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Full-Text Articles in Molecular Biology
The Role Of Charge On Dna Packaging And Integrity Within Reconstituted Peptide-Dna Assemblies, Ehigbai Oikeh
The Role Of Charge On Dna Packaging And Integrity Within Reconstituted Peptide-Dna Assemblies, Ehigbai Oikeh
Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry
In nature, DNA exists primarily in a highly compacted form. The compaction of DNA in vivo is mediated by cationic proteins; histone in somatic nuclei and arginine-rich peptides called protamines in sperm chromatin. The packaging in the sperm nucleus is significantly higher than somatic nuclei resulting in a final volume roughly 1/20th that of a somatic nucleus. This tight packaging results in a near crystalline packaging of the DNA helices. While the dense packaging of DNA in sperm nuclei is considered essential for both efficient genetic delivery as well as DNA protection against damage by mutagens and oxidative species, …
Understanding How Map Kinases Influence Endothelial Nitric-Oxide Synthase Activity, Xzaviar Solone
Understanding How Map Kinases Influence Endothelial Nitric-Oxide Synthase Activity, Xzaviar Solone
Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses
Mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) p38 and ERK have both been reported to bind endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) with submicromolar affinity via proposed interactions with a pentabasic non-canonical MAPK binding sequence in the autoinhibitory insertion of eNOS. The neuronal isoform, which lacks the pentabasic motif, did not bind either MAPK significantly. In the present study, the pentabasic motif was validated using predictive modeling programming, and eNOS phosphorylation by MAPKs (P38, ERK and JNK) was examined using in vitro kinase assays and immunoblotting. JNK phosphorylation at Ser114 contrasts with ERK, which phosphorylated Ser600, and p38, which phosphorylated …
The Molecular Basis Of Caspase-9 Inactivation By Pka And C-Abl Kinases, Banyuhay Paningbatan Serrano
The Molecular Basis Of Caspase-9 Inactivation By Pka And C-Abl Kinases, Banyuhay Paningbatan Serrano
Doctoral Dissertations
Caspases are the cysteine proteases that facilitate the fundamental pathway of programmed cell death or apoptosis. The activation and function of these powerful enzymes are tightly regulated to ensure the faithful execution of apoptosis and prevent untimely cell death. Many deadly human diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration and autoimmune disorders have been associated with defective activation and faulty regulation of caspases. As such, caspases are considered as attractive drug targets, which when properly controlled, can lead to effective therapeutics for apoptosis-related diseases. Thus, comprehensive investigations of the structure, function and regulation of caspases are necessary to understand the complex mechanisms …