Twist-controlled resonant tunnelling in graphene/boron nitride/graphene heterostructures.

Recent developments in the technology of van der Waals heterostructures made from two-dimensional atomic crystals have already led to the observation of new physical phenomena, such as the metal-insulator transition and Coulomb drag, and to the realization of functional devices, such as tunnel diodes, tunnel transistors and photovoltaic sensors. An unprecedented degree of control of the electronic properties is available not only by means of the selection of materials in the stack, but also through the additional fine-tuning achievable by adjusting the built-in strain and relative orientation of the component layers. Here we demonstrate how careful alignment of the crystallographic orientation of two graphene electrodes separated by a layer of hexagonal boron nitride in a transistor device can achieve resonant tunnelling with conservation of electron energy, momentum and, potentially, chirality. We show how the resonance peak and negative differential conductance in the device characteristics induce a tunable radiofrequency oscillatory current that has potential for future high-frequency technology.

5' to 3' single strand DNA exonuclease activity in a preparation of human Ku protein.

We describe a novel 5' to 3' single-strand exonuclease activity exhibited by a Ku preparation purified from a human cell line. The enzyme removes 5' single-strand extensions from duplex DNA molecules. The exonuclease and helicase activities respond reciprocally to changes in ATP concentrations: Nuclease activity is inhibited at the ATP concentrations that are optimal for the helicase. The exonuclease activity does not require divalent cations. The potential implications of the exonuclease activity findings for repair of double-strand breaks and recombination processes are discussed.

DNA-dependent protein kinase is activated by nicks and larger single-stranded gaps.

DNA-PK is a DNA-activated serine/threonine protein kinase capable of phosphorylating a number of nuclear DNA-binding proteins. Purified human DNA-PK has two subunits, a 350-kDa polypeptide, Prkdc, which binds ATP and is presumed to contain the catalytic site, and the Ku autoantigen which mediates DNA binding and activation. Previous studies have shown that DNA-PK is activated in vitro by linear double-stranded DNA fragments; however, the Ku subunit binds a broader range of DNA structures. Here we show that EBP-80, a protein originally isolated as a transcription factor for a retroviral long terminal repeat element and subsequently found to be similar to if not identical with Ku, also mediates kinase activation. The EBP-80-Prkdc complex is activated by nanomolar concentrations of DNA constructs containing single-to-double strand transitions, including a closed stem-loop structure and single strand gaps of 0 (nick), 6, and 30 nucleotides. Kinase activation parallels the ability of EBP-80 to bind these and other constructs. Our results extend the range of DNA configurations known to activate DNA-PK and are consistent with the participation of this enzyme complex in several nuclear functions.

Selective expression of intracisternal A-particle genes in established mouse plasmacytomas.

Mouse plasmacytomas generally express higher levels of RNA transcripts from endogenous intracisternal A-particle (IAP) proviral elements than do lipopolysaccharide-stimulated normal lymphocytes. Lymphocytes express a limited and highly characteristic set of IAP elements (lymphocyte-specific [LS] elements). In this study, we examined whether LS elements are expressed at higher levels after transformation of the cells and/or whether new IAP elements are activated. The IAP elements expressed in plasmacytoma MPC11 were characterized by sequence analysis of 22 cDNA clones. The long terminal repeats (LTRs) of the tumor cDNAs proved to be highly related in sequence. None of the clones was of the LS cDNA type. The MPC11 LTRs were five- to sixfold more active than an LS cDNA LTR when tested for promoter activity by transfection into plasmacytoma cells. The LTRs of the tumor-derived cDNAs contained a canonical ATF core sequence (ATF-PC), while the LS cDNAs contained an altered sequence (ATF-LS). An ATF-PC oligonucleotide probe detected multiple IAP transcripts on Northern (RNA) blots of RNA from several plasmacytoma but gave no reaction with RNA from stimulated B lymphocytes. In contrast, an ATF-LS probe detected higher levels of RNA in lymphocyte than in tumor RNAs. Thus, expression of IAP elements in transformed B cells is selective for a different set of regulatory sequence variants than those expressed in normal B cells. Other oligonucleotide probes representing LS- and PC-specific sequence variants detected multiple common hypomethylated IAP proviral loci in three independently derived plasmacytomas. Overall, the results show that established plasmacytomas exhibit a characteristic pattern of IAP proviral hypomethylation and regulatory sequence selection.

[Molecular mechanisms of the regulation of phosphorylase kinase from skeletal muscles of mammals and birds]. / Molekuliarnye mekhanizmy reguliatsii aktivnosti kinazy fosforilazy iz myshts mlekopitaiushchikh i ptits.

Red and white avian skeletal muscles (chicken and pigeon) contain the same alpha'-isoenzyme of phosphorylase kinase. According to data from gradient polyacrylamide slab electrophoresis in the presence of SDS, the molecular masses of beta- and gamma-subunits of phosphorylase kinase from rabbit, chicken and pigeon muscles are not identical. Electron microscopy data suggest that the quaternary structure of chicken and pigeon phosphorylase kinase is of the same type. The alpha'-isozyme of chicken and pigeon phosphorylase kinase is strongly activated by calmodulin and troponin C. Avian phosphorylase kinase is activated 2--3-fold by phosphorylation with cAMP-dependent protein kinase and by autophosphorylation. This activation is associated with the phosphorylation of both alpha'- and beta-subunits. The affinity of pigeon phosphorylase kinase a for Ca2+ is 20 times as high as that of phosphorylase kinase b.

[Purification, quaternary structure and regulatory properties of phosphorylase kinase from pigeon skeletal muscle]. / Ochistka, chetvertichnaia struktura i reguliatornye svoistva kinazy fosforilazy iz skeletnykh myshts golubia.

Using DEAE-Toyopearl column chromatography, a preparation of pigeon skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase was obtained in a state approaching homogeneity. The molecular mass of the native enzyme (1320 kDa) and the subunit formula (alpha beta gamma delta)4 are similar to those of rabbit and chicken counterparts. Both red and white pigeon skeletal muscle isozymes contain the alpha'-subunit instead of alpha. Gradient SDS-PAGE electrophoresis revealed small but well-reproducible differences in the molecular masses of rabbit, chicken and pigeon muscle beta- and gamma-subunits. The activity ratio at pH 6.8/8.2 is 0.06-0.15 for different preparations of phosphorylase kinase b. The activity of pigeon muscle phosphorylase kinase b is Ca2+-dependent. The [Ca2+]0.5 value at pH 7.0 is 20 microM, which exceeds that for the chicken muscle enzyme by two orders of magnitude. In the presence of Ca2+, pigeon phosphorylase kinase b is activated 4-fold by saturating concentrations of calmodulin and troponin C. Pigeon muscle phosphorylase b is activated 3-5-fold during autophosphorylation or phosphorylation by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase.

[Purification, quaternary structure and immunological properties of phosphorylase kinase from chicken skeletal muscle]. / Ochistka, chetvertichnaia struktura i nekotorye immunologicheskie svoistva kinazy fosforilazy iz skeletnykh myshts kuritsy.

Phosphorylase kinase was isolated from red and white chicken skeletal muscle in a nearly homogeneous state as judged by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate. The molecular weight of the native enzyme as determined by gel filtration on Sepharose 4B is close to that of rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase (i. e., approximately 1300 000). The molecular weights of the subunits determined by SDS gel electrophoresis are: alpha', 140 000 beta, 129 000; gamma', 44 000; delta, 17 000 (cf. the Mr values of the alpha- and gamma-subunits of the rabbit muscle isoenzyme are 146 000 and 42 000). The four subunits, alpha', beta, gamma' and delta, were found to exist in equimolar amounts as shown by a densitometric analysis of acrylamide gels; hence, the subunit formula of the chicken skeletal muscle isoenzyme is (alpha' beta gamma' delta)4. Rabbit antisera against a mixture of alpha'- and beta-subunits of chicken phosphorylase kinase yield a single precipitin line with this enzyme, do not show cross reactions of identity with the rabbit muscle enzyme but strongly inhibit the activity of the chicken enzyme and partially inhibit the activity of the rabbit muscle isoenzyme.