Molecular insights into the interaction between a disordered protein and a folded RNA.

Intrinsically disordered protein regions (IDRs) are well established as contributors to intermolecular interactions and the formation of biomolecular condensates. In particular, RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) often harbor IDRs in addition to folded RNA-binding domains that contribute to RBP function. To understand the dynamic interactions of an IDR-RNA complex, we characterized the RNA-binding features of a small (68 residues), positively charged IDR-containing protein, Small ERDK-Rich Factor (SERF).

Phosphorylation of disordered proteins tunes local and global intramolecular interactions.

Protein post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation, are important regulatory signals for diverse cellular functions. In particular, intrinsically disordered protein regions (IDRs) are subject to phosphorylation as a means to modulate their interactions and functions. Toward understanding the relationship between phosphorylation in IDRs and specific functional outcomes, we must consider how phosphorylation affects the IDR conformational ensemble.

Phosphorylation of disordered proteins tunes local and global intramolecular interactions.

Protein post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation, are important regulatory signals for diverse cellular functions. In particular, intrinsically disordered protein regions (IDRs) are subject to phosphorylation as a means to modulate their interactions and functions. Toward understanding the relationship between phosphorylation in IDRs and specific functional outcomes, we must consider how phosphorylation affects the IDR conformational ensemble.

Direct prediction of intermolecular interactions driven by disordered regions.

Intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) are critical for a wide variety of cellular functions, many of which involve interactions with partner proteins. Molecular recognition is typically considered through the lens of sequence-specific binding events. However, a growing body of work has shown that IDRs often interact with partners in a manner that does not depend on the precise order of the amino acid order, instead driven by complementary chemical interactions leading to disordered bound-state complexes.

Phase transition of GvpU regulates gas vesicle clustering in bacteria.

Gas vesicles (GVs) are microbial protein organelles that support cellular buoyancy. GV engineering has multiple applications, including reporter gene imaging, acoustic control and payload delivery. GVs often cluster into a honeycomb pattern to minimize occupancy of the cytosol.

Labile assembly of a tardigrade protein induces biostasis.

Tardigrades are microscopic animals that survive desiccation by inducing biostasis. To survive drying tardigrades rely on intrinsically disordered CAHS proteins, which also function to prevent perturbations induced by drying in vitro and in heterologous systems. CAHS proteins have been shown to form gels both in vitro and in vivo, which has been speculated to be linked to their protective capacity.

The Social Factors Influencing Cover Crop Adoption in the Midwest: A Controlled Comparison.

Increased funding and resources have become available in recent years for agricultural producers to plant cover crops to improve soil health and prevent nutrient loss and erosion; however, cover crop adoption remains relatively low and has been uneven across different Midwestern counties. This study employed a controlled comparison method to investigate the social factors affecting cover crop adoption in Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana. In each state, the authors compared pairs of neighboring counties, where one county was a relatively higher adopter and the other was a lower adopter of cover crops, while controlling for variations in climate conditions.

A direct nuclear magnetic resonance method to investigate lysine acetylation of intrinsically disordered proteins.

Intrinsically disordered proteins are frequent targets for functional regulation through post-translational modification due to their high accessibility to modifying enzymes and the strong influence of changes in primary structure on their chemical properties. While lysine N-acetylation was first observed as a common modification of histone tails, proteomic data suggest that lysine acetylation is ubiquitous among both nuclear and cytosolic proteins. However, compared with our biophysical understanding of the other common post-translational modifications, mechanistic studies to document how lysine N-acetyl marks are placed, utilized to transduce signals, and eliminated when signals need to be turned off, have not kept pace with proteomic discoveries.

Biophysical insights into glucose-dependent transcriptional regulation by PDX1.

The pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 (PDX1) is a central regulator of glucose-dependent transcription of insulin in pancreatic β cells. PDX1 transcription factor activity is integral to the development and sustained health of the pancreas; accordingly, deciphering the complex network of cellular cues that lead to PDX1 activation or inactivation is an important step toward understanding the etiopathologies of pancreatic diseases and the development of novel therapeutics. Despite nearly 3 decades of research into PDX1 control of Insulin expression, the molecular mechanisms that dictate the function of PDX1 in response to glucose are still elusive.

The 'perfect' lens: Perfectionism and early adolescents' math self-efficacy development.

Background: Self-efficacy, or the beliefs learners hold about what they can do, develops largely from how learners perceive and interpret four main sources of information: mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, social persuasions and physiological and affective states. Although the relationship between these sources and self-efficacy is well-established, less is known about the factors that may influence how early adolescent learners perceive and interpret information from these sources.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to investigate how the predisposition of perfectionism might predict how learners perceive efficacy-relevant information in the domain of math.

HIPEC after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is associated with acceptable toxicity and favorable quality of life in newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer patients.

Objective: To evaluate toxicity, quality of life and PFS in patients with advanced ovarian cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by CRS and HIPEC with carboplatin.

Methods: Patients with stage IIIC or IVA epithelial ovarian cancer, who were not candidates for primary CRS, were enrolled in this phase two trial. Patients received 3-6 cycles of NAC with an IV carboplatin doublet followed by CRS with HIPEC (carboplatin 800 mg/m for 90 min).

Probing multiple enzymatic methylation events in real time with NMR spectroscopy.

Post-translational modification (PTM) of proteins is of critical importance to the regulation of many cellular processes in eukaryotic organisms. One of the most well-studied protein PTMs is methylation, wherein an enzyme catalyzes the transfer of a methyl group from a cofactor to a lysine or arginine side chain. Lysine methylation is especially abundant in the histone tails and is an important marker for denoting active or repressed genes.

Intrinsically disordered substrates dictate SPOP subnuclear localization and ubiquitination activity.

Speckle-type POZ protein (SPOP) is a ubiquitin ligase adaptor that binds substrate proteins and facilitates their proteasomal degradation. Most SPOP substrates present multiple SPOP-binding (SB) motifs and undergo liquid-liquid phase separation with SPOP. Pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 (Pdx1), an insulin transcription factor, is downregulated by interaction with SPOP.

Physical Therapists' Assessment of Patient Self-Efficacy for Home Exercise Programs.

Background: Patient adherence to home exercise programs (HEPs) is low, and poor patient self-efficacy is a barrier clinicians can influence. However, little evidence suggests that clinicians assess level of patient self-efficacy before prescribing HEPs.

Purpose: To determine the importance of patient self-efficacy to physical therapists (PTs) when addressing patient barriers, determine how PTs assess and use patient self-efficacy for HEPs, and describe the barriers facing PTs when assessing patient self-efficacy for HEPs.

Mapping invisible epitopes by NMR spectroscopy.

Defining discontinuous antigenic epitopes remains a substantial challenge, as exemplified by the case of lipid transfer polyproteins, which are common pollen allergens. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange monitored by NMR can be used to map epitopes onto folded protein surfaces, but only if the complex rapidly dissociates. Modifying the standard NMR-exchange measurement to detect substoichiometric complexes overcomes this time scale limitation and provides new insights into recognition of lipid transfer polyprotein by antibodies.

Elucidating the Role of Microprocessor Protein DGCR8 in Bending RNA Structures.

Although conformational dynamics of RNA molecules are potentially important in microRNA (miRNA) processing, the role of the protein binding partners in facilitating the requisite structural changes is not well understood. In previous work, we and others have demonstrated that nonduplex structural elements and the conformational flexibility they support are necessary for efficient RNA binding and cleavage by the proteins associated with the two major stages of miRNA processing. However, recent studies showed that the protein DGCR8 binds primary miRNA and duplex RNA with similar affinities.

Better together: Effects of four self-efficacy-building strategies on online statistical learning.

The goal of this study is to test the individual and combined effects of supplementing an online statistics lesson with four motivational strategies corresponding to Bandura's (1997) four sources of self-efficacy (anxiety coping, modeling, mental practice, and effort feedback) on cognitive, motivational, and affective outcomes. Internet participants ( = 279) completed an online statistics module in one of six conditions with one or all four self-efficacy-building strategies (5 treatment conditions) or none of these strategies (control condition). The results indicated that the four strategies worked effectively in combination, significantly improving transfer test scores ( = 0.

Measuring Police Officer Self-efficacy for Working with Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is currently one of the most researched of all childhood developmental disorders and is receiving attention in many domains. The purpose of this study was to design and provide psychometric evidence for a scale that measures police officer self-efficacy for working with individuals with ASD. Psychometric properties of a scale designed to measure knowledge of ASD were also explored.

The Self-Efficacy for Home Exercise Programs Scale: Development and Psychometric Properties.

Background: The Self-Efficacy for Home Exercise Programs Scale (SEHEPS) was developed to help clinicians evaluate patients' self-efficacy for performing prescribed home exercise programs. Prior to clinical adoption, the scale's psychometric properties need to be examined.

Objective: To determine the psychometric properties of the SEHEPS.

Opportunities for Self-Evaluation Increase Student Calibration in an Introductory Biology Course.

Accurate self-evaluation is critical for learning. Calibration describes the relationship between learners' perception of their performance and their actual performance on a task. Here, we describe two studies aimed at assessing and improving student calibration in a first-semester introductory biology course at a 4-year public institution.

Can I teach students with Autism Spectrum Disorder?: Investigating teacher self-efficacy with an emerging population of students.

Currently, 1 in 68 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD; Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 2015) and this growing population of learners has been noted as one of the most challenging groups to teach.

Measurements of self-efficacy in musculoskeletal rehabilitation: A systematic review.

Objectives: Low self-efficacy is a barrier to rehabilitation adherence. Before an intervention can be implemented to improve self-efficacy, assessment is required. It is currently unknown if a standard measure of self-efficacy has been used to assess this in patients with musculoskeletal conditions, specifically for home exercise programmes (HEPs).