Application of 13C–13C Spin–Spin Couplings in Structural Studies on Organic Compounds

AbstractDifferent current ideas on the origin of life are critically examined. Comparison of the now fashionable FeS/H2S pyrite-based autotrophic theory of the origin of life with the heterotrophic viewpoint suggest that the later is still the most fertile explanation for the emergence of life. However, the theory of chemical evolution and heterotrophic origins of life requires major updating, which should include the abandonment of the idea that the appearance of life was a slow process involving billions of years. Stability of organic compounds and the genetics of bacteria suggest that the origin and early diversification of life took place in a time period of the order of 10 million years. Current evidence suggest that the abiotic synthesis of organic compounds may be a widespread phenomenon in the Galaxy and may have a deterministic nature. However, the history of the biosphere does not exhibits any obvious trend towards greater complexity or «higher» forms of life. Therefore, the role of contingency in biological evolution should not be understimated in the discussions of the possibilities of life in the Universe.

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Ribosome Structural Organization

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100051670 ◽

1974 ◽

Vol 32 ◽

pp. 332-333

Author(s):

James A. Lake

Keyword(s):

Ribosomal Proteins ◽

Structural Organization ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Small Subunit ◽

Structural Studies ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

Specific Antibodies ◽

X Ray ◽

E Coli ◽

Complete Sequences

The understanding of ribosome structure has advanced considerably in the last several years. Biochemists have characterized the constituent proteins and rRNA's of ribosomes. Complete sequences have been determined for some ribosomal proteins and specific antibodies have been prepared against all E. coli small subunit proteins. In addition, a number of naturally occuring systems of three dimensional ribosome crystals which are suitable for structural studies have been observed in eukaryotes. Although the crystals are, in general, too small for X-ray diffraction, their size is ideal for electron microscopy.

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Structural Studies on Mitotic Spindle Fibres

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100070345 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 36 (3) ◽

pp. 615-626

Author(s):

J.R. Mcintosh

Keyword(s):

Chemical Composition ◽

Mitotic Spindle ◽

Structural Studies ◽

Mitotic Apparatus ◽

Chemical Studies ◽

Medical Interest ◽

Spindle Fibres

The mitotic apparatus is a structure of obvious biological and medical interest, but it has proved to be a difficult cellular machine to understand. The chemical composition of the spindle is only slightly elucidated, largely because of the difficulties in preparing useful isolates of the structure. Chemical studies of the mitotic spindle have been reviewed elsewhere (Mcintosh, 1977), and will not be discussed further here. One would think that structural studies on the mitotic apparatus (MA) in situ would be straightforward, but even with this approach there is some disagreement in the results obtained with various methods and by different investigators. In this paper I will review briefly the approaches which have been used in structural studies of the MA, pointing out the strengths and problems of each approach. I will summarize the principal findings of the different methods, and identify what seem to be fruitful avenues for further work.

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Image registration with a computer driven S.T.E.M.

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100107630 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 36 (1) ◽

pp. 98-99

Author(s):

A.M.H. Schepman ◽

J.A.P. van der Voort ◽

J.E. Mellema

Keyword(s):

Spot Size ◽

Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope ◽

Small Computer ◽

Structural Studies ◽

Area Of Interest ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Scanning Transmission ◽

Specimen Area ◽

On Line ◽

Minimum Distances

A Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM) was coupled to a small computer. The system (see Fig. 1) has been built using a Philips EM400, equipped with a scanning attachment and a DEC PDP11/34 computer with 34K memory. The gun (Fig. 2) consists of a continuously renewed tip of radius 0.2 to 0.4 μm of a tungsten wire heated just below its melting point by a focussed laser beam (1). On-line operation procedures were developped aiming at the reduction of the amount of radiation of the specimen area of interest, while selecting the various imaging parameters and upon registration of the information content. Whereas the theoretical limiting spot size is 0.75 nm (2), routine resolution checks showed minimum distances in the order 1.2 to 1.5 nm between corresponding intensity maxima in successive scans. This value is sufficient for structural studies of regular biological material to test the performance of STEM over high resolution CTEM.

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