Enhancing Classroom Management Skills: Efficacy of a Supplemental Multi-Platform Intervention for Preservice Teachers

Many teachers are ill-prepared to apply practices that can both preempt and address challenging behaviors that interfere with academic instruction. We evaluated the efficacy of a supplemental multi-platform (direct instruction, guided practice, and mixed reality simulations) intervention designed for preservice teachers who do not have opportunities to participate in formal classroom management courses. Efficacy of the intervention was assessed through the quality of classroom management plans, the presentation and implementation of the plan in the virtual classroom, and classroom management self-efficacy. Results indicated that preservice teachers successfully developed quality proactive classroom management plans but struggled to present and implement their plans. However, self-efficacy increased indicating that participants believed they were better able to manage classroom behavior than they did prior to the intervention. Implications of these outcomes are discussed with an emphasis on how adequate opportunities to practice acquired classroom management skills are included in budget-challenged teacher preparation programs

Thiophene antibacterials that allosterically stabilize DNA-cleavage complexes with DNA gyrase

A paucity of novel acting antibacterials is in development to treat the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance, particularly in Gram-negative hospital pathogens, which has led to renewed efforts in antibiotic drug discovery. Fluoroquinolones are broad-spectrum antibacterials that target DNA gyrase by stabilizing DNA-cleavage complexes, but their clinical utility has been compromised by resistance. We have identified a class of antibacterial thiophenes that target DNA gyrase with a unique mechanism of action and have activity against a range of bacterial pathogens, including strains resistant to fluoroquinolones. Although fluoroquinolones stabilize double-stranded DNA breaks, the antibacterial thiophenes stabilize gyrase-mediated DNA-cleavage complexes in either one DNA strand or both DNA strands. X-ray crystallography of DNA gyrase–DNA complexes shows the compounds binding to a protein pocket between the winged helix domain and topoisomerase-primase domain, remote from the DNA. Mutations of conserved residues around this pocket affect activity of the thiophene inhibitors, consistent with allosteric inhibition of DNA gyrase. This druggable pocket provides potentially complementary opportunities for targeting bacterial topoisomerases for antibiotic development

Structural basis of DNA gyrase inhibition by antibacterial QPT-1, anticancer drug etoposide and moxifloxacin

New antibacterials are needed to tackle antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Type IIA topoisomerases (topo2As), the targets of fluoroquinolones, regulate DNA topology by creating transient double-strand DNA breaks. Here we report the first co-crystal structures of the antibacterial QPT-1 and the anticancer drug etoposide with Staphylococcus aureus DNA gyrase, showing binding at the same sites in the cleaved DNA as the fluoroquinolone moxifloxacin. Unlike moxifloxacin, QPT-1 and etoposide interact with conserved GyrB TOPRIM residues rationalizing why QPT-1 can overcome fluoroquinolone resistance. Our data show etoposide’s antibacterial activity is due to DNA gyrase inhibition and suggests other anticancer agents act similarly. Analysis of multiple DNA gyrase co-crystal structures, including asymmetric cleavage complexes, led to a ‘pair of swing-doors’ hypothesis in which the movement of one DNA segment regulates cleavage and religation of the second DNA duplex. This mechanism can explain QPT-1’s bacterial specificity. Structure-based strategies for developing topo2A antibacterials are suggested

Comparative Genomics of Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains with Different Antibiotic Resistance Profiles▿†

There is a global emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, a Gram-negative enteric bacterium that causes nosocomial and urinary tract infections. While the epidemiology of K. pneumoniae strains and occurrences of specific antibiotic resistance genes, such as plasmid-borne extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), have been extensively studied, only four complete genomes of K. pneumoniae are available. To better understand the multidrug resistance factors in K. pneumoniae, we determined by pyrosequencing the nearly complete genome DNA sequences of two strains with disparate antibiotic resistance profiles, broadly drug-susceptible strain JH1 and strain 1162281, which is resistant to multiple clinically used antibiotics, including extended-spectrum β-lactams, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, trimethoprim, and sulfamethoxazoles. Comparative genomic analysis of JH1, 1162281, and other published K. pneumoniae genomes revealed a core set of 3,631 conserved orthologous proteins, which were used for reconstruction of whole-genome phylogenetic trees. The close evolutionary relationship between JH1 and 1162281 relative to other K. pneumoniae strains suggests that a large component of the genetic and phenotypic diversity of clinical isolates is due to horizontal gene transfer. Using curated lists of over 400 antibiotic resistance genes, we identified all of the elements that differentiated the antibiotic profile of MDR strain 1162281 from that of susceptible strain JH1, such as the presence of additional efflux pumps, ESBLs, and multiple mechanisms of fluoroquinolone resistance. Our study adds new and significant DNA sequence data on K. pneumoniae strains and demonstrates the value of whole-genome sequencing in characterizing multidrug resistance in clinical isolates

Variable Sensitivity to Bacterial Methionyl-tRNA Synthetase Inhibitors Reveals Subpopulations of Streptococcus pneumoniae with Two Distinct Methionyl-tRNA Synthetase Genes

As reported previously (J. R. Jarvest et al., J. Med. Chem. 45:1952-1962, 2002), potent inhibitors (at nanomolar concentrations) of Staphylococcus aureus methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetS; encoded by metS1) have been derived from a high-throughput screening assay hit. Optimized compounds showed excellent activities against staphylococcal and enterococcal pathogens. We report on the bimodal susceptibilities of S. pneumoniae strains, a significant fraction of which was found to be resistant (MIC, ≥8 mg/liter) to these inhibitors. Using molecular genetic techniques, we have found that the mechanism of resistance is the presence of a second, distantly related MetS enzyme, MetS2, encoded by metS2. We present evidence that the metS2 gene is necessary and sufficient for resistance to MetS inhibitors. PCR analysis for the presence of metS2 among a large sample (n = 315) of S. pneumoniae isolates revealed that it is widespread geographically and chronologically, occurring at a frequency of about 46%. All isolates tested also contained the metS1 gene. Searches of public sequence databases revealed that S. pneumoniae MetS2 was most similar to MetS in Bacillus anthracis, followed by MetS in various non-gram-positive bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic species, with streptococcal MetS being considerably less similar. We propose that the presence of metS2 in specific strains of S. pneumoniae is the result of horizontal gene transfer which has been driven by selection for resistance to some unknown class of naturally occurring antibiotics with similarities to recently reported synthetic MetS inhibitors

Cotargeting MNK and MEK kinases induces the regression of NF1-mutant cancers

Neurofibromin 1-mutant (NF1-mutant) cancers are driven by excessive Ras signaling; however, there are currently no effective therapies for these or other Ras-dependent tumors. While combined MEK and mTORC1 suppression causes regression of NF1-deficient malignancies in animal models, the potential toxicity of cotargeting these 2 major signaling pathways in humans may necessitate the identification of more refined, cancer-specific signaling nodes. Here, we have provided evidence that MAPK-interacting kinases (MNKs), which converge on the mTORC1 effector eIF4E, are therapeutic targets in NF1-deficient malignancies. Specifically, we evaluated primary human NF1-deficient peripheral nervous system tumors and found that MNKs are activated in the majority of tumors tested. Genetic and chemical suppression of MNKs in NF1-deficient murine tumor models and human cell lines potently cooperated with MEK inhibitors to kill these cancers through effects on eIF4E. We also demonstrated that MNK kinases are important and direct targets of cabozantinib. Accordingly, coadministration of cabozantinib and MEK inhibitors triggered dramatic regression in an aggressive genetically engineered tumor model. The cytotoxicity of this combination required the suppression of MNK-induced eIF4E phosphorylation and was not recapitulated by suppressing other cabozantinib targets. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that combined MNK and MEK suppression represents a promising therapeutic strategy for these incurable Ras-driven tumors and highlight the utility of developing selective MNK inhibitors for these and possibly other malignancies.status: publishe

mTOR and HDAC Inhibitors Converge on the TXNIP/Thioredoxin Pathway to Cause Catastrophic Oxidative Stress and Regression of RAS-Driven Tumors

Although agents that inhibit specific oncogenic kinases have been successful in a subset of cancers, there are currently few treatment options for malignancies that lack a targetable oncogenic driver. Nevertheless, during tumor evolution cancers engage a variety of protective pathways, which may provide alternative actionable dependencies. Here, we identify a promising combination therapy that kills NF1-mutant tumors by triggering catastrophic oxidative stress. Specifically, we show that mTOR and HDAC inhibitors kill aggressive nervous system malignancies and shrink tumors in vivo by converging on the TXNIP/thioredoxin antioxidant pathway, through cooperative effects on chromatin and transcription. Accordingly, TXNIP triggers cell death by inhibiting thioredoxin and activating apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1). Moreover, this drug combination also kills NF1-mutant and KRAS-mutant non-small cell lung cancers. Together, these studies identify a promising therapeutic combination for several currently untreatable malignancies and reveal a protective nodal point of convergence between these important epigenetic and oncogenic enzymes. SIGNIFICANCE: There are no effective therapies for NF1- or RAS-mutant cancers. We show that combined mTOR/HDAC inhibitors kill these RAS-driven tumors by causing catastrophic oxidative stress. This study identifies a promising therapeutic combination and demonstrates that selective enhancement of oxidative stress may be more broadly exploited for developing cancer therapies. (C) 2017 AACR