitochondrial membrane (brown membrane) obtained from beef heart mitochondria by treatment with deoxycholate (0.1 mg / mg protein) and KCl (72 g/l). The correlation between these particles and CoQH2-cyt. c reductase was discussed.</p

    Ice core records of monoterpene- and isoprene-SOA tracers from Aurora Peak in Alaska since 1660s: Implication for climate change variability in the North Pacific Rim

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    Monoterpene and isoprene secondary organic aerosol (SOA) tracers are reported for the first time in an Alaskan ice core to better understand the biological source strength before and after the industrial revolution in the Northern Hemisphere. We found significantly high concentrations of monoterpene- and isoprene-SOA tracers (e.g., pinic, pinonic, and 2-methylglyceric acids, 2-methylthreitol and 2-methylerythritol) in the ice core, which show historical trends with good correlation to each other since 1660s. They show positive correlations with sugar compounds (e.g., mannitol, fructose, glucose, inositol and sucrose), and anti-correlations with alpha-dicarbonyls (glyoxal and methylglyoxal) and fatty acids (e.g., C-18:1) in the same ice core. These results suggest similar sources and transport pathways for monoterpene- and isoprene-SOA tracers. In addition, we found that concentrations of C-5-alkene triols (e.g., 3-methyl-2,3,4-trihydroxy-1-butene, cis-2-methyl 1,3,4-trihydroxy-1-butene and trans-2-methyl-1,3,4-trihydroxy-1-butene) in the ice core have increased after the Great Pacific Climate Shift (late 1970s). They show positive correlations with a-dicarbonyls and fatty acids (e.g., C-18:1) in the ice core, suggesting that enhanced oceanic emissions of biogenic organic compounds through the marine boundary layer are recorded in the ice core from Alaska. Photochemical oxidation process for these monoterpene- and isoprene-/sesquiterpene-SOA tracers are suggested to be linked with the periodicity of multi-decadal climate oscillations and retreat of sea ice in the Northern Hemisphere. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

    Glacial fjord environment and ecosystem reconstructed from sediments deposited in Bowdoin Fjord, northwestern Greenland.

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    The Tenth Symposium on Polar Science/Ordinary sessions: [OG] Polar Geosciences, Wed. 4 Dec. / 3F Seminar room, National Institute of Polar Researc

    Paleoceanographic changes in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific over the last 10 Myr

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    To examine the Late Neogene evolution of tropical Pacific oceanography, we determined multiple geochemical proxy records for temperature (U-37(K)' and TEX86H indices) and primary productivity (algal biomarkers and diol indices) in sediments recovered at ODP Site 1241 in the East Equatorial Pacific (EEP) spanning a record of the last 10 Myr. The TEX86H temperatures are lower than those recorded by U-37(K)' indices, exhibiting large fluctuations and suggesting strong warming during the Mid Pliocene Warm Period (MPWP; 4.5-3.2 Ma) and significantly colder temperature during the Late Miocene cooling period (7-5 Ma) and after the Middle Pliocene Warm Period (MPWP). Such variations could reflect changes in the EEP thermocline temperatures, but we suggest that they instead reflect changes in the depth of export production of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether lipids in response to changes in the upper ocean structure. A combination of temperature records, inferred to represent different and likely varying depths in the water column, as well as algal biomarker records for export production and ecosystem structure, suggest that both productivity and inference upwelling were reduced in the EEP during warmer periods, such as the MPWP and prior to 7 Ma. In contrast, stronger upwelling conditions and associated increased productivity likely prevailed from 7 to 5 Ma and for the past 3 Myr, both corresponding to globally cool intervals. A further increase in EEP productivity occurred at ca 1.8 Ma, coincident with the development of the E-W Pacific SST gradient. These results confirm previous work that protracted El Nino-like conditions prevailed during warmer intervals of the Pliocene before ultimately descending into the current climate state

    Historical trends of biogenic SOA tracers in an ice core from Kamchatka Peninsula

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    Biogenic secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is ubiquitous in the Earth’s atmosphere, influencing climate and air quality. However, the historical trend of biogenic SOA is not well known. Here, we report for the first time the major isoprene- and monoterpene-derived SOA tracers preserved in an ice core from the Kamchatka Peninsula. Significant variations are recorded during the past 300 years with lower concentrations in the early-to-middle 19th century and higher concentrations in the preindustrial period and the present day. We discovered that isoprene SOA tracers were more abundant in the preindustrial period than the present day, while monoterpene SOA tracers stay almost unchanged. The causes of the observed variability are complex, depending on atmospheric circulation, changes in emissions, and other factors such as tropospheric oxidative capacity. Our data presents an unprecedented opportunity to shed light on the formation, evolution, and fate of atmospheric aerosols and to constrain the uncertainties associated with modeling their atmospheric concentrations

    PRDM14 Drives OCT3/4 Recruitment via Active Demethylation in the Transition from Primed to Naive Pluripotency

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    Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are specified from epiblast cells in mice. Genes associated with naive pluripotency are repressed in the transition from inner cell mass to epiblast cells, followed by upregulation after PGC specification. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the reactivation of pluripotency genes are poorly characterized. Here, we exploited the in vitro differentiation of epiblast-like cells (EpiLCs) from embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to elucidate the molecular and epigenetic functions of PR domain-containing 14 (PRDM14). We found that Prdm14 overexpression in EpiLCs induced their conversion to ESC-like cells even in the absence of leukemia inhibitory factor in adherent culture. This was impaired by the loss of Kruppel-like factor 2 and ten-eleven translocation (TET) proteins. Furthermore, PRDM14 recruited OCT3/4 to the enhancer regions of naive pluripotency genes via TET-base excision repair-mediated demethylation. Our results provide evidence that PRDM14 establishes a transcriptional network for naive pluripotency via active DNA demethylation

    Genomic identification of the long-chain alkenone producer in freshwater Lake Toyoni, Japan: implications for temperature reconstructions

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    Identifying the lacustrine haptophyte species that produce long-chain alkenones (LCAs) is essential prior to down-core temperature reconstructions. Here, we investigated the identity of LCA-producing species from Lake Toyoni, Japan using 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and organic geochemical analyses. The rDNA analyses identified eighteen operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of which only one fell within the haptophyte phylotype. This haptophyte belongs to the Group I phylotype, as supported by the LCA distribution found in surface and down-core sediments, and is closely related to a haptophyte found in Lake BrayaSø (Greenland). The inferred temperature using the Greenland calibration is very close to the Lake Toyoni surface temperature recorded during the spring/early summer season, when the LCA-producing haptophyte is likely to bloom. We therefore suggest that the temperature calibration from the Lake BrayaSø, Greenland is a suitable calibration for down-core temperature reconstructions at Lake Toyoni
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