title: Caldalkalibacillus thermarum PhoH2: Solving the solubility puzzle

authors: Dillon, Brooke Jane

subjects: Caldalkalibacillus thermarum

abstract: Previous attempts to determine the structure of the protein PhoH2 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium smegmatis and Thermobispora bispora have been unsuccessful producing diffraction data to low resolution. The thermophilic organism Caldalkibacillus thermarum was thought to be an advantageous option from which to clone, express and purify PhoH2 from for the purpose of structure determination. PhoH2 consists of two domains, an N terminal PIN domain, known for its toxic properties as part of many toxin-antitoxin systems present in M. tuberculosis, and a C-terminal PhoH domain, an RNA helicase suspected to be involved in phosphate starvation responses. The cloning and expression of three variations of recombinant C. thermarum PhoH2 was successful in Escherichia coli. However the purification of PhoH2 continues to yield insoluble protein, despite the range of purification buffer conditions screened, thus preventing downstream biochemical characterisation and structural investigations. Multiple options exist to overcome this insolubility problem; including alternate plasmids for protein expression and purification that alter the tag location and type such as C-terminal His-tags and alternative fusion tags.

text: Caldalkalibacillus thermarum PhoH2: Solving the solubility puzzle Previous attempts to determine the structure of the protein PhoH2 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium smegmatis and Thermobispora bispora have been unsuccessful producing diffraction data to low resolution. The thermophilic organism Caldalkibacillus thermarum was thought to be an advantageous option from which to clone, express and purify PhoH2 from for the purpose of structure determination. PhoH2 consists of two domains, an N terminal PIN domain, known for its toxic properties as part of many toxin-antitoxin systems present in M. tuberculosis, and a C-terminal PhoH domain, an RNA helicase suspected to be involved in phosphate starvation responses. The cloning and expression of three variations of recombinant C. thermarum PhoH2 was successful in Escherichia coli. However the purification of PhoH2 continues to yield insoluble protein, despite the range of purification buffer conditions screened, thus preventing downstream biochemical characterisation and structural investigations. Multiple options exist to overcome this insolubility problem; including alternate plasmids for protein expression and purification that alter the tag location and type such as C-terminal His-tags and alternative fusion tags.

year: 2017

title: Teacher professional learning and development research in Aotearoa New Zealand: A scoping review of literature, 2010–2023

authors: McChesney, Katrina

abstract: Teacher professional learning and development are critical to educational improvement efforts and teacher professional growth. Such learning and development can be facilitated in a range of ways, including more traditional ‘workshop style’ training programmes as well as coaching, mentoring, advisory support, teacher inquiry, and other activities that can contribute to teacher learning and change. Despite the extensive time, financial, and human resources invested in teacher professional learning and development in Aotearoa New Zealand every year, it is over 15 years since research on teacher development in this country was brought together in a published review. This paper presents a scoping review of n = 178 primary studies published in English in 2010–2023 that focus on teacher professional development in the Aotearoa New Zealand schooling sector. Looking across this body of literature, we provide a quantitative overview of characteristics of the literature base and identify shifts, trends, strengths, gaps, imbalances, and directions for future research. This paper offers a timely summary and synthesis of recent research on teacher professional development in Aotearoa New Zealand and also offers challenges and recommendations for researchers working in this area.

text: Teacher professional learning and development research in Aotearoa New Zealand: A scoping review of literature, 2010–2023 Teacher professional learning and development are critical to educational improvement efforts and teacher professional growth. Such learning and development can be facilitated in a range of ways, including more traditional ‘workshop style’ training programmes as well as coaching, mentoring, advisory support, teacher inquiry, and other activities that can contribute to teacher learning and change. Despite the extensive time, financial, and human resources invested in teacher professional learning and development in Aotearoa New Zealand every year, it is over 15 years since research on teacher development in this country was brought together in a published review. This paper presents a scoping review of n = 178 primary studies published in English in 2010–2023 that focus on teacher professional development in the Aotearoa New Zealand schooling sector. Looking across this body of literature, we provide a quantitative overview of characteristics of the literature base and identify shifts, trends, strengths, gaps, imbalances, and directions for future research. This paper offers a timely summary and synthesis of recent research on teacher professional development in Aotearoa New Zealand and also offers challenges and recommendations for researchers working in this area.

year: 2024

title: He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tāngata! (What is the most important thing in the world? It is people!)

authors: Masters-Awatere, Bridgette

subjects: chronic disease prevention

abstract: This paper highlights the importance of people as a central factor in improving health for M aori (Indigenous people of New Zealand). How wh anau (family) relationships, connections, values and inspiration are integral to achieving Indigenous health goals is explained. Descriptions of how community researchers, healthcare staff, consumers and academics worked together to design interventions for two health services (in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions) is included. Through highlighting the experiences of health consumers, the potential for future interventions to reduce the advancement of pre-diabetes among wh anau is described. Evidence from the study interviews reinforces the importance of wh anau and whakapapa (heritage) as enabling factors for Indigenous people to improve health. Specifically, the positive effect of wh anau enhancing activities that support peoples’ aspirations of tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) in their lives when engaging with health care has been observed. This study highlights the many positives that have emerged, and offers an opportunity for taking primary health to the next level by placing wh anau alongside Indigenous primary care providers at the centre of change strategies.

text: He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tāngata! (What is the most important thing in the world? It is people!) This paper highlights the importance of people as a central factor in improving health for M aori (Indigenous people of New Zealand). How wh anau (family) relationships, connections, values and inspiration are integral to achieving Indigenous health goals is explained. Descriptions of how community researchers, healthcare staff, consumers and academics worked together to design interventions for two health services (in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions) is included. Through highlighting the experiences of health consumers, the potential for future interventions to reduce the advancement of pre-diabetes among wh anau is described. Evidence from the study interviews reinforces the importance of wh anau and whakapapa (heritage) as enabling factors for Indigenous people to improve health. Specifically, the positive effect of wh anau enhancing activities that support peoples’ aspirations of tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) in their lives when engaging with health care has been observed. This study highlights the many positives that have emerged, and offers an opportunity for taking primary health to the next level by placing wh anau alongside Indigenous primary care providers at the centre of change strategies.

year: 2019