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Full-Text Articles in Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins

Expression And Purification Of The Bacterial Protein Curli Csga And Its Cross-Interactions With Amyloid-B, Leah Grace Cantrell Jun 2022

Expression And Purification Of The Bacterial Protein Curli Csga And Its Cross-Interactions With Amyloid-B, Leah Grace Cantrell

Honors Theses

One of the main causes of neurodegenerative diseases is aggregation of amyloid proteins that are toxic to the neurons. Proteins like amyloid-β (Aβ) and α-syneuclein (α-syn) form hallmark aggregate lesions that contribute to pathological processes in the brain in Alzheimer and Parkinson’s patients, respectively. Recent ground-breaking studies have suggested a link between the microbiota of the gut and neurodegenerative diseases, called the “gut-brain axis.” It has been long known that the protein, CsgA found in many enteric bacteria, forms amyloid fibers of its own called Curli. Curli fibrils are a structural component of bacterial colonies and maintain the integrity of …


Recombinant Expression And Purification Of Amyloid-Β In E. Coli, Wisam M. Beauti May 2017

Recombinant Expression And Purification Of Amyloid-Β In E. Coli, Wisam M. Beauti

Honors Theses

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder that affects people older than 65 years 1,2,5. It is characterized by the presence of extracellular plaque deposits that are seen specifically in the brains of AD patients 4,5. These plaques are mainly comprised of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide aggregates. Aβ plaque production and deposition is believed to drive AD pathogenesis. Studying these proteins is crucial to understanding aspects of AD in order to develop possible therapeutic treatments. Recombinant expression of Aβ can also provide a handle to introduce mutations in the protein to further study their structure-function relationships. However, synthetic Aβ monomer …


Analysis Of Mammalian Carboxypeptidase O Expression Patterns, Christian Bardan Mar 2016

Analysis Of Mammalian Carboxypeptidase O Expression Patterns, Christian Bardan

Honors Theses

Carboxypeptidase 0 (CPO) is a protease that cuts acidic amino acids from the carboxy termini of substrate proteins. This study aims to describe the expression patterns of CPO in small mammals. We have sampled tissue from four different species: thirteen-lined ground squirrel, eastern chipmunk, eastern mole, and northern short-tailed shrew. Samples were analyzed via Western blot using two CPO antibodies. Immunoreactive bands likely to be CPO, with molecular weights approximately 42 kDa, were seen predominantly in kidney, liver, and intestinal tissue samples. This suggests CPO could play a specific physiological function in these organs.


Thrilling Monotony: A Summer Of Alzheimer's Research, Baronger Dowell Bieger Jan 2015

Thrilling Monotony: A Summer Of Alzheimer's Research, Baronger Dowell Bieger

Honors Theses

The primary genetic risk determinant for late-onset Alzheimer's disease is the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE). Variations in this gene produce three different isoforms of the apolipoprotein E protein (ApoE): ApoE2, ApoE3, and ApoE4. ApoE# is the most common isoform, so rates of LOAD among other genotypes are indexed to this variant. ApoE2 is rather rare, but its carriers are less likely to get LOAD; when they do, they get it later. The second most common variant is ApoE4, and its carriers are significantly more likely to get LOAD. They also tend to succumb earlier. Once developed, LOAD is characterized by …


The Influence Of A Coiled-Coil Isoleucine Zipper On The Trimerization And Endosomolytic Activity Of The E5-Tat-Mcherry Protein, Valerie Nickel Jan 2013

The Influence Of A Coiled-Coil Isoleucine Zipper On The Trimerization And Endosomolytic Activity Of The E5-Tat-Mcherry Protein, Valerie Nickel

Honors Theses

The E5-TAT-mCherry protein is designed to initiate cellular uptake through endocytosis and react to the acidification of the endosomes by causing membrane lysis and cytosolic delivery. The cell penetrating peptide TAT from the HIV transcription activator binds to the cellular membrane and transports attached or coincubated cargo into the cell through endocytosis. E5 is a derivative of the fusogenic peptide HA2 from the influenza hemagglutinin protein and reacts to the acidification of the endosomal lumen by inserting into the membrane and increasing membrane permeability. The attached red fluorescent protein mCherry serves as a convenient biological probe for cell based assays. …


Effects Of Arginine On The Kinetics Of Bovine Insulin Aggregation Studied By Dynamic Light Scattering, Michael M. Varughese Jun 2011

Effects Of Arginine On The Kinetics Of Bovine Insulin Aggregation Studied By Dynamic Light Scattering, Michael M. Varughese

Honors Theses

In the fields of protein science and medicine, understanding the kinetics of protein aggregation are significant in the research and treatment of certain amyloid diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Previous studies have suggested that arginine can increase the solubility of certain proteins, suppress protein aggregation, and assist in the refolding of aggregated proteins; however, the molecular mechanisms by which arginine can influence protein aggregation are still unclear. Bovine insulin was employed as a model system for further understanding the effects of arginine on protein aggregation. Using Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), we studied the concentration-dependent and temperature-dependent suppression of aggregation in insulin …


Stability Of Eukaryotic Elongation Factor One Alpha Protein In The Cell, Jennifer Watry Apr 2007

Stability Of Eukaryotic Elongation Factor One Alpha Protein In The Cell, Jennifer Watry

Honors Theses

Eukaryotic Elongation Factor One Alpha (eEF1A) is an abundant protein found in every cell of every organism and is involved in functions concerning protein synthesis and degradation, the cytoskeleton, and signaling. How these functions are regulated is not yet understood for this protein. Regulation of the protein may be controlled by transcription of the genes encoding the protein or the stability and modification of the protein. The goal of this project was to determine the stability of eEf1A proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana. Protein stability was determined by treating tissues with cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis. Gel electrophoresis and …


The Effects Of Strain Differences On The Binding Of Concavalian A To Mouse Sperm, Lisa A. Mckay Jun 1986

The Effects Of Strain Differences On The Binding Of Concavalian A To Mouse Sperm, Lisa A. Mckay

Honors Theses

The current study, lectins were used as genetic probes to determine the phenotype of the sperm from different strains of mice. Lectins are proteins of non-immune origin, which bind to specific carbohydrates (McCoy, 1986). Being that virtually all cell membranes contain carbohydrate components, lectins have been used to identify all types of cells. In this study, a biotinylated lectin Concavalian A (Con A) derived from Canavalia ensiformis, was used and binding was detected using an avidin-biotin peroxidase (ABP) complex technique. The object of the current research was to 1) determine if mouse strain differences have an effect on lectin binding, …


A Quantitative Study Of The Distinctive Proteins Of The Eosinophil: A Comparison Of Normals And Eosinophilic Patients, James M. Olson Dec 1984

A Quantitative Study Of The Distinctive Proteins Of The Eosinophil: A Comparison Of Normals And Eosinophilic Patients, James M. Olson

Honors Theses

Eosinophils have long been associated with parasitic and allergic diseases. Methods of procurement and purification of eosinophils in the last ten years have allowed intensive investigation into their components, properties, functions, and mechanisms (Gleich et al, 1982). The goals of this project are to separate eosinophils in blood samples taken from patients with eosinophilia and from normals based on density over distontinuous Metrizamide gradients; to determine quantitatively the levels of the three distinctive proteins of the eosinophil, specifically MBP, EDN, and ECP; and to compare the levels of these proteins found in eosinophils of patients with eosinophilia to the amounts …


Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis, John Gibson Oct 1974

Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis, John Gibson

Honors Theses

Solid phase peptide synthesis is a relatively new biochemical process for polymerization of amino acids. It involves the selection of amino acids, blocking groups, and resins. This procedure was first investigated by R. B. Merrifield in an attempt to simplify previous methods of peptide synthesis. Since other methods involved amino acids, peptide esters, and diketopiperazines, peptide synthesis had been limited by amino acid selection and a host of technical problems. Solid phase synthesis alleviates many of these difficulties and limitations by supplying a faster and simpler stepwise addition of a wide variety of naturally occurring and synthetically prepared amino acids …


A Comparative Consideration Of Lipoprotein Distribution And Stress Response In The Mallard Duck And Man, Janice Mackay Apr 1972

A Comparative Consideration Of Lipoprotein Distribution And Stress Response In The Mallard Duck And Man, Janice Mackay

Honors Theses

Lipid is associated with all of the major serum protein fractions of both the mallard duck and man. however, whereas the ρ lipoproteins predominate in man with little lipo-albumin evident, according to available literature, in ducks the lipo-albumin constitutes more than half of the serum lipoproteins, and a substantial lipo-prealbumin fraction is evident. Most studies of lipo-proteins are carried out on human serum primarily for the purpose of diagnosis of abnormalities. The stress response in many animals includes a rise in serum α-globulin levels, but its physiological basis is still speculative. While a consideration of the changes in lipoprotein distribution …