Life Sciences Commons^™

Investigating The Oligomerization Of Vitronectin, Yacynth Ruwansara

Masters Theses

Vitronectin is a multi-functional glycoprotein that is present in the plasma and extra-cellular matrix of eukaryotes. It is capable of binding a wide variety of structurally different ligands, including plasminogen activators, plasminogen activator-inhibitors, proteases, cell surface receptors and components of the extra-cellular matrix. Vitronectin exists in two conformations – as a monomer in circulation, and as a multimer in the extracellular matrix. The pathway by which vitronectin undergoes the transition from monomer to multimer is not well characterized, but this laboratory has put forward evidence to suggest that the binding of vitronectin with plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1), facilitates higher …

Genome Sequence Of The Bacteroides Fragilis Phage Atcc 51477-B1, Shawn A. Hawkins, Alice C. Layton, Steven Ripp, Dan Dan Williams, Gary S. Sayler

Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science Publications and Other Works

The genome of a fecal pollution indicator phage, Bacteroides fragilis ATCC 51477-B1, was sequenced and consisted of 44,929 bases with a G+C content of 38.7%. Forty-six putative open reading frames were identified and genes were organized into functional clusters for host specificity, lysis, replication and regulation, and packaging and structural proteins.

Cyp6w1 Gene Of Drosophila Melanogaster: Studies On Its Role In Ddt Resistance And Inducibility By Different Xenobiotic Compounds, Vita Lam

Masters Theses

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYP), a large family of enzymes, play an important role in insecticide resistance. Compared to the susceptible strains, the resistant strains of Drosophila show higher expression of one or more Cyp genes including Cyp6w1, which maps close to the resistance locus. In the present investigation I examined the Cyp6w1 gene’s role in DDT resistance and inducibility with caffeine, DDT and phenobarbital (PB). Utilizing the Gal4:UAS binary system, I overexpressed CYP6W1 RNA in either a susceptible strain alone or in combination with CYP6A2 or CYP6G1 RNA, which are known to give a low level of DDT resistance. …

Novel Role For The Cdk-Activating Kinase Cak1 In Actively Growing Cells, Su Hwa Kim

Masters Theses

Cdc28 is the main cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) directing the yeast cell cycle. Besides cyclin binding, Cdc28 requires phosphorylation by Cak1 (CDK-activating kinase) to achieve full activity. In previous work, our laboratory isolated carboxy-terminal cdc28^CST mutants that display high temperature sensitivity and chromosome instability. These phenotypes are suppressed by increasing the copy numbers of Cak1 in its catalytically active or inactive form. The cdc28^CST mutants are also extremely sensitive to changes in Cak1 integrity and dosage. These results indicated that besides the activating phosphorylation by Cak1, the interaction between Cak1 and the carboxyl terminus of Cdc28 is important to …

Differential Transferrin Expression In Placentae From Normal And Abnormal Pregnancies: A Pilot Study, Alena Kralova, Marta Svetlikova, Jindrich Madar, Zdena Ulcova-Gallova, Antonin Bukovsky, Jana Peknicova

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- General Biology

Abstract

Background

The placenta is an important site for iron metabolism in humans. It transfers iron from the mother to the fetus. One of the major iron transport proteins is transferrin, which is a blood plasma protein crucial for iron uptake. Its localization and expression may be one of the markers to distinguish placental dysfunction.

Methods

In the experimental study we used antibody preparation, mass spectrometric analysis, biochemical and immunocytochemical methods for characterization of transferrin expression on the human choriocarcinoma cell line JAR (JAR cells), placental lysates, and cryostat sections. Newly designed monoclonal antibody TRO-tf-01 to human transferrin was applied …