1,148 research outputs found
A dedicated haem lyase is required for the maturation of a novel bacterial cytochrome c with unconventional covalent haem binding
In bacterial c-type cytochromes, the haem cofactor is covalently attached via two cysteine residues organized in a haem c-binding motif. Here, a novel octa-haem c protein, MccA, is described that contains only seven conventional haem c-binding motifs (CXXCH), in addition to several single cysteine residues and a conserved CH signature. Mass spectrometric analysis of purified MccA from Wolinella succinogenes suggests that two of the single cysteine residues are actually part of an unprecedented CX15CH sequence involved in haem c binding. Spectroscopic characterization of MccA identified an unusual high-potential haem c with a red-shifted absorption maximum, not unlike that of certain eukaryotic cytochromes c that exceptionally bind haem via only one thioether bridge. A haem lyase gene was found to be specifically required for the maturation of MccA in W. succinogenes. Equivalent haem lyase-encoding genes belonging to either the bacterial cytochrome c biogenesis system I or II are present in the vicinity of every known mccA gene suggesting a dedicated cytochrome c maturation pathway. The results necessitate reconsideration of computer-based prediction of putative haem c-binding motifs in bacterial proteomes
Micro mechanics of critical states for isotropically overconsolidated sand
The discrete element method has been used to investigate the micro mechanics of shearing to a critical state on the loose and dense sides of critical. Isotropic compression has previously been modelled in 3D using a large number of particles and without the use of agglomerates. The same procedure is used here. Particle fracture is governed by the octahedral shear stress within the particle due to the multiple contacts and a Weibull distribution of strengths. Isotropic compression of a silica sand has been simulated to 20 MPa and followed by unloading to a range of stresses before shearing to a critical state, using micro parameters which relate to the silica sand particle strengths. The samples at the lowest stress levels exhibit peak strength and dilation. The sample at the highest stress exhibits contraction and ductile yielding to a critical state. A critical state line is established, which appears to become parallel to the isotropic line in log e-log p space at high stress levels. This paper shows that it is the evolving fractal particle size distribution during isotropic normal compression which governs the behaviour on unloading to different overconsolidation ratios. The micro mechanics of the critical state line are shown to be in the evolving particle size distribution during normal compression, and how such an aggregate behaves when it is unloaded
Study of variable stars in the MOA data base: long-period red variables in the Large Magellanic Cloud
One hundred and forty six long-period red variable stars in the Large
Magellanic Cloud (LMC) from the three year MOA project database were analysed.
A careful periodic analysis was performed on these stars and a catalogue of
their magnitudes, colours, periods and amplitudes is presented. We convert our
blue and red magnitudes to band values using 19 oxygen-rich stars. A group
of red short-period stars separated from the Mira sequence has been found on a
(log P, K) diagram. They are located at the short period side of the Mira
sequence consistent with the work of Wood and Sebo (1996). There are two
interpretations for such stars; a difference in pulsation mode or a difference
in chemical composition. We investigated the properties of these stars together
with their colour, amplitude and periodicity. We conclude that they have small
amplitudes and less regular variability. They are likely to be higher mode
pulsators. A large scatter has been also found on the long period side of the
(log P, K) diagram. This is possibly a systematic spread given that the blue
band of our photometric system covers both standard B and V bands and affects
carbon-rich stars.Comment: 19 pages, 19 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Recommended from our members
Flood risk and climate change: global and regional perspectives
A holistic perspective on changing rainfall-driven flood risk is provided for the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Economic losses from floods have greatly increased, principally driven by the expanding exposure of assets at risk. It has not been possible to attribute rain-generated peak streamflow trends to anthropogenic climate change over the past several decades. Projected increases in the frequency and intensity of heavy rainfall, based on climate models, should contribute to increases in precipitation-generated local flooding (e.g. flash flooding and urban flooding). This article assesses the literature included in the IPCC SREX report and new literature published since, and includes an assessment of changes in flood risk in seven of the regions considered in the recent IPCC SREX report-Africa, Asia, Central and South America, Europe, North America, Oceania and Polar regions. Also considering newer publications, this article is consistent with the recent IPCC SREX assessment finding that the impacts of climate change on flood characteristics are highly sensitive to the detailed nature of those changes and that presently we have only low confidence1 in numerical projections of changes in flood magnitude or frequency resulting from climate change
Particle interactions with single or multiple 3D solar reconnecting current sheets
The acceleration of charged particles (electrons and protons) in flaring
solar active regions is analyzed by numerical experiments. The acceleration is
modelled as a stochastic process taking place by the interaction of the
particles with local magnetic reconnection sites via multiple steps. Two types
of local reconnecting topologies are studied: the Harris-type and the X-point.
A formula for the maximum kinetic energy gain in a Harris-type current sheet,
found in a previous work of ours, fits well the numerical data for a single
step of the process. A generalization is then given approximating the kinetic
energy gain through an X-point. In the case of the multiple step process, in
both topologies the particles' kinetic energy distribution is found to acquire
a practically invariant form after a small number of steps. This tendency is
interpreted theoretically. Other characteristics of the acceleration process
are given, such as the mean acceleration time and the pitch angle distributions
of the particles.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures, Solar Physics, in pres
Extragalactic neutrino background from very young pulsars surrounded by supernova envelopes
We estimate the extragalactic muon neutrino background which is produced by
hadrons injected by very young pulsars at an early phase after supernova
explosion. It is assumed that hadrons are accelerated in the pulsar wind zone
which is filled with thermal photons captured below the expanding supernova
envelope. In collisions with those thermal photons hadrons produce pions which
decay into muon neutrinos. At a later time, muon neutrinos are also produced by
the hadrons in collisions with matter of the expanding envelope. We show that
extragalactic neutrino background predicted by such a model should be
detectable by the planned 1 km neutrino detector if a significant part of
pulsars is born with periods shorter than ms. Since such population
of pulsars is postulated by the recent models of production of extremely high
energy cosmic rays, detection of neutrinos with predicted fluxes can be used as
their observational test.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, A&A style, accepted to A&A Let
Star Models with Dark Energy
We have constructed star models consisting of four parts: (i) a homogeneous
inner core with anisotropic pressure (ii) an infinitesimal thin shell
separating the core and the envelope; (iii) an envelope of inhomogeneous
density and isotropic pressure; (iv) an infinitesimal thin shell matching the
envelope boundary and the exterior Schwarzschild spacetime. We have analyzed
all the energy conditions for the core, envelope and the two thin shells. We
have found that, in order to have static solutions, at least one of the regions
must be constituted by dark energy. The results show that there is no physical
reason to have a superior limit for the mass of these objects but for the ratio
of mass and radius.Comment: 20 pages, 1 figure, references and some comments added, typos
corrected, in press GR
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