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Music is not only a worldwide essential cultural industry but also one of the most dynamic. The increasing volume of complex music-related data defines new challenges and opportunities for extracting knowledge, benefiting not only different music segments but also the Music Information Retrieval research field. In this article, we assess musical success in the United States and Brazil, two of the biggest music markets in the world. We first introduce MUHSIC and MUHSIC-BR, two novel datasets with enhanced success information that combine chart-related data with acoustic metadata to describe the temporal evolution of musical careers. Then, we use such enriched and curated data to cluster artists according to their success level by considering their high-impact periods (hot streaks). Our results reveal three groups with distinct success behavior over time. Furthermore, Brazil and the US present specific music success patterns regarding artists and genres, reflecting the importance of analyzing regional markets individually.

Semivolatile oxygenated organic compounds (SV-OVOCs) are important atmospheric species, in particular for the production and chemistry of atmospheric particulate matter and related impacts on air quality and climate. In this study, SV-OVOCs were collected in the horizontal plane of the roughness layer over the tropical forest in the central Amazon during the wet season of 2018. A sampler mounted to a copter-type, hovering unmanned aerial vehicle was used. Underlying the collection region, a plateau forest transitioned into a slope forest across several hundred meters. The concentrations of pinonic and pinic acids, which are monoterpene oxidation products, had no statistical difference over the two forests. By comparison, across the study period, differences in the concentration of 2-methyltetrols, which are products of isoprene oxidation, ranged from −70% to +480% over the two forests. The chemical lifetime of 2-methyltetrols in the atmosphere is sufficiently long that heterogeneity in the isoprene emission rate from the two forests followed by atmospheric oxidation does not explain the concentration heterogeneity of 2-methyltetrols. Standing waves and local meteorology also cannot account for the heterogeneity. Of the possibilities considered, the most plausible explanation is the direct emission from the forest of 2-methyltetrols produced through biological processes within the plants. Under this explanation, the rate of direct SV-OVOC emissions should be modulated by forest type and related environmental stressors. Direct emissions of SV-OVOCs should be more broadly considered for constraining and improving models of atmospheric composition, transport, and chemistry over tropical forests.

Consuming music through streams has made huge volumes of data available. We collect a part of such data and perform cross-era comparative analyses between physical and digital media for successful artists within the music market in Brazil. Given an artist’s career, we focus on hot streak periods defined as high-impact bursts occurring in sequence. Specifically, we construct artists’ success time series to detect and characterize hot streak periods for both physical and digital eras. Then, we assess their features, analyze them in the genre scale, and perform a cluster analysis to identify groups of artists with distinct success levels. For both physical and digital eras, we find the same clusters: Spike Hit Artists, Big Hit Artists, and Top Hit Artists. Our insights shed light on significant changes in the dynamics of the music industry over the years, by identifying the core of each era.

Music is an alive industry with an increasing volume of complex data that creates new challenges and opportunities for extracting knowledge, benefiting not only the different music segments but also the Music Information Retrieval (MIR) community. In this paper, we present MUHSIC, a novel dataset with enhanced information on musical success. We focus on artists and genres by combining chart-related data with acoustic metadata to describe the temporal evolution of musical careers. The enriched and curated data allow building success-based time series to investigate high-impact periods (hot streaks) in such careers, transforming complex data into knowledge. Overall, MUHSIC is a relevant tool in music-related tasks due to its easy use and replicability.

Nighttime vertical profiles of ozone, PM2.5 and PM10 particulate matter, carbon monoxide, temperature, and humidity were collected by a copter-type unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over the city of Manaus, Brazil, in central Amazon during the dry season of 2018. The vertical profiles were analyzed to understand the structure of the urban nighttime boundary layer (NBL) and pollution within it. The ozone concentration, temperature, and humidity had an inflection between 225 and 350 m on most nights, representing the top of the urban NBL. The profile of carbon monoxide concentration correlated well with the local evening vehicular congestion of a modern transportation fleet, providing insight into the surface-atmosphere dynamics. In contrast, events of elevated PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were not explained well by local urban emissions, but rather by back trajectories that intersected regional biomass burning. These results highlight the potential of the emerging technologies of sensor payloads on UAVs to provide new constraints and insights for understanding the pollution dynamics in nighttime boundary layers in urban regions.

Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri ModA protein is the ABC periplasmic binding component responsible for the capture of molybdate. The protein was crystallized with sodium molybdate using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method in the presence of PEG or sulfate. X-ray diffraction data were collected to a maximum resolution of 1.7 A using synchrotron radiation. The crystal belongs to the orthorhombic space group C222(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 68.15, b = 172.14, c = 112.04 A. The crystal structure was solved by molecular-replacement methods and structure refinement is in progress.

BACKGROUND: The uptake of sulphur-containing compounds plays a pivotal role in the physiology of bacteria that live in aerobic soils where organosulfur compounds such as sulphonates and sulphate esters represent more than 95% of the available sulphur. Until now, no information has been available on the uptake of sulphonates by bacterial plant pathogens, particularly those of the Xanthomonas genus, which encompasses several pathogenic species. In the present study, we characterised the alkanesulphonate uptake system (Ssu) of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri 306 strain (X. citri), the etiological agent of citrus canker. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A single operon-like gene cluster (ssuEDACB) that encodes both the sulphur uptake system and enzymes involved in desulphurisation was detected in the genomes of X. citri and of the closely related species. We characterised X. citri SsuA protein, a periplasmic alkanesulphonate-binding protein that, together with SsuC and SsuB, defines the alkanesulphonate uptake system. The crystal structure of SsuA bound to MOPS, MES and HEPES, which is herein described for the first time, provides evidence for the importance of a conserved dipole in sulphate group coordination, identifies specific amino acids interacting with the sulphate group and shows the presence of a rather large binding pocket that explains the rather wide range of molecules recognised by the protein. Isolation of an isogenic ssuA-knockout derivative of the X. citri 306 strain showed that disruption of alkanesulphonate uptake affects both xanthan gum production and generation of canker lesions in sweet orange leaves. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The present study unravels unique structural and functional features of the X. citri SsuA protein and provides the first experimental evidence that an ABC uptake system affects the virulence of this phytopathogen.

Yeast Yih1 protein and its mammalian ortholog IMPACT, abundant in neurons, are inhibitors of Gcn2, a kinase involved in amino acid homeostasis, stress response, and memory formation. Like Gcn2, Yih1/IMPACT harbors an N-terminal RWD domain that mediates binding to the Gcn2 activator Gcn1. Yih1 competes with Gcn2 for Gcn1 binding, thus inhibiting Gcn2. Yih1 also binds G-actin. Here, we show that Yih1-actin interaction is independent of Gcn1 and that Yih1-Gcn1 binding does not require actin. The Yih1 RWD (residues 1–132) was sufficient for Gcn2 inhibition and Gcn1 binding, but not for actin binding, showing that actin binding is dispensable for inhibiting Gcn2. Actin binding required Yih1 residues 68–258, encompassing part of the RWD and the C-terminal “ancient domain”; however, residues Asp-102 and Glu-106 in helix3 of the RWD were essential for Gcn1 binding and Gcn2 inhibition but dispensable for actin binding. Thus, the Gcn1- and actin-binding sites overlap in the RWD but have distinct binding determinants. Unexpectedly, Yih1 segment 68–258 was defective for inhibiting Gcn2 even though it binds Gcn1 at higher levels than does full-length Yih1. This and other results suggest that Yih1 binds with different requirements to distinct populations of Gcn1 molecules, and its ability to disrupt Gcn1-Gcn2 complexes is dependent on a complete RWD and hindered by actin binding. Modeling of the ancient domain on the bacterial protein YigZ showed peculiarities to the eukaryotic and prokaryotic lineages, suggesting binding sites for conserved cellular components. Our results support a role for Yih1 in a cross-talk between the cytoskeleton and translation.

Mammalian septins comprise a family of 14 genes that encode GTP-binding proteins involved in important cellular processes such as cytokinesis and exocytosis. Expression of three different constructs encoding human septin 8 were analyzed and the results show that SEPT8GC, a clone expressing the conserved domain plus C-terminal domain of human septin 8 yields the highest amount of recombinant protein. This protein was purified by affinity chromatography followed by a gel filtration chromatography. CD spectrum of SEPT8GC is characteristic of folded proteins and it presents a transition profile with a T (m) of 54 degrees C. Fluorescence emission spectra, analytic gel filtration and DLS reflect the sample oligomeric heterogeneity with the predominance of dimers in solution. Homology models indicate clearly that the preferred dimer interface is the one comprising the GTP binding site.

Maltose-binding protein is the periplasmic component of the ABC transporter responsible for the uptake of maltose/maltodextrins. The Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri maltose-binding protein MalE has been crystallized at 293 K using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystal belonged to the primitive hexagonal space group P6(1)22, with unit-cell parameters a = 123.59, b = 123.59, c = 304.20 A, and contained two molecules in the asymetric unit. It diffracted to 2.24 A resolution.

stallion sperm can be liquid stored effectively prior to and following sex-sorting. The high rate of embryonic death observed in the groups inseminated with frozen-thawed sperm may reflect a detrimental effect on embryonic development of the 3% DMF used as the cryoprotectant. The low number of mares available for this study limited our ability to evaluate the effect of the combined cryoprotectant (DMF:glycerol) on the fertility of cryopreserved sexsorted stallion sperm. Further refinement of the processing conditions used in this study will enable the commercialisation of frozen-thawed sex-sorted stallion sperm. Mare height (cm) 150.00 7.16 Mare thorax perimeter (cm) 187.62 8.74 Gestational length (days) 337.48 8.02 Time for placenta expulsion (minutes) 82.58 100.49 Placental weight (kg) 5.34 1.27 Umbilical cord length (cm) 64.62 14.27 Micro CG 3.06 1.04 Micro CnG 2.35 0.69 Micro CP 2.64 1.01 Foal weight (kg) 49.62 5.49 Foal height (cm) 95.65 4.45 Foal thorax perimeter (cm) 81.17 2.89

Membrane sorting between secretory and endocytic organelles is predominantly controlled by small carrier vesicles or tubules that are layered on their cytoplasmic faces by specific protein coats. Recently we have begun studies of a novel putative membrane coat complex termed retromer. Retromer contains five subunits, Vps35, Vps26, Vps29, Snx1 and Snx2 and is responsible for tubule-based retrieval of proteins from the endosomal system to the Golgi, for example recycling mannose-6-phosphate receptors that traffic lysosomal hydrolases from the TGN to endosomes. We have determined the crystal structure of the mammalian retromer subunit Vps29, showing that it has structural similarity to divalent metal-containing phosphoesterases. However, although Vps29 can coordinate metals in a similar manner it has no detectable phosphatase activity in vitro, suggesting a novel specificity or function. We show that Vps29 and Vps26 bind directly to distinct regions of Vps35 and together form a high affinity heterotrimeric sub-complex. Mutagenesis reveals the structural basis for interaction of Vps29 with Vps35 and subsequent membrane association of Vps29 in vivo. Furthermore, we demonstrate that a conserved hydrophobic surface distinct from the primary Vps35 binding site can mediate assembly of the Vps29p-Vps26p-Vps35p sub-complex with sorting nexins in yeast, and mutation of either site results in a defect in retromer-dependant membrane trafficking.

RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated gene silencing can be used to control specific insect pest populations. Unfortunately, the variable efficiency in the knockdown levels of target genes has narrowed the applicability of this technology to a few species. Here, we examine the current state of knowledge regarding the miRNA (micro RNA) and siRNA (small interfering RNA) pathways in insects and investigate the structural variability at key protein domains of the RNAi machinery. Our goal was to correlate domain variability with mechanisms affecting the gene silencing efficiency. To this end, the protein domains of 168 insect species, encompassing the orders Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera, were analysed using our pipeline, which takes advantage of meticulous structure-based sequence alignments. We used phylogenetic inference and the evolutionary rate coefficient (K) to outline the variability across domain regions and surfaces. Our results show that four domains, namely dsrm, Helicase, PAZ and Ribonuclease III, are the main contributors of protein variability in the RNAi machinery across different insect orders. We discuss the potential roles of these domains in regulating RNAi-mediated gene silencing and the role of loop regions in fine-tuning RNAi efficiency. Additionally, we identified several order-specific singularities which indicate that lepidopterans have evolved differently from other insect orders, possibly due to constant coevolution with plants and viruses. In conclusion, our results highlight several variability hotspots that deserve further investigation in order to improve the application of RNAi technology in the control of insect pests. Made available in DSpace on 2022-02-08T12:00:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissecting-protein-domain-variability-2021.pdf: 14303395 bytes, checksum: 599fbdcb6be83b8291c6a0d21652bf03 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2021