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  • Physiology & Biochemistry  (57)
  • Land Reform  (38)
  • Oxford University Press  (95)
  • 1
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    Supply Response, Marginal Cost, and Soil Erosion Implications of Stover-based Biofuels (2015)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2015-08-11
    Description: Existing economic analysis of corn stover as an energy feedstock has not considered potential changes in land use associated with different stover prices. We estimate the response of corn stover supply density to its price driven by changes in land use and examine its implications for a processing plant's pricing strategy and marginal cost, as well as associated changes in soil erosion. We find that plants will exploit the intensive margin as well as the extensive margin to secure additional amounts of stover. Our results show, counterintuitively, that a market for stover may result in lower soil erosion due to reallocations of land to continuous corn with removal, which, combined with no-till farming, results in lower soil erosion than the baseline without stover removal. Also contrary to expectations, using cover crops with stover removal may result in higher soil erosion due to land use changes within the fuel shed associated with optimal pricing.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q24 - Land, Q42 - Alternative Energy Sources
    Print ISSN: 2040-5790
    Electronic ISSN: 2040-5804
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
    Published by Oxford University Press
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  • 2
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    Thinking beside the box: Should we care about the non-coding strand of the 16S rRNA gene? (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-07-31
    Description: The 16S rRNA gene (16S rDNA) codes for RNA that plays a fundamental role during translation in the ribosome and is used extensively as a marker gene to establish relationships among bacteria. However, the complementary non-coding 16S rDNA (nc16S rDNA) has been ignored. An idea emerged in the course of analyzing bacterial 16S rDNA sequences in search for nucleotide composition and substitution patterns: Does the nc16S rDNA code? If so, what does it code for? More importantly: Does 16S rDNA evolution reflect its own evolution or the evolution of its counterpart nc16S rDNA? The objective of this minireview is to discuss these thoughts. nc strands often encode small RNAs (sRNAs), ancient components of gene regulation. nc16S rDNA sequences from different bacterial groups were used to search for possible matches in the Bacterial Small Regulatory RNA Database. Intriguingly, the sequence of one published sRNA obtained from Legionella pneumophila (GenBank: AE017354.1) showed high non-random similarity with nc16S rDNA corresponding in part to the V5 region especially from Legionella and relatives. While the target(s) of this sRNA is unclear at the moment, its mere existence might open up a new chapter in the use of the 16S rDNA to study relationships among bacteria.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
    Published by Oxford University Press
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  • 3
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    Morphological and enzymatic response of the thermotolerant fungus Fomes sp. EUM1 in solid state fermentation under thermal stress (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-08-05
    Description: Thermotolerance of the fungus Fomes sp. EUM1 was evaluated in solid state fermentation (SSF). This thermotolerant strain improved both hyphal invasiveness (38%) and length (17%) in adverse thermal conditions exceeding 30°C and to a maximum of 40°C. In contrast, hyphal branching decreased by 46% at 45°C. The production of cellulases over corn stover increased 1.6-fold in 30°C culture conditions, xylanases increased 2.8-fold at 40°C, while laccase production improved 2.7-fold at 35°C. Maximum production of lignocellulolytic enzymes was obtained at elevated temperatures in shorter fermentation times (8–6 days), although the proteases appeared as a thermal stress response associated with a drop in lignocellulolytic activities. Novel and multiple isoenzymes of xylanase (four bands) and cellulase (six bands) were secreted in the range of 20–150 kDa during growth in adverse temperature conditions. However, only a single laccase isoenzyme (46 kDa) was detected. This is the first report describing the advantages of a thermotolerant white-rot fungus in SSF. These results have important implications for large-scale SSF, where effects of metabolic heat are detrimental to growth and enzyme production, which are severely affected by the formation of high temperature gradients.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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  • 4
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    Analysis of a new cluster of genes involved in the synthesis of the unique volatile organic compound sodorifen of Serratia plymuthica 4Rx13 (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-06-23
    Description: The rhizobacterium Serratia plymuthica 4Rx13 emits the novel and unique volatile sodorifen (C 16 H 26 ), which has a polymethylated bicyclic structure. Transcriptome analysis revealed that gene SOD_c20750 (annotated as terpene cyclase) is involved in the biosynthesis of sodorifen. Here we show that this gene is located in a small cluster of four genes ( SOD_c20750 – SOD_c20780 ), and the analysis of the knockout mutants demonstrated that SOD_c20760 (annotated as methyltransferase) and SOD_c20780 (annotated as isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) isomerase) are needed for the biosynthesis of sodorifen, while a sodorifen-negative phenotype was not achieved with the SOD_c20770 (annotated as deoxy-xylulose-5-phosphate (DOXP) synthase) mutant. Altogether, the function of this new gene cluster was assigned to the biosynthesis of this structurally unusual volatile compound sodorifen.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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  • 5
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    D-serine transporter in Staphylococcus saprophyticus identified (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-06-23
    Description: Among staphylococci Staphylococcus saprophyticus is the only species that is typically uropathogenic and an important cause of urinary tract infections in young women. The amino acid D-serine occurs in relatively high concentrations in human urine and has a bacteriostatic or toxic effect on many bacteria. In uropathogenic Escherichia coli and S. saprophyticus , the amino acid regulates the expression of virulence factors and can be used as a nutrient. The ability of uropathogens to respond to or to metabolize D-serine has been suggested as a factor that enables colonization of the urinary tract. Until now nothing is known about D-serine transport in S.   saprophyticus . We generated mutants of putative transporter genes in S.   saprophyticus 7108 that show homology to the D-serine transporter cyc A of E. coli and tested them in a D-serine depletion assay to analyze the D-serine uptake rate of the cells. The mutant of SPP1070 showed a strong decrease in D-serine uptake. Therefore, SSP1070 was identified as a major D-serine transporter in S. saprophyticus 7108 and was named D-serine transporter A (DstA). D-serine caused a prolonged lag phase of S. saprophyticus in a chemically defined medium. This negative effect was dependent on the presence of DstA.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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  • 6
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    Contribution of chloride channel permease to fluoride resistance in Streptococcus mutans (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-05-12
    Description: Genes encoding fluoride transporters have been identified in bacterial and archaeal species. The genome sequence of the cariogenic  Streptococcus mutans  bacteria suggests the presence of a putative fluoride transporter, which is referred to as a chloride channel permease. Two homologues of this gene (GenBank locus tags SMU_1290c and SMU_1289c) reside in tandem in the genome of  S. mutans . The aim of this study was to determine whether the chloride channel permeases contribute to fluoride resistance. We constructed SMU_1290c- and SMU_1289c-knockout  S. mutans  UA159 strains. We also constructed a double-knockout strain lacking both genes. SMU_1290c or SMU_1289c was transformed into a fluoride transporter- disrupted  Escherichia coli strain. All bacterial strains were cultured under appropriate conditions with or without sodium fluoride, and fluoride resistance was evaluated. All three gene-knockout  S. mutans  strains showed lower resistance to sodium fluoride than did the wild-type strain. No significant changes in resistance to other sodium halides were recognized between the wild-type and double-knockout strains. Both SMU_1290c and SMU_1289c transformation rescued fluoride transporter-disrupted  E. coli  cell from fluoride toxicity. We conclude that the chloride channel permeases contribute to fluoride resistance in  S. mutans .
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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  • 7
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    Nicotinamide cofactor ratios in engineered strains of Clostridium thermocellum and Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-05-12
    Description: Clostridium thermocellum and Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum are bacteria under investigation for production of biofuels from plant biomass. Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum has been engineered to produce ethanol at high yield (〉90% of theoretical) and titer (〉70 g/l). Efforts to engineer C. thermocellum have not, to date, been as successful, and efforts are underway to transfer the ethanol production pathway from T. saccharolyticum to C. thermocellum . One potential challenge in transferring metabolic pathways is the possibility of incompatible levels of nicotinamide cofactors. These cofactors (NAD + , NADH, NADP + and NADPH) and their oxidation state are important in the context of microbial redox metabolism. In this study we directly measured the concentrations and reduced oxidized ratios of these cofactors in a number of strains of C. thermocellum and T. saccharolyticum by using acid/base extraction and enzymatic assays. We found that cofactor ratios are maintained in a fairly narrow range, regardless of the metabolic network modifications considered. We have found that the ratios are similar in both organisms, which is a relevant observation in the context of transferring the T. saccharolyticum ethanol production pathway to C. thermocellum .
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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  • 8
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    Is there a term structure in land lease rates? (2015)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2015-12-29
    Description: This article applies the concept of a term structure to agricultural land rental prices. Based on theoretical considerations, we develop a hedonic pricing model that allows for different shapes of the term structure curve while controlling for other price-relevant characteristics. We apply this model to land lease contracts in Saxony-Anhalt. We find an upward-sloping term structure during the agricultural price boom in 2007 and 2008, where market participants expected increasing rental prices. For the subsequent years, however, we detect a single-humped term structure. Hence, market participants revised their expectations and assumed a decline of land rental prices in the long term.
    Keywords: D44 - Auctions, E43 - Determination of Interest Rates ; Term Structure of Interest Rates, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation
    Print ISSN: 0165-1587
    Electronic ISSN: 1464-3618
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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  • 9
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    Cadmium-induced cell killing in Sacharomyces cerevisiae involves increases in intracellular NO levels (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-03-09
    Description: Cadmium is a widespread environmental pollutant and poses some potential risks to human health. However, the signaling events controlling cadmium toxicity are not fully understood. In this study, we examined the effect of cadmium chloride on cell viability and the intracellular nitric oxide (NO) level in yeast cells. The results showed that exposure of yeast cells to cadmium (0–100 μM) could induce cell killing with significantly increased intracellular NO levels. Morphological analysis of the nuclei with 4 ' ,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining and DNA strand breaks analysis showed that cadmium at 50 μM can induce cell apoptosis in yeast cells. Treatment of yeast cells with cadmium (50 μM) and the nitric oxide scavenger c-PTIO [2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-teramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide; 0.2 mM] showed that c-PTIO attenuated the cadmium-induced cell killing. Our findings indicated that cadmium-induced yeast cell killing is mediated by a directly increased intracellular NO level.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
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    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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  • 10
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    Irrigation Decisions for Major West Coast Crops: Water Scarcity and Climatic Determinants (2015)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2015-12-13
    Description: This article uses the 2007 Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey database developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to assess the impact of water scarcity and climate on irrigation decisions for producers of specialty crops, wheat, and forage crops. We estimate an irrigation management model for major crops in the West Coast (California, Oregon, and Washington), which includes a farm-level equation of irrigated share and crop-specific equations of technology adoption and water application rate (orchard/vineyard, vegetable, wheat, alfalfa, hay, and pasture). We find that economic and physical water scarcity, climate, and extreme weather, such as frost, extreme heat, and drought, significantly impact producers’ irrigation decisions. Producers use sprinkler technologies or additional water applications to mitigate risk of crop damage from extreme weather. Water application rates are least responsive to surface water cost or groundwater well depth for producers of orchard/vineyard. Water supply institutions influence producers’ irrigation decisions. Producers who receive water from federal agencies use higher water application rates and are less likely to adopt water-saving irrigation technologies for some crops. Institutional arrangements, including access to distinct water sources (surface or ground) and whether surface water cost is fee based, also affect the responsiveness of water application rates to changes in surface water cost. The analysis provides valuable information about how producers in irrigated agricultural production systems would respond and adapt to water pricing policies and climate change.
    Keywords: Q12 - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q16 - R&D ; Agricultural Technology ; Agricultural Extension Services, Q18 - Agricultural Policy ; Food Policy, Q54 - Climate ; Natural Disasters ; Global Warming
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
    Published by Oxford University Press
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  • 11
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    Identification of a glucose-mannose phosphotransferase system in Clostridium beijerinckii (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-04-08
    Description: Effective uptake of fermentable substrates is a fundamentally important aspect of any fermentation process. The solventogenic bacterium Clostridium beijerinckii is noted for its ability to ferment a wide range of carbohydrates, yet few of its sugar transport systems have been characterized. In common with other anaerobes, C. beijerinckii shows a marked dependence on the PEP-dependent phosphotransferase system (PTS) for sugar accumulation. In this study, the gene cbe0751 encoding the sugar-specific domains of a phosphotransferase belonging to the glucose family was cloned into an Escherichia coli strain lacking the ability to take up and phosphorylate glucose. Transformants gained ability to ferment glucose, and also mannose, and further analysis of a selected transformant demonstrated that it could take up and phosphorylate glucose, confirming that cbe0751 encodes a glucose PTS which also recognizes mannose as a substrate. RT-PCR analysis showed that cbe0751 was expressed in cultures grown on both substrates, but also to varying extents during growth on some other carbon sources. Although analogue inhibition studies suggested that Cbe0751 is not the only glucose PTS in C. beijerinckii , this system should nevertheless be regarded as a potential target for metabolic engineering to generate a strain showing improved sugar fermentation properties.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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  • 12
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    The Economic Costs of Environmental Regulation in U.S. Dairy Farming: A Directional Distance Function Approach (2015)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2015-07-10
    Description: Analyses of the costs of regulating greenhouse gas emissions from dairy production, which could be used to assess the effectiveness of alternative policy measures, is a missing link in the literature. This article addresses this gap by establishing the economic impact associated with a hypothetical greenhouse gas environmental regulatory regime across major dairy producing counties in the United States. In doing so, the article makes three important contributions to the literature. First, it develops a comprehensive pollution index based on Environmental Protection Agency methodologies, which contrasts with previous studies that rely on partial measures based only on surplus nitrogen stemming from the over-application of fertilizer. Second, the article uses a directional output distance function, an approach that has not been employed previously to evaluate polluting technologies in the U.S. dairy sector. Third, the article incorporates a four-way error approach that accounts for unobserved county heterogeneity, time-invariant persistent technical efficiency, time-varying transient technical efficiency, and a random error. The results indicate that regulating greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farming would induce a 5-percentage point increase in average technical efficiency. In addition, the economic costs of implementing this hypothetical regulatory framework exhibit significant spatial variation across counties in the United States.
    Keywords: D22 - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q52 - Pollution Control Costs ; Distributional Effects ; Employment Effects
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
    Published by Oxford University Press
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  • 13
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    Heavy metal resistance in halophilic Bacteria and Archaea (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-06-30
    Description: Heavy metals are dense chemicals with dual biological role as micronutrients and intoxicants. A few hypersaline environmental systems are naturally enriched with heavy metals, while most metal-contaminated sites are a consequence of human activities. Numerous halotolerant and moderately halophilic Bacteria possess metal tolerance, whereas a few archaeal counterparts share similar features. The main mechanisms underlying heavy metal resistance in halophilic Bacteria and Archaea include extracellular metal sequestration by biopolymers, metal efflux mediated by specific transporters and enzymatic detoxification. Biotransformation of metals by halophiles has implications both for trace metal turnover in natural saline ecosystems and for development of novel bioremediation strategies.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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  • 14
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    An ABC transporter involved in the control of streptomycin production in Streptomyces griseus (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-06-30
    Description: We screened for a gene that inhibits streptomycin production in Streptomyces griseus when it is introduced on a high-copy-number plasmid pIJ702, and obtained a plasmid pKM545. The introduction of pKM545 abolished streptomycin production on all media tested including YMP-sugar and Nutrient broth. S1 protection analysis demonstrated that the introduction of this plasmid downregulated the transcriptional activity of the promoter preceding strR , the pathway-specific transcriptional regulator for streptomycin biosynthesis. The 2.8-kb Bam HI fragment cloned onto pKM545 contained two coding sequences SGR_5442 and 5443. These coding sequences and the two downstream ones (SGR_5444 and 5445) constituted a possible operon structure designated to be rspABCD (regulation of streptomycin production). RspB and RspC exhibited a marked similarity with an ATP-binding domain and a membrane-associating domain of an ABC-2 type transporter, respectively, suggesting that the Rsp proteins comprise a membrane exporter. The gene cluster consisting of the rsp operon and the upstream divergent small coding sequence (SGR_5441) was widely distributed to Streptomyces genome. An rspB mutant of S. griseus produced 3-fold streptomycin of the parental strain in YMP liquid medium. The evidence implies that the Rsp translocator is involved in the export of a substance that specifies the expression level of streptomycin biosynthesis genes in S. griseus .
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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  • 15
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    Roles of two-component system AfsQ1/Q2 in regulating biosynthesis of the yellow-pigmented coelimycin P2 in Streptomyces coelicolor (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-07-02
    Description: We previously demonstrated that in Streptomyces coelicolor two-component system AfsQ1/Q2 activates the production of the yellow-colored coelimycin P2 (also named as yCPK) on glutamate-supplemented minimal medium, and the response regulator AfsQ1 could specifically bind to the intergenic region between two structural genes, cpkA and cpkD . Here, a more in-depth investigation was performed to elucidate the mechanism underlying the role of AfsQ1/Q2 in regulating coelimycin P2 biosynthesis. Deletion of afsQ1/Q2 resulted in markedly decreased expression of the whole coelimycin P2 biosynthetic gene cluster. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed that AfsQ1 bound only to the target site identified previously, but not to any other promoters in the gene cluster. Mutations of AfsQ1-binding motif only resulted in drastically reduced transcription of the cpkA/B/C operon (encoding three type I polyketide synthases) and intriguingly, led to enhanced expression of some coelimcyin P2 genes, particularly accA1 and scF . These results suggested the direct role of AfsQ1/Q2 in regulating coelimycin production, which is directly mediated by the structural genes, but not the cluster-situated regulatory genes, and also implied that other unknown mechanisms may be involved in AfsQ1/Q2-mediated regulation of coelimycin P2 biosynthesis.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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  • 16
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    Nitrate reduction in sulfate-reducing bacteria (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-07-02
    Description: Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRBs) gain their energy by coupling the oxidation of organic substrate to the reduction of sulfate to sulfide. Several SRBs are able to use alternative terminal electron acceptors to sulfate such as nitrate. Nitrate-reducing SRBs have been isolated from a diverse range of environments. In order to be able to understand the significance of nitrate reduction in SRBs, we need to examine the ecology and physiology of the nitrate-reducing SRB isolates.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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  • 17
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    The NarE protein of Neisseria gonorrhoeae catalyzes ADP-ribosylation of several ADP-ribose acceptors despite an N-terminal deletion (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-08-18
    Description: The ADP-ribosylating enzymes are encoded in many pathogenic bacteria in order to affect essential functions of the host. In this study, we show that Neisseria gonorrhoeae possess a locus that corresponds to the ADP-ribosyltransferase NarE, a previously characterized enzyme in N. meningitidis . The 291 bp coding sequence of gonococcal narE shares 100% identity with part of the coding sequence of the meningococcal narE gene due to a frameshift previously described, thus leading to a 49-amino-acid deletion at the N-terminus of gonococcal NarE protein. However, we found a promoter region and a GTG start codon, which allowed expression of the protein as demonstrated by RT-PCR and western blot analyses. Using a gonococcal NarE–6xHis fusion protein, we demonstrated that the gonococcal enzyme underwent auto-ADP-ribosylation but to a lower extent than meningococcal NarE. We also observed that gonoccocal NarE exhibited ADP-ribosyltransferase activity using agmatine and cell-free host proteins as ADP-ribose acceptors, but its activity was inhibited by human β-defensins. Taken together, our results showed that NarE of Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a functional enzyme that possesses key features of bacterial ADP-ribosylating enzymes.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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  • 18
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    Inhibition by fructose 1,6-bisphosphate of transaldolase from Escherichia coli (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-08-18
    Description: The effect of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (Fru 1,6-P 2 ) on the regulatory enzymes of pentose phosphate pathway of Escherichia coli was examined. Fru 1,6-P 2 inhibited E. coli transaldolase (EC 2.2.1.2) competitively against fructose 6-phosphate and uncompetitively against erythrose 4-phosphate, whereas Fru 1,6-P 2 did not affect glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.44). Kinetic results can be explained by assuming that transaldolase has two kinds of binding sites for Fru 1,6-P 2 : a competitive binding site for fructose 6-phosphate and a second binding site on the enzyme-erythrose 4-phosphate complex. Fru 1,6-P 2 increased resulting from the stimulation of glycolysis, can inhibit transaldolase and further participates in the elevation of the concentration of ribose 5-phosphate that can be preferentially utilized for anabolic reaction in exponential phase of E. coli .
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
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    Topics: Biology
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  • 19
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    Microbial oxidative sulfur metabolism: biochemical evidence of the membrane-bound heterodisulfide reductase-like complex of the bacterium Aquifex aeolicus (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-07-03
    Description: The Hdr (heterodisulfide reductase)-like enzyme is predicted, from gene transcript profiling experiments previously published, to be essential in oxidative sulfur metabolism in a number of bacteria and archaea. Nevertheless, no biochemical and physicochemical data are available so far about this enzyme. Genes coding for it were identified in Aquifex aeolicus , a Gram-negative, hyperthermophilic, chemolithoautotrophic and microaerophilic bacterium that uses inorganic sulfur compounds as electron donor to grow. We provide biochemical evidence that this Hdr-like enzyme is present in this sulfur-oxidizing prokaryote (cultivated with thiosulfate or elemental sulfur). We demonstrate, by immunolocalization and cell fractionation, that Hdr-like enzyme is associated, presumably monotopically, with the membrane fraction. We show by co-immunoprecipitation assay or partial purification, that the Hdr proteins form a stable complex composed of at least five subunits, HdrA, HdrB1, HdrB2, HdrC1 and HdrC2, present in two forms of high molecular mass on native gel (~240 and 450 kDa). These studies allow us to propose a revised model for dissimilatory sulfur oxidation pathways in A. aeolicus , with Hdr predicted to generate sulfite.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
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  • 20
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    Global transcriptional start site mapping in Geobacter sulfurreducens during growth with two different electron acceptors (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-08-11
    Description: Geobacter sulfurreducens is an anaerobic soil bacterium that is involved in biogeochemical cycles of elements such as Fe and Mn. Although significant progress has been made in the understanding of the electron transfer processes in G. sulfurreducens , little is known about the regulatory mechanisms involved in their control. To expand the study of gene regulation in G. sulfurreducens , we carried out a genome-wide identification of transcription start sites (TSS) by 5'RACE and by deep RNA sequencing of primary mRNAs in two growth conditions. TSSs were identified along G. sulfurreducens genome and over 50% of them were located in the upstream region of the associated gene, and in some cases we detected genes with more than one TSS. Our global mapping of TSSs contributes with valuable information, which is needed for the study of transcript structure and transcription regulation signals and can ultimately contribute to the understanding of transcription initiation phenomena in G. sulfurreducens .
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
    Published by Oxford University Press
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    Drought Index Insurance for the Central Valley Project in California (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-08-20
    Description: A multi-year drought has taken a severe toll on the agricultural economy of California’s Central Valley. Index insurance is an instrument with the potential to protect water users from economic losses due to periodic water shortages. An index insurance product based on the Sacramento Index and adapted to the Central Valley Project water supply is proposed. To address the potential for intertemporal adverse selection, three product designs are suggested: (1) "early bird" insurance; (2) variable premium insurance; and (3) variable deductible insurance. The performance of the designs are assessed using loss functions from the Westlands Water District in the San Joaquin Valley.
    Keywords: Q14 - Agricultural Finance, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q54 - Climate ; Natural Disasters ; Global Warming
    Print ISSN: 2040-5790
    Electronic ISSN: 2040-5804
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Membrane localization and topology of the DnpA protein control fluoroquinolone tolerance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-08-27
    Description: DnpA, a putative de- N -acetylase of the PIG-L superfamily, is required for antibiotic tolerance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Exactly how dnpA (gene locus PA5002) directs the formation of antibiotic-tolerant persister cells is currently unknown. Previous research provided evidence for a role in surface-associated process(es), possibly in lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis. In silico sequence analysis of DnpA predicts a single transmembrane domain and N in /C out orientation of DnpA. In contrast, we here show that DnpA is an integral inner membrane protein containing two transmembrane domains, with the major C-terminal part located at the cytoplasmic face. Correct insertion into the inner membrane is necessary for DnpA to promote fluoroquinolone tolerance. The membrane localization of DnpA further supports its role in cell envelope-associated process(es). In addition to shedding light on the biological role of DnpA, this study highlights the risks of overreliance on the predictive value of bioinformatics tools and the importance of rigorous experimental validation of in silico predictions.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    Identification of a multidrug efflux pump in Mycobacterium smegmatis (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-06-08
    Description: Cell wall impermeability and active efflux of drugs are among the primary reasons for drug resistance in mycobacteria. Efflux pumps are tripartite membrane localized transport proteins that expel drug molecules outside the cells. Several of such efflux pumps are annotated in mycobacteria, but few have been characterized, like MSMEG_2991, a putative efflux pump permease of Mycobacterium smegmatis . To substantiate this, we overexpressed MSMEG_2991 protein in Escherichia coli 2443. Expression of MSMEG_2991 elevated the resistance towards structurally unrelated groups of antibiotics. An active antibiotic efflux pump nature of MSMEG_2991 was revealed by assessing the acquisition of ciprofloxacin in the absence and presence of the efflux pump inhibitor, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone, indicating the involvement of proton-motive force (pmf) during the efflux activity. MSMEG_2991 expression elevated biofilm formation in E. coli by 4-fold, keeping parity to some of the earlier reported efflux pumps. In silico analysis suggested the presence of 12 transmembrane helices in MSMEG_2991 resembling EmrD efflux pump of E. coli . Based on in vivo and in silico analyses, MSMEG_2991 may be designated as a pmf-mediated multidrug efflux pump protein that expels diverse groups of antibiotics and might as well be involved in the biofilm enhancement.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    A new custom microarray for sRNA profiling in Escherichia coli (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-06-08
    Description: Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) play essential roles in the post-transcriptional control of gene expression. To improve their detection by conventional microarrays, we designed a custom microarray containing a group of probes targeting known and some putative Escherichia coli sRNAs. To assess its potential in detection of sRNAs, RNA profiling experiments were performed with total RNA extracted from E. coli MG1655 cells exponentially grown in rich (Luria–Bertani) and minimal (M9/glucose) media. We found that many sRNAs could yield reasonably strong and statistically significant signals corresponding to nearly all sRNAs annotated in the EcoCyc database. Besides differential expression of two sRNAs (GcvB and RydB), expression of other sRNAs was less affected by the composition of the growth media. Other examples of the differentially expressed sRNAs were revealed by comparing gene expression of the wild-type strain and its isogenic mutant lacking functional poly(A) polymerase I ( pcnB ). Further, northern blot analysis was employed to validate these data and to assess the existence of new putative sRNAs. Our results suggest that the use of custom microarrays with improved capacities for detection of sRNAs can offer an attractive opportunity for efficient gene expression profiling of sRNAs and their target mRNAs at the whole transcriptome level.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    Identification of essential arginine residues of Escherichia coli DedA/Tvp38 family membrane proteins YqjA and YghB (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-06-08
    Description: Escherichia coli DedA/Tvp38 family proteins YghB and YqjA are putative membrane transporters with 62% amino acid identity and overlapping functions. An E. coli strain (BC202) with nonpolar yghB and yqjA mutations displays cell-division defects and temperature sensitivity and is sensitive to antibiotics and alkaline pH. In this study, we performed site-directed mutagenesis on conserved, charged amino acids of YqjA and YghB. We discovered two conserved predicted membrane-embedded arginines (R130 and R136) that are critical for function in both proteins as defined by their ability to complement BC202 phenotypes, when expressed from a plasmid. Lysine can substitute for arginine at position R130 indicating a charge dependence at this position, but could not substitute at R136. In light of the established role that arginine plays in the translocation mechanism of numerous membrane transporters, we hypothesize that these amino acids play a role in the transport mechanism of these DedA/Tvp38 family proteins.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
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    Boric acid-dependent decrease in regulatory histone H3 acetylation is not mutagenic in yeast (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-06-02
    Description: Candida albicans is a dimorphic yeast commonly found on human mucosal membranes that switches from yeast to hyphal morphology in response to environmental factors. The change to hyphal growth requires histone H3 modifications by the yeast-specific histone acetyltransferase Rtt109. In addition to its role in morphogenesis, Rtt109-dependent acetylation of histone H3 lysine residues 9 and 56 has regulatory functions during DNA replication and repair. Boric acid (BA) is a broad-spectrum agent that specifically inhibits C. albicans hyphal growth, locking the fungus in its harmless commensal yeast state. The present study characterizes the effect of BA on C. albicans histone acetylation in respect to specificity, time-course and significance. We demonstrate that sublethal concentrations of BA reduce H3K9/H3K56 acetylation, both on a basal level and in response to genotoxic stress. Acetylation at other selected histone sites were not affected by BA. qRT-PCR expression analysis of the DNA repair gene Rad51 indicated no elevated level of genotoxic stress during BA exposure. A forward-mutation analysis demonstrated the BA does not increase spontaneous or induced mutations . The findings suggest that DNA repair remains effective even when histone H3 acetylation decreases and dispels the notion that BA treatment impairs genome integrity in yeast.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
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    The global regulator CodY is required for the fitness of Bacillus cereus in various laboratory media and certain beverages (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-06-02
    Description: The impact of gene mutations on the growth of the cells can be studied using pure cultures. However, the importance of certain proteins and pathways can be also examined via co-culturing wild type and its mutant derivative. Here, the relative fitness of a mutant strain that lacks the global nitrogen regulator, CodY, was examined in Bacillus cereus , a food poisoning Gram-positive bacterium. Fitness measurements revealed that the codY strain was outcompeted when cocultured with the wild-type ATCC 14579 under various rich laboratory medium, and also when inoculated in certain beverages. In nutrient-poor minimal medium, the codY mutant had comparable fitness to the wild-type strain. Interestingly, the relative fitness of the codY strain was antagonistic when it was cultivated in apple or orange juices due to unknown properties of these beverages, highlighting the importance of chemical composition of the test medium during the bacterial fitness measurements.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    Biofilm formation-defective mutants in Pseudomonas putida (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-06-04
    Description: Out of 8000 candidates from a genetic screening for Pseudomonas putida KT2442 mutants showing defects in biofilm formation, 40 independent mutants with diminished levels of biofilm were analyzed. Most of these mutants carried insertions in genes of the lap cluster, whose products are responsible for synthesis, export and degradation of the adhesin LapA. All mutants in this class were strongly defective in biofilm formation. Mutants in the flagellar regulatory genes fleQ and flhF showed similar defects to that of the lap mutants . On the contrary, transposon insertions in the flagellar structural genes fliP and flgG , that also impair flagellar motility, had a modest defect in biofilm formation. A mutation in gacS , encoding the sensor element of the GacS/GacA two-component system, also had a moderate effect on biofilm formation. Additional insertions targeted genes involved in cell envelope function: PP3222, encoding the permease element of an ABC-type transporter and tolB , encoding the periplasmic component of the Tol-OprL system required for outer membrane stability. Our results underscore the central role of LapA, suggest cross-regulation between motility and adhesion functions and provide insights on the role of cell envelope trafficking and maintenance for biofilm development in P. putida .
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
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    Bioluminescence-based system for rapid detection of natural transformation (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-06-04
    Description: Horizontal gene transfer plays a significant role in bacterial evolution and has major clinical importance. Thus, it is vital to understand the mechanisms and kinetics of genetic transformations. Natural transformation is the driving mechanism for horizontal gene transfer in diverse genera of bacteria. Our study introduces a simple and rapid method for the investigation of natural transformation. This highly sensitive system allows the detection of a transformation event directly from a bacterial population without any separation step or selection of cells. The system is based on the bacterial luciferase operon from Photorhabdus luminescens . The studied molecular tools consist of the functional modules luxCDE and luxAB , which involve a replicative plasmid and an integrative gene cassette. A well-established host for bacterial genetic investigations, Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1, is used as the model bacterium. We show that natural transformation followed by homologous recombination or plasmid recircularization can be readily detected in both actively growing and static biofilm-like cultures, including very rare transformation events. The system allows the detection of natural transformation within 1 h of introducing sample DNA into the culture. The introduced method provides a convenient means to study the kinetics of natural transformation under variable conditions and perturbations.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
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    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    OxyR-regulated catalase activity is critical for oxidative stress resistance, nodulation and nitrogen fixation in Azorhizobium caulinodans (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-06-04
    Description: The legume–rhizobial interaction results in the formation of symbiotic nodules in which rhizobia fix nitrogen. During the process of symbiosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated. Thus, the response of rhizobia to ROS is important for successful nodulation and nitrogen fixation. In this study, we investigated how Azorhizobium caulinodans , a rhizobium that forms both root and stem nodules on its host plant, regulates ROS resistance. We found that in-frame deletions of a gene encoding the putative catalase-peroxidase katG or a gene encoding a LysR-family regulatory protein, oxyR , exhibited increased sensitivity to H 2 O 2 . We then showed that OxyR positively regulated katG expression in an H 2 O 2 -independent fashion. Furthermore, we found that deletion of katG or oxyR led to significant reduction in the number of stem nodules and decrease of nitrogen fixation capacities in symbiosis. Our results revealed that KatG and OxyR are not only critical for antioxidant defense in vitro , but also important for nodule formation and nitrogen fixation during interaction with plant hosts.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
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    Increased expression of genes involved in uptake and degradation of murein tripeptide under nitrogen starvation in Escherichia coli (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-06-17
    Description: Peptidoglycan (also known as murein) is an important envelope component of bacteria, and its turnover usually takes place at considerable levels during normal growth. Amino sugars and murein tripeptide resulting from murein degradation are used for resynthesis of peptidoglycan or as self-generated nutrients or energy sources for cell growth. PgrR (regulator of peptide glycan recycling; formerly YcjZ) was recently identified as a repressor of several genes participating in uptake and degradation of murein tripeptide. In this study, we identified the ycjG gene involved in murein tripeptide degradation as a new direct target of PgrR. The expression of PgrR-regulated genes including ycjY , mppA , mpaA and ycjG was repressed in the presence of a good nitrogen source, but their expression increased under poor nitrogen conditions. Under nitrogen starvation, the pgrR mutant cells exhibited faster growth than wild-type cells, implying that derepression of genes under the control of PgrR may help cells overcome nitrogen limitation. Therefore, these results suggest that nitrogen starvation induces derepression of PgrR-controlled genes involved in uptake and degradation of murein tripeptide, and this may stimulate the utilization of murein tripeptide as a nitrogen source.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
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    Topics: Biology
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    Who Really Benefits from Agricultural Subsidies? Evidence from Field-level Data (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-07-09
    Description: If agricultural subsidies are largely capitalized into farmland values through their effect on rental rates, then expanding support for agriculture may not benefit farmers who rent the land they farm. Existing evidence on the incidence of subsidies on cash rental rates is mixed. Identification is obscured by unobserved or imprecisely measured factors that tend to be correlated with subsidies, especially land quality and time-varying factors like commodity prices and adverse weather events. A problem that has received less attention is the fact that subsidies and land quality on rented land may differ from owned land. Since most farms possess both rented and owned acreage, farm-level measures of subsidies, land values, and rental rates may bias estimated incidence. Using a new, field-level data set that, for the first time, precisely links subsidies to land parcels, we show that this bias is considerable: where farm-level estimates suggest an incidence of 42–49 cents of the marginal subsidy dollar, field-level estimates from the same farms indicate that landlords capture just 20–28 cents. The size of the farm and the duration of the rental arrangement have substantial effects. Incidence falls by 5–15 cents when doubling total operated acres, and the incidence falls by 0.1–0.8 cents with each additional year of the rental arrangement. Low incidence of subsidies on rents combined with the farm-size and duration effects suggest that farmers renting land have monopsony power.
    Keywords: H22 - Incidence, Q14 - Agricultural Finance, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q18 - Agricultural Policy ; Food Policy
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    What Drives the Global "Land Rush"? (2015)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2015-05-21
    Description: We review evidence regarding the size and evolution of the "land rush" in the wake of the 2007–8 boom in agricultural commodity prices, and we study the determinants of foreign land acquisition for large-scale agricultural investment. The use of data on bilateral investment relationships to estimate gravity models of transnational land-intensive investments confirms the central role of agro-ecological potential as a pull factor. However, this finding contrasts the standard literature insofar as the quality of the destination country's business climate is insignificant, and weak tenure security is associated with increased interest for investors to acquire land in the country. Policy implications are discussed.
    Keywords: F21 - International Investment ; Long-Term Capital Movements, O13 - Agriculture ; Natural Resources ; Energy ; Environment ; Other Primary Products, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q34 - Natural Resources and Domestic and International Conflicts
    Print ISSN: 0258-6770
    Electronic ISSN: 1564-698X
    Topics: Economics
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    Irrigated Agricultural Adaptation to Water and Climate Variability: The Economic Value of a Water Portfolio (2015)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2015-04-18
    Description: Increasing aridity, more frequent and intense drought, and greater degrees of water scarcity create unique challenges for agriculture. In response to these challenges, which often manifest themselves as lower and more variable surface water supplies, as well as depleted and degraded ground water supplies, growers tend to seek opportunities to adapt. One option for growers to reduce their exposure to water scarcity and heightened uncertainty is to diversify. Indeed, access to a portfolio of supplies is one way in which water and irrigation districts, as well as individual growers, are responding to the changing landscape of water resource availability. This article evaluates the benefits to irrigated agriculture from having access to multiple sources of water. With farm-level information on 1,900 agricultural parcels across California, we use the hedonic property value method to investigate the extent that growers benefit from having access to multiple sources of water (i.e., a water portfolio). Our results suggest that while lower quality waters, less reliable water, and less water all negatively impact agricultural land values, holding a water portfolio has a positive impact on land values through its role in mitigating the negative aspects of these factors and reducing the sensitivity of agriculture to climate-related factors. From a policy perspective, such results identify a valuable adaptation tool that irrigation districts may consider to help offset the negative impacts of climate change, drought, and population increases on water supply availability and reliability.
    Keywords: Q10 - General, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q18 - Agricultural Policy ; Food Policy, Q50 - General, Q51 - Valuation of Environmental Effects
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Decoupling of agricultural support payments: the impact on land market participation decisions (2012)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2012-08-03
    Description: This paper analyses the impact of the recent decision by the European Union to ‘decouple’ agricultural support payments from agricultural production on Irish farmers' land market decisions. The land market participation decisions of Irish farmers are modelled using a dynamic probit model, while the extent of participation decisions is modelled using a dynamic tobit model. Decoupling does not appear to have significantly altered farmers' land market decisions. One likely explanation for this is the cross-compliance obligation for farmers to maintain land in a state fit for agricultural production in order to receive their full payments.
    Keywords: Q12 - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q18 - Agricultural Policy ; Food Policy
    Print ISSN: 0165-1587
    Electronic ISSN: 1464-3618
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    In vitro evidence that RNA Polymerase acetylation and acetyl phosphate-dependent CpxR phosphorylation affect cpxP transcription regulation (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-02-20
    Description: The central metabolite acetyl phosphate (acP) has long been proposed to influence transcription regulation by directly transferring its phosphoryl group to a number of response regulators in many bacterial species. Here, we provide in vitro evidence for this proposition and demonstrate, using an in vitro transcription system, that acP-dependent phosphorylation of aspartate 51 of CpxR induces transcription of one of its regulon members in E. coli , cpxP . We also used this in vitro transcription system to extend our previously reported in vivo data that hypothesized that acetylation of RNA polymerase (RNAP) influences acP-dependent cpxP transcription, using glutamine as a genetic mimic for acetylated arginine 291 of the carboxy-terminal domain of RNAP α subunit. The data we present here lend strong support to the hypothesis that acP has a direct effect on transcription regulation in E. coli via phosphorylation of CpxR, and that RNAP acetylation can modulate this response.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    CrAgDb--a database of annotated chaperone repertoire in archaeal genomes (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-03-02
    Description: Chaperones are a diverse class of ubiquitous proteins that assist other cellular proteins in folding correctly and maintaining their native structure. Many different chaperones cooperate to constitute the ‘proteostasis’ machinery in the cells. It has been proposed earlier that archaeal organisms could be ideal model systems for deciphering the basic functioning of the ‘protein folding machinery’ in higher eukaryotes. Several chaperone families have been characterized in archaea over the years but mostly one protein at a time, making it difficult to decipher the composition and mechanistics of the protein folding system as a whole. In order to deal with these lacunae, we have developed a database of all archaeal chaperone proteins, CrAgDb ( C haperone r epertoire in A rchaeal g enomes). The data have been presented in a systematic way with intuitive browse and search facilities for easy retrieval of information. Access to these curated datasets should expedite large-scale analysis of archaeal chaperone networks and significantly advance our understanding of operation and regulation of the protein folding machinery in archaea. Researchers could then translate this knowledge to comprehend the more complex protein folding pathways in eukaryotic systems. The database is freely available at http://14.139.227.92/mkumar/cragdb/ .
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
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    Cysteine biosynthesis in Lactobacillus casei: identification and characterization of a serine acetyltransferase (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-02-07
    Description: In bacteria, cysteine can be synthesized from serine by two steps involving an L-serine O-acetyltransferase (SAT) and a cysteine synthase (CysK). While CysK is found in the publicly available annotated genome from Lactobacillus casei ATCC 334, a gene encoding SAT ( cysE ) is missing. In this study, we found that various strains of L. casei grew in a chemically defined medium containing sulfide as the sole sulfur source, indicating the presence of a serine O-acetyltransferase. The gene lying upstream of cysK is predicted to encode a homoserine trans-succinylase ( metA ). To study the function of this gene, it was cloned from L. casei FAM18110. The purified, recombinant protein did not acylate L-homoserine in vitro . Instead, it catalyzed the formation of O-acetyl serine from L-serine and acetyl-CoA. Furthermore, the plasmid expressing the L. casei gene complemented an Escherichia coli cysE mutant strain but not an E. coli metA mutant. This clearly demonstrated that the gene annotated as metA in fact encodes the SAT function and should be annotated as cysE .
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
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    Responsiveness of Crop Yield and Acreage to Prices and Climate (2015)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2015-12-13
    Description: We investigate the effect of crop price and climate variables on rainfed corn and soybean yields and acreage in the United States using a large panel dataset for the 1977–2007 period. Instrumental variables are used to control for endogeneity of prices in yield and acreage regressions, while allowing for spatially auto-correlated errors. We find that an increase in corn price has a statistically significant positive impact on corn yield, but the effect of soybean price on soybean yields is not statistically significant. The estimated price elasticities of corn yield and acreage are 0.23 and 0.45, respectively. Of the increase in corn supply caused by an increase in corn price, we find that 33.8% is due to price-induced yield enhancement and 66.2% is due to price-induced acreage expansion. We also find that the impact of climate change on corn production ranges from $-$ 7% to $-$ 41% and on soybean ranges from $-$ 8% to $-$ 45%, depending on the climate change scenarios, time horizon, and global climate models used to predict climate change. We show that the aggregate net impact of omitting price variables is an overestimation of the effect of climate change on corn yield by up to 9% and on soybean yield by up to 15%.
    Keywords: Q11 - Aggregate Supply and Demand Analysis ; Prices, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q54 - Climate ; Natural Disasters ; Global Warming
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Cooperation against theft: A test of incentives for water management In Tunisia (2014)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2014-01-22
    Description: Water theft carried out by manipulating water meters constrains volumetric pricing in semi-arid regions. Cooperative management can reduce theft and improve incentives for efficient water use by inducing peer monitoring. Using a theoretical model, we show that theft is more likely when prices are high, punishments are weak, and cooperatives are large. We also show how cooperative membership and punishment levels are determined endogenously by constraints on monitoring. We test the model on data from Tunisia for the years 2001–2003, relying on instruments that proxy for unobservable monitoring costs. The results confirm that well-designed incentives can reduce theft, and that constraints on monitoring costs affect institutional design.
    Keywords: D82 - Asymmetric and Private Information, Q13 - Agricultural Markets and Marketing ; Cooperatives ; Agribusiness, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q25 - Water
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    A Natural Resource Theory of U.S. Crop Insurance Contract Choice (2014)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2014-01-22
    Description: A large variety of subsidized crop insurance products are available to U.S. crop growers. Distinct and perhaps puzzling patterns in the choices of insurance products and coverage levels can be discerned. Where production conditions are better and yields are less risky then ( a ) higher insurance coverage levels are chosen; and ( b ) revenue insurance is preferred over yield insurance. Also, ( c ) the extent of preference for revenue insurance is stronger in more productive areas. Assuming, as many do, that growers seek to maximize subsidy transfers, point ( a ) can be explained by the interaction between yield technology and natural resource endowments. Points ( b ) and ( c ) can be explained by location in conjunction with the "natural hedge" and a contract design bias in how revenue insurance guarantees are computed. Empirical study of Risk Management Agency data on corn, soybean, and wheat yields, and insurance contract choices lend support to our model inferences.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q18 - Agricultural Policy ; Food Policy, Q24 - Land
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Capitalized Costs of Habitat Conservation Easements (2014)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2014-04-05
    Description: Perpetual conservation easements permanently remove the option to convert existing habitat to more intensive agricultural production. If existing habitat is at threat of conversion, removing the option to convert will reduce land values. In this article, we estimate the land value discount resulting from perpetual habitat conservation easements by using propensity score matching. We find that on the average eased parcel, land values fall by approximately $86 per acre for every acre of eased habitat. On average, our results suggest that landowners have been adequately compensated and conservation agencies have successfully secured habitat at risk of conversion.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q24 - Land, Q57 - Ecological Economics: Ecosystem Services ; Biodiversity Conservation ; Bioeconomics
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Agri-environmental Policy and Urban Development Patterns: A General Equilibrium Analysis (2014)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2014-04-05
    Description: This paper investigates the spatial effects that the provision of environmental public goods have on residential location choices in a suburban context. Specifically, a spatial general equilibrium framework is developed to analyze the consequences of adopting an agri-environmental policy promoting the provision of positive farming externalities. We use a static monocentric model of an open city where agricultural bid-rents and agricultural amenities vary endogenously in space, and where the positive externalities associated with agricultural production are valued by households. Consistent with empirical evidence of the potential side effects that conservation policies may have in terms of urbanization patterns and land price changes, we show that under certain conditions implementing an agri-environmental policy may promote additional suburban development. Moreover, we demonstrate that the emergence of disconnected suburban areas may be significantly influenced by the location of land regulated by an agri-environmental policy. Finally, we discuss distributional aspects and show that while introducing an agri-environmental policy has a negative impact on most residential land value, it can have positive effects on farmland and residential land located within the regulated areas, suggesting the non-neutrality of such policies regarding the agents’ assets.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q18 - Agricultural Policy ; Food Policy, R13 - General Equilibrium and Welfare Economic Analysis of Regional Economies, R14 - Land Use Patterns, R21 - Housing Demand
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Agricultural Rodent Control Using Barn Owls: Is It Profitable? (2014)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2014-04-05
    Description: We develop a model to evaluate the profitability of controlling rodent damage by placing barn owl nesting boxes in agricultural areas. The model incorporates the spatial patterns of barn owl predation pressure on rodents, and the impact of this predation pressure on nesting choices and agricultural output. We apply the model to data collected in Israel and find the installation of nesting boxes profitable. While this finding indicates that economic policy instruments to enhance the adoption of this biological control method are redundant, it does support stricter regulations on rodent control using rodenticides.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q18 - Agricultural Policy ; Food Policy, Q57 - Ecological Economics: Ecosystem Services ; Biodiversity Conservation ; Bioeconomics
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    How do agricultural policies influence farm size inequality? The example of France (2011)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2011-12-27
    Description: We investigate farm size inequality in France using agricultural censuses and farm structure surveys at the NUTS3 level (‘départements’) during the period 1970–2007. Using calculated Gini coefficients, we show that farm size inequality has not systematically increased in France. An econometric analysis of the determinants of farm size inequality reveals that policy measures significantly affected farm size inequality, with most of the measures considered decreasing it. Empirical results suggest that the main contributor was the activity of the SAFER (Société d'Aménagement Foncier et d'Etablissement Rural), a specific feature of the French farm structural policy aimed at regulating rural land management. Besides, this research highlights the great complexity of the dynamics underlying the evolution of farm size distribution.
    Keywords: D30 - General, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q18 - Agricultural Policy ; Food Policy
    Print ISSN: 0165-1587
    Electronic ISSN: 1464-3618
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Optimisation of implementation policies of environmental quota trade (2011)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2011-12-27
    Description: This paper analyses implementation policies of environmental quota trade, with the Flemish nutrient production rights as an example. Implementation policies concern the transaction quantity, quota reduction and prevention of speculation. They are analysed with a static and a dynamic multi-agent quota trade model. The static model with discrete non-auctioned quota trade shows that the obligation for quota sellers to entirely stop their production stimulates structural change. The dynamic model version indicates that a flat rate reduction on traded quota and measures taken to prevent speculation combined with too low penalties for overuse stimulate the total production.
    Keywords: Q12 - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q18 - Agricultural Policy ; Food Policy
    Print ISSN: 0165-1587
    Electronic ISSN: 1464-3618
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Intensive and extensive margin adjustments to water scarcity in France's Cereal Belt (2014)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2014-11-11
    Description: Efficient water management in agriculture is becoming critical due to increasing environmental constraints and global food and bio-energy demands. Farmers may respond to increased water scarcity along three main adjustment margins: a move towards rain-fed agriculture (super-extensive margin) or towards less water-intensive crops (extensive margin), and a reduction in water intensity for irrigated crops (intensive margin). Using a positive mathematical programming model of regional supply calibrated to economic and agronomic information, we decompose the total effect of reduced water availability on these adjustment margins in Beauce, a productive cereal region that relies on a groundwater resource to meet its irrigation needs. For realistic water scarcity scenarios, 57 per cent of the total response is attributable to super-extensive margin adjustments. The extensive margin represents 28 per cent of the total response, while the intensive margin accounts for 15 per cent. Crop-level analysis reveals more subtle adaptation patterns.
    Keywords: Q11 - Aggregate Supply and Demand Analysis ; Prices, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q25 - Water
    Print ISSN: 0165-1587
    Electronic ISSN: 1464-3618
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Encouraging Reductions in Nonpoint Source Pollution through Point-nonpoint Trading: The Roles of Baseline Choice and Practice Subsidies (2014)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2014-09-06
    Description: Water quality regulations in the United States apply almost exclusively to point sources. In impaired watersheds where both point and nonpoint sources contribute to pollution, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is encouraging the use of point-nonpoint trading to reduce the cost of point sources to meet their permit requirement, and to encourage nonpoint sources to voluntarily contribute more towards meeting overall water quality goals. The EPA guidance encourages trading programs to set a nonpoint source eligibility baseline that extracts some "extra" abatement from nonpoint sources. Research has shown that setting an eligibility baseline that is substantially more stringent than current management could discourage nonpoint source participation and significantly hinder trading. In this paper we examine how choosing the eligibility baseline for agricultural sources affects the efficiency goal of trading (reducing costs to point sources), as well as how it affects the EPA goal of encouraging nonpoint abatement. Using data from the Chesapeake Bay Watershed we find that eligibility baselines set to encourage additional nonpoint source abatement reduce the supply of credits in a market; the more stringent the baseline, the fewer the trades and the smaller the overall abatement from nonpoint sources. A subsidy to farmers for reducing the cost of meeting a baseline encourages greater nonpoint source abatement, but may not benefit the trading market.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q20 - General, Q58 - Government Policy
    Print ISSN: 2040-5790
    Electronic ISSN: 2040-5804
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Individual and Cooperative Management of Invasive Species in Human-mediated Landscapes (2014)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2014-12-13
    Description: As a bioinvasion spreads across a landscape from its point of introduction, damages rise roughly with the square of the distance from the original invasion. It is thus generally beneficial, at the landscape scale, to apply eradication or containment controls early if not immediately upon discovery. However, an individual property owner only has incentives to consider the costs and benefits of control on his/her own property rather than potential landscape-scale damages. Bioinvasions will therefore generally be under-controlled in a landscape of independent owners operating under a laissez-faire system. A mechanism is thus needed to induce early cooperative contributions to control costs from beneficiaries who would, without them, be invaded later. We develop a spatially-explicit, integrated model of invasion spread and human behavior to examine how different degrees of spatial cooperation affect patterns of invasion spread and the total costs and damages imposed. We compare individual laissez-faire, cooperative control by adjacent neighbors, and cooperative control by groups including more distant but nearby neighbors. As expected, private laissez-faire control decisions tend to under-control the invasion relative to socially optimal control under most circumstances. But a reasonably high fraction of first best payoffs can be achieved with only a modest geographical reach of cooperation. We also find that less extensive cooperation is needed to control invasions whose costs and damages otherwise lead to the largest externalities (circumstances with costs that are relatively low compared with damages). This suggests that even small amounts of cooperation to control bioinvasions can provide large social benefits.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q24 - Land, Q57 - Ecological Economics: Ecosystem Services ; Biodiversity Conservation ; Bioeconomics
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Farmland Protection and Agricultural Land Values at the Urban-Rural Fringe: British Columbia's Agricultural Land Reserve (2014)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2014-12-13
    Description: Farmland conservation policies typically use zoning and differentiated taxes to prevent urban development of farmland, but little is known about the effectiveness of these policies. This study adds to current knowledge by examining the impact of British Columbia's Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), established in 1973, which severely restricts subdivision and nonagricultural uses for more than 4.7 million hectares of farmland. To determine the extent to which the ALR preserves farmland by reducing or removing the development option, a multilevel hedonic pricing model is used to estimate the impact of land use, geographic, and zoning characteristics on farmland value near the capital city of Victoria on Vancouver Island. Using sales data from 1974 through 2008, the model demonstrates a changing ALR impact over time that varies considerably by improved and unimproved land types. In 2008, landowners paid 19% less for the typical improved farmland parcel within the ALR versus that outside it. This suggests that would-be developers expect permanency in the zoning law, and prefer non-ALR zoned land. However, ALR land that is unimproved has a premium of 55%, suggesting that this land is more valuable for agriculture than for development. Farmland located closer to the city or the commuting highway commands a premium if it has a residence on it, with a residence also explaining why smaller agricultural properties sell at higher prices. However, it appears that zoning by itself is insufficient to protect farmland; other policies likely need to be implemented in conjunction with zoning to protect agricultural land.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q28 - Government Policy, R14 - Land Use Patterns
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Capitalized Amenity Value of Native Vegetation in a Multifunctional Rural Landscape (2014)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2014-12-13
    Description: In many parts of the world, natural vegetation has been cleared to allow agricultural production. To ensure a long-term flow of ecosystem services without compromising agricultural activities, restoring the environment requires a balance between public and private benefits and costs. Information about private benefits generated by environmental assets can be utilized to identify conservation opportunities on private lands, evaluate environmental projects, and design effective policy instruments. We use a spatio-temporal hedonic model to estimate the private benefits of native vegetation on rural properties in the state of Victoria, Australia. Specifically, we estimate the marginal value of native vegetation on private land and examine how it varies with the extent of vegetation on a property and across a range of property types and sizes. Private benefits of native vegetation are greater per unit area on small and medium-sized properties and smaller on large production-oriented farms. Native vegetation exhibits diminishing marginal benefits as its proportion of a property increases. The current extent of native vegetation cover is lower than the extent that would maximize the amenity value to many landowners. There is scope for improved targeting of investment in the study region by incorporating private benefits of environmental projects into environmental planning processes. Landowners with high marginal private benefits from revegetation would be more willing to participate in a revegetation program. Targeting these landowners would likely provide higher value for money because such projects could be implemented at lower public cost.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q57 - Ecological Economics: Ecosystem Services ; Biodiversity Conservation ; Bioeconomics
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    The Effects of Energy Prices on Agricultural Groundwater Extraction from the High Plains Aquifer (2014)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2014-09-02
    Description: We examine the effects of energy prices on groundwater extraction using an econometric model of a farmer's irrigation water pumping decision that accounts for both the intensive and extensive margins. Our results show that energy prices have an effect on both types of margins. Increasing energy prices would affect crop selection decisions, crop acreage allocation decisions, and farmers’ demand for water. Our estimated total marginal effect, which sums the effects on the intensive and extensive margins, suggests that a $1 per million btu increase in the energy price would decrease water extraction by an individual farmer by 5.89 acre-feet per year, a decrease of 3.6 percent of the average annual extraction rate. Our estimated elasticity of water extraction with respect to energy price is –0.26.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q40 - General
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Do Wealth Gains from Land Appreciation Cause Farmers to Expand Acreage or Buy Land? (2014)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2014-09-02
    Description: Recent increases in farm real estate values in the United States have increased farm equity. By exploiting periods of high and low appreciation that caused various increases in wealth for farmers owning various shares of their farmland, we examine whether U.S. grain farmers expanded their acres harvested or acres owned in response to an increase in their land wealth. We find that land wealth had little effect on farm size. However, for similarly-sized farms, a larger ownership share (10 percentage points) led to an increase in the growth of land owned (2 percentage points). Because older farmers own more of the land that they farm, greater land appreciation slows the rate at which younger farmers acquire land relative to older farmers.
    Keywords: Q12 - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    The role of crop land during economic development: evidence from rural Vietnam (2014)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2014-08-02
    Description: Under economic structural changes, some households intensify farming while others reduce it, resulting in significant changes in landholding. This paper studies the link between such changes in landholding and household well-being during a period of rapid economic transformation in Vietnam. Using a rural household panel data set, we find a U-shaped relationship between landholding and well-being: both accumulating crop land and moving out of farming are associated with higher household income and expenditure. Notably, these relationships are greater in communes that are less developed, suggesting that the benefits of structural transformation may diminish at higher levels of development.
    Keywords: I30 - General, I32 - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation
    Print ISSN: 0165-1587
    Electronic ISSN: 1464-3618
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Purification, characterization and physiological significance of a chitinase from the pilei of Coprinopsis cinerea fruiting bodies (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-05-25
    Description: We purified a chitinase from pilei extractions of Coprinopsis cinerea fruiting bodies by ammonium sulfate precipitation and CM Sepharose cation exchange chromatography. MALDI-TOF/TOF MS analysis characterized this purified chitinase as a putative class V chitinase, ChiB1. ChiB1 hydrolyzed colloidal chitin and chitosan, whereas it did not hydrolyze chitin powder. ChiB1 cleaved only pNP-(GlcNAc) 2 , rather than pNP-GlcNAc or pNP-(Glc-NAc) 3 , to release nitrophenol. ChiB1 preferably and progressively released (GlcNAc)2 from (GlcNAc)6 and digested (GlcNAc)6 to two molecules of (GlcNAc)3 in a small proportion, but did not split (GlcNAc) 2 , so it is an exochitinase. ChiB1 has an optimum temperature range of 35°C to 40°C and an optimum pH of 5.0. ChiB1 exhibited Km and Vmax values of 2.63 mg ml –1 and 2.31 μmol min –1  mg protein –1 for colloidal chitin, respectively. The ChiB1 gene, along with another putative endochitinase (class III chitinase gene), was expressed dominantly among eight predicted chitinase genes in the genome, and its expression level increased with the maturation of fruiting bodies. ChiB1 incubation released a large amount of soluble β-glucan fractions from alkali-insoluble cell wall fractions of C. cinerea fruiting bodies, thereby it may promote the degradation of cell walls in synergy with the β-1,3-glucanases during pileus autolysis.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    RNA transcript sequencing reveals inorganic sulfur compound oxidation pathways in the acidophile Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-03-24
    Description: Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans is an acidophile implicated in low-temperature biomining for the recovery of metals from sulfide minerals. Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans obtains its energy from the oxidation of inorganic sulfur compounds, and genes encoding several alternative pathways have been identified. Next-generation sequencing of At. ferrivorans RNA transcripts identified the genes coding for metabolic and electron transport proteins for energy conservation from tetrathionate as electron donor. RNA transcripts suggested that tetrathionate was hydrolyzed by the tetH1 gene product to form thiosulfate, elemental sulfur and sulfate. Despite two of the genes being truncated, RNA transcripts for the SoxXYZAB complex had higher levels than for thiosulfate quinone oxidoreductase ( doxDA genes). However, a lack of heme-binding sites in soxX suggested that DoxDA was responsible for thiosulfate metabolism. Higher RNA transcript counts also suggested that elemental sulfur was metabolized by heterodisulfide reductase ( hdr genes) rather than sulfur oxygenase reductase ( sor ). The sulfite produced as a product of heterodisulfide reductase was suggested to be oxidized by a pathway involving the sat gene product or abiotically react with elemental sulfur to form thiosulfate. Finally, several electron transport complexes were involved in energy conservation. This study has elucidated the previously unknown At. ferrivorans tetrathionate metabolic pathway that is important in biomining.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    Watch out for your TRP1 marker: the effect of TRP1 gene on the growth at high and low temperatures in budding yeast (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-04-24
    Description: TRP1 is a frequently used auxotrophic marker for genetic modifications and selections in trp – budding yeast strains, including the commonly used wild-type strain W303a. However, we found that introduction of the TRP1 gene into a trp – strain significantly affected vegetative growth at low and high temperatures. Therefore, caution should be needed when working in a trp – background strain and using the TRP1 marker to study stress response phenotypes, particularly when analyzing temperature sensitivities.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    From CO2 to cell: energetic expense of creating biomass using the Calvin-Benson-Bassham and reductive citric acid cycles based on genome data (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-03-18
    Description: The factors driving the dominance of the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle (CBB) or reductive citric acid cycle (rCAC) in autotrophic microorganisms in different habitats are debated. Based on costs for synthesizing a few metabolic intermediates, it has been suggested that the CBB poses a disadvantage due to higher metabolic cost. The purpose of this study was to extend this estimate of cost from metabolite synthesis to biomass synthesis. For 12 gammaproteobacteria (CBB) and five epsilonproteobacteria (rCAC), the amount of ATP to synthesize a gram of biomass from CO 2 was calculated from genome sequences via metabolic maps. The eleven central carbon metabolites needed to synthesize biomass were all less expensive to synthesize via the rCAC (66%–89% of the ATP needed to synthesize them via CBB). Differences in cell compositions did result in differing demands for metabolites among the organisms, but the differences in cost to synthesize biomass were small among organisms that used a particular pathway (e.g. rCAC), compared to the difference between pathways (rCAC versus CBB). The rCAC autotrophs averaged 0.195 moles ATP per g biomass, while their CBB counterparts averaged 0.238. This is the first in silico estimate of the relative expense of both pathways to generate biomass.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    ydfD encodes a novel lytic protein in Escherichia coli (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-03-05
    Description: Bacteria carry a number of genes that cause cell growth arrest or cell lysis upon expression. Notably, defective prophages retain many lysis proteins. Here, we identified a novel lytic gene, ydfD , on the Qin prophage segment of the Escherichia coli genome. YdfD lyses 99.9% of cells within 2 h of its induction. The co-expression of the upstream gene, dicB , encoding a cell division inhibitor, as well as sulA , encoding another cell division inhibitor, abolished YdfD-induced cell lysis. These results imply that YdfD-induced lysis is a cell division-dependent event. We further found that by deleting the hydrophobic 22-residue N-terminal domain, the resulting 42-residue C-terminal domain was still toxic to cause cell lysis. We propose that YdfD, associated with the cytoplasmic membrane, inhibits an essential cellular process(s).
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
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    Topics: Biology
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    Accumulation of PHA granules in Cupriavidus necator as seen by confocal fluorescence microscopy (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-05-08
    Description: Many bacteria are capable of accumulating intracellular granules of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). In this work, we developed confocal microscopy analysis of bacterial cells to study changes in the diameters of cells as well as PHA granules during growth and PHA accumulation in the bacterium Cupriavidus necator H16 (formerly Ralstonia eutropha ). The cell envelope was stained by DiD ® fluorescent probe and PHA granules by Nile Red. Signals from both probes were separated based on their spectral and fluorescence life-time properties. During growth and PHA accumulation, bacterial cells increased their length but the width of the cells remained constant. The volume fraction of PHA granules in cells increased during PHA accumulation, nevertheless, its value did not exceed 40 vol. % regardless of the PHA weight content. It seems that bacterial cultures lengthen the cells in order to control the PHA volume portion. However, since similar changes in cell length were also observed in a PHA non-accumulating mutant, it seems that there is no direct control mechanism, which regulates the prolongation of the cells with respect to PHA granules volume. It is more likely that PHA biosynthesis and the length of cells are influenced by the same external stimuli such as nutrient limitation.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    Characterization of three positive regulators for tetramycin biosynthesis in Streptomyces ahygroscopicus (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-05-20
    Description: Three putative regulatory genes, namely ttmRI, ttmRII and ttmRIII , which are present in the tetramycin ( ttm ) biosynthetic gene cluster, were found in Streptomyces ahygroscopicus . Disruption of ttmRI, ttmRII or ttmRIII reduced tetramycin production, and their complementation restored production to varying degrees. Gene expression analysis of the wild-type (WT) and mutant strains through reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of the ttm gene cluster showed that the expression levels of most of the biosynthetic genes were reduced in ttmRI , ttmRII and ttmRIII . Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that TtmRI, TtmRII and TtmRIII bound the promoters of several genes in the ttm gene cluster. This study found that these three proteins are a group of positive regulators that activate the transcription of the ttm gene cluster in S. ahygroscopicus . In addition, ttmRII had a reduced degree of grey pigmentation. Thus, TtmRII has a pleiotropic regulatory function in the tetramycin biosynthetic pathway and in development.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    A sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase from Chlorobaculum tepidum displays unusual kinetic properties (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-05-20
    Description: Sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase (SQR) is the primary sulfide-oxidizing enzyme found in all three domains of life. Of the six phylogenetically distinct types of SQR, four have representatives that have been biochemically characterized. The genome of Chlorobaculum tepidum encodes three SQR homologs. One of these, encoded by CT1087, is a type VI SQR that has been previously shown to be required for growth at high sulfide concentrations and to be expressed in sulfide-dependent manner. Therefore, CT1087 was hypothesized to be a high sulfide adapted SQR. CT1087 was expressed in Escherichia coli with an N-terminal His-tag (CT1087NHis 6 ) and purified by Ni-NTA chromatography. CT1087NHis 6 was active and contained FAD as a strongly bound cofactor. The measured kinetic parameters for CT1087NHis 6 indicate a low affinity for sulfide and a high enzymatic turnover rate consistent with the hypothesis for its function inferred from genetic and expression data. These are the first kinetic data for a type VI SQR and have implications for structure-function analyses of all SQR's.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    Dynamics of Farmland Ownership and Leasing: Implications for Young and Beginning Farmers (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-05-19
    Description: This study considers the transition into farming and growth of new farmers in U.S. agriculture by examining land ownership and leasing trends. Our approach is to characterize the entire distribution by farmer age and farmer experience rather than using young versus old and beginning versus established farmer categories. We also use a linked-farms longitudinal approach to show trends over time in farmland expansion and contraction. We find that farms operated by older beginning farmers tend to be smaller and do not tend to grow over time. Our results show that it is mostly young farmers as opposed to all beginning farmers who rapidly expand their farm operations after entering agriculture. Our findings inform policy makers about the strategies that young and beginning farmers use to start their businesses and expand over time, and suggest more effective approaches for targeting loan programs to both young and beginning farmers.
    Keywords: Q12 - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q18 - Agricultural Policy ; Food Policy
    Print ISSN: 2040-5790
    Electronic ISSN: 2040-5804
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Corn Area Response to Local Ethanol Markets in the United States: A Grid Cell Level Analysis (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-04-24
    Description: We measure corn and total agricultural area response to the biofuels boom in the United States from 2006 to 2010. Specifically, we use newly available micro-scale grid cell data to test whether a location's corn and total agricultural cultivation rose in response to the capacity of ethanol refineries in their vicinity. Based on these data, acreage in corn and overall agriculture not only grew in already-cultivated areas but also expanded into previously uncultivated areas. Acreage in corn and total agriculture also correlated with proximity to ethanol plants, though the relationship dampened over the time period. A formal estimation of the link between acreage and ethanol refineries, however, must account for the endogenous location decisions of ethanol plants and areas of corn supply. We present historical evidence to support the use of the US railroad network as a valid instrument for ethanol plant locations. Our estimates show that a location's neighborhood refining capacity exerts strong and significant effects on acreage planted in corn and total agricultural acreage. The largest impacts of ethanol plants were felt in locations where cultivation area was relatively low. This high-resolution evidence of ethanol impacts on local agricultural outcomes can inform researchers and policy-makers concerned with crop diversity, environmental sustainability, and rural economic development.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q16 - R&D ; Agricultural Technology ; Agricultural Extension Services
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Exchanging Land for Solidarity: Solidarity Transfers among Voluntarily Resettled and Non-resettled Land-Reform Beneficiaries (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-04-24
    Description: Mutual aid among villagers in developing countries is often the only means of insuring against economic shocks. We use "lab-in-the-field experiments" in Cambodian villages to study solidarity in established and newly resettled communities. Our experimental participants were part of an agricultural land-distribution project for which they signed up voluntarily. Half of our sample voluntarily resettled one and a half years before this study. Playing a version of the "solidarity game," we identify the effect of voluntary resettlement on willingness to help anonymous fellow villagers. We find that resettled farmers transfer substantially less money to their fellow villagers than farmers who have not resettled. Our experimental results indicate greater vulnerability on the part of resettled households in the initial years after resettlement.
    Keywords: C93 - Field Experiments, D03 - Behavioral Economics ; Underlying Principles, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Does the Minimum Lot Size Program Affect Farmland Values? Empirical Evidence Using Administrative Data and Regression Discontinuity Design in Taiwan (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-04-24
    Description: This study empirically assesses the causal effect of the minimum lot size program on farmland values in Taiwan. A unique dataset of 4,032 parcels of farmland drawn from administrative foreclosure auction profiles between 2000 and 2008 and regression discontinuity design were applied to cope with the endogeneity issue of land use regulations. The results of the parametric and nonparametric estimations indicate that the minimum lot size program significantly increases farmland value by approximately 18% and 15%, respectively. Moreover, the program effect is more pronounced for farmland located in urban/suburban areas. In the absence of a tax effect and externality resulting from non-agricultural activities, the significant program effect on farmland values is likely to result from the effect of the program on farmland's option value for future development.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, R52 - Land Use and Other Regulations
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    A Novel, Spatiotemporally Explicit Ecological-economic Modeling Procedure for the Design of Cost-effective Agri-environment Schemes to Conserve Biodiversity (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-03-31
    Description: Agri-environment schemes (AES) compensate farmers for land use measures that are costly to them but beneficial to biodiversity and the environment. We present an ecological-economic modeling procedure for the design of cost-effective AES to conserve grassland biodiversity, which is applicable to large areas, covers many endangered species and grassland types, and includes several hundred different types of mowing regimes, grazing regimes, and combinations of mowing and grazing regimes as land use measures. The modeling procedure also accounts for the spatial variations in the land use measures' costs and in the effects on species and grassland types. The procedure's main novelty is that it considers variations of the costs and impacts on species and grassland types that arise from different timings of the land use measures. Considering the spatial and the temporal dimension of land use measures makes the modeling procedure spatiotemporally explicit. We demonstrate the power of the modeling procedure by evaluating an existing grassland AES in Saxony, Germany, and identify substantial improvements in terms of cost-effectiveness.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q57 - Ecological Economics: Ecosystem Services ; Biodiversity Conservation ; Bioeconomics
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
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    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Gliding motility driven by individual cell-surface movements in a multicellular filamentous bacterium Chloroflexus aggregans (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-04-08
    Description: Chloroflexus aggregans is an unbranched multicellular filamentous bacterium having the ability of gliding motility. The filament moves straightforward at a constant rate, ~3 μm sec –1 on solid surface and occasionally reverses the moving direction. In this study, we successfully detected movements of glass beads on the cell-surface along long axis of the filament indicating that the cell-surface movement was the direct force for gliding. Microscopic analyses found that the cell-surface movements were confined to a cell of the filament, and each cell independently moved and reversed the direction. To understand how the cellular movements determine the moving direction of the filament, we proposed a discrete-time stochastic model; sum of the directions of the cellular movements determines the moving direction of the filament only when the filament pauses, and after moving, the filament keeps the same directional movement until all the cells pause and/or move in the opposite direction. Monte Carlo simulation of this model showed that reversal frequency of longer filaments was relatively fixed to be low, but the frequency of shorter filaments varied widely. This simulation result appropriately explained the experimental observations. This study proposed the relevant mechanism adequately describing the motility of the multicellular filament in C. aggregans .
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
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    Topics: Biology
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    Identification and sequence analysis of pWcMBF8-1, a bacteriocin-encoding plasmid from the lactic acid bacterium Weissella confusa (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-04-10
    Description: Members of the Gram-positive lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are well-known for their beneficial properties as starter cultures and probiotics. Many LAB species produce ribosomally synthesized proteinaceous antibiotics (bacteriocins). Weissella confusa MBF8-1 is a strain isolated from a fermented soybean product that not only produces useful exopolysaccharides but also exhibits bacteriocin activity, which we call weissellicin MBF. Here, we show that bacteriocin production by W. confusa MBF8-1 is specified by a large plasmid, pWcMBF8-1. Plasmid pWcMBF8-1 (GenBank accession number KR350502), which was identified from the W. confusa MBF8-1 draft genome sequence, is 17 643 bp in length with a G + C content of 34.8% and contains 25 open reading frames (ORFs). Six ORFs constitute the weissellicin MBF locus, encoding three putative double-glycine-motif peptides (Bac1, Bac2, Bac3), an ABC transporter complex (BacTE) and a putative immunity protein (BacI). Two ORFs encode plasmid partitioning and mobilization proteins, suggesting that pWcMBF8-1 is transferable to other hosts. To the best of our knowledge, plasmid pWcMBF8-1 not only represents the first large Weissella plasmid to be sequenced but also the first to be associated with bacteriocin production in W. confusa .
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
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    Expression of the Sinorhizobium meliloti small RNA gene mmgR is controlled by the nitrogen source (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-04-20
    Description: Small non-coding regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) are key players in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Hundreds of sRNAs have been identified in Sinorhizobium meliloti , but their biological function remains unknown for most of them. In this study, we characterized the expression pattern of the gene encoding the 77-nt sRNA MmgR in S. meliloti strain 2011. A chromosomal transcriptional reporter fusion (P mmgR - gfp ) showed that the mmgR promoter is active along different stages of the interaction with alfalfa roots. In pure cultures, P mmgR - gfp activity paralleled the sRNA abundance indicating that mmgR expression is primarily controlled at the level of transcriptional initiation. P mmgR - gfp activity was higher during growth in rhizobial defined medium (RDM) than in TY medium. Furthermore, P mmgR - gfp was induced at 60 min after shifting growing cells from TY to RDM medium, i.e. shorter than the cell doubling time. In defined RDM medium containing NO 3 – , both P mmgR - gfp and MmgR level were repressed by the addition of tryptone or single amino acids, suggesting that mmgR expression depends on the cellular nitrogen (N) status. In silico analysis failed to detect conserved motifs upstream the promoter RNA polymerase binding site, but revealed a strongly conserved motif centered at –28 that may be linked to the observed regulatory pattern by the N source.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
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    Purification, characterization and function analysis of an extracellular {beta}-glucosidase from elongating stipe cell walls in Coprinopsis cinerea (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-04-20
    Description: A β-glycoside hydrolase was isolated from cell walls material in Coprinopsis cinerea elongating stipes. By analysis of SDS-PAGE, MALDI-TOF/TOF MS and substrate specificity, this enzyme was characterized as an extracellular β-glucosidase which is a trimer consisting of three homosubunits. β-Glucosidase did not degrade β-glucans with modified ends, whereas it hydrolyzed various β-glucans with free ends and related oligosaccharides with β-1,3-, β-1,4- or β-1,6-linkages. Although this β-glucosidase possesses glycosyltransferase activity on laminarioligosaccharides, it did not transfer glucose residues from laminaritriose to β-glucan in stipe cell walls to produce larger β-glucan molecules; instead, it caused a decrease in the molecular size of stipe wall β-glucan by removing glucose. Relatively, the molecular size of wall β-glucans in the elongating apical stipe was less than that found in the non-elongating basal stipes, and this β-glucosidase was more highly expressed in the elongating apical stipe than in non-elongating basal regions. Therefore, we propose that β-glucosidase functions by trimming or cutting the β-glucan side chains on the β-1,3-glucan backbone to prevent them from forming longer branches, keeping the wall plastic to promote diffuse wall growth.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
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    Molecular cloning and biochemical characterization of Xaa-Pro dipeptidyl-peptidase from Streptococcus mutans and its inhibition by anti-human DPP IV drugs (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-04-21
    Description: Streptococcus mutans harbours an intracellular, human DPP IV-analogous enzyme Xaa-Pro dipeptidyl-peptidase (EC 3.4.14.11). According to previous reports, an extracellular isozyme in S. gordonii and S. suis has been associated with virulence. Speculating that even an intracellular form may aid in virulence of S. mutans , we have tried to purify, characterize and evaluate enzyme inhibition by specific inhibitors. The native enzyme was partially purified by ion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography. Owing to low yield, the enzyme was overexpressed in Lactococcus lactis and purified by affinity chromatography. The recombinant enzyme (rSm-XPDAP) had a specific activity of 1070 U mg –1 , while the V max and K m were 7 μM min –1 and 89 ± 7 μM ( n = 3), respectively. The serine protease inhibitor phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride and a DPP IV-specific inhibitor diprotin A proved to be active against rSm-XPDAP. As a novel approach, the evaluation of the effect of anti-human DPP IV (AHD) drugs on rSm-XPDAP activity found saxagliptin to be effective to some extent ( K i = 129 ± 16 μM), which may lead to the synthesis and development of a new class of antimicrobial agents.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
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    Profit-Maximizing Land-Use Revisited: The Testable Implications of Non-joint Crop Production Under Land Constraint (2013)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2013-11-22
    Description: This article derives new implications for the land allocation and production decisions of profit-maximizing farm-firms where production of different crops is non-joint but subject to a constraint on the total land area. These implications are observable and thus subject to empirical scrutiny. An estimable model of crop production, land allocation, and input-use decisions is derived that permits joint production and enables the implications of non-joint but land-constrained production to be tested. This may improve econometric estimates of cross-price elasticities of supply by linking models of land use and production decisions, and allowing non-jointness to be imposed where appropriate.
    Keywords: Q11 - Aggregate Supply and Demand Analysis ; Prices, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Comparison of GHG-Emission Indicators for Dairy Farms with Respect to Induced Abatement Costs, Accuracy, and Feasibility (2013)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2013-11-22
    Description: There is broad debate about including agriculture in greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction efforts such as the European Emissions Trading Scheme. Since most agricultural GHG emissions originate from non-point sources, they cannot be directly measured, and therefore have to be derived by calculation schemes (indicators). We designed five such GHG indicators for dairy farms and analyzed the trade-offs between their feasibility, measurement accuracy, and level of induced abatement costs. Analyses of induced abatement costs and calculation accuracy are based on emission reduction simulations with a highly-detailed single-farm optimization model. Feasibility is discussed in a qualitative manner. Our results indicate that the trade-offs depend on both farm characteristics and the targeted reduction level. In particular, the advantages of detailed indicators decrease for higher abatement levels. Only the least feasible indicator led to abatement costs that would result in emission efforts at given prices in the European Emissions Trading Scheme, although with a rather small potential. Our results thus suggest little potential for including dairy production into market-based reduction policies.
    Keywords: Q12 - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q18 - Agricultural Policy ; Food Policy
    Print ISSN: 2040-5790
    Electronic ISSN: 2040-5804
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Production Incentives from Static Decoupling: Land Use Exclusion Restrictions (2013)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2013-11-22
    Description: Many agricultural support payments are based on past production with restrictions on how land may currently be used. When support payments to field crops are analyzed in a static framework, they do not directly impact current production decisions. However, over time, as relative profits change, these payments affect current output. The payments may keep land in less profitable production of program crops through restrictions prohibiting potentially more profitable endeavors such as cultivating fruits and vegetables. These payments have the potential to lead to production and trade distortions similar in magnitude to the distortions associated with direct production subsidies.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q17 - Agriculture in International Trade, Q18 - Agricultural Policy ; Food Policy
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    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Transcriptomic analysis of the highly efficient oil-degrading bacterium Acinetobacter venetianus RAG-1 reveals genes important in dodecane uptake and utilization (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-10-22
    Description: The hydrocarbonoclastic bacterium Acinetobacter venetianus RAG-1 has attracted substantial attention due to its powerful oil-degrading capabilities and its potential to play an important ecological role in the cleanup of alkanes. In this study, we compare the transcriptome of the strain RAG-1 grown in dodecane, the corresponding alkanol (dodecanol), and sodium acetate for the characterization of genes involved in dodecane uptake and utilization. Comparison of the transcriptional responses of RAG-1 grown on dodecane led to the identification of 1074 genes that were differentially expressed relative to sodium acetate. Of these, 622 genes were upregulated when grown in dodecane. The highly upregulated genes were involved in alkane catabolism, along with stress response. Our data suggest AlkMb to be primarily involved in dodecane oxidation. Transcriptional response of RAG-1 grown on dodecane relative to dodecanol also led to the identification of permease, outer membrane protein and thin fimbriae coding genes potentially involved in dodecane uptake. This study provides the first model for key genes involved in alkane uptake and metabolism in A. venetianus RAG-1.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
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    Fractionation of sulfur and hydrogen isotopes in Desulfovibrio vulgaris with perturbed DsrC expression (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-10-22
    Description: Dissimilatory sulfate reduction is the central microbial metabolism in global sulfur cycling. Understanding the importance of sulfate reduction to Earth's biogeochemical S cycle requires aggregating single-cell processes with geochemical signals. For sulfate reduction, these signals include the ratio of stable sulfur isotopes preserved in minerals, as well as the hydrogen isotope ratios and structures of microbial membrane lipids preserved in organic matter. In this study, we cultivated the model sulfate reducer, Desulfovibrio vulgaris DSM 644 T , to investigate how these parameters were perturbed by changes in expression of the protein DsrC. DsrC is critical to the final metabolic step in sulfate reduction to sulfide. S and H isotopic fractionation imposed by the wild type was compared to three mutants. Discrimination against 34 S in sulfate, as calculated from the residual reactant, did not discernibly differ among all strains. However, a closed-system sulfur isotope distillation model, based on accumulated sulfide, produced inconsistent results in one mutant strain IPFG09. Lipids produced by IPFG09 were also slightly enriched in 2 H. These results suggest that DsrC alone does not have a major impact on sulfate-S, though may influence sulfide-S and lipid-H isotopic compositions. While intriguing, a mechanistic explanation requires further study under continuous culture conditions.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
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    LnqR, a TetR-family transcriptional regulator, positively regulates lacticin Q production in Lactococcus lactis QU 5 (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-09-17
    Description: Lacticin Q is an unmodified leaderless bacteriocin produced by Lactococcus lactis QU 5. It has been revealed that the production and self-immunity of lacticin Q are facilitated by a gene cluster lnqQBCDEF . The gene for a putative TetR-family transcriptional regulator, termed lnqR , was found nearby the lnqQBCDEF cluster, but its involvement in lacticin Q biosynthesis remained unknown. In this study, we created an LnqR-overexpressing QU 5 recombinant by using lactococcal constitutive promoter P 32 . The recombinant QU 5 showed enhanced production of and self-immunity to lacticin Q. RT-PCR analysis has revealed that an overexpression of LnqR increases the amounts of lnqQBCDEF transcripts, and these six genes are transcribed as an operon in a single transcriptional unit. Interestingly, LnqR expression and thus lacticin Q production by L. lactis QU 5 was found temperature dependent, while LnzR, an LnqR-homologue, in L. lactis QU 14 was expressed in a similar but not identical manner to LnqR, resulting in dissimilar bacteriocin productivities by these strains. This report demonstrates LnqR as the first TetR-family transcriptional regulator involved in LAB bacteriocin biosynthesis and that, as an exceptional case of TetR-family regulators, LnqR positively regulates the transcription of these biosynthetic genes.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
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    Lipoprotein-like particles in a prokaryote: quinone droplets of Thermoplasma acidophilum (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-09-09
    Description: Cytosolic, globular droplets with an average diameter of 50 nm were observed in vitrified Thermoplasma acidophilum cells by means of cryo-electron tomography. These droplets were isolated by column chromatography and immunoprecipitation protein purification methods. Subsequent chemical and biochemical analyses identified lipid and protein components, respectively. Two major lipid components, comigrating menaquinones at the solvent front and the slower migrating Thermoplasma polar lipid U4, were detected by TLC experiments. The major protein component was identified as the 153 amino acid long Ta0547 vitellogenin-N domain protein. This domain has been found so far exclusively in large lipid transport proteins of vertebrates and non-vertebrates. Blast protein database homology searches with Ta0547 did not return any eukaryal hits; homologous sequences were found only in thermo-acidophilic archaeons. However, a profile-sequence domain search performed with the vitellogenin-N domain (PF01347) hmm-profile against the T. acidophilum proteome returned Ta0547 as hit. Electron microscopy appearance of isolated droplets resembled to lipoprotein particles. However, no (tetraether) lipid layer could be detected on the droplets surface, rather hydrophobic compounds of the electron dense lumen were surrounded by a denser discontinuous protein boundary. Based on described features, these particles qualify for a novel lipoprotein particle category, what we nominated Thermoplasma Quinone Droplet.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
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    Screening for Escherichia coli K-12 genes conferring glyoxal resistance or sensitivity by transposon insertions (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-09-17
    Description: Glyoxal (GO) belongs to the reactive electrophilic species generated in vivo in all organisms. In order to identify targets of GO and their response mechanisms, we attempted to screen for GO-sensitive mutants by random insertions of Tn phoA -132. The genes responsible for GO susceptibility were functionally classified as the following: (i) tRNA modification; trmE , gidA and truA , (ii) DNA repair; recA and recC , (iii) toxin–antitoxin; mqsA and (iv) redox metabolism; yqhD and caiC . In addition, an insertion in the crp gene, encoding the cAMP responsive transcription factor, exhibits a GO-resistant phenotype, which is consistent with the phenotype of adenylate cyclase ( cya ) mutant showing GO resistance. This suggests that global regulation involving cAMP is operated in a stress response to GO. To further characterize the CRP-regulated genes directly associated with GO resistance, we created double mutants deficient in both crp and one of the candidate genes including yqhD , gloA and sodB . The results indicate that these genes are negatively regulated by CRP as confirmed by real-time RT-PCR. We propose that tRNA as well as DNA are the targets of GO and that toxin/antitoxin, antioxidant and cAMP are involved in cellular response to GO.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
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    Low temperature-induced viable but not culturable state of Ralstonia eutropha and its relationship to accumulated polyhydroxybutyrate (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-12-23
    Description: The culturability of Escherichia coli , Ralstonia eutropha and Bacillus subtilis after incubation in phosphate-buffered saline at either 5°C or 30°C was determined. The culturability of B. subtilis showed little dependence on temperature. The culturability of E. coli rapidly decreased at 30°C but remained almost constant at 5°C. In contrast, the culturability of R. eutropha decreased by three orders of magnitude at 5°C within 24 h but only moderately decreased (one order of magnitude) at 30°C. Remarkably, prolonged incubation of R. eutropha at 30°C resulted in a full recovery of colony forming units in contrast to only a partial recovery at 5°C. Ralstonia eutropha cells at 30°C remained culturable for 3 weeks while culturability at 5°C constantly decreased. The effect of temperature was significantly stronger in a polyhydroxybutyrate-negative mutant. Our data show that accumulated polyhydroxybutyrate has a cold-protective function and can prevent R. eutropha entering the viable but not culturable state.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
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    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    Land Markets and the Value of Water: Hedonic Analysis Using Repeat Sales of Farmland (2014)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2014-07-23
    Description: The lack of robust water markets makes it difficult to value irrigation water. Because water rights are appurtenant to land, it is possible to infer the value of water from observed differences in the market price of land. We use panel data on repeat farmland sales in California's San Joaquin Valley to estimate a hedonic regression equation with parcel fixed effects. This controls for sources of omitted variables bias and allows us to recover the value of irrigation water to landowners in our sample. We show that a more traditional cross-sectional regression results in an artificially low value of irrigation water.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q24 - Land, Q25 - Water
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    When Is Reliance on Voluntary Approaches in Agriculture Likely to Be Effective? (2013)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2013-12-05
    Description: Voluntary approaches have been used in a variety of contexts and for a variety of purposes in agriculture, including voluntary conservation programs and product labeling. This paper provides an overview of some of the general principles that emerge from the literature on voluntary approaches and their application in agriculture. The literature suggests that, to be effective, voluntary approaches must provide sufficiently strong participation incentives to a targeted population, clearly identify standards for behavior or performance that ensure additionality and avoid slippage, and monitor outcomes. Thus, reliance on voluntary approaches in agriculture is likely to be effective only if there is sufficient market demand for certain product characteristics, significant public funds are committed to pay for voluntary actions, or the political will exists to impose regulations if voluntary approaches fail.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q20 - General, Q50 - General
    Print ISSN: 2040-5790
    Electronic ISSN: 2040-5804
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Glutamine metabolism of Corynebacterium glutamicum: role of the glutaminase GlsK (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-10-20
    Description: Corynebacterium glutamicum is able to metabolize different nitrogen and carbon sources. In standard minimal media, ammonium and urea typically serve as nitrogen source and glucose or sucrose as carbon and energy source; however, amino acids might also play a role as nitrogen, carbon and energy source. In this study, the function of the putative glutaminase GlsK was investigated. A glsK deletion strain showed impaired growth with L-glutamine as carbon and energy source, while growth was improved upon glsK overexpression. GlsK possesses a carboxy-terminal domain that seems to be restricted to Corynebacterium species . A truncated GlsK lacking this extension led to faster growth, indicating a regulatory function of this domain. In fact, GlsK activity is regulated in a pH-dependent manner depending on the carboxy-terminal extension, and is positively influenced by cAMP. Furthermore, the C-terminal extension seems to be important for oligomerization of GlsK.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    ydjN encodes an S-sulfocysteine transporter required by Escherichia coli for growth on S-sulfocysteine as a sulfur source (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-09-02
    Description: Sulfur is an essential element for growth and many physiological functions. As sulfur sources for Escherichia coli and related bacteria, specific transporters import various sulfur-containing compounds from the environment. In this study, we identified and characterized an alternative function of the cystine transporter YdjN in E. coli as a transporter of S -sulfocysteine, a sulfur-containing intermediate in the assimilatory cysteine biosynthesis that is used as a sulfur source for the growth of E. coli . We also demonstrated that the transport of S -sulfocysteine via YdjN depends on the transcriptional regulator CysB, a master regulator that controls most of the genes involved in sulfur assimilation and cysteine metabolism. We found that the use of S -sulfocysteine as a sulfur source depends on glutathione because mutations in glutathione biosynthetic genes abolish growth when S -sulfocysteine is used as a sole sulfur source, thereby supporting the previous findings that the conversion of S -sulfocysteine to cysteine is catalyzed by glutaredoxins. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a functional S -sulfocysteine transporter across organisms, which strongly supports the hypothesis that S -sulfocysteine is not only a metabolic intermediate but also a physiologically significant substance in specific natural environments.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    The dynamics of dairy land use change with respect to the milk quota regime (2015)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2015-07-29
    Description: This article analyses the sequence of changes in land used for milk production on dairy farms before, during and towards the abolition of milk quotas. Using a unique dataset comprising farm level data of the Netherlands between 1971 and 2011 we estimate two duration models, analysing the time period between increases and decreases in dairy land use. The impact of milk quota, socio-economic, farm income and economic-political variables on the likelihood of a farm changing its land use are assessed. Results show that changes are highly farm specific, but that quota abolition will lead to a more dynamic dairy sector.
    Keywords: Q12 - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets, Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q18 - Agricultural Policy ; Food Policy
    Print ISSN: 0165-1587
    Electronic ISSN: 1464-3618
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    What Is the Social Value of Second Generation Biofuels? (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-12-07
    Description: What are second-generation (2G) biofuel technologies worth to global society? A dynamic, economic model is used to assess the impact that introducing 2G biofuels technology has on crops, livestock, biofuels, forestry, and environmental services, as well as greenhouse gas emissions. Under baseline conditions, this amounts to $64 billion and is $84 billion under the optimistic technology case, suggesting that investing in 2G technology could be appropriate. Under greenhouse gas regulation, global valuation more than doubles to $139 and $174 billion, respectively. A flat energy price scenario eliminates the value of 2G technology to society.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q42 - Alternative Energy Sources, Q54 - Climate ; Natural Disasters ; Global Warming
    Print ISSN: 2040-5790
    Electronic ISSN: 2040-5804
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Temperature-regulated expression of type VI secretion systems in fish pathogen Pseudomonas plecoglossicida revealed by comparative secretome analysis (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-12-16
    Description: Pseudomonas plecoglossicida is a facultative fish pathogen. Recent studies showed that P. plecoglossicida infection in fish was associated with temperature. The aim of this study was to compare the secretomes of P. plecoglossicida cultured in vitro at representative temperatures for pathogenic (20°C) and less pathogenic (30°C) phenotypes. Thirteen proteins in the culture supernatants of P. plecoglossicida showed significant difference in abundance at 20 vs. 30°C. Four proteins were strongly increased at 20°C, including two hemolysin co-regulated proteins (Hcp) that are part of the bacterial type VI secretion system (T6SS), flagellin and an unknown protein. Immunoblot analysis verified the induced secretion of Hcps at 20°C. Furthermore, the upregulation of Hcps at 20°C was confirmed at transcriptional level by RT-qPCR analysis, which also demonstrated the induction of expression of other T6SS-related genes at 20°C. Taken together, we demonstrate the presence of two functionally active T6SS proteins in fish pathogenic P. plecoglossicida strains, as evidenced by the secretion of the T6SS substrate Hcp, the production of which were found to be controlled by temperature. Our findings also support efforts to develop vaccines targeting secreted virulence factors as prophylactic strategies for diseases in fish caused by P. plecoglossicida .
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    The Value of Heterogeneous Property Rights and the Costs of Water Volatility (2017)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2017-01-05
    Description: The system of prior appropriation in the Western Unites States prioritizes property rights for water based on the establishment of beneficial use, creating a hierarchy where rights initiated first are more secure. I estimate the demand for security in water rights through their capitalization in agricultural property markets in the Yakima River Basin, a major watershed in Washington State. All water rights are satisfied in an average year, so the relative value of secure property rights is a function of water supply volatility and the costs of droughts are predominantly born by those with weak rights. In aggregate, security in water rights does not capitalize into property values at the irrigation district level; however, there is heterogeneity in the premium for secure water rights. The lack of a premium for district-level water security is robust to a variety of econometric methods to account for correlated district unobservables, and the null result produces an economically significant upper bound on the value to water security for the district. The ability for farmers to adapt to water supply volatility, as well as expectations about water markets and government infrastructure investment, are leading explanations for the lack of an aggregate premium. These explanations are supported by the pattern of heterogeneity in the water security premium.
    Keywords: Q15 - Land Ownership and Tenure ; Land Reform ; Land Use ; Irrigation, Q21 - Demand and Supply, Q24 - Land, Q25 - Water, Q54 - Climate ; Natural Disasters ; Global Warming
    Print ISSN: 0002-9092
    Electronic ISSN: 1467-8276
    Topics: Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition , Economics
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    Vitamin C targets (p)ppGpp synthesis leading to stalling of long-term survival and biofilm formation in Mycobacterium smegmatis (2017)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2017-01-13
    Description: Earlier, vitamin C was demonstrated to sterilize Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture via Fenton's reaction at high concentration. It alters the regulatory pathways associated with stress response and dormancy. Since (p)ppGpp is considered to be the master regulator of stress response and is responsible for bacterial survival under stress, we tested the effect of vitamin C on the formation of (p)ppGpp. In vivo estimation of (p)ppGpp showed a decrease in (p)ppGpp levels in vitamin C-treated M. smegmatis cells in comparison to the untreated cells. Furthermore, in vitro (p)ppGpp synthesis using Rel MSM enzyme was conducted in order to confirm the specificity of the inhibition in the presence of variable concentrations of vitamin C. We observed that vitamin C at high concentration can inhibit the synthesis of (p)ppGpp. We illustrated binding of vitamin C to Rel MSM by isothermal titration calorimetry. Enzyme kinetics was followed where K 0.5 was found to be increased with the concomitant reduction of V max value suggesting mixed inhibition. Both long-term survival and biofilm formation were inhibited by vitamin C. The experiments suggest that vitamin C has the potential to be developed as the inhibitor of (p)ppGpp synthesis and stress response, at least in the concentration range used here.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    A role of nitrite reductase (NirBD) for NO homeostatic regulation in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) (2017)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2017-01-19
    Description: Although nitric oxide (NO) is an important signaling molecule in bacteria and higher organisms, excessive intracellular NO is highly reactive and dangerous. Therefore, living cells need strict regulation systems for cellular NO homeostasis. Recently, we discovered that Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) retains the nitrogen oxide cycle (NO 3 – -〉NO 2 – -〉NO-〉NO 3 – ) and nitrite removal system. The nitrogen oxide cycle regulates cellular NO levels, thereby controlling secondary metabolism initiation (red-pigmented antibiotic, RED production) and morphological differentiation. Nitrite induces gene expression in neighboring cells, suggesting another role for this cycle as a producer of transmittable intercellular communication molecules. Here, we demonstrated that ammonium-producing nitrite reductase (NirBD) is involved in regulating NO homeostasis in S. coelicolor A3(2). NirBD was constitutively produced in culture independently of GlnR, a known transcriptional factor. NirBD cleared the accumulated nitrite from the medium. Nir deletion mutants showed increased NO-dependent gene expression at later culture stages, whereas the wild-type M145 showed decreased expression, suggesting that high NO concentration was maintained in the mutant. Moreover, the nir deletion mutant produced more RED than that produced by the wild-type M145. These results suggest that NO 2 – removal by NirBD is important to regulate NO homeostasis and to complete NO signaling in S. coelicolor .
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    Occurrence and biosynthesis of 3-mercaptopropionic acid in Methanocaldococcus jannaschii (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-10-08
    Description: In a non-targeted analysis of thiol-containing compounds in the hyperthermophilic methanogen Methanocaldococcus jannaschii , we discovered three unexpected metabolites: 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), 2-hydroxy-4-mercaptobutyric acid (HMBA) and 4-mercapto-2-oxobutyric acid (MOB). HMBA and MOB have never been reported as natural products, while MPA is highly prevalent in aquatic environments as a result of biotic and abiotic processing of sulfur-containing compounds. This report provides evidence that HMBA and MOB are part of a biosynthetic pathway to generate MPA in M. jannaschii . We show that HMBA can be biosynthesized from malate semialdehyde and hydrogen sulfide, likely using a mechanism similar to that proposed for coenzyme M, coenzyme B and homocysteine biosynthesis in methanogens, where an aldehyde is converted to a thiol. The L-sulfolactate dehydrogenase, derived from the MJ1425 gene, is shown to catalyze the NAD-dependent oxidation of HMBA to MOB. Finally, we demonstrate that HMBA can be used as a biosynthetic precursor to MPA in M. jannaschii cell extracts. This proposed pathway may contribute to the wide occurrence of MPA in marine environments and indicates that MPA must serve some important function in M. jannaschii .
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    The main pigment of the dormant Mycobacterium smegmatis is porphyrin (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-10-08
    Description: Upon transition of Mycobacterium smegmatis into the dormant state, accumulation of a dark brown fluorescent pigment was observed. This pigment gave bright red fluorescence in both cells and the culture medium. Based on 1 H-NMR, MALDI and UV spectra, the fluorescent compounds, extracted from the culture medium as well as from the dormant cells, were concluded to be a mixture of free coproporphyrin III and uroporphyrin III and their corresponding methyl esters. A possible significance of porphyrin pigment accumulation in the dormant cells is discussed.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    Identification of a gene involved in the regulation of hyphal growth of Epichloë festucae during symbiosis (2016)
    Oxford University Press
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    Publication Date: 2016-10-08
    Description: Secreted proteins, those involved in cell wall biogenesis, are likely to play a role in communication in the symbiotic interaction between the fungal endophyte Epichloë festucae with perennial ryegrass ( Lolium perenne ), particularly given the close association between fungal hyphae and the plant cell wall. Our hypothesis was that secreted proteins are likely to be responsible for establishing and maintaining a normal symbiotic relationship. We analyzed an endophyte EST database for genes with predicted signal peptide sequences. Here, we report the identification and characterization of rhgA ; a gene involved in the regulation of hyphal growth in planta . In planta analysis of rhgA mutants showed that disruption of rhgA resulted in extensive unregulated hyphal growth. This phenotype was fully complemented by insertion of the rhgA gene and suggests that rhgA is important for maintaining normal hyphal growth during symbiosis.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
    Electronic ISSN: 1574-6968
    Topics: Biology
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    Distension of the toga of Thermotoga maritima involves continued growth of the outer envelope as cells enter the stationary phase (2016)
    Oxford University Press
    Details
    Publication Date: 2016-10-08
    Description: Thermotoga maritima cells are distinguished by a sheath-like structure called the toga that loosely encloses single or multiple cells. During growth, and particularly at late phases of population growth, the toga distends from the poles of many cells. Little is known about this phenomenon so this study presents basic information about this process. We first provide quantitative data demonstrating that cells showing toga distensions increase in number during growth and that the phenomenon is not due to acidification of their growth medium. Comparisons of the area enclosed by these distended togas to the area of the cytoplasm show that the toga continues to grow as the growth of the cytoplasm ceases. Measuring the expression of many genes involved in toga composition and biosynthesis showed a 5.2-, 7.9- and 3-fold increase in the expression of toga structural protein genes ompB (porin), ompA1 and ompA2 (alpha helical, transperiplasm anchors), respectively. Additionally, expression of the putative pyruvyl transferase gene ( csaB ) was upregulated 4.4-fold in stationary phase, while the beta barrel assembly factor gene ( bamA ) showed only a 1.2-fold increase in expression. These findings demonstrate that toga distension is an active process and one that needs further investigation so we can understand the selective forces that operate in high-temperature environments.
    Keywords: Physiology & Biochemistry
    Print ISSN: 0378-1097
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    Topics: Biology
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