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Articles 1 - 9 of 9
Full-Text Articles in Cell and Developmental Biology
A Dna-Peptide Crosslink (Dpc) Increases Mutagenicity In Sos-Induced Escherichia Coli, Alessandra Bassani
A Dna-Peptide Crosslink (Dpc) Increases Mutagenicity In Sos-Induced Escherichia Coli, Alessandra Bassani
Honors Scholar Theses
Bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, have an inducible system in response to DNA damage termed the SOS response. This system is activated when the replicative DNA polymerase (Pol) III encounters a lesion, uncouples from DNA helicase, and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) accumulates at the replication fork. In this study, we investigated DNA-peptide crosslink (DpC), a common lesion that results from cross-linking of proteins or peptides, UV irradiation, and alkylating agents. To increase survival following formation of a lesion, the SOS response can utilize homologous recombination, translesion synthesis (TLS), or excision repair. With TLS, the levels of DNA Pol II, IV, …
When Problems Become Solutions: Harnessing The Osteogenic Capacity Of Disease-Causing Stem Cells To Repair Bone Fractures, Mehreen Pasha
When Problems Become Solutions: Harnessing The Osteogenic Capacity Of Disease-Causing Stem Cells To Repair Bone Fractures, Mehreen Pasha
Honors Scholar Theses
While we often perceive disease as negative, there is potential to engineer seemingly negative biological phenomena into therapeutics to treat a variety of human illnesses. Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a genetic disorder involving uncontrolled, widespread, extraskeletal bone growth, or heterotopic ossification (HO). In FOP patients, stem cells called fibro/adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) follow an abnormal, osteogenic pathway. In the present study, we investigate whether we can adapt these Acvr1 mutant FAPs, which are exceptional at producing bone, to repair bone fractures in otherwise normal patients. The primary aims of this study are (1) to devise and optimize a novel method …
The Effects Of Mapk Signaling On The Development Of Cerebellar Granule Cells, Kerry Morgan
The Effects Of Mapk Signaling On The Development Of Cerebellar Granule Cells, Kerry Morgan
Honors Scholar Theses
The granule cells are the most abundant neuronal type in the human brain. Rapid proliferation of granule cell progenitors results in dramatic expansion and folding of the cerebellar cortex during postnatal development. Mis-regulation of this proliferation process causes medulloblastoma, the most prevalent childhood brain tumor. In the developing cerebellum, granule cells are derived from Atoh1-expressing cells, which arise from the upper rhombic lip (the interface between the roof plate and neuroepithelium). In addition to granule cells, the Atoh1 lineage also gives rise to different types of neurons including cerebellar nuclei neurons. In the current study, I have investigated the …
Single-Fluorophore Sensors For Mechanical Force In Living Cells, Sarah Kricheff
Single-Fluorophore Sensors For Mechanical Force In Living Cells, Sarah Kricheff
Honors Scholar Theses
Mechanotransduction is the process by which a mechanical stimulus is converted to a cellular signal. This process is heavily influential of cell morphology, differentiation, and behavior. However, altered levels of mechanical stimuli are also found in many pathological contexts. For example, cancerous cells have stiffer surrounding tissue than healthy cells, and research suggests that this alters cell behavior and promotes metastasis. Despite these findings, the cellular processes behind these signaling alterations remain widely unknown. Understanding these cascades is critical, as involved proteins can give us a deeper understanding of the role of mechanotransduction, and certain proteins can potentially be targeted …
Characterization Of A Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Cards Toxin Mutant, Nikaash Pasnoori
Characterization Of A Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Cards Toxin Mutant, Nikaash Pasnoori
Honors Scholar Theses
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a high-burden pathogen which causes mild to significant infections of the respiratory system. According to the CDC, an estimated two million cases occur yearly in the United States alone, demonstrating the widespread effect of the pathogen. In addition to being the cause of respiratory infections, M. pneumoniae has also been implicated in exacerbating pre-existing asthma conditions. These morbidities make finding a vaccine candidate a vital part of easing the healthcare burden caused by the pathogen. The current mechanism of infection is unknown, but recent evidence points to the Community Acquired Respiratory Distress Syndrome (CARDS) toxin as being …
An Analysis Of Crispr-Cas Gene Editing In Agriculture, Ashley Laliberte
An Analysis Of Crispr-Cas Gene Editing In Agriculture, Ashley Laliberte
Honors Scholar Theses
The CRISPR-Cas system is a promising form of gene editing, especially for the agriculture industry. The ability to make single-nucleotide edits within a gene of interest, without the need to introduce foreign DNA, is a powerful tool for designing healthier and more efficient crops and food animals. This system provides opportunity for increased nutritional value, decreased food waste, and more economically and environmentally sustainable food production. Though this biotechnology is facing mechanistic limitations due to off-target effects and inefficient homology-directed repair, vast improvements have already been made to improve its efficacy. The CRISPR-Cas system is already the most advanced form …
Identifying New Genes Involved In Centromere Establishment, Megan Boyer
Identifying New Genes Involved In Centromere Establishment, Megan Boyer
Honors Scholar Theses
The centromere is a site on the chromosome that mediates accurate cell division by serving as a platform for kinetochore assembly, and microtubule attachment during cell division. Errors in the process of chromosome segregation can contribute to genetic irregularities, such as those seen in cancer and congenital defects. Our lab uses the ectopic centromere as a tool to discover what proteins may be involved in centromere establishment, defined as the deposition of CENP-A at the locus. We use the lacO/LacI system within Drosophila S2 cells that contain a CAL1-GFP- LacI transgene and an integrated lacO array to study the ectopic …
Modeling The Adaptive Immune Response To Mutation-Generated Antigens, Rory J. Geyer
Modeling The Adaptive Immune Response To Mutation-Generated Antigens, Rory J. Geyer
Honors Scholar Theses
Somatic mutations may drive tumorigenesis or lead to new, immunogenic epitopes (neoantigens). The immune system is thought to represses neoplastic growths through the recognition of neoantigens presented only by tumor cells. To study mutations as well as the immune response to mutation-generated antigens, we have created a conditional knockin mouse line with a gene encoding, 5’ to 3’, yellow fluorescent protein (YFP), ovalbumin (which is processed to the immunologically recognizable peptide, SIINFEKL), and cyan fluorescent protein (CFP), or, YFP-ovalbumin-CFP. A frame shift mutation has been created at the 5’ end of the ovalbumin gene, hence YFP should always be expressed, …
Assessing The Phylogenetic Utility Of Dna Barcoding Using The New Zealand Cicada Genus Kikihia, Megan Ribak
Assessing The Phylogenetic Utility Of Dna Barcoding Using The New Zealand Cicada Genus Kikihia, Megan Ribak
Honors Scholar Theses
DNA Barcoding (Hebert et al. 2003) has the potential to revolutionize the process of identifying and cataloguing biodiversity; however, significant controversy surrounds some of the proposed applications. In the seven years since DNA barcoding was introduced, the Web of Science records more than 600 studies that have weighed the pros and cons of this procedure. Unfortunately, the scientific community has been unable to come to any consensus on what threshold to use to differentiate species or even whether the barcoding region provides enough information to serve as an accurate species identification tool. The purpose of my thesis is to analyze …