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Biomedical subjects

S Parkin

Publications and source records attributed to S Parkin.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of two new crystal forms of calmodulin.

Two new crystal forms of calmodulin from Gallus gallus are reported. Crystals in space group P1 (cell dimensions a = 59.7, b = 53.1, c = 24.6 A, alpha = 93.2, beta = 96.7, gamma = 89.2 and Z = 2), grow as long thin needles. Water content on density considerations is approximately 50%. They diffract to approximately 2.0 A but give wide multiply peaked spot profiles. Crystals in space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) (cell dimensions a = 32.2, b = 56.0, c = 67.3 A and Z = 4), grow as clusters of thin tablets and contain approximately 30% water by volume. These small crystals ( approximately 0.4 x 0.15 x 0.1 mm) diffracted well to approximately 1.4 A and some appreciable intensities were observed at resolutions better than 1.2 A.

Journal Article↗

Structure of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor at 125 K definition of carboxyl-terminal residues Gly57 and Ala58.

The structure of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor has been refined to a resolution of 1.1 A against data collected at 125 K. The space group of the form II crystal is P2(1)2(1)2(1) with a = 75.39(3), b = 22.581(7), c = 28.606 (9) A (cf. a = 74.1, b = 23.4, c = 28.9 A at room temperature). The structure was refined by restrained least-squares minimization of summation operator w(F (o)(2)- F (c)(2))(2) with the SHELXL93 program. As the model improved, water molecules were included and exceptionally clear electron density was found for two residues, Gly57 and Ala58, that had been largely obscured at room temperature. The side chains of residues Glu7 and Arg53 were modelled over two positions with refined occupancy factors. The final model contains 145.6 water molecules distributed over 167 sites, and a single phosphate group disordered over two sites. The root-mean-square discrepancy between Calpha atoms in residues Arg1-Gly56 at room and low temperatures is 0.4 A. A comparison of models refined with anisotropic and isotropic thermal parameters revealed that there were no significant differences in atomic positions. The final weighted R-factor on F(2) (wR(2)) for data in the range 10-1.1 A was 35.9% for the anisotropic model and 40.9% for the isotropic model. Conventional R-factors based on F for F > 4sigma(F) were 12.2 and 14.6%, respectively, corresponding to 16.1 and 18.7% on all data. These large R-factor differences were not reflected in values of R(free), which were not significantly different at 21.5(5) and 21.8(4)%, respectively. These results, along with the relatively straightforward nature of the refinement, clearly highlight the benefits of low-temperature data collection.

Journal Article↗

Crystallization of the A alpha subunit of protein phosphatase 2A.

The A alpha subunit of human protein phosphatase 2A forms crystals in space group P2(1) with cell dimensions a = 104.0, b = 174.9, c = 168.2 A, and beta angle = 90.2 degrees. At cryogenic temperatures, the crystals diffracted to a resolution limit of approximately 3.0 A. Based on the unit cell dimensions and a calculated molecular mass of 65,277 Da, the Matthews coefficient suggests eight molecules per asymmetric unit. Two native data sets were collected to a nominal resolution of 3.0 A and merged to provide a set that is 93% complete, with Rsym of 9.9%.

Crystallization↗

Novel mechanism for defective receptor binding of apolipoprotein E2 in type III hyperlipoproteinemia.

The defective binding of apolipoprotein (apo) E2 to lipoprotein receptors, an underlying cause of type III hyperlipoproteinemia, results from replacement of Arg 158 with Cys, disrupting the naturally occurring salt bridge between Asp 154 and Arg 158. A new bond between Asp 154 and Arg 150 is formed, shifting Arg 150 out of the receptor binding region. Elimination of the 154-150 salt bridge by site-directed mutagenesis of Asp 154 to Ala restored the receptor binding activity to near normal levels. The X-ray crystal structure of apoE2 Ala 154 demonstrated that Arg 150 was relocated within the receptor binding region. Our results demonstrate that defective binding of apoE2 occurs by a novel mechanism of the replacement of one salt bridge with another.

Apolipoprotein E2↗

The application of microridge analysis in the diagnosis of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

BACKGROUND: The percentage of epithelial surface area covered by microridges (%MR) seen during scanning electron microscopy of oesophageal biopsy specimens has previously been shown to correlate with symptomatic reflux disease, a result < or = 35% being abnormal. The aim of this study was to compare %MR with endoscopy, light microscopy, and pH monitoring results. METHODS: Sixty-seven patients with heartburn were divided into oesophagitis or none on the basis of endoscopy and light microscopy findings and into those with and without abnormal acid reflux on the basis of pH monitoring. RESULTS: The endoscopic and light microscopic oesophagitis groups had significantly greater degrees of acid reflux than those without oesophagitis (p < 0.05), even though neither the specific %MR nor the number of patients below the 35% cutoff showed any difference between those with and without endoscopic oesophagitis, light microscopic oesophagitis or those with normal and abnormal acid reflux on pH monitoring. CONCLUSION: Despite the significant relationship between endoscopic and light microscopic oesophagitis and abnormal pH monitoring microridge analysis did not correlate with any of these variables

Biopsy↗

How drivers sit in cars.

This paper presents results from a study to measure the separation of the driver's head and shoulder to various internal features of the car. Drivers were filmed whilst driving in general traffic flow, hence were unaware that they were involved in a study. The results show that certain sub-groups of the driver population are likely to be more at risk for certain impact types. Small females are considerably closer to the steering wheel than the rest of the population, and therefore prone to head strikes in frontal impacts. Large males are likely to interact with the cant rail and B-pillar in side impacts.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Restrained occupants on the nonstruck side in lateral collisions.

Of injury-producing collisions with high seat belt use, some 25% to 30% are lateral collisions. This paper describes some of the characteristics of those collisions as they relate to the front-seat occupant sitting on the side opposite to the impact. The data came from a stratified sample of in-depth crash investigations conducted in the Birmingham region in the period 1983 to 1989 involving current model cars. Crash severity was assessed using the Vehicle Deformation Index (VDI) of the Collision Deformation Classification (CDC) ratings and velocity change. Injury severity was assessed using AIS 85 for each body region. 193 cases of restrained occupants in nonstruck side collisions were examined. Of those occupants with head injuries of AIS < or = 2, 35% came out of the shoulder section of the seat belt. Of abdominal injuries of AIS < or = 2, 72% came from the seat belt itself. Interaction between front seat occupants was not a frequent cause of injury to the nonstruck side occupant. Some aspects of seat belt geometry might be changed so that the trajectory and loading of the nonstruck side occupant are improved.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Restrained front seat car occupant fatalities--the nature and circumstances of their injuries.

The circumstances of a rural and urban sample of fatalities in vehicles less than six years old is described. The data originate from an in-depth, multidisciplinary study of accidents conducted in England since 1983. The sample is biased towards collisions that result in occupant injury, and this paper will concentrate on those accidents in which an occupant has been fatally injured. The initial police reporting of the fatalities included 11% of the deaths occurring from natural causes. Of the crash-related deaths with complete data, some 43% were frontal and lateral impacts, and they are analysed in greater detail. Thirty-six percent of restrained occupants died in lateral collisions. In both frontal and lateral crashes, large amounts of intrusion result in direct loading of the head and chest, particularly. Under-run crashes with large trucks constitute 30% of frontal death cases, and only 12% of fatalities received fatal injuries from belt loads. Of those cases, additional loading by unrestrained rear passengers could have been an important feature. Multiplicity of severe injuries is the rule for restrained fatalities, with head injuries as the most common cause of death. Eighty-two percent died within an hour of their crashes. Some consequences for vehicle compatibility in crashes are discussed.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Comparison of crystal structure and theory for 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine.

The crystal structure of the food mutagen 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b] pyridine (PhIP) has been determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Crystals grown by evaporation of an aqueous solution form in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n with two molecules of PhIP per asymmetric unit, along with six water molecules. The phenyl groups of these two PhIP molecules have torsion angles of different magnitude with respect to the plane of the imidazopyridine moiety. To maintain centrosymmetry, the crystal also contains an oppositely torsioned symmetry equivalent of each. The amino groups of both PhIP molecules take part in an extensive hydrogen bond network with the water of crystallization, forming long channels through the crystals parallel to the crystallographic b axis. The diffraction results are compared to theoretical calculations of the optimized geometry for a single PhIP molecule in vacuo as well as with water hydrogen-bonded to the exocyclic amine. In general, the agreement between the X-ray crystal structure of PhIP and its theory-derived counterpart in vacuo is within the combined experimental-theoretical uncertainty. The C-N bond to the exocyclic amine and the neighboring C=N imidazole bond are exceptions. This is attributed to the combined neglect of the crystal environment, waters of hydration, and the lack of coplanarity between the imidazole ring and the amine group in the calculations. To address the effect of waters of hydration, additional calculations were performed to optimize the geometry of a PhIP molecule with two water molecules hydrogen-bonded to the exocyclic amine. The resulting C-N exocyclic amine and C=N imidazole bond lengths were closer to those obtained by X-ray diffraction. The accord between theory and experiment demonstrates the utility of applying theory to (1) accurately predict structures of PhIP metabolites and intermediates that are too labile for study by conventional structural techniques such as X-ray crystallography and (2) assist in studying the mechanisms by which PhIP and its metabolites interact with proteins and DNA.

Crystallization↗