Kyoto University

About: Kyoto University is a education organization based out in Kyoto, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Catalysis. The organization has 85837 authors who have published 217215 publications receiving 6526826 citations. The organization is also known as: Kyōto University & Kyōto daigaku.

Lipid-protein interactions in double-layered two-dimensional AQP0 crystals

Abstract: Lens-specific aquaporin-0 (AQP0) functions as a specific water pore and forms the thin junctions between fibre cells. We describe a 1.9 A resolution structure of junctional AQP0, determined by electron crystallography of double-layered two-dimensional crystals. Comparison of junctional and non-junctional AQP0 structures shows that junction formation depends on a conformational switch in an extracellular loop, which may result from cleavage of the cytoplasmic N- and C-termini. In the centre of the water pathway, the closed pore in junctional AQP0 retains only three water molecules, which are too widely spaced to form hydrogen bonds with each other. Packing interactions between AQP0 tetramers in the crystalline array are mediated by lipid molecules, which assume preferred conformations. We could therefore build an atomic model for the lipid bilayer surrounding the AQP0 tetramers, and we describe lipid-protein interactions.

Nonperturbative effect on dark matter annihilation and gamma ray signature from the galactic center

Abstract: Detection of gamma rays from dark matter annihilation in the galactic center is one of the feasible techniques to search for dark matter. We evaluate the gamma ray flux in the case that the dark matter has an electroweak SU(2)_L charge. Such dark matter is realized in the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) when the lightest SUSY particle is the Higgsino- or Wino-like neutralino. When the dark matter is heavy compared to the weak gauge bosons, the leading-order calculation of the annihilation cross sections in perturbation breaks down due to a threshold singularity. We take into account non-perturbative effects by using the non-relativistic effective theory for the two-body states of the dark matter and its SU(2)_L partner(s), and evaluate precise cross sections relevant to the gamma ray fluxes. We find that the annihilation cross sections may be enhanced by several orders of magnitude due to resonances when the dark matter mass is larger than 1 TeV. Furthermore, the annihilation cross sections in the MSSM may be changed by factors even when the mass is about 500 GeV. We also discuss sensitivities to gamma ray signals from the galactic center in the GLAST satellite detector and the large Air Cerenkov Telescope arrays.

Chromosomal mapping of two genetic loci associated with blood-pressure regulation in hereditary hypertensive rats.

Abstract: The spontaneously hypertensive rat and the stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat are useful models for human hypertension. In these strains hypertension is a polygenic trait, in which both autosomal and sex-linked genes can influence blood pressure. Linkage studies in crosses between the stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat and the normotensive control strain Wistar-Kyoto have led to the localization of two genes, BP/SP-1 and BP/SP-2, that contribute significantly to blood pressure variation in the F2 population. BP/SP-1 and BP/SP-2 were assigned to rat chromosomes 10 and X, respectively. Comparison of the human and rat genetic maps indicates that BP/SP-1 could reside on human chromosome 17q in a region that also contains the angiotensin I-converting enzyme gene (ACE). This encodes a key enzyme of the renin-angiotensin system, and is therefore a candidate gene in primary hypertension. A rat microsatellite marker of ACE was mapped to rat chromosome 10 within the region containing BP/SP-1.