Synthesis of a 12R-type hexagonal perovskite solid solution Sr3NdNb(3-x)Ti(x)O(12-δ) and the influence of acceptor doping on electrical properties.

A solid solution forms for Sr3NdNb(3-x)Ti(x)O(12-δ) with approximate limits 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.06. The system crystallizes with a 12R-type hexagonal perovskite structure in the space group R3, as determined by neutron diffraction and selected area electron diffraction. The electrical properties of the end members have been investigated by impedance spectroscopy in the temperature range 550-800 °C under various gas atmospheres and as a function of oxygen and water-vapour partial pressure. Proton transport dominates under wet oxidising conditions in the temperature range 550-700 °C, as confirmed by the H(+)/D(+) isotope effect. Acceptor doping considerably enhances proton conductivity with a value of 3.3 × 10(-6) S cm(-1) for the bulk response of x = 0.06 at 700 °C in moistened air. The presence of a -» slope for both doped and undoped samples in the range 10(-19) ≤ pO2 ≤ 10(-8) atm at 900 °C indicates n-type transport under reducing conditions following the extrinsic model attributable to acceptor centres. The conductivity is essentially independent of pO2 at 600 °C under dry oxidising conditions, consistent with oxide-ion transport; a positive power-law dependence at higher temperature indicates extrinsic behaviour and a significant electron-hole contribution. The dielectric constant at RT of nominally stoichiometric Sr3NdNb3O12 is εr ∼ 37, with a moderately high quality factor of Q × f ∼ 16,400 GHz at fr ∼ 6.4 GHz. The temperature coefficient of resonant frequency of x = 0 is τf ∼ 12 ppm °C(-1), which lowers to -3 ppm °C(-1) for the Ti-doped phase x = 0.06.

Characterization of the tail-specific protease (Tsp) from Legionella.

Bacterial tail-specific proteases (Tsps) have been attributed a wide variety of functions including intracellular virulence, cell wall morphology, proteolytic signal cascades and stress response. This study tested the hypothesis that Tsp has a key function for the transmissive form of Legionella pneumophila. A tsp mutant was generated in Legionella pneumophila 130b and the characteristics of this strain and the isogenic wild-type were examined using a range of growth and proteomic analyses. Recombinant Tsp protein was also produced and analyzed. The L. pneumophila tsp mutant showed no defect in growth on rich media or during thermo-osmotic stress conditions. In addition, no defects in cellular morphology were observed when the cells were examined using transmission electron microscopy. Purified recombinant Tsp was found to be an active protease with a narrow substrate range. Proteome analysis using iTRAQ (5% coverage of the proteome) found that, of those proteins detected, only 5 had different levels in the tsp mutant compared to the wild type. ACP (Acyl Carrier Protein), which has a key role for Legionella differentiation to the infectious form, was reduced in the tsp mutant; however, tsp(-) was able to infect and replicate inside macrophages to the same extent as the wild type. Combined, these data demonstrate that Tsp is a protease but is not essential for Legionella growth or cell infection. Thus, Tsp may have functional redundancy in Legionella.