SHP-1 Variants Broaden the Understanding of pH-Dependent Activities in Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases.

The protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) SHP-1 plays an important role in both immune regulation and oncogenesis. This enzyme is part of a broader family of PTPs that all play important regulatory roles in vivo. Common to these enzymes is a highly conserved aspartic acid (D421 in SHP-1) that acts as an acid/base catalyst during the PTP-catalyzed reaction.

Biosignature Molecules Accumulate and Persist in Evaporitic Brines: Implications for Planetary Exploration.

The abundance of potentially habitable hypersaline environments in our solar system compels us to understand the impacts of high-salt matrices and brine dynamics on biosignature detection efforts. We identified and quantified organic compounds in brines from South Bay Salt Works (SBSW), where evapoconcentration of ocean water enables exploration of the impact of NaCl- and MgCl-dominated brines on the detection of potential biosignature molecules. In SBSW, organic biosignature abundance and distribution are likely influenced by evapoconcentration, osmolyte accumulation, and preservation effects.