Molecular dynamics simulations of wild-type and mutant forms of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis MscL channel

ABSTRACT The crystal structure of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis homolog of the bacterial mechanosensitive channel of large conductance (Tb-MscL) provides a unique opportunity to consider mechanosensitive signal transduction at the atomic level. Molecular dynamics simulations of the Tb-MscL channel embedded in an explicit lipid bilayer and of its C-terminal helical bundle alone in aqueous solvent were performed. C-terminal calculations imply that although the helix bundle structure is relatively unstable at physiological pH, it may have been stabilized under low pH conditions such as those used in the crystallization of the channel. Specific mutations to the C-terminal region, which cause …

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Hong Kong police arrested 24 taxi drivers who parked their cars on a highway leading to the territory's international airport, blocking hundreds of visitors heading downtown for hours, an official and local media said Thursday.

The protesters were rural taxi drivers angry about a new fare system that allows urban taxis to charge lower fares and attract more customers.

Both rural and urban-based taxis can pick up passengers at the airport, but city cabs now charge less to go to rural areas because their fare system is higher for short journeys, but lower for longer ones. Previously, rural taxis were cheaper.

The protesters blocked the entrance to …

Jesse in southern Africa

LAGOS, Nigeria The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson arrived here yesterdayat the start of a tour that will take him to six black-ruled southernAfrican states.

At a press conference, he appealed to President Reagan to meetwith the leaders of the so-called front-line states rimming SouthAfrica that have appealed for sanctions against Pretoria.

"Mr. Reagan purports to speak for them, and his argument againstsanctions is that it will hurt them," Jackson said. "He should talkwith them about why …

No. 1 LSU Falls to Kentucky 43-37

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Kentucky became the latest team to shake up the national title race.

Andre Woodson found Steve Johnson open in the end zone for a 7-yard score in the third extra period and the No. 17 Wildcats stunned No. 1 LSU 43-37 Saturday.

Johnson was open because defender Jonathan Zenon tripped and fell down, and Woodson double-pumped before firing a strike.

LSU had a chance to tie, but couldn't get a first down on four straight running plays. Charles Scott was stopped a yard short on a fourth-and-2 run and Kentucky had it's first victory over a No. 1 team since 1964, when it beat Mississippi.

"Whenever it starts to look dark, that's when they dig …

Israel approves rare shipment of cement to Gaza Strip

Israel has approved a rare shipment of cement to the Gaza Strip for a World Bank project constructing a sewage treatment plant, Israeli officials said Monday. Palestinians in Gaza halted all except the internationally-funded construction project in June when Israel closed crossings into the territory when the …

Senenmut

Unknown–1466 b.c.e.

Chief Steward of the god Amun

High Ranking Commoner.

Senenmut was the son of Ramose and Hatnofer, who were commoners. Several of his earliest titles link him to the town of Armant, perhaps his birthplace. His career probably began in the reign of Thutmose II (1481–1479 b.c.e.) when he became the tutor of Princess Neferure, daughter of the king and his chief wife, Hatshepsut. When Thutmose II died, he was succeeded by his son Thutmose III,a child. One year later Hatshepsut declared herself coking. Senenmut's relationship with the princess must have helped him secure new positions with the new coking. He held many …

LAND OF TALK: SOME ART LAKES

LAND OF TALK: SOME ART LAKES

In mid-October, famed film critic Roger Ebert caused an Internet furor when he wrote and published a review of a movie of which he admitted he'd only watched the first eight minutes. I bring this up because I was sorely tempted to do the same after listening to the first few minutes of Some Are Lakes, the latest from Montreal band Land of Talk, and for much the same reason Ebert cited: It didn't take being exposed to the whole thing to know where it was going. However, I'm neither as famous nor as skilled as Ebert, so I felt honor-bound to listen to the whole album.

Well, I did, and I can report that the whole damn thing was as I feared: whiny, …