In silico cloning and bioinformatic analysis of PEPCK gene in Fusarium oxysporum

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), a critical gluconeogenic enzyme, catalyzes the first committed step in the diversion of tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates toward gluconeogenesis. According to the relative conservation of homologous gene, a bioinformatics strategy was applied toclone Fusarium oxysporum phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase gene (PEPCK) by blasting search of EST database with homologous gene cDNA of Neurospora crassa and identified. Some characters of the PEPCK that were analyzed and predicted by the tools of bioinformatics in the following aspects include the composition of amino acid sequences, physical and chemical properties, O-glycosylation site, hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity, secondary and tertiary structure of the protein and function. These results showed that the full-length of PEPCK was 1771 bp and it contained a complete ORF (1575 bp), encoded 524 amino acids, which is much conserved in ascomycetes. The calculated molecular weight of PEPCK was 58358.2 Da, theoretical pI of 6.84. It has 20 -helices, 37 sheets, and 12glycosylation sites. It was a hydrophilic and stable protein with active site, ATP -binding site, metalbinding site and substrate-binding site

A Novel 5-Enolpyruvylshikimate-3-Phosphate Synthase Shows High Glyphosate Tolerance in Escherichia coli and Tobacco Plants

A key enzyme in the shikimate pathway, 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) is the primary target of the broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate. Identification of new aroA genes coding for EPSPS with a high level of glyphosate tolerance is essential for the development of glyphosate-tolerant crops. In the present study, the glyphosate tolerance of five bacterial aroA genes was evaluated in the E. coli aroA-defective strain ER2799 and in transgenic tobacco plants. All five aroA genes could complement the aroA-defective strain ER2799, and AM79 aroA showed the highest glyphosate tolerance. Although glyphosate treatment inhibited the growth of both WT and transgenic tobacco plants, transgenic plants expressing AM79 aroA tolerated higher concentration of glyphosate and had a higher fresh weight and survival rate than plants expressing other aroA genes. When treated with high concentration of glyphosate, lower shikimate content was detected in the leaves of transgenic plants expressing AM79 aroA than transgenic plants expressing other aroA genes. These results suggest that AM79 aroA could be a good candidate for the development of transgenic glyphosate-tolerant crops

Mechanisms and Kinetics for Sorption of CO2 on Bicontinuous Mesoporous Silica Modified with n-Propylamine

We studied equilibrium adsorption and uptake kinetics and identified molecular species that formed during sorption of carbon dioxide on amine-modified silica. Bicontinuous silicas (AMS-6 and MCM-48) were postsynthetically modified with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane or (3-aminopropyl)methyldiethoxysilane, and amine-modified AMS-6 adsorbed more CO(2) than did amine-modified MCM-48. By in situ FTIR spectroscopy, we showed that the amine groups reacted with CO(2) and formed ammonium carbamate ion pairs as well as carbamic acids under both dry and moist conditions. The carbamic acid was stabilized by hydrogen bonds, and ammonium carbamate ion pairs formed preferably on sorbents with high densities of amine groups. Under dry conditions, silylpropylcarbamate formed, slowly, by condensing carbamic acid and silanol groups. The ratio of ammonium carbamate ion pairs to silylpropylcarbamate was higher for samples with high amine contents than samples with low amine contents. Bicarbonates or carbonates did not form under dry or moist conditions. The uptake of CO(2) was enhanced in the presence of water, which was rationalized by the observed release of additional amine groups under these conditions and related formation of ammonium carbamate ion pairs. Distinct evidence for a fourth and irreversibly formed moiety was observed under sorption of CO(2) under dry conditions. Significant amounts of physisorbed, linear CO(2) were detected at relatively high partial pressures of CO(2), such that they could adsorb only after the reactive amine groups were consumed.authorCount :7</p

Low Vitamin B12 levels among newly-arrived refugees from Bhutan, Iran and Afghanistan: a multicentre Australian study

Extent: 6p.Background: Vitamin B12 deficiency is prevalent in many countries of origin of refugees. Using a threshold of 5% above which a prevalence of low Vitamin B12 is indicative of a population health problem, we hypothesised that Vitamin B12 deficiency exceeds this threshold among newly-arrived refugees resettling in Australia, and is higher among women due to their increased risk of food insecurity. This paper reports Vitamin B12 levels in a large cohort of newly arrived refugees in five Australian states and territories. Methods: In a cross-sectional descriptive study, we collected Vitamin B12, folate and haematological indices on all refugees (n = 916; response rate 94% of eligible population) who had been in Australia for less than one year, and attended one of the collaborating health services between July 2010 and July 2011. Results: 16.5% of participants had Vitamin B12 deficiency (<150 pmol/L). One-third of participants from Iran and Bhutan, and one-quarter of participants from Afghanistan had Vitamin B12 deficiency. Contrary to our hypothesis, low Vitamin B12 levels were more prevalent in males than females. A higher prevalence of low Vitamin B12 was also reported in older age groups in some countries. The sensitivity of macrocytosis in detecting Vitamin B12 deficiency was only 4.6%. Conclusion: Vitamin B12 deficiency is an important population health issue in newly-arrived refugees from many countries. All newly-arrived refugees should be tested for Vitamin B12 deficiency. Ongoing research should investigate causes, treatment, and ways to mitigate food insecurity, and the contribution of such measures to enhancing the health of the refugee communities.Jill Benson, Christine Phillips, Margaret Kay, Murray T. Webber, Alison J. Ratcliff, Ignacio Correa-Velez, Michelle F. Lorime