G Proteins - BYUradio

G ProteinsTop of Mind with Julie Rose • Season 1, Episode 18, Segment 2

Mar 4, 2015 • 28m

(24:14) Guests: Rebecca Plimpton, PhD. Candidate in Biochemistry at BYU Barry Willardson, Faculty Advisor in the Biochemistry Department at BYU Your ability to react fast – and without having to think “Okay, I need adrenaline” – is a result of a special class of protein that has long mystified scientists. So-called “G” Proteins are like the switchboard operators in your cells, telling various processes when to turn on and off. “We were actually looking for something that happens with G proteins before its attached to the cell membrane. All proteins when they are made start out as a long string of atoms all connected together and in order for the G protein to perform its function that string has to fold into a 3-dimensional, precise shape. Our research looks at how the proteins fold into this shape,” says Plimpton.

Other Segments

Eat 'Em to Beat 'EmMar 4, 201523mGuest: Matt Barnes, Assistant Professor in Natural Resources Management at Texas Tech University. Co-founder of invasivore.org

Guest: Matt Barnes, Assistant Professor in Natural Resources Management at Texas Tech University. Co-founder of invasivore.org

Wealth of NationsMar 4, 201523mGuest: Grant Madsen, Political Science Professor at BYU

Guest: Grant Madsen, Political Science Professor at BYU

Parenting and DepressionMar 4, 201515mGuest: Kevin Shafer, Assistant Professor of Social Work at BYU

Guest: Kevin Shafer, Assistant Professor of Social Work at BYU

Hostile BossesMar 4, 201513mGuest: Marie Mitchell, Associate Professor of Management at the University of Georgia The old saying goes that you attract more flies with honey than vinegar. But according to a study published in the journal of Personnel Psychology last month, employees who strike back against their abusive bosses fared better psychologically than those who cowered. “By and large a primary reaction is 3rd party employees get pretty angered by it… abusive supervision is not cool behavior.” Abusive behaviors are “incredibly financially costly to the work environment. These are not productive behaviors for the work environment.”

Guest: Marie Mitchell, Associate Professor of Management at the University of Georgia The old saying goes that you attract more flies with honey than vinegar. But according to a study published in the journal of Personnel Psychology last month, employees who strike back against their abusive bosses fared better psychologically than those who cowered. “By and large a primary reaction is 3rd party employees get pretty angered by it… abusive supervision is not cool behavior.” Abusive behaviors are “incredibly financially costly to the work environment. These are not productive behaviors for the work environment.”