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Full-Text Articles in Molecular Biology
A Novel Transmembrane Ligand Inhibits T Cell Receptor Activation, Yujie Ye
A Novel Transmembrane Ligand Inhibits T Cell Receptor Activation, Yujie Ye
Doctoral Dissertations
T lymphocytes (T cells) play essential roles in the adaptive immune system. Each mature T cell expresses one type of functional T cell receptor (TCR). The TCR recognizes antigens bound to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in antigen presenting cells. The resulting stimulation signal crosses the transmembrane domain of TCR and initiates downstream signaling cascades. The human immune system relies on TCRs to recognize a variety of pathogens. Normally, TCR can distinguish the self-antigens from pathogenic antigens. However, dysfunction or aberrant expression of TCRs causes different inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, which afflict millions of people annually (Chapter I). Current treatments …
Characterizing The Multifaceted Roles Of The Proteasomal Deubiquitinase Uch37 In Proteostasis, Heather A. Bisbee
Characterizing The Multifaceted Roles Of The Proteasomal Deubiquitinase Uch37 In Proteostasis, Heather A. Bisbee
Doctoral Dissertations
Cellular protein pools are maintained through the biological processes of synthesis, degradation and quality control. As the dysregulation of these processes has been implicated in diseases such as neurodegeneration and cancer, understanding their functions is critical for drug development. Modification of proteins with ubiquitin may direct them to the proteasome, a large cellular protease complex, for degradation. Yet, the proteasome contains three deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) which remove ubiquitin from proteins, potentially altering their fate. As each DUB recognizes specific ubiquitin linkages and architectures, their activity may regulate how the proteasome handles substrates in dynamic cellular contexts. In this work, we …
Tracking And Modulating Circadian Rhythms In Cell Culture Models, Sujeewa Sampath Lellupitiyage Don
Tracking And Modulating Circadian Rhythms In Cell Culture Models, Sujeewa Sampath Lellupitiyage Don
Doctoral Dissertations
Circadian rhythms are 24–hour activity cycles that exist for all organisms, from yeast and bacteria to mammals. Epidemiological data has shown that disruptions to circadian rhythms are associated with various diseases, including cancers. Circadian rhythms are regulated at the cellular level by a "molecular clock,” whose oscillations in protein transcription and translation control a range of downstream pathways. However, the connections between altered rhythms and diseases at the molecular level is unclear. Therefore, in this project, I tracked circadian rhythms in a high-resolution manner and thoroughly analyzed them to more completely reflect circadian behaviors and clock functioning at the molecular …