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421: Multiple Alignment Puzzle

Closed since almost 15 years ago

Intermediate Overall Prediction

Summary

Created
May 14, 2011
Expires
Max points
100
Description

This unsolved protein has 10 close homologs that we are giving to you as templates. Try them out using the alignment tool. Since you have 10 templates to try out we're giving you an extra day to work on this puzzle. Make sure to try Intro Puzzles 5-1 to 5-3 if you aren't familiar with the Alignment Tool. Alignment Tool help can be found here: http://foldit.wikia.com/wiki/Alignment_Tool.

Top groups

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  3. Avatar for Russian team 13. Russian team 2 pts. 10,628
  4. Avatar for Deleted group 14. Deleted group pts. 10,467
  5. Avatar for Richard Dawkins Foundation 15. Richard Dawkins Foundation 1 pt. 10,270
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  8. Avatar for Speedfolders 18. Speedfolders 1 pt. 9,606
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  10. Avatar for Argentina 20. Argentina 1 pt. 9,303
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  2. Avatar for Susanne 42. Susanne Lv 1 38 pts. 11,416
  3. Avatar for Bletchley Park 43. Bletchley Park Lv 1 37 pts. 11,415
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  8. Avatar for deus911 48. deus911 Lv 1 32 pts. 11,293
  9. Avatar for lazystar 49. lazystar Lv 1 31 pts. 11,261
  10. Avatar for Tlaloc 50. Tlaloc Lv 1 30 pts. 11,252

Comments

spmm Lv 1

Hopefully a reasonably accurate paraphrase of bits from research findings from Dae-Joong Kang (BBA 2007) and Jason M. Ridlon (Anaerobe 2009)
Clostridium scindens VPI 12708 (formerly known as Eubacterium sp. Strain VPI 12708) is a human faecal isolate working in the bile acid processing pathway (7-dehdroxylation), the clean up after the enterohepatic circulation.

This beastie lives in an anaerobic environment and loves being cultured in brain heart infusion (BHI) broth :-)

Humans livers, unlike rodent livers, are unable to process secondary bile acids. So secondary bile acids can accumulate to high levels in some people; there is evidence that they promote colon cancer and cholesterol gallstone disease, and are strong signalling molecules regulating other processes.

'Therefore, understanding the molecular biology and ecology of bile acid metabolism in the colon is of importance to human health and disease as the gut flora can control the bile acid pool composition.' (Ridlon).