This article addresses the issue of designing bases for L2(R2) that are generated by translations, rotations and dilations of a single mother wavelet ψ. We show how this construction can be ...simplified by setting an odd number of directions and by choosing properly the phase of the Fourier transform of ψ. A large part of the article is devoted to the proof of theorems that give sufficient conditions for ψ to generate a Riesz sequence and a Riesz basis for L2(R2). An example of Riesz sequence whose restriction to each scale is orthonormal is set. Theoretical results are confirmed by numerical experiments where a discrete directional wavelet transform is introduced.
Small RNAs (sRNAs) that act by base pairing with trans-encoded mRNAs modulate metabolism in response to a variety of environmental stimuli. Here, we describe an Hfq-binding sRNA (FnrS) whose ...expression is induced upon a shift from aerobic to anaerobic conditions and which acts to downregulate the levels of a variety of mRNAs encoding metabolic enzymes. Anaerobic induction in minimal medium depends strongly on FNR but is also affected by the ArcA and CRP transcription regulators. Whole genome expression analysis showed that the levels of at least 32 mRNAs are downregulated upon FnrS overexpression, 15 of which are predicted to base pair with FnrS by TargetRNA. The sRNA is highly conserved across its entire length in numerous Enterobacteria, and mutational analysis revealed that two separate regions of FnrS base pair with different sets of target mRNAs. The majority of the target genes were previously reported to be downregulated in an FNR-dependent manner but lack recognizable FNR binding sites. We thus suggest that FnrS extends the FNR regulon and increases the efficiency of anaerobic metabolism by repressing the synthesis of enzymes that are not needed under these conditions.
In oxygen (O
2
) limiting environments, numerous aerobic bacteria have the ability to shift from aerobic to anaerobic respiration to release energy. This process requires alternative electron ...acceptor to replace O
2
such as nitrate (NO
3
–
), which has the next best reduction potential after O
2
. Depending on the organism, nitrate respiration involves different enzymes to convert NO
3
–
to ammonium (NH
4
+
) or dinitrogen (N
2
). The expression of these enzymes is tightly controlled by transcription factors (TFs). More recently, bacterial small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs), which are important regulators of the rapid adaptation of microorganisms to extremely diverse environments, have also been shown to control the expression of genes encoding enzymes or TFs related to nitrate respiration. In turn, these TFs control the synthesis of multiple sRNAs. These results suggest that sRNAs play a central role in the control of these metabolic pathways. Here we review the complex interplay between the transcriptional and the post-transcriptional regulators to efficiently control the respiration on nitrate.
RNase III-related enzymes play key roles in cleaving double-stranded RNA in many biological systems. Among the best-known are RNase III itself, involved in ribosomal RNA maturation and mRNA turnover ...in bacteria, and Drosha and Dicer, which play critical roles in the production of micro (mi)-RNAs and small interfering (si)-RNAs in eukaryotes. Although RNase III has important cellular functions in bacteria, its gene is generally not essential, with the remarkable exception of that of Bacillus subtilis. Here we show that the essential role of RNase III in this organism is to protect it from the expression of toxin genes borne by two prophages, Skin and SPβ, through antisense RNA. Thus, while a growing number of organisms that use RNase III or its homologs as part of a viral defense mechanism, B. subtilis requires RNase III for viral accommodation to the point where the presence of the enzyme is essential for cell survival. We identify txpA and yonT as the two toxin-encoding mRNAs of Skin and SPβ that are sensitive to RNase III. We further explore the mechanism of RNase III-mediated decay of the txpA mRNA when paired to its antisense RNA RatA, both in vivo and in vitro.
The ways in which locations of ischemia and ischemic pain affect spatiotemporal gait parameters and leg electromyographic activity during walking have never been investigated in patients with ...peripheral arterial disease presenting intermittent claudication. Two groups were classified according to unilateral location of ischemia (distal, n = 10, or proximo-distal, n = 12). Patients described pain and three gait phases-initial pain-free, onset of pain and maximum pain-were analyzed. Patients with proximo-distal ischemia walked less (230 ± 111 m vs 384 ± 220 m), with increased step length, step time (+ 5.4% and + 5.8%) and reduced cadence (- 8.2%), than patients with distal ischemia. In both, the peaks of vertical ground reaction force were reduced in maximum pain (Peak1-distal: - 11.4%, Peak1-proximo-distal: - 10.3%; Peak2-distal: - 11.8%, Peak2-proximo-distal: - 9.0%). In the proximo-distal group, tibialis anterior activation peak and time were lower than in the distal group (- 4.5% and - 19.7%). During the maximum pain phase, this peak decreased only in the proximo-distal group (- 13.0%), and gastrocnemius medialis activation peak and time decreased in both groups (- 2.5% in distal and - 4.5% in proximo-distal). Thus, proximo-distal ischemia leads to more adverse consequences in gait than distal ischemia only. Increasing ischemic pain until maximum, but not onset of pain, induced gait adaptations.
Bacillus subtilis possesses three essential enzymes thought to be involved in mRNA decay to varying degrees, namely RNase Y, RNase J1, and RNase III. Using recently developed high-resolution tiling ...arrays, we examined the effect of depletion of each of these enzymes on RNA abundance over the whole genome. The data are consistent with a model in which the degradation of a significant number of transcripts is dependent on endonucleolytic cleavage by RNase Y, followed by degradation of the downstream fragment by the 5'-3' exoribonuclease RNase J1. However, many full-size transcripts also accumulate under conditions of RNase J1 insufficiency, compatible with a model whereby RNase J1 degrades transcripts either directly from the 5' end or very close to it. Although the abundance of a large number of transcripts was altered by depletion of RNase III, this appears to result primarily from indirect transcriptional effects. Lastly, RNase depletion led to the stabilization of many low-abundance potential regulatory RNAs, both in intergenic regions and in the antisense orientation to known transcripts.
The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of age and/or obesity on postural control, ankle muscle activities during balance testing and force production capacities.
4 groups; control ...group (CG; n = 25; age = 31.8 ± 7.5 years; BMI = 21.4 ± 2.5 kg/m2), obese group (OG; n = 25; age = 34.4 ± 9.5 years; BMI = 39.6 ± 5.4 kg/m2), elderly group (EG; n = 15; age = 77.1 ± 8.4 years; BMI = 24.4 ± 1.3 kg/m2) and obese elderly group (ObEG; n = 12; age = 78.6 ± 6.6 years; BMI = 34.5 ± 3.1 kg/m2) performed maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) before testing to calculate the maximal relative force of ankle plantar flexor (PF) and dorsal flexor (DF) muscles. Center of pressure (CoP) parameters and the electromyography (EMG) activity of PF and DF muscles were collected during MVC, quiet standing and limit of stability (LoS) testing along antero-posterior and medio-lateral axes.
Maximal relative force was higher in EG and ObEG than CG and OG, respectively (p < 0.001). CoP parameters, distance traveled along the antero-posterior axis and EMG activity of PF were higher in OG, EG and ObEG compared to CG (p < 0.001) and in EG compared to ObEG (p < 0.05).The EMG activity of PF was positively correlated with CoP parameters in OG and ObEG (r > 0.6; p < 0.05). Maximal relative force of PF (r > −0.6; p < 0.05) was negatively correlated with CoP parameters in ObEG and EG.
Obesity-related postural control alteration is associated with increased activity of PF. This neuromuscular adaptation may reflect deteriorations of the proprioceptive system and is likely additional to age-related muscular impairments. This may be a mechanism by which obesity increases postural control alterations in elderly.
Excessive body weight is associated with gait alterations. In none of previous studies, body fat distribution has been considered as a factor that could change gait parameters and induce different ...neuromuscular adaptations.
This multicenter, analytical, and cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the influence of the body mass distribution on gait parameters and ankle muscle coactivation in obese individuals.
Three distinct groups were included in the study: a non-obese control group (CG, n = 15, average age = 32.8 ± 6.5 years, BMI = 21.4 ± 2.2 kg/m2), an obese-android group characterized by a Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR) greater than 1 (OAG, n = 15, age = 32.4 ± 3.9 years, BMI = 41.4 ± 3.9 kg/m2, WHR = 1.2 ± 0.2), and an obese-gynoid group with a WHR less than 1 (OGG, n = 15, age = 35.4 ± 4.1 years, BMI = 40.0 ± 5.7 kg/m2, WHR = 0.82 ± 0.3). All participants walked on an instrumented gait analysis treadmill at their self-selected walking speed for one minute. Spatiotemporal parameters, walking cycle phases, vertical ground reaction force (GRFv) and center of pressure (CoP) velocity were sampled from the treadmill software. Electromyography (EMG) activity of the gastrocnemius medialis (GM), the soleus (SOL) and tibialis anterior (TA) were collected during walking and used to calculate coactivation indexes (CI) between ankle plantar and dorsal flexors (GM/TA and SOL/TA) for the different walking cycle phases.
Compared to OAG, OGG walked with shorter and larger strides, lower CoP velocity and GRFv. During the single support phase, SOL/TA coactivation was higher in OAG compared to OGG (p < .05). During the propulsion phase, SOL/TA coactivation was higher in OGG compared to OAG (p < .05).
Gait parameters and ankle muscle coactivation in obese individuals seem to be strongly dependent on body mass distribution. From the biomechanical point of view, body mass distribution changes gait strategies in obese individuals inducing different neuromuscular adaptations during the single support and propulsion phases.
Post-transcriptional control by small regulatory RNA (sRNA) is critical for rapid adaptive processes. sRNAs can directly modulate mRNA degradation in Proteobacteria without interfering with ...translation. However, Firmicutes have a fundamentally different set of ribonucleases for mRNA degradation and whether sRNAs can regulate the activity of these enzymes is an open question. We show that
RoxS, a major
-acting sRNA shared with
, prevents degradation of the
mRNA, encoding a malate transporter. In the presence of malate, RoxS transiently escapes from repression by the NADH-sensitive transcription factor Rex and binds to the extreme 5'-end of
mRNA. This impairs the 5'-3' exoribonuclease activity of RNase J1, increasing the half-life of the primary transcript and concomitantly enhancing ribosome binding to increase expression of the transporter. Globally, the different targets regulated by RoxS suggest that it helps readjust the cellular NAD
/NADH balance when perturbed by different stimuli.
The genes encoding the ribonucleases RNase J1 and RNase Y have long been considered essential for Bacillus subtilis cell viability, even before there was concrete knowledge of their function as two ...of the most important enzymes for RNA turnover in this organism. Here we show that this characterization is incorrect and that ΔrnjA and Δrny mutants are both viable. As expected, both strains grow relatively slowly, with doubling times in the hour range in rich medium. Knockout mutants have major defects in their sporulation and competence development programs. Both mutants are hypersensitive to a wide range of antibiotics and have dramatic alterations to their cell morphologies, suggestive of cell envelope defects. Indeed, RNase Y mutants are significantly smaller in diameter than wild-type strains and have a very disordered peptidoglycan layer. Strains lacking RNase J1 form long filaments in tight spirals, reminiscent of mutants of the actin-like proteins (Mre) involved in cell shape determination. Finally, we combined the rnjA and rny mutations with mutations in other components of the degradation machinery and show that many of these strains are also viable. The implications for the two known RNA degradation pathways of B. subtilis are discussed.