Molecular Genetics Commons^™

Protamine-Like Proteins In 12 Sequenced Species Of Drosophila, Zain Alvi, Tin-Chun Chu, Valerie Schawaroch, Angela Klaus

Tin-Chun Chu, Ph.D.

No abstract provided.

Hypoxia-Sensitive Gene Expression In The Gastrocnemius Muscle Following Chronic Hind Limb Ischemia, Andrew Tilton

Biological Sciences

Chronic ischemia, caused by the formation atherosclerotic plaque occlusions in major conduit arteries, is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in western societies. Vascular remodeling can help compensate for the adverse effects of atherosclerotic plaque formation. Vascular remodeling relies heavily on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a critical protein that contributes to all forms of vascular formation and remodeling including angiogenesis, arteriogenesisand vasculogenesis. VEGF itself is up-regulated by the transcription factor, hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α), which becomes activated in low oxygen environments.

Through the use of animal chronic hindlimb ischemia models, these genes can be evaluated as …

Studying Human Disease Genes In Caenorhabditis Elegans : A Molecular Genetics Laboratory Project, Elisabeth A. Cox-Paulson, Theresa M. Grana, Michelle A. Harris, Janet M. Batzli

Biological Sciences Research

Scientists routinely integrate information from various channels to explore topics under study. We designed a 4-wk undergraduate laboratory module that used a multifaceted approach to study a question in molecular genetics. Specifcally, students investigated whether Caenorhabditis elegans can be a useful model system for studying genes associated with human disease. In a large-enrollment, sophomore-level laboratory course, groups of three to four students were assigned a gene associated with either breast cancer (brc-1), Wilson disease (cua-1), ovarian dysgenesis (fshr-1), or colon cancer (mlh-1). Students compared observable phenotypes of wild-type C. elegans and C. elegans with a homozygous deletion in the assigned …

The Human Phosphotyrosine Signaling Network: Evolution And Hotspots Of Hijacking In Cancer., Lei Li, Chabane Tibiche, Cong Fu, Tomonori Kaneko, Michael F. Moran, Martin Schiller, Shawn Shun-Cheng Li, Edwin Wang

Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Phosphotyrosine (pTyr) signaling, which plays a central role in cell-cell and cell-environment interactions, has been considered to be an evolutionary innovation in multicellular metazoans. However, neither the emergence nor the evolution of the human pTyr signaling system is currently understood. Tyrosine kinase (TK) circuits, each of which consists of a TK writer, a kinase substrate, and a related reader, such as Src homology (SH) 2 domains and pTyr-binding (PTB) domains, comprise the core machinery of the pTyr signaling network. In this study, we analyzed the evolutionary trajectories of 583 literature-derived and 50,000 computationally predicted human TK circuits in 19 representative …

Identification And Bioinformatic Analyses Of Vanillate Operon In Cyanobacterium Synechococcus Sp. Iu 625, Robert Newby, Tin-Chun Chu

Tin-Chun Chu, Ph.D.

No abstract provided.

Bioinformatic Analysis Of Cyanobacterial Mercuric Resistance Genes And Identification Of Synechococcus Sp. Iu 625 Putative Mercuric Resistance Genes, Lee Lee, Chiedozie Okafor, Matthew Rienzo, Tin-Chun Chu

Tin-Chun Chu, Ph.D.

No abstract provided.

A Novel Virus Genome Discovered In An Extreme Environment Suggests Recombination Between Unrelated Groups Of Rna And Dna Viruses, Geoffrey S. Diemer, Kenneth M. Stedman

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Viruses are known to be the most abundant organisms on earth, yet little is known about their collective origin and evolutionary history. With exceptionally high rates of genetic mutation and mosaicism, it is not currently possible to resolve deep evolutionary histories of the known major virus groups. Metagenomics offers a potential means of establishing a more comprehensive view of viral evolution as vast amounts of new sequence data becomes available for comparative analysis.

Results: Bioinformatic analysis of viral metagenomic sequences derived from a hot, acidic lake revealed a circular, putatively single-stranded DNA virus encoding a major capsid protein similar …

The Effect Of Mechanical Force On Gene Expression Of Human Bladder Smooth Muscle Cells, Christopher A. Callan

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

The purpose of this project is to define, at the molecular level, the process by which gene expression of the extracellular matrix is regulated by mechanical forces in the Human Bladder Smooth Muscle cells (BSMCs). The goal is to first localize several functionally distinct transmembrane proteins; Sarcoglycans (α, β, γ, δ and ε), cytoskeletal proteins Vimentin, and Desmin to verify their presence in the cultured BSMCs using fluorescent-labeled antibodies specific for each protein. The sarcoglycans are primarily responsible for transferring intracellular force generated by the interaction of actin and myosin while the extracellular proteins are responsible for linking the cells …

The Role Of The Pituitary-Adrenal Axis In G-Csf Therapy After Neonatal Hypoxia-Ischemia, Mélissa Stéphanie Charles

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Several reports indicate that the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) as measured by the increased level of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and corticosterone is increased after a brain insult. These hormones are the effectors secreted respectively by the pituitary and adrenal glands. It has been shown that the down-regulation of corticosterone levels can improve detrimental outcomes associated with ischemic brain injuries. Neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI) is a devastating perinatal event with a grim prognosis and limited therapeutic strategies. In recent studies, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) has shown promise in neonatal HI investigations by improving neuromotor function and reducing apoptosis in the …

Examination Of The Chromatin Structure Of Xlr3b Using The Chromosome Conformation Capture Assay, Sarah Elise Conderino

Honors Scholar Theses

Imprinted genes contain epigenetic modifications that influence expression patterns based on parent-of-origin. Recent studies have shown that imprinted genes contribute to numerous human diseases and disorders. Xlr3b, an imprinted gene on the X chromosome, has been implicated in social and behavioral deficits characteristic of disorders such as Turner syndrome and autism. The imprinting mechanism of this gene is still unknown, and this study analyzed the native chromatin structure of Xlr3b through the chromosome conformation capture assay to determine if there are any long-range interactions that regulate the expression of this gene. Brain tissue from a mouse model of Turner …

Fluorescence-Based Reporter For Gauging Cyclic Di-Gmp Levels In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Morten T. Rybtke, Bradley R. Borlee, Keiji Murakami, Yasuhiko Irie, Morten Hentzer, Thomas E. Nielsen, Michael Givskov, Matthew R. Parsek, Tim Tolker-Nielsen

Biology Faculty Publications

The increased tolerance toward the host immune system and antibiotics displayed by biofilm-forming Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other bacteria in chronic infections such as cystic fibrosis bronchopneumonia is of major concern. Targeting of biofilm formation is believed to be a key aspect in the development of novel antipathogenic drugs that can augment the effect of classic antibiotics by decreasing antimicrobial tolerance. The second messenger cyclic di-GMP is a positive regulator of biofilm formation, and cyclic di-GMP signaling is now regarded as a potential target for the development of antipathogenic compounds. Here we describe the development of fluorescent monitors that can gauge …

Possible Distorting Effects Of Gef26 In Drosophila Melanogaster, Kaylie C. Church

Honors Program Projects

Segregation distortion is a meiotic drive system that results in the favorable inheritance of the SD chromosome over the SD+counterpart. SD produces a malfunctioning form of RanGAP, instead of being able to move in and out of the nucleus this truncated anGAP is unable to be exported and therefore aggregates within the nucleus. This appears to affect RspS during the condensation phase of spermatogenesis, but the exact mechanism for this is unknown. In order to further understand the working components of this system, specific deletions within the second chromosome were studied. The study was conducted systematically by beginning with …

Mutation And Complementation Of A Cellulose Synthase (Cesa) Gene, Ahmed Y. El-Araby

Senior Honors Projects

Cellulose is a carbohydrate polymer that is composed of repeating glucose subunits. Being the most abundant organic compound in the biosphere and comprising a large percentage of all plant biomass, cellulose is extremely plentiful and has a significant role in nature. Cellulose is present in plant cell walls, in commercial products such as those made from wood or cotton, and is of interest to the biofuel industry as a potential alternative fuel source. Although indigestible by humans, cellulose is nutritionally valuable, serving as a dietary fiber. Because of its ubiquity and importance in many areas, studying cellulose will prove to …

Neurodegeneration - A Means To An End, Amit Singh

Biology Faculty Publications

Cell death, a global phenomenon found throughout the animal kingdom, is a mechanism to maintain tissue homeostasis and for adaptation to changes in the environment [1,2]. Millions of cells die in our body daily- they succumb to stress and commit suicide by a mechanism referred to as cell death or apoptosis [2-4]. Under normal conditions cells are continuously replaced by new cells from the stemor progenitor- cells. For example, an optimum balance in shedding of dead cells from the skin and their replenishment by new ones maintain our health and hygiene. In this context, apoptosis is a mechanism to eliminate …

Bacteria And Fungi Cultured From Sand, Cloacal Fluids, And Unhatched Eggs Of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles And Standard Testing Of Antimicrobial Properties Of Cloacal Fluids, Erin Keene, Tanya Soule, Frank Paladino

Tanya Soule

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of The Relationship Between Extracellular Slime Layer And Sunscreen Production In Nostoc Punctiforme, Pavan Paten, Dexter Shipe, Tanya Soule

Tanya Soule

No abstract provided.

Phylogenetics Of Morus (Moraceae) Inferred From Its And Trnl-Trnf Sequence Data., Madhav Nepal

Madhav Nepal

Pseudoscorpion Mitochondria Show Rearranged Genes And Genome-Wide Reductions Of Rna Gene Sizes And Inferred Structures, Yet Typical Nucleotide Composition Bias, Sergey Ovchinnikov, Susan E. Masta

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Pseudoscorpions are chelicerates and have historically been viewed as being most closely related to solifuges, harvestmen, and scorpions. No mitochondrial genomes of pseudoscorpions have been published, but the mitochondrial genomes of some lineages of Chelicerata possess unusual features, including short rRNA genes and tRNA genes that lack sequence to encode arms of the canonical cloverleaf-shaped tRNA. Additionally, some chelicerates possess an atypical guanine-thymine nucleotide bias on the major coding strand of their mitochondrial genomes.

We sequenced the mitochondrial genomes of two divergent taxa from the chelicerate order Pseudoscorpiones. We find that these genomes possess unusually short tRNA genes that do …

Bacteria And Fungi Cultured From Sand, Cloacal Fluids, And Unhatched Eggs Of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles And Standard Testing Of Antimicrobial Properties Of Cloacal Fluids, Erin Keene, Tanya Soule, Frank Paladino

Tanya Soule

No abstract provided.

Pten Regulation Of Local And Long-Range Connections In Mouse Auditory Cortex, Qiaojie Xiong, Hysell V. Oviedo, Lloyd C. Trotman, Anthony M. Zador

Publications and Research

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are highly heritable developmental disorders caused by a heterogeneous collection of genetic lesions. Here we use a mouse model to study the effect on cortical connectivity of disrupting the ASD candidate gene PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10). Through Cre-mediated recombination, we conditionally knocked out PTEN expression in a subset of auditory cortical neurons. Analysis of long-range connectivity using channelrhodopsin-2 revealed that the strength of synaptic inputs from both the contralateral auditory cortex and from the thalamus onto PTEN-cko neurons was enhanced compared with nearby neurons with normal PTEN expression. Laser-scanning photostimulation showed …