Protein folding and quality control during nuclear transport.

The spatial separation of protein synthesis from the compartmental destiny of proteins led to the evolution of transport systems that are efficient and yet highly specific. Co-translational transport has emerged as a strategy to avoid cytosolic aggregation of folding intermediates and the need for energy-consuming unfolding strategies to enable transport through narrow conduits connecting compartments. While translation and compartmental translocation are at times tightly coordinated, we know very little about the temporal coordination of translation, protein folding, and nuclear import.

Electrochemical DNA Biosensor That Detects Early Celiac Disease Autoantibodies.

Although it is estimated that more than one million Americans have celiac disease (CD), it remains challenging to diagnose. CD, an autoimmune and inflammatory response following the ingestion of gluten-containing foods, has symptoms overlapping with other diseases and requires invasive diagnostics. The gold standard for CD diagnosis involves serologic blood tests followed by invasive confirmatory biopsies.