Assembling a physical model helps students grasp human somatosensory pathways.

Mastering the complexity of the nervous system is essential for education programs in physiology, anatomy, and neuroscience. Students often struggle when learning somatosensory pathways, which convey information from sensory neurons to the somatosensory cortex in the brain. Active learning activities incorporating physical models have been shown to increase content comprehension as well as enjoyment of the learning process.

A tale of two switches: Redox regulation of adenosine-5'-phosphosulfate kinase in humans and plants.

The sulfate donor 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) is a near-universal component of sulfur metabolism. In a report by Zhang et al. in this issue of Structure, X-ray crystal structures of the APS kinase domains from human PAPS synthase reveal dynamic substrate recognition and a regulatory "redox switch" analogous to that previously described only in plant APS kinases.

Alkaloid binding to opium poppy major latex proteins triggers structural modification and functional aggregation.

Opium poppy accumulates copious amounts of several benzylisoquinoline alkaloids including morphine, noscapine, and papaverine, in the specialized cytoplasm of laticifers, which compose an internal secretory system associated with phloem throughout the plant. The contiguous latex includes an abundance of related proteins belonging to the pathogenesis-related (PR)10 family known collectively as major latex proteins (MLPs) and representing at least 35% of the total cellular protein content. Two latex MLP/PR10 proteins, thebaine synthase and neopione isomerase, have recently been shown to catalyze late steps in morphine biosynthesis previously assigned as spontaneous reactions.

Sub-hourly water temperature data collected across the Nechako Watershed, 2019-2021.

Water temperature is actively being monitored along the regulated Nechako River and some of its unregulated tributaries in northern British Columbia (BC) to determine how climate variability, climate change and flow regulation influence water temperatures. The Nechako Watershed, located mainly in the sub-boreal spruce biogeoclimatic zone, spans 47,200 km in area [1]. The regional climate experiences a prominent seasonal cycle in air temperature and precipitation, with subfreezing temperatures and snow accumulating during winter.

Scaling of fibre area and fibre glycogen concentration in the hindlimb musculature of monitor lizards: implications for locomotor performance with increasing body size.

A considerable biomechanical challenge faces larger terrestrial animals as the demands of body support scale with body mass (Mb), while muscle force capacity is proportional to muscle cross-sectional area, which scales with Mb2/3. How muscles adjust to this challenge might be best understood by examining varanids, which vary by five orders of magnitude in size without substantial changes in posture or body proportions. Muscle mass, fascicle length and physiological cross-sectional area all scale with positive allometry, but it remains unclear, however, how muscles become larger in this clade.

Structural studies of codeinone reductase reveal novel insights into aldo-keto reductase function in benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis.

Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are a class of specialized metabolites with a diverse range of chemical structures and physiological effects. Codeine and morphine are two closely related BIAs with particularly useful analgesic properties. The aldo-keto reductase (AKR) codeinone reductase (COR) catalyzes the final and penultimate steps in the biosynthesis of codeine and morphine, respectively, in opium poppy (Papaver somniferum).

Effects of Astrobiology Lectures on Knowledge and Attitudes about Science in Incarcerated Populations.

The incarcerated population has little or no access to science education programs, STEM resources, or scientists. We explored the effects of a low-cost, potentially high-impact informal science education program that enabled NASA scientists to provide astrobiology lectures to adults inside 16 correctional institutions in three states. Post- versus pre-lecture surveys suggest that presentations significantly increased science content knowledge, positively shifted attitudes about science and scientists, increased a sense of science self-identity, and enhanced behavioral intentions about communicating science.

PR10/Bet v1-like Proteins as Novel Contributors to Plant Biochemical Diversity.

Pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins constitute a broad class of plant proteins with analogues found throughout nature from bacteria to higher eukaryotes. PR proteins were first noted in plants as part of the hypersensitive response, but have since been assigned an array of biological roles. The PR10/Bet v1-like proteins are a subset of PR proteins characterized by an ability to bind a wide range of lipophilic ligands, uniquely positioning them as contributors to specialized biosynthetic pathways.

Musculoskeletal mass and shape are correlated with competitive ability in male house mice ().

Intense physical competition between males for mating opportunities is widespread among mammals. In such agonistic encounters, males with combinations of morphological, physiological and behavioral characters that allow them to dominate an opponent have greater fitness. However, the specific physical traits associated with competitive ability are poorly understood.

Sexual dimorphism in human arm power and force: implications for sexual selection on fighting ability.

Sexual dimorphism often arises from selection on specific musculoskeletal traits that improve male fighting performance. In humans, one common form of fighting includes using the fists as weapons. Here, we tested the hypothesis that selection on male fighting performance has led to the evolution of sexual dimorphism in the musculoskeletal system that powers striking with a fist.

Corrigendum: Molecular Origins of Functional Diversity in Benzylisoquinoline Alkaloid Methyltransferases.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.

A single residue determines substrate preference in benzylisoquinoline alkaloid N-methyltransferases.

N-methylation is a recurring feature in the biosynthesis of many plant specialized metabolites, including alkaloids. A crucial step in the conserved central pathway that provides intermediates for the biosynthesis of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) involves conversion of the secondary amine (S)-coclaurine into the tertiary amine (S)-N-methylcoclaurine by coclaurine N-methyltransferase (CNMT). Subsequent enzymatic steps yield the core intermediate (S)-reticuline, from which various branch pathways for the biosynthesis of major BIAs such as morphine, noscapine and sanguinarine diverge.

Molecular Origins of Functional Diversity in Benzylisoquinoline Alkaloid Methyltransferases.

- and -methylations are ubiquitous and recurring features in the biosynthesis of many specialized metabolites. Accordingly, the methyltransferase (MT) enzymes catalyzing these modifications are directly responsible for a substantial fraction of the vast chemodiversity observed in plants. Enabled by DNA sequencing and synthesizing technologies, recent studies have revealed and experimentally validated the trajectories of molecular evolution through which MTs, such as those biosynthesizing caffeine, emerge and shape plant chemistry.

Structure-function studies of tetrahydroprotoberberine -methyltransferase reveal the molecular basis of stereoselective substrate recognition.

Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are a structurally diverse class of plant-specialized metabolites that have been particularly well-studied in the order Ranunculales. The -methyltransferases (NMTs) in BIA biosynthesis can be divided into three groups according to substrate specificity and amino acid sequence. Here, we report the first crystal structures of enzyme complexes from the tetrahydroprotoberberine NMT (TNMT) subclass, specifically for TNMT from the yellow horned poppy ().

Sexual dimorphism in postcranial skeletal shape suggests male-biased specialization for physical competition in anthropoid primates.

Sexual dimorphism often arises as a response to selection on traits that improve a male's ability to physically compete for access to mates. In primates, sexual dimorphism in body mass and canine size is more common in species with intense male-male competition. However, in addition to these traits, other musculoskeletal adaptations may improve male fighting performance.

Modeling methane oxidation in landfill cover soils as indicator of functional stability with respect to gas management.

A performance-based method for evaluating methane (CH) oxidation as the best available control technology (BACT) for passive management of landfill gas (LFG) was applied at a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill in central Washington, USA, to predict when conditions for functional stability with respect to LFG management would be expected. The permitted final cover design at the subject landfill is an all-soil evapotranspirative (ET) cover system. Using a model, a correlation between CH loading flux and oxidation was developed for the specific ET cover design.

An -methyltransferase from catalyzing the formation of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine enables microbial phenylalkylamine production.

Phenylalkylamines, such as the plant compounds ephedrine and pseudoephedrine and the animal neurotransmitters dopamine and adrenaline, compose a large class of natural and synthetic molecules with important physiological functions and pharmaceutically valuable bioactivities. The final steps of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine biosynthesis in members of the plant genus involve -methylation of norephedrine and norpseudoephedrine, respectively. Here, using a plant transcriptome screen, we report the isolation and characterization of an -methyltransferase (NMT) from able to catalyze the formation of (pseudo)ephedrine and other naturally occurring phenylalkylamines, including -methylcathinone and -methyl(pseudo)ephedrine.

Case study comparison of functional vs. organic stability approaches for assessing threat potential at closed landfills in the USA.

Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills in the USA are regulated under Subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), which includes the requirement to protect human health and the environment (HHE) during the post-closure care (PCC) period. Several approaches have been published for assessment of potential threats to HHE. These approaches can be broadly divided into organic stabilization, which establishes an inert waste mass as the ultimate objective, and functional stability, which considers long-term emissions in the context of minimizing threats to HHE in the absence of active controls.

A disparity between locomotor economy and territory-holding ability in male house mice.

Both economical locomotion and physical fighting are important performance traits to many species because of their direct influence on components of Darwinian fitness. Locomotion represents a substantial portion of the total daily energy budget of many animals. Fighting performance often determines individual reproductive fitness through the means of resource control, social dominance and access to mates.

Isolation and Characterization of Reticuline N-Methyltransferase Involved in Biosynthesis of the Aporphine Alkaloid Magnoflorine in Opium Poppy.

Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids are a large group of plant-specialized metabolites displaying an array of biological and pharmacological properties associated with numerous structural scaffolds and diverse functional group modification. N-Methylation is one of the most common tailoring reactions, yielding tertiary and quaternary pathway intermediates and products. Two N-methyltransferases accepting (i) early 1-benzylisoquinoline intermediates possessing a secondary amine and leading to the key branch-point intermediate (S)-reticuline and (ii) downstream protoberberines containing a tertiary amine and forming quaternary intermediates destined for phthalideisoquinolines and antimicrobial benzo[c]phenanthridines were previously characterized.

Structural and Functional Studies of Pavine N-Methyltransferase from Thalictrum flavum Reveal Novel Insights into Substrate Recognition and Catalytic Mechanism.

Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are produced in a wide variety of plants and include many common analgesic, antitussive, and anticancer compounds. Several members of a distinct family of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-dependent N-methyltransferases (NMTs) play critical roles in BIA biosynthesis, but the molecular basis of substrate recognition and catalysis is not known for NMTs involved in BIA metabolism. To address this issue, the crystal structure of pavine NMT from Thalictrum flavum was solved using selenomethionine-substituted protein (d = 2.

Sexual selection on skeletal shape in Carnivora.

Lifetime reproductive success of males is often dependent upon the ability to physically compete for mates. However, species variation in social structure leads to differences in the relative importance of intraspecific aggression. Here, we present a large comparative dataset on sexual dimorphism in skeletal shape in Carnivora to test the hypotheses that carnivorans exhibit sexual dimorphism in skeletal anatomy that is reflective of greater specialization for physical aggression in males relative to females and that this dimorphism is associated with the intensity of sexual selection.

Transcriptome analysis of 20 taxonomically related benzylisoquinoline alkaloid-producing plants.

Background: Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) represent a diverse class of plant specialized metabolites sharing a common biosynthetic origin beginning with tyrosine. Many BIAs have potent pharmacological activities, and plants accumulating them boast long histories of use in traditional medicine and cultural practices. The decades-long focus on a select number of plant species as model systems has allowed near or full elucidation of major BIA pathways, including those of morphine, sanguinarine and berberine.

Longitudinal data analysis in support of functional stability concepts for leachate management at closed municipal landfills.

Landfill functional stability provides a target that supports no environmental threat at the relevant point of exposure in the absence of active control systems. With respect to leachate management, this study investigates "gateway" indicators for functional stability in terms of the predictability of leachate characteristics, and thus potential threat to water quality posed by leachate emissions. Historical studies conducted on changes in municipal solid waste (MSW) leachate concentrations over time (longitudinal analysis) have concentrated on indicator compounds, primarily chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD).