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PubMedDate not supplied

[Assessing health-related quality of life data of building trade workers by means of the SF-36 questionnaire].

The Lower Saxony statutory medical service of the building trade, the building trade association in Hanover and the statutory health insurance body of Lower Saxony have co-operated in the "ArGO" model project. The objective was to focus on the main areas of work-dependent health hazards and disorders. The SF-36 questionnaire was employed to ascertain how far the results obtained concerning health-related quality of life were suitable for this purpose. Hence, the data from industrial medical check-ups were compared with the additional findings for 4,334 building trade workers. Additional unfitness for work and medication data were available from the health insurance schemes for about one half of the group. The analyses revealed clear relationships between the subjectively experienced disorders on the one hand, and the stress and illness data on the other. In addition to age and the conventional stresses, e. g. strenuous physical work, the influence of psychosocial stress was also reflected in the assessment of the quality of life. The results obtained confirm the value of the SF-36 questionnaire for preventive medicine at an industrial level. It is suitable for identifying focal points of stress and can be employed for assessing preventative measures.

Disability Evaluation↗
PubMed1978

A general method to assess similarity of protein structures, with applications to T4 bacteriophage lysozyme.

A method is proposed that permits the structural similarity between any pair of proteins to be analyzed in a completely general manner. In the proposed procedure, all possible structural segments of a given length from one protein are compared with all possible segments from the other protein. This set of comparisons reveals any structural similarities between the two proteins being compared, and also provides a basis for estimating the probability that a particular degree of structural homology could have occurred by chance. Application of the method to the comparison of T4 bacteriophage lysozyme and carp calcium-binding protein suggests that the previously reported structural similarity between parts of these two proteins [Tufty, R. M.& Kretsinger, R. H. (1975) Science 187, 167-169] is no better than would be expected by chance. On the other hand, the structural correspondence between phage lysozyme and hen egg-white lysozyme [Rossman, M.G. & Argos, P. (1976) J. Mol. Biol. 105, 75-96] does appear to be significant.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Spectroscopic studies of wild-type and mutant "zinc finger" peptides: determinants of domain folding and structure.

The "zinc finger" model [Miller, J., McLachlan, A. D. & Klug, A. (1985) EMBO J. 4, 1609-1614; Brown, R. S., Sander, C. & Argos, P. (1985) FEBS Lett. 186, 271-274] makes both specific structural and specific functional predictions about zinc finger consensus sequences that can be tested with a combination of genetic, molecular biological, and biophysical techniques. The yeast transcription factor ADR1 contains two adjacent zinc finger domains; genetic and deletion analyses showed that amino acid substitutions and deletions in the zinc finger domains resulted in the loss of protein activity. To test the structural and folding predictions of the zinc finger model, peptides encompassing each of the ADR1 fingers were synthesized (ADR1a and ADR1b) as well as a mutant finger peptide (del138) deleted for a single amino acid residue. The folding and metal-binding characteristics of these were assessed by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and visible spectroscopy. While a single unique conformational species was detected for the two wild-type peptides upon tetrahedral binding of zinc, the deletion peptide did not bind zinc with tetrahedral geometry, nor did it fold into a zinc finger domain. The metal-binding and folding results found with the mutant peptide were similar to those obtained when thiol alkylation or imidazole protonation of the wild-type peptides was performed. These data indicate that ligand spacing and both thiol and imidazole participation in zinc binding are specific and necessary requirements for zinc finger folding, which provides direct support for the initial predictions of the model.

Alkylation↗
PubMed1992

Purification and characterization of cytosolic aconitase from beef liver and its relationship to the iron-responsive element binding protein.

In recent reports attention has been drawn to the extensive amino acid homology between pig heart, yeast, and Escherichia coli aconitases (EC 4.2.1.3) and the iron-responsive element binding protein (IRE-BP) of mammalian cells [Rouault, T. A., Stout, C. D., Kaptain, S., Harford, J. B. & Klausner, R. D. (1991) Cell 64, 881-883.; Hentze, M. W. & Argos, P. (1991) Nucleic Acids Res. 19, 1739-1740.; Prodromou, C., Artymiuk, P. J. & Guest, J. R. (1992) Eur. J. Biochem. 204, 599-609]. Iron-responsive elements (IREs) are stem-loop structures located in the untranslated regions of mRNAs. IRE-BP is required in the posttranscriptional regulation of ferritin mRNA translation and stabilization of transferrin receptor mRNA. In spite of substantial homology between the amino acid sequences of mammalian mitochondrial aconitase and IRE-BP, the mitochondrial protein does not bind IREs. However, there is a second aconitase, found only in the cytosol of mammalian tissues, that might serve as an IRE-BP. To test this possibility, we have prepared sufficient quantities of the heretofore poorly characterized beef liver cytosolic aconitase. This enzyme is isolated largely in its active [4Fe-4S] form and has a turnover number similar to that of mitochondrial aconitase. The EPR spectra of the two enzymes are markedly different. The amino acid composition, molecular weight, isoelectric point, and the sequences of six random peptides clearly show that these physicochemical and structural characteristics are identical to those of IRE-BP, and that c-aconitase is distinctly different from m-aconitase. In addition, both cytosolic aconitase and IRE-BP can have aconitase activity or function as IRE-BPs, as shown in the following paper and elsewhere [Zheng, L. Kennedy, M. C., Blondin, G. A., Beinert, H. & Zalkin, H. (1992) Arch. Biochem. Biophys., in press]. This leads us to the conclusion that cytosolic aconitase is IRE-BP.

Aconitate Hydratase↗
PubMed1982

A multivariate analysis of dichotomous opinions in dissensus disaster.

Despite the absence of evidence supporting either environmental or economic damages resulting from the Argo Merchant oil spill of 1976, a questionnaire administered 11 months afterward to 258 randomly selected heads of households in four towns contiguous to the spill revealed that 60 percent thought damages had occurred. In a secondary analysis of the original data to examine the causes of the damage perceptions, a discriminant function was developed on a randomly selected test group and evaluated on a control group. The results support the hypothesis that incorrect damage perceptions resulted from a priori views on the part of younger, socially conscious, higher-achieving heads of households. Support is indicated for the hypothesis that a priori perceptions were reinforced after the event. The index for total discriminating power was .43 for the test group and .38 for the control group. Television was the major media information source.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

A Tcl-based SRS v. 4 interface.

A new SRS (Sequence Retrieval System) user interface has been developed for SRS v.4. Key features are the support of simple character-oriented (ASCII, VT100) terminals by coding in Tcl augmented by some dedicated Curses calls, support of graphics terminals in an X-Windows version by using the Tk extension to Tcl, and support of a client/server environment by using the TDP extension to Tcl. The Sequence Retrieval System (SRS) is a powerful tool for the fast extraction of information from flat file libraries (Etzold and Argos, 1993) and has rapidly established itself as a major research instrument for the bio-informatics community. Internally the system employs a query language, which is user accessible through either a command-line user interface, 'getz', or a more user friendly, character-oriented window interface. For SRS versions up to release v. 3, this window interface supported VT100-compatible terminals. Because of major changes in the underlying SRS libraries, the v. 3 interface became fully incompatible with the most recent version of SRS (v. 4.x). Thus the many users with only a simple terminal/terminal emulator connection were either deprived of access to SRS, or were forced to use the ASCII WWW client LYNX. This prompted us to develop a character-oriented SRS v. 4 window interface with the look and feel of its SRS v. 3.1 predecessor and coded to be as library independent as possible to maintain compatibility with future SRS releases. In addition, some 'extensions' were coded to widen the applicability to graphics terminals and to a client/server environment. At the time of preparation of this paper, the SRS interface described had been implemented in one form or another on most EM Bnet nodes and on all the platforms given in Table II. The code has been stored at the EMBL in Heidelberg, where it will be available, with installation instructions and scripts, as part of the SRS distribution.

Computer Graphics↗
PubMed1989

Similarity between the picornavirus VP3 capsid polypeptide and the Saccharomyces cerevisiae virus capsid polypeptide.

We have compared the sequence of the capsid polypeptide of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae double-stranded RNA virus, ScV, with those of the picornaviruses. A central region of 245 amino acids in the ScV capsid polypeptide of 680 amino acids has significant similarity to the picornavirus VP3. This similarity is more extensive than that already noted for the alphavirus capsid polypeptide and the picornavirus VP3 (Fuller, S.D. and Argos, P, EMBO J. 6, 1099, 1987). Together with the similarity between the ScV RNA polymerase and the picornavirus RNA polymerases, this result implies an evolutionary relationship between a simple double-stranded RNA virus of fungi and the small plus strand RNA animal viruses.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

A motif conserved among the type I restriction-modification enzymes and antirestriction proteins: a possible basis for mechanism of action of plasmid-encoded antirestriction functions.

Antirestriction proteins Ard encoded by some self-transmissible plasmids specifically inhibit restriction by members of all three families of type I restriction-modification (R-M) systems in E.coli. Recently, we have identified the amino acid region, 'antirestriction' domain, that is conserved within different plasmid and phage T7-encoded antirestriction proteins and may be involved in interaction with the type I R-M systems. In this paper we demonstrate that this amino acid sequence shares considerable similarity with a well-known conserved sequence (the Argos repeat) found in the DNA sequence specificity (S) polypeptides of type I systems. We suggest that the presence of these similar motifs in restriction and antirestriction proteins may give a structural basis for their interaction and that the antirestriction action of Ard proteins may be a result of the competition between the 'antirestriction' domains of Ard proteins and the similar conserved domains of the S subunits that are believed to play a role in the subunit assembly of type I R-M systems.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2006

MvirDB--a microbial database of protein toxins, virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes for bio-defence applications.

Knowledge of toxins, virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes is essential for bio-defense applications aimed at identifying 'functional' signatures for characterizing emerging or engineered pathogens. Whereas genetic signatures identify a pathogen, functional signatures identify what a pathogen is capable of. To facilitate rapid identification of sequences and characterization of genes for signature discovery, we have collected all publicly available (as of this writing), organized sequences representing known toxins, virulence factors, and antibiotic resistance genes in one convenient database, which we believe will be of use to the bio-defense research community. MvirDB integrates DNA and protein sequence information from Tox-Prot, SCORPION, the PRINTS virulence factors, VFDB, TVFac, Islander, ARGO and a subset of VIDA. Entries in MvirDB are hyperlinked back to their original sources. A blast tool allows the user to blast against all DNA or protein sequences in MvirDB, and a browser tool allows the user to search the database to retrieve virulence factor descriptions, sequences, and classifications, and to download sequences of interest. MvirDB has an automated weekly update mechanism. Each protein sequence in MvirDB is annotated using our fully automated protein annotation system and is linked to that system's browser tool. MvirDB can be accessed at http://mvirdb.llnl.gov/.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed1998

Prediction of the helix/strand content of globular proteins based on their primary sequences.

An improved multiple linear regression method has been proposed to predict the content of alpha-helix and beta-strand of a globular protein based on its primary sequence. The amino acid composition and the auto-correlation functions based on the hydrophobicity profile of the primary sequence have been taken into account in the algorithm. The resubstitution test shows that the average absolute errors are 0.077 and 0.073 with the standard deviations 0.059 and 0.057 for the prediction of the content of alpha-helix and beta-strand, respectively. A stringent cross-validation test, i.e., the jackknife test, shows that the average absolute errors are 0.087 and 0.081 with the standard deviations 0.067 and 0.065 for the prediction of the content of alpha-helix and beta-strand, respectively. Both tests indicate the self-consistency and the extrapolating effectiveness of the new algorithm. This greatly improves on previous results (Eisenhaber,F., Imperiale,F., Argos,P. and Frommel,C., 1996, Proteins, 25, 157-168). Compared with other methods currently available, our method has the merits of simplicity and ease-of-use as well as a higher prediction accuracy. The only input of the method is the primary sequence of the query protein to be predicted. The program is available on request via e-mail: ctzhang@tju.edu.cn.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Quantifying the local reliability of a sequence alignment.

We present a method for attributing a measure of reliability to a residue pair in an optimal alignment of two protein sequences. Validation based on a database of structurally correct alignments [Pascarella and Argos (1992) Protein Engng, 5, 121-137] shows that correctly aligned parts of a sequence alignment systematically receive high scores in this measure. The higher the sequence similarity between two sequences, the larger is the fraction found of the correct parts of the alignment. We used these observations to design a program that draws a reliability curve along an optimal alignment reflecting the chances for each residue pair to be aligned correctly.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1983

Auxotyping of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated in the United Kingdom.

One hundred and twenty consecutive isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from the County of Avon, UK, were examined by auxotyping and penicillin susceptibility testing. Requirements for proline (Pro), arginine (Arg), hypoxanthine (Hyp), uracil (Ura) and methionine (Met) were determined with a modified Heckels' medium. Prototrophic strains accounted for 29.9% of isolates and were a heterogeneous group as judged by penicillin susceptibility testing. The group most generally susceptible to penicillin required Arg-Hyp-Ura, and represented 27.5% of isolates. The Pro-Argo-Ura auxogroup (10% of isolates) had the narrowest range of penicillin susceptibility. Prototrophic strains had a reduced growth rate on arginine-free medium. Investigations of this phenomenon and suitable methods for auxotyping are reported.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1998

EGF domain swap converts a drosophila EGF receptor activator into an inhibitor.

In Drosophila the function of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor is modulated zygotically by three EGF-like proteins: Spitz (Spi), which is a potent activator; Vein (Vn), which is a moderate activator; and Argos (Aos), which is an inhibitor. Chimeric molecules were constructed in which the EGF domain of Vn was swapped with the EGF domain from each factor. The modified Vn proteins behaved both in vitro and in vivo with properties characteristic of the factor from which the EGF domain was derived. These results demonstrate that the EGF domain is the key determinant that gives DER inhibitors and activators their distinct properties.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Cell-type specific utilization of multiple negative feedback loops generates developmental constancy.

Signaling pathways generally contain multiple negative regulators that are induced by the signal they repress, constructing negative feedback loops. Although such negative regulators are often expressed in a tissue- or cell-type specific manner during development, little is known about the significance of their differential expression patterns and possible interactions. We show the role and interplay of two cell-type specific negative feedback loops during specification of photoreceptor neurons in the Drosophila compound eye, a process that occurs via epidermal growth factor (EGF)-mediated sequential induction through the activation of the Ras/MAPK signaling pathway. Inducing cells secreting EGF express a negative regulator Sprouty (SPRY) that lowers Ras/MAPK signaling activity, and as a consequence reduces the signal-dependent expression of a secreted EGF inhibitor, Argos (AOS). Induced cells in turn express an orphan nuclear receptor Seven-up (SVP), which represses SPRY expression thereby allowing expression and secretion of AOS, preventing further induction. When this intricate system fails, as in spry mutants, sequential induction is no longer constant and the number of photoreceptor neurons becomes variable. Thus, cell-type specific utilization of multiple negative feedback loops not only confers developmental robustness through functional redundancy, but is a key component in generating consistent patterning.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Robust hierarchical state-space models reveal diel variation in travel rates of migrating leatherback turtles.

1. Biological and statistical complexity are features common to most ecological data that hinder our ability to extract meaningful patterns using conventional tools. Recent work on implementing modern statistical methods for analysis of such ecological data has focused primarily on population dynamics but other types of data, such as animal movement pathways obtained from satellite telemetry, can also benefit from the application of modern statistical tools. 2. We develop a robust hierarchical state-space approach for analysis of multiple satellite telemetry pathways obtained via the Argos system. State-space models are time-series methods that allow unobserved states and biological parameters to be estimated from data observed with error. We show that the approach can reveal important patterns in complex, noisy data where conventional methods cannot. 3. Using the largest Atlantic satellite telemetry data set for critically endangered leatherback turtles, we show that the diel pattern in travel rates of these turtles changes over different phases of their migratory cycle. While foraging in northern waters the turtles show similar travel rates during day and night, but on their southward migration to tropical waters travel rates are markedly faster during the day. These patterns are generally consistent with diving data, and may be related to changes in foraging behaviour. Interestingly, individuals that migrate southward to breed generally show higher daytime travel rates than individuals that migrate southward in a non-breeding year. 4. Our approach is extremely flexible and can be applied to many ecological analyses that use complex, sequential data.

Animal Migration↗
PubMed1976

Isolation of a trypsin-like enzyme from Streptomyces paromomycinus (paromotrypsin) by affinity adsorption through Kunitz inhibitor-sepharose.

A trypsin-like enzyme has been isolated from the filtrate of a Streptomyces rimosus forma paromomycinus culture. Purification involves acetone fractionated precipitation, ultrafiltration on a Diaflo UM 10 membrane and affinity adsorption on to Kunitz pancreatic trypsin inhibitor linked to Sepharose. The trypsin-like enzyme (paromotrypsin) appears homogeneous by zone electrophoresis on gelatinized cellulose acetate. Specific activity toward Tos-Arg-OMe, calculated from amino acid analysis, is about 220 mu mg-1. The overall yield in activity is about 30%. The molecular weight of the trypsin-like enzyme, determined by gel filtration, is around 22,000-25,000 daltons. Electrophoretic migration on cellulose acetate strips indicates an isoelectric point around 8. Amino acid composition has been determined; the protein comprises about 210 residues on the basis of a single histidine residue per molecule. Paromotrypsin is unstable in acidic medium and is not stabilized by calcium ions. Enzymic activity towards Bz-Argo-OEt is not increased by the addition of calcium ion in contrast to the activating effect observed on bovine trypsin. Paromotrypsin is inhbited by TLCK and NPGB; it interacts with naturally occurring bovine trypsin inhibitors such as soya bean and Kunitz pancreatic inhibitors, but not with chicken ovomucoid. Proteolytic specificity, examined by hydrolysis of oxidized Kunitz pancreatic inhibitor and characterization of resulting peptides, seems similar to that of bovine trypsin.

Adsorption↗
PubMed1989

Regulated secretion of pro-opiomelanocortin converting enzyme and an aminopeptidase B-like enzyme from dispersed bovine intermediate lobe pituitary cells.

Coordinate secretion of two prohormone/proneuropeptide processing enzymes [pro-opiomelanocortin converting enzyme (PCE) and an aminopeptidase B-like enzyme (APBE)] and alpha-melanotropin (alpha-MSH) from bovine intermediate lobe pituitary cells was studied. Stimulation of secretion with 8-bromo-cyclic AMP produced significant increases in levels of immunoreactive alpha-MSH, PCE, and APBE. Treatment of cells with the dopaminergic agonist 2-bromo-alpha-ergocryptine resulted in significant decreases in secretion of alpha-MSH, PCE, and APBE. In neither case were there significant changes in levels of cytosolic lactic dehydrogenase or lysosomal beta-glucuronidase in the medium. The secreted PCE activity was shown to process frog and mouse pro-opiomelanocortin primarily to 23,000-Mr corticotropin (ACTH), 13,000-Mr ACTH, beta-lipotropin, a beta-endorphin-like peptide, and beta-endorphin, products comparable to those synthesized by the mouse and frog intermediate lobe in situ. The secreted enzymatic activity had a pH optimum between 4.0 and 5.0, was strongly inhibited by pepstatin A, and had an inhibitor profile similar to the purified bovine intermediate lobe PCE. The secreted APBE activity cleaved Argo-[Met]-enkephalin to [Met]-enkephalin and had a pH optimum and inhibitor profile similar to that previously reported for an activity from purified secretory vesicle fractions of bovine intermediate and neural lobes. The coordinate regulated secretion of alpha-MSH and enzyme activities (PCE and APBE) strongly indicates their colocalization in the same secretory vesicle compartment within the cell. The characteristics of the two enzymes secreted in the medium paralleled those seen in the tissue and further support their role in pro-opiomelanocortin processing in vivo.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗
PubMed1997

In situ activation pattern of Drosophila EGF receptor pathway during development.

Signaling cascades triggered by receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) participate in diverse developmental processes. The active state of these signaling pathways was monitored by examination of the in situ distribution of the active, dual phosphorylated form of mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK) with a specific monoclonal antibody. Detection of the active state of the Drosophila epidermal growth factor receptor (DER) pathway allowed the visualization of gradients and boundaries of receptor activation, assessment of the distribution of activating ligands, and analysis of interplay with the inhibitory ligand Argos. This in situ approach can be used to monitor other receptor-triggered pathways in a wide range of organisms.

Animals↗