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- Mycobacteriophage (3)
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- Dictyostelium discoideum (2)
- Nerve tissue proteins (2)
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- 2 4-Dinitrophenol (1)
- A process termed mechanotransduction. Through cell-ECM focal adhesions (1)
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- And polyacrylamide gels containing fluorescent beads. The mobility of integrin on the different substrates was assessed using fluorescent recovery after photo-bleaching (FRAP) and analyzed along with cell traction force measurements. These studies serve to further the understanding of our knowledge of integrin and its role in mechanotransduction and migration. It will (1)
- Angiogenesis (1)
- AngiognesisThe formation of new vasculature is an essential process (1)
- Antibiotic resistance (1)
- Apoptosis molecular aspects (1)
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Articles 1 - 30 of 58
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Investigation Of How A Kinesin-1 Mutation Affects The Synaptic Localization Of The Periactive Zone Protein Apt-4, Ian Harden
Honors College
Dysfunctional or loss of synaptic transmission is a major contributing factor to many neurological and neurodevelopmental diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease. To develop novel approaches to treating these diseases, understanding the structures and proteins related to synaptic development and function is essential. Within the synapse is the presynaptic site, containing the active and periactive zones, at which synaptic vesicles containing neurotransmitters are released. The active zone’s primary role is mediating neurotransmitter release via exocytosis, and the periactive zone sorts and recycles synaptic vesicles via endocytosis. However, how periactive zone proteins localize to the presynapse and how they interact with the …
On The Anti-Adipogenic Function Of Collagen Triple Helix Repeat-Containing Protein 1, Matthew E. Siviski
On The Anti-Adipogenic Function Of Collagen Triple Helix Repeat-Containing Protein 1, Matthew E. Siviski
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Adipogenesis is regulated by the coordinated activity of adipogenic transcription factors, including PPAR-gamma (PPARG) and C/EBP alpha (CEBPA). Thus, dysregulated adipogenesis predisposes adipose tissues to adipocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia. We have previously reported that mice possessing a homozygous null gene mutation in collagen triple helix repeat-containing protein 1 (CTHRC1) have increased adiposity compared to wildtype mice, supporting the concept that CTHRC1 regulates body composition. Herein, we investigated the anti-adipogenic activity of CTHRC1. Using 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, we showed significantly reduced adipogenic differentiation in the presence of CTHRC1 commensurate to marked suppression of Cebpa and Pparg gene expression. In addition, CTHRC1 increased …
Regulation Of Line-1 In Developing Oocytes And The Impact On The Ovarian Reserve, Rose Besen-Mcnally
Regulation Of Line-1 In Developing Oocytes And The Impact On The Ovarian Reserve, Rose Besen-Mcnally
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
In humans and mice, the ovarian reserve (OR) is established during a lengthy process that starts during early embryogenesis with germ cell specification and culminates in the first weeks after birth when primordial follicles (PF) are formed. OR establishment is an important process which influences the fertile lifespan and fecundity of the individual. Fetal oocyte attrition (FOA) has been identified as a critical developmental event that regulates how many oocytes survive and contribute to the final OR. In addition to FOA, OR size and quality also depend on efficiency of meiotic recombination. Chromosome asynapsis and unrepaired meiotic double-strand breaks (DSB) …
Computationally Modeling Dynamic Biological Systems, Katherine Jarvis
Computationally Modeling Dynamic Biological Systems, Katherine Jarvis
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Modeling biological systems furthers our understanding of dynamic relationships and helps us make predictions of the unknown properties of the system. The simple interplay between individual species in a dynamic environment over time can be modeled by equation-based modeling or agent- based modeling (ABM). Equation based modeling describes the change in species quantity using ordinary differential equations (ODE) and is dependent on the quantity of other species in the system as well as a predetermined rates of change. Unfortunately, this method of modeling does not model each individual agent in each species over time so individual dynamics are assumed to …
Hells And Prdm9 Form A Pioneer Complex To Open Chromatin At Meiotic Recombination Hotspots: A Technological Perspective, Catrina Spruce
Hells And Prdm9 Form A Pioneer Complex To Open Chromatin At Meiotic Recombination Hotspots: A Technological Perspective, Catrina Spruce
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Chromatin functions as a physical barrier regulating access to DNA, however pioneer factors are able to engage partial recognition motifs present within nucleosomal DNA to initiate access to specific DNA sequences. During spermatogenesis, genomic locations that become recombination hotspots are generally in regions of closed chromatin, or heterochromatin, before meiosis. However, in leptotene and zygotene stages of meiosis, PRDM9 marks nucleosomes at recombination hotspots with H3K4me3 and H3K36me3 and recruits other factors that deposit additional histone marks. Here I focus on the technological approaches by which we discovered that hotspots also transition from closed to open chromatin, dependent on the …
The Impact Of Natural Rubber As A Toughening Agent On The Strength, Degradability, And Toxicity Of An Algae-Based Bioplastic, Megan Driscoll
The Impact Of Natural Rubber As A Toughening Agent On The Strength, Degradability, And Toxicity Of An Algae-Based Bioplastic, Megan Driscoll
Honors College
With the growing attention on widespread plastic usage and its impact on the environment and human health, the need for sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics is more important than ever. One of the most promising solutions is bioplastics; however, current bioplastics struggle to compete with the material properties of petroleum- based plastics. Agar is a sustainable algae-derived hydrocolloid polysaccharide that can be used for bioplastics and biofilms. Despite promising characteristics, bioplastics made from agar are brittle. Common additives, such as the plasticizer glycerol, offset brittleness but sacrifice strength in return. This study looks at the impact of natural rubber as …
Characterizing Mab Cluster R Prophage Of Pathogen Mycobacterium Abscessus (Mab), Madeline Kimble
Characterizing Mab Cluster R Prophage Of Pathogen Mycobacterium Abscessus (Mab), Madeline Kimble
Honors College
Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab) is an emerging pathogen that can cause pulmonary, skin and disseminating infections. It is one of the most drug-resistant pathogens and infections typically result in high morbidity and mortality. Understanding mechanisms of antibiotic resistance is critical for developing more effective treatments. Prophage, integrated viral genomes, are known to contribute to bacterial virulence and antibiotic resistance, yet Mab prophages remain largely uncharacterized.My research aims to characterize the diversity of the novel cluster MabR prophage genomes. The Molloy lab has demonstrated that the prophage McProf increases mycobacterial resistance to antibiotics. Using the McProf prophage genome sequence, we probed the …
Examining The Function Of Protein Acyltransferase Via The Dhhc Domain Of The Paz5 Protein In The Organism Dictyostelium Discoideum, George M. Stuart-Ranchev
Examining The Function Of Protein Acyltransferase Via The Dhhc Domain Of The Paz5 Protein In The Organism Dictyostelium Discoideum, George M. Stuart-Ranchev
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Protein S-palmitoylation plays a crucial role in many biological systems. S-palmitoylation involves the post-translational attachment of palmitate to a cysteine residue through a reversible thioester linkage. S-Palmitoylation is used to modify both integral and membrane proteins, many of which are involved in intracellular trafficking, membrane localization, and signal transduction pathways. Intracellular palmitoylation is mediated by a family of protein acyltransferases (PATs). PAT mutations are associated with neurological diseases and cancer progression. Proteins in the PAT family are defined by the presence of a 51-amino acid cysteine-rich domain (CRD), which contains a highly conserved aspartate-histidine-histidine-cysteine (DHHC) motif. The …
Triclosan Disrupts Immune Cell Function By Depressing Ca2+ Influx Via Acidification Of The Cytoplasm, Suraj Sangroula
Triclosan Disrupts Immune Cell Function By Depressing Ca2+ Influx Via Acidification Of The Cytoplasm, Suraj Sangroula
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial agent that was effectively banned by the FDA from hand soaps in 2016, hospital soaps in 2017, and hand sanitizers in 2019; however, TCS can still be found in a few products. At consumer-relevant, non-cytotoxic doses, TCS inhibits the functions of both mitochondria and mast cells, a ubiquitous cell type. Via the store-operated Ca2+ entry mechanism utilized by many immune cells, mast cells undergo antigen-stimulated Ca2+ influx into the cytosol, for proper function. Previous work showed that TCS inhibits Ca2+ dynamics in mast cells, and here we show that TCS also inhibits …
The Potential For Dickeya Dianthicola To Be Vectored By Two Common Insect Pests Of Potatoes, Jonas K. Insinga
The Potential For Dickeya Dianthicola To Be Vectored By Two Common Insect Pests Of Potatoes, Jonas K. Insinga
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Dickeya dianthicola (Samson) causing blackleg and soft rot was first detected in potatoes grown in Maine in 2014. Previous work has suggested that insects, particularly aphids, may be able to vector bacteria in this genus between plants, but no conclusive work has been done to confirm this theory. In order to determine whether insect-mediated transmission is likely to occur in potato fields, two model potato pests common in Maine were used: the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decimlineata Say) and the green peach aphids (Myzus persicae Sulzer). Olfactometry and recruitment experiments evaluated if either insect discriminates between infected and …
Cpsa Protein-Protein Interactions In Group B Streptococcus, Ben Tero
Cpsa Protein-Protein Interactions In Group B Streptococcus, Ben Tero
Honors College
Group B Streptococcal (GBS) infections pose a great threat to mortality in neonates. Neonates are often exposed to GBS both before, during, and after delivery, which can cause a range of health problems including meningitis, sepsis, or stillbirth. One of the major virulence factors that contributes to the infectivity of the pathogen is the bacterial capsule. The capsule is a polysaccharide matrix surrounding the cell which helps in the evasion of host defenses, and penetration into normally sterile sites like the bloodstream. The highly conserved GBS protein CpsA has been shown to regulate expression of the capsule. The objective of …
Dynamic Regulation Of G-Protein Signaling, William C. Simke
Dynamic Regulation Of G-Protein Signaling, William C. Simke
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are involved in numerous signaling processes ranging from neuronal growth to immune cells tracking invaders. GPCR signaling plays a role in many human diseases and thus GPCRs are important drug targets. Yeast respond to mating pheromone using a GPCR signaling system homologous to those used in humans to polarize their cytoskeleton toward the pheromone source. This is accomplished by initializing a MAPK signaling cascade to arrest the cells in mitosis and upregulate expression of chemotropic proteins. Pathway desensitization is accomplished by the Regulator of G-protein Signaling (RGS). RGS abrogates signaling by binding to the active GPCR, …
Cellular And Molecular Mechanisms Of Mapk Signaling During Jc Polyomavirus Infection, Jeanne Dushane
Cellular And Molecular Mechanisms Of Mapk Signaling During Jc Polyomavirus Infection, Jeanne Dushane
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
As obligate intracellular parasites, viruses must infect a host-cell and requisition cellular machinery for viral replication. JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) is a ubiquitous human pathogen that can cause a lytic infection in glial cells of the central nervous system in immunocompromised individuals. In order to initiate infection however, the virus must alter prototypical cellular processes that promote cellular homeostasis. The main driver of these processes are signaling pathways, the means by which the cell interacts and responds to the extracellular environment. Many signaling cascades are responsible for promoting growth, responding to pathogens, initiating differentiation, or inducing cell death. Through the works …
Determining The Key Residues For Capsule Production In The Gbs Cpsa Protein, Anna Struba
Determining The Key Residues For Capsule Production In The Gbs Cpsa Protein, Anna Struba
Honors College
Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) is a common bacterium found commensally in the vaginal mucosa of healthy adults. GBS also causes severe infection in neonates, often leading to meningitis, which can cause lifelong health consequences including impaired hearing and seizures. Infection of newborns mainly arises from a colonized mother, either before birth through ascending infection or during labor. Ascending infection, where the bacteria travel to the fetus from the vaginal mucosa, is especially concerning as it can lead to loss of pregnancy or premature birth. The most common method of neonatal GBS disease prevention is antibiotic prophylaxis during delivery, though this method …
Genomic And Proteomic Effects Of Red Raspberry (Rubus Idaeus) Consumption On The Perivascular Adipose Tissue Of The Obese Zucker Rat, A Model Of Human Metabolic Syndrome, Jasmine Waite
Honors College
The Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) affects 35% of U.S. adults and is an indicator of early death. While pharmacological treatments have been developed for the majority of MetS risk factors, obesity-induced inflammation remains to be addressed. Dysfunctional adipose tissue is a source of inflammation, and perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is critical in its pathogenesis. This study investigates the effects of red raspberry (rubus idaeus) diet-enrichment on inflammation of PVAT. The obese Zucker rat (OZR) model of MetS and the lean Zucker rat (LZR) control (C) model were used. Rats received an eight-week control or whole red raspberry-enriched (WRR) diet …
Finalizing The Genome Annotation Of Model Cluster E Mycobacteriophage Ukulele Via Rna-Seq Analysis, Jackson R. Foley
Finalizing The Genome Annotation Of Model Cluster E Mycobacteriophage Ukulele Via Rna-Seq Analysis, Jackson R. Foley
Honors College
Mycobacteriophage (phage) are viruses that infect bacteria of the genus Mycobacterium, including pathogenic M. tuberculosis and non-pathogenic M. smegmatis. Temperate phages are capable of undergoing both lytic and lysogenic infection. In lytic infections, phage lyse the host cell after replication. In lysogenic infection, the phage integrates its genome into the host genome (prophage) and replicates with the host. All pathogenic strains of Mycobacterium carry prophage that potentially contribute to host virulence and fitness. Formation and maintenance of these prophage is not well understood, particularly for cluster E phage. This project characterizes gene product (gp) 53, a potential Cro-like …
Detrital Protein Contributes To Oyster Nutrition And Growth In The Damariscotta Estuary, Maine, Usa, Cheyenne M. Adams
Detrital Protein Contributes To Oyster Nutrition And Growth In The Damariscotta Estuary, Maine, Usa, Cheyenne M. Adams
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Oyster aquaculture is an expanding industry that relies on identifying and utilizing natural estuarine conditions for the economically viable production of a filter-feeding crop. The eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, is the principal species currently cultured in Maine. In addition to preferentially consumed phytoplankton, various detrital complexes (non-algal and/or non-living organic matter) may provide some nutrition to C. virginica between times of phytoplankton abundance. Here I investigated the importance of detrital proteins in supporting the growth of oysters cultured in the upper Damariscotta Estuary. Oyster aquaculture in this area is highly successful and previous reports indicate that labile detrital protein …
Identification Of Tnfaip8l1 Binding Partners Through Co-Immunoprecipitation And Mass Spectrometry, Audrey Hoyle
Identification Of Tnfaip8l1 Binding Partners Through Co-Immunoprecipitation And Mass Spectrometry, Audrey Hoyle
Honors College
The expanded understanding of the gene families and mechanisms governing tumorigenesis pathways has enormous potential for improving current cancer therapies and patient prognoses. One such gene family that participates in the regulation of tumorigenesis is the tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 8 (TNFAIP8) gene family, which is comprised of four members: TNFAIP8, TNFAIP8L1, TNFAIP8L2, and TNFAIP8L3. The TNFAIP8L1 gene is thought to function as a tumor suppressor, but the mechanisms by which it exerts this function have yet to be elucidated. We hypothesize that the TNFAIP8L1 protein acts as a tumor suppressor through protein-protein …
Determining The Role Of Saly In Streptococcus Pyogenes Immune Evasion Using Fluorescence Microscopy, Taaniel Kiidli
Determining The Role Of Saly In Streptococcus Pyogenes Immune Evasion Using Fluorescence Microscopy, Taaniel Kiidli
Honors College
Streptococcus pyogenes, the etiologic agent for several life-threatening invasive diseases, utilizes numerous mechanisms to evade the host immune response and establish a successful infection causing a significant source of morbidity and mortality risks for patients. The bacterium is known to cause necrotizing fasciitis in both humans and zebrafish, with extensive necrotic damage to tissues but surprisingly lacking in an inflammatory response for a systemic infection. This suggests that the recruitment of inflammatory cells to the site of infection is inhibited. To observe this in real-time, we used the zebrafish model of Streptococcal pathogenesis to analyze immune cell recruitment in …
Defining The Role Of Ip3r-Medicated Er Calcium Flux In Jc Polyomavirus Infection, Ashley N. Soucy
Defining The Role Of Ip3r-Medicated Er Calcium Flux In Jc Polyomavirus Infection, Ashley N. Soucy
Honors College
The human JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) persists as an asymptomatic infection in the kidneys of healthy individuals within the majority of the global population. Viral infection of JCPyV is established through peroral transmission due to poor sanitary practices. In severely immunocompromised individuals, JCPyV migrates to the central nervous system (CNS), resulting in the fatal and incurable demyelinating disease progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Virus-host cell interactions regulate infectious processes and influence viral pathogenesis. JCPyV attachment to host cells is mediated by α2,6-linked LSTc while internalization is mediated by 5-hydroxytryptamine serotonin type 2 receptors (5-HT2Rs). Activation of 5-HT2Rs can …
Water Chemistry Dynamics In Four Vernal Pools In Maine, Usa, Lydia H. Kifner
Water Chemistry Dynamics In Four Vernal Pools In Maine, Usa, Lydia H. Kifner
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Vernal pools are small seasonal wetlands that are a common landscape feature that contribute to biodiversity in northeastern North American forests. However, even basic information about their biogeochemical functions, such as carbon cycling, is limited. Dissolved gas concentrations (CH4, CO2) and other water chemistry parameters were monitored weekly at the bottom and surface of four vernal pools in central and eastern Maine, USA, from April to August 2016. The vernal pools were supersaturated with respect to CH4 and CO2 at all sampling dates and locations. Concentrations of dissolved CH4 and CO2 ranged …
The Effects Of Mercury Exposure On The Cytochrome C Oxidase 1 Gene Of Larval Dragonflies, Megan C. Little
The Effects Of Mercury Exposure On The Cytochrome C Oxidase 1 Gene Of Larval Dragonflies, Megan C. Little
Honors College
Mercury is an environmental pollutant; its most toxic form is methylmercury. Once mercury is converted to methylmercury in a body of water it is able to bioaccumulate in organisms and biomagnify up the food chain. Mercury is able to cause DNA damage through the generation of free radicals and binding to sulfhydryl groups of cysteines in zinc finger DNA binding domains, inhibiting DNA repair machinery. In this study the potential mutagenic effects of mercury were investigated on larval dragonflies (Odonta: Anisoptera) collected from national parks across the United States. Since mercury is a known mutagen it was hypothesized that the …
Investigating The Mechanism Of Jc Polyomavirus Endocytosis, Conner Robert Lajoie
Investigating The Mechanism Of Jc Polyomavirus Endocytosis, Conner Robert Lajoie
Honors College
The majority of the human population is infected with JC polyomavirus (JCPyV), which establishes an asymptomatic infection in the kidney of healthy individuals. In immunosuppressed individuals, the virus spreads to the brain and attacks glial cells, causing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a fatal demyelinating disease. With limited treatments available, an improved understanding of the virus-host cell interactions during JCPyV infection is crucial for developing effective PML therapies. JCPyV internalization into host cells requires the serotonin 5- hydroxytryptamine type 2 (5-HT2) receptors. The mechanism by which the 5-HT2Rs mediate viral entry has not yet been characterized, yet it is thought to …
A Biochemical Approach To Define The Interactome For Calpain2 In Endothelial Cells, Dorothy E. Croall Phd, Jordan R. Hoffman Ms, Calvin Ph Vary Phd, Sharon L. Ashworth Phd, Billy R. Chase, Jay Beaudoin Ii
A Biochemical Approach To Define The Interactome For Calpain2 In Endothelial Cells, Dorothy E. Croall Phd, Jordan R. Hoffman Ms, Calvin Ph Vary Phd, Sharon L. Ashworth Phd, Billy R. Chase, Jay Beaudoin Ii
Molecular & Biomedical Sciences Faculty Scholarship
Current repositories for protein-protein interactions and high throughput screening methods focus on individual gene products and do not consider the significance of calcium induced conformational changes. These limitations suggest the need for alternative strategies to better define the calpain2 interactome. Affinity capture coupled with LC-MS/MS and proteomic analysis of the recovered proteins provides a powerful approach to identify protein-protein interactions for the heterodimeric calpain2. CAPN2 (rat) was modified to be catalytically incompetent (C105A) and fused with a C-terminal 15 residue peptide optimized for biotinylation by the biotin protein ligase, BirA. The resulting CAPN2*, heterodimerized with truncated CAPNS1, was purified from …
Regulation Of Microrna-199 Upon Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Infection In Zebrafish, Eliot Rivers Gagné
Regulation Of Microrna-199 Upon Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Infection In Zebrafish, Eliot Rivers Gagné
Honors College
The innate immune response is vital in an organism’s ability to fight infection. Aspects of the innate immune response including inflammation, phagocyte populations, and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) must be closely regulated in order to effectively eliminate pathogenic entities. Dysregulation of the innate immune response can cause various pathologies, including chronic infection, autoimmunity, and cancer. Recent studies have shown that microRNAs (miRs) play a regulatory and “fine-tuning” role in the innate immune system of the Zebrafish.99 We have found that the expression of miR-199 is significantly upregulated upon stimulation of the Zebrafish innate immune system with …
Characterization Of The Mycobacteriophage Ukulele Integration System; Identification Of Integration Site Attp And The Role Of The Integrase In Lysogeny Regulation, Emily E. Whitaker
Characterization Of The Mycobacteriophage Ukulele Integration System; Identification Of Integration Site Attp And The Role Of The Integrase In Lysogeny Regulation, Emily E. Whitaker
Honors College
Mycobacteriophage (phage) are a group of viruses that infect bacteria in the genus Mycobacterium. Two phage lifestyles are lytic and temperate. Lytic phage only carry out the lytic life cycle, resulting in host cell lysis. Temperate phage are capable of completing both lytic and lysogenic life cycles. During the lysogenic life cycle, a phage-encoded integrase facilitates integration at sites attP in the phage genome and attB in the host to form a lysogen. The cluster E mycobacteriophage integration system is poorly understood. Ukulele, a lysogenic cluster E phage, is being used to identify the Cluster E attP and characterize lysogeny …
How Does 2,4-Dinitrophenol Compare To Triclosan As A Mitochondrial Uncoupler?, Erik Gerson
How Does 2,4-Dinitrophenol Compare To Triclosan As A Mitochondrial Uncoupler?, Erik Gerson
Honors College
2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP) is a well-documented mitochondrial uncoupler that was widely used as a dieting drug in the 1930’s. It was later banned in 1938 due its negative side effects which included extreme weight loss, the formation of cataracts, skin rashes, and death. Triclosan (TCS) is a common antimicrobial agent that is a component in soaps, toothpastes, and other household products. In addition to its antimicrobial role, TCS has been found to alleviate skin inflammation and dermatitis. However, TCS has also been linked to several health issues including increased cases of asthma and allergy, developmental problems, and decreased fertility. Previous studies …
Characterization Of Transcriptional Control Elements In Cluster E Mycobacteriophage Ukulele, Campbell Belisle Haley
Characterization Of Transcriptional Control Elements In Cluster E Mycobacteriophage Ukulele, Campbell Belisle Haley
Honors College
Mycobacteriophage (phage) are a diverse group of viruses that infect Mycobacterium. Their study allows further understanding of viral evolution and genetics. Phage tightly control gene expression and transcribe their genes using host RNA polymerases. This project identifies potential transcriptional control elements in the genome of mycobacteriophage Ukulele. Promoters are sequences of the genome that allow binding of RNA polymerase and initiation of transcription. 21 putative promoters were identified in the Ukulele genome. To confirm transcriptional activity from putative promoters, a GFP reporter system was developed in mycobacterial cells. Intrinsic terminators are mRNA sequences that form secondary structure during transcription …
Investigating The Effects Of Particulate Hexavalent Chromium On The Centriole Linkers, Julieta Martino
Investigating The Effects Of Particulate Hexavalent Chromium On The Centriole Linkers, Julieta Martino
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Particulate hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) compounds are human lung carcinogens. However, their carcinogenicity is poorly understood. The best model for Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis involves the acquisition of structural and numerical chromosome instability (CIN). Many mechanisms contribute to CIN. Among these, centrosomes play a pivotal role because they dictate proper segregation of chromosomes during cell division. Cr(VI) causes centrosome amplification, a phenotype where cells have extra centrosomes and hence can undergo unequal distribution of chromosomes resulting in CIN. How Cr(VI) induces these abnormalities is unknown. Moreover, whether Cr(VI)-induced centrosome amplification is a permanent phenotypic change is also unknown. This work investigates the permanence …
Complete Annotations Of The Cluster E Mycobacteriophage Ukulele Genome And Characterization Of Cluster E Lysogeny Regulation, Gwendolyn M. Beacham
Complete Annotations Of The Cluster E Mycobacteriophage Ukulele Genome And Characterization Of Cluster E Lysogeny Regulation, Gwendolyn M. Beacham
Honors College
Mycobacteriophages (phages) are diverse and abundant viruses that infect species of the genus Mycobacterium. Mycobacteriophages are categorized into clusters based primarily on nucleotide similarity (18). Some clusters are well-characterized, while others, such as Cluster E, are poorly characterized (20). There are 54 members of Cluster E (39) including the phage Ukulele that was isolated at the University of Maine in 2011. This thesis is aimed towards characterizing Cluster E phages using Ukulele as a model. Cluster E phages have long tails of approximately 300 nm and they produce slightly turbid plaques on a lawn of Mycobacterium smegmatis. Putative …