We describe a Cat-valued nerve of bicategories, which associates to every bicategory a simplicial object in Cat, called the 2-nerve. This becomes the object part of a 2-functor N : NHom → [∆,Cat], where NHom is a 2-category whose objects are bicategories and whose 1-cells are normal homomorphisms of bicategories. The 2-functor N is fully faithful and has a left biadjoint, and we characterize it...

We have studied the expression of antioxidant genes in response to near ambient conditions of O3, SO2, and ultraviolet B (UV-B) in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia L. The genes analyzed encode four different superoxide dismutases (SODs), three catalases (Cat1, Cat2, and Cat3), the cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase (cyt APx), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). The experimental setup for each treatment was ...

Entry of ecotropic murine leukemia virus (MuLV) into host cells is initiated by interaction between the receptor-binding domain of the viral SU protein and the third extracellular domain (TED) of the receptor, cationic amino acid transporter 1 (CAT1). To study the molecular basis for the retrovirus-receptor interaction, mouse CAT1 (mCAT1) was expressed in human 293 cells as a fusion protein wit...

Abstract Nine pregnant mares (18.2 ± 0.7 y; 493.82 13 kg BW) were used to test the hypothesis that dietary supplementation of arginine would enhance placental vascularity and nutrient transport throughout gestation in aged mares. Mares balanced by age, BW, stallion pairing, randomly assigned one two treatments consisting supplemental L-arginine (50 mg/kg BW; n=5) or L-alanine (100 n=4; isonitro...

We investigated the expression and activity of arginine transporters and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in human placental microvascular endothelial cells (HPMEC). Using RT-PCR amplification products for eNOS, CAT1, CAT2A, CAT2B, CAT4, 4F2hc (CD98), rBAT and the light chains y+LAT1, y+LAT2, and b0+T1 were detected in HPMEC, but not B0+. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting confir...

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Moneymaker) plants are chilling sensitive, and do not naturally accumulate glycinebetaine (GB), a metabolite that functions as a stress protectant. We reported previously that exogenous GB application enhanced chilling tolerance in tomato. To understand its protective role better, we have further evaluated various parameters associated with improved tol...

In an attempt to improve stress tolerance of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) plants, an expression vector containing an Arabidopsis C-repeat/dehydration responsive element binding factor 1 (CBF1) cDNA driven by a cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter was transferred into tomato plants. Transgenic expression of CBF1 was proved by northern- and western-blot analyses. The degree of chilling toler...

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) plant resists water-deficit stress by shedding leaves leading to adaptive water-deficit condition. Transcriptomic, physiological, cellular, molecular, metabolic, and transgenic methods were used to study the mechanism of cassava abscission zone (AZ) cell separation under water-deficit stress. Microscopic observation indicated that AZ cell separation initiated ...