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Articles 1 - 30 of 54
Full-Text Articles in Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology
Characterization Of Arabidopsis Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 2Α (Eif2Α) Mutants, Mark Edens
Characterization Of Arabidopsis Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 2Α (Eif2Α) Mutants, Mark Edens
Masters Theses
Plants are stationary organisms that are charged with overcoming a multitude of biotic and abiotic stresses. The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2) is responsible for charging the P-site of the forming 80S ribosome with the initiator methionyl-tRNA. Thus, eIF2 is a protein of utmost consequence in the growth and development of organisms. The eIF2 protein is also a mediator of global translational regulation in the eukaryotic integrated stress response (ISR), where the α-subunit is phosphorylated by protein kinases, such as the kinase GCN2. Here, five eIF2α allele mutants in Arabidopsis were found to be deleterious to plant growth, development, …
Encapsulation Of Antimicrobial Peptides In Bicontinuous Microemulsions For Topical Delivery To Surgical Site Infections And Chronic Wounds, Madison A. Oehler
Encapsulation Of Antimicrobial Peptides In Bicontinuous Microemulsions For Topical Delivery To Surgical Site Infections And Chronic Wounds, Madison A. Oehler
Masters Theses
Surgical site infections and chronic wounds, especially those caused by antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, result in hospitalization and fatalities each year. Methods to prevent these infections, such as cleaning and preparing medical tools, have had minimal success in preventing infections. Further, antibiotic treatments have become less successful in treating infections and wounds because of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) are a possible treatment solution for wound infections. AMPs are oligopeptides that occur in nature or can be synthesized in vitro which possess a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against bacteria and other harmful microorganisms. AMPs operate by disrupting the packing arrangements of …
Influence Of Physical Variability Of Highly Weathered Sedimentary Rock On Nitrate In Area 3 Of The Enigma Field Research Site At Y-12, Erin Kelly
Masters Theses
Uranium processing and waste storage in unlined waste ponds leached contaminants into the groundwater at Y-12, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, from the 1950s to 1980s. Groundwater wells near the S-3 ponds have had the highest nitrate concentrations of groundwater anywhere in the world (>10,000 mg/L). For reference, the maximum contaminant level for nitrate in drinking water set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is 10 mg/L. Since 2012, the ENIGMA (Ecosystems and Networks Integrated with Genes and Molecular Assemblies) group has been characterizing, monitoring, and conducting field experiments to understand the interactions between contaminants, microbes, and the subsurface. The goals …
Evaluating The Winter Diet Of A Reintroduced Herd Of Elk In The Cumberland Mountains, Tennessee, Using Next-Generation Sequencing Techniques, Dailee L. Metts
Evaluating The Winter Diet Of A Reintroduced Herd Of Elk In The Cumberland Mountains, Tennessee, Using Next-Generation Sequencing Techniques, Dailee L. Metts
Masters Theses
A distinct subspecies of elk (Cervus canadensis), the North American elk (C. canadensis canadensis), once inhabited portions of the southeastern United States, including Tennessee, until their extirpation in the mid 1800s. From 2000 to 2008, 201 Manitoban elk were reintroduced on the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area (NCWMA). A year-long food habits study using histological analysis of plant material from feces was completed for the NCWMA elk from 2003 to 2004 and has since aided managers in their landscape planning. Since then, more elk have been released onto the area, food plots have been established throughout …
Comparative Chemical Characterization Of Lunasin-Enriched Preparations And Modifications Of The Inflammasomes In Vitro, Samuel James Price
Comparative Chemical Characterization Of Lunasin-Enriched Preparations And Modifications Of The Inflammasomes In Vitro, Samuel James Price
Masters Theses
Soybean (Glycine max) is one of the most cultivated crops in the world providing the population with large amounts of protein and oil. In addition to its nutritional composition, soybean also contains biologically active compounds with potential health-promoting properties. The presence of these bioactives may be responsible for the lower incidence of chronic diseases in populations that consume a significant portion of soybeans in their diet. One group of soybeanderived bioactives are bioactive peptides and proteins including lunasin, Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI) and Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor (KTI). The overall objective of this research was to develop a method of …
Characterization Of Fusarium Species And Alternaria Alternata, And Their Effects On Switchgrass Health And Chemical Components, Sara Beth Collins
Characterization Of Fusarium Species And Alternaria Alternata, And Their Effects On Switchgrass Health And Chemical Components, Sara Beth Collins
Masters Theses
Panicum virgatum L., readily referred to as Switchgrass, is a perennial warm-season bunch grass, used as an alternative energy source for biofuel production. There is insufficient research on switchgrass pathogens, and is expected that an increase in disease pressure will result as more land is reserved for this perennial crop. The purpose of this research was to identify and characterize pathogenic Alternaria alternata and Fusarium species on Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), and to evaluate their impact on stand establishment and plant health. Molecular identifications of fungal isolates obtained from infected commercial switchgrass seed yielded eight species (A. alternata, …
Rapid Molecular Detection And Population Genetics Of Pityophthorus Juglandis, A Vector Of Thousand Cankers Disease In Juglans Spp., Emel Oren
Masters Theses
Thousand Cankers Disease (TCD) is a disease complex involving the fungal pathogen Geosmithia morbida, an insect vector Pityophthorus juglandis, and the hosts, Juglans spp. and Pterocarya spp. Signs and symptoms of TCD include crown thinning due to branch dieback, yellowing and wilting of the leaves, appearance of epicormic shoots, numerous entrance/exit holes, gallery formation by P. juglandis, and the development of small, dark brown cankers underneath the bark. TCD originally described from western U.S., has now expanded to eastern U.S. and northwestern Italy. The disease complex is often difficult to diagnose due to the absence of symptoms …
Lignin Maximization: Analyzing The Impact Of Different Feedstocks And Feedstock Ratios Using Organosolv Fractionation, Marc Banholzer
Lignin Maximization: Analyzing The Impact Of Different Feedstocks And Feedstock Ratios Using Organosolv Fractionation, Marc Banholzer
Masters Theses
Over-exploitation of fossil fuels coupled with increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions are prompting a transition from conventional petrochemical feedstocks to sustainable and renewable sourced carbon. The use of lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for integrated biorefining is of current high interest, as separation into its component parts affords process streams of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, each of which can serve as a starting point for the production of biobased chemicals and fuels. Given the large number of potential sources of lignocellulosic feedstocks, the biorefinery will need to adapt to the supplies available over a normal growing season. Of particular …
Switchgrass Extractives Have Potential As A Value-Added Antimicrobial Against Plant Pathogens And Foodborne Pathogens, Alexander Ian Bruce
Switchgrass Extractives Have Potential As A Value-Added Antimicrobial Against Plant Pathogens And Foodborne Pathogens, Alexander Ian Bruce
Masters Theses
Panicum virgatum (switchgrass), a perennial grass native to North America, is a leading biomass feedstock candidate for the manufacture of cellulosic ethanol. Switchgrass is considered a viable option for biofuel production due to its cheap production cost and ability to grow on marginal land. Biofuel derived from switchgrass has been shown to be very energy efficient, producing 540% more renewable energy versus nonrenewable energy expended. Switchgrass-derived biofuel is also estimated to have greenhouse gas emissions that are 94% lower than emissions from gasoline (Schmer et al 2008). Biofuels are created through biochemical processes that utilize various enzymes and microorganisms for …
Effect Of Varying Rumen Degradable And Undegradable Protein On Milk Production And Nitrogen Efficiency In Lactating Dairy Cows Under Summer Conditions, Jeffrey D. Kaufman
Effect Of Varying Rumen Degradable And Undegradable Protein On Milk Production And Nitrogen Efficiency In Lactating Dairy Cows Under Summer Conditions, Jeffrey D. Kaufman
Masters Theses
The objective is to determine the effect of reducing nitrogen input through feeding low rumen degradable protein (RDP) and rumen undegradable protein (RUP) proportions on milk production, nitrogen efficiency and metabolism in heat-stressed cows. Forty-eight mid-lactating, Holstein cows were assigned to treatments using a randomized block design in a 2x2 factorial arrangement of treatments (n = 12/treatment). Treatments included two levels of RDP (10 and 8%) and two levels of RUP (8 and 6%). From d 1 to 21, a common diet (10% RDP-8% RUP) was fed to cows followed with their respective treatment diets fed from d 22 to …
Environmental Controls On The Diversity And Distribution Of Endosymbionts Associated With Phacoides Pectinatus (Bivalvia: Lucinidae) From Shallow Mangrove And Seagrass Sediments, St. Lucie County, Florida, Thomas Walters Doty
Masters Theses
Lucinid bivalves are capable of colonizing traditionally inhospitable shallow marine sediments due to metabolic functions of bacterial endosymbionts located within their gills. Because lucinids can often be the dominant sediment infauna, defining their roles in sediment and pore fluid geochemical cycling is necessary to address concerns related to changes in coastal biological diversity and to understanding the sensitivity of threatened coastal ecosystems over time. However, there has been limited research done to understand the diversity and distribution of many lucinid chemosymbiotic systems. Therefore, the goals of this thesis were to evaluate the distribution of Phacoides pectinatus and its endosymbiont communities …
Subfunctionalization Of Ethylene Receptors And Homology Modeling Of Cytosolic Domains In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Sai Keerthana Wuppalapati
Subfunctionalization Of Ethylene Receptors And Homology Modeling Of Cytosolic Domains In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Sai Keerthana Wuppalapati
Masters Theses
Ethylene is a gaseous phytohormone that initiates and modulates several mechanisms related to growth and development in plants through a family of five disulphide-linked receptor dimers. Although the ethylene receptors are very similar in their structures, they have diverse functions with both overlapping and non-overlapping roles. Silver ions are able to support ethylene binding to the receptors but it is also interesting to note that ethylene responses are blocked in the presence of silver. A part of the present study identified that ETR1 receiver domain has little or no role in mediating responses to silver ions, supported by data obtained …
Comparison Of Activation Enthalpies For Aminoglycoside Modification Reactions, Brittany Sterling Soto
Comparison Of Activation Enthalpies For Aminoglycoside Modification Reactions, Brittany Sterling Soto
Masters Theses
At highly elevated temperatures, many biological reactions can proceed spontaneously from the ground state to the transition state. However, due to the long half-life of these reactions, catalysts are required to catalyze these reactions at modern day temperatures by lowering the activation energy. Wolfenden et al. has previously shown that catalysts enhance the rate of the reaction by reducing the enthalpy of activation. Therefore, the activation energies have been determined for three aminoglycoside modifying enzymes, APH(3’)-IIIa, AAC(3)-IIIb, and AAC(3)-VIa, to determine whether these three enzymes distinguish between the two classes of aminoglycoside antibiotics by reducing the enthalpy of activation during …
The In Vivo Effect Of Osmolytes On Folate Metabolism, Timkhite-Kulu Berhane
The In Vivo Effect Of Osmolytes On Folate Metabolism, Timkhite-Kulu Berhane
Masters Theses
Previous studies have found that addition of osmolytes weakens the binding of dihydrofolate (DHF) to R67 dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), chromosomal DHFR from E. coli and a pteridine reductase. These results support the preferential interaction of DHF with osmolytes compared to water. Thus, a working model where interaction of DHF with osmolytes shifts the binding away from the protein-DHF complex towards the free species was proposed. As tetrahydrofolate and other folate redox states have similar structures to DHF, we predict osmotic stress will lower the catalytic efficiencies of other folate pathway enzymes. In this thesis, we explore the in vivo effects …
Manipulating Adipose Tissue Fatty Acid Oxidation To Reduce Fatness In Broiler Chickens, Tania Emmanuelle Torchon
Manipulating Adipose Tissue Fatty Acid Oxidation To Reduce Fatness In Broiler Chickens, Tania Emmanuelle Torchon
Masters Theses
Compared to rodents, broiler chickens, those reared for meat, are an attractive model for studies of adipose biology, and obesity development in children. The broiler chicken lacks the gene for uncoupling protein 1, the hallmark for brown adipose tissue making them a useful model to study lipid metabolism in white adipocytes. Two studies were performed to investigate if white adipose tissue had the metabolic ability for fatty acid oxidation (FAO), and to investigate the effects of dietary fatty acids on abdominal fat development of young broiler chickens as a model for childhood obesity. In study one, chickens were fasted for …
Conformational Dynamics Of Cytochrome P450cam Upon Ligand Binding, Ana Virginia Bernal Gomez
Conformational Dynamics Of Cytochrome P450cam Upon Ligand Binding, Ana Virginia Bernal Gomez
Masters Theses
Cytochrome P450s are a superfamily of metalloenzymes that are responsible for the monooxygenation of their hydrophobic substrates. P450’s retain the same general structural scaffold, however are able to bind promiscuously to substrates with distinct physico-chemical properties. It is believed that they possess considerable flexibility in the substrate binding regions as well as their active site to accomplish the diverse binding and catalytic chemistry with high regio- and stereo-specificity. In order to investigate the conformational dynamics inherent in these enzymes, especially in context of binding different ligands, we carried out amide proton exchange studies via NMR spectroscopy on a model P450 …
Localization Of Chemoreceptors In Azospirillum Brasilense., Anastasia Aksenova
Localization Of Chemoreceptors In Azospirillum Brasilense., Anastasia Aksenova
Masters Theses
In order to ensure their survival, bacteria must sense and adapt to a variety of environmental signals. Motile bacteria are able to orient their movement in a chemical gradient by chemotaxis. During chemotaxis, environmental signals are detected by chemotaxis receptors and are propagated via a signal transduction cascade to affect bacterial motility. In a model organism Escherichia coli, chemotaxis receptors, also called MCPs (for methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins) sense changes in concentration gradients by making temporal comparisons about the chemical composition of their surroundings. Decreased attractant concentration or increased repellant concentration results in conformational changes in the MCPs that culminate …
A Step Towards Understanding Of The Molecular Basis Of Ligand Promiscuity In The Aminoglycoside Modifying Enzymes, Sherin R. Raval
A Step Towards Understanding Of The Molecular Basis Of Ligand Promiscuity In The Aminoglycoside Modifying Enzymes, Sherin R. Raval
Masters Theses
Aminoglycosides have proven very useful in the treatment of infections; lately their effectiveness has been greatly reduced due to increasing resistance. Among many known mechanisms of resistance to aminoglycosides, enzymatic modification is the most prevailing. More than 14 aminoglycoside -N3-acetyltransferases- a class of aminoglycoside modifying enzymes, are known today. This study focuses on a pair of acetyl transferases: The aminoglycoside-N3- acetyltransferase IIIb (AAC-IIIb) and the aminoglycoside-N3- acetyltransferase IIa (AAC-IIa). AAC-IIa and AAC-IIIb are very similar in their amino acid sequence and structure – yet they have a strong difference in their substrate selectivity, kinetic …
Value-Added Lignin Based Carbon Fiber From Organosolv Fractionation Of Poplar And Switchgrass, Andreas Attwenger
Value-Added Lignin Based Carbon Fiber From Organosolv Fractionation Of Poplar And Switchgrass, Andreas Attwenger
Masters Theses
Carbon fibers have unique properties that include high strength, low density and excellent chemical and thermal resistance. However, they have a low level of utilization because of their high price; typically around $30/kg for an entry level polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based carbon fiber. Low-cost carbon fibers derived from lignin are currently being investigated at the University of Tennessee, because using lignin as a precursor could significantly reduce production costs. Lignins obtained from the pulp and paper and the emerging biofuel industries have the potential to be used for carbon fiber production, however, they are typically unsuitable because of the high levels …
Examining The Functional Consequences Of The Flexibility Of Aminoglycoside Phosphotransferase (3’)-Iiia, Katelyn Dawn Rosendall
Examining The Functional Consequences Of The Flexibility Of Aminoglycoside Phosphotransferase (3’)-Iiia, Katelyn Dawn Rosendall
Masters Theses
The use of aminoglycoside antibiotics began in 1940 with the discovery of streptomycin. The overuse and misuse of antibiotics has resulted in prevalent cases of antibiotic resistance. The most common source of aminoglycoside resistance is the presence of enzymes that covalently modify the antibiotics at specific locations. One such enzyme, APH(3′)-IIIa [the aminoglycoside phosphotransferase three prime three a] conveys resistance by transferring the γ-phosphate [gamma phosphate] from ATP [adenosine triphosphate] onto the 3′ [three prime] carbon of the aminoglycoside antibiotic sugar ring. APH(3′)-IIIa has been shown to be flexible in solution and this flexibility is proposed to be responsible for …
Engineering Of Photosystem I Attachment To Titanium Oxide Nanostructures Via Ferredoxin-Fusion Proteins, Tuo Zhu
Masters Theses
Ferredoxins (Fds) are iron-sulfur proteins that mediate electron transfer in a range of metabolic reactions. In the thylakoid membrane of photosynthetic organisms, Fd facilitates electron transfer from the stromal surface of photosystem I (PSI) to the ferredoxin Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidoreductase (FNR), which requires that Fd is capable of docking and transferring electrons between these two complexes. In applied photosynthesis, many efforts have been devoted towards re-directing these electrons into either a hydrogen-evolving catalyst or an electron-conducting semiconductor. In this study, the electrons from the PSI complex are directed to a titanium oxide (TiO2) electrode, and Fd …
Demonstration Of A Targeted Proteome Characterization Approach For Examining Specific Metabolic Pathways In Complex Bacterial Systems, Adam Justin Martin
Demonstration Of A Targeted Proteome Characterization Approach For Examining Specific Metabolic Pathways In Complex Bacterial Systems, Adam Justin Martin
Masters Theses
Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) is a powerful tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) tool frequently implemented in proteomic studies to provide targeted analysis of proteins and peptides. The selectivity that MRM delivers is so strong that it provides the quadrupole mass spectrometers (QQQ), on which it is commonly employed, with pertinence to proteomic studies that they would otherwise lack for their relatively low resolution. Additionally, this increased level of selectivity is sufficient enough to supplant complicated fractionation techniques, additional dimensions of chromatography, and 24 hour long MS/MS experiments in simplistic biological samples. But there is a deficiency of evidence to determine the …
Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms Associated With Performance Traits In Beef Cattle Grazing Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue, Bryan Christopher Bastin
Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms Associated With Performance Traits In Beef Cattle Grazing Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue, Bryan Christopher Bastin
Masters Theses
Tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum Schreb.) is the most prevalent forage in the Midsouth United States due in part to the presence of the endophytic fungus Neotyphodium coenophialum. The fungus, while conferring hardiness to tall fescue, contributes to decreased production efficiency in cow-calf operations. A previous genome-wide association study was performed using the Illumina 50k bovine SNP chip. Twenty-four SNP were found to be associated (P < 0.05) with adjusted birth weight and adjusted 205-day weights of calves from 48 beef cows at Ames Plantation. The first objective was to validate each SNP by testing associations with several additional phenotypes. Custom Taqman genotyping assays (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA) were subsequently designed to genotype each SNP in beef cattle located at Tennessee Tech University (n = 654), to validate associations in a large, independent herd. The results yielded 15 associations that were significant (P < 0.05) with 6 phenotypes linked to those affected by fescue toxicosis. The second objective investigated the link between fescue toxicosis and the XK, Kell blood group complex subunit-related, member 4 …
Studies On Solo Working Mechanism In The Meiosis Of Drosophila Melanogaster, Qian Ma
Studies On Solo Working Mechanism In The Meiosis Of Drosophila Melanogaster, Qian Ma
Masters Theses
In eukaryotes, sister chromatids are closely aligned due to cohesion, a process essential for chromosome pairing and segregation during both mitosis and meiosis. A conserved cohesin complex in a ring structure is composed of four subunits, including each of these four members or their homologs, SMC1, SMC3, SCC1/RAD21/REC8, and SCC3/SA. Up to now, no REC8 homolog has been identified in the meiosis of Drosophila. SOLO is a meiotic protein required for accurate chromosome segregation, centromere cohesion, and cohesin complex localization in Drosophila meiosis. In addition, SOLO is required for synapsis and recombination in Drosophila female meiosis.
In this study, …
Characterization Of A Glycosyphosphatidylinositol Anchor Transamidase In Arabidopsis Thaliana And The Function Of Gpi Anchored Proteins In Stomatal Development, Mark Gerald Ronald Bundy
Characterization Of A Glycosyphosphatidylinositol Anchor Transamidase In Arabidopsis Thaliana And The Function Of Gpi Anchored Proteins In Stomatal Development, Mark Gerald Ronald Bundy
Masters Theses
In plants stomata play a vital role for survival by allowing the gas exchange of CO2 [carbon dioxide] and water vapor to occur. A stoma is a central pore flanked by two kidney shaped guard cells and in wild type there is at least one pavement cell between each stoma. The ERECTA (ER) gene family consisting of ER, ERL1, ERL2 is involved in regulation of stomata development, where a triple mutant of er erl1 erl2 displays an increased stomata index and clusters of stomata that disobey the one cell spacing rule. To better understand the pathway of stomata development, …
Structural Characterization Of The Redox-Dependent Differences In The Cytochrome P450cam-Putidaredoxin Complex Using Solution Nmr Spectroscopy, Nicholas John Lopes
Structural Characterization Of The Redox-Dependent Differences In The Cytochrome P450cam-Putidaredoxin Complex Using Solution Nmr Spectroscopy, Nicholas John Lopes
Masters Theses
Complexation between proteins as part of biological electron transfer reactions is driven by precise interactions that are often characterized by short lifetimes, weak affinities and high turnover rates. These complex interactions are difficult to study structurally in physiologically relevant oxidation states due to their transient nature and/or large molecular sizes. One such protein complex in the cytochrome P450 family of enzymes that is of great interest to researchers due to its prototypical nature is the Putidaredoxin (Pdx)- cytochrome P450cam (CYP101) electron transfer complex that is involved in hydroxylation of D-camphor in the bacterium Pseudomonas putida. While the individual protein structures …
Bioconfinement Of A Putatively Sterile Nicotiana Hybrid And Development Of Tools For Assessing Gene Flow, John Hollis Rice
Bioconfinement Of A Putatively Sterile Nicotiana Hybrid And Development Of Tools For Assessing Gene Flow, John Hollis Rice
Masters Theses
Production of transgenic crops in open field environments is an ongoing concern of due to the potential for gene flow. New transgenic crops, such as plant-made-pharmaceuticals may generate additional concerns about effects of adventitious transgenes. Use of a bioconfinement strategy may alleviate any consequences by preventing gene flow. The following chapters discuss previous and current research on gene flow, testing of a Nicotiana hybrid system for bioconfinement efficiency, and development of methods for transgene detection. The candidate ‘platform plant’ that was tested is a Nicotiana hybrid (Nicotiana tabacum ‘TN 90’ × Nicotiana glauca) previously identified to be sexually …
Designing Protein Expression And Purification Systems For Recombinant Z Alpha1-Antitrypsin Using The Methylotrophic Yeast, Pichia Pastoris, Monique Jenaie Lemieux
Designing Protein Expression And Purification Systems For Recombinant Z Alpha1-Antitrypsin Using The Methylotrophic Yeast, Pichia Pastoris, Monique Jenaie Lemieux
Masters Theses
It is well established that improper protein folding often leads to the formation of aggregates whose consequences are cellular impairment and cell death. One example of this is the aggregation of the mutant Z Alpha1-Antitrypsin protein, which results in blocking of its secretion due to inclusion body formation. This can contribute not only to the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but also to hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Current treatments are principally limited to intravenous Alpha1-Antitrypsin therapy and organ transplantation. In the scientific community though, it is widely thought that more effective forms of treatments lie within the polymerization …
Angiotensinogen Gene Silencing Reduces Lipid Accumulation And Inflammation In Cultured 3t3-L1 Adipocytes, Wenting Xin Carroll
Angiotensinogen Gene Silencing Reduces Lipid Accumulation And Inflammation In Cultured 3t3-L1 Adipocytes, Wenting Xin Carroll
Masters Theses
Obesity is characterized by metabolic complications which are related to several life-threatening diseases. Dysregulated inflammatory adipokines secretion from adipose tissue is believed as the major contributor to obesity-associated local and systemic inflammation, insulin resistance, and other metabolic dysfunctions.
Numerous studies in our lab and others pointed to the role of local adipose tissue renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in the pathogenesis of obesity, inflammation and insulin resistance. We hypothesized that adipocytes-derived angiotensinogen (Agt) played a critical role in adipogenesis and/or lipogenesis as well as adipose inflammation. To test, we established 3T3-L1 preadipocytes stably transfected with Agt-shRNA or scrambled sequence (Sc-shRNA). Transfected preadipocytes …
Design And Synthesis Of Boronic Acid-Based Sensors For Microarray Analysis And Fret-Detection To Study Carbohydrates, Yilin Wang
Masters Theses
Carbohydrates play significant roles in various biological and pathological processes such as cancer metastasis and inflammation. They participate in various signaling pathways and are able to bind to a litany of biological receptors such as proteins and viruses. Biologists have known for decades that the structure of glycans changes with the onset of cancer and inflammation. Due to these important activities, carbohydrate sensing has long been a focus of research. One example of such a carbohydrate sensor is boronic acid-based sensors. Boronic acid-based sensors are of particular interest due to their selectivity for 1,2- or 1,3-diols. A variety of techniques …