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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Photobiomodulation Of Bovine Oocytes During Maturation Increases Atp Content And Enhances Subsequent Embryonic Development, Kendall Richey May 2024

Photobiomodulation Of Bovine Oocytes During Maturation Increases Atp Content And Enhances Subsequent Embryonic Development, Kendall Richey

All Theses

Bovine in-vitro production(IVP) of embryos is a growing field for producing offspring with desirable genetics in the cattle industries. While IVP is effective, oocyte cytoplasmic maturation is compromised, and bovine oocytes matured in-vitro have reduced metabolic activity than those matured in-vivo. Mitochondria are the central unit of oocyte metabolism, producing ATP through OXPHOS. Photobiomodulation is a light treatment reported to improve metabolic activity. In five experiments, we measured the effects of photobiomodulation treatment with red LED at 16-(L-16) and 20 h(L-20) of bovine oocyte in-vitro maturation on subsequent embryonic development, mitochondrial activity and nuclear progression. Bovine COCs were aspirated …


Mitochondrial Adaptation In The Green Crab Hybrid Zone Of The Gulf Of Maine, Jared Lynch Jan 2024

Mitochondrial Adaptation In The Green Crab Hybrid Zone Of The Gulf Of Maine, Jared Lynch

Honors Projects

The mitochondrial genome has historically been relegated to a neutral genetic marker, but new evidence suggests mitochondrial DNA to be a target for adaptation to environmental stress. The invasive European green crab (Carcinus maenas) exemplifies this in the Gulf of Maine’s hybrid zone, where interbreeding populations exhibit thermal tolerances influenced by mitochondrial genotype. To better understand the mechanism behind this phenomenon, the effect of mitochondrial genotype on mitochondrial activity was tested by measuring mtDNA copy number (mtCN) and the activity of complex I, II, and IV of the electron transport system via high-resolution respirometry. Mitochondria isolated from frozen …


Does Vdac2 Have A Bh3 Domain?, Lillian Ferkany May 2023

Does Vdac2 Have A Bh3 Domain?, Lillian Ferkany

Honors Theses

Mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) by Bax oligomerization triggers apoptosis. BCl-2 family proteins, classified as BH3 only proteins, pro-survival proteins, or pro-apoptotic proteins, control apoptosis partly through their agonist or antagonistic effects on Bax, which are mediated by their conserved BH3 domains. All BH3 domains form an alpha helix containing 5-7 conserved hydrophobic residues, designated H0-H5, and one conserved aspartic acid that drive interaction with Bax and other ‘multi-domain’ BCl-2 members. BH3 agonists induce Bax oligomerization, while BH3 antagonists sequester Bax to prevent MOMP. We discovered that voltage dependent anion channels (VDACs) in the MOM contain a putative BH3-like domain …


Characterizing The Effects Of Pyrroloquinoline Quinone (Pqq) Supplementation On Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Function And Myogenesis During Oxidative Stress And Iugr., Allyson J. Wood May 2021

Characterizing The Effects Of Pyrroloquinoline Quinone (Pqq) Supplementation On Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Function And Myogenesis During Oxidative Stress And Iugr., Allyson J. Wood

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) affects 10-15% of births and is associated with placental insufficiency (PI), resulting in fetal oxidative stress (OS). This OS is a factor in the predisposition to postnatal noncommunicable disease (NCD) of which muscle mitochondrial dysfunctional is a key aspect. Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), an antioxidant-like compound, is capable of OS reduction and promotes mitochondrial function, though limited research has focused on its effects in in utero skeletal muscle. This study sought to investigate the impact of in vitro H2O2, a model of OS, and an in vivo model of OS associated IUGR, with …


A Dedicated Chaperone Mediates The Safe Transfer Of Mitoribosomal Proteins To Their Site Of Assembly, Gabrielle Ashley Hillman May 2019

A Dedicated Chaperone Mediates The Safe Transfer Of Mitoribosomal Proteins To Their Site Of Assembly, Gabrielle Ashley Hillman

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Mitochondrial ribosomes are functionally specialized for the synthesis of several essential inner membrane proteins of the respiratory chain. While remarkable progress has recently been made towards understanding the structure of mitoribosomes, the unique pathways and factors that facilitate their biogenesis remain largely unknown. This dissertation defines the physiological role of an evolutionarily conserved yeast protein called Mam33 in mitochondrial ribosome assembly. The biomedical relevance of this finding stems from the fact that mutations or changes in its expression of the human ortholog p32 result in mitochondrial dysfunction. In human patients, bi-allelic mutations cause severe multisystemic defects in mitochondrial energy metabolism, …


Identification Of The Alternative Oxidase Gene And Its Expression In The Copepod Tigriopus Californicus, Allison Mcdonald, Carly E. Tward, Willie Cygelfarb, Jaspreet Singh Feb 2019

Identification Of The Alternative Oxidase Gene And Its Expression In The Copepod Tigriopus Californicus, Allison Mcdonald, Carly E. Tward, Willie Cygelfarb, Jaspreet Singh

Biology Faculty Publications

In addition to the typical electron transport system (ETS) in animal mitochondria responsible for oxidative phosphorylation, in some species there exists an alternative oxidase (AOX) pathway capable of catalyzing the oxidation of ubiquinol and the reduction of oxygen to water. The discovery of AOX in animals is recent and further investigations into its expression, regulation, and physiological role have been hampered by the lack of a tractable experimental model organism. Our recent DNA database searches using bioinformatics revealed an AOX sequence in several marine copepods including Tigriopus californicus. This species lives in tidepools along the west coast of North …


Cellular And Subcellular Oxidative Stress Parameters Following Severe Spinal Cord Injury, Nishant P. Visavadiya, Samir P. Patel, Jenna L. Vanrooyen, Patrick G. Sullivan, Alexander G. Rabchevsky Aug 2016

Cellular And Subcellular Oxidative Stress Parameters Following Severe Spinal Cord Injury, Nishant P. Visavadiya, Samir P. Patel, Jenna L. Vanrooyen, Patrick G. Sullivan, Alexander G. Rabchevsky

Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center Faculty Publications

The present study undertook a comprehensive assessment of the acute biochemical oxidative stress parameters in both cellular and, notably, mitochondrial isolates following severe upper lumbar contusion spinal cord injury (SCI) in adult female Sprague Dawley rats. At 24 h post-injury, spinal cord tissue homogenate and mitochondrial fractions were isolated concurrently and assessed for glutathione (GSH) content and production of nitric oxide (NO), in addition to the presence of oxidative stress markers 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), protein carbonyl (PC), 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and lipid peroxidation (LPO). Moreover, we assessed production of superoxide (O2•-) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O …


A Mechanistic Study Of An Ipsc Model For Leigh’S Disease Caused By Mtdna Mutataion (8993 T>G), John P. Galdun Jan 2016

A Mechanistic Study Of An Ipsc Model For Leigh’S Disease Caused By Mtdna Mutataion (8993 T>G), John P. Galdun

Theses and Dissertations

Mitochondrial diseases encompass a broad range of devastating disorders that typically affect tissues with high-energy requirements. These disorders have been difficult to diagnose and research because of the complexity of mitochondrial genetics, and the large variability seen among patient populations. We have devised and carried out a mechanistic study to generate a cell based model for Leigh’s disease caused by mitochondrial DNA mutation 8993 T>G. Leigh’s disease is a multi-organ system disorder that depends heavily on the mutation burden seen within various tissues. Using new reprogramming and sequencing technologies, we were able to show that Leigh’s disease patient fibroblasts …


Mitochondrial Therapeutics During Ischemia-Reperfusion; Modulation Of Complex I: Effect Of Metformin., Shawn Y. Sunu Jan 2015

Mitochondrial Therapeutics During Ischemia-Reperfusion; Modulation Of Complex I: Effect Of Metformin., Shawn Y. Sunu

Theses and Dissertations

The modulation of the electron transport during ischemia-reperfusion has been shown to be protective. We hypothesized that metformin, a Complex I inhibitor, may exhibit characteristics of a pharmacological agent that could achieve long-term therapeutic intervention against ischemia-reperfusion injury. Mitochondria were harvested from adult male mice and incubated with or without metformin at 30oC for 15 minutes, while being shaken at 300 rpm. Metformin decreased Complex I oxidative phosphorylation and Complex I activity. However, metformin also increased injury and decreased the maximum membrane potential. Even though there was a decrease in maximum membrane potential, the proton motive force (PMF) …


Over-Expressed Copper/Zinc Superoxide Dismutase Localizes To Mitochondria In Neurons Inhibiting The Angiotensin Ii-Mediated Increase In Mitochondrial Superoxide, Shumin Li, Adam J. Case, Rui-Fang Yang, Harold D. Schultz, Matthew C. Zimmerman Jan 2014

Over-Expressed Copper/Zinc Superoxide Dismutase Localizes To Mitochondria In Neurons Inhibiting The Angiotensin Ii-Mediated Increase In Mitochondrial Superoxide, Shumin Li, Adam J. Case, Rui-Fang Yang, Harold D. Schultz, Matthew C. Zimmerman

Journal Articles: Cellular & Integrative Physiology

Angiotensin II (AngII) is the main effector peptide of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), and contributes to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease by exerting its effects on an array of different cell types, including central neurons. AngII intra-neuronal signaling is mediated, at least in part, by reactive oxygen species, particularly superoxide (O2 (•-)). Recently, it has been discovered that mitochondria are a major subcellular source of AngII-induced O2 (•-). We have previously reported that over-expression of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), a mitochondrial matrix-localized O2 (•-) scavenging enzyme, inhibits AngII intra-neuronal signaling. Interestingly, over-expression of copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD), which is believed …


Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway: Effects Of Calcium On Murine Cytochrome C Release In Brain And Liver Mitochondria, Dane M. Edwards Apr 2013

Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway: Effects Of Calcium On Murine Cytochrome C Release In Brain And Liver Mitochondria, Dane M. Edwards

Senior Honors Theses

A cell may use one of three main apoptotic pathways leading to programmed cell death: the extrinsic pathway, the perforin/granzyme pathway and the intrinsic pathway. The most pertinent to this discussion is the intrinsic pathway, which utilizes the mitochondria as an essential intermediary. Mitochondria’s primary function in relation to this pathway is the subsequent release of pro-apoptotic factors including cytochrome c, which activate a caspase cascade leading to the death of the cell. Cytochrome c is released partly due to an increase in cytosolic calcium levels. Two methods of the release of cytochrome c have been proposed. The first is …