ALBERT

Description: Genetic variations may change the structure and function of individual proteins as well as affect their interactions with other proteins and thereby impact metabolic processes dependent on protein-protein interactions. For example, cytochrome P450 proteins, which metabolize a vast array of drugs, steroids and other xenobiotics, are dependent on interactions with redox and allosteric partner proteins for their localization, stability, (catalytic) function and metabolic diversity (reactions). Genetic variations may impact such interactions by changing the splicing and/or amino acid sequence which in turn may impact protein topology, localization, post translational modifications and three dimensional structure. More generally, research on single gene defects and their role in disease, as well as recent large scale sequencing studies suggest that a large number of genetic variations may contribute to disease not only by affecting gene function or expression but also by modulating complex protein interaction networks. The aim of this research topic is to bring together researchers working in the area of drug, steroid and xenobiotic metabolism who are studying protein-protein interactions, to describe their recent advances in the field. We are aiming for a comprehensive analysis of the subject from different approaches including genetics, proteomics, transcriptomics, structural biology, biochemistry and pharmacology. Of particular interest are papers dealing with translational research describing the role of novel genetic variations altering protein-protein interaction. Authors may submit original articles, reviews and opinion or hypothesis papers dealing with the role of protein-protein interactions in health and disease. Potential topics include, but are not limited to: • Role of protein-protein interactions in xenobiotic metabolism by cytochrome P450s and other drug metabolism enzymes. • Role of classical and novel interaction partners for cytochrome P450-dependent metabolism which may include interactions with redox partners, interactions with other P450 enzymes to form P450 dimers/multimers, P450-UGT interactions and proteins involved in posttranslational modification of P450s. • Effect of genetic variations (mutations and polymorphisms) on metabolism affected by protein-protein interactions. • Structural implications of mutations and polymorphisms on protein-protein interactions. • Functional characterization of protein-protein interactions. • Analysis of protein-protein interaction networks in health and disease. • Regulatory mechanisms governing metabolic processes based on protein-protein interactions. • Experimental approaches for identification of new protein-protein interactions including changes caused by mutations and polymorphisms.

Description: Nombre de Canadiens savent que les organismes du gouvernement s’adonnent à de la surveillance de masse en utilisant les données téléphoniques et électroniques. Néanmoins, peu d’entre eux sont réellement conscients de l’influence réelle que cette surveillance a sur presque tous les aspects de leur vie quotidienne. Aujourd’hui, nous ne pouvons faire une promenade au centre-ville, assister à un cours, payer au moyen d’une carte de crédit, monter à bord d’un avion ou faire un appel sans que des données soient capturées et traitées. Où cette information s’en va-t-elle? Qui l’utilise? Qui en sort gagnant et qui en sort perdant? Est-ce que le prix à payer pour utiliser les médias sociaux et d’autres moyens de communication électronique est de desserrer notre emprise sur nos renseignements personnels? Au contraire, devrions-nous nous méfier des systèmes qui nous rendent plus que jamais visibles et, par conséquent, vulnérables aux yeux des autres? Vivre à nu est l’œuvre d’une équipe de recherche multidisciplinaire et explique comment la surveillance s’accroît – pratiquement sans que personne y porte attention – dans toutes les sphères de notre vie. En analysant les principaux moyens employés par le secteur public et le secteur privé pour recueillir, faire le suivi, analyser et échanger des renseignements au sujet des citoyens ordinaires, les auteurs de l’ouvrage ont dégagé neuf grandes tendances dans le traitement des données personnelles. D’ailleurs, collectivement, ces neuf grandes tendances soulèvent des questions pressantes au sujet de la vie privée et de la justice sociale. Cet ouvrage vise non seulement à informer, mais également à changer le cours des choses. Il cible intentionnellement un grand public : les décideurs, les journalistes, les groupes de défense des libertés civiles, les enseignants et, par-dessus tout, les lecteurs du grand public. http://surveillanceincanada.org/

Description: "Although most Canadians are familiar with surveillance cameras and airport security, relatively few are aware of the extent to which the potential for surveillance is now embedded in virtually every aspect of our lives. We cannot walk down a city street, register for a class, pay with a credit card, hop on an airplane, or make a telephone call without data being captured and processed. Where does such information go? Who makes use of it, and for what purpose? Is the loss of control over our personal information merely the price we pay for using social media and other forms of electronic communication, or should we be wary of systems that make us visible - and thus vulnerable - to others as never before? The work of a multidisciplinary research team, Transparent Lives explains why and how surveillance is expanding - mostly unchecked - into every facet of our lives. Through an investigation of the major ways in which both government and private sector organizations gather, monitor, analyze, and share information about ordinary citizens, the volume identifies nine key trends in the processing of personal data that together raise urgent questions of privacy and social justice. Intended not only to inform but to make a difference, the volume is deliberately aimed at a broad audience, including legislators and policymakers, journalists, civil liberties groups, educators, and, above all, the reading public."

Description: Genetic variations may change the structure and function of individual proteins as well as affect their interactions with other proteins and thereby impact metabolic processes dependent on protein-protein interactions. For example, cytochrome P450 proteins, which metabolize a vast array of drugs, steroids and other xenobiotics, are dependent on interactions with redox and allosteric partner proteins for their localization, stability, (catalytic) function and metabolic diversity (reactions). Genetic variations may impact such interactions by changing the splicing and/or amino acid sequence which in turn may impact protein topology, localization, post translational modifications and three dimensional structure. More generally, research on single gene defects and their role in disease, as well as recent large scale sequencing studies suggest that a large number of genetic variations may contribute to disease not only by affecting gene function or expression but also by modulating complex protein interaction networks.The aim of this research topic is to bring together researchers working in the area of drug, steroid and xenobiotic metabolism who are studying protein-protein interactions, to describe their recent advances in the field. We are aiming for a comprehensive analysis of the subject from different approaches including genetics, proteomics, transcriptomics, structural biology, biochemistry and pharmacology. Of particular interest are papers dealing with translational research describing the role of novel genetic variations altering protein-protein interaction. Authors may submit original articles, reviews and opinion or hypothesis papers dealing with the role of protein-protein interactions in health and disease.

Description: Movies: for all mapped movies (movie S1 - S6): white circles indicate the presence of a pollen record; blue dots indicate archaeological remains of wild terrestrial ungulates; and red dots indicate the remains of domestic animals. The distribution of the faunal remains was based on summed probability distributions of radiocarbon dates at 100-year time intervals (see Phelps et al. in press for further methodological information). Movie S1a: The climatic envelope of forest mapped at 100-year intervals, using the direct methodology with WorldClim data (black background). Movie S1b: The climatic envelope of forest mapped at 100-year intervals, using the direct methodology with WorldClim data (white background). Movie S1c: The climatic envelope of forest mapped at 100-year intervals, using the direct methodology with TraCE-21ka climate information (black background). Movie S1d: The climatic envelope of forest taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the direct methodology with TraCE-21ka climate information (white background). Movie S1e: The climatic envelope of forest taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, WorldClim data (black background). Movie S1f: The climatic envelope of forest taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, WorldClim data (white background). Movie S1g: The climatic envelope of forest taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, TraCE-21ka climate information (black background). Movie S1h: The climatic envelope of forest taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, TraCE-21ka climate information (white background). ______________________________________________________________________________________ Movie S2a: The climatic envelope of grassy biomes (savanna- and steppe-associated taxa) mapped at 100-year intervals, using the direct methodology with WorldClim data (black background). Movie S2b: The climatic envelope of grassy biomes (savanna- and steppe-associated taxa) mapped at 100-year intervals, using the direct methodology with WorldClim data (white background). Movie S2c: The climatic envelope of grassy biomes (savanna- and steppe-associated taxa) mapped at 100-year intervals, using the direct methodology with TraCE-21ka climate information (black background). Movie S2d: The climatic envelope of grassy biomes (savanna- and steppe-associated taxa) mapped at 100-year intervals, using the direct methodology with TraCE-21ka climate information (white background). ______________________________________________________________________________________ Movie S3a: The climatic envelope of savanna-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, WorldClim data (black background). Movie S3b: The climatic envelope of savanna-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, WorldClim data (white background). Movie S3c: The climatic envelope of savanna-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, TraCE-21ka climate information (black background). Movie S3d: The climatic envelope of savanna-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, TraCE-21ka climate information (white background). ______________________________________________________________________________________ Movie S4a: The climatic envelope of steppe-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, WorldClim data (black background). Movie S4b: The climatic envelope of steppe-associated taxa mapped mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, WorldClim data (white background). Movie S4c: The climatic envelope of steppe-associated taxa mapped mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, TraCE-21ka climate information (black background). Movie S4d: The climatic envelope of steppe-associated taxa mapped mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, TraCE-21ka climate information (white background). ______________________________________________________________________________________ Movie S5a: The climatic envelope of desert-associated taxa mapped mapped at 100-year intervals, using the direct methodology with WorldClim data (black background). Movie S5b: The climatic envelope of desert-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the direct methodology with WorldClim data (white background). Movie S5c: The climatic envelope of desert-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the direct methodology with TraCE-21ka climate information (black background). Movie S5d: The climatic envelope of desert-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the direct methodology with TraCE-21ka climate information (white background). Movie S5e: The climatic envelope of desert-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, WorldClim data (black background). Movie S5f: The climatic envelope of desert-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, WorldClim data (white background). Movie S5g: The climatic envelope of desert-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, TraCE-21ka climate information (black background). Movie S5h: The climatic envelope of desert-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, TraCE-21ka climate information (white background). ______________________________________________________________________________________ Movie S6a: The climatic envelope of xeric-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the direct methodology with WorldClim data (black background). Movie S6b: The climatic envelope of xeric-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the direct methodology with WorldClim data (white background). Movie S6c: The climatic envelope of xeric-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the direct methodology with TraCE-21ka climate information (black background). Movie S6d: The climatic envelope of xeric-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the direct methodology with TraCE-21ka climate information (white background). Movie S6e: The climatic envelope of xeric-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, WorldClim data (black background). Movie S6f: The climatic envelope of xeric-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, WorldClim data (white background). Movie S6g: The climatic envelope of xeric-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, TraCE-21ka climate information (black background). Movie S6h: The climatic envelope of xeric-associated taxa mapped at 100-year intervals, using the indirect methodology, TraCE-21ka climate information (white background). ______________________________________________________________________________________ Movie S7a: Multivariate environmental similarity surface (MESS) analyses plotted in geographic space using the direct methodology with repeated, modern-day WorldClim data. White areas demonstrate neutrality: i.e., neither similarity nor dissimilarity. Movie S7b: Multivariate environmental similarity surface (MESS) analyses plotted in geographic space using the direct methodology with TraCE-21ka climate information. White areas demonstrate neutrality: i.e., neither similarity nor dissimilarity. Movie S7c: Multivariate environmental similarity surface (MESS) analyses plotted in geographic space using the indirect methodology with repeated, modern-day WorldClim data. White areas demonstrate neutrality: i.e., neither similarity nor dissimilarity. Movie S7d: Multivariate environmental similarity surface (MESS) analyses plotted in geographic space using the indirect methodology with TraCE-21ka climate information. White areas demonstrate neutrality: i.e., neither similarity nor dissimilarity. ______________________________________________________________________________________ Movie S8a: Climatic envelope overlap between forest and grassy biomes (savanna and steppe) plotted in climate space. Envelopes were generated using the direct methodology and TraCE-21ka climate information. Red areas indicate the presence of grassy biomes only, whereas purple indicates overlap between grassy biomes and forest. For reference to the climatic variables used to define the climate space, see the TraCE-21ka correlation circle in figure A2. Movie S8b: Climatic envelope overlap between forest and savanna only, plotted in climate space. Envelopes were generated using the indirect methodology and TraCE-21ka climate information. Red areas indicate the presence of savanna only, whereas purple indicates overlap between savanna and forest. For reference to the climatic variables used, see the TraCE-21ka correlation circle in figure A2.

Description: Pacific salmon stocks are in decline with climate change named as a contributing factor. The North Pacific coast of British Columbia is characterized by strong temporal and spatial heterogeneity in ocean conditions with upwelling events elevating CO2 levels up to 10-fold those of pre-industrial global averages. Early life stages of pink salmon have been shown to be affected by these CO2 levels, and juveniles naturally migrate through regions of high CO2 during the energetically costly phase of smoltification. To investigate the physiological response of out-migrating wild juvenile pink salmon to these naturally occurring elevated CO2 levels, we captured fish in Georgia Strait, British Columbia and transported them to a marine lab (Hakai Institute, Quadra Island) where fish were exposed to one of three CO2 levels (850, 1500 and 2000 μatm CO2) for 2 weeks. At 1/2, 1 and 2 weeks of exposure, we measured their weight and length to calculate condition factor (Fulton's K), as well as haematocrit and plasma [Cl-]. At each of these times, two additional stressors were imposed (hypoxia and temperature) to provide further insight into their physiological condition. Juvenile pink salmon were largely robust to elevated CO2 concentrations up to 2000 μatm CO2, with no mortality or change in condition factor over the 2-week exposure duration. After 1 week of exposure, temperature and hypoxia tolerance were significantly reduced in high CO2, an effect that did not persist to 2 weeks of exposure. Haematocrit was increased by 20% after 2 weeks in the CO2 treatments relative to the initial measurements, while plasma [Cl-] was not significantly different. Taken together, these data indicate that juvenile pink salmon are quite resilient to naturally occurring high CO2 levels during their ocean outmigration.

Description: The dataset comprises data on the lipid composition (carboxylic acids and alkanols) and stable isotope values (δ13C and δ15N) obtained from fresh stomach oils and sub-stomach oil deposits of snow petrels (Pagodroma nivea). The samples were collected in different un-glaciated regions of East Antarctica (Dronning Maud Land, Mac. Robertson Land, Prince Charles Mountains and Windmill Islands). The stomach oils and sub-fossil stomach oil deposits were analyzed to investigate the paleodiet of the birds and to relate information of paleodiet to past environmental conditions. The alkanoic acids and alkanols were analysed from total lipid extracts by capillary gas chromatography with GC-FID (Gas chromatograph with Flame ionization detector) and GC-MS (single quadrupole mass spectrometer coupled with gas chromatograph). Total lipid extracts were analysed for the δ13C isotopic composition. The un-soluble residues, retained after lipid extraction, was analysed for δ13C and δ15N isotopic composition. This work was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) in the framework of the priority program "Antarctic Research with comparative investigations in Arctic ice areas" (grants BE 4764/5-1 and BE 4764/6-1).

Description: The dataset comprises data on the lipid composition (carboxylic acids and alkanols) and stable isotope values (δ13C and δ15N) obtained from fresh stomach oils and sub-stomach oil deposits of snow petrels (Pagodroma nivea). The samples were collected in different un-glaciated regions of East Antarctica (Dronning Maud Land, Mac. Robertson Land, Prince Charles Mountains and Windmill Islands). The stomach oils and sub-fossil stomach oil deposits were analyzed to investigate the paleodiet of the birds and to relate information of paleodiet to past environmental conditions. The alkanoic acids and alkanols were analysed from total lipid extracts by capillary gas chromatography with GC-FID (Gas chromatograph with Flame ionization detector) and GC-MS (single quadrupole mass spectrometer coupled with gas chromatograph). Total lipid extracts were analysed for the δ13C isotopic composition. The un-soluble residues, retained after lipid extraction, was analysed for δ13C and δ15N isotopic composition. This work was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) in the framework of the priority program “Antarctic Research with comparative investigations in Arctic ice areas” (grants BE 4764/5-1 and BE 4764/6-1).