Life Sciences Commons^™

Deciphering The Catalytic Mechanism Of Human Manganese Superoxide Dismutase, Jahaun Azadmanesh

Theses & Dissertations

The livelihood of human cells is heavily dependent on the ability to modulate the presence of highly reactive oxygen-based molecules termed reactive oxygen species (ROS). In excess, ROS facilitate oxidative damage to the macromolecules of cellular life. SODs are the major family of antioxidant proteins that prevent the buildup of overwhelming amounts of ROS within cells. Sometimes dubbed the “first line of defense” against oxidative damage, SODs defend against the harmful accumulation of ROS by eliminating superoxide. Superoxide is a ROS itself that is also a precursor to much more harmful ROS molecules. MnSOD is the manganese containing form of …

Evaluation Of Selected Bacillus Direct-Fed Microbial Candidates In Reduced Energy Diets On Live Performance, Carcass Characteristics, And Foot Pad Dermatitis, Kyle Teague

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bacillus spp. are ubiquitous, Gram-positive, spore forming bacteria that are commonly recovered from the environment and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of poultry. These spores are capable of withstanding harsh condition such as feed pelletization, which facilitates inclusion in poultry feeds. Once ingested by the bird, spores germinate into metabolically active vegetative cells which can produce extracellular enzymes which can hydrolyze otherwise indigestible components of the feed. Soybean meal (SBM) is the gold standard vegetable protein source for non-ruminant animals worldwide and is included in practically all poultry diets in the United States at levels ranging from 10 to more than 30%. …

Determining A Method For Expressing And Purifying Cytochrome P450 4v2: A Protein Involved In Bietti's Crystalline Dystrophy, Cody Lane Turner

MSU Graduate Theses

Within the Cytochrome P450 class of enzymes, there are a group known as the “orphan” cytochromes. The “orphan” classification comes from the poorly understood in vivo functionality and substrate specificity. Cytochrome P450 4V2 (CYP4V2) is one of these “orphans” and belongs to the CYP4 family. The CYP4 family is known for the omega oxidation of endogenous fatty acids. This family is most commonly found on chromosome 1 (CYP4ABXZ). CYP4V2 is unique in that its location is bound to chromosome 4 as discovered by Jiao in 2004. Mutations within the CYP4V2 gene have been associated with the …

Investigation Of Potentially Catalytic Residues Of Uba5 Through Mutagenesis, Purification, And Structural Characterization, Grant Bradley

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Ubiquitin-fold modifier 1 (Ufm1) is a member of the Ubiquitin (Ub) family of proteins whose primary function is degradation of proteins through a sequential mechanism of chemical reactions. Though Ufm1’s specific roles are largely unknown, this family of proteins has shown to play a part in a wide variety of processes, including regulation of the cell cycle¹, secretory functions of cells^2,3, and blood clotting⁴. Ufm1’s mechanism of action proceeds with the aid of three enzymes: an E1, E2, and E3. Uba5 is the E1 activating enzyme that is specific to Ufm1, and its mechanism of …

Comparative Analysis Of Metabolic Pathways Of Bacteria Used In Fermented Food, Keanu Hoang, Kiran Bastola

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This study presents a novel methodology for analyzing metabolic pathways. Utilizing KEGG REST API through a Biopython package and file parser, data about whether or not a bacteria has an enzyme or not was extracted. The results found that differences in metabolic pathway enrichment values follow along the lines of genera and pathway type. In particular, bacteria found in food spoilage and commercial nitrogen fixing products had high values of enrichment.

Development Of Arkansas Net Energy Equation, Katie Hilton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The modern broiler is growing at a rapid rate generating tremendous amounts of heat. A sensitive Net Energy (NE) system is needed to measure body heat production (HP) generated primarily by daily maintenance and synthesis and degradation of myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic protein. The first two chapters present evaluation of the classic way to calculate NE versus a new methodology; the Arkansas NE (Ark NE) system, with birds from two genetic lines fed diets with different AA content or different ME content in two different environmental temperatures.

Utilizing together the Net Energy maintenance (NEm), determined from indirect calorimetry, and Net Energy …

Development And Application Of Chemical Tools To Identify Kinase-Substrate Interactions, Aparni Kithulgoda Gamage

Wayne State University Dissertations

Post translational modifications regulate a variety of biological processes inside the cell.Protein phosphorylation is one such PTM modification catalyzed by protein kinases, which aid to transfer a signal from one place to another inside the cell. However, irregularities in kinase-mediated signaling are often implicated in many diseases, making kinases effective drug targets. To understand kinase-related disease formation and to discover drugs to treat these diseases, it is crucial to have a clear understanding on kinase-mediated cell signaling networks. A current gap in the kinase biology field is a lack of tools to identify which kinase phosphorylates which protein substrate inside …

Structural And Functional Characterization Of Cazyme And Cazyme-Related Proteins From: Bacteroides Thetaiotaomicron And Porphyromonas Gingivalis: Two Abundant Colonizers Of The Human Microbiome, James Stevenson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The human body consists of approximately 30 trillion cells, while non-human microbes that reside on and within the body outnumber human somatic cells by a factor of 1.3 – 2.3. The interplay between our cells and those of the colonizing microorganisms affect physiology in a multitude of ways, both beneficial and detrimental. Microbes found in the oral cavity, such as the Red Complex member Porphyromonas gingivalis, are associated with pathology, namely periodontal diseases including gum deterioration, tooth decay, and loss of underlying alveolar bone. At the other end of the gastrointestinal tract, microbes such as Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron are found …