Search results

Arctic waders are well known for their impressive long-distance migrations between their high northerly breeding grounds and wintering areas in the Southern hemisphere. Performing such long migrations requires precise orientation mechanisms. We conducted orientation cage experiments with juvenile sharp-tailed sandpipers (Calidris acuminata) to investigate what cues they rely on when departing from

Proton-transfer dynamics plays a critical role in many biochemical processes, such as proton pumping across membranes and enzyme catalysis. The large majority of enzymes utilize acid-base catalysis and proton-transfer mechanisms, where the rates of proton transfer can be rate limiting for the overall reaction. However, measurement of proton-exchange kinetics for individual side-chain carboxyl grou

C4b-binding protein (C4BP) is a plasma glycoprotein involved in regulation of the complement system. C4BP consists of seven alpha-chains and one unique beta-chain, all constructed of repeating complement control protein (CCP) modules. The beta-chain, made up of three CCPs, binds tightly to vitamin K-dependent protein S, a cofactor to anticoagulant activated protein C. When bound to C4BP, protein S

We use femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy to study chlorophyll (Chl)-Chl energy transfer in the peridinin-chlorophyll protein (PCP) reconstituted with mixtures of either chlorophyll b (Chlb) and Chld or Chla and bacteriochlorophyll a (BChla). Analysis of absorption and transient absorption spectra demonstrated that reconstitution with chlorophyll mixtures produces a significant fraction

The effect of Phytophthora species, soil chemistry, precipitation and temperature on the vitality of oak was evaluated in 32 oak stands in southern Sweden. In addition, the relationship between the occurrence of Phytophthora species and soil conditions was determined. The results showed that there was a weak association between the presence of P. quercina, the most frequently recovered Phytophthor

Argon clusters have been doped with krypton atoms in a pick-up setup and investigated by means of ultraviolet and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS and XPS). The width of the krypton surface feature in the XPS spectra from mixed krypton/argon clusters has been studied and found to be narrower than in the case of homogeneous krypton clusters. By considering known spectral broadening mechanisms

The relationship between triacylglycerol and monoacylglycerol hydrolyzing activities of purified rat heart lipoprotein lipase was studied using emulsified trioleoylglycerol and micellar or albumin-bound monooleoylglycerol as substrates. The maximal reaction rates obtained with the two substrates were similar (650 and 550 nmol of fatty acid released per min per mg of protein, respectively). Additio

Stimulation of rat adipocytes with insulin and isoproterenol results in serine phosphorylation and activation of the adipocyte cGMP-inhibited phosphodiesterase (cGI PDE), events believed to be important in the antilipolytic action of insulin (Degerman, E., Smith, C.J., Tornqvist, H., Vasta, V., Manganiello, V.C., and Belfrage, P. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87,533-537). Here we demonstrat

Collagen XVI is integrated tissue-dependently into distinct fibrillar aggregates, such as D-banded cartilage fibrils and fibrillin-1-containing microfibrils. In skin, the distribution of collagen XVI overlaps that of the collagen-binding integrins alpha 1 beta 1 and alpha 2 beta 1. Basal layer keratinocytes express integrin alpha 2 beta 1, whereas integrin alpha 1 beta 1 occurs in smooth muscle ce