Rectification of self-propelled particles by symmetric barriers.

The motion of self-propelled particles can be rectified by asymmetric or ratchetlike periodic patterns in space. Here we show that a nonzero average drift can already be induced in a periodic potential with symmetric barriers when the self-propulsion velocity is also symmetric and periodically modulated but phase-shifted against the potential. In the adiabatic limit of slow rotational diffusion we determine the mean drift analytically and discuss the influence of temperature. In the presence of asymmetric barriers, modulating the self-propulsion can largely enhance the mean drift or even reverse it.

Using bijective maps to improve free-energy estimates.

We derive a fluctuation theorem for generalized work distributions, related to bijective mappings of the phase spaces of two physical systems, and use it to derive a two-sided constraint maximum likelihood estimator of their free-energy difference which uses samples from the equilibrium configurations of both systems. As an application, we evaluate the chemical potential of a dense Lennard-Jones fluid and study the construction and performance of suitable maps.

beta-Galactosidase of Kluyveromyces lactis (Lac4p) as reporter of gene expression in Candida albicans and C. tropicalis.

Vectors containing fusions of the Candida albicans ACT promoter to heterologous genes were constructed and transformed into a C. albicans host strain. beta-Galactosidase (Lac4p) activity was detected in transformants carrying an ACT fusion to the Kluyveromyces lactis LAC4 gene, while fusions to the Escherichia coli lacZ gene and to other heterologous genes were not expressed. Lac4p was also produced by C. tropicalis transformants carrying the ACT/LAC4 fusion. Plasmids in transformed C. albicans strains were present either as free multimers in high copy number or, more frequently, integrated into the genome in low copy number yielding high and low LAC4 mRNA and Lac4p expression levels, respectively. Lac4p-expressing transformants of C. tropicalis, but not of C. albicans, were able to utilize lactose as sole carbon source. An ACT/LAC4 fusion was not differentially expressed during the yeast and hyphal growth phases of C. albicans, indicating that the ACT promoter is not regulated during morphogenesis. These results define the first reporter gene system for convenient monitoring of gene expression in Candida species.