Parental stress, depression, anxiety and participation to care in neonatal intensive care units: results of a prospective study in Italy, Brazil and Tanzania.

Background: Studies comparing the frequency of different mental health conditions across different settings and evaluating their association with parental participation in newborn care are lacking. We aimed at evaluating the frequency of parental stress, anxiety and depression, along with the level of participation in newborn care, among parents of newborns in Italy, Brazil and Tanzania.

Methods: Parental stress, anxiety, depression and participation in care were assessed prospectively in parents of newborns in eight neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) utilising: the Parental Stressor Scale in NICU (PSS:NICU); the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and EPDS-Anxiety subscale (EPDS-A); the Index of Parental Participation in NICU (IPP-NICU).

Parental stress, depression, anxiety and participation in care in neonatal intensive care unit: a cross-sectional study in Italy comparing mothers versus fathers.

Background: This study aimed at documenting the levels of stress, depression, anxiety and participation in care among mothers versus fathers of newborns hospitalised in a third-level neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Northern Italy.

Methods: Parental stress, depression and anxiety were assessed by the Parental Stressor Scale in NICU (PSS:NICU), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Participation in care was evaluated with the Index of Parental Participation.

Protein nanocondensates: the next frontier.

Over the past decade, myriads of studies have highlighted the central role of protein condensation in subcellular compartmentalization and spatiotemporal organization of biological processes. Conceptually, protein condensation stands at the highest level in protein structure hierarchy, accounting for the assembly of bodies ranging from thousands to billions of molecules and for densities ranging from dense liquids to solid materials. In size, protein condensates range from nanocondensates of hundreds of nanometers (mesoscopic clusters) to phase-separated micron-sized condensates.

ICRP workshop on the review and revision of the system of radiological protection: a focus on research priorities-feedback from the international community.

In September 2022, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) organised a workshop in Estoril, Portugal, on the 'Review and Revision of the System of Radiological Protection: A Focus on Research Priorities'. The workshop, which was a side event of the European Radiation Protection Week, offered an opportunity to comment on a recent paper published by ICRP on areas of research to support the System of Radiological Protection. Altogether, about 150 individuals participated in the workshop.

Condensation of the β-cell secretory granule luminal cargoes pro/insulin and ICA512 RESP18 homology domain.

ICA512/PTPRN is a receptor tyrosine-like phosphatase implicated in the biogenesis and turnover of the insulin secretory granules (SGs) in pancreatic islet beta cells. Previously we found biophysical evidence that its luminal RESP18 homology domain (RESP18HD) forms a biomolecular condensate and interacts with insulin in vitro at close-to-neutral pH, that is, in conditions resembling those present in the early secretory pathway. Here we provide further evidence for the relevance of these findings by showing that at pH 6.

Protein conformation and biomolecular condensates.

Protein conformation and cell compartmentalization are fundamental concepts and subjects of vast scientific endeavors. In the last two decades, we have witnessed exciting advances that unveiled the conjunction of these concepts. An avalanche of studies highlighted the central role of biomolecular condensates in membraneless subcellular compartmentalization that permits the spatiotemporal organization and regulation of myriads of simultaneous biochemical reactions and macromolecular interactions.

The structure of unliganded sterol carrier protein 2 from Yarrowia lipolytica unveils a mechanism for binding site occlusion.

Isolated or as a part of multidomain proteins, Sterol Carrier Protein 2 (SCP2) exhibits high affinity and broad specificity for different lipidic and hydrophobic compounds. A wealth of structural information on SCP2 domains in all forms of life is currently available; however, many aspects of its ligand binding activity are poorly understood. ylSCP2 is a well-characterized single domain SCP2 from the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica.

High-resolution structure of intramolecularly proteolyzed human mucin-1 SEA domain.

SEA domains are ubiquitous in large proteins associated with highly glycosylated environments. Certain SEA domains undergo intramolecular proteolysis involving a nucleophilic attack of a serine hydroxyl group on the preceding glycine carbonyl. The mucin-1 (MUC1) SEA domain has been extensively investigated as a model of intramolecular proteolysis.

ICA512 RESP18 homology domain is a protein-condensing factor and insulin fibrillation inhibitor.

Type 1 diabetes islet cell autoantigen 512 (ICA512/IA-2) is a tyrosine phosphatase-like intrinsic membrane protein involved in the biogenesis and turnover of insulin secretory granules (SGs) in pancreatic islet β-cells. Whereas its membrane-proximal and cytoplasmic domains have been functionally and structurally characterized, the role of the ICA512 N-terminal segment named "regulated endocrine-specific protein 18 homology domain" (RESP18HD), which encompasses residues 35-131, remains largely unknown. Here, we show that ICA512 RESP18HD residues 91-131 encode for an intrinsically disordered region (IDR), which acts as a condensing factor for the reversible aggregation of insulin and other β-cell proteins in a pH and Zn-regulated fashion.

Equilibrium partially folded states of B. licheniformis[Formula: see text]-lactamase.

[Formula: see text]-Lactamases (penicillinases) facilitate bacterial resistance to antibiotics and are excellent theoretical and experimental models in protein structure, dynamics and evolution. Bacillus licheniformis exo-small penicillinase (ESP) is a Class A [Formula: see text]-lactamase with three tryptophan residues located one in each of its two domains and one in the interface between domains. The conformational landscape of three well-characterized ESP Trp[Formula: see text]Phe mutants was characterized in equilibrium unfolding experiments by measuring tryptophan fluorescence, far-UV CD, activity, hydrodynamic radius, and limited proteolysis.

Binding properties of sterol carrier protein 2 (SCP2) characterized using Laurdan.

Sterol carrier protein 2 (SCP2) binds lipids with high affinity and broad specificity. The overall hydrophobicity, fluidity, and dipolar dynamics of the binding site of SCP2 from Yarrowia lipolytica were characterized using the environmentally-sensitive fluorescent probe Laurdan. The study revealed a binding site with an overall polarity similar to that of dichloromethane and an internal phase comparable to that of phospholipid membranes with coexisting solid-ordered and liquid-crystalline states.

Ultracompact states of native proteins.

A statistical analysis of circa 20,000 X-ray structures evidenced the effects of temperature of data collection on protein intramolecular distances and degree of compaction. Identical chains with data collected at cryogenic ultralow temperatures (≤160K) showed a radius of gyration (R) significantly smaller than at moderate temperatures (≥240K). Furthermore, the analysis revealed the existence of structures with a R significantly smaller than expected for cryogenic temperatures.

A structural appraisal of sterol carrier protein 2.

Sterol Carrier Protein 2 (SCP2) has been associated with lipid binding and transfer activities. However, genomic, proteomic, and structural studies revealed that it is an ubiquitous domain of complex proteins with a variety functions in all forms of life. High-resolution structures of representative SCP2 domains are available, encouraging a comprehensive review of the structural basis for its success.

Ghrelin binding to serum albumin and its biological impact.

Ghrelin is an octanoylated peptide hormone that plays a key role in the regulation of the body weight and glucose homeostasis. In plasma, ghrelin circulates bound to larger proteins whose identities are partially established. Here, we used size exclusion chromatography, mass spectrometry and isothermal titration microcalorimetry to show that ghrelin interacts with serum albumin.

Biochemical, biophysical, and functional properties of ICA512/IA-2 RESP18 homology domain.

Background: ICA512 (or IA-2/PTPRN) is a transmembrane protein-tyrosine phosphatase located in secretory granules of neuroendocrine cells. Previous studies implied its involvement in generation, cargo storage, traffic, exocytosis and recycling of insulin secretory granules, as well as in β-cell proliferation. While several ICA512 domains have been characterized, the function and structure of a large portion of its N-terminal extracellular (or lumenal) region are unknown.

Stability of proICA512/IA-2 and its targeting to insulin secretory granules require β4-sheet-mediated dimerization of its ectodomain in the endoplasmic reticulum.

The type 1 diabetes autoantigen ICA512/IA-2/RPTPN is a receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase of the insulin secretory granules (SGs) which regulates the size of granule stores, possibly via cleavage/signaling of its cytosolic tail. The role of its extracellular region remains unknown. Structural studies indicated that β2- or β4-strands in the mature ectodomain (ME ICA512) form dimers in vitro.

The crystal structure of sterol carrier protein 2 from Yarrowia lipolytica and the evolutionary conservation of a large, non-specific lipid-binding cavity.

Sterol carrier protein 2 (SCP2), a small intracellular domain present in all forms of life, binds with high affinity a broad spectrum of lipids. Due to its involvement in the metabolism of long-chain fatty acids and cholesterol uptake, it has been the focus of intense research in mammals and insects; much less characterized are SCP2 from other eukaryotic cells and microorganisms. We report here the X-ray structure of Yarrowia lipolytica SCP2 (YLSCP2) at 2.

Equilibrium unfolding of the PDZ domain of β2-syntrophin.

β2-syntrophin, a dystrophin-associated protein, plays a pivotal role in insulin secretion by pancreatic β-cells. It contains a PDZ domain (β2S-PDZ) that, in complex with protein-tyrosine phosphatase ICA512, anchors the dense insulin granules to actin filaments. The phosphorylation state of β2-syntrophin allosterically regulates the affinity of β2S-PDZ for ICA512, and the disruption of the complex triggers the mobilization of the insulin granule stores.

X-ray evidence of a native state with increased compactness populated by tryptophan-less B. licheniformis β-lactamase.

β-lactamases confer antibiotic resistance, one of the most serious world-wide health problems, and are an excellent theoretical and experimental model in the study of protein structure, dynamics and evolution. Bacillus licheniformis exo-small penicillinase (ESP) is a Class-A β-lactamase with three tryptophan residues located in the protein core. Here, we report the 1.

Protein-protein interactions in crystals of the human receptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatase ICA512 ectodomain.

ICA512 (or IA-2) is a transmembrane protein-tyrosine phosphatase located in secretory granules of neuroendocrine cells. Initially, it was identified as one of the main antigens of autoimmune diabetes. Later, it was found that during insulin secretion, the cytoplasmic domain of ICA512 is cleaved and relocated to the nucleus, where it stimulates the transcription of the insulin gene.

Optical studies of single-tryptophan B. licheniformis beta-lactamase variants.

beta-lactamases (penicillinases) are important complicating factors in bacterial infections and excellent theoretical and experimental models in protein structure, dynamics and evolution. Bacillus licheniformis exo-small penicillinase (ESP) is a Class A beta-lactamase with three tryptophan residues, one located in each of the two protein domains and one located in the interface between domains. To determine the tryptophan contribution to the ESP UV-absorption, circular dichroism, and steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence, four Trp-->Phe mutants were prepared and characterized.

Preparation and biophysical characterization of recombinant Pseudomonas aeruginosa phosphorylcholine phosphatase.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections constitute a widespread health problem with high economical and social impact, and the phosphorylcholine phosphatase (PchP) of this bacterium is a potential target for antimicrobial treatment. However, drug design requires high-resolution structural information and detailed biophysical knowledge not available for PchP. An obstacle in the study of PchP is that current methods for its expression and purification are suboptimal and allowed only a preliminary kinetic characterization of the enzyme.

Fatty acid transfer from Yarrowia lipolytica sterol carrier protein 2 to phospholipid membranes.

Sterol carrier protein 2 (SCP2) is an intracellular protein domain found in all forms of life. It was originally identified as a sterol transfer protein, but was recently shown to also bind phospholipids, fatty acids, and fatty-acyl-CoA with high affinity. Based on studies carried out in higher eukaryotes, it is believed that SCP2 targets its ligands to compartmentalized intracellular pools and participates in lipid traffic, signaling, and metabolism.