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East Tennessee State University

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Articles 31 - 52 of 52

Full-Text Articles in Molecular Biology

Redesign Of Trans-Splicing Molecules For The Correction Of Dystrophia Myotonica Type 1 Toxic Rna Transcripts, Eleanor G. Harrison Dec 2014

Redesign Of Trans-Splicing Molecules For The Correction Of Dystrophia Myotonica Type 1 Toxic Rna Transcripts, Eleanor G. Harrison

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Dystrophia myotonica (DM1), one of the most common forms of muscular dystrophy, is caused by a repeated trinucleotide expansion in the DMPK gene. This mutation results in the accumulation of toxic cellular RNA transcripts. Spliceosome-mediated RNA trans-splicing (SMaRT) technology is a form of gene therapy that possesses the potential to correct these toxic RNA transcripts and thus cure the disease. Despite its promise, prior research applications of SMaRT technology to DM1 have been hampered by poor efficiency and have not been validated in a relevant model of the disease. In order to improve the efficiency of trans-splicing, this study examined …


Characterization Of A Putative Sir2 Like Deacetylase And Its Role In Sabp2 Dependent Salicylic Acid Mediated Pathways In Plant, Md I. Haq Aug 2014

Characterization Of A Putative Sir2 Like Deacetylase And Its Role In Sabp2 Dependent Salicylic Acid Mediated Pathways In Plant, Md I. Haq

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Salicylic Acid Binding Protein2 (SABP2) is an enzyme known to play important role in SA mediated pathway. SBIP-428 (SABP2 Interacting Protein-428), a SIR2 like deacetylase, has been found to interact with SABP2. We demonstrate that SBIP-428 functions as a Sirtuin deacetylase. We show that SBIP-428 itself is lysine acetylated. Interactions of a SBIP-428 with SABP2 also raised the possibility of SABP2 itself being lysine acetylated. The recombinant purified SABP2 or native partially purified SABP2 displayed no acetylation. In response to TMV infection, the expression of SBIP-428 was down regulated at 48 hpi. In addition, SBIP-428 was up regulated in plant …


Mechanisms Of The Anti-Pneumococcal Function Of C-Reactive Protein, Toh B. Gang Dec 2013

Mechanisms Of The Anti-Pneumococcal Function Of C-Reactive Protein, Toh B. Gang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human C-reactive protein (CRP) increases survival of and decreases bacteremia in mice infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae. Such protection of mice against pneumococcal infection is seen only when CRP is administered into mice 6 hours before to 2 hours after the injection of pneumococci, but not when CRP is given to mice at a later time. Our first aim was to define the mechanism of CRP-mediated initial protection of mice against infection. It was proposed that CRP binds to phosphocholine (PCh) moieties present in the cell wall and activates the complement system on the pneumococcal surface that kills the pathogen. …


New Insights Into The Roles Of Human Dna Damage Checkpoint Protein Atr In The Regulation Of Nucleotide Excision Repair And Dna Damage-Induced Cell Death, Zhengke Li Dec 2013

New Insights Into The Roles Of Human Dna Damage Checkpoint Protein Atr In The Regulation Of Nucleotide Excision Repair And Dna Damage-Induced Cell Death, Zhengke Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Integrity of the human genome is frequently threatened by endogenous and exogenous DNA damaging reagents that may lead to genome instability and cancer. Cells have evolved multiple mechanisms to repair DNA damage or to eliminate the damaged cells beyond repair and to prevent diverse diseases. Among these are ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR)-mediated DNA damage checkpoint and nucleotide excision repair (NER) that are the major pathways by which cells handle ultraviolet C (UV-C)- or other exogenous genotoxin-induced bulky DNA damage. However, it is unclear how these 2 pathways may be coordinated. In this study we show that ATR physically interacts …


The Effect Of Ultraviolet Light On Cell Viability, Dna Damage And Repair In Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome And Bj Fibroblasts., Mckayla Johnson May 2011

The Effect Of Ultraviolet Light On Cell Viability, Dna Damage And Repair In Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome And Bj Fibroblasts., Mckayla Johnson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Patients of Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) display a rate of aging up to ten times that of normal human populations. It might be expected that HGPS cells would have a decreased ability to repair DNA damage through the cell cycle as compared to normal cells such as those of the BJ cell line since DNA damage accumulation is a hallmark phenotype of aging. On earth, we are exposed to far more ultraviolet-B (UV-B, 280-315 nm) and UV-A (315-400 nm) than UV-C (100-280 nm) radiation, since the latter is filtered-out by the atmospheric ozone layer. The relative sensitivity of prematurely aging …


The Effects Of The Vitamin E Isomers Gamma Tocopherol And Gamma Tocotrienol On The Nfkb Pathway In The Pc-3 Cell Line., Brittney Rudder May 2011

The Effects Of The Vitamin E Isomers Gamma Tocopherol And Gamma Tocotrienol On The Nfkb Pathway In The Pc-3 Cell Line., Brittney Rudder

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Regions along the Mediterranean and Southern Asia have lower prostate cancer incidence compared to the rest of the world. It has been hypothesized that one of the potential contributing factors for this low incidence includes a higher intake of vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols). This study examines the potential of gamma tocopherol (GT) and gamma tocotrienol (GT3) to reduce prostate cancer proliferation by examining their effects on the NFκB pathway. NFκB is known to inhibit apoptosis in cancer cells. Our data shows that both GT and GT3 are capable of down regulation of NFκB precursors and up regulation of Caspase …


Effects Of Vitamin E Isomer, Gamma Tocotrienol (Gt3), At Inhibiting Cell Growth And Inducing Apoptosis In Colon Cancer Cell Line Hct-116., Havya Dave May 2011

Effects Of Vitamin E Isomer, Gamma Tocotrienol (Gt3), At Inhibiting Cell Growth And Inducing Apoptosis In Colon Cancer Cell Line Hct-116., Havya Dave

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Colorectal cancer is the third most prominent cancer world-wide and it is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Many dietary components affect the risk of developing colorectal cancer, such as Vitamin E. Of the eight isomers of Vitamin E, four have a tocotrienol structure. Tocotrienols are found at highest concentrations in palm oil, which is ingested more in areas of Asia where the incidence of colorectal cancer is the lowest, suggesting a role of tocotrienols in the prevention of colorectal cancer. The metabolism of Arachidonic acid pathway produces a host of pro-inflammatory metabolites either by …


Molecular Modulation Of A-Subunit Visit-Dg Sequence Residue Asp-350 In The Catalytic Sites Of Escherichia Coli Atp Synthase., Sneha R. Jonnalagadda May 2011

Molecular Modulation Of A-Subunit Visit-Dg Sequence Residue Asp-350 In The Catalytic Sites Of Escherichia Coli Atp Synthase., Sneha R. Jonnalagadda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ATP Synthase is the fundamental means of cellular energy production in animals, plants, and almost all microorganisms. In order to understand the mechanism of ATP catalysis, critical amino acid residues involved in Pi binding have to be identified. The αVISIT-DG sequence at the interface of α/β subunits that contains residues from 345-351 is highly conserved and αAsp-350 has been chosen because of its negative charge side chain and its close proximity (~2.8 Å) to the known phosphate binding residue αArg-376. The mutant's αD350R, αD350Q, αD350A, αR376A/D, and αG351R/A/D were generated by site directed mutagenesis and several biochemical assays were performed …


Characterization Of Heat Shock Protein A12b As A Novel Angiogenesis Regulator., Rebecca J. Steagall Aug 2008

Characterization Of Heat Shock Protein A12b As A Novel Angiogenesis Regulator., Rebecca J. Steagall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previously, we cloned Heat shock protein A12B (HspA12B), the newest member of a recently defined subfamily of proteins distantly related to the Hsp70 family that are enriched in atherosclerotic lesions. We have found that HspA12B is predominantly expressed in vascular endothelium, and that it is involved in angiogenesis which we probed by in vitro angiogenesis assays (Matrigel), migration assays and Directed In Vivo Angiogenesis Assay (DIVAA). Hsp70s are molecular chaperones that are inducible by stress and have been found to be anti-apoptotic (Li et al. 2000; Nylandsted et al. 2000; Garrido et al. 2001). Because of its homology to Hsp70, …


Structural And Biochemical Investigation Of The Molecular Mechanisms Of Dna Response And Repair In Humans And Escherichia Coli., Steven Michael Shell May 2008

Structural And Biochemical Investigation Of The Molecular Mechanisms Of Dna Response And Repair In Humans And Escherichia Coli., Steven Michael Shell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The genomes of all living cells are under constant attack from both endogenous and exogenous agents that damage DNA. In order to maintain genetic integrity a variety of response pathways have evolved to recognize and eliminate DNA damage. Replication protein A (RPA), the eukaryotic single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding protein, is a required factor for all major DNA metabolisms. Although much work has been done to elucidate the nature of the interaction between RPA and ssDNA currently there is no structural information on how the full-length protein binds to ssDNA. This study presents a novel examination of the full nucleoprotein complex …


Examination Of Microsporidia Spore Adherence And Host Cell Infection In Vitro., Timothy Robert Southern May 2007

Examination Of Microsporidia Spore Adherence And Host Cell Infection In Vitro., Timothy Robert Southern

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microsporidia are obligate intracellular pathogens that cause severe disease in immunocompromised humans. While albendazole is the treatment of choice, no therapy exists that effectively treats all forms or causes of human microsporidiosis. Recent studies show that the microsporidian Encephalitozoon intestinalis binds glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) associated with the host cell surface, and that the divalent cations manganese (Mn2+) and magnesium (Mg2+) augment spore adherence to host cells by activating a constituent on the spore surface. These studies also illustrate a direct relationship between spore adherence and host cell infection; inhibition of spore adherence leads to reduced host cell …


In Vitro Assessment Of The Toxicity Of Cocaine And Its Metabolites In The Human Umbilical Artery, Tessa L. Long Aug 1998

In Vitro Assessment Of The Toxicity Of Cocaine And Its Metabolites In The Human Umbilical Artery, Tessa L. Long

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An in vitro model was used to assess the effect of cocaine and its metabolites on the umbilical artery. Objectives were to pharmacologically confirm the presence of adrenergic innervation using tyramine, evaluate the ability of cocaine, benzoylecgonine, norcocaine and cocaethylene to potentiate vasoconstriction by serotonin and norepinephrine, examine the ability of ketanserin to block the enhanced vasoconstriction produced by cocaine, and determine displacement of 3 H-ketanserin by serotonin, norepinephrine, tyramine and mianserin. The vasoconstrictive effect of tyramine (100 μM) was enhanced in the presence of cocaine by 257%. Vasoconstrictive effects of serotonin and norepinephrine were significantly enhanced by cocaine by …


The Influence Of A Human Repetitive Dna On Genome Stability, Eugenia L. Posey May 1998

The Influence Of A Human Repetitive Dna On Genome Stability, Eugenia L. Posey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A uniquely human interspersed repetitive DNA sequence family, the L2Hs, are highly polymorphic in human genomes. Several features of interspersed repeated DNA may contribute to the instability observed. Certain motifs (direct repeats, palindromes, and inverted repeats) comprising L2Hs elements may adopt unusual secondary structures such as cruciforms or hairpins. These motifs have been associated with features of genome instability in recombination, insertions and deletions. The L2Hs elements also are AT-rich (76%) compared to the bulk of human DNA (52%). That their dynamic nature (i.e. polymorphisms) may arise from recombination, insertions and deletions has led to the hypothesis that the L2Hs …


Endogenous Alkylglycerol Functions As A Mediator Of Protein Kinase C Activity And Cell Proliferation, Fritz G. Buchanan May 1997

Endogenous Alkylglycerol Functions As A Mediator Of Protein Kinase C Activity And Cell Proliferation, Fritz G. Buchanan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To explore the possibility that 1-O-alkyl-sn-glycerol (alkylglycerol) may serve a regulatory role in the control of cell proliferation or PKC activity, we examined the ability of alkylglycerol to influence PKC activity and subcellular distribution as well as the ability of alkylglycerol to effect cell proliferation. MDCK cells grown to confluence show a loss of PKC activity associated with the membrane, as reported in fibroblasts. Preconfluent cultures of MDCK cells have a high level of PKC activity associated with the membrane. However, treatment of preconfluent cultures with alkylglycerol causes a reduction of PKC activity. A similar inhibition was observed with alkylglycerol …


Moraxella (Branhamella) Catarrhalis: A Molecular Epidemiology Study, Lyndell R. Gill May 1995

Moraxella (Branhamella) Catarrhalis: A Molecular Epidemiology Study, Lyndell R. Gill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis is the third-most-frequently isolated microorganism associated with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis in patients during their stay at the Mountain Home VA Medical Center (MHVAMC). In order to develop a practical, epidemiologically-meaningful typing method for M. (B.) catarrhalis, we tested two methods based on analysis of chromosomal DNA for typeability, reproducibility, and ability to differentiate between unrelated strains (discriminatory power, D). M. (B.) catarrhalis isolants from MHVAMC from 7/1/87-6/30/88 were grown overnight in broth and embedded in agarose. DNA was isolated by standard methods. The DNA was subjected to: (1) restriction endonuclease digestion (with either Bgl II …


A Molecular Basis For Erythromycin Sensitivity And Resistance In Escherichia Coli, Harold S. Chittum Dec 1993

A Molecular Basis For Erythromycin Sensitivity And Resistance In Escherichia Coli, Harold S. Chittum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The effect of erythromycin on the 50S ribosomal subunit during cell growth has been extensively investigated. Sucrose density gradient analysis of ribosomes formed in the presence and absence of the drug revealed a 50S specific assembly defect is partially responsible for erythromycin's inhibitory effects on wild type cells. Examination of two erythromycin-resistant mutants of E. coli (N281 and N282) revealed that mutant N281 (L22 mutant) but not N282 (L4 mutant) was assembly defective in the presence of the drug, although only at much higher drug concentrations (300 ug/ml vs. 75 ug/ml for wild type cells). The altered genes from each …


Unusual Structure Of A Human Middle Repetitive Dna, Duminda D. Ratnasinghe Dec 1993

Unusual Structure Of A Human Middle Repetitive Dna, Duminda D. Ratnasinghe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The L2Hs sequences are a polymorphic, interspersed, middle repetitive DNA family unique to human genomes. Genomic fingerprinting indicates that these DNAs vary from one individual to another and between tissues of the same individual. Sequence analysis reveals that they are AT-rich (76%) and contain many unusual sequence arrangements (palindromes, inverted and direct repeats). These sequence properties confer on the L2Hs elements the potential to fold into non-B-form structures, a characteristic of recombination hot spots. To test this hypothesis carbodiimide, osmium tetroxide and S$\sb1$ nuclease were used as single-strand specific probes to study a recombinant plasmid, pN6.4.39, containing a single L2Hs …


Characterization Of Two Temperature-Sensitive Mutants Of Escherichia Coli Exhibiting An Altered L22 Ribosomal Protein, Bonnie A. Burnette-Vick Aug 1991

Characterization Of Two Temperature-Sensitive Mutants Of Escherichia Coli Exhibiting An Altered L22 Ribosomal Protein, Bonnie A. Burnette-Vick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Analysis of E. coli strains SK1047 and SK1048 have shown them to be temperature-sensitive, protein-synthesis deficient. An alteration in ribosomal protein L22 was detected in both strains using two dimensional gel electrophoresis. Protein L22 was purified from both strains by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography and from two dimensional electrophoretic gels. Purified ribosomal protein L22 was labeled by reductive methylation and used in 23S RNA binding assays with and without ribosomal protein L4. At the permissive temperature, protein L22 from SK1047 bound less efficiently than the control while protein L22 from SK1048 bound as efficiently as the control. At …


Mouse Mast Cell Proteases: Induction, Molecular Cloning, And Characterization, Wei Chu May 1991

Mouse Mast Cell Proteases: Induction, Molecular Cloning, And Characterization, Wei Chu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tryptase, a mast cell-specific serine protease with trypsin-like specificity, has been identified in a mouse mast cell line (ABFTL-6) based on it's enzymatic activity, inhibition properties, and cross-reactivity to a human mast cell tryptase antibody. The effects of fibroblast-conditioned medium and sodium butyrate on ABFTL-6 mast cell differentiation and tryptase expression have been examined. ABFTL-6 mouse mast cells undergo phenotypic changes upon culturing in media supplemented with fibroblast-conditioned media at 50% or 1 mM sodium butyrate. The induced cells increased in size, had larger and more metachromatic cytoplasmic granules, and increased their total cellular protein about four-fold. Tryptase activity increased …


A Temperature-Sensitive Mutant Of Escherichia Coli Affected In The Alpha Subunit Of Rna Polymerase, Majid Mehrpouyan Dec 1990

A Temperature-Sensitive Mutant Of Escherichia Coli Affected In The Alpha Subunit Of Rna Polymerase, Majid Mehrpouyan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A temperature-sensitive mutant of Escherichia coli affected in the alpha subunit of RNA polymerase has been investigated. Gene mapping and complementation experiments placed the mutation to temperature-sensitivity within the alpha operon at 72 min on the bacterial chromosome. The rate of RNA synthesis in vivo and the accumulation of ribosomal RNA were significantly reduced in the mutant at 44$\sp\circ$C. The thermostability at 44$\sp\circ$C of the purified holoenzyme from mutant cells was about 20% of that of the normal enzyme. Assays with T7 DNA as a template showed that the fraction of active enzyme competent for transcription was reduced as a …


Isolation And Characterization Of Temperature-Sensitive Protein Synthesis Mutants Of Escherichia Coli By Directed Mutagenesis Of The Defective Bacteriophage Lambda Fus2, Kenton L. Lohman Dec 1985

Isolation And Characterization Of Temperature-Sensitive Protein Synthesis Mutants Of Escherichia Coli By Directed Mutagenesis Of The Defective Bacteriophage Lambda Fus2, Kenton L. Lohman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mutagenesis of the defective transducing bacteriophage lambda fus2 was used to isolate a collection of temperature-sensitive mutants of E. coli in the major ribosomal protein gene cluster. Four mutants were examined in detail. Two of the mutants were resistant to the ribosomal antibiotics neamine and spectinomycin. Another mutant was defective in 50S ribosomal subunit assembly at 42(DEGREES)C. The 30S subunit proteins S17 and S19 were changed in two different mutants. Each protein migrated as a more basic species in two-dimensional gels of ribosomal proteins. Ribosomes from each of the four mutants examined showed a temperature-dependent reduction in translational activity in …


Characterization Of Kpni Interspersed, Repetitive Dna Sequence Families And Their Association With The Nuclear Matrix, Joseph A. Chimera Dec 1984

Characterization Of Kpni Interspersed, Repetitive Dna Sequence Families And Their Association With The Nuclear Matrix, Joseph A. Chimera

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The KpnI, 1.2 and 1.5 kb families of interspersed repetitive DNAs from the African green monkey genome were isolated and characterized. Each family contains three populations of segments based on their sequence lengths and susceptibility to cleavage by the restriction enzymes KpnI and RsaI. The first population contains the smallest segments which are susceptible to both KpnI and RsaI cleavage and have fragment lengths of 1.2 kb (1.2 kb family) and 1.5 kb (1.5 kb family) respectively. The members in this population are referred to as KpnI-sensitive segments. The second population contains longer segments (> 2 kb) which represent fusions …