Life Sciences Commons^™

Feronia-Related Receptor Kinase 7 And Feronia And Their Role In Receiving And Transducing Signals, David Vyshedsky

Masters Theses

Receptor kinases (RKs) are transmembrane proteins that have been shown to regulate an array of important processes in A. thaliana, including polar cell growth, plant reproduction, and many other plant growth processes. In this thesis, I examine RECEPTOR KINASE 7 (RK7) and FERONIA (FER), two closely related transmembrane RKs, and their effects on plant reproduction. The RK7 gene when knocked out (rk7) in conjunction with FER resulted in delayed plant growth, decreased seed yield, and a lower percentage of the seeds germinating as compared to the single FER knockout. Transgenic plants with GUS reporter driven by RK7 promoter …

Exploring The Influence Of Pkc-Theta Phosphorylation On Notch1 Activation And T Helper Cell Differentiation, Grace Trombley

Masters Theses

The T cell-specific kinase, Protein Kinase C theta (PKCq) is essential to T cell activation and differentiation. PKCq integrates T cell receptor (TCR) and CD28 signaling, and ultimately activates transcription factors necessary for full T cell activation, proliferation, survival, and differentiation into T helper (Th) subsets. Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg cells compose the four major lineages of T helper cells, differentiated from CD4 T cells, and each have different requirements for PKCq.

PKCq, itself, is regulated through phosphorylation of specific resides, including tyrosine (Y)90 and threonine (T)538. Following T cell stimulation, PKCq is phosphorylated on Y90 by the kinase, …

Investigating The Role Of Rna-Binding Protein 5 In The Life Cycle Differentiation Of Trypanosoma Brucei, David Anaguano Pillajo

Masters Theses

Trypanosomatid parasites such as Trypanosoma brucei have unusual mechanisms of gene expression including polycistronic transcription, mitochondrial RNA editing and trans-splicing. Additionally, these protists rely mainly on post-transcriptional regulation where RNA-binding proteins (RBP) have shown to play a major role. RBP6 and RBP10 are two examples of RBPs that play crucial roles in procyclic and bloodstream form parasites differentiation respectively, by post-transcriptional regulation. Over-expression of RBP6 is enough to promote differentiation into metacyclic trypomastigotes that are infective to mice. However, continuous expression is required, and this pattern does not reflect the natural expression in the tsetse fly or the influence of …

In Vitro S-Glutathionylation Of S-Nitrosoglutathione Reductase From Arabidopsis Thaliana And Phenotype Determination Of Sensitive To Formaldehyde 1 Knockout Strains Of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Ian Truebridge

Masters Theses

Cells are constantly exposed to different stresses – one being redox stress, which is induced by metal, reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species. S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) helps modulate redox stress by two different mechanisms – either by reducing S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) to oxidized glutathione (GSSG) or by oxidizing hydroxymethyl glutathione (HMGSH), a biproduct of glutathione and formaldehyde, to formic acid. GSNO has the potential to posttranslational modify proteins in two different manners, either by S-nitrosation or by S-glutathionylation. Interestingly, GSNOR can be modified by its substrate GSNO, either by S-nitrosation, which has previously been reported, or, as discussed in this …

Enhancement Of Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry Detection Of Dopamine With Tryptophan, Sarah E. Thompson

Masters Theses

Dysregulation of dopamine release is a pathological effect of common neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) has been used as an analytical tool to investigate the role of dopamine in these diseases, and in relation to drug addiction and reward behavior. Methods to improve the sensitivity of FSCV have involved modifying the surface of the carbon electrodes used for dopamine detection, altering the potential waveform, and changing the structure of the carbon sensor. Here, the amino acid tryptophan was investigated as a potential surface modification for increased dopamine detection. This study serves as …

Comparative Toxicology Of Nio And Ni(Oh)₂ Nanoparticles, Melissa Hope Cambre

Masters Theses

“Understanding the potential toxicity of nanoparticles (NPs) is important to ensure that these new products do not impose harmful effects to human and environmental health. Paper I is a literature review in which we discuss characteristics of nanomaterials, with an emphasis on transition metal oxide nanoparticles that influence cytotoxicity. Identification of those properties may lead to the design of more efficient and safer nanosized products for various industrial purposes and provide guidance for assessment of human and environmental health risk. We then investigate biochemical and molecular mechanisms of cytotoxicity that include oxidative stress-induced cellular events and alteration of the pathways …