University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
University of Richmond
Iowa State University
University of Tennessee - Knoxville
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Ouachita Baptist University
George Washington University
Dictyostelium Discoideum Protein Kinase C-Orthologue Pkca Regulates The Actin Cytoskeleton Through Interaction With Phospholipase D And P21-Activated Kinase,
2020
The Graduate Center, City University of New York
Dictyostelium Discoideum Protein Kinase C-Orthologue Pkca Regulates The Actin Cytoskeleton Through Interaction With Phospholipase D And P21-Activated Kinase, Sean Singh
All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Proper regulation of the actin cytoskeleton is crucial to many cellular processes. Many of these processes are regulated by extracellular signaling cues, which direct changes in the actin cytoskeleton, resulting in changes to cellular morphology, and directed motility. The social amoeba, Dictyostelium discoideum, is used as a simple model system to study the translation of extracellular signals to the actin cytoskeleton. When starved, these unicellular amoebae undergo a multicellular developmental process characterized by a tightly regulated sequence of signaling events. This results in chemotaxis and formation of a multicellular aggregate, and ultimately cell differentiation and the formation of a fruiting ...
Analysis And Exploration Of Novel Antibiotic-Producing Streptomyces Spp. In Spokane County, Washington,
2020
Eastern Washington University
Analysis And Exploration Of Novel Antibiotic-Producing Streptomyces Spp. In Spokane County, Washington, Kyle S. Kramer, Jenifer B. Walke Ph.D
2020 Symposium Posters
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a US citizen is infected by an antibiotic-resistant pathogen every 11 seconds, and every 15 minutes, a patient dies as a result of these infections. Due to the increasing incidence of antibiotic-resistant pathogenic microbes, the study and exploration of novel antibiotics from novel environments are imperative as infectious diseases are the second leading cause of death in the United States. The purpose of this research is to investigate and analyze antibiotic-producing soil microbes in Spokane County, WA, with hopes of discovering novel antibiotic-producing microbes, specifically Streptomyces species, and explore some of ...
Mutagenesis Of The Btea Gene Encoding A Bordetella Virulence Protein,
2020
Eastern Washington University
Mutagenesis Of The Btea Gene Encoding A Bordetella Virulence Protein, Xiaolei Mao
2020 Symposium Posters
Bordetella Type III Secretion System Effector A (BteA) is a virulence protein found in members of the genus Bordetella which include important pathogens of humans and other mammals. Bordetella pertussis is a causative agent of the whooping cough, a highly contagious respiratory disease that is especially dangerous, and sometimes deadly, for infants. The BteA protein appears to be an important factor in the ability of these pathogens to cause disease, as it leads to rapid killing of a wide range of mammalian cells. The aim of this project is to determine which regions of the DNA are important for mediating ...
Biological Physics Student Edition 2020: Chapter 1,
2020
University of Pennsylvania
Biological Physics Student Edition 2020: Chapter 1, Philip C. Nelson
Department of Physics Papers
Chapter 1: What the Ancients Knew
Testing Kalanchoe Laxiflora U6 Promoters For Optimal Sgrna Expression In Tobacco,
2020
University of South Dakota
Testing Kalanchoe Laxiflora U6 Promoters For Optimal Sgrna Expression In Tobacco, Marlee E. Jones
Honors Thesis
Within studies of plant genome modification there is a method of gene alteration which involves using CRISPR/Cas systems in order to target specific gene loci and implement the intended modification. This process is driven by the ability of a single guide RNA (sgRNA) to find this target location within the plant’s genome. This sgRNA strand is expressed due to the presence of a proper RNA promoter. In an effort to understand the effect of an endogenous RNA promoter’s sequence on the successful expression of a sgRNA strand, an experiment was developed involving twelve U6 promoter sequences from ...
The Impact Of Age/Rage Signaling On Oxidative Stress Under Diabetic Conditions In Cardiac Fibroblasts,
2020
University of Mississippi
The Impact Of Age/Rage Signaling On Oxidative Stress Under Diabetic Conditions In Cardiac Fibroblasts, Christopher Dorroh
Honors Theses
Diabetes is a major health concern in the United States, with 1.5 million new cases diagnosed each year. Patients who suffer from diabetes have an increased risk of developing heart failure, a form of cardiovascular disease. Heart failure has been shown to result from increased left ventricular stiffness, which in turn is caused by increased remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM). This increase in ECM remodeling is a result of AGE/RAGE signaling, which occurs at a heightened level in the cardiac fibroblast cells of diabetics. Studies have shown that diabetics have elevated levels of AGEs (Advanced Glycation End-Products ...
The Effects Of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 (Igf-1) And Insulin-Like Growth Factor Receptor (Igfr) Regulation On Cognition And Structure Of Astrocytes,
2020
University of Mississippi
The Effects Of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 (Igf-1) And Insulin-Like Growth Factor Receptor (Igfr) Regulation On Cognition And Structure Of Astrocytes, Sariya Khan
Honors Theses
Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a neuroendocrine signaling hormone that plays an integral role in bone and tissue growth and development. Inhibition of this hormone is known to disrupt the chemistry of the brain, resulting in cognitive impairments such as those seen in many common neurodegenerative diseases. While much research has been conducted on neurons and their relation with IGF-1, the role of astrocytes still needs to be explored. Our research investigates how astrocytes are affected as a result of IGF-1 regulation. Preliminary studies in our laboratory established a connection between IGF-1 and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and in ...
Cell Proliferation And Viability Inhibition By Resveratrol On Breast Cancer Cell Lines,
2020
University of Mississippi
Cell Proliferation And Viability Inhibition By Resveratrol On Breast Cancer Cell Lines, Kyle Ford Gordon Jr
Honors Theses
Antioxidants are well-known for their various health benefits. They are able to protect cells from being damaged by free radicals that are produced by vital biochemical processes. It has long been known that antioxidants are important in our everyday health, but their potential as disease preventers and potential therapeutic agents is a relatively new field of study. Resveratrol, a natural polyphenol and well-known antioxidant, is found in plants, fruits, and products derived from them, like red wine. Resveratrol has been shown to have various properties, including antiaging, anti-aggregation of platelets, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. Because of their many health benefits ...
The Effects Of Largazole, A Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor, On Breast Cancer Cell Viability And Metastasis,
2020
University of Mississippi
The Effects Of Largazole, A Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor, On Breast Cancer Cell Viability And Metastasis, Hannah Mccowan
Honors Theses
Histone deacetylase enzymes modify epigenetic characteristics of a genome by removing acetyl groups from histone proteins in chromatin. Histone deacetylase inhibitors work by stopping this activity which can have various results in a cell including apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, differentiation, and migration. The purpose of these experiments was to see how largazole, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, affected cell viability for breast cancer and associated metastatic cell lines in both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. The experiment was completed by setting up two 96-well plates with varying concentrations of largazole and conducting a sulforhodamine viability assay. The specific cell lines used in ...
Single Cell Rna Profiling Reveals Adipocyte To Macrophage Signaling Sufficient To Enhance Thermogenesis,
2020
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Single Cell Rna Profiling Reveals Adipocyte To Macrophage Signaling Sufficient To Enhance Thermogenesis, Felipe Henriques, Alexander H. Bedard, Adilson L. Guilherme, Mark Kelly, Lawrence M. Lifshitz, Karl D. Bellve, Leslie Rowland, Batuhan Yenilmez, Shreya Kumar, Yetao Wang, Jeremy Luban, Michael P. Czech
University of Massachusetts Medical School Faculty Publications
The “browning” of inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) through increased abundance of thermogenic beige/brite adipocytes is induced by cold exposure and many other perturbations in association with beneficial systemic metabolic effects. Adipose browning is reported to require activation of sympathetic nerve fibers (SNF), aided by alternately activated macrophages within iWAT. Here we demonstrate the first example of a non-cell autonomous pathway for iWAT browning that is fully independent of SNF activity. Thus, the strong induction of thermogenic adipocytes prompted by deletion of adipocyte fatty acid synthase (iAdFASNKO mice) was unaffected by denervation or the deletion of SNF modulator Neuregulin-4 ...
Molecular Characterization Of A Gene Encoding Insulin-Like Peptide 5 (Ilp5) In Drosophila Virilis,
2020
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Molecular Characterization Of A Gene Encoding Insulin-Like Peptide 5 (Ilp5) In Drosophila Virilis, Nikolas R. Likourentzos, Jae H. Park
Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at the University of Tennessee
The study of the insulin-like peptides of Drosophila can provide insight of their similarities to mammalian insulin and their potential usage in treating human insulin-related diseases. In this study, we isolated and characterized cDNA encoding insulin-like peptide (ILP) 5 in D. virilis by using RNA purification, reverse transcription, and RACE protocols. Subsequently, various bioinformatic softwares were employed to predict peptide structure. The ILP5 gene (587 base pairs) codes for 121 amino acids that make up prepro-ILP5. After maturation, functional ILP5 is a peptide of two 25 amino acid chains, A- and B-chain, connected by two disulfide bonds. Sequencing genomic DNA ...
The Current Neuroscientific Understanding Of Alzheimer's Disease,
2020
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
The Current Neuroscientific Understanding Of Alzheimer's Disease, Rachel A. Brandes
Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at the University of Tennessee
Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative neurological illness characterized by the deterioration of brain regions implicated in memory and cognitive function. While researchers have yet to find a cure or effective treatment, they have gained a better understanding of its pathology and development. Through years of neuroscience research, scientists have discovered much of what happens in the brain during Alzheimer’s disease onset and how this causes its symptoms; many hypotheses regarding this aspect of the illness involve temporal lobe atrophy, neurofibrillary tangles, and amyloid plaques. Although Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of people every day, it seems that most ...
Alternative Polyadenylation Modulates Expression Of Pro-Fibrotic Proteins And Contributes To Lung Fibrosis,
2020
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Alternative Polyadenylation Modulates Expression Of Pro-Fibrotic Proteins And Contributes To Lung Fibrosis, Junsuk Ko
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic lung disease which affects about 5 to 8 million individuals in the world. Despite the high prevalence, there is currently no cure for IPF, and the cause of this disease is still unclear. Our laboratory and collaborators have shown that nudix hydrolase 21 (NUDT21, which is also known as cleavage factor 25, CFIm25) is a key regulator of alternative polyadenylation (APA). NUDT21 depletion causes 3’UTR shortening via APA leading to enhanced mRNA stability and protein translation. This NUDT21 reduction promotes tumor growth in glioblastoma by enhancing expression of oncogenes. Cancer and IPF ...
Cloning And Expression Of Hydra Innexin 2, A Gap Junction Protein Required For Coordinated Contraction Of The Body Column,
2020
Buffalo State College
Cloning And Expression Of Hydra Innexin 2, A Gap Junction Protein Required For Coordinated Contraction Of The Body Column, Ashley O'Brien
Biology Theses
In invertebrates gap junctions are formed by the innexin family of proteins. Remarkably, the genome of Hydra magnipapillata contains 17 innexin genes. This study focused on Hydra innexin-2 (h-Inx2) which is expressed in nerve cells and plays a role in contraction of the body column. The gene sequence of H-Inx2 was obtained from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), the gene was synthesized externally and transferred to a vector suitable for expression in Xenopus oocytes (pcDNA3.1 CT-GFP TOPO). The TOPO CT-GFP vector includes a priming site for RNA polymerase which allows in vitro preparation of RNA. Another advantage ...
Surface Runoff Alters Cave Microbial Community Structure And Function,
2020
University of South Florida
Surface Runoff Alters Cave Microbial Community Structure And Function, Madison Davis, Maria A. Messina, Giuseppe Nicolosi, Salvatore Petralia, Melvin D. Baker, Christiana K. S. Mayne, Chelsea M. Dinon, Christina J. Moss, Bogdan P. Onac, James R. Garey
Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications
Caves formed by sulfuric acid dissolution have been identified worldwide. These caves can host diverse microbial communities that are responsible for speleogenesis and speleothem formation. It is not well understood how microbial communities change in response to surface water entering caves. Illumina 16S rRNA sequencing and bioinformatic tools were used to determine the impact of surface water on the microbial community diversity and function within a spring pool found deep in the Monte Conca Cave system in Sicily, Italy. Sulfur oxidizers comprised more than 90% of the microbial community during the dry season and were replaced by potential anthropogenic contaminants ...
Crosstalk Between Rho-Family Gtpases At The Division Site During Cytokinesis,
2020
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Crosstalk Between Rho-Family Gtpases At The Division Site During Cytokinesis, Emma Nicole Koory
Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects
No abstract provided.
Characterization Of Tmx Transmembrane Protein In Bacillus Subtilis And Its Effects On Antibiotic Resistance, Membrane Permeability, And Membrane Fluidity,
2020
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Characterization Of Tmx Transmembrane Protein In Bacillus Subtilis And Its Effects On Antibiotic Resistance, Membrane Permeability, And Membrane Fluidity, Henna Zaver
Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects
No abstract provided.
A Study Of Matr3 And Its Effects On The Neural Progenitor Cells Of Xenopus Laevis Tadpoles,
2020
William & Mary
A Study Of Matr3 And Its Effects On The Neural Progenitor Cells Of Xenopus Laevis Tadpoles, Kendall Branham
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Understanding the genes and mechanisms that regulate the highly important process of neurogenesis in the developing nervous system is crucial to uncovering why disease arises when this system is disrupted. Neural progenitor cells and their multipotent nature allow for the growth of a large pool of stem cells in the early stages of development, but the signal that leads these cells to the irreversible fate of becoming a neuron is unclear. The gene matr3 has been implicated in having a role in the maintenance of undifferentiated neural stem cells but its role needs further investigation to fully reveal how its ...
The Coordinate Actions Of Calcineurin And Hog1 Mediate The Stress Response Through Multiple Nodes Of The Cell Cycle Network,
2020
University of Massachusetts Medical School
The Coordinate Actions Of Calcineurin And Hog1 Mediate The Stress Response Through Multiple Nodes Of The Cell Cycle Network, Cassandra M. Leech, Mackenzie J. Flynn, Heather E. Arsenault, Jianhong Ou, Haibo Liu, Lihua Julie Zhu, Jennifer A. Benanti
Open Access Articles
Upon exposure to environmental stressors, cells transiently arrest the cell cycle while they adapt and restore homeostasis. A challenge for all cells is to distinguish between stress signals and coordinate the appropriate adaptive response with cell cycle arrest. Here we investigate the role of the phosphatase calcineurin (CN) in the stress response and demonstrate that CN activates the Hog1/p38 pathway in both yeast and human cells. In yeast, the MAPK Hog1 is transiently activated in response to several well-studied osmostressors. We show that when a stressor simultaneously activates CN and Hog1, CN disrupts Hog1-stimulated negative feedback to prolong Hog1 ...
Mutagenesis Of Claudins To Probe In Vivo Interactions And Assemblies,
2020
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Mutagenesis Of Claudins To Probe In Vivo Interactions And Assemblies, Currey Zalman, Alex J. Vecchio
UCARE Research Products
Paracellular transport of solutes and the control of the flow of molecules through the intracellular space in vertebrate epithelia is directed by tight junctions (TJs). Claudins form paracellular barriers and pores that determine tight junction permeability. This investigation attempts to explain the molecular bases for destruction and reconstruction of tight junctions within epithelial cells, occurring via both natural and disease-causing mechanisms. This interdisciplinary research is important in the advancement of our understanding of human biology and health, as different disruptions to epithelial tight junctions are hallmarks of many human diseases. The overall objective was to take previously made Claudin containing ...
