ABSTRACT
4-1BB, a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily, is induced on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells upon engagement of the T cell receptor (TCR)/ CD3 complex with the antigen bound to MHC. 4-1BB plays an important role in transmitting costimulatory signal during T cell activation. However, 4-1BB-mediatded signal transduction pathways have remained elusive. We conducted the yeast two-hybrid screening to identify intracellular signaling molecules that associate with 4-1BB. A novel leucine-rich repeat (LRR)-containing protein, herein named LRR-1, was found to specifically interact with the cytoplasmic domain of 4-1BB. Overexpression of LRR-1 suppressed the activation of NF-KB induced by 4-1BB or TNF receptor-associated factor (TRAF) 2. In addition, LRR-1 down-regulated JNK1 activity was induced by 4-1BB. These results indicate that LRR-1 negatively regulates the 4-1BB-mediated signaling cascades which result in the activation of NF-kappaB and JNK1.
Subject(s)
Proteins/genetics , Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor/metabolism , Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor/metabolism , Signal Transduction/physiology , Amino Acid Sequence , Antigens, CD , Cloning, Molecular , Down-Regulation , Humans , Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8 , Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism , Molecular Sequence Data , NF-kappa B/metabolism , Protein Structure, Tertiary , Proteins/metabolism , Repetitive Sequences, Amino Acid/genetics , Repressor Proteins , Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 9 , Two-Hybrid System TechniquesABSTRACT
The diffusivity of Cu(2+) in calcium alginate beads calculated by the shrinking core model (SCM) was reevaluated in this work. The results obtained in this work were significantly different than those by the original authors. There were excellent agreements between the results obtained by the SCM in this work and those by the more rigorous linear absorption model (LAM) by the original authors.
ABSTRACT
The recovery of copper from synthetic aqueous media circulating in a loop fluidized bed reactor operated batchwise was investigated by using the following biopolymer systems: (1) a viscous solution of sodium alginate (from kelp) dispensed directly into the reactor fluid containing dissolved copper (sulfate salt) at initial concentrations of 60-200 ppm, (2) partially coagulated calcium alginate spheres for absorbing dissolved copper at initial concentrations of 10-40 ppm, and (3) a mixture of green algae Microcystis and sodium alginate dispensed directly into the reactor fluid. The recovery of copper and cobalt, a strategic metal, from cobalt ore leachate was achieved by a two-step approach: direct dispensing of sodium alginate to absorb the bulk of metals followed by the addition of partially coagulated calcium alginate spheres to "polish" the leachate. Metal binding capacity and conditional stability constant of each biopolymer system as well as the effective diffusivity of cupric ion in the matrix of biopolymer gels are reported.
ABSTRACT
The osmotic coefficients phi p,Na of dilute solutions of the sodium form of some weakly acidic polymers are theoretically predicted in this work. Based on the measured value 0.73 of gamma Na, the activity coefficient of free Na+, of the completely ionized humic acid (sodium salt) in a salt-free solution, the effective interligand distance b is calculated to be 11.34 A by using Manning's counterion condensation theory [Manning, G. S. (1969) J. Chem. Phys. 51(3), 924]. The corresponding values of gamma Na (measured experimentally) and b for the completely ionized exopolymer of Pseudomonas atlantica are 0.624 and 7.57 A when cultivated at a dilution rate D = 0.015 h-1, 0.647 and 8.19 A at D = 0.025 h-1, and 0.613 and 7.29 Aat D = 0.06 h-1. For alginic acid (in the completely ionized sodium form), gamma Na = 0.40 and b = 4.71 A. The osmotic coefficients phi p,Na for the partially and the completely ionized polymers are then predicted with Manning's theory as well.
Subject(s)
Biopolymers , Macromolecular Substances , Electrolytes , Osmolar Concentration , Sodium , SolutionsABSTRACT
This paper presents a bench-scale study on the transport in highly permeable porous rock of three bacterial species-Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas putida, and Clostridium acetobutylicum-potentially applicable in microbial-enhanced oil recovery processes. The transport of cells during the injection of bacterial suspension and nutrient medium was simulated by a deep bed filtration model. Deep bed filtration coefficients and the maximum capacity of cells in porous rock were measured. Low to intermediate ( approximately 10/ml) injection concentrations of cellular suspensions are recommended because plugging of inlet surface is less likely to occur. In addition to their resistance to adverse environments, spores of clostridia are strongly recommended for use in microbial-enhanced oil recovery processes since they are easiest among the species tested to push through porous rock. After injection, further transport of bacteria during incubation can occur by growth and mobility through the stagnant nutrient medium which fills the porous rock. We have developed an apparatus to study the migration of bacteria through a Berea sandstone core containing nutrient medium.
