Commentaires sur "Estimating the impact of early diagenesis on isotope records in shallow-marine carbonates: A case study from the Urgonian platform in western Swiss Jura" par A. Godet et al. [Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology 454 (2016) 125-138]

A recent paper by Godet et al. on Urgonian carbonates from the Swiss Jura concluded that diagenesis may hinder chemostratigraphic correlations of deep- to shallow-water facies. Although we agree with this conclusion we question their arguments and interpretations. These authors correctly identified diagenesis as the key factor, but we question the timing of events in their paragenetic sequence. In particular, they reported the leaching of originally calcitic oolitic cortices but failed to discuss this puzzling feature properly. In addition, the backbone of their argument is the stratigraphic correlation of a specific sequence from three dominantly shallow-water sections together with a basinal reference section. However, a reliable alternative biostratigraphic framework shows that this attempt of long-distance correlation might be erroneous.Une publication récente de Godet et al. sur les carbonates urgoniens du Jura suisse concluait que la diagenèse pouvait compromettre les corrélations chimiostratigraphiques des faciès distaux vers les proximaux. Bien que nous soyons d'accord avec cette conclusion, nous nous interrogeons sur les arguments des auteurs et leurs interprétations. Ils ont bien identifié la diagénèse comme étant le facteur déterminant, mais nous mettons en doute la chronologie des événements de leur séquence paragénétique. Ils ont notamment signalé la dissolution de cortex d'ooïdes originellement calcitiques mais n'ont pas abordé sous un bon angle cet élément étonnant. De plus, leur argumentaire s'appuie sur la corrélation stratigraphique d'une séquence spécifique identifiée dans trois coupes aux faciès essentiellement peu profonds avec une coupe de bassin utilisée comme référence. Toutefois, un autre cadre biostratigraphique plus robuste que celui utilisé par Godet et al. suggère que leur tentative de corrélations sur de longues distances est erronée

Carbide phases synthesised from C/Mo powder compacts at specified sub-stoichiometric ratios by solar radiation heating to temperatures between 1600 C and 2500 C

There are a number of distinguishable carbide phases in the binary Mo-C system depending on C/Mo ratio as well as on temperature. In a preceding work published in this journal, carbide formation performance for graphite/molybdenum powder mixtures at specified levels of substoichiometric C/Mo atom ratio (C/Mo = 1/1, 3/4, 2/3 and 1/2) by exposure to concentrated solar radiation in a solar furnace at PROMESCNRS in Odeillo (France) was reported at a target temperature 1900 C. In the present work, the similar carbide synthesis experiments were carried out at 1600 C as well as at temperature exceeding 2500 C. The target temperature setting was adjusted by controlling the downward deviation of the test piece top surface position from the exact focal spot of the parabolic mirror concentrator located above. In this solar furnace at PROMES-CNRS, temperature of the test piece was raised from ambient temperature to the target temperature within fractions of a second. Reaction products detected were hexagonal -MoC1 x and -Mo2C (high temperature sub-carbide phase) depending on the C/Mo ratio in the starting material as well as on the processing temperature. No evidence of formation of cubic -MoC1 x was detected by X-ray diffraction analysis for any test piece examined

Barremian ammonite fauna from L'Estellon section (Baronnies, SE France): preli-minary biostratigraphic results

The study of the ammonite fauna in the L'Estellon section (Drôme department, SE France) allows us to date episodes with gravitational deposition in this area of the "Vo-contian Trough". They span most of the Barremian Stage, from the Nicklesi Zone up to the Giraudi Zone. We did not identify any Bedoulian redeposits, the "Bedoulian ridge" auct. being latest Barremian in age.L'étude de l'ammonitofaune de la coupe de L'Estellon (département de la Drôme, France) permet de dater les épisodes de la sédimentation gravitaire dans ce secteur de la "Fosse vocontienne". Ils couvrent pratiquement l'ensemble du Barrémien, depuis la Zone à Nicklesi jusqu'à celle à Giraudi. Nous n'y avons pas caractérisé de resédimentation bédoulienne, la "barre bédoulienne" auct. Cor-respondant au Barrémien terminal

Systematic mapping of regions of human cardiac troponin I involved in binding to cardiac troponin C: N- and C-terminal low affinity contributing regions

AbstractThe Spot method of multiple peptide synthesis was used to map in a systematic manner regions of the human cardiac troponin I sequence (hcTnI) involved in interactions with its physiological partner, troponin C (cTnC). Ninety-six 20-mer peptides describing the entire hcTnI sequence were chemically assembled; their reactivity with [125I]cTnC, in the presence of 3 mM Ca2+, enabled the assignment of six sites of interaction (residues 19–32, 45–54, 129–138, 145–164, 161–178 and 191–210). For several sites, a good correlation with literature data was obtained, thus validating this methodological approach. Synthetic peptides, each containing in their sequence an interaction site, were prepared. As assessed by BIACORE, all of them exhibited an affinity for cTnC in the range of 10−6–10−7 M, except for hcTnI [39–58] which showed a nanomolar affinity. This peptide was also able to block the interaction between hcTnI and cTnC. We therefore postulate that despite the existence of multiple cTnC interaction sites on the hcTnI molecule, only that region of hcTnI allows a stabilization of the complex. Residues 19–32 from the N-terminal cardio-specific extension of hcTnI were also found to be involved in interaction with cTnC; residues 19–32 may correspond to the minimal sequence of the extension which could switch between the N- and C-terminal TnC domains, depending on its phosphorylation state. Finally, two Ca2+-dependent cTnC binding domains within the C-terminal part of hcTnI (residues 164–178 and 191–210) were also mapped. The latter site may be linked with the cardiac dysfunction observed in stunned myocardium

Nano-meter size WC whiskers grown over a compacted pellet of praphite: tungsten powder mixture heated with an ultra-fast heating rate by a concentrated solar beam

In equilibrium binary W-C system, mono-carbide WC is acknowledged as the stable phase under presence of excess free carbon up to temperature 2700 C whereas sub-carbideW2C would form between 1250 C and 2700 C under the carbon-deficiency condition. In unique setup of solar furnace at PROMES-CNRS in Odeillo (France), temperature of specimen is raised from the ambient temperature to target temperature up to 2000 C within fractions of a second. In the recent experimental attempts of W2C phase synthesis using this unique experimental facility starting from compacted pellet consisted of graphite and tungsten powders at ratios smaller than 0.50, we detected growth of nano-meter size WC whisker at the top surface directly exposed to the concentrated solar beam. The presence of WC was confirmed also by X-ray diffraction (XRD) of the top surface but, when the specimen as a whole was subjected to powder XRD analysis, WC became indiscernible being masked by principal W2C phase. Mechanism of formation of the detected WC nano-whisker over sub-stoichiometric C/W pellet during ultra-fast heating by concentrated solar beam is discussed

A single amino acid change within the R2 domain of the VvMYB5b transcription factor modulates affinity for protein partners and target promoters selectivity

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Flavonoid pathway is spatially and temporally controlled during plant development and the transcriptional regulation of the structural genes is mostly orchestrated by a ternary protein complex that involves three classes of transcription factors (R2-R3-MYB, bHLH and WDR). In grapevine (<it>Vitis vinifera </it>L.), several MYB transcription factors have been identified but the interactions with their putative bHLH partners to regulate specific branches of the flavonoid pathway are still poorly understood.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this work, we describe the effects of a single amino acid substitution (R69L) located in the R2 domain of VvMYB5b and predicted to affect the formation of a salt bridge within the protein. The activity of the mutated protein (name VvMYB5b^L, the native protein being referred as VvMYB5b^R) was assessed in different <it>in vivo </it>systems: yeast, grape cell suspensions, and tobacco. In the first two systems, VvMYB5b^Lexhibited a modified trans-activation capability. Moreover, using yeast two-hybrid assay, we demonstrated that modification of VvMYB5b transcriptional properties impaired its ability to correctly interact with VvMYC1, a grape bHLH protein. These results were further substantiated by overexpression of <it>VvMYB5b^R</it>and <it>VvMYB5b^L</it>genes in tobacco. Flowers from <it>35S::VvMYB5b^L</it>transgenic plants showed a distinct phenotype in comparison with <it>35S::VvMYB5b^R</it>and the control plants. Finally, significant differences in transcript abundance of flavonoid metabolism genes were observed along with variations in pigments accumulation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Taken together, our findings indicate that VvMYB5b^Lis still able to bind DNA but the structural consequences linked to the mutation affect the capacity of the protein to activate the transcription of some flavonoid genes by modifying the interaction with its co-partner(s). In addition, this study underlines the importance of an internal salt bridge for protein conformation and thus for the establishment of protein-protein interactions between MYB and bHLH transcription factors. Mechanisms underlying these interactions are discussed and a model is proposed to explain the transcriptional activity of VvMYB5^Lobserved in the tobacco model.</p

L'Estellon (Baronnies, France), une "Pierre de Rosette" pour la biostratigraphie de l'Urgonien

Des associations d'organismes habituellement caractéristiques de faibles tranches d'eau (des orbitolinidés et des algues, en particulier) ont été identifiées dans des faciès relativement profonds de la "fosse vocontienne" (SE de la France), où ces éléments ont été transportés gravitairement et précocement resédimentés. Dans un tel contexte paléoenvironnemental, ces associations benthiques peuvent être directement calibrées sur les zones d'ammonites. D'après ces nouvelles observations, entre autres résultats, la première apparition de Palorbitolina lenticularis ainsi que celles de quatre représentants du genre Orbitolinopsis, soi-disant typiques de l'Aptien inférieur, sont datées du Barrémien inférieur. De fait la plupart des espèces d'orbitolinidés connues dans le Barrémien supérieur sont déjà présentes au Barrémien inférieur à L'Estellon. Concernant les plates-formes urgoniennes, les schémas de corrélations couramment utilisés, qui s'appuient sur des distributions biaisées (tronquées) d'orbitolinidés -- et par conséquent les conclusions et hypothèses qui en sont dérivées --, nécessitent au moins des révisions en profondeur, sinon un rejet définitif.Shallow-water assemblages of transported ("freshly reworked") bioclasts (mainly orbitolinids and dasycladales) are observed in the deeper facies of the "Vocontian Trough" (SE France). There these benthic assemblages can be directly correlated with ammonite zones. These new finds give an Early Barremian age to the earliest record of Palorbitolina lenticularis as well as those of four so-called "typical Early Aptian" representatives of the genus Orbitolinopsis. Actually most orbitolinid species recorded from the Late Barremian interval are now found present in Lower Barremian strata at L'Estellon. Some currently used correlation schemes for the Urgonian platforms, that are based on partial stratigraphic distribution ranges for the orbitolinids, --and consequently derived conclusions and hypotheses- - require at least in-depth revisions when they are not definitively refuted.The study of the ammonite fauna in the L'Estellon section (Drôme department, SE France) allows us to date episodes with gravitational deposition in this area of the "Vocontian Trough". They span most of the Barremian Stage, from the Nicklesi Zone up to the Giraudi Zone. We did not identify any Bedoulian redeposits, the "Bedoulian ridge" auct. being latest Barremian in age