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Full-Text Articles in Molecular Biology
Elucidating Mechanisms Of Biofluorescence And Bioluminescence In Marine Organisms, Andrew M. Guarnaccia
Elucidating Mechanisms Of Biofluorescence And Bioluminescence In Marine Organisms, Andrew M. Guarnaccia
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Biofluorescence and bioluminescence are two methods of light emission that entail separate mechanisms of action but end at the same process: a colorful display that have tremendous ecological and behavioral benefits, whether it be used to communicate with conspecifics, camouflage into a multicolored background, attract unsuspecting prey, or alert others to a predator. In biofluorescence, higher-energy, shorter wavelength light is absorbed then re-emitted as lower-energy, longer-wavelength light. Bioluminescence on the other hand entails a chemical reaction in which a small molecule is oxidized by an enzyme, creating a high-energy intermediate that sheds the excess energy in the form of visible …
Innate Antibodies, Murine Models, And Evolution: A Study Of Trypanosome Lytic Factor Functions And Their Translational Applications, Joseph P. Verdi
Innate Antibodies, Murine Models, And Evolution: A Study Of Trypanosome Lytic Factor Functions And Their Translational Applications, Joseph P. Verdi
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Trypanosome lytic factors (TLFs) are primate-specific antimicrobial protein complexes that lyse African trypanosome parasites by delivering the channel-forming toxin APOL1 to the invading microorganisms. Human serum contains two TLFs that are delivered to the parasite by separate mechanisms, only one of which has been characterized. TLF1 is endocytosed by a receptor that is typically blocked by other serum factors in vivo, suggesting that TLF2 is the more relevant lytic factor in the context of trypanosome immunity. TLF2 is non-covalently associated with polyclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies, which we report here to be involved in the uptake mechanism. The TLF2-IgMs …
Systematics Of Carex Section Laxiflorae (Cyperaceae), Jenna Dorey
Systematics Of Carex Section Laxiflorae (Cyperaceae), Jenna Dorey
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Carex, with more than 2100 species, is the most species-rich genus of flowering plants in temperate regions of the world. Members of the family Cyperaceae are colloquially known as sedges, and members of the genus Carex are called “true sedges.” Carex occur on every continent except for Antarctica, they thrive in a panoply of habitats, and are ecologically important as a forage source for wildlife, carbon sequestration, prevention of soil erosion, and providing habitat for fresh water invertebrates. Despite their importance many sedges are still poorly known, such as the woodland sedges in Carex section Laxiflorae, which is …
The Evolution Of The Viral Rna Sensor Oas1 In Old World Monkeys And Cetartiodactyls, Ian Fish
The Evolution Of The Viral Rna Sensor Oas1 In Old World Monkeys And Cetartiodactyls, Ian Fish
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Animals produce an array of sensors patrolling the intracellular environment poised to detect and respond to viral infection. The oligoadenylate synthetase family of enzymes comprises a crucial part of this innate immune response, directly signaling endonuclease activity responsible for inhibiting viral replication. Oligoadenylate synthetase 1 plays a vital role in animal susceptibility to pathogens including flaviviruses such as dengue, West Nile, and hepatitis c virus. This thesis includes a population level analysis of OAS1 diversity within macaque and baboon species followed by a broader survey of the gene in nineteen Old World monkeys. My research found that at the species …