J. Howard

A Discard-and-Restart MD algorithm for the sampling of realistic protein transition states and enhance structure-based drug discovery

The paper introduces a Discard-and-Restart MD algorithm to efficiently sample protein transition states, enhancing structure-based drug discovery by reducing simulation times by up to 2000x.

Aggresomes protect mRNA under stress in Escherichia coli

The paper shows that aggresomes in E. coli store mRNA under stress, aiding rapid recovery by protecting mRNA from degradation and facilitating translation reactivation.

Insulin signaling accelerates the anterograde movement of Rab4 vesicles in axons through Klp98A/KIF16B recruitment via Vps34-PI3Kinase

This study shows insulin signaling increases Rab4 vesicle transport in axons by recruiting Klp98A via Vps34-PI3Kinase activation in Drosophila.

Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) assay for reliable detection of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vasculorum

This paper develops a LAMP assay for detecting Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vasculorum using the pelL gene, demonstrating high specificity and sensitivity for field use.

Correlating fluorescence microscopy, optical and magnetic tweezers to study single chiral biopolymers such as DNA

The paper introduces COMBI-Tweez, a tool combining optical and magnetic tweezers with fluorescence microscopy to study the structural dynamics of single chiral biopolymers like DNA under mechanical forces.

Topology recapitulates ontogeny of dendritic arbors

The paper investigates whether dendritic arbors exhibit topological properties reflecting their growth and function, finding a power-law tip-support distribution across many neurons.

Dynamic microtubules slow down during their shrinkage phase

This study shows that microtubule shrinkage slows over time after catastrophe, indicating a multi-state process similar to the growing phase.

The force required to remove tubulin from the microtubule lattice

The paper measures the force required to remove tubulin from microtubules and identifies partial unfolding as an intermediate step in the process.

Scaled-expansion of the membrane associated cytoskeleton requires conserved kinesin adaptors

The paper identifies kinesin adaptors that mediate spectrin transport and lattice expansion during axon stretch-growth.

Counting fluorescently labeled proteins in tissues in the spinning disk microscope using single-molecule calibrations

The paper develops a calibration technique for spinning-disk confocal microscopy to count fluorescent proteins in tissues, enabling accurate quantification of molecular numbers and concentrations.

Dynamic Instability of Dendrite Tips Generates the Highly Branched Morphologies of Sensory Neurons

This study shows that dynamic instability at dendrite tips generates complex branching in Drosophila sensory neurons through stochastic transitions between growth, shrinkage, and pause states.

Distinct stress-dependent signatures of cellular and extracellular tRNA-derived small RNAs (tDRs)

The paper identifies distinct extracellular tRNA-derived small RNA (tDR) fragmentation signatures associated with different stress responses and shows their potential as biomarkers in human disease.

Sub-lethal radiation-induced senescence impairs resolution programs and drives cardiovascular inflammation

This study shows sub-lethal radiation induces macrophage senescence, impairing efferocytosis and promoting cardiovascular inflammation, with RvD1 treatment reversing these effects.

Tetrameric UvrD helicase is located at the E. coli replisome due to frequent replication blocks

The paper shows UvrD forms tetramers and associates with replication forks due to frequent nucleoprotein blocks, distinct from Rep's recruitment mechanism.

Structures of outer-arm dynein array on microtubule doublet reveal a motor coordination mechanism

The paper determines high-resolution structures of outer-arm dynein arrays bound to microtubule doublets, revealing a mechanism for motor coordination through ATP hydrolysis and tail-to-head interactions.

T-bet fate mapping identifies a novel ILC1-ILC2 subset in vivo

The paper identifies a novel ILC1-ILC2 subset using T-bet fate mapping and shows its dependence on T-bet and cytokine expression capabilities.

Integration host factor bends and bridges DNA in a multiplicity of binding modes with varying specificity

The paper shows IHF binds DNA in three distinct modes with varying specificity, enabling DNA compaction and structural organization.

The Narrowing of Dendrite Branches across Nodes follows a well-defined Scaling Law

The paper tests scaling laws for dendrite diameters in Drosophila neurons and discovers a new law based on cross-sectional area and minimum diameter.

Predicted effects of severing enzymes on the length distribution and total mass of microtubules

The paper develops a mathematical model to explain how severing enzymes affect microtubule length distribution and mass, showing severing rate and growth speed determine steady-state length distribution and amplify microtubule mass.

The kinetics of nucleotide binding to isolated Chlamydomonas axonemes using UV-TIRF microscopy

This study uses UV-TIRF microscopy to investigate nucleotide binding kinetics to isolated Chlamydomonas axonemes, identifying three binding sites and linking one to dynein activity.

The dynamic and structural properties of axonemal tubulins support the high length stability of cilia

The study investigates the dynamic properties and post-translational modifications of axonemal tubulins to understand their role in cilia length stability.

Label-free high-speed wide-field imaging of single microtubules using interference reflection microscopy

This paper introduces interference reflection microscopy for high-speed, label-free imaging of single microtubules, showing it outperforms existing techniques in contrast and simplicity.