A Conserved GA Element in TATA-Less RNA Polymerase II Promoters

Initiation of RNA polymerase (Pol) II transcription requires assembly of the pre-initiation complex (PIC) at the promoter. In the classical view, PIC assembly starts with binding of the TATA box-binding protein (TBP) to the TATA box. However, a TATA box occurs in only 15% of promoters in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, posing the question how most yeast promoters nucleate PIC assembly. Here we show that one third of all yeast promoters contain a novel conserved DNA element, the GA element (GAE), that generally does not co-occur with the TATA box. The distance of the GAE to the transcription start site (TSS) resembles the distance of the TATA box to the TSS. The TATA-less TMT1 core promoter contains a GAE, recruits TBP, and supports formation of a TBP-TFIIB-DNA-complex. Mutation of the promoter region surrounding the GAE abolishes transcription in vivo and in vitro. A 32-nucleotide promoter region containing the GAE can functionally substitute for the TATA box in a TATA-containing promoter. This identifies the GAE as a conserved promoter element in TATA-less promoters

OGLE-II High Proper Motion Stars towards the Galactic centre

The photometry data base of the second phase of the OGLE microlensing experiment, OGLE-II, is a rich source of information about the kinematics and structure of the Galaxy. In this work we use the OGLE-II proper motion catalogue to identify candidate stars which have high proper motions. 521 stars with proper motion mu > 50 mas/yr in the OGLE-II proper motion catalogue (Sumi 2004) were cross-identified with stars in the MACHO high proper motion catalogue, and the DENIS and 2MASS infra-red photometry catalogues. Photometric distances were computed for stars with colours consistent with G/K and M type stars. 6 stars were newly identified as possible nearby (< 50 pc) M dwarfs.Comment: 7 figures and 4 tables, MNRAS, accepte

Selenium status is positively associated with bone mineral density in healthy aging European men

Objective It is still a matter of debate if subtle changes in selenium (Se) status affect thyroid function tests (TFTs) and bone mineral density (BMD). This is particularly relevant for the elderly, whose nutritional status is more vulnerable. Design and Methods We investigated Se status in a cohort of 387 healthy elderly men (median age 77 yrs; inter quartile range 75-80 yrs) in relation to TFTs and BMD. Se status was determined by measuring both plasma selenoprotein P (SePP) and Se. Results The overall Se status in our population was low normal with only 0.5% (2/387) of subjects meeting the criteria for Se deficiency. SePP and Se levels were not associated with thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) or reverse triiodothyronine (rT3) levels. The T3/T4 and T3/rT3 ratios, reflecting peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormone, were not associated with Se status either. SePP and Se were positively associated with total BMD and femoral trochanter BMD. Se, but not SePP, was positively associated with femoral neck and ward's BMD. Multivariate linear analyses showed that these associations remain statistically significant in a model including TSH, FT4, body mass index, physical performance score, age, smoking, diabetes mellitus and number of medication use. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that Se status, within the normal European marginally supplied range, is positively associated with BMD in healthy aging men, independent of thyroid function. Thyroid function tests appear unaffected by Se status in this population

A Sample of Candidate Radio Stars in FIRST and SDSS

We conduct a search for radio stars by combining radio and optical data from the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty cm survey (FIRST) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The faint limit of SDSS makes possible a homogeneous search for radio emission from stars of low optical luminosity. We select a sample of 112 candidate radio stars in the magnitude range $15<i\lesssim19.1$ and with radio flux $S_{20}\geq1.25$mJy, from about 7000 deg$^2$ of sky. The selection criteria are positional coincidence within 1\arcsec, radio and optical point source morphology, and an SDSS spectrum classified as stellar. The sample contamination is estimated by random matching to be $108\pm13$, suggesting that at most a small fraction of the selected candidates are genuine radio stars. Therefore, we rule out a very rare population of extremely radio-loud stars: no more than 1.2 of every million stars in the magnitude range $15<i<19.1$ stars has radio flux $S_{20}\geq1.25$ mJy. We investigate the optical and radio colors of the sample to find candidates that show the largest likelihood of being real radio stars. The significant outliers from the stellar locus, as well as the magnetically active stars, are the best candidates for follow-up radio observations. We conclude that, while the present wide-area radio surveys are not sensitive enough to provide homogeneous samples of the extremely rare radio stars, upcoming surveys which exploit the great sensitivity of current and planned telescopes do have sufficient sensitivity and will allow the properties of this class of object to be investigated in detail.Comment: Online data available at http://www.astro.washington.edu/users/akimball/radiocat/radiostars . Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal. (fixed formatting issue

GNSS transpolar earth reflectometry exploriNg system (G-TERN): Mission concept

The global navigation satellite system (GNSS) Transpolar Earth Reflectometry exploriNg system (G-TERN) was proposed in response to ESA's Earth Explorer 9 revised call by a team of 33 multi-disciplinary scientists. The primary objective of the mission is to quantify at high spatio-temporal resolution crucial characteristics, processes and interactions between sea ice, and other Earth system components in order to advance the understanding and prediction of climate change and its impacts on the environment and society. The objective is articulated through three key questions. 1) In a rapidly changing Arctic regime and under the resilient Antarctic sea ice trend, how will highly dynamic forcings and couplings between the various components of the ocean, atmosphere, and cryosphere modify or influence the processes governing the characteristics of the sea ice cover (ice production, growth, deformation, and melt)? 2) What are the impacts of extreme events and feedback mechanisms on sea ice evolution? 3) What are the effects of the cryosphere behaviors, either rapidly changing or resiliently stable, on the global oceanic and atmospheric circulation and mid-latitude extreme events? To contribute answering these questions, G-TERN will measure key parameters of the sea ice, the oceans, and the atmosphere with frequent and dense coverage over polar areas, becoming a "dynamic mapper" of the ice conditions, the ice production, and the loss in multiple time and space scales, and surrounding environment. Over polar areas, the G-TERN will measure sea ice surface elevation (&lt;10 cm precision), roughness, and polarimetry aspects at 30-km resolution and 3-days full coverage. G-TERN will implement the interferometric GNSS reflectometry concept, from a single satellite in near-polar orbit with capability for 12 simultaneous observations. Unlike currently orbiting GNSS reflectometry missions, the G-TERN uses the full GNSS available bandwidth to improve its ranging measurements. The lifetime would be 2025-2030 or optimally 2025-2035, covering key stages of the transition toward a nearly ice-free Arctic Ocean in summer. This paper describes the mission objectives, it reviews its measurement techniques, summarizes the suggested implementation, and finally, it estimates the expected performance

EMG-Normalised Kinase Activation during Exercise Is Higher in Human Gastrocnemius Compared to Soleus Muscle

In mice, certain proteins show a highly confined expression in specific muscle groups. Also, resting and exercise/contraction-induced phosphorylation responses are higher in rat skeletal muscle with low mitochondrial content compared to muscles with high mitochondrial content, possibly related to differential reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging ability or resting glycogen content. To evaluate these parameters in humans, biopsies from soleus, gastrocnemius and vastus lateralis muscles were taken before and after a 45 min inclined (15%) walking exercise bout at 69% VO2max aimed at simultaneously activating soleus and gastrocnemius in a comparable dynamic work-pattern. Hexokinase II and GLUT4 were 46–59% and 26–38% higher (p<0.05) in soleus compared to the two other muscles. The type I muscle fiber percentage was highest in soleus and lowest in vastus lateralis. No differences were found in protein expression of signalling proteins (AMPK subunits, eEF2, ERK1/2, TBC1D1 and 4), mitochondrial markers (F1 ATPase and COX1) or ROS-handling enzymes (SOD2 and catalase). Gastrocnemius was less active than soleus measured as EMG signal and glycogen use yet gastrocnemius displayed larger increases than soleus in phosphorylation of AMPK Thr172, eEF2 Thr56 and ERK 1/2 Thr202/Tyr204 when normalised to the mean relative EMG-signal. In conclusion, proteins with muscle-group restricted expression in mice do not show this pattern in human lower extremity muscle groups. Nonetheless the phosphorylation-response is greater for a number of kinase signalling pathways in human gastrocnemius than soleus at a given activation-intensity. This may be due to the combined subtle effects of a higher type I muscle fiber content and higher training status in soleus compared to gastrocnemius muscle