Developing a Cancer-Focused Library Survey - Assessing the Current Environment and Planning for the Future.

The primary goal of this project is to understand how each National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center library, and all libraries that support cancer research, function within their institutions. Through an in-depth survey focused on three major areas (staff, content and tools procurement, and user services), the research team hopes to determine how a cancer-centric library can be successful in supporting quality patient care, research excellence, and education. Additionally, the survey will examine the necessary minimum staffing levels for librarians and information professionals based on organizational size and degree of research focus. The survey will seek out the new skills librarians will need to deliver optimal services. The survey will also explore how content libraries purchase reflects and maps to constituents' current medical and research activities. Libraries within a research intense environment have a responsibility to align with researchers and health care professionals to provide resources and services that support their workflows. Cancer libraries need to be attuned to their institutions' missions, whether that includes excellent patient care, research endeavors, or cutting-edge educational programs. The information gathered from the survey will provide data for this research team to define the vision and standards of excellence for a cancer specialized research library.

Multiplexed microsatellite loci in American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos): a severely affected natural host of West Nile virus.

Recent advances in high throughput molecular techniques have allowed the development of cost- and time-effective libraries of molecular markers, such as microsatellites, for population genetic studies in non-model species. The American crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos, is recognized to be one of the species that has been most negatively affected by the emergence of West Nile virus (WNV) in North America in 1999. Genetic monitoring of the process of a declining population after the introduction of an infectious disease can provide insights into the demographic and evolutionary impact of a pathogen in a natural host population over time. In this study, shotgun pyrosequencing and validation of previously published cross-species markers were the approaches used to identify and develop a set of 32 polymorphic loci for the C. brachyrhynchos. Since the American crow is morphologically similar to the sympatric species Fish crow (Corvus ossifragus), we also designed a real-time PCR protocol to rapidly differentiate these two species using a set of primers and probes that can discriminate a section of the COI gene at the mitochondrial DNA. These new markers together with a faster method for species verification will allow further detailed studies to characterize and compare genetic diversity of historic and contemporary C. brachyrhynchos populations.

Molecular cloning and biochemical characterization of a family-9 endoglucanase with an unusual structure from the gliding bacteria Cytophaga hutchinsonii.

Cytophaga hutchinsonii was originally isolated from sugarcane piles. This microorganism therefore probably produces an array of enzymes allowing it to digest cellulosic substrates. C. hutchinsonii thus represents a rich source of potentially effective cellulase enzymes that can be harnessed for conversion of biomass to simple sugars. These sugars can then be used as feedstock for ethanol production or other chemical syntheses. In this study, we report the PCR cloning of an endoglucanase gene (Cel9A) from C. hutchinsonii using degenerated primers directed at the catalytic domain. Alignment of the amino acids sequence revealed that Cel9A has a gene structure totally different from the other known cellulose degraders. The most striking feature of this cloned protein is the absence of a cellulose-binding domain (CBD), which to date was believed to be imperative in cellulose hydrolysis. Consequently, the Cel9A gene, encoding beta-1,4 endoglucanase from C. hutchinsonii was overexpressed in Escherichia coli with a His-Tag based expression vector. The resulting polypeptide, with a molecular mass of 105 KDa, was purified from cell extracts by affinity chromatography on cellulose. Mature Cel9A was optimally active at pH 5.0 and 45 degrees C. The enzyme efficiently hydrolyzes carboxymethyl- cellulose (CMC). Analysis of CMC and filter paper hydrolysis suggests that Cel9A is a nonprocessive enzyme with endo-cellulase activities.