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Biological synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles was carried out using the bacteria Bacillus subtilis. The reduction processes of chloroaurate and silver ions by B. subtilis were found to be different. Gold nanoparticles were synthesized both intra- and extracellularly, while silver nanoparticles were exclusively formed extracellularly. The gold nanoparticles were formed after 1 day of addition of chloroaurate ions, while the silver nanoparticles were formed after 7 days. The nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectra and transmission electron spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction revealed the formation of face-centered cubic (fcc) crystalline gold nanoparticles in the supernatant, broth solution and bacterial pellet. Silver nanoparticles also exhibited diffraction peaks corresponding to fcc metallic silver. UV-vis spectra showed surface plasmon vibrations for gold and silver nanoparticles centered at 530 and 456 nm, respectively. TEM micrographs depicted the formation of gold nanoparticles intra- and extracellularly, which had an average size of 7.6 +/- 1.8 and 7.3 +/- 2.3 nm, respectively, while silver nanoparticles were exclusively formed extracellularly, with an average size of 6.1 +/- 1.6 nm. The bacterial proteins were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfonate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) before and after the addition of metal ion solutions. We believe that proteins of a molecular weight between 25 and 66 kDa could be responsible for chloroaurate ions reduction, while the formation of silver nanoparticles can be attributed to proteins of a molecular weight between 66 and 116 kDa. We also believe that the nanoparticles were stabilized by the surface-active molecules i.e., surfactin or other biomolecules released into the solution by B. subtilis.

GRP78 protein is a possible biomarker of oral cancer in Taiwan.

No abstract

The SNT309 gene was identified via a mutation that causes lethality of cells in combination with a prp19 mutation. We showed previously that Snt309p is a component of the Prp19p-associated complex and that Snt309p, like Prp19p, is associated with the spliceosome immediately after or concomitantly with dissociation of U4 from the spliceosome. We show here that extracts prepared from the SNT309-deleted strain (⌬SNT309) were defective in splicing but could be complemented by addition of the purified Prp19p-associated complex. Isolation of the Prp19p-associated complex from ⌬SNT309 extracts indicated that the complex was destabilized in the absence of Snt309p and dissociated on affinity chromatography, suggesting a role of Snt309p in stabilization of the Prp19p-associated complex. Addition of the affinity-purified Prp19p-Snt309p binary complex to ⌬SNT309 extracts could reconstitute the Prp19p-associated complex. Genetic analysis further suggests that Snt309p plays a role in modulating interactions of Prp19p with other associated components to facilitate formation of the Prp19p-associated complex. A model for how Snt309p modulates such interactions is proposed.Splicing of pre-mRNA takes place on a multicomponent ribonucleoprotein particle called the spliceosome, which consists of five small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) and a number of protein factors (see refs. 1-8 for reviews). Numerous protein factors involved in the splicing reaction have been identified in mammals and yeast. Some are intrinsic components of the spliceosome (9-11), whereas others associate with the spliceosome only transiently (12)(13)(14). Many of the protein factors are components of the sn ribonucleoprotein particles (see refs. 1 and 15-18 for reviews).Yeast genetics provides a powerful tool for identification of protein factors involved in the splicing reaction, as well as for studying interactions between these components. A large number of PRP (precursor RNA processing) genes that encode protein splicing factors have been identified by screening temperature-sensitive mutants defective in pre-mRNA splicing (19,20). Other genes were identified through genetic interactions with introns, PRP genes, or snRNA genes (21-27). Over 40 genes that encode protein factors of the splicing machinery have been identified, but the precise functions of these proteins are not well understood.The yeast PRP19 gene was among the genes identified in a screen for temperature-sensitive mutants defective in splicing (20). Biochemical characterizations indicated that the Prp19p protein is essential for the pre-mRNA splicing reaction in vitro.