María Álvarez Fernández

Synthesis of lactococcin 972, a bacteriocin produced by Lactococcus lactis IPLA 972, depends on the expression of a plasmid-encoded bicistronic operon

Synthesis of lactococcin 972 is plasmid-encoded. An operon composed of two genes that encode pre-bacteriocin and a putative immunity protein has been identified. The first gene encodes a 91-residue polypeptide that is exported via a sec-dependent system to give the mature 66-aa bacteriocin. The immunity protein is a 563-residue polypeptide with seven potential transmembrane domains. Two transcripts were observed from this region: one comprises the whole operon and is synthesized during the exponential phase of growth while the other, which corresponds just to the bacteriocin structural gene, presents a maximum in exponential cultures but is still present in late-stationary-phase cells.

Transcriptional regulation of the isocitrate lyase encoding gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In this work, we studied the transcriptional regulation of isocitrate lyase synthesis. In Northern blot analyses we first showed that the steady‐state ICL1 mRNA levels depend on the carbon source used for growth. In addition, we determined the kinetics of transcriptional repression upon a shift of ethanol‐grown cells to glucose and of the induction when cells were transferred from glucose to ethanol. By deletion analyses as well as by studying the influence on expression of different fragments cloned into the heterologous CYC1 promoter lacking its own UAS sequences, we defined UAS and URS elements in the ICL1 promoter. A region mediating the control by CAT3, a gene also involved in the control of expression of other genes subject to carbon catabolite repression, was found to overlap with one of these UAS elements.

ACR1, a gene encoding a protein related to mitochondrial carriers, is essential for acetyl-CoA synthetase activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The utilization of ethanol via acetate by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae requires the presence of the enzyme acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase (acetyl-CoA synthetase), which catalyzes the activation of acetate to acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA). We have isolated a mutant, termed acr1, defective for this activity by screening for mutants unable to utilize ethanol as a sole carbon source. Genetic and biochemical characterization show that, in this mutant, the structural gene for acetyl-CoA synthetase is not affected. Cloning and sequencing demonstrated that the ACR1 gene encodes a protein of 321 amino acids with a molecular mass of 35 370 Da. Computer analysis suggested that the ACR1 gene product (ACR1) is an integral membrane protein related to the family of mitochondrial carriers. The expression of the gene is induced by growing yeast cells in media containing ethanol or acetate as sole carbon sources and is repressed by glucose. ACR1 is essential for the utilization of ethanol and acetate since a mutant carrying a disruption in this gene is unable to grow on these compounds.

Two structural genes are encoding malate synthase isoenzymes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We report on the isolation of a gene encoding yeast malate synthase. A yeast genomic library was screened using a probe homologous to the yeast enzyme obtained by the polymerase chain reaction. The nucleotide sequence of the cloned gene was determined. Computer analysis showed that the isolated gene is identical to the one previously described as DAL7, which is involved in allantoin metabolism [Mol. Cell. Biol. 9 (1989) 3231‐3243]. Enzymatic activities of multicopy transformants, Southern analysis and disruption mutants predict the existence of two genes encoding malate synthases that are differentially regulated at the transcriptional level. Malate synthase; Glyoxylate pathway; Allantoin metabolism; Gene disruption.

Elaboración de propuestas didácticas orientadas a mejorar los programas socioeducativos para jóvenes en situación de riesgo social

Los educadores y educadoras de la Casa Juvenil de Sograndio (Centro de Internamiento de Menores para la Ejecucion de Medidas Judiciales del Principado de Asturias), convencidos de que podian aportar alternativas para mejorar su intervencion socioeducativa, se implicaron en un proceso formativo de Investigacion-Accion orientado a elaborar propuestas didacticas que pudiesen contribuir a optimizar el desarrollo de los programas de competencia social dirigidos a jovenes con conductas delictivas.Para ello, se aplico el Programa de Pensamiento Prosocial Version Corta para Jovenes PPS-VCJ (Alba et al., 2005) a 9 internos, 8 varones de entre catorce y veinte anos y 1 chica de dieciseis, como base de analisis y reflexion de nuestra intervencion metodologica. El equipo participante consta de 9 miembros internos y 3 miembros externos (2 coordinadores/as y 1 psicologa).La investigacion, predominantemente cualitativa, incorpora diversos instrumentos cuantitativos y cualitativos como los registros de observacion, los grupos de discusion, los cuestionarios y la libreta de notas.Tras la implementacion del programa, destacan los cambios positivos en la dimension emocional, en resolucion de conflictos, autocontrol y tolerancia a la frustracion. Se observa tambien altos niveles de satisfaccion en jovenes, educadores/as e informantes externos.Cabe senalar la importancia de haber conseguido crear un clima de compromiso profesional para el cambio, abandonando una actitud pasiva ante la formacion, para iniciar una busqueda activa de respuestas practicas, ajustadas a sus necesidades e intereses profesionales. Finalmente, realizamos unas reflexiones y propuestas de actuacion dirigidas a generar conocimiento didactico pensado y adaptado a la educacion social.Educators at Sograndio Juvenile Detention Center in Asturias were sure that they were able to offer new alternatives to improve their socio-educational intervention. That is the reason why they got involved in an action research training process aimed at making didactic proposals which tried to optimize the development of social competence programs for youngsters with criminal behavior. In order to do this, the Short Version of the Prosocial Thinking Program for Young People (Alba et al., 2005) was applied to nine inmates, eight males between 14 and 20 years old and a female of 16 years old. Theywere the basis and reflection of ourmethodological intervention. The teamtaking part in this intervention is formed by nine inmates and three external members (two coordinators and a woman psychologist). The investigation, mainly qualitative, includes different instruments (both qualitative and quantitative), such as: observation registries, discussion groups, questionnaires and notebooks. After the implementation of the program, positive changes must be highlighted in the emotional dimension, the resolution of problems, self-control and frustration tolerance. Besides, very high levels of satisfaction have been observed among youngsters, educators and external informants. It is important to have created a climate of professional compromise towards change and this way to have abandoned a passive attitude towards training, so that we were able to start an active search for practical answers, adjusted to our necessities and professional interests. Finally, we make several observations and intervention proposals that contribute to generate didactic knowledge thought and adapted for social education.

La influencia de fumar cigarrillos en la elección de pareja para una relación íntima y ocasional

Letter to the editor.

Del Oviedo medieval. La ciudad y sus campos, siglos XIV-XVI

This study addresses city-countryside relations in the Middle Ages from the point of view of the urban landscape. Rural society and urban society, analysed from the perspective of spaces, presenting the historian with two directly connected realities that are in no way opposed to each other. The countryside’s entry into the city and the territorial impact of the urban centre on the surrounding area highlights the problems of urban societies from a global and integrating perspective, as well as the city-countryside dialectic. It also allows us to project the organisational models of Medieval societies into the present, giving historians the key interpretative tools they need to understand societies in those centuries.

Elaboracion de propuestas didacticas orientadas a mejorar los programas socioeducativos para jovenes en situacion de riesgo social = Making didactics proposals aimed at improving socioeducational programs for youngters at risk of social exclusion

Los educadores y educadoras de la Casa Juvenil de Sograndio (Centro de Internamiento de Menores para la Ejecucion de Medidas Judiciales del Principado de Asturias), convencidos de que podian aportar alternativas para mejorar su intervencion socioeducativa, se implicaron en un proceso formativo de Investigacion-Accion orientado a elaborar propuestas didacticas que pudiesen contribuir a optimizar el desarrollo de los programas de competencia social dirigidos a jovenes con conductas delictivas.Para ello, se aplico el Programa de Pensamiento Prosocial Version Corta para Jovenes PPS-VCJ (Alba et al., 2005) a 9 internos, 8 varones de entre catorce y veinte anos y 1 chica de dieciseis, como base de analisis y reflexion de nuestra intervencion metodologica. El equipo participante consta de 9 miembros internos y 3 miembros externos (2 coordinadores/as y 1 psicologa).La investigacion, predominantemente cualitativa, incorpora diversos instrumentos cuantitativos y cualitativos como los registros de observacion, los grupos de discusion, los cuestionarios y la libreta de notas.Tras la implementacion del programa, destacan los cambios positivos en la dimension emocional, en resolucion de conflictos, autocontrol y tolerancia a la frustracion. Se observa tambien altos niveles de satisfaccion en jovenes, educadores/as e informantes externos.Cabe senalar la importancia de haber conseguido crear un clima de compromiso profesional para el cambio, abandonando una actitud pasiva ante la formacion, para iniciar una busqueda activa de respuestas practicas, ajustadas a sus necesidades e intereses profesionales. Finalmente, realizamos unas reflexiones y propuestas de actuacion dirigidas a generar conocimiento didactico pensado y adaptado a la educacion social.Educators at Sograndio Juvenile Detention Center in Asturias were sure that they were able to offer new alternatives to improve their socio-educational intervention. That is the reason why they got involved in an action research training process aimed at making didactic proposals which tried to optimize the development of social competence programs for youngsters with criminal behavior. In order to do this, the Short Version of the Prosocial Thinking Program for Young People (Alba et al., 2005) was applied to nine inmates, eight males between 14 and 20 years old and a female of 16 years old. Theywere the basis and reflection of ourmethodological intervention. The teamtaking part in this intervention is formed by nine inmates and three external members (two coordinators and a woman psychologist). The investigation, mainly qualitative, includes different instruments (both qualitative and quantitative), such as: observation registries, discussion groups, questionnaires and notebooks. After the implementation of the program, positive changes must be highlighted in the emotional dimension, the resolution of problems, self-control and frustration tolerance. Besides, very high levels of satisfaction have been observed among youngsters, educators and external informants. It is important to have created a climate of professional compromise towards change and this way to have abandoned a passive attitude towards training, so that we were able to start an active search for practical answers, adjusted to our necessities and professional interests. Finally, we make several observations and intervention proposals that contribute to generate didactic knowledge thought and adapted for social education.

Making didactics proposals aimed at improving socioeducational programs for youngters at risk of social exclusion

Los educadores y educadoras de la Casa Juvenil de Sograndio (Centro de Internamiento de Menores para la Ejecucion de Medidas Judiciales del Principado de Asturias), convencidos de que podian aportar alternativas para mejorar su intervencion socioeducativa, se implicaron en un proceso formativo de Investigacion-Accion orientado a elaborar propuestas didacticas que pudiesen contribuir a optimizar el desarrollo de los programas de competencia social dirigidos a jovenes con conductas delictivas.Para ello, se aplico el Programa de Pensamiento Prosocial Version Corta para Jovenes PPS-VCJ (Alba et al., 2005) a 9 internos, 8 varones de entre catorce y veinte anos y 1 chica de dieciseis, como base de analisis y reflexion de nuestra intervencion metodologica. El equipo participante consta de 9 miembros internos y 3 miembros externos (2 coordinadores/as y 1 psicologa).La investigacion, predominantemente cualitativa, incorpora diversos instrumentos cuantitativos y cualitativos como los registros de observacion, los grupos de discusion, los cuestionarios y la libreta de notas.Tras la implementacion del programa, destacan los cambios positivos en la dimension emocional, en resolucion de conflictos, autocontrol y tolerancia a la frustracion. Se observa tambien altos niveles de satisfaccion en jovenes, educadores/as e informantes externos.Cabe senalar la importancia de haber conseguido crear un clima de compromiso profesional para el cambio, abandonando una actitud pasiva ante la formacion, para iniciar una busqueda activa de respuestas practicas, ajustadas a sus necesidades e intereses profesionales. Finalmente, realizamos unas reflexiones y propuestas de actuacion dirigidas a generar conocimiento didactico pensado y adaptado a la educacion social.Educators at Sograndio Juvenile Detention Center in Asturias were sure that they were able to offer new alternatives to improve their socio-educational intervention. That is the reason why they got involved in an action research training process aimed at making didactic proposals which tried to optimize the development of social competence programs for youngsters with criminal behavior. In order to do this, the Short Version of the Prosocial Thinking Program for Young People (Alba et al., 2005) was applied to nine inmates, eight males between 14 and 20 years old and a female of 16 years old. Theywere the basis and reflection of ourmethodological intervention. The teamtaking part in this intervention is formed by nine inmates and three external members (two coordinators and a woman psychologist). The investigation, mainly qualitative, includes different instruments (both qualitative and quantitative), such as: observation registries, discussion groups, questionnaires and notebooks. After the implementation of the program, positive changes must be highlighted in the emotional dimension, the resolution of problems, self-control and frustration tolerance. Besides, very high levels of satisfaction have been observed among youngsters, educators and external informants. It is important to have created a climate of professional compromise towards change and this way to have abandoned a passive attitude towards training, so that we were able to start an active search for practical answers, adjusted to our necessities and professional interests. Finally, we make several observations and intervention proposals that contribute to generate didactic knowledge thought and adapted for social education.