Publications by authors named "A D Weeks"

Zinc is an essential micronutrient that serves as a cofactor in a wide variety of enzymes, including Cu-Zn Superoxide Dismutase 1 (Sod1). We have discovered in Schizosaccharomyces pombe that Sod1 mRNA and protein levels are regulated in response to cellular zinc availability. We demonstrate that lower levels of Sod1 mRNA and protein accumulate under low zinc conditions, and that this regulation does not require the sod1 promoter or known factors that regulate transcription of sod1 in response to zinc and other environmental stresses.

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Genetic mixing aims to increase the genetic diversity of small or isolated populations, by mitigating genetic drift and inbreeding depression, either by maximally increasing genetic diversity, or minimising the prevalence of recessive, deleterious alleles. However, few studies investigate this beyond a single generation of mixing. Here, we model genetic mixing using captive, low-diversity recipient population of the threatened Southern brown bandicoot () over 50 generations and compare wild populations across south-eastern Australia as candidate source populations.

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A woman in her mid-50s who had undergone a subtotal resection of a peritorcular meningioma 3 years earlier presented with symptoms suggestive of increased intracranial pressure. A delayed diagnosis of a torcular dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF) diagnosis was made on MRI. Digital subtraction angiography confirmed a torcular dAVF (Borden type II).

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Article Synopsis
  • Secretory proteins rely on the signal peptidase complex (SPC) for proper processing of their signal sequences, which is vital for correct protein folding and placement in eukaryotic cells.
  • The study focused on the role of Spc2 within the SPC, showing that mutations or depletion of Spc2 hinder the complex’s ability to recognize and cleave substrates correctly.
  • Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that without Spc2, the SPC's membrane structure is altered, shedding light on how Spc2 affects the protein biogenesis process.
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