Life Sciences Commons^™

Netrin-3 Peptide (C-19) Is A Chemorepellent And A Growth Inhibitor In Tetrahymena Thermophila, Jennifer N. Felzien, Brandon R. Kalb, Bethany C. Khol, Katelyn R. Malik, Matthew S. Merical, Lois Parks, David Paulding, Shannon Rappaport, Kenneth W. Ward, Heather G. Kuruvilla

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

The netrins are a family of signaling proteins expressed throughout the animal kingdom. Netrins play important roles in developmental processes such as axonal guidance and angiogenesis. Netrin-1, for example, can act as either a chemoattractant or a chemorepellent for axonal growth cones depending upon the concentration of the protein as well as the cell type. Netrin-1 acts as a growth factor in some mammalian cell types and is also expressed by some tumor cells. Netrin-3 appears to share some signaling apparatus with netrin-1, but is less widely expressed, and its physiological roles are much less understood. Netrin-3 is also used …

Immunolocalization Of A Netrin-3 Like Peptide In Tetrahymena Thermophila Using Antibodies Against The N- And C-Terminus Of The Protein, Bethany C. Khol, Katelyn R. Malik, Heather G. Kuruvilla

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Tetrahymena thermophila are free-living, unicellular, eukaryotic protozoans that live in a variety of aquatic environments. These organisms interact with their environment by responding to chemorepellents and chemoattractants which direct them toward favorable stimuli, such as food, and away from unfavorable stimuli, such as predators. We have previously described two netrin-like proteins, a netrin-1 like protein, and a netrin-3 like protein, which are secreted from Tetrahymena. Both of these proteins act as chemorepellents, and may allow cells to communicate with each other regarding population density, preventing them from outgrowing the available environmental resources. In our current study, we used antibodies …

Netrin-1 Signals Through Protein Kinases In Tetrahymena Thermophila, Bethany C. Khol, Katelyn R. Malik, Heather G. Kuruvilla

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Netrins are a family of signaling proteins involved in developmental processes such as neuronal guidance and angiogenesis. The best characterized netrin, netrin-1, signals through a number of different receptors. When acting as a chemoattractant, netrin-1 primarily signals through the DCC receptor and associated protein tyrosine kinase and MAP kinase signaling pathways. When acting as a chemorepellent, netrin-1 signals through the UNC5 receptor, which involves recruitment of the protein tyrosine phosphatase, SHP2.

While netrins are ubiquitously expressed throughout the animal kingdom, our laboratory was the first to describe a netrin-1 like protein in Tetrahymena. This netrin-1 like protein is secreted …

Netrin-3 Avoidance And Mitotic Inhibition In Tetrahymena Thermophila Involves Intracellular Calcium And Serine/Threonine Kinase Activity, Stephanie J. Hermann, Bailey L. Hixon, Bethany C. Khol, Ryan D. Kvarness, Jade Lee, Katelyn R. Malik, Gregg W. Mendel, Daniele T. Modderman, Lois Parks, David Paulding, Kenneth W. Ward, Matthew A. Sitler, Heather G. Kuruvilla

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Netrins are a family of signaling proteins ubiquitously expressed throughout the animal kingdom. While netrin-1 has been well characterized, other netrins, such as netrin-3, remain less well understood. In our current study, we characterize the behavior of two netrin-3 peptides, one derived from the N-terminal and one derived from the C-terminal of netrin-3. Both peptides cause avoidance behavior and mitotic inhibition in Tetrahymena thermophila at concentrations as low as 0.5 micrograms (μg) per milliliter. These effects can be reversed by addition of the calcium chelator, EGTA; the intracellular calcium chelator, BAPTA-AM, or the serine/threonine kinase inhibitor, apigenin. The broad spectrum …