ABSTRACT
We determined the effects of DNA damage caused by ultraviolet radiation on gene expression in Leptospira interrogans using DNA microarrays. These data were integrated with DNA binding in vivo of LexA1, a regulator of the DNA damage response, assessed by chromatin immunoprecipitation and massively parallel DNA sequencing (ChIP-seq). In response to DNA damage, Leptospira induced expression of genes involved in DNA metabolism, in mobile genetic elements and defective prophages. The DNA repair genes involved in removal of photodamage (e.g. nucleotide excision repair uvrABC, recombinases recBCD and resolvases ruvABC) were not induced. Genes involved in various metabolic pathways were down regulated, including genes involved in cell growth, RNA metabolism and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. From ChIP-seq data, we observed 24 LexA1 binding sites located throughout chromosome 1 and one binding site in chromosome 2. Expression of many, but not all, genes near those sites was increased following DNA damage. Binding sites were found as far as 550 bp upstream from the start codon, or 1 kb into the coding sequence. Our findings indicate that there is a shift in gene expression following DNA damage that represses genes involved in cell growth and virulence, and induces genes involved in mutagenesis and recombination
Subject(s)
Genetics , BacteriologyABSTRACT
We report on measurements of the differential conductivity G of UBe13-Au contacts, which reveal the existence of low-energy Andreev surface bound states. These bound states are identified via huge conductance peaks at zero bias that may form only in superconductors with nontrivial energy-gap functions. From the voltage dependence of G at T
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Muon spin rotation ( &mgr;SR) measurements of the temperature dependence of the &mgr;(+) Knight shift in single crystals of U0. 965Th0.035Be13 have been used to study the static spin susceptibility chi(s) below the transition temperatures T(c1) and T(c2). While an abrupt reduction of chi(s) with decreasing temperature is observed below T(c1), chi(s) does not change below T(c2) and remains at a value below the normal-state susceptibility chi(n). In the normal state we find an anomalous anisotropic temperature dependence of the transferred hyperfine coupling between the &mgr;(+) spin and the U 5f electrons.
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/ Nitrous oxide (N(2)O) emissions from temperate grasslands are poorly quantified and may be an important part of the atmospheric N(2)O budget. In this study N(2)O emissions were simulated for 1052 grassland sites in the United States using the NGAS model of Parton and others (1996) coupled with an organic matter decomposition model. N(2)O flux was calculated for each site using soil and land use data obtained from the National Resource Inventory (NRI) database and weather data obtained from NASA. The estimates were regionalized based upon temperature and moisture isotherms. Annual N(2)O emissions for each region were based on the grassland area of each region and the mean estimated annual N(2)O flux from NRI grassland sites in the region. The regional fluxes ranged from 0.18 to 1.02 kg N(2)O N/ha/yr with the mean flux for all regions being 0.28 kg N(2)O N/ha/yr. Even though fluxes from the western regions were relatively low, these regions made the largest contribution to total emissions due to their large grassland area. Total US grassland N(2)O emissions were estimated to be about 67 Gg N(2)O N/yr. Emissions from the Great Plains states, which contain the largest expanse of natural grassland in the United States, were estimated to average 0.24 kg N(2)O N/ha/yr. Using the annual flux estimate for the temperate Great Plains, we estimate that temperate grasslands worldwide may potentially produce 0.27 Tg N(2)O N/yr. Even though our estimate for global temperate grassland N(2)O emissions is less than published estimates for other major temperate and tropical biomes, our results indicate that temperate grasslands are a significant part of both United States and global atmospheric N(2)O budgets. This study demonstrates the utility of models for regional N(2)O flux estimation although additional data from carefully designed field studies is needed to further validate model results.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Although microembolization may not be associated with focal neurological events following carotid endarterectomy (CEA), it might contribute towards cognitive impairment. METHODS: Forty-nine patients undergoing CEA underwent 30 min of preoperative ipsilateral transcranial Doppler (TCD) monitoring and a battery of tests of cognitive function, and the results were compared with those of age-matched normal controls. RESULTS: Seven patients who were spontaneously embolizing had significantly worse preoperative cognitive function scores than 42 patients with no recorded emboli (P = 0.03). Overall, patients undergoing CEA had a significant cognitive deficit compared with age-matched normal controls. CONCLUSION: Patients who have evidence of spontaneous preoperative embolization on TCD monitoring have a greater degree of preoperative cognitive impairment. This finding underlines the potential clinical importance of microembolization and suggests that this phenomenon should be investigated further.
