The Characterization Of The Transcription Factor Msab And Its Role In Staphylococcal Virulence,
2018
University of Southern Mississippi
The Characterization Of The Transcription Factor Msab And Its Role In Staphylococcal Virulence, Justin Batte
Dissertations
Staphylococcus aureus is a common human pathogen that is responsible for a wide range of infections, ranging from relative minor skin infections to life-threatening disease such as bacteremia, septicemia, and endocarditis. S. aureus possesses many different virulent factors that aid in its ability to cause this wide array of infections. One major virulence factor includes the production of capsular polysaccharide (CP). The production of CP plays a major role in the virulence response during infection specifically by providing S. aureus an antiphagocytic mechanism that allows the pathogen to evade phagocytosis during an infection. S. aureus has developed complex genetic regulatory …
Phosphorylation Impairs Dicer1 Function To Accelerate Aging And Tumorigenesis In Vivo,
2018
The University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Phosphorylation Impairs Dicer1 Function To Accelerate Aging And Tumorigenesis In Vivo, Neeraj Aryal
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Altered DICER1 protein levels are associated with developmental disorders, infertility, macular degenerative blindness, aging, and cancer in humans. Recently, post-translational regulation of Dicer1 via phosphorylation has been described in C. elegans. Oscillation of Dicer1 phosphorylation to regulate its activity is essential for germ cell development and embryogenesis in worms. These observations led us to posit that Dicer1 protein levels and activity are under tight regulation for normal mammalian homeostasis. To test whether phosphorylation of Dicer1 regulates its activity in mammals, I generated phospho-mimetic knock-in mouse models by replacing Serines 1712 and 1836 with Aspartic acids individually or together (dual …
Attitudes Toward Updated Genetic Testing Among Patients With Unexplained Mismatch Repair Deficiency,
2018
The University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Attitudes Toward Updated Genetic Testing Among Patients With Unexplained Mismatch Repair Deficiency, Jessica Omark
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Individuals who have colorectal cancer (CRC) or endometrial cancer (EC) displaying loss of immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of one or more mismatch repair (MMR) proteins without a causative germline mutation are said to have unexplained mismatch repair deficiency (UMMRD, also known as mutation-negative Lynch syndrome). Comprehensive genetic testing that could potentially further clarify Lynch syndrome (LS) carrier status is essential to provide tailored screening guidelines to affected individuals and their family members; however, patient understanding of the potential impact of updated genetic testing for LS is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the interest in and perceived impact of updated genetic …
Outcomes Of Genetic Testing In A Genitourinary Genetics Clinic,
2018
The University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Outcomes Of Genetic Testing In A Genitourinary Genetics Clinic, Annelise Pace
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Several known hereditary cancer syndromes confer an increased risk for genitourinary (GU)related malignancies. Various guidelines indicate when to refer patients to genetic counseling for GU-related hereditary cancer syndromes but there is limited research on the clinical picture of these patients, including their cancerous and non-cancerous features, the genetic testing strategy for this population, and the probability of having a positive germline mutation if testing is performed. The purpose of this study is to determine the most common indications for ordering genetic testing in a GU Genetics Clinic and evaluate whether there is a relationship between the indication for genetic testing …
Association Between A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism In Neuregulin-1 And Schizophrenia In Pakistani Patients,
2018
Ziauddin University, Karachi
Association Between A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism In Neuregulin-1 And Schizophrenia In Pakistani Patients, Haider Ali Naqvi, Shafqat Huma, Hira Waseem, Kashaf Aqeel Zaidi, Hina Saeed Zuberi, Syed Hani Abidi
Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences
Objective: To determine the association of single-nucleotide polymorphism8nrg433E1006 in the neuregulin-1 gene associated with schizophrenia.
Methods: This case-control study was conducted at the Fountain House, Lahore, and the psychiatric clinics at the Aga Khan University, Karachi, from 2010 to 2013.The total genomic deoxyribonucleic acid was isolated and single-nucleotide polymorphism8nrg433E1006 was screened by nested polymerase chain reaction followed by sequencing. These sequences, from patients and controls, were aligned with the human neuregulin-1-glial growth factor 2 gene sequence, which served as a reference sequence. The single nucleotide polymorphism genetic algorithm was characterised at position 433 in the neuregulin-1 gene by …
Trim24 In Normal & Malignant Hematopoiesis,
2018
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Trim24 In Normal & Malignant Hematopoiesis, Justin Shaw
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has changed little in the past four decades. For the majority of AML patients, current treatment options include chemotherapy and allogeneic stem cell transplants, which also involves high-dose chemotherapy or radiation treatment. These options have little success in the long-run, as only an estimated 26% of patients survive five years post-diagnosis. In efforts to address this low survival rate, interest has increased for targeting epigenetic pathways in AML. This focus stems from the discovery that AML is frequently driven by blockades on hematopoietic stem cell differentiation, which involves a series of coordinated epigenetic changes. …
Functional Similarity Of Prd-Containing Virulence Regulators In Bacillus Anthracis,
2018
The University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Functional Similarity Of Prd-Containing Virulence Regulators In Bacillus Anthracis, Malik Raynor
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Bacillus anthracis produces three regulators, AtxA, AcpA, and AcpB, that control virulence gene expression and are members of an emerging class of regulators termed “PCVRs” (Phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase regulation Domain-Containing Virulence Regulators). AtxA controls expression of the toxin genes; lef, cya, and pag, and is the master virulence regulator and archetype PCVR. AcpA and AcpB are less well studied. AcpA and AcpB independently positively control transcription of the capsule biosynthetic operon capBCADE, and culture conditions that enhance AtxA activity result in capBCADE transcription in strains lacking acpA and acpB. RNA-Seq was used to assess the regulons of the …
Polymorphisms Of Bovine Hsp90 And Their Implications In Beef Cattle Productivity,
2018
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Polymorphisms Of Bovine Hsp90 And Their Implications In Beef Cattle Productivity, Glynn G. Smith
Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses
Production of beef cattle represents a $60 billion industry in the United States (USDA, 2015). The American beef cattle industry loses an estimated $370 million annually due to heat stress (St-Pierre, 2003). As of 2003, this was equal to nearly 99 million pounds of beef lost (USDA, 2015). The average American consumed roughly 65 pounds of beef in 2003; this means that the 99 million pounds of beef lost to heat stress would have been enough to feed approximately 1.5 million Americans for an entire year (Barclay, 2012).
A Contribution Toward A Global Monograph Of Gyroporus: Taxonomy, Phylogeny, Biogeography,
2018
The Graduate Center, City University of New York
A Contribution Toward A Global Monograph Of Gyroporus: Taxonomy, Phylogeny, Biogeography, Naveed Davoodian
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Gyroporus (Sclerodermatineae, Boletales, Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota, Fungi) is a genus of ectomycorrhizal mushroom-forming fungi distributed throughout the world in suitable habitats. Previous attempts to untangle the diversity of this genus proved difficult due to the presence of semi-cryptic species and equivocal results from phylogenetic analysis of ribosomal RNA markers. To overcome these obstacles, a combined taxonomic and phylogenetic (emphasizing protein-coding genes) approach is used here to delimit species and elucidate geographic and evolutionary patterns of Gyroporus. Careful study of relevant literature and herbarium specimens was augmented by field work in North America, Australia, and East Asia for observation and collection …
Region Based Gene Expression Via Reanalysis Of Publicly Available Microarray Data Sets.,
2018
University of Louisville
Region Based Gene Expression Via Reanalysis Of Publicly Available Microarray Data Sets., Ernur Saka
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
A DNA microarray is a high-throughput technology used to identify relative gene expression. One of the most widely used platforms is the Affymetrix® GeneChip® technology which detects gene expression levels based on probe sets composed of a set of twenty-five nucleotide probes designed to hybridize with specific gene targets. Given a particular Affymetrix® GeneChip® platform, the design of the probes is fixed. However, the method of analysis is dynamic in nature due to the ability to annotate and group probes into uniquely defined groupings. This is particularly important since publicly available repositories of microarray datasets, such as ArrayExpress and NCBI’s …
Functional And Structural Impact Of The Loss Of The Leucine-Rich Repeat Protein Lrit1 In The Mouse Retina.,
2018
University of Louisville
Functional And Structural Impact Of The Loss Of The Leucine-Rich Repeat Protein Lrit1 In The Mouse Retina., Catherine Ann Cobb
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Mutations in genes encoding the leucine-rich repeat (LRR) proteins nyctalopin and LRIT3 lead to complete congenital stationary night blindness because they are critical to depolarizing bipolar cell function in the retina. LRIT3 has two closely related family members, LRIT1 and LRIT2. In silico analyses of publicly available RNA-Seq data showed that Lrit1 was highly expressed in the retina. Here I describe the expression pattern and impact of loss of LRIT1 on retinal function. To enable these studies, we used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to create an Lrit1-/- mouse line. Retinal morphology and morphometry analyses showed no gross changes in retinal structure …
Development Of Endogenous Tagging Plasmids For Characterization Of Protein Interactions, Localization, And Post-Translational Modifications Of Tetrahymena Thermophila Rad23,
2018
Missouri State University
Development Of Endogenous Tagging Plasmids For Characterization Of Protein Interactions, Localization, And Post-Translational Modifications Of Tetrahymena Thermophila Rad23, Evan Andrew Wilson
MSU Graduate Theses
Rad23 is a protein involved in both nucleotide excision repair (NER) and proteasome-mediated degradation, and has been suggested to facilitate interactions between these two pathways. The model organism Tetrahymena thermophila, which has a transcriptionally silent micronucleus, provides a useful platform for studying the role of Rad23 in global genome NER (GG-NER). However, the ectopic expression systems used thus far in T. thermophila to study Rad23 are repressed by UV light and do not account for the background expression of endogenous RAD23; these phenomena prevent insightful gains to the true dynamics of Rad23. In this thesis, endogenous tagging …
The Molecular Chaperone Hsp90 Promotes Notch Signaling In The Germline Of Caenorhabditis Elegans,
2018
John Carroll University
The Molecular Chaperone Hsp90 Promotes Notch Signaling In The Germline Of Caenorhabditis Elegans, James L. Lissemore, Elyse Connors, Ying Liu, Li Qiao, Bing Yang, Mark L. Edgley, Stephane Flibotte, Jon Taylor, Vinci Au, Donald G. Moerman, Eleanor M. Maine
2018 Faculty Bibliography
In a genetic screen to identify genes that promote GLP-1/Notch signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans germline stem cells, we found a single mutation, om40, defining a gene called ego-3. ego-3(om40) causes several defects in the soma and the germline, including paralysis during larval development, sterility, delayed proliferation of germline stem cells, and ectopic germline stem cell proliferation. Whole genome sequencing identified om40 as an allele of hsp-90, previously known as daf-21, which encodes the C. elegans ortholog of the cytosolic form of HSP90. This protein is a molecular chaperone with a central position in the protein homeostasis network, which is responsible …
Determination Of Adamts13 Susceptibility In Type Iia Von Willebrand Disease,
2018
Dominican University of California
Determination Of Adamts13 Susceptibility In Type Iia Von Willebrand Disease, Monica Buselli
Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects
von Willebrand Disease (vWD) is a bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency in von Willebrand Factor (vWF), a large glycoprotein that assists in coagulation. Specifically, large vWF multimers in the blood stream are key components in starting the coagulation cascade. vWF is cleaved by the metalloprotease ADAMTS13, regulating the multimers size, which hinders vWF’s ability to function properly. The three main types of vWD —Type I, II, and III— are not well defined, and as a result are all similarly treated with plasma-derived vWF replacement therapy. Plasma-derived vWF is a treatment that does not cure the problem but relieves the …
Effects Of Mitochondrial Nadp+-Dependent Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Deficiency On Fructose-Induced Obesity In Mice,
2018
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Effects Of Mitochondrial Nadp+-Dependent Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Deficiency On Fructose-Induced Obesity In Mice, Allison Michelle Montalbano, Kaleigh Elizabeth Beane
Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses
Obesity prevalence in the United States continues to increase and is associated with health consequences such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and hyperlipidemia. Among many contributing factors to obesity, fructose may be one of the major reasons as it disrupts the antioxidant system thereby resulting in an accumulation of reactive oxidative species and leading to obese conditions. The enzyme, isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2), reduces nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate from the TCA Cycle, hence might be implicated with not only energy metabolism but also cellular redox homeostasis. Therefore, the hypothesis was that IDH2 deficiency in mice would exacerbate hepatic lipid …
Changes In The Microbial Community Of Lubomirskia Baicalensis Affected By Red Sponge Disease,
2018
Stephen F Austin State University
Changes In The Microbial Community Of Lubomirskia Baicalensis Affected By Red Sponge Disease, Colin Rorex
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Lake Baikal is the oldest known lake and a unique ecosystem, home to several species of fresh water sponge. A disease outbreak affecting the dominant species, Lubormirskia baialensis, was recently reported. The cause of the disease has not been determined but one of the current hypothesis is that the increase in methane concentration is correlated to the disease outbreak. This pilot study characterized the microbiomes of sick and healthy sponges through the use of 16S rRNA sequencing. Sick sponge microbiomes shared a conserved group of taxa while the healthy sponge microbiomes had greater diversity. Indicator species analysis identified two significant …
Unravelling The Layers Of Cell Wall Synthesis And Function In Rice,
2018
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Unravelling The Layers Of Cell Wall Synthesis And Function In Rice, Ritu Mihani
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The plant cell wall is of critical importance to plant growth and survival, functioning in maintaining structural integrity, supporting cell expansion, and acting as the first line of defense in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. The major components of the cell wall are cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin, and pectin. Recent focus on the transcriptional machinery regulating cell wall biosynthesis in plants has revealed many key transcription factors responsible for orchestrating cell wall deposition. However, many of these TFs act redundantly and work coherently with a suite of TFs to activate the cell wall biosynthetic machinery. Heterologous expression of TFs is …
Role Of Genetic Counselors In Prenatal Zika Care,
2018
Sarah Lawrence College
Role Of Genetic Counselors In Prenatal Zika Care, Monisha Sebastin, Erica Poole, Emily Goldberg
Human Genetics Theses
Zika virus (ZIKV) was first identified in 1945 in Uganda’s Zika forest. The 2015 Brazil outbreak identified the ZIKV as a teratogen, leading to a heightened awareness in prenatal care in the United States. ZIKV is primarily transmitted via mosquitoes; however, vertical transmission from mother to fetus has also been reported. Intrauterine fetal infection is associated with Congenital Zika Syndrome, characterized by severe microcephaly with loss of brain tissue, macular atrophy, postnatal hypertonia and limited joint movements. Given their expertise in prenatal education and teratogen counseling, genetic counselors (GCs) may be uniquely suited to provide prenatal ZIKV care. Our goal …
Phylogeny And Evolutionary Genomics Of Non-Photosynthetic Diatoms,
2018
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Phylogeny And Evolutionary Genomics Of Non-Photosynthetic Diatoms, Anastasiia Onyshchenko
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Diatoms are prolific photosynthesizers responsible for some 20% of global primary production. In real terms, the oxygen in one of every five breaths traces back to photosynthesis by marine diatoms. Among the tens of thousands of diatom species, a small handful of colorless diatom species in the genus Nitzschia have lost photosynthesis altogether and rely exclusively on extracellular organic carbon for growth. I used DNA sequence data to reconstruct the phylogeny of this group, and found that nonphotosynthetic diatoms are monophyletic, indicating that photosynthesis was lost just one time over the course of some 200 million years of diatom evolution. …
Bayesian Network Modeling And Inference Of Gwas Catalog,
2018
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Bayesian Network Modeling And Inference Of Gwas Catalog, Qiuping Pan
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have received an increasing attention to understand genotype-phenotype relationships. The Bayesian network has been proposed as a powerful tool for modeling single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-trait associations due to its advantage in addressing the high computational complex and high dimensional problems. Most current works learn the interactions among genotypes and phenotypes from the raw genotype data. However, due to the privacy issue, genotype information is sensitive and should be handled by complying with specific restrictions. In this work, we aim to build Bayesian networks from publicly released GWAS statistics to explicitly reveal the conditional dependency between SNPs and …
