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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Biophysical Insights Into Peptide And Alcohol Perturbations On Biomimetic Membranes, Michael Hai Nguen
Biophysical Insights Into Peptide And Alcohol Perturbations On Biomimetic Membranes, Michael Hai Nguen
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Biological membranes exist in every domain of life. Life exists due to the presence of these special structures for which we take for granted. They are composed of fatty lipids and workhorse proteins and act as the premier interface of biological processes. Due to the sheer quantity and complexity within their thin boundary, studying their actions and properties pose challenges to researchers. As a result, simplified biomembrane mimics are employed regularly. We will use several types of biomembrane mimics to understand fundamental properties of membranes. In the present thesis, we also attempt to move beyond the canonical structure-based theories upon …
Temperature And Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid’S Effect On Daphnia Magna Reproduction, Mark Albright
Temperature And Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid’S Effect On Daphnia Magna Reproduction, Mark Albright
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organisms adapt to their environments by adjusting their biochemistry and physiology; such adaptation is limited by resource availability and physiological constraints. The freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna inhabits a wide range of environments and must survive and reproduce within a range of temperatures. One limit to low-temperature adaptation is thought to be the availability of unsaturated fatty acids necessary to maintain proper fluidity of cellular membranes. D. magna maintained at 10 ºC on a diet poor in unsaturated fatty acids have been observed to produce clutches that fail to develop. However, this has not been observed on a diet rich in …
Role Of Microrna-21 In Atherogenesis., Rihab Hamed-Berair
Role Of Microrna-21 In Atherogenesis., Rihab Hamed-Berair
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) is an evolutionarily conserved microRNA, abundant in most cardiovascular tissues. It has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several cardiovascular diseases including restenosis, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. However, little is known about the contribution of miR-21 in atherosclerosis. My data show that expression of miR-21 is increased by >1.5-fold in murine atherosclerotic lesions and by 1.5-2.0-fold in the macrophages of Western diet (WD)-fed LDLR-KO mice (for 12-20 weeks). In vitro, LDL, oxidized LDL, acetylated LDL and LPS induced miR-21 by 2-4-fold and down-regulated its target protein, PDCD4, in bone marrow-derived macrophages. Basally, macrophages isolated from miR-21-KO …
Development Of A Biosensor For Investigating Membrane Curvature Sorting, Joshua C. Black
Development Of A Biosensor For Investigating Membrane Curvature Sorting, Joshua C. Black
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The physical structure of cellular membranes plays a critical role in lipid and protein sorting. A novel biosensor was developed to probe the influence of curvature on sorting. This biosensor mimics large, two-dimensional membranes in dynamic equilibrium, achieves high spatial resolution between curvature and molecules of interest, and has high sensitivity, enough for single particle detection. The biosensor consists of continuous supported lipid bilayer formed over nanoparticles (40 to 200 nm diameter) deposited on a glass substrate. The nanoparticles determine the extent of curvature. This biosensor is the first to observe large-scale 2-dimensional diffusion of biomolecules on a supported lipid …
A Characterization Of Extractable, Hydroxylated Fatty Acid Bearing Components In Legionella Pneumophila, Jonathan R. Lane
A Characterization Of Extractable, Hydroxylated Fatty Acid Bearing Components In Legionella Pneumophila, Jonathan R. Lane
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Extraction of the lipids of Legionella pneumophila yields phases unlike those produced from other Gram-negative bacteria. A viscous interface forms between the aqueous (wash) and organic phases. More than half of the hydroxylated fatty acids were found distributed between the aqueous phase and the interfacial material, fractions in which such constituents have not been reported in other Gram-negative species. It was further observed that after the material from the aqueous/interfacial phase was dissolved in methanol or chloroform/methanol (2:1 (V/V)), the addition of acetone would create a white, flocculent precipitate. Analyses showed that the supernatant contained fatty acids that were nonhydroxylated …