Covering social risks: poverty debate and anti-poverty policy in France in the 1980s

This article analyses the influence of public discourse about the social risk of poverty on social policy. It examines the rediscovery of poverty as a political topic and the emergence of an anti-poverty policy in France in the 1980s. Drawing on parliamentary debates as well as on a variety of published documents, it answers the question of how welfare associations and political parties described and defined the risk of poverty during the debate, and with which political measures they wanted to combat it. Particular attention shall be paid to the different definitions of poverty. The article argues that formulating the poverty question and defining the meaning of poverty had a great influence on the conception of poverty policy

Poverty Reports, the State and Voluntary Associations in France and in the Federal Republic of Germany in the 1980ies

The relation between the voluntary sector and the state in France and Germany in the second half of the twentieth century is generally analysed in a similar way: it is described as a growing dependence of the voluntary associations on the state, and sometimes even as their instrumentalization by the state. This article argues that for the associations, the period of welfare state expansion did not only mean a growing dependence on the state; it also gave them opportunities to broaden their range of activities and to redefine their role with regard to the state. The argument is supported by analysing the participation of the associations in the production of the first poverty reports in the 1980s in both countries.The relation between the voluntary sector and the state in France and Germany in the second half of the twentieth century is generally analysed in a similar way: it is described as a growing dependence of the voluntary associations on the state, and sometimes even as their instrumentalization by the state. This article argues that for the associations, the period of welfare state expansion did not only mean a growing dependence on the state; it also gave them opportunities to broaden their range of activities and to redefine their role with regard to the state. The argument is supported by analysing the participation of the associations in the production of the first poverty reports in the 1980s in both countries

ER import of small human presecretory proteins: components and mechanisms

Protein transport into the mammalian endoplasmic reticulum (ER) used to be seen as strictly cotranslational, that is temporarily and mechanistically coupled to protein synthesis. In the course of the last decades, however, several classes of precursors of soluble and membrane proteins were found to be post-translationally imported into the ER, without any involvement of the ribosome. The first such class to be identified were the small presecretory proteins; tail-anchored membrane proteins followed next. In both classes, the inherent address tag is released from the translating ribosome before the initiation of ER import, as part of the fully synthesized precursor. In small presecretory proteins, the information for ER targeting and -translocation via the polypeptide-conducting Sec61-channel is encoded by a classical N-terminal signal peptide, which is released from the ribsosome before targeting due to the small size of the full-length precursor. Here, we discuss the current state of research on targeting and translocation of small presecretory proteins into the mammalian ER. In closing, we present a unifying hypothesis for ER protein translocation in terms of an energy diagram for Sec61-channel gating

The Molecular Biodiversity of Protein Targeting and Protein Transport Related to the Endoplasmic Reticulum

Looking at the variety of the thousands of different polypeptides that have been focused on in the research on the endoplasmic reticulum from the last five decades taught us one humble lesson: no one size fits all. Cells use an impressive array of components to enable the safe transport of protein cargo from the cytosolic ribosomes to the endoplasmic reticulum. Safety during the transit is warranted by the interplay of cytosolic chaperones, membrane receptors, and protein translocases that together form functional networks and serve as protein targeting and translocation routes. While two targeting routes to the endoplasmic reticulum, SRP (signal recognition particle) and GET (guided entry of tail-anchored proteins), prefer targeting determinants at the N- and C-terminus of the cargo polypeptide, respectively, the recently discovered SND (SRP-independent) route seems to preferentially cater for cargos with non-generic targeting signals that are less hydrophobic or more distant from the termini. With an emphasis on targeting routes and protein translocases, we will discuss those functional networks that drive efficient protein topogenesis and shed light on their redundant and dynamic nature in health and disease

Identification of signal peptide features for substrate specificity in human Sec62/Sec63-dependent ER protein import

In mammalian cells, one‐third of all polypeptides are integrated into the membrane or translocated into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) via the Sec61 channel. While the Sec61 complex facilitates ER import of most precursor polypeptides, the Sec61‐associated Sec62/Sec63 complex supports ER import in a substrate‐specific manner. So far, mainly posttranslationally imported precursors and the two cotranslationally imported precursors of ERj3 and prion protein were found to depend on the Sec62/Sec63 complex in vitro. Therefore, we determined the rules for engagement of Sec62/Sec63 in ER import in intact human cells using a recently established unbiased proteomics approach. In addition to confirming ERj3, we identified 22 novel Sec62/Sec63 substrates under these in vivo‐like conditions. As a common feature, those previously unknown substrates share signal peptides (SP) with comparatively longer but less hydrophobic hydrophobic region of SP and lower carboxy‐terminal region of SP (C‐region) polarity. Further analyses with four substrates, and ERj3 in particular, revealed the combination of a slowly gating SP and a downstream translocation‐disruptive positively charged cluster of amino acid residues as decisive for the Sec62/Sec63 requirement. In the case of ERj3, these features were found to be responsible for an additional immunoglobulin heavy‐chain binding protein (BiP) requirement and to correlate with sensitivity toward the Sec61‐channel inhibitor CAM741. Thus, the human Sec62/Sec63 complex may support Sec61‐channel opening for precursor polypeptides with slowly gating SPs by direct interaction with the cytosolic amino‐terminal peptide of Sec61α or via recruitment of BiP and its interaction with the ER‐lumenal loop 7 of Sec61α. These novel insights into the mechanism of human ER protein import contribute to our understanding of the etiology of SEC63‐linked polycystic liver disease

The signal sequence influences post-translational ER translocation at distinct stages

The metazoan Sec61 translocon transports polypeptides into and across the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum via two major routes, a well-established co-translational pathway and a post-translational alternative. We have used two model substrates to explore the elements of a secretory protein precursor that preferentially direct it towards a co- or post-translational pathway for ER translocation. Having first determined the capacity of precursors to enter ER derived microsomes post-translationally, we then exploited semi-permeabilized mammalian cells specifically depleted of key membrane components using siRNA to address their contribution to the membrane translocation process. These studies suggest precursor chain length is a key factor in the post-translational translocation at the mammalian ER, and identify Sec62 and Sec63 as important components acting on this route. This role for Sec62 and Sec63 is independent of the signal sequence that delivers the precursor to the ER. However, the signal sequence can influence the subsequent membrane translocation process, conferring sensitivity to a small molecule inhibitor and dictating reliance on the molecular chaperone BiP. Our data support a model where secretory protein precursors that fail to engage the signal recognition particle, for example because they are short, are delivered to the ER membrane via a distinct route that is dependent upon both Sec62 and Sec63. Although this requirement for Sec62 and Sec63 is unaffected by the specific signal sequence that delivers a precursor to the ER, this region can influence subsequent events, including both Sec61 mediated transport and the importance of BiP for membrane translocation. Taken together, our data suggest that an ER signal sequence can regulate specific aspects of Sec61 mediated membrane translocation at a stage following Sec62/Sec63 dependent ER delivery.Nicholas Johnson, Sarah Haßdenteufel, Melanie Theis, Adrienne W. Paton, James C. Paton, Richard Zimmermann, Stephen Hig

Weiter in der Vorstellungsrunde: Sarah Haßdenteufel

Armut ist nicht neu – sie begleitet die Menschen schon immer und war nie verschwunden, auch nicht in Zeiten des Wohlstands und des wirtschaftlichen Wachstums. Trotzdem entdeckten Frankreich und die Bundesrepublik – so wie viele andere westeuropäische Länder – in der Zeit nach 1970 eine 'Neue Armut'. Wie es zu dieser Neuentdeckung, und generell zur politischen Wiederentdeckung der Armutsfrage nach langer Abwesenheit aus der öffentlichen Debatte kam, steht im Zentrum meiner Dissertation. Die Mö..

Weiter in der Vorstellungsrunde: Sarah Haßdenteufel

Armut ist nicht neu – sie begleitet die Menschen schon immer und war nie verschwunden, auch nicht in Zeiten des Wohlstands und des wirtschaftlichen Wachstums. Trotzdem entdeckten Frankreich und die Bundesrepublik – so wie viele andere westeuropäische Länder – in der Zeit nach 1970 eine 'Neue Armut'. Wie es zu dieser Neuentdeckung, und generell zur politischen Wiederentdeckung der Armutsfrage nach langer Abwesenheit aus der öffentlichen Debatte kam, steht im Zentrum meiner Dissertation. Die Mö..

Kolloquiumssitzung zum Thema „Soziale Ungleichheiten“ am ZZF Potsdam am 7. Mai 2015

Im Doktorandenkolloquium des Zentrums für Zeithistorische Forschung Potsdam (ZZF) stand am 7. Mai 2015 das Thema soziale Ungleichheiten im Fokus. Zwei Dissertationsprojekte zu diesem Thema wurden vorgestellt, kommentiert und diskutiert. Christopher Banditt (Universität Potsdam/ ZZF) stellte am Anfang der Sitzung sein Projekt mit dem Arbeitstitel „Soziale Ungleichheit in Ostdeutschland 1980-2000. Arbeitnehmerhaushalte im Umbruch“ vor. Dem Projekt liegt die Idee zugrunde, die sozioökonomische L..

Kolloquiumssitzung zum Thema „Soziale Ungleichheiten“ am ZZF Potsdam am 7. Mai 2015

Im Doktorandenkolloquium des Zentrums für Zeithistorische Forschung Potsdam (ZZF) stand am 7. Mai 2015 das Thema soziale Ungleichheiten im Fokus. Zwei Dissertationsprojekte zu diesem Thema wurden vorgestellt, kommentiert und diskutiert. Christopher Banditt (Universität Potsdam/ ZZF) stellte am Anfang der Sitzung sein Projekt mit dem Arbeitstitel „Soziale Ungleichheit in Ostdeutschland 1980-2000. Arbeitnehmerhaushalte im Umbruch“ vor. Dem Projekt liegt die Idee zugrunde, die sozioökonomische L..