Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg

About: Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg is a education organization based out in Halle, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Liquid crystal. The organization has 20232 authors who have published 38773 publications receiving 965004 citations. The organization is also known as: MLU & University of Wittenberg.

Cleavable Cross-Linker for Protein Structure Analysis: Reliable Identification of Cross-Linking Products by Tandem MS

Abstract: Chemical cross-linking combined with a subsequent enzymatic cleavage of the created cross-linked complex and a mass spectrometric analysis of the resulting cross-linked peptide mixture presents an alternative approach to high-resolution analysis, such as NMR spectroscopy or X-ray crystallography, to obtain low-resolution protein structures and to gain insight into protein interfaces. Here, we describe a novel urea-based cross-linker, which allows distinguishing different cross-linking products by collision-induced dissociation (CID) tandem MS experiments based on characteristic product ions and constant neutral losses. The novel cross-linker is part of our ongoing efforts in developing collision-induced dissociative reagents that allow an efficient analysis of cross-linked proteins and protein complexes. Our innovative analytical concept is exemplified for the Munc13-1 peptide and the recombinantly expressed ligand binding domain of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α, for which cross-linking...

Biochar effects on phosphorus availability in agricultural soils: A meta-analysis.

Abstract: Phosphorus (P) is a limiting nutrient for plants and an essential element for all life on Earth. As the resources of phosphate rock are depleting, new management tools for environmentally friendly P fertilizers are needed. In order to achieve this, recent studies have proposed to use biochar, a carbon-rich solid product of thermochemical conversion of biomass with minimal or zero oxygen supply, as slow-release P fertilizer. However, the effects of biochar on plant-available P in soils have been reported to be variable. Therefore, we quantitatively evaluated existing peer-reviewed data using meta-analysis to draw general conclusions. In the present study, we evaluated 108 pairwise comparisons to their response of biochar application on P availability in soils. Our results indicate that biochar can act as a short-, mid-, and long-term P fertilizer with its effect depending on feedstock, pyrolysis temperature and application amount. Overall, the addition of biochar significantly increased the P availability in agricultural soil by a factor of 4.6 (95% confidence interval 3.4–5.9), independent of the used feedstock for biochar production. Only biochar application amounts above 10 Mg ha−1 and biochar produced at temperatures lower than 600 °C significantly increased the P availability of agricultural soils. The application of biochar to acid (pH 7.5). Taken together, this meta-analysis shows that biochar significantly enhances plant-available P in biochar-amended soils at least for five years.

The Metal Permease ZupT from Escherichia coli Is a Transporter with a Broad Substrate Spectrum

Abstract: The Escherichia coli zupT (formerly ygiE) gene encodes a cytoplasmic membrane protein (ZupT) related to members of the eukaryotic ZIP family of divalent metal ion transporters. Previously, ZupT was shown to be responsible for uptake of zinc. In this study, we show that ZupT is a divalent metal cation transporter of broad substrate specificity. An E. coli strain with a disruption in all known iron uptake systems could grow in the presence of chelators only if zupT was expressed. Heterologous expression of Arabidopsis thaliana ZIP1 could also alleviate iron deficiency in this E. coli strain, as could expression of indigenous mntH or feoABC. Transport studies with intact cells showed that ZupT facilitates uptake of 55 Fe 2 similarly to uptake of MntH or Feo. Other divalent cations were also taken up by ZupT, as shown using 57 Co 2 . Expression of zupT rendered E. coli cells hypersensitive to Co 2 and sensitive to Mn 2 . ZupT did not appear to be metal regulated: expression of a (zupT-lacZ) operon fusion indicated that zupT is expressed constitutively at a low level.

Guidelines for Antiemetic Treatment of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: Past, Present, and Future Recommendations

Abstract: Clinicians should be aware that chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is still one of the most feared side effects of chemotherapy. With the correct use of antiemetics, CINV can be prevented in almost 70% to up to 80% of patients. Treatment guidelines are useful tools that enable physicians to integrate the latest clinical research into their practices. The large volume of rapidly evolving clinical data has been summarized and incorporated into treatment recommendations by well-known and reliable institutions, including the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Despite the availability of such guidelines, however, there is evidence that adherence to and implementation of treatment recommendations are less than optimal. This review focuses, in particular, on the conformity and differences of these three guidelines. Furthermore, open questions and trends in the field of antiemesis are discussed as well.