Structural characterization of two papaya chitinases, a family GH19 of glycosyl hydrolases

Two chitinases, able to use tetra-N-acetylglucosamine, chitin and chitosan as substrates, were characterized after purification from Carica papaya latex. The complete amino acid sequence of the major form and about 40% of the minor one were determined through proteolytic digestions and mass spectroscopy analysis. Sequencing demonstrated that both papaya chitinases are members of the family 19 of glycosyl hydrolases (GH19). Based on the known 3-D structures of other members of family GH19, it was expected that papaya chitinases would adopt all-alpha structures. However, circular dichroism and infrared spectroscopy indicated, for the papaya chitinases, a content of 15–20% of extended structures besides the expected 40% of alpha helices. Since the fully sequenced papaya chitinase contains a large number of proline residues the possibility that papaya chitinase contains polyproline II stretches was examined in the context of their resistance against proteolytic degradation. Received 11 July 2006; received after revision 13 October 2006; accepted 25 October 2006     

Betaine homocysteine S-methyltransferase: just a regulator of homocysteine metabolism?

Betaine homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT), a Zn²⁺-dependent thiolmethyltransferase, contributes to the regulation of homocysteine levels, increases in which are considered a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Most plasma homocysteine is generated through the liver methionine cycle, in which BHMT metabolizes approximately 25% of this non-protein amino acid. This process allows recovery of one of the three methylation equivalents used in phosphatidylcholine synthesis through transmethylation, a major homocysteine-producing pathway. Although BHMT has been known for over 40 years, the difficulties encountered in its isolation precluded detailed studies until very recently. Thus, the last 10 years, since the sequence became available, have yielded extensive structural and functional data. Moreover, recent findings offer clues for potential new functions for BHMT. The purpose of this review is to provide an integrated view of the knowledge available on BHMT, and to analyze its putative roles in other processes through interactions uncover to date. Received 26 May 2006; received after revision 3 July 2006; accepted 24 August 2006     

Zinc binding to peptide analogs of the structural zinc site in alcohol dehydrogenase: Implications for an entatic state

Zinc binding to the peptide replica and analogs to residues 93–115 of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) was examined by competition of the peptides and the chromophoric chelator 4-(2- pyridylazo)resorcinol for zinc and X-ray absorption fine structure analysis of the zinc ligands. In the enzyme, zinc is coordinated by four Cys residues. In the peptide replica, zinc is bound to three Cys and one His residue. A four-Cys zinc coordination is observed only when His is removed, leading to increased zinc stability. ADH crystal structures reveal that the ε-amino group of the conserved residue Lys323 is within H-bond distance of the backbone amide oxygens of residues 103, 105 and 108, likely stabilizing the zinc coordination in the enzyme. The peptide data thus indicate structural strain and increased energy in the zinc-binding site in the protein, characteristic of an entatic state, implying a functional nature for this zinc site. Received 3 July 2008; received after revision 11 August 2008; accepted 1 September 2008     

经济系统发展动力结构优化模型与评价方法

以产出型生产函数为基础构建了目标函数为人均增长速度最大的经济系统发展动力结构优化模型 ,给出了最优动力结构的特征和条件以及实际动力结构与最优动力结构之间差异程度的评价方法.     

一种时变滑模平面的设计方法

在分析滑模平面设计的基础上,指出了按传统的方法设计的滑模平面的缺陷。为了克服此缺陷,根据矩阵分析理论提出了一种新的具有全局鲁棒性的时变滑模平面的设计方法,并给出了三种具体的滑模平面形式。通过理论分析和计算机仿真可以看出,基于该方法设计出滑模平面的变结构控制系统,能保证系统从任意的初始状态开始就处于设定的滑模平面上,对参数摄动和外部干扰具有很强的鲁棒性。用该方法设计出的时变滑模平面是传统的滑模平面的     

国际空间站上阿尔法磁谱仪电子设备热系统的研究与设计

阿尔法磁谱仪是国际空间站上进行大型物理科学实验的仪器,包含6组精密探测仪和650个微电子处理器,主要目的是探测暗物质和反物质的存在.本文主要对阿尔法磁谱仪电子设备的热系统进行设计、模拟和分析,进行了热真空热平衡测试以及AMS在轨运行监控.对典型工况的模拟分析结果表明,电子设备的热系统能够确保所有电子设备在要求的温度范围内工作;在轨运行的启动曲线和长时间实时监测数据表明,AMS电子设备运行正常,AMS的热系统符合设计要求,能够维持电子设备在规定温度范围内工作.     

K-S方程的精确边界控制

运用Fourier基函数的展开以及Fourier变换的方法研究带有周期边界条件的Kuramoto—Sivashinsky方程在有限时间区间[0,T]上的精确控制．首先研究线性化K—S方程的精确控制,运用Reimann—Lebesgue收敛定理以及Riese基函数的性质证明了在给定的时间T〉0,对于两个任意给定的函数u0（x）,u1（x）属于一定的Sobolev空间,总能找到一个控制函数使得线性化K—S方程有一个存在于某一合适的空间的解u（x,t）使其满足u（x,0）=u0（x）,u（x,t）=u1（x）。然后结合线性化K—S方程的精确控制,再通过定义Fredholm算子并应用此算子的一些理论可以找到K—S方程的控制函数,使其达到精确控制．     

基于自适应退火遗传算法的船舶管路布局优化方法

采用自适应遗传算法来确定标准遗传算法的杂交率和变异率,尤其对变异率的调整,使其不但能根据个体适应值的大小进行自适应修正,而且能随进化状态的改变而改变,从而增强了算法摆脱局部最优解的能力.同时引入模拟退火思想,通过对标准遗传算法接受算子的退火处理,使其在搜索过程中除了接受优化解以外还以Metropolis准则接受恶化解,提高了种群的多样性,有效地增强了全局寻优能力.通过对适应值函数的退火拉伸,调整了进化前后期的适应值差异,从而加速了寻优过程.最终以形成的自适应模拟退火遗传算法进行船舶管路的三维布局优化,仿真实验表明,该算法不但加快了寻优速度,而且与标准遗传算法相比全局收敛率提高了近30%.     

银行卡网络价格结构与刷卡消费组合决策模型

针对银行卡网络价格结构与刷卡消费之间复杂的关联问题,引入双边市场理论和组合决策思想,以实现银行卡网络整体发展为目标,基于Wright等设计的银行卡网络交换费优化模型,建立了银行卡网络价格结构与刷卡消费组合决策模型.通过加入扰动因子、采用双适应值比较和保留边界不可行解改进了粒子群算法,解决了模型的求解难题,为合理制定银行卡网络价格结构提供了一种新方法,同时拓宽了双边市场理论的应用领域,在电子支付管理领域具有广阔的应用前景.     

教学用三维游戏引擎的层次结构分析与初步实现

从横向和纵向角度分析了游戏引擎结构,根据游戏系统(Game Software System)结构提出了一个由底层、中间层、游戏相关层组成的三层游戏引擎层次结构,比传统的一层或二层游戏引擎结构重用性更好,更适合游戏教学;最后根据该层次结构实现了一个简明清晰的教学用游戏引擎.以简洁明了的方式展示了精灵加载、简单模型动画、用户多角度观察等基本组件功能的实现方法.