Atmospheric Carbon and Transport - America (ACT-America) Data Sets: Description, Management, and Delivery

The ACT-America project is a NASA Earth Venture Suborbital-2 mission designed to study the transport and fluxes of greenhouse gases. The open and freely available ACT-America data sets provide airborne in situ measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide, methane, trace gases, aerosols, clouds, and meteorological properties, airborne remote sensing measurements of aerosol backscatter, atmospheric boundary layer height and columnar content of atmospheric carbon dioxide, tower-based measurements, and modeled atmospheric mole fractions and regional carbon fluxes of greenhouse gases over the Central and Eastern United States. We conducted 121 research flights during five campaigns in four seasons during 2016-2019 over three regions of the US (Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and South) using two NASA research aircraft (B-200 and C-130). We performed three flight patterns (fair weather, frontal crossings, and OCO-2 underflights) and collected more than 1,140 h of airborne measurements via level-leg flights in the atmospheric boundary layer, lower, and upper free troposphere and vertical profiles spanning these altitudes. We also merged various airborne in situ measurements onto a common standard sampling interval, which brings coherence to the data, creates geolocated data products, and makes it much easier for the users to perform holistic analysis of the ACT-America data products. Here, we report on detailed information of data sets collected, the workflow for data sets including storage and processing of the quality controlled and quality assured harmonized observations, and their archival and formatting for users. Finally, we provide some important information on the dissemination of data products including metadata and highlights of applications of ACT-America data sets.

Low probe concentration can cause problems in multilocus DNA fingerprinting (cautionary notes III)

The power of multilocus DNA fingerprinting depends on the reliability with which the uniqueness of an individual's profile can be demonstrated. This cautionary note stresses the importance of the probe concentration in this procedure. In case of a probe shortage, DNA fragments rich in tandem repeats have the potential to impede hybridization in other parts of the gel, and thus interfere with bands that are part of a DNA fingerprinting profile.

DNA preparation and efficient microsatellite analysis from insect hemolymph

A simple and time-saving method for DNA preparation for efficient microsatellite analysis is described. The method is based on thermal treatment of only 1-5 microL of insect hemolymph in a Chelex 100-suspension. Since hemolymph withdrawal does not harm the insects, analysis of mating systems, population structure and phylogenetic reconstruction can be conducted with minimal experimental influence.

Ligand substitution of receptor targeted DNA complexes affects gene transfer into hepatoma cells

We have targeted the serpin enzyme complex receptor for gene transfer in human hepatoma cell lines using peptides < 30 amino acids in length which contain the five amino acid recognition sequence for this receptor, coupled to poly K of average chain length 100 K, using the heterobifunctional coupling reagent sulfo-LC SPDP. The number of sulfo-LC SPDP modified poly-L-lysine residues, as well as the degree of peptide substitution was assessed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Conjugates were prepared in which 3.5%, 7.8% or 26% of the lysine residues contained the sulfo-LC SPDP moiety. Each of these conjugates was then coupled with ligand peptides so that one in 370, one in 1039, or one in 5882 lysines were substituted with receptor ligand. Electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to assess complex structure and size. HuH7 human hepatoma cells were transfected with complexes of these conjugates with the plasmid pGL3 and luciferase expression measured 2 to 16 days after treatment. All the protein conjugates in which 26% of the K residues were modified with sulfo-LC SPDP were poor gene transfer reagents. Complexes containing less substituted poly K, averaged 17 +/- 0.5 nm in diameter and gave peak transgene expression of 3-4 x 10(6) ILU/mg which persisted (> 7 x 10(5) ILU) at 16 days. Of these, more substituted polymers condensed DNA into complexes averaging 20 +/- 0.7 nm in diameter and gave five-fold less luciferase than complexes containing less substituted conjugates. As few as eight to 11 ligands per complex are optimal for DNA delivery via the SEC receptor. The extent of substitution of receptor-mediated gene transfer complexes affects the size of the complexes, as well as the intensity and duration of transgene expression. These observations may permit tailoring of complex construction for the usage required.

Gene transfer into hepatoma cell lines via the serpin enzyme complex receptor

The serpin enzyme complex receptor (SECR) expressed on hepatocytes binds to a conserved sequence in alpha 1-antitrypain (alpha 1-AT) and other serpins. A molecular conjugate consisting of a synthetic peptide (C1315) based on the SECR binding motif of human alpha 1-AT covalently coupled to poly-L-lysine was used to introduce reporter genes into hepatoma cell lines in culture. This conjugate condensed DNA into spheroidal particles 18-25 nm in diameter. When transfected with the SECR-directed complex containing pGL3, Hep G2 cells that express the receptor, but not Hep G2 cells that do not, expressed a peak luciferase activity of 538,731 +/- 144,346 integrated light units/mg protein 4 days after transfection. Free peptide inhibited uptake and expression in a dose-dependent manner. Complexes of DNA condensed with polylysine or LC-sulfo-N-succinimidyl-3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate-substituted polylysine were ineffective. Transfection with a plasmid encoding human factor IX produced expression in Hep G2 (high) and HuH7 cells that express SECR but not Hep G2 (low) cells that lack the receptor. Fluorescein-labeled C1315 peptide labeled 9-31% of Hep G2 (high), 10-14% of HuH7, and 0.6-3.4% of Hep G2 (low) cells, and when the lac Z gene was transfected, only these cells expressed beta-galactosidase. SECR-mediated gene transfer gives efficient, specific uptake and high-level expression of three reporter genes, and the system merits further study for gene therapy.

Solvent effects on the viscoelastic behavior of porcine submaxillary mucin

Rheological methods have been used to investigate the intermolecular interactions of porcine submaxillary mucins (PSM) in solution. PSM is a high molecular weight glycoprotein consisting of a linear, semi-flexible protein backbone to which a large number of oligosaccharides (1-5 saccharide units) are attached as side chains. Concentrated aqueous solutions of PSM containing different amounts of guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl) were subjected to both controlled stress and controlled strain rheological analyses. In the absence of GdnHCl, PSM solutions exhibit viscoelastic properties characteristic of a gel: the storage modulus, G', is much larger than the loss modulus, G", at all deformation frequencies, and the compliance is 100% recoverable at small stresses, indicative of strong intermolecular interactions. In 3.0 M aqueous GdnHCl, PSM forms a viscoelastic solution, with G" > G' at all frequencies and a relatively small recoverable compliance, pointing to disruption of the intermolecular interactions by the chaotropic salt. Intermediate behavior is observed in 1.5 M GdnHCl, characteristic of a marginal gel: G' approximately G" and greater than 50% recoverable compliance. In dilute solution, PSM behaves viscoelastically as a typical polyelectrolyte. However, concentrated solutions are turbid, the turbidity decreasing as GdnHCl is added, indicating that extensive intermolecular association accompanies the gelation process. The results show that although PSM is secreted in nature as a viscous solution, it can form gels that are similar to those of tracheobronchial and gastric mucins, and suggest common features to the gelation mechanism, with the strength of the gel correlated with the length of the oligosaccharide side chains.