70 research outputs found
Substrate-Assisted Catalysis Unifies Two Families of Chitinolytic Enzymes
Hen egg-white lysozyme has long been the paradigm for enzymatic glycosyl hydrolysis with retention of configuration, with a protonated carboxylic acid and a deprotonated carboxylate participating in general acid-base catalysis. In marked contrast, the retaining chitin degrading enzymes from glycosyl hydrolase families 18 and 20 all have a single glutamic acid as the catalytic acid but lack a nucleophile on the enzyme. Both families have a catalytic (ÎČα)8-barrel domain in common. X-ray structures of three different chitinolytic enzymes complexed with substrates or inhibitors identify a retaining mechanism involving a protein acid and the carbonyl oxygen atom of the substrateâs C2 N-acetyl group as the nucleophile. These studies unambiguously demonstrate the distortion of the sugar ring toward a sofa conformation, long postulated as being close to that of the transition state in glycosyl hydrolysis.
Implementation of an innovative teaching project in a Chemical Process Design course at the University of Cantabria, Spain
This paper shows the planning, the teaching activities and the evaluation of the learning and teaching process implemented in the Chemical Process Design course at the University of Cantabria, Spain. Educational methods to address the knowledge, skills and attitudes that students who complete the course are expected to acquire are proposed and discussed. Undergraduate and graduate engineers' perceptions of the methodology used are evaluated by means of a questionnaire. Results of the teaching activities and the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed case study are discussed in relation to the course characteristics. The findings of the empirical evaluation shows that the excessive time students had to dedicate to the case study project and dealing with limited information are the most negative aspects obtained, whereas an increase in the students' self-confidence and the practical application of the methodology are the most positive aspects. Finally, improvements are discussed in order to extend the application of the methodology to other courses offered as part of the chemical engineering degree.This work was partially supported with the financial help of the University of Cantabria, 1st and 2nd Teaching Innovation Programs 2011-2012, 2013-2014, Projects Innodesign 1 and 2
Distributional impact of taxes and social transfers in Russia over the downturn
Low oil prices and the recession in Russia which started in 2014 are increasing pressures for fiscal consolidation, after more than a decade of prosperity. This paper assesses the distributional impact of the main tax and social spending programs in Russia in 2014 by applying a state-of-the-art incidence analysis. Overall, the Russian welfare state achieves a moderate reduction in inequality through tax-benefit policies by international standards. Most redistribution occurs through pensions. Major limits on the redistributive effect of tax-benefit policy include the large share of tax revenues that come from (regressive) indirect taxes, the neutral impact of personal income taxes and the low share of spending that goes on social assistance targeted to low-income groups. Tax-benefit policy also has an important impact on the age distribution of income, as households of working-age people (with and without children) subsidize pensioner households
The Prometheus Taxonomic Model: a practical approach to representing multiple classification.
A model for representing taxonomic data in a flexible and dynamic system capable of handling and comparing multiple simultaneous classifications is presented. The Prometheus Taxonomic Model takes as its basis the idea that a taxon can be circumscribed by the specimens or taxa of a lower rank which are said to belong to it. In this model alternative taxon concepts are therefore represented in terms of differing circumscriptions. This provides a more objective way of expressing taxonomic concepts than purely descriptive circumscriptions have been published. Using specimens as the fundamental elements of taxon circumscription also allows for the automatic naming of taxa based upon the distribution and priority of types within each circumscription, and by application of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. This approach effectively separates the process of naming taxa (nomenclature) from that of classification, and therefore enables the system to store multiple classifications. The derivation of the model, how it compares with other models, and the implications for the construction of global data sets and taxonomic working practice are discussed
Genomic variation in tomato, from wild ancestors to contemporary breeding accessions
[EN] Background: Domestication modifies the genomic variation of species. Quantifying this variation provides insights
into the domestication process, facilitates the management of resources used by breeders and germplasm centers,
and enables the design of experiments to associate traits with genes. We described and analyzed the genetic
diversity of 1,008 tomato accessions including Solanum lycopersicum var. lycopersicum (SLL), S. lycopersicum var.
cerasiforme (SLC), and S. pimpinellifolium (SP) that were genotyped using 7,720 SNPs. Additionally, we explored the
allelic frequency of six loci affecting fruit weight and shape to infer patterns of selection.
Results: Our results revealed a pattern of variation that strongly supported a two-step domestication process, occasional
hybridization in the wild, and differentiation through human selection. These interpretations were consistent with the
observed allele frequencies for the six loci affecting fruit weight and shape. Fruit weight was strongly selected in SLC in
the Andean region of Ecuador and Northern Peru prior to the domestication of tomato in Mesoamerica. Alleles affecting
fruit shape were differentially selected among SLL genetic subgroups. Our results also clarified the biological status of SLC.
True SLC was phylogenetically positioned between SP and SLL and its fruit morphology was diverse. SLC and âcherry
tomatoâ are not synonymous terms. The morphologically-based term âcherry tomatoâ included some SLC, contemporary
varieties, as well as many admixtures between SP and SLL. Contemporary SLL showed a moderate increase in nucleotide
diversity, when compared with vintage groups.
Conclusions: This study presents a broad and detailed representation of the genomic variation in tomato. Tomato
domestication seems to have followed a two step-process; a first domestication in South America and a second step in
Mesoamerica. The distribution of fruit weight and shape alleles supports that domestication of SLC occurred in the
Andean region. Our results also clarify the biological status of SLC as true phylogenetic group within tomato. We detect
Ecuadorian and Peruvian accessions that may represent a pool of unexplored variation that could be of interest for crop
improvement.We are grateful to the gene banks for their collections that made this study possible. We thank Syngenta Seeds for providing genotyping data for 42 accessions. We would like to thank the Supercomputing and Bioinnovation Center (Universidad de Malaga, Spain) for providing computational resources to process the SNAPP phylogenetic tree. This research was supported in part by the USDA/NIFA funded SolCAP project under contract number to DF and USDA AFRI 2013-67013-21229 to EvdK and DF.Blanca Postigo, JM.; Montero Pau, J.; Sauvage, C.; Bauchet, G.; Illa, E.; DĂez NiclĂłs, MJTDJ.; Francis, D.... (2015). Genomic variation in tomato, from wild ancestors to contemporary breeding accessions. BMC Genomics. 16(257):1-19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-015-1444-1S11916257Tanksley SD, McCouch SR. Seed banks and molecular maps: unlocking genetic potential from the wild. Science (80-). 1997;277:1063â6.Doebley JF, Gaut BS, Smith BD. The molecular genetics of crop domestication. Cell. 2006;127:1309â21.Gepts P. A comparison between crop domestication, classical plant breeding, and genetic engineering. Crop Sci. 2002;42:1780.Weigel D, Nordborg M. Natural variation in Arabidopsis. How do we find the causal genes? Plant Physiol. 2005;138:567â8.Peralta IE, Spooner DM, Knapp S, Anderson C. Taxonomy of wild tomatoes and their relatives (Solanum sect. Lycopersicoides, sect. Juglandifolia, sect. Lycopersicon; Solanaceae). Syst Bot Monogr. 2008;84:1â186.Rick CM, Fobes JF. Allozyme variation in the cultivated tomato and closely related species. Bull Torrey Bot Club. 1975;102:376â84.Zuriaga E, Blanca J, Nuez F. Classification and phylogenetic relationships in Solanum section Lycopersicon based on AFLP and two nuclear gene sequences. Genet Resour Crop Evol. 2008;56:663â78.Zuriaga E, Blanca J, Cordero L, Sifres A, Blas-CerdĂĄn WG, Morales R, et al. Genetic and bioclimatic variation in Solanum pimpinellifolium. Genet Resour Crop Evol. 2008;56:39â51.Blanca J, Cañizares J, Cordero L, Pascual L, Diez MJ, Nuez F. Variation revealed by SNP genotyping and morphology provides insight into the origin of the tomato. PLoS One. 2012;7:e48198.Rick CM. Natural variability in wild species of Lycopersicon and its bearing on tomato breeding. Genet Agrar. 1976;30:249â59.Rick CM, Holle M. Andean Lycopersicon esculentum var. cerasiforme: genetic variation and its evolutionary significance. Econ Bot. 1990;44:69â78.Nakazato T, Franklin RA, Kirk BC, Housworth EA. Population structure, demographic history, and evolutionary patterns of a green-fruited tomato, Solanum peruvianum (Solanaceae), revealed by spatial genetics analyses. Am J Bot. 2012;99:1207â16.Rick CM, Butler L. Cytogenetics of the Tomato. Adv Genet. 1956;8:267â382. Advances in Genetics.Jenkins JA. The origin of the cultivated tomato. Econ Bot. 1948;2:379â92.Nesbitt TC, Tanksley SD. Comparative sequencing in the genus lycopersicon: implications for the evolution of fruit size in the domestication of cultivated tomatoes. Genetics. 2002;162:365â79.Ranc N, Muños S, Santoni S, Causse M. A clarified position for Solanum lycopersicum var cerasiforme in the evolutionary history of tomatoes (solanaceae). BMC Plant Biol. 2008;8:130.De Candolle A. Origin of cultivated plants. 2nd ed. London: Trench, Paul; 1886.Miller JC, Tanksley SD. RFLP analysis of phylogenetic relationships and genetic variation in the genus Lycopersicon. Theor Appl Genet. 1990;80:437â48.Williams CE, Clair DAS. Phenetic relationships and levels of variability detected by restriction fragment length polymorphism and random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis of cultivated and wild accessions of Lycopersicon esculentum. Genome. 1993;36:619â30.Park YH, West MAL, St Clair DA. Evaluation of AFLPs for germplasm fingerprinting and assessment of genetic diversity in cultivars of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L). Genome. 2004;47:510â8.Sim S-C, Robbins MD, Van Deynze A, Michel AP, Francis DM. Population structure and genetic differentiation associated with breeding history and selection in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Heredity (Edinb). 2011;106:927â35.Sim S-C, Robbins MD, Chilcott C, Zhu T, Francis DM. Oligonucleotide array discovery of polymorphisms in cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L) reveals patterns of SNP variation associated with breeding. BMC Genomics. 2009;10:466.Sim S-C, Durstewitz G, Plieske J, Wieseke R, Ganal MW, Van Deynze A, et al. Development of a large SNP genotyping array and generation of high-density genetic maps in tomato. PLoS One. 2012;7:e40563.Frary A, Nesbitt TC, Grandillo S, Knaap E, Cong B, Liu J, et al. fw2.2: a quantitative trait locus key to the evolution of tomato fruit size. Science. 2000;289:85â8.Liu J, Van Eck J, Cong B, Tanksley SD. A new class of regulatory genes underlying the cause of pear-shaped tomato fruit. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002;99:13302â6.Xiao H, Jiang N, Schaffner E, Stockinger EJ, van der Knaap E. A retrotransposon-mediated gene duplication underlies morphological variation of tomato fruit. Science. 2008;319:1527â30.Cong B, Barrero LS, Tanksley SD. Regulatory change in YABBY-like transcription factor led to evolution of extreme fruit size during tomato domestication. Nat Genet. 2008;40:800â4.Muños S, Ranc N, Botton E, BĂ©rard A, Rolland S, DuffĂ© P, et al. Increase in tomato locule number is controlled by two single-nucleotide polymorphisms located near WUSCHEL. Plant Physiol. 2011;156:2244â54.Chakrabarti M, Zhang N, Sauvage C, Muños S, Blanca J, Cañizares J, et al. A cytochrome P450 regulates a domestication trait in cultivated tomato. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013;110:17125â30.RodrĂguez GR, Muños S, Anderson C, Sim S-C, Michel A, Causse M, et al. Distribution of SUN, OVATE, LC, and FAS in the tomato germplasm and the relationship to fruit shape diversity. Plant Physiol. 2011;156:275â85.Sim S-C, Van Deynze A, Stoffel K, Douches DS, Zarka D, Ganal MW, et al. High-density SNP genotyping of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L) reveals patterns of genetic variation due to breeding. PLoS One. 2012;7:e45520.Sauvage C, Segura V, Bauchet G, Stevens R, Thi Do P, Nikoloski Z, et al. Genome Wide Association in tomato reveals 44 candidate loci for fruit metabolic traits. Plant Physiol. 2014;165:1120â32.Hamilton JP, Sim S-C, Stoffel K, Van Deynze A, Buell CR, Francis DM. Single nucleotide polymorphism discovery in cultivated tomato via sequencing by synthesis. Plant Genome J. 2012;5:17.Patterson NJ, Price AL, Reich D. Population structure and eigenanalysis. PLoS Genet. 2006;2:e190.Price AL, Patterson NJ, Plenge RM, Weinblatt ME, Shadick NA, Reich D. Principal components analysis corrects for stratification in genome-wide association studies. Nat Genet. 2006;38:904â9.Kosman E, Leonard KJ. Similarity coefficients for molecular markers in studies of genetic relationships between individuals for haploid, diploid, and polyploid species. Mol Ecol. 2005;14:415â24.Adler D. vioplot: Violin plot. 2005.Jost L. Gst and its relatives do not measure differentiation. Mol Ecol. 2008;17:4015â26.Excoffier L, Lischer H. Arlequin suite ver 3.5: A new series of programs to perform population genetics analyses under Linux and Windows. Mol Ecol Resour. 2010;10:564â7.Huson DH, Bryant D. Application of phylogenetic networks in evolutionary studies. Mol Ecol Evol. 2006;23:254â67.Knight R, Maxwell P, Birmingham A, Carnes J, Caporaso JG, Easton BC, et al. PyCogent: a toolkit for making sense from sequence. Genome Biol. 2007;8:R171.Szpiech ZA, Jakobsson M, Rosenberg NA. ADZE: a rarefaction approach for counting alleles private to combinations of populations. Bioinformatics. 2008;24:2498â504.Bradbury PJ, Zhang Z, Kroon DE, Casstevens TM, Ramdoss Y, Buckler ES. TASSEL: software for association mapping of complex traits in diverse samples. Bioinformatics. 2007;23:2633â5.Cleveland WS. Robust locally weighted regression and smoothing scatterplots. J Am Stat Assoc. 1979;74:829.R Core Team. R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. 2013.Sinnot RS. Virtues of the haversine. Sky Telesc. 1984;68:159.Hijmans RJ, Etten JV. raster: Geographic data analysis and Modeling. 2013.Bryant D, Bouckaert R, Felsenstein J, Rosenberg NA, RoyChoudhury A. Inferring species trees directly from biallelic genetic markers: bypassing gene trees in a full coalescent analysis. Mol Biol Evol. 2012;29:1917â32.Drummond AJ, Rambaut A. BEAST: Bayesian evolutionary analysis by sampling trees. BMC Evol Biol. 2007;7:214.Rambaut A. Tracer v.1.5. 2009.Huang Z, van der Knaap E. Tomato fruit weight 11.3 maps close to fasciated on the bottom of chromosome 11. Theor Appl Genet. 2011;123:465â74.Guo M, Rupe MA, Dieter JA, Zou J, Spielbauer D, Duncan KE, et al. Cell Number Regulator1 affects plant and organ size in maize: implications for crop yield enhancement and heterosis. Plant Cell. 2010;22:1057â73.Sambrook J, Fritsch EF, Maniatis T. Molecular cloning. New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; 1989.Lin T, Zhu G, Zhang J, Xu X, Yu Q, Zheng Z, et al. Genomic analyses provide insights into the history of tomato breeding. Nat Genet. 2014;46:1220â6.Platt A, Horton M, Huang YS, Li Y, Anastasio AE, Mulyati NW, et al. The scale of population structure in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLoS Genet. 2010;6:e1000843.Pressoir G, Berthaud J. Patterns of population structure in maize landraces from the Central Valleys of Oaxaca in Mexico. Heredity (Edinb). 2004;92:88â94.Koenig D, JimĂ©nez-GĂłmez JM, Kimura S, Fulop D, Chitwood DH, Headland LR, et al. Comparative transcriptomics reveals patterns of selection in domesticated and wild tomato. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013;110:e2655â62.Nakazato T, Housworth EA. Spatial genetics of wild tomato species reveals roles of the Andean geography on demographic history. Am J Bot. 2011;98:88â98.United States. Office of Experimental Stations. Experimental Station Recod, Volumen 39. Volume 39. Washington, DC, USA: United States. Office of Experimental Stations; 1918.Merk HL, Yames SC, Van Deynze A, Tong N, Menda N, Mueller LA, et al. Trait diversity and potential for selection indeces based on variation among regionally adapted processing tomato germplasm. J Am Soc Hortic Sci. 2012;137:427â37
Occurrence and spread of multiresistant Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 in Danish animal herds investigated by the use of DNA typing and spatio-temporal analysis
In the investigation we report the occurrence and spread of multiresistant Salmonella Typhimurium phage type (DT) 104 in 174 known Danish animal herds infected between 1996 and 2003. We applied PFGE, plasmid analysis and spatio-temporal analysis for a description of the development and spread of infection among herds. The results showed that in Denmark DT104 are mainly spread by trade of animals; however, horizontal spread of DT104 is also important and the risk of an animal herd becoming infected increased with the proximity in time and space to a DT104-infected herd. Based on these results, it is recommended that specific actions are taken to limit the risk of horizontal spread of DT104 from newly infected herds
- âŠ