We follow the formation and evolution of bars in N-body simulations of disc galaxies with gas and/or a triaxial halo. We find that both the relative gas fraction and the halo shape play a major role ...in the formation and evolution of the bar. In gas-rich simulations, the disc stays near-axisymmetric much longer than in gas-poor ones, and, when the bar starts growing, it does so at a much slower rate. Because of these two effects combined, large-scale bars form much later in gas-rich than in gas-poor discs. This can explain the observation that bars are in place earlier in massive red disc galaxies than in blue spirals. We also find that the morphological characteristics in the bar region are strongly influenced by the gas fraction. In particular, the bar at the end of the simulation is much weaker in gas-rich cases. The quality of our simulations is such as to allow us to discuss the question of bar longevity because the resonances are well resolved and the number of gas particles is sufficient to describe the gas flow adequately. In no case did we find a bar which was destroyed.
Halo triaxiality has a dual influence on bar strength. In the very early stages of the simulation it induces bar formation to start earlier. On the other hand, during the later, secular evolution phase, triaxial haloes lead to considerably less increase of the bar strength than spherical ones. The shape of the halo evolves considerably with time. We confirm previous results of gas-less simulations that find that the inner part of an initially spherical halo can become elongated and develop a halo bar. However we also show that, on the contrary, in gas-rich simulations, the inner parts of an initially triaxial halo can become rounder with time. The main body of initially triaxial haloes evolves towards sphericity, but in initially strongly triaxial cases it stops well short of becoming spherical. Part of the angular momentum absorbed by the halo generates considerable rotation of the halo particles that stay located relatively near the disc for long periods of time. Another part generates halo bulk rotation, which, contrary to that of the bar, increases with time but stays small. Thus, in our models there are two non-axisymmetric components rotating with different pattern speeds, namely the halo and the bar, so that the resulting dynamics have strong similarities to the dynamics of double bar systems.
To examine the contributions of impaired gut microbial community development to childhood undernutrition, we combined metabolomic and proteomic analyses of plasma samples with metagenomic analyses of ...fecal samples to characterize the biological state of Bangladeshi children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) as they transitioned, after standard treatment, to moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) with persistent microbiota immaturity. Host and microbial effects of microbiota-directed complementary food (MDCF) prototypes targeting weaning-phase bacterial taxa underrepresented in SAM and MAM microbiota were characterized in gnotobiotic mice and gnotobiotic piglets colonized with age- and growth-discriminatory bacteria. A randomized, double-blind controlled feeding study identified a lead MDCF that changes the abundances of targeted bacteria and increases plasma biomarkers and mediators of growth, bone formation, neurodevelopment, and immune function in children with MAM.
The histidine metabolism and transport (his) genes are controlled by a variety of RNA-dependent regulatory systems among diverse taxonomic groups of bacteria including T-box riboswitches in ...Firmicutes and Actinobacteria and RNA attenuators in Proteobacteria. Using a comparative genomic approach, we previously identified a novel DNA-binding transcription factor (named HisR) that controls the histidine metabolism genes in diverse Gram-positive bacteria from the Firmicutes phylum.
Here we report the identification of HisR-binding sites within the regulatory regions of the histidine metabolism and transport genes in 395 genomes representing the Bacilli, Clostridia, Negativicutes, and Tissierellia classes of Firmicutes, as well as in 97 other HisR-encoding genomes from the Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Synergistetes phyla. HisR belongs to the TrpR family of transcription factors, and their predicted DNA binding motifs have a similar 20-bp palindromic structure but distinct lineage-specific consensus sequences. The predicted HisR-binding motif was validated in vitro using DNA binding assays with purified protein from the human gut bacterium Ruminococcus gnavus. To fill a knowledge gap in the regulation of histidine metabolism genes in Firmicutes genomes that lack a hisR repressor gene, we systematically searched their upstream regions for potential RNA regulatory elements. As result, we identified 158 T-box riboswitches preceding the histidine biosynthesis and/or transport genes in 129 Firmicutes genomes. Finally, novel candidate RNA attenuators were identified upstream of the histidine biosynthesis operons in six species from the Bacillus cereus group, as well as in five Eubacteriales and six Erysipelotrichales species.
The obtained distribution of the HisR transcription factor and two RNA-mediated regulatory mechanisms for histidine metabolism genes across over 600 species of Firmicutes is discussed from functional and evolutionary points of view.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
ABSTRACT Using three fiducial N-body+SPH simulations, we follow the merging of two disk galaxies that each have a hot gaseous halo component, and examine whether the merger remnant can be a spiral ...galaxy. The stellar progenitor disks are destroyed by violent relaxation during the merging and most of their stars form a classical bulge, while the remaining stars, as well as stars born during the merging times, form a thick disk and its bar. A new stellar disk forms subsequently and gradually in the remnant from the gas accreted mainly from the halo. It is vertically thin and well extended in its equatorial plane. A bar starts forming before the disk is fully in place, which is contrary to what is assumed in idealized simulations of isolated bar-forming galaxies, and has morphological features such as ansae and boxy/peanut bulges. Stars of different ages populate different parts of the box/peanut. A disky pseudobulge also forms, so that by the end of the simulation all three types of bulges coexist. The oldest stars are found in the classical bulge, followed by those of the thick disk, then by those in the thin disk. The youngest stars are in the spiral arms and the disky pseudobulge. The disk surface density profiles are of type II (exponential with downbending); the circular velocity curves are flat and show that the disks are submaximum in these examples: two clearly so and one near-borderline between maximum and submaximum. On average, only roughly between 10% and 20% of the stellar mass is in the classical bulge of the final models, i.e., much less than in previous simulations.
B group vitamins represent essential micronutrients for myriad metabolic and regulatory processes required for human health, serving as cofactors used by hundreds of enzymes that carry out essential ...functions such as energy metabolism, DNA and protein synthesis and other critical functions. B vitamins and their corresponding vitamers are universally essential for all cellular life forms, from bacteria to humans. Humans are unable to synthesize most B vitamins and are therefore dependent on their diet for these essential micronutrients. More recently, another source of B vitamins has been identified which is derived from portions of the 10
bacterial cells inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract. Here we review the expanding literature examining the relationship between B vitamins and the immune system and diverse cancers. Evidence of B vitamin's role in immune cell regulation has accumulated in recent years and may help to clarify the disparate findings of numerous studies attempting to link B vitamins to cancer development. Much work remains to be carried out to fully clarify these relationships as the complexity of B vitamins' essential functions complicates an unequivocal assessment of their beneficial or detrimental effects in inflammation and cancers.
The photocatalytic properties of layered perovskite-like oxides corresponding to the Ruddlesen-Popper, Dion-Jacobson and Aurivillius phases are considered. Of the photocatalytic reactions, the focus ...is on the reactions of water splitting, hydrogen evolution from aqueous solutions of organic substances and degradation of model organic pollutants. Possibilities to conduct these reactions under UV and visible light in the presence of layered perovskite-like oxides and composite photocatalysts based on them are shown. The specific surface area, band gap energy, particle morphology, cation and anion doping and surface modification are considered as factors that affect the photocatalytic activity. Special attention is paid to the possibilities to enhance the photocatalytic activity by intercalation, ion exchange and exfoliation, which are inherent in this class of compounds. Conclusions are made about the prospects for the use of layered perovskite-like oxides in photocatalysis.
The marine bacterium Vibrio vulnificus infects humans via food or water contamination, leading to serious manifestations, including gastroenteritis, wound infections, and septic shock. Previous ...studies suggest phylogenetic Lineage 1 isolates with the v
allele of the
gene cause human infections, whereas Lineage 2 isolates with the
allele are less pathogenic. Mouse studies suggest that some variants of the primary toxin could drive more serious infections. A collection of 109 V. vulnificus United States human clinical isolates from 2001 to 2019 with paired clinical outcome data were assembled. The isolates underwent whole-genome sequencing, multilocus-sequence phylogenetic analysis, and toxinotype analysis of the multifunctional autoprocessing repeats-in-toxin (MARTX) toxin. In contrast to prior reports, clinical isolates were equally distributed between lineages. We found no correlation between phylogenetic lineage or MARTX toxinotype and disease severity. Infections caused by isolates in Lineage 1 demonstrated a borderline statistically significant higher mortality. Lineage 1 isolates had a trend toward a higher proportion of M-type MARTX toxins compared with Lineage 2, although this was not statistically significant.
Vibrio vulnificus is an aquatic pathogen that is capable of causing severe disease in humans. Previous studies have suggested that pathogenic isolates were restricted to certain phylogenetic lineages and possibly toxinotype. Our study demonstrated that phylogenetic lineage and multifunctional autoprocessing repeats-in-toxin (MARTX) toxinotype do not predict severity of infection. V. vulnificus strains capable of causing severe human disease are not concentrated in Lineage 1 but are genetically diverse. Thus, food surveillance based on lineage type or toxinotype may not be an appropriate intervention measure to control this rare but serious infection.
Transcription factor-binding sites and RNA regulatory elements based on comparative genomics to analyze bacterial regulons are reviewed. Information on computational reconstruction of certain ...transcriptional regulatory networks in bacteria is presented.
Impressive performance of hybrid perovskite solar cells reported in recent years still awaits a comprehensive understanding of its microscopic origins. In this work, the intrinsic Hall mobility and ...photocarrier recombination coefficient are directly measured in these materials in steady-state transport studies. The results show that electron-hole recombination and carrier trapping rates in hybrid perovskites are very low. The bimolecular recombination coefficient (10(-11) to 10(-10) cm(3) s(-1)) is found to be on par with that in the best direct-band inorganic semiconductors, even though the intrinsic Hall mobility in hybrid perovskites is considerably lower (up to 60 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1)). Measured here, steady-state carrier lifetimes (of up to 3 ms) and diffusion lengths (as long as 650 μm) are significantly longer than those in high-purity crystalline inorganic semiconductors. We suggest that these experimental findings are consistent with the polaronic nature of charge carriers, resulting from an interaction of charges with methylammonium dipoles.
Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a predominant member of the human gut microbiota, is characterized by its ability to utilize a wide variety of polysaccharides using the extensive saccharolytic ...machinery that is controlled by an expanded repertoire of transcription factors (TFs). The availability of genomic sequences for multiple Bacteroides species opens an opportunity for their comparative analysis to enable characterization of their metabolic and regulatory networks.
A comparative genomics approach was applied for the reconstruction and functional annotation of the carbohydrate utilization regulatory networks in 11 Bacteroides genomes. Bioinformatics analysis of promoter regions revealed putative DNA-binding motifs and regulons for 31 orthologous TFs in the Bacteroides. Among the analyzed TFs there are 4 SusR-like regulators, 16 AraC-like hybrid two-component systems (HTCSs), and 11 regulators from other families. Novel DNA motifs of HTCSs and SusR-like regulators in the Bacteroides have the common structure of direct repeats with a long spacer between two conserved sites.
The inferred regulatory network in B. thetaiotaomicron contains 308 genes encoding polysaccharide and sugar catabolic enzymes, carbohydrate-binding and transport systems, and TFs. The analyzed TFs control pathways for utilization of host and dietary glycans to monosaccharides and their further interconversions to intermediates of the central metabolism. The reconstructed regulatory network allowed us to suggest and refine specific functional assignments for sugar catabolic enzymes and transporters, providing a substantial improvement to the existing metabolic models for B. thetaiotaomicron. The obtained collection of reconstructed TF regulons is available in the RegPrecise database (http://regprecise.lbl.gov).
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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