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Sequencing And Functional Characterization Of A Latrodectus Geometricus Defensin, Lg-Defensin, Jacklyn Victoria Thompson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Defensins are small, cysteine-rich, immune related proteins described to be the most widespread family of invertebrate antimicrobial peptides. Presently, there is limited information regarding spider defensins. In this study, a new defensin peptide was described in Latrodectus geometricus, Lg-defensin. The full open reading frame was resolved using RACE and de novo assembly, followed by a bioinformatical analysis and phylogenetic alignment to determine conserved sequence patterns and structural similarities to other defensins. Next, the functionality of Lg-defensin was determined using in vitro RNA interference to assess what impact silencing had on the spider’s ability to control a gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial …

Modelling, Cloning, And Expression Of The J Domain Of C. Elegans Rme-8 Protein, Madison Thornhill, My Tran, Bingbing Xiao

Undergraduate Research Conference

Rme-8 is a J domain containing plasma membrane protein that is required for endocytosis in various cells The J domain is a characteristic structural motif found mainly in heat shock protein 40 (Hsp 40 or DnaJ) and other proteins such as Rme-8 Within the J domain is a tripeptide, the HPD motif, that is required by the J domain protein to interact with and stimulate the ATPase activity of Hsp70 a major cellular chaperone Rme-8 protein in C elegans CeRme-8 has not been identified with a particular Hsp70 partner CeHsp70 1 is the only cytosolic Hsp70 in C elegans therefore, …

Quantification Of Kaempferol Conjugates In Watercress Juice And Methanol Extract: A Study Using Hplc And Protein Binding, Laken Simington

Undergraduate Research Conference

Flavonoids are a large group of biologically active polyphenolic compounds found in plants, that have gained importance in recent years due to their potential medicinal and therapeutic properties of high potency and low systemic toxicity. Kaempferol (3,4′,5,7- tetrahydroxyflavone) is a polyphenol antioxidant dietary flavonoid found in a variety of fruits and leafy vegetables, specifically vegetables of the Brassica family, which includes our subject vegetable, watercress (WC) which is usually grown in marshy lands. Kaempferol (KMP) has been depicted to have revolutionary attribute in overall human health ranging from anti-cancerous to anti-inflammatory properties. Here we show a novel approach for quantifying …

Bomb Calorimetry: A New Method Of Cec Determination, Trace Washburn

Undergraduate Research Conference

A new method of determining the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of clay minerals was examined. This method involved exchanging the smectite clay with organic cations and using bomb calorimetry to measure the energy of combustion of the material. Because the clay is noncombustible, the energy is completely dependent on the amount of organic present, which is dependent on the CEC of the clay. Two organic cations, tetrapentylammonium and octadecyltrimethylammonium , with similar size but much different shape were used. For clays with lower CECs, using the more symmetric ion yielded better accuracy (4.24%), while for clays with higher CEC, using …

Molecular Dynamics Simulations Provide Insight Into Stability Of Hyperthermophilic Endoglucanases, Logan E. Sheffield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Endoglucanases play a key role in the industrial production of bioethanol, but the most efficient method requires the utilization of high temperatures and is currently limited by the thermostability of endoglucanases. For this reason, it would be beneficial to discover more high-efficiency, thermostable enzymes to utilize in the hydrolytic process. In this study molecular dynamics simulations were performed on structurally similar endoglucanases with varying levels of thermostability to gain insight on what factors contribute to thermostability in endoglucanases. RMSD, RMSF, PCA, hydrogen bonding and salt bridges were analyzed. Finally, protein energy networks were constructed from nonbonded interaction potentials and analysis …

Simulation Of The Interaction Between Striated Muscle Unc-45 And Transcription Factor Gata-4, Drake Alexander Duncan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Striated Muscle UNC-45, also known as UNC-45b, is an important protein that acts as a chaperone for myosin in cardiac and skeletal muscles, binding to myosin at its C-terminal UCS domain and regulating its assembly into thick filaments and sarcomeric structures. The UCS domain contains a large loop that is believed to be the first point of interaction between myosin and UNC-45b. GATA-4 is an essential transcription factor that facilitates transcription of several genes in cardiac development, particularly alpha-heavy chain myosin in heart tissue. Recently, studies have shown that there is interaction of GATA-4 with UNC-45b and that GATA-4 binds …

Biotransformation Of Hbe And Other Benzofuran Derivatives, Hannah Trauger

Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Arachidin 3 Modulation Of Lipid Metabolism In Rotavirus Infections, Stormey Wisdom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rotavirus (RV) can cause severe and deadly gastroenteritis in young children, infants, and immunocompromised individuals. Previous studies have shown that arachidin 3 (A3) inhibits RV replication, and that RV replication is dependent on the presence of lipids. This study investigated the alteration of lipid metabolism by A3 in RV infected HT29.f8 cells. A decrease in the RV regulation of lipid biosynthesis genes was observed with the addition of A3 using qRT-PCR. Also, immunofluorescent and histochemical staining for neutral fats, a major component of cellular lipid droplets, revealed an increased accumulation with both RV and RV+A3 when compared to no virus …

Molecular Characterization Of The Putative Nucleotide- Binding And Hydrolyzing Activities Of The Ellis Van Creveld (Evc) Protein, Giang Nguyen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ellis–van Creveld (EvC) syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder that is characterized by short-limb dwarfism, extra fingers or toes, malformed teeth and nails, and congenital heart defects. Mutations in two genes, EVC and EVC2, which are located on chromosome 4, have been shown to be responsible for EvC syndrome. The protein products of these genes, EVC and EVC2 physically interact and together, they are tethered to the base of the primary cilium of cells. This multi-protein assembly positively regulates the Sonic and Indian hedgehog signaling pathways by promoting downstream processes after activation of the smoothened receptor (Smo), by the …

Generation Of Full-Length Wild-Type Gata4 Protein And Characterization Of Its Binding To Unc-45 Domains, Morgan Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Striated muscle UNC-45 (SM UNC-45) protein acts as a chaperone for cardiac and skeletal muscle myosins; regulating their folding, assembly into thick filaments, interaction with other sarcomeric proteins, and degradation. GATA4 is an important transcription factor that regulates the expression of several cardiac muscle proteins, including myosin. A previous study demonstrated for the first time that SM UNC-45 (also known as UNC-45B) physically interacted with GATA4. The major revelation from this study is that SM UNC-45 has the potential to exert both short-term (protein level) and long-term (gene level) controls over myosin and therefore muscle structure and function. The aim …

The Transesterification Of Hickory Nuts Into Biodiesel Fuel, Hannah Trauger, Madilynn Dewell, Jahida A. Mendoza

Undergraduate Research Conference

• Biodiesel fuels can be produced from a fat and an alcohol via transesterification

• Hickory nuts have a high fat content (~60 % by weight)

• Can nuts from shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) be used to produce a biodiesel fuel using existing acidcatalyzed transesterification methods?

Longitudinal Study Of Lanana Creek, Bayler Barnes, Jackson T. Ortiz, Trace Washburn

Undergraduate Research Conference

A longitudinal study was done to collect data on the various conditions of LananaCreek in Nacogdoches, Texas over a seven week span from September 14 to November 2, 2018. The part of the creek studies is a 3.5 mile stretch from East Austin Street to Hoya Soccer Complex, mostly located on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University. There were 6 different testing sites selected along this expanse. Collection of samples was performed by the General Chemistry I Honors class as part of the laboratory experience. Once collected, the samples were transported back to the lab for testing. The …

Extraction And Quantification Of Hydrolyzable Tannins In Acorns From Different Species Of Oak Trees (Quercus Spp.), Sarah Browning, Marshall E. Woodruff

Undergraduate Research Conference

Do white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) prefer to eat certain types of acorns based on tannin content?

Hydrolyzable tannins consist of gallate groups connected via ester linkages to a carbohydrate (D-glucose)

The Prussian Blue method was used to determine hydrolyzable tannin content

Cation Exchange Capacity Determination: Comparative Study Of Three Methods, Lillie Zech

Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Cloning, Purification, And Biochemical Characterization Of Human Prolyl Endopeptidase, Travis K. Moore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Eurygaster integriceps Puton, common name sunn Pest, is one of the primary sources of wheat crop wastes in North Africa, Middle East, and Eastern Europe. It feeds by injecting the wheat grain with an enzyme characterized as prolyl endoprotease (spPEP) that breaks down Gluten, the wheat’s main constitutive protein necessary for bread production (Darkoh et al., 2010). Previously, it has been shown that peptides isolated from Lactobacillus hydrolysates of caseins in bovine milk are able to inhibit mammalian PEP in colon cells, as well as bacterial PEP (Juillerat-Jeanneret et al., 2010). While recombinant versions of these peptides are also potential …

Evaluation Of Different Probiotic Strains Supplemented In Commercial Broiler Rations And Their Influences On Performance, Yield, And Intestinal Microbiota., Justin M. Glasscock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to evaluate Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus subtilis, as probiotic strains compared to Bacitracin Methylene Disalicylate (BMD) 50 as the antibiotic growth promotor, supplemented in commercial broiler rations and their influences on performance, yield, and intestinal microbiota. This trial was completed as a randomized-block design with 4,800 birds split into 96, 5’x10’ pens, and randomly assigned to one of eight treatment groups. The birds were placed at a stocking density of 1.00 ft²/bird, (50 birds/pen), and reared on used pine shaving for 55 days. Throughout the study, bird …

Design Of A Robust Undergraduate Biochemistry Laboratory Course Based On A Modified And Expanded Bovine Serum Albumin Purification Scheme, Odutayo O. Odunuge, Nicholas Cheatwood, John Mullins, Michele Harris

Symposium on Arts and Research

The ASBMB curriculum for an undergraduate degree recommends a set of skills that can be acquired only through laboratory courses and research experience. Based on a previously reported purification scheme for BSA (Odunuga and Shazhko, 2013), we designed a robust, reproducible, cost-effective, safe and enquiry-based undergraduate biochemistry laboratory course that encompasses many of the skill-sets recommend-ed in the ASBMB curriculum. Our work not only modi-fied certain steps in the scheme, it also included addi-tional steps to enhance student learning and skill ac-quisition. Salt precipitation, ion exchange and size ex-clusion chromatography were employed by students to purify BSA from cow plasma. …

Antimicrobial Properties Of S-Benzofuran-2-Yl Ethanol Produced By Biotransformation, Nick Cheatwood, Ann Davis, Elizabeth Schabeck, Kelsi Hooker, Michele Harris

Undergraduate Research Conference

All living organisms contain enzymes to carry out biological reactions, which produce substances with a specific three dimensional shape. Enantiomers are two molecules that are mirror images of each other just as hands are mirror images of each other. It is well known in the pharmaceutical world that one of the enantiomers (one of the mirrorimage molecules) has a positive biological effect while the other can be harmful or have no effect. Currently, any potential pharmaceutical that could exist as enantiomers must have each enantiomer tested for biological activity prior to FDA approval. In our laboratory, we have focused on …

Antimicrobial Properties Of Isomers Of Benzofuranylethanol, Nick Cheatwood, Jessica Bronstad, Michele Harris

Undergraduate Research Conference

A biotransformaDon reacDon is a chemical conversion of a substance into a desired product with the aid of whole, living cells containing the necessary enzymes. In addiDons to living cells, other substances, such as vegetable strips, will also catalyze biotransformaDon reacDons. Advantages of biotransformaDon reacDons include the following: the ability to recycle material, the use of less hazardous chemicals, the ability to compost vegetable strips, the use of inexpensive materials that are locally available, and the ability to produce a single isomer. The biotransformaDon reacDon for the conversion of benzofuranyl methyl ketone (BMK) to (-)-benzofuranylethanol (BMA) using carrot strips as …

Water Soluble Cationic Porphyrin Sensor For Detection Of Hg2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, And Cu2+, Christopher Orr, Miranda Uherek, Matibur Zamadar

Undergraduate Research Conference

Here we report the sensing properties of the aqueous solution of mesotetra(N-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphine tetrachloride (1) for simultaneous detection of toxic metal ions by using UV-vis spectroscopy. Cationic porphyrin 1 displayed different electronic absorptions in UV-vis region upon interacting with Hg2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+ ions in neutral water solution at room temperature. Quite interestingly, the porphyrin 1 showed that it can function as a single optical chemical sensor and/ or metal ion receptor capable of detecting two or more toxic metal ions, particularly, Hg2+, Pb2+, and Cd2+ ions coexisting in a water sample. Porphyrin 1 in an aqueous solution provides a …

Water Soluble Cationic Porphyrin Sensor For Detection Of Hg2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, And Cu2+, Matibur Zamadar, Christopher Orr, Miranda Uherek

Faculty Publications

Here we report the sensing properties of the aqueous solution of meso-tetra(N-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphine tetrachloride (1) for simultaneous detection of toxic metal ions by using UV-vis spectroscopy. Cationic porphyrin 1 displayed different electronic absorptions in UV-vis region upon interacting with Hg2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+ ions in neutral water solution at room temperature. Quite interestingly, the porphyrin 1 showed that it can function as a single optical chemical sensor and/or metal ion receptor capable of detecting two or more toxic metal ions, particularly Hg2+, Pb2+, and Cd2+ ions coexisting in a water sample. Porphyrin 1 in an aqueous solution provides a unique …

Biotransformations: Reaction Conditions, Antimicrobial Properties, And Enzyme Isolation, Jasmine Moreland, Marianne Burnett, Amey Gonzalez, Michele Harris

Undergraduate Research Conference

Biotransformation reactions using whole cell or organisms have been extensively studied. Most of the studies have focused on producing and characterizing the enantiospecific products. Benefits of biotransformation reactions include the use of water and other environmentally friendly conditions. We decided to focus on a single reaction to determine the best reaction conditions for the biotransformation, explore possible antimicrobial activity of the product, and isolate and characterize the protein involved in catalyzing the reaction.

Evaluation Of The Performance Of A Rural Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant In Nacogdoches, East Texas (Usa) (Abstract), Kefa Karimu Onchoke, Michael Janusa, Salomey Asantewaa Sasu

Faculty Publications

The performance of a rural wastewater treatment facility, Nacogdoches Wastewater Treatment Plant

(NWWTP), in East Texas, USA, was assessed from January 2013 through June 2014. The elemental concentrations (Na, Mg, Ca, Ni, Pb, Mn, Cr, Mo, and Cu, Al, As, B, Ba, Ag, Cd, Fe, Hg, K, Se, Zn, Co, P, and S) were measured using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The anion concentrations (Br−, NO3- , NO2- , PO34-,F−, Cl−, and SO24−) were measured by ion chromatography. In general, the NWWTP was found efficient in removal to ≥ 96% for metals. The removal efficiency for anions was in …

High Level Protein Expression Slows Down Rate Of Growth Of Bacterial Broth Cultures, Saad Chaudhry, Kenechukwu Ekwemalor, Shobhit Keswani, Odutayo Odunuge

Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Determination Of Anions In Lanana Creek By Ion Chromatography, Tania Benavides

Undergraduate Research Conference

Abstract

Lanana Creek is one of two springs that surround Nacogdoches, TX. Lanana Creek starts southwest of Lake Naconiche, conjoining with several other bodies of water along its path, and becomes part of the Angelina River. This body of water eventually ends in the Gulf of Mexico which may contribute to the dead zone. Contaminants in water may be of small concentration; however, prolonged exposure could produce many negative effects. To prevent further contamination, the source of the contamination must be identified through testing the water for contaminants. Some possible sources of contamination may be from fertilizers and pesticides used …

A Td-Dft Study Of The Absorption Spectra Of Mono-Nitrated Fluoranthenes [Abstract], Kefa Karimu Onchoke

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Mutational Analysis Of The Rotavirus Nsp4 Enterotoxic Domain That Binds To Caveolin-1, Judith M. Ball, Megan E. Schroeder, Cecelia V. Williams, Friedhelm Schroeder, Rebecca D. Parr

Faculty Publications

Background: Rotavirus (RV) nonstructural protein 4 (NSP4) is the first described viral enterotoxin, which induces early secretory diarrhea in neonatal rodents. Our previous data show a direct interaction between RV NSP4 and the structural protein of caveolae, caveolin-1 (cav-1), in yeast and mammalian cells. The binding site of cav-1 mapped to the NSP4 amphipathic helix, and led us to examine which helical face was responsible for the interaction.

Methods: A panel of NSP4 mutants were prepared and tested for binding to cav-1 by yeast two hybrid and direct binding assays. The charged residues of the NSP4 amphipathic helix were changed …

Establishing The Learning Effect Of Repeated Wingate Anaerobic Tests, Erin Thompson, Natalie Schaeffer, Eric T. Jones, Malcom T. Whitehead

Undergraduate Research Conference

The Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT) is a recognized and well established tool used to measure power output, muscular endurance, and fatigue. While litreature involving WAnT is plentiful, research addressing training effects within WAnT is limited. Previous studies have addressed changes in power output during repeated trials, however, to our knowledge multiple repeated trials over time to establish optimal learned effect has not been addressed. Past published studies using WAnT have incoporated various familiarization trails to account for the learned impact on performance (1, 2, 4). If an optimal number were established to produce a learned response the validity of future …

Ammonium Sulfate Precipitation Combined With Liquid Chromatography Is Sufficient For Purification Of Bovine Serum Albumin That Is Suitable For Most Routine Laboratory Applications, Odutayo O. Odunuge, Alina Shazhko

Faculty Publications

The use of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in routine biochemical assays such as restriction enzyme digestion and immunodetection is plagued largely by two common contaminants, DNase and immunoglobulins G (IgGs). Acetylation of BSA to inactivate DNase limits its use as a protein standard due to interference with color development in assays such as Lowry’s. In spite of the availability of inexpensive BSA, its purification involves several cumbersome and time-consuming steps. In this work, we employed a modified strategy of ammonium sulfate precipitation coupled with liquid chromatography to purify BSA that is free of DNase and IgGs. Purified BSA tested negative …

A Dft Study Of Vibrational Spectra And Mutagenicity Predictions Of Mononitrated Fluoranthenes [Abstract], Kefa Karimu Onchoke, Jorge Ojeda

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.