Zinc-binding properties of Junín virus nucleocapsid protein

The arenavirus nucleocapsid protein (N) is a highly basic 63 kDa protein with a dual function during the virus life-cycle. First, it is involved in essential steps of genome replication, promoting the synthesis of the full-length antigenomic copy of S RNA, and second it associates with the genomic RNA to form the nucleocapsid. We have expressed the N protein of Junín virus in E. coli and shown that it binds zinc in vitro. This property is in agreement with the presence in the carboxy-terminal region of the N protein of the CX2HX23CX4C sequence, which resembles a classical zinc-finger motif. The specificity for zinc binding was demonstrated by competition with other divalent metal ions. The ability of the predicted motif to bind zinc was established by analysis of a series of N mutants, including truncated variants and amino acid substitutions. In addition, alternative zinc-binding sites were found.Instituto de Biotecnologia y Biologia Molecula

On the Bank Stocks Return and Volatility: Tale of a South Asian Economy

This paper examines Pakistani Banks stock return and volatility relationship with market, interest rate and foreign exchange rate. The study extensively applies different statistical approaches to model return and volatility relation. First, Ordinary Least Square (OLS) multiple regression model is applied for estimation of return relation. Further, Generalize Method of Movement (GMM) is applied to cater the endogeniety issue. Secondly, Due to presence of Conditional Heteroskedasticity, Weighted Least Square (WLS) and Generalize Auto Regression Conditional Heteroskedasticity - GARCH (1,1) estimation model is applied to estimate conditional return and volatility. Interest rate and foreign exchange rate have significant impact on unconditional and conditional bank stock returns under different model specifications. Market return is a determining factor in bank stock pricing. The results infer that bank volatility is significantly related with interest rate and foreign exchange rate risk. The volatility of bank stock returns is persistent with slower decay over time

Concomitant Antihyperalgesic and Antitumor Effects of Gabapentin in a Murine Cancer Pain Model

Cancer pain may be the consequence of physical nerve compression by a growing tumor. We employed a murine model to study whether gabapentin was able to regulate tumor growth, in addition to controlling hyperalgesic symptoms. A fluorescent melanoma cell line (B16–BL6/Zs green) was inoculated into the proximity of the sciatic nerve in male C57BL/6 mice. The tumor gradually compressed the nerve, causing hypersensitivity. Tumor growth was characterized via in vivo imaging techniques. Every other day, gabapentin (100 mg/Kg) or saline was IP administered to each animal. In the therapeutic protocol, gabapentin was administered once the tumor had induced increased nociception. In the preventive protocol, gabapentin was administered before the appearance of the positive signs. Additionally, in vitro experiments were performed to determine gabapentin’s effects on cell-line proliferation, the secretion of the chemokine CCL2, and calcium influx. In the therapeutically treated animals, baseline responses to noxious stimuli were recovered, and tumors were significantly reduced. Similarly, gabapentin reduced tumor growth during the preventive treatment, but a relapse was noticed when the administration stopped. Gabapentin also inhibited cell proliferation, the secretion of CCL2, and calcium influx. These results suggest that gabapentin might represent a multivalent strategy to control cancer-associated events in painful tumors