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Full-Text Articles in Molecular Biology

Extraction Of Transcriptional Regulators For The Polyhydroxyalkanoate Depolymerase Gene From Streptomyces Nymphaeiformis, Kara B. Eppard, Stephen F. Baron Dec 2023

Extraction Of Transcriptional Regulators For The Polyhydroxyalkanoate Depolymerase Gene From Streptomyces Nymphaeiformis, Kara B. Eppard, Stephen F. Baron

Honors Projects

Plastic waste has become an increasingly prevalent environmental pollutant. This problem is exacerbated by the inability of plastic to degrade under most natural conditions. In contrast, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biologically produced, plastic-like polymers that can be broken down and metabolized by bacteria. The bacterium Streptomyces nymphaeiformis can degrade the PHA, polyhydroxybutrate (PHB), using an extracellular PHB depolymerase, which is encoded by the phaZ gene. PHB depolymerase is synthesized only in the presence of PHB or its monomer, but not glucose, suggesting that transcription of phaZ is regulated, presumably by transcriptional regulatory proteins that bind to its promoter region. The DNA …


Anal Human Papillomavirus Infection Among Men Who Have Sex With Men And Transgender Women Living With And Without Hiv In Pakistan: Findings From A Cross-Sectional Study, Muslima Ejaz, Soren Andersson, Salma Batool, Tazeen Saeed Ali, Anna Mia Ekström Nov 2021

Anal Human Papillomavirus Infection Among Men Who Have Sex With Men And Transgender Women Living With And Without Hiv In Pakistan: Findings From A Cross-Sectional Study, Muslima Ejaz, Soren Andersson, Salma Batool, Tazeen Saeed Ali, Anna Mia Ekström

Community Health Sciences

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of infection, genotypes and risk factors for human papillomavirus (HPV) among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women living with and without HIV in Pakistan. Anal infection with HPV is very common worldwide among MSM, particularly among MSM living with HIV. The high prevalence of HIV among MSM and male-to-female transgendered individuals in Pakistan is a significant health concern since access to screening and health-seeking is often delayed in this stigmatised key population.
Design: This cross-sectional study was conducted between March 2016 and November 2017.
Participants, …


High And Low Toxin Producing Strains Of Karenia Brevis Differ Significantly In The Redox Proteome, Lipid Profiles, And Xanthophyll Cycle Pigments, Ricardo Colon Jun 2021

High And Low Toxin Producing Strains Of Karenia Brevis Differ Significantly In The Redox Proteome, Lipid Profiles, And Xanthophyll Cycle Pigments, Ricardo Colon

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dinoflagellate Karenia brevis, blooms annually in the Gulf of Mexico, producing a suite of neurotoxins known as the brevetoxins. The cellular toxin content of K. brevis, however, is highly variable between or even within strains. I investigated biochemical differences between high (KbHT) and low (KbLT) toxin producing cultures both derived from the Wilson strain, related to energy-dependent quenching (qE) by photosystem II, and the content of reduced thiols of the proteome. By characterizing the xanthophyll content of the two strains I was able to determine that KbLT performs qE inconsistently. To investigate the …


Vitamin D3 Induces Mesenchymal-To-Endothelial Transition And Promotes A Proangiogenic Niche Through Igf-1 Signaling, Lei Chen, Anweshan Samanta, Lin Zhao, Nathaniel R. Dudley, Tanner Buehler, Robert J. Vincent, Jeryl Hauptman, Magdy Girgis, Buddhadeb Dawn Apr 2021

Vitamin D3 Induces Mesenchymal-To-Endothelial Transition And Promotes A Proangiogenic Niche Through Igf-1 Signaling, Lei Chen, Anweshan Samanta, Lin Zhao, Nathaniel R. Dudley, Tanner Buehler, Robert J. Vincent, Jeryl Hauptman, Magdy Girgis, Buddhadeb Dawn

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Biological Sciences; Physiology; Molecular Biology; Cell Biology


Quantifying Anticancer Drug Doxorubicin Binding To Dna Using Optical Tweezers, Zachary Ells Dec 2020

Quantifying Anticancer Drug Doxorubicin Binding To Dna Using Optical Tweezers, Zachary Ells

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Doxorubicin is a successful anticancer drug approved for use in the 1970s and is considered to be one of the most effective cancer treatment methods today. Although Doxorubicin has positive survival statistics it has very negative side effects in many cases. Bleeding from the soles of the palms and feet, along with excruciating pain is often exhibited through the administration of this drug. Based on the preliminary findings utilizing optical tweezers we anticipate that this study will provide critical information about the drug binding mechanism. Single molecule biophysics techniques have provided useful insight into the DNA-binding mechanisms of small molecules. …


A Multisession, Undergraduate Molecular Biology Lab Experiment Using Green Fluorescent Protein Including Subcloning And Color Changing Mutagenesis, Nathan S. Winter Apr 2018

A Multisession, Undergraduate Molecular Biology Lab Experiment Using Green Fluorescent Protein Including Subcloning And Color Changing Mutagenesis, Nathan S. Winter

Chemistry Faculty Publications

This paper describes a series of experiments involving handling and manipulating the DNA coding for Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) including the subcloning of this gene, and mutating the DNA so that Cyan Fluorescent Protein (CFP) or Blue Fluorescent protein (BFP) are expressed. The primers needed for the PCR based subcloning of GFP are presented, as are those needed to mutate the GFP to either CFP or BFP.


Melatonin And Its Metabolites Protect Human Melanocytes Against Uvb-Induced Damage: Involvement Of Nrf2-Mediated Pathways, Zorica Janjetovic, Stuart G. Jarrett, Elizabeth F. Lee, Cory Duprey, Russel J. Reiter, Andrzej T. Slominski Apr 2017

Melatonin And Its Metabolites Protect Human Melanocytes Against Uvb-Induced Damage: Involvement Of Nrf2-Mediated Pathways, Zorica Janjetovic, Stuart G. Jarrett, Elizabeth F. Lee, Cory Duprey, Russel J. Reiter, Andrzej T. Slominski

Toxicology and Cancer Biology Faculty Publications

Ultraviolet light (UV) is an inducer of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as 6-4-photoproducts and cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD) in the skin, which further cause damage to the skin cells. Irradiation of cultured human melanocytes with UVB stimulated ROS production, which was reduced in cells treated with melatonin or its metabolites: 6-hydroxymelatonin (6-OHM), N1-acetyl-N2-formyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AFMK), N-acetylserotonin (NAS), and 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MT). Melatonin and its derivatives also stimulated the expression of NRF2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2 [NF-E2]-related factor 2) and its target enzymes and proteins that play an important role in cell protection from different damaging factors including UVB. Silencing …


Dancing Through Life: Allosteric Transitions And Structural Analysis Of Hsp70 And Hsp110 Chaperone Proteins, Gabrielle Stetz, Gennady M. Verkhivker Dec 2014

Dancing Through Life: Allosteric Transitions And Structural Analysis Of Hsp70 And Hsp110 Chaperone Proteins, Gabrielle Stetz, Gennady M. Verkhivker

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The molecular chaperone protein Hsp70 is centrally involved in cellular homeostasis by assisting in the folding and degradation of protein substrates. Hsp70 is joined by co-chaperones, such as Hsp110, which contribute to specialized tasks of the Hsp70 complex. Imbalances of this heat shock protein system are believed to be involved with the deregulation of cancer pathways and other human diseases. Better understanding of how these heat shock proteins work at the molecular level, which has been investigated using molecular docking tools, will give more clues about biological function. Simulating the formation and function of Hsp70 based chaperone complexes could provide …


Gaip Interacting Protein C-Terminus Regulates Autophagy And Exosome Biogenesis Of Pancreatic Cancer Through Metabolic Pathways, Santanu Bhattacharya, Krishnendu Pal, Anil K. Sharma, Shamit K. Dutta, Julie S. Lau, Irene K. Yan, Enfeng Wang, Ahmed Elkhanany, Khalid M. Alkharfy, Arunik Sanyal, Tushar C. Patel, Suresh T. Chari, Mark R. Spaller, Debabrata Mukhopadhyay Dec 2014

Gaip Interacting Protein C-Terminus Regulates Autophagy And Exosome Biogenesis Of Pancreatic Cancer Through Metabolic Pathways, Santanu Bhattacharya, Krishnendu Pal, Anil K. Sharma, Shamit K. Dutta, Julie S. Lau, Irene K. Yan, Enfeng Wang, Ahmed Elkhanany, Khalid M. Alkharfy, Arunik Sanyal, Tushar C. Patel, Suresh T. Chari, Mark R. Spaller, Debabrata Mukhopadhyay

Dartmouth Scholarship

GAIP interacting protein C terminus (GIPC) is known to play an important role in a variety of physiological and disease states. In the present study, we have identified a novel role for GIPC as a master regulator of autophagy and the exocytotic pathways in cancer. We show that depletion of GIPC-induced autophagy in pancreatic cancer cells, as evident from the upregulation of the autophagy marker LC3II. We further report that GIPC regulates cellular trafficking pathways by modulating the secretion, biogenesis, and molecular composition of exosomes. We also identified the involvement of GIPC on metabolic stress pathways regulating autophagy and microvesicular …


Identification Of Proteins Potentially Involved In The Formation Of Lafora Bodies, A Hallmark Of Lafora Disease, Elham Schokraie, Oliver Kötting, Matthew S. Gentry Sep 2013

Identification Of Proteins Potentially Involved In The Formation Of Lafora Bodies, A Hallmark Of Lafora Disease, Elham Schokraie, Oliver Kötting, Matthew S. Gentry

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Presentations

Lafora Disease (LD) is a fatal teenage-onset progressive myoclonus epilepsy. It is characterized by the formation of Lafora bodies (LBs), deposits of abnormally branched, insoluble, hyperphosphorylated glycogen-like polymers that are generally believed to trigger the development of the clinical symptoms of LD. 58% and 35% of the LD cases are caused by mutations in EPM2A (laforin) and EPM2B (malin), respectively. However, little is known about their function in LB formation. Two different mechanisms have been proposed to explain the accumulation of insoluble LBs: first, excessive glycogen phosphorylation and, second, an imbalance between glycogen synthesizing enzymes. The present study aims at …


Using Rnai In C. Elegans To Demonstrate Gene Knockdown Phenotypes In The Undergraduate Biology Lab Setting, Nicole M. Roy May 2013

Using Rnai In C. Elegans To Demonstrate Gene Knockdown Phenotypes In The Undergraduate Biology Lab Setting, Nicole M. Roy

Biology Faculty Publications

RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful technology used to knock down genes in basic research and medicine. In 2006 RNAi technology using Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) was awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine and thus students graduating in the biological sciences should have experience with this technology. However, students struggle conceptually with the molecular biology behind the RNAi technology and find the technology difficult to grasp. To this end, we have provided a simple, streamlined and inexpensive RNAi procedure using C. elegans that can be adopted in upper level biology classes. By using an unknown RNAi-producing bacteria, students perform novel …


Fundamentals Of Protein Structure Alignment, Allen Holder, Mark Brandt, Yosi Shibberu May 2012

Fundamentals Of Protein Structure Alignment, Allen Holder, Mark Brandt, Yosi Shibberu

Mathematical Sciences Technical Reports (MSTR)

The central dogma of molecular biology asserts a one way transfer of information from a cell’s genetic code to the expression of proteins. Proteins are the functional workhorses of a cell, and studying these molecules is at the foundation of much of computational biology. Our goal here is to present a succinct introduction to the biological, mathematical, and computational aspects of making pairwise comparisons between protein structures. The presentation is intended to be useful for those who are entering this research area. The chapter begins with a brief introduction to the biology of protein comparison, which is followed by a …


Electrosensory Ampullary Organs Are Derived From Lateral Line Placodes In Bony Fishes, Melissa S. Modrell, William E. Benis, R. Glenn Northcutt, Marcus C. Davis, Clare V.H. Baker Oct 2011

Electrosensory Ampullary Organs Are Derived From Lateral Line Placodes In Bony Fishes, Melissa S. Modrell, William E. Benis, R. Glenn Northcutt, Marcus C. Davis, Clare V.H. Baker

Faculty and Research Publications

Electroreception is an ancient subdivision of the lateral line sensory system, found in all major vertebrate groups (though lost in frogs, amniotes and most ray-finned fishes). Electroreception is mediated by 'hair cells' in ampullary organs, distributed in fields flanking lines of mechanosensory hair cell-containing neuromasts that detect local water movement. Neuromasts, and afferent neurons for both neuromasts and ampullary organs, develop from lateral line placodes. Although ampullary organs in the axolotl (a representative of the lobe-finned clade of bony fishes) are lateral line placode-derived, non-placodal origins have been proposed for electroreceptors in other taxa. Here we show morphological and molecular …


Arctic Mustard Flower Color Polymorphism Controlled By Petal-Specific Downregulation At The Threshold Of The Anthocyanin Biosynthetic Pathway, Cynthia A. Dick, Jason Buenrostro, Timothy Butler, Matthew L. Carlson, Daniel J. Kliebenstein, Justen B. Whittall Apr 2011

Arctic Mustard Flower Color Polymorphism Controlled By Petal-Specific Downregulation At The Threshold Of The Anthocyanin Biosynthetic Pathway, Cynthia A. Dick, Jason Buenrostro, Timothy Butler, Matthew L. Carlson, Daniel J. Kliebenstein, Justen B. Whittall

Biology

Intra- and interspecific variation in flower color is a hallmark of angiosperm diversity. The evolutionary forces underlying the variety of flower colors can be nearly as diverse as the colors themselves. In addition to pollinator preferences, non-pollinator agents of selection can have a major influence on the evolution of flower color polymorphisms, especially when the pigments in question are also expressed in vegetative tissues. In such cases, identifying the target(s) of selection starts with determining the biochemical and molecular basis for the flower color variation and examining any pleiotropic effects manifested in vegetative tissues. Herein, we describe a widespread purple-white …


Fast Protein Structure Alignment, Yosi Shibberu, Allen Holder, Kyla Lutz Feb 2010

Fast Protein Structure Alignment, Yosi Shibberu, Allen Holder, Kyla Lutz

Mathematical Sciences Technical Reports (MSTR)

We address the problem of aligning the 3D structures of two proteins. Our pairwise comparisons are based on a new optimization model that is succinctly expressed in terms of linear transformations and highlights the problem’s intrinsic geometry. The optimization problem is approximately solved with a new polynomial time algorithm. The worst case analysis of the algorithm shows that the solution is bounded by a constant depending only on the data of the problem.


Core Concepts In Biochemistry And Molecular Biology In An Integrated Mbbs Curriculum, M P. Iqbal Apr 2004

Core Concepts In Biochemistry And Molecular Biology In An Integrated Mbbs Curriculum, M P. Iqbal

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

No abstract provided.