Biophysical Society Bulletin | January 2021

Publications

Know the BJ Editor Merritt Maduke Stanford University

What’s Happening in Biophysical Journal Sample of Upcoming Articles The Emergence of Phase Separation as an Organizing Principle in Bacteria Christopher Azaldegui , Anthony Vecchiarelli , Julie Biteen Vol. 120, Issue 4 The authors outline the framework to evaluate liquid-liquid phase separation in vivo in bacteria and describe the bac- terial systems with proposed LLPS activity in the context of these criteria. From Examining the Relationship between (Corona)Viral Adhesions and Galectins to Glyco-Perspectives Antonio Romero , Herbert Kaltner , Virgil Percec , Hans Gabius , Fold similarity between virus attachment proteins (adhesins) and mammalian galectins led authors to calculate similarity scores systematically then describe perspectives to counter viral threats such as therapeutics that inhibit contact be- tween viral adhesins and their cellular counterreceptors. Most Read Articles (In November 2020) Reflections on the Pandemic Jane Dyson Vol. 119, Issue 5 Research Highlights: Biophysics of Calcium Henry Colecraft Vol. 119, Issue 8 Microrheology for Hi-C Data Reveals the Spectrum of the Dynamic 3D Genome Organization Michael Klein Online Now Vol. 120, Issue 7

Biophysical Journal Editor, Channels, Transporters, and Receptors

Merritt Maduke

What are you currently working on that excites you? In general, I love it when a student or postdoc discovers something I had not envisioned. This happened with Anna Koster , a recently graduated chemistry PhD student who wanted to develop small-molecule tools for studying the CLC-2 voltage-gated chloride channel. CLC-2 is expressed broadly in the central nervous system, but in contrast to the potassium, sodium, and calcium-selective voltage-gated channels, little is known about how it contributes to brain function. I told Anna that while it would be great to have a specific small-molecule CLC-2 inhibitor, it wouldn’t be a good thesis project because I didn’t have any good ideas on how to succeed. Fortunately, Anna persisted. Starting with a low-micromolar “hit” compound identified in a small screen, Anna conducted a methodical study of structure-function relationships and developed a novel compound with 17 nM potency against CLC-2 and >1000-fold selectivity over other chloride channels. This project, initiated and driven by Anna, has been a rewarding collaboration between colleagues in chemistry, neurology, and computer science ( Justin Du Bois , John Huguenard , and Ron Dror laboratories). We are current- ly following up on Anna’s work by performing biophysical studies to understand the molecular basis for the inhibitor specificity and physiological studies to investigate CLC-2 function in the brain. At a cocktail party of non-scientists, how would you explain what you do? My postdoc mentor used to joke that the science we are interested in is so nerdy that its main benefit to society is that it keeps us off the street. While I am a proud card-car- rying nerd, I am also passionate about the value to society of the nerdy details illuminated by our research. At a cocktail party (when invited), I like to proclaim that every biomedical breakthrough of the past century was made possible by the hard work of nerdy scientists who just wanted to under- stand how the world works. When I explain that I am inter- ested in how humans and other animals generate electrical signals, I find that most people are also truly curious about these things. It is so energizing!

Soya Shinkai et al. Vol. 118, Issue 9 Open Access

Reminder When submitting your work to BJ , don’t forget to submit potential cover images! Images should be portrait orientation, have a resolution of 600 dpi, and be a pdf or tif.

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