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Physical Sciences and Mathematics

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University at Albany, State University of New York

Theses/Dissertations

2011

Crystalline lens

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Biophysical Investigations Of The Molecular Basis Of Cataract Associated With The R76s Mutation In Human Gammad-Crystallin, Vurghun Ahmadov Jan 2011

Biophysical Investigations Of The Molecular Basis Of Cataract Associated With The R76s Mutation In Human Gammad-Crystallin, Vurghun Ahmadov

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Cataract disease results when the eye lens becomes opaque and scatters a significant part of the incoming light into the eye. The lens contains very high concentrations of the lens proteins, called crystallins, which are present at concentrations comparable to those found in protein crystals (about 400-600 mg/mL). Chemical modifications of the crystallins, such as oxidation and deamidation, or genetic mutations are known to result in increased light-scattering in vitro, and are implicated in cataract formation in vivo. Here we present the in vitro work on a mutant protein of human gammaD crystallin (HGD), namely R76S (i.e. Arg 76 to …


Homologous And Heterologous Crystallin Protein Interactions As The Molecular Basis Of Inherited Cataract, Priya Ranjan Banerjee Jan 2011

Homologous And Heterologous Crystallin Protein Interactions As The Molecular Basis Of Inherited Cataract, Priya Ranjan Banerjee

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Age-related cataract is the most common cause of blindness worldwide. Nearly fifty percent of Americans above the age of 75 are diagnosed with this disease (http://www.nei.nih.gov/eyedata/pbd_tables.asp), and surgical intervention is the sole method of treatment at present (http://www.nei.nih.gov/healthyvision/objective/cataracts.asp). In the developing world, even this treatment is not readily available. These are compelling reasons to search for better treatments to delay, prevent or arrest cataract formation. Recent evidence suggests that age-related cataracts also have a genetic component. Therefore, determining the mechanisms underlying genetic cataracts with a known association to a protein-mutation is one important strategy towards understanding the molecular basis for …