Plant members of a family of sulfate transporters reveal functional subtypes.

Three plant sulfate transporter cDNAs have been isolated by complementation of a yeast mutant with a cDNA library derived from the tropical forage legume Stylosanthes hamata. Two of these cDNAs, shst1 and shst2, encode high-affinity H+/sulfate cotransporters that mediate the uptake of sulfate by plant roots from low concentrations of sulfate in the soil solution. The third, shst3, represents a different subtype encoding a lower affinity H+/sulfate cotransporter, which may be involved in the internal transport of sulfate between cellular or subcellular compartments within the plant. The steady-state level of mRNA corresponding to both subtypes is subject to regulation by signals that ultimately respond to the external sulfate supply. These cDNAs represent the identification of plant members of a family of related sulfate transporter proteins whose sequences exhibit significant amino acid conservation in filamentous fungi, yeast, plants, and mammals.

Isolation and characterization of a MAGE gene family in the Xp21.3 region.

A human gene with strong homology to the MAGE gene family located in Xq27-qter has been isolated by using exon-trapping of cosmids in the Xp21.3 region. We have mapped and sequenced cDNA and genomic clones corresponding to this gene, MAGE-Xp, and shown that the last exon contains the open reading frame and is present in a minimum of five copies in a 30-kb interval. MAGE-Xp is expressed only in testis and, unlike the Xq27-qter MAGE genes, it is not expressed in any of 12 different tumor tissues tested. However, the gene and predicted protein structure are conserved, suggesting a similar function. MAGE-Xp is located in the 160-kb critical interval defined for the locus involved in sex determination within Xp21 and is 50 kb distal to the DAX-1 gene, which is responsible for X-chromosome-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita.

Definition of a metal-dependent/Li(+)-inhibited phosphomonoesterase protein family based upon a conserved three-dimensional core structure.

Inositol polyphosphate 1-phosphatase, inositol monophosphate phosphatase, and fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase share a sequence motif, Asp-Pro-(Ile or Leu)-Asp-(Gly or Ser)-(Thr or Ser), that has been shown by crystallographic and mutagenesis studies to bind metal ions and participate in catalysis. We compared the six alpha-carbon coordinates of this motif from the crystal structures of these three phosphatases and found that they are superimposable with rms deviations ranging from 0.27 to 0.60 A. Remarkably, when these proteins were aligned by this motif a common core structure emerged, defined by five alpha-helices and 11 beta-strands comprising 155 residues having rms deviations ranging from 1.48 to 2.66 A. We used the superimposed structures to align the sequences within the common core, and a distant relationship was observed suggesting a common ancestor. The common core was used to align the sequences of several other proteins that share significant similarity to inositol monophosphate phosphatase, including proteins encoded by fungal qa-X and qutG, bacterial suhB and cysQ (identical to amtA), and yeast met22 (identical to hal2). Evolutionary comparison of the core sequences indicate that five distinct branches exist within this family. These proteins share metal-dependent/Li(+)-sensitive phosphomonoesterase activity, and each predicted tree branch exhibits unique substrate specificity. Thus, these proteins define an ancient structurally conserved family involved in diverse metabolic pathways including inositol signaling, gluconeogenesis, sulfate assimilation, and possibly quinone metabolism. Furthermore, we suggest that this protein family identifies candidate enzymes to account for both the therapeutic and toxic actions of Li+ as it is used in patients treated for manic depressive disease.

A family of proteins structurally and functionally related to the E6-AP ubiquitin-protein ligase.

E6-AP is a 100-kDa cellular protein that interacts with the E6 protein of the cancer-associated human papillomavirus types 16 and 18. The E6/E6-AP complex binds to and targets the p53 tumor-suppressor protein for ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. E6-AP is an E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase which accepts ubiquitin from an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme in the form of a thioester and then directly transfers the ubiquitin to targeted substrates. The amino acid sequence of E6-AP shows similarity to a number of protein sequences over an approximately 350-aa region corresponding to the carboxyl termini of both E6-AP and the E6-AP-related proteins. Of particular note is a conserved cysteine residue within the last 32-34 aa, which in E6-AP is likely to be the site of ubiquitin thioester formation. Two of the E6-AP-related proteins, a rat 100-kDa protein and a yeast 95-kDa protein (RSP5), both of previously unknown function, are shown here to form thioesters with ubiquitin. Mutation of the conserved cysteine residue of these proteins destroys their ability to accept ubiquitin. These data strongly suggest that the rat 100-kDa protein and RSP5, as well as the other E6-AP-related proteins, belong to a class of functionally related E3 ubiquitin-protein ligases, defined by a domain homologous to the E6-AP carboxyl terminus (hect domain).

Biochemical characterization and DNA binding properties of the MocR family member GabR, a PLP-dependent transcription factor

GabR è un fattore di trascrizione chimerico appartenente alla famiglia dei MocR/GabR, costituito da un dominio N-terminale elica-giro-elica di legame al DNA e un dominio effettore e/o di oligomerizzazione al C-terminale. I due domini sono connessi da un linker flessibile di 29 aminoacidi. Il dominio C-terminale è strutturalmente omologo agli enzimi aminotransferasici fold-type I, i quali, utilizzando il piridossal-5’-fosfato (PLP) come cofattore, sono direttamente coinvolti nel metabolismo degli aminoacidi. L’interazione contemporanea di PLP e acido γ-aminobutirrico (GABA) a GabR fa sì che questa promuova la trascrizione di due geni, gabT e gabD, implicati nel metabolismo del GABA. GabR cristallizza come un omodimero con una configurazione testa-coda. Il legame con la regione promotrice gabTD avviene attraverso il riconoscimento specifico di due sequenze dirette e ripetute (ATACCA), separate da uno spacer di 34 bp. In questo studio sono state indagate le proprietà biochimiche, strutturali e di legame al DNA della proteina GabR di Bacillus subtilis. L’analisi spettroscopica dimostra che GabR interagisce con il PLP formando l’aldimina interna, mentre in presenza di GABA si ottiene l’aldimina esterna. L’interazione fra il promotore gabTD e le forme holo e apo di GabR è stata monitorata mediante Microscopia a Forza atomica (AFM). In queste due condizioni di legame è stata stimata una Kd di circa 40 ηM. La presenza di GABA invece, determinava un incremento di circa due volte della Kd, variazioni strutturali nei complessi GabR-DNA e una riduzione del compattamento del DNA alla proteina, indipendentemente dalla sequenza del promotore in esame. Al fine di valutare il ruolo delle caratteristiche topologiche del promotore, sono state inserite cinque e dieci bp all’interno della regione spacer che separa le due sequenze ripetute dirette riconosciute da GabR. I significativi cambiamenti topologici riscontrati nel frammento aggiunto di cinque bp si riflettono anche sulla forte riduzione dell’affinità di legame verso la proteina. Al contrario, l’inserzione di 10 bp provoca solamente l’allontanamento delle sequenze ripetute dirette. L’assenza quindi di cambiamenti significativi nella topologia di questo promotore fa sì che l’affinità di legame per GabR rimanga pressoché inalterata rispetto al promotore non mutato. L’analisi del potenziale elettrostatico superficiale di GabR mostra la presenza di una fascia carica positivamente che si estende lungo un’intera faccia della proteina. Per verificare l’importanza di questa caratteristica di GabR nel meccanismo di interazione al DNA, sono stati preparati ed indagati i mutanti R129Q e K362-366Q, in cui la carica positiva superficiale risultava indebolita. L’affinità di legame dei mutanti di GabR per il DNA era inferiore rispetto alla proteina non mutata, in particolar modo nel mutante K362-366Q. Le evidenze acquisite suggeriscono che la curvatura intrinseca del promotore ed il corretto orientamento delle sequenze sulla doppia elica, più della distanza che le separa, siano critici per sostenere l’interazione con GabR. Oltre a questo, la superficie positiva di GabR è richiesta per accomodare la curvatura del DNA sul corpo della proteina. Alla luce di questo, l’interazione GabR-gabTD è un esempio di come il riconoscimento specifico di sequenze, la topologia del DNA e le caratteristiche strutturali della proteina siano contemporaneamente necessarie per sostenere un’interazione proteina-DNA stabile.

Family firms and the great crisis: evidence from the italian case

Few studies have analyzed how family firms have acted during the global great crisis in comparison to their nonfamily counterparts. This paper tries to fill this gap on the basis of the Italian experience using a sample of almost 4,500 for 2007 and 2010. We study whether family control affects labour productivity, labour costs and competitiveness and if the adoption of performance related pay (PRP) reveals an efficacious strategy to mitigate the effects of the crisis and reduce the gap in competitiveness with respect to nonfamily firms. We use quantile regression techniques to test the heterogeneous role of PRP and pay attention for its possible endogeneity. We have observed that after the outburst of the crisis, the distance in terms of competitiveness of family firms with respect to their nonfamily counterparts has been amplified. We also find that family firms may take advantage from the adoption of incentive schemes, such as PRP, to encourage commitment and motivation from their employees more than nonfamily firms. The positive role of PRP on labour productivity, coupled with a moderate influence of these schemes on wage premiums, enable them to regain competitiveness also under hostile pressures, as those featuring the strong global crisis.

Latino Family Involvement: An Exploratory Study of Latina Mother-Daughter Relationships and their Effects on Educational Attainment and Resiliency

Latino family involvement is an important issue in the field of education. Effective strategies to promote family involvement in the Latino community are vital for the educational attainment of Latino students and emotional wellbeing of Latino families. This study used focus groups, in-depth interviews, and observations to examine Latino family involvement and the relationships and communication patterns between Latina mothers and daughters. The Latina mother-daughter relationship was studied in an effort to gain a better understanding of how this relationship affects a Latina daughter's educational attainment and sense of resiliency. Results indicated that a positive relationship between a Latina mother and daughter can increase a Latina daughter's level of educational attainment and sense of resiliency. Additionally, a Latina daughter's level of self-motivation can affect her level of educational attainment as well. Cultural narratives were found to be a common type of communication pattern used between Latina mothers and daughters. They were used to teach cultural values, life lessons, and experiential learning. By improving family involvement efforts within the Latino culture, Latino students will likely see drastic improvements in their overall levels of educational attainment and emotional wellbeing in schools. Implications for Latino students and families, schools that work with Latino families, and educational policy are also discussed.

The First Child In A Chinese Family Who Could Read Prior To Entry Into Elementary School: A Qualitative Intrinsic Case Study

ABSTRACT This study is an account of the literacy-related human environment a Chinese girl experienced as the first person in the history of her family who was able to read prior to entry into elementary school. Temporally speaking, the study spanned more than a decade from the initial, tentative research question to the formal, primary research question. Spatially speaking, it crossed three cultures: the Chinese, Korean, and American cultures. The study was inspired by the Zero Project in China, known as the "Project of Quality Education and Implementation for Children Aged Zero (fetus) to Six." The significance of the content issue in a child's literacy curriculum was explored in an interdisciplinary way. Case study served as a holistic research approach and provided the researcher with free temporal and spatial distance to pursue the indefinably multi-dimensional intricacies of a child's early literacy acquisition among generations in the family. Interpretation of the case was based on the relevant concepts within the scope of the researcher's knowledge of Chinese culture. Major findings revealed that the child's literacy acquisition was inseparably related to her parents' background as well as their awareness of and attitudes towards literacy, and that the foundation of all this was the harmony of the family. Through the lens of generational attitudes towards literacy and especially the lens of the researcher's multicultural life experiences, this study contributes to the field of curriculum studies in general and early literacy curriculum in particular by stimulating people to reconsider what to read to children, besides how to read to them. It calls attention once again to the classic curriculum question, "What knowledge is of most worth?" as well as what is the most essential spiritual food human beings need besides physical needs. This study suggests that Chinese philosophy should be included in a child's early literacy curriculum in China and calls for dialogues on the content issue of curriculum to gain a deeper understanding of human nature so that humans might co-live peacefully with all beings in the universe.

Gay Couples Who Adopt Children Who Have Been Abused: Ideas and Interventions From a Self Psychological Perspective to Facilitate the Adoption Process

here are currently hundreds of thousands of children in the US foster care system who are all in need of a stable and predictable home with parents on whom they can depend. Recently, there has been an increased interest in adoption from gay couples who want to start a family. Because the majority of children in the foster care system have some sort of abuse or neglect history, a large number of them present with difficulties such as oppositional behavior, mood dysregulation, and other kinds of mental health problems. This paper addresses the unique situation of gay couples who adopt children who have been abused. Kohut's self psychology theory is utilized to help identify strengths and potential problems that could arise from this type of situation. Particular attention is given to the three selfobject needs that are central in self psychology: mirroring, idealization, and twinship. Additionally, ideas for interventions are posed for potential adoptive parents and mental health professionals to use to help the adoption process progress more smoothly and to hopefully lead to long-term, healthy placements.

La construcción ideológica y social del fenómeno de las adopciones: avances y retos para una sociología de las adopciones

El artículo tiene como objetivo el análisis del proceso de construcción social del fenómeno de las adopciones en España, que tendrá mayor relevancia numérica e impacto social en la década de los noventa con el incremento de las adopciones internacionales. Las conclusiones que se presentan surgen de la investigación documental llevada a cabo en documentos oficiales y personales. Las leyes, normas y decretos que se revisan son examinados en su estructura social y al hilo de las ideologías dominantes sobre maternidad, crianza, infancia y familia. Se incluye el legado normativo que el movimiento por la recuperación de la memoria histórica ha dotado de contemporaneidad, al tiempo que nos sitúa en la construcción actual de la adopción. Esta visión diacrónica se completa con el análisis de documentos personales autobiográficos. Si significativo es el incremento de las adopciones internacionales en España, también lo es el importante número de documentos personales en los que madres y padres relatan en primera persona su experiencia con la adopción. Sus narraciones son críticas con la gestión del proceso de la adopción y con la ideología que subyace, basada en la construcción de la diferencia con fuerte sesgo a favor del modelo biológico y en la sacralización del niño adoptado. En sus relatos se sigue el proceso contemporáneo de construcción identitario, individual y social de la adopción en España.

The Influence of the Family in the Development of Talent in Sport

The purpose of the present study was to describe patterns in the dynamics of families of talented athletes throughout their development in sport. Four families, including three families of elite rowers and one family of an elite tennis player were examined. The framework provided by Ericsson, Krampe, and Tesch- Römer (1993) to explain expert performance served as the theoretical basis for the study. Ericsson et al. suggested that the acquisition of expert performance involves operating within three types of constraints: motivational, effort, and resource. In-depth interviews were conducted with each athlete, parent, and sibling to explore how they have dealt with these three constraints. A total of 15 individual interviews were conducted. Results permitted the identification of three phases of participation from early childhood to late adolescence: the sampling years, the specializing years, and the investment years. The dynamics of the family in each of these phases of development is discussed

La relation entre le climat scolaire, le contexte scolaire et l'adoption des différents rôles lors d’une situation de violence scolaire

Le sujet de la présente étude est la violence scolaire, phénomène complexe et polysémique qui préoccupe légitimement le monde de l’éducation depuis plus de trente ans. À partir des analyses factorielles exploratoires, analyses de variance factorielle et finalement analyses multivariées de covariance, cette recherche vise plus précisément à dégager la relation entre le climat scolaire, le contexte scolaire et les différents rôles adoptés par les élèves du niveau secondaire lors d’une situation de violence scolaire. Les données de la présente étude ont été collectées par Michel Janosz et son équipe pendant l’année 2010, dans quatre établissements éducatifs provenant d’une commission scolaire de la grande région de Montréal. L’échantillon de départ est composé de 1750 élèves qui fréquentent des classes ordinaires et spéciales du premier et deuxième cycle du secondaire âgés entre 10 et 18 ans. Pour fins d’analyse, deux petites écoles ainsi que les classes spéciales ont été retirées. Il demeure donc 1551 élèves dans l’échantillon initial analysé. Les résultats des analyses permettent de constater d’une part, la relation significative existante entre les dimensions du climat scolaire et l’adoption des différents rôles lors d’une situation de violence scolaire, les climats d’appartenance et de sécurité étant les plus importants, et d’autre part d’observer des différences dans les perceptions que les élèves ont de la violence scolaire selon le niveau et selon l’école.

Family Types and the Persistence of Regional Disparities in Europe. Bruges European Economic Research (BEER) Papers 10/March 2007

This paper examines the association between one of the most basic institutional forms, the family, and a series of demographic, educational, social, and economic indicators across regions in Europe. Using Emmanuel Todd’s classification of medieval European family systems, we identify potential links between family types and regional disparities in household size, educational attainment, social capital, labour participation, sectoral structure, wealth, and inequality. The results indicate that medieval family structures seem to have influenced European regional disparities in virtually every indicator considered. That these links remain, despite the influence of the modern state and population migration, suggests that either such structures are extremely resilient or else they have in the past been internalised within other social and economic institutions as they developed.

The Performance of Swiss and German Family Firms: Investigating Strategies, Orientations and SEW as Determinants

In this chapter we center our attention on the performance drivers of family firms in Switzerland and Germany and compare the corresponding results with the findings generated in the US. Investigating family firms is justified as this organizational form not only constitutes the majority of all firms globally (Sharma and Carney, 2012), but in particular in Switzerland and Germany. In fact, more than 88 percent of all firms in Switzerland are defined as family firms (Frey, Halter, Klein, and Zellweger, 2004), and numbers for Germany are similar (Klein, 2000). While more than 99 percent of all companies in Switzerland are small and medium-sized (Frey et al., 2004), the share of family firms varies with firm size; more specifically, the share of family firms decreases with increasing firm size, which is in line with findings from Germany (Klein, 2000). The social and economic impact of family firms is remarkable. In Germany for instance, family controlled firms provide 60 percent of all jobs and account for 51 percent of the total sales of the German economy (cf. www.familienunternehmen.de). Even though the interest of both academics and practitioners in family firms has been rising significantly in recent years, the existing body of knowledge in the field is still rather fragmented (Sharma, 2004; Sharma and Carney, 2012).