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Pore pressure plays a key role in the generation of earthquakes in subduction zones. However, quantitative constraints for its determination are quite limited. Here, we estimate the subsurface pore pressure by analyzing the transient upwelling flow of drilling mud from borehole C0023A of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 370, in the Nankai Trough off Cape Muroto. This upward flow provided the first direct evidence of an overpressured aquifer in the underthrust sediments off Cape Muroto. To estimate the pre‐drilling pore pressure in the overpressured aquifer around a depth of 950–1,050 m below sea floor, we examined the measured porosities of core samples retrieved from nearby IODP wells; we then proceeded to explain the observed time evolution of the flow rate of the upwelling flow by modeling various sized aquifers through solving a radial diffusion equation. It was observed that for a permeability of 10−13 m2, the aquifer possessed an initial excess pore pressure of ∼5–10 MPa above the hydrostatic pressure, with a lateral dimension of several hundred meters and thickness of several tens of meters. The overpressure estimates from the porosity‐depth profile at Site C0023 differ from those at other drill sites in the region, suggesting the possible existence of multiple overpressured aquifers with a patchy distribution in the underthrust sediments of the Nankai Trough. As pore pressure is relevant in maintaining fault stability, the overpressured aquifers may be the source of slow earthquakes that have been observed around the drilling site. Plain Language Summary: Fault zones often act as barriers to fluid flow, which can lead to the formation of aquifers of pressurized fluid in the vicinity of the fault. It is well known that pore fluid pressure plays a key role in the generation of subduction zone earthquakes, however quantification of pore fluid pressures around subduction zone faults has, up to now, been limited. The International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 370 drilled the Nankai Trough subduction zone off Cape Muroto (Japan), where slow earthquakes have been observed. While drilling, we observed a transient upwelling flow of drilling mud from the borehole. This flow provided the first direct evidence of an overpressured aquifer around the plate boundary fault. To constrain the properties of the aquifer we modeled aquifers with varying properties, and found that the upwelling mud at the drill‐site was likely generated by an aquifer with a lateral extent of hundreds of meters and with pore pressures considerably higher than the typical (hydrostatic) pore fluid pressure expected at this depth. Our results suggest that slow earthquakes that occur near Cape Muroto may be caused by relatively small, scattered, highly‐pressurized subsurface aquifers like the one we intersected during Expedition 370. Key Points: A transient borehole mud flow confirmed the existence of an overpressured aquifer beneath the Nankai Trough décollement off Cape MurotoThe aquifer of ∼5–10 MPa excess pore pressure was distributed over a lateral extent of hundreds of metersThe overpressured aquifer may have been the cause of slow earthquakes observed near the drilling site [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vesicomyidae clams harbor sulfide-oxidizing endosymbionts and are typical members of cold seep communities where active venting of fluids and gases takes place. We investigated the central biogeochemical processes that supported a vesicomyid clam colony as part of a locally restricted seep community in the Japan Trench at 5346 m water depth, one of the deepest seep settings studied to date. An integrated approach of biogeochemical and molecular ecological techniques was used combining in situ and ex situ measurements. In sediment of the clam colony, low sulfate reduction rates (maximum 128 nmol mL−1 day−1) were coupled to the anaerobic oxidation of methane. They were observed over a depth range of 15 cm, caused by active transport of sulfate due to bioturbation of the vesicomyid clams. A distinct separation between the seep and the surrounding seafloor was shown by steep horizontal geochemical gradients and pronounced microbial community shifts. The sediment below the clam colony was dominated by anaerobic methanotrophic archaea ( ANME-2c) and sulfate-reducing Desulfobulbaceae ( SEEP- SRB-3, SEEP- SRB-4). Aerobic methanotrophic bacteria were not detected in the sediment, and the oxidation of sulfide seemed to be carried out chemolithoautotrophically by Sulfurovum species. Thus, major redox processes were mediated by distinct subgroups of seep-related microorganisms that might have been selected by this specific abyssal seep environment. Fluid flow and microbial activity were low but sufficient to support the clam community over decades and to build up high biomasses. Hence, the clams and their microbial communities adapted successfully to a low-energy regime and may represent widespread chemosynthetic communities in the Japan Trench. In this regard, they contributed to the restricted deep-sea trench biodiversity as well as to the organic carbon availability, also for non-seep organisms, in such oligotrophic benthic environment of the dark deep ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Review: 94 refs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saccharomyces cerevisiae alpha-mannosidase (Ams1) is a cargo protein that is transported to the vacuole by the cytoplasm-to-vacuole targeting (Cvt) pathway during conditions of growth and by autophagy during conditions of starvation. After transport to the vacuole, Ams1 functions as a resident hydrolase. Ams1 has been overexpressed in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris, purified and crystallized in two crystal forms. Form I belongs to space group P2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 145.7, b = 127.7, c = 164.0 A, beta = 101.5 degrees . Form II belongs to space group I222 or I2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 127.9, b = 163.7, c = 291.5 A. Diffraction data were collected from these crystals to a resolution of 3.3 A for form I and of 2.6 A for form II using synchrotron radiation.

Atg16 is a scaffold protein that interacts with Atg12-Atg5 protein conjugates via its N-terminal domain and self-assembles via its coiled-coil domain, thus forming a multimeric Atg12-Atg5-Atg16 complex that is essential for autophagy. The coiled-coil domain of Atg16 was expressed, purified and crystallized. The crystal belonged to space group P4(1)2(1)2 or P4(3)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = 127.7, c = 77.8 A. Self-rotation functions and volume-to-weight ratio values suggested that the crystal may contain six molecules per asymmetric unit. Since the domain does not contain a methionine residue, selenomethionine-labelled crystals were prepared with a leucine-to-methionine substitution in the coiled-coil domain and these crystals were used for the collection of single-wavelength anomalous dispersion data to 2.5 A resolution.

The Tob/BTG family is a group of antiproliferative proteins that contain two highly homologous regions named Box A and Box B. These proteins all associate with CCR4-associated factor 1 (Caf1), which belongs to the ribonuclease D family of deadenylases. The antiproliferative region of human Tob (residues 1-138) and intact hCaf1 were co-expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and successfully cocrystallized. The crystal belongs to the tetragonal space group I422, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 150.9, c = 113.9 A, and is estimated to contain one heterodimer per asymmetric unit. The crystal diffracted to around 2.6 A resolution.

Atg10 is an E2-like enzyme that catalyzes the conjugation reaction between Atg12 and Atg5. The Atg12-Atg5 conjugate is essential for autophagy, the bulk degradation process of cytoplasmic components by the vacuolar/lysosomal system. Microcrystals of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Atg10 were obtained by the free-interface diffusion method using polyethylene glycol and sodium acetate as precipitants. Using these precipitants, large crystals suitable for data collection were obtained using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals belong to space group P4(1)2(1)2 or P4(3)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 51.61, c = 256.16 A, and are estimated to contain two protein molecules per asymmetric unit. A native data set was collected to 2.3 A resolution from a single crystal.

The vacuole hydrolase aminopeptidase 1 (Ape1) is a cargo protein transported to the vacuole by the cytosol-to-vacuole targeting (Cvt) pathway during conditions of growth and by autophagy during conditions of starvation. After transport to the vacuole, Ape1 is processed into mature Ape1 (mApe1). mApe1 has been expressed, purified and crystallized in two crystal forms. Form I belongs to space group P2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 120.6, b = 219.5, c = 133.1 A, beta = 116.5 degrees. Form II belongs to space group R3, with unit-cell parameters a = 141.2, c = 349.4 A. Diffraction data were collected from these crystals to a resolution of 2.5 A for form I and 1.83 A for form II. Self-rotation functions and the volume-to-weight ratio values suggest that forms I and II contain 12 and four mApe1 molecules per asymmetric unit, respectively, and that mApe1 exists as a tetrahedral dodecamer in both crystal forms.

The reversible modification of Atg8 with phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is crucial for autophagy, the bulk degradation process of cytoplasmic components by the vacuolar/lysosomal system. Atg4 is a cysteine protease that is responsible for the processing and deconjugation of Atg8. Human Atg4B (HsAtg4B; a mammalian orthologue of yeast Atg4) and LC3 (a mammalian orthologue of yeast Atg8) were expressed and purified and two complexes, one consisting of HsAtg4B(1-354) and LC3(1-120) (complex I; the product complex) and the other consisting of HsAtg4B(1-354) and LC3(1-124) (complex II; the substrate complex), were crystallized using polyethylene glycol 3350 as a precipitant. In both complexes His280 of HsAtg4B was mutated to alanine. The crystals belong to the same space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 47.5, b = 91.8, c = 102.6 A for complex I and a = 46.9, b = 90.9, c = 102.5 A for complex II. Diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 1.9 A from both crystals.

Atg5 is a novel 34 kDa protein that is covalently modified by Atg12, a ubiquitin-like modifier, and forms a complex with Atg16. The Atg12-Atg5-Atg16 complex localizes to autophagosome precursors and plays an essential role in autophagosome formation. Saccharomyces cerevisiae Atg5 in complex with the N-terminal regions of Atg16 was expressed, purified and crystallized in four crystal forms. Forms I, II and III belong to space group P2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 66.3, b = 104.4, c = 112.1 A, beta = 92.1 degrees (form I), a = 79.5, b = 101.4, c = 95.1 A, beta = 98.6 degrees (form II) or a = 56.9, b = 101.2, c = 66.5 A, beta = 100.6 degrees (form III). Form IV belongs to space group P4(2)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = 73.3, c = 148.1 A. Diffraction data were collected from all crystal forms and high-resolution data to beyond 2.0 A resolution were obtained from a form IV crystal.

p40(phox) is a cytosolic component of the phagocyte NADPH oxidase, which is responsible for production of the superoxide that kills invasive microorganisms. Full-length p40(phox) was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method at 293 K using polyethylene glycol 20,000 as a precipitant. Diffraction data were collected to 3.0 A resolution at 100 K using synchrotron radiation. The crystal belongs to space group C222(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 146.27, b = 189.81, c = 79.88 A. This crystal was estimated to contain two or three protein molecules per asymmetric unit from the acceptable range of volume-to-weight ratio values.

Atg3 is an E2-like enzyme that catalyzes the conjugation reaction between Atg8 and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). The Atg8-PE conjugate is essential for autophagy, the bulk degradation process of cytoplasmic components by the vacuolar/lysosomal system. Crystals of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Atg3 have been obtained by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method using ammonium sulfate and lithium sulfate as precipitants. A native data set was collected from a single crystal to 2.5 A resolution. The crystals belong to space group P4(1) or P4(3), with unit-cell parameters a = 59.33, c = 115.22 A, and are expected to contain one protein molecule per asymmetric unit.

DJ-1 was identified as a novel oncogene product that transformed mouse NIH3T3 cells in cooperation with activated Ras. DJ-1 was also correlated with male infertility and parkinsonism. DJ-1 was crystallized using sodium citrate and HEPES at pH 7.5. The crystal belongs to space group P3(1) or P3(2), with unit-cell parameters a = 75.04, c = 74.88 A and contains two molecules in an asymmetric unit. An intensity data set was collected to 2.00 A resolution.

Aut7/Apg8 is located in the intermediate structures of the autophagosome and plays an essential role in autophagosome formation. The processed form, cleaved at a C-terminus of Gly120 and called LC3-I, was expressed, purified and crystallized in two crystal forms. One form belongs to space group I4(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 84.39, c = 36.89 A. The other form belongs to space group P4(1) or P4(3), with unit-cell parameters a = 60.48, c = 35.28 A. From the latter form, a complete diffraction data set was collected to 2.1 A resolution.

Uridine-cytidine kinase (UCK), which converts uridine and cytidine to their corresponding monophosphates, is a rate-limiting enzyme involved in the salvage pathway of pyrimidine-nucleotide biosynthesis. Two members of human UCK, named UCK1 and UCK2, were cloned recently and UCK2 was reported to play a crucial role in activating anti-tumour pro-drugs in human cancer cells. Human UCK2 was expressed, purified and crystallized alone or in complex with various ligands. Free UCK and UCK complexes were crystallized in six crystal forms. Form I (ligand-free) belongs to space group P2(1)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = 83.1, b = 93.7, c = 157.1 A. Forms IIa (with CTP), IIb (with UTP) and IIc (with cytidine) belong to space group F222, with unit-cell parameters a = 133.3, b = 247.3, c = 91.6 A (IIa), a = 132.1, b = 247.0, c = 91.5 A (IIb) and a = 136.7, b = 246.3, c = 90.4 A (IIc), respectively. Form III (with ATPgammaS) belongs to space group C222(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 70.3, b = 149.9, c = 117.2 A. Form IV (with cytidine and ATP) belongs to space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 89.0, b = 109.7, c = 64.8 A, beta = 95.3 degrees. Diffraction data were collected from these crystals; form IV diffracted to 1.8 A resolution.

p47(phox) is a cytosolic component of the phagocyte NADPH oxidase, which is responsible for the production of the superoxide which kills invasive microorgamisms. A recombinant form of a histidine-tagged tandem SH3 domain of the p47(phox)-containing polybasic autoinhibited region was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified and crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method at 293 K using polyethylene glycol 6000 as a precipitant. Diffraction data were collected to 2.15 A resolution at 100 K using synchrotron radiation. The crystal belongs to space group P4(1)2(1)2 or P4(3)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = 100.02, c = 44.94 A. The presence of one molecule per asymmetric unit gives a crystal volume per protein mass (V(M)) of 2.6 A(3) Da(-1) and a solvent content of 52% by volume.

Blood and ultrafiltrate electrical resistivities were continuously monitored during hemofiltration. By substituting these values into a previously developed equation that was modified by the authors, the hematocrit value was determined; and blood volume change was obtained from the change in this value. The following facts were discovered as the result of monitoring the blood volume change during treatment: When the body position was changed from the reclining to the sitting position, the blood volume decreased by 4.2 +/- 0.3%. With the body water removal rate kept constant, the body position recumbent, and the subject fasted, the blood volume gradually decreased. However, when the position was changed from reclining to sitting for food intake and once more returned to the supine position after the meal, the blood volume was greatly affected by the change in position and the food intake.