Structure of the human cytomegalovirus protease catalytic domain reveals a novel serine protease fold and catalytic triad.

Proteolytic processing of capsid assembly protein precursors by herpesvirus proteases is essential for virion maturation. A 2.5 A crystal structure of the human cytomegalovirus protease catalytic domain has been determined by X-ray diffraction.

Structure of human rhinovirus 3C protease reveals a trypsin-like polypeptide fold, RNA-binding site, and means for cleaving precursor polyprotein.

The structure of human rhinovirus-14 3C protease (3Cpro) has been determined at 2.3 A resolution and refined to an R factor of 0.22.

Crystallization and preliminary x-ray diffraction studies of recombinant rabbit interferon-gamma.

Two different crystal forms of recombinant rabbit IFN-gamma were obtained under different crystallization conditions. The first, a tetragonal form with space group P43212 or P41212, was obtained through vapor phase equilibration using the sitting drop rods technique with ammonium citrate as the major precipitating agent. The unit cell dimensions of this crystal form are a = b = 82.

Evidence for unmasking of rat brown-adipose-tissue mitochondrial GDP-binding sites in response to acute cold exposure. Effects of washing with albumin on GDP binding.

Rats, previously acclimated to 29 degrees C, were moved into the cold (4 degrees C) for 2 h. Scatchard analysis of GDP binding to the brown-adipose-tissue mitochondria of these animals showed a 2.3-fold increase in the number of high-affinity sites and a 1.

Brown adipose tissue from fetal rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta): morphological and biochemical aspects.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) from fetal rhesus monkeys microscopically resembled adult rodent BAT containing multiocular fat cells with numerous mitochondria. Mitochondrial carnitine palmitoyl transferase activity was lower than that in adult rodents and adenine nucleotide translocase activity was similar to that reported for rats. Rhesus monkey BAT mitochondria (BATM) possess an uncoupling protein that is characteristic of BAT as evidenced by the binding of [3H]GDP, the inhibition by GDP of the high Cl- permeability or rapid alpha-glycerol-3-phosphate oxidation.

The effect of dietary protein levels on diet-induced thermogenesis in the rat.

Relative to rats fed a 15% protein-diet, 300-g rats fed a 5% protein-diet for 5 weeks consumed 19% more food but gained only 28% as much weight, showed twice the thermic response when fed, had twice as much subscapular brown adipose tissue with almost twice the specific GDP-binding activity. There was no difference between these groups in skeletal growth nor, unexpectedly, in the proportion of carcass fat.

Effectiveness of a self-control manual for problem drinkers with and without therapist contact.

Thirty-one self-referred problem drinkers were randomly assigned to one of two modalities for behavioral self-control training with a goal of moderation: (1) minimal therapist contact, in which clients worked only with a self-help manual; and (2) therapist directed training, in which clients received self-help materials plus 10 individual treatment sessions. Both groups showed significant reductions in alcohol consumption and peak blood alcohol concentration. Contrary to expectations, there were no significant differences on outcome measures between groups.