Birth and growth kinetics of brome mosaic virus microcrystals.

The early steps of crystal nucleation and growth in Brome Mosaïc virus and polyethylene glycol mixtures were analyzed using time-resolved x-ray scattering (at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France). The system was chosen as a crystallization model since the phase diagram of the macromolecule/polymer mixture was known to present, at high polymer concentration, a solid, precipitated phase made of the synchronized formation of a large number of microcrystals. The precipitation and crystallization of the samples was induced by the controlled mixing of virus and polymer using a stopped-flow device.

Retroactive pathway involving mitochondria in electroloaded cytochrome c-induced apoptosis. Protective properties of Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL.

Cytochrome c release is thought to play an important role in the initiation of apoptosis. The nature of the control exerted by Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL on such a pathway is not precisely known. We addressed this issue by square-wave pulse electroloading of exogenous cytochrome c into Jurkat cells.