The nucleocapsid (N) protein of hantaviruses (family Bunyaviridae) is the most abundant component of the virion; it encapsidates genomic RNA segments and participates in viral genome transcription and replication, as well as in virus assembly. During RNA encapsidation, the N protein forms intermediate trimers and then oligomers via 'head-to-head, tail-to-tail' interactions. In previous work, us...

Because sweat secretion is facilitated by mechanical contraction of sweat gland structures, understanding their structure-function relationship could lead to more effective treatments for patients with sweat gland disorders such as heat stroke. Conventional histological studies have shown that sweat glands are three-dimensionally coiled tubular structures consisting of ducts and secretory porti...

[reaction: see text] The synthesis and characterization of a new leucine-zipper dendrimer (LZD) is reported that displays four copies of the peptide corresponding to the coiled-coiled dimerization domain of Fos. Circular dichroism spectroscopy, fluorescence titration, and sedimentation equilibrium experiments demonstrate that Fos-LZD can noncovalently assemble four copies of the peptide corresp...

Coiled-coils are widespread protein-protein interaction motifs typified by the heptad repeat (abcdefg)(n) in which "a" and "d" positions are hydrophobic residues. Although identification of likely coiled-coil sequences is robust, prediction of strand order remains elusive. We present the X-ray crystal structure of a short form (residues 583-611), "Q1-short," of the coiled-coil assembly specific...

BACKGROUND The SMC proteins are involved in DNA repair, chromosome condensation, and sister chromatid cohesion throughout Eukaryota. Long, anti-parallel coiled coils are a prominent feature of SMC proteins, and are thought to serve as spacer rods to provide an elongated structure and to separate domains. We reported recently that the coiled coils of mammalian condensin (SMC2/4) showed moderate ...

The spinal muscular atrophy protein, SMN, is a cytoplasmic protein that is also found in distinct nuclear structures called "gems." Gems are closely associated with nuclear coiled bodies and both may have a direct role in snRNP maturation and pre-RNA splicing. There has been some controversy over whether gems and coiled bodies colocalize or form adjacent/independent structures in HeLa and other...

purpose: according to frequent needs to gastric decompression by nasogastric tube insertion during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the current comparative study was accomplished through single blind clinical trial considering both the presence and the absence of guide wire insertion. materials and methods: twenty patients were selected for elective surgery of laparoscopic cholecystectomywith gene...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate mechanical properties of the orthodontic wires according to heat treatment environments and cooling methods. Four types of wires were heat-treated in air, argon and vacuum at 500◦C, for 6 min, and were then either cooled in the furnace or a water bath. Increases in microhardness, maximal strength, yield strength and Young’s modulus of the orthodontic wi...