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Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology

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Sporadic Appearance Of Paralytic Spongiform Neurodegeneration In A Colony Of Inbred Mice Is Associated With Cns Retrovirus Expression, Magdalene Durbak Jan 2018

Sporadic Appearance Of Paralytic Spongiform Neurodegeneration In A Colony Of Inbred Mice Is Associated With Cns Retrovirus Expression, Magdalene Durbak

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Abstract

Exogenous and endogenous retroviruses (RV) have been known to induce vacuolar central nervous system neuropathology. Two mice which were juvenile inbred Rocky Mountain White (IRW), showed signs of spontaneous degenerate motor neuron disease. Signs included wasting, unkempt fur, adduction reflex upon tail elevation, kyphosis, and stilted gait by postnatal day 18 (P18). Brains and spinal cords were examined with H&E staining and stained with a broadly reactive retrovirus antibody. When compared to brains of mice with normal vacuolar pathology as well as mice infected with prototypic non-neurovirulent RV, Fr57E and prototypic neurovirulent RV FrCasE, the subject showed less severity …


Mutations In Rhodopsin Transmembrane Helix 5 And Dimerization Interface, Margaret Pinkevitch Jan 2018

Mutations In Rhodopsin Transmembrane Helix 5 And Dimerization Interface, Margaret Pinkevitch

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are membrane proteins with many functional roles. This family of receptors is expansive, with several subfamilies. Here, a member of subfamily A, rhodopsin (Rho) is studied. Mutations in rhodopsin have been linked to the disease retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Some of these mutations have been found to disrupt the dimerization/oligomerization of Rho at the TM4/TM5 proposed dimerization interface, causing pathogenesis of RP. In this study, two mutations of transmembrane helix 5 were investigated for changes in dimerization and stability, cell trafficking, and signaling. It was found that the V209M and F220C mutations did not result in …


Role Of Sirna Pathway In Epigenetic Modifications Of The Drosophila Melanogaster X Chromosome, Nikita Deshpande Jan 2018

Role Of Sirna Pathway In Epigenetic Modifications Of The Drosophila Melanogaster X Chromosome, Nikita Deshpande

Wayne State University Dissertations

Eukaryotic genomes are organized into large domains of coordinated regulation. The role of small RNAs in formation of these domains is largely unexplored. An extraordinary example of domain-wide regulation is X chromosome compensation in Drosophila melanogaster males. This process occurs by hypertranscription of genes on the single male X chromosome. Extensive research in this field has shown that the Male Specific Lethal (MSL) complex binds X-linked genes and modifies chromatin to increase expression. The components of this complex, and their actions on chromatin, are well studied. In contrast, the mechanism that results in exclusive recruitment to the X chromosome is …


Alternative Strategies To Inhibit Lysine Methyltransferases And Deubiquitinases In Human Cancers, Nicholas Spellmon Jan 2018

Alternative Strategies To Inhibit Lysine Methyltransferases And Deubiquitinases In Human Cancers, Nicholas Spellmon

Wayne State University Dissertations

X-ray crystallography is the gold standard method for imagining macromolecules to atomic resolution. Three dimensional data is central to understanding the molecular mechanism how DNA, RNA and proteins function in biological events. Structural insights into these events provide a molecular window to visualize how biological molecules influence human health. Visualizing the architecture of these molecules set the stage for rational and selective drug design. The following dissertation utilizes biochemical and biophysical tools, including X-ray crystallography, to shed light on poorly understood mechanisms related to SMYD2 activity and regulation, USP10 architecture and function, and PDZ-RhoGEF dimerization. SMYD2 is one member of …


Optimisation Of Ion Exchange Chromatography Purification Protocols For A Staphylococcal Peptidoglycan Degrading Hydrolase Enzyme, Fiona Maher Jan 2018

Optimisation Of Ion Exchange Chromatography Purification Protocols For A Staphylococcal Peptidoglycan Degrading Hydrolase Enzyme, Fiona Maher

Theses

Bacteriophage (phage) are the most abundant biological entities on earth and were first discovered by d’Herelle in 1917. They are found wherever their hosts live and, like all viruses they do not have the ability to make their own protein. Therefore, in order to reproduce, phage must invade and infect bacterial cells. This project focused on the optimisation of Ion Exchange Chromatography purification protocols for a staphylococcal peptidoglycan degrading hydrolase enzyme (CHAPk). The project objective was to obtain the greatest yield of enzyme from the growth of the E.coU XL 1-Blue expression system into which the vector pQE60 was previously …


The Effects Of Oxidative Stress On P75ntr Signaling In Dopaminergic Neurons, Cassandra Marie Escobedo Jan 2018

The Effects Of Oxidative Stress On P75ntr Signaling In Dopaminergic Neurons, Cassandra Marie Escobedo

Online Theses and Dissertations

The p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) is responsible for implementing cellular death during embryonic development and in response to cellular injury. The receptor has been recognized as a contributor of neurodegeneration in numerous pathological conditions. Cleavage of p75NTR by Tumor Necrosis Factor converting enzyme (TACE) and γ-secretase has been observed to be associated with an increase in neurodegeneration. In a previous study, p75NTR was discovered to become activated in sympathetic neurons in response to oxidative stress induced by 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) in a ligand-independent mechanism. Furthermore, cleavage of the receptor was demonstrated to contribute to the death of sympathetic neurons following oxidative …


Detection Of Semi-Polar Vitamins And Nutrients In Biological Samples, Jennifer Janovick Jan 2018

Detection Of Semi-Polar Vitamins And Nutrients In Biological Samples, Jennifer Janovick

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Metabolomics is used to examine metabolite fluctuations in biological systems and enables the diagnosis of metabolic disorders and the identification of new therapeutic targets.1 Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was utilized to develop a new method using a T3 column to separate small molecule nutrients and vitamins in a tissue sample. Initial tests of column performance used standard solutions; the amount of metabolites identified and the elution profile of these metabolites was examined. Both the standard solution and sample of brain tissue were tested with the final method developed. Six metabolites were identified in the standard and 31 were identified …


Controlling Platelet Secretion To Modulate Hemostasis And Thrombosis, Smita Joshi Jan 2018

Controlling Platelet Secretion To Modulate Hemostasis And Thrombosis, Smita Joshi

Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

Upon vascular injury, activated blood platelets fuse their granules to the plasma membrane and release cargo to regulate the vascular microenvironment, a dynamic process central to platelet function in many critical processes including hemostasis, thrombosis, immunity, wound healing, angiogenesis etc. This granule- plasma membrane fusion is mediated by a family of membrane proteins- Soluble N-ethyl maleimide Attachment Receptor Proteins(SNAREs). SNAREs that reside on vesicle (v-SNAREs) /Vesicle-Associated Membrane Proteins(VAMPs) interact with target/t-SNAREs forming a trans-bilayer complex that facilitates granule fusion. Though many components of exocytic machinery are identified, it is still not clear how it could be manipulated to prevent …


Impact Of Phosphoinositides On Regulation Of K-Atp By Atp And Hydrogen Sulfide, Tyler Hendon Jan 2018

Impact Of Phosphoinositides On Regulation Of K-Atp By Atp And Hydrogen Sulfide, Tyler Hendon

Theses and Dissertations

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) reduces ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury by stimulating adenosine triphosphate (ATP) sensitive potassium channels (KATP) [1-5]. Demonstrating H2S stimulation is unique to KATP, as other inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channels demonstrate inhibition or are unaffected [6]. We recently showed that H2S inhibits Kir2 and Kir3 by decreasing channel sensitivity to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2 or PIP2) [6]. Here, we test the hypothesis that H2S regulation of Kir6.2, a pore-forming subunit of the KATP channel, is also dependent on PIP2. Using whole-cell patch-clamp we show that H2S increases the activity of Kir6.2 channels expressed in HEK-293 cells. To study the …


The Abiotic Stress Response Of Hydroponic Vetiver Grass (Chrysopogon Zizanioides L.) To Acid Mine Drainage And Its Potential For Environmental Remediation, Jef Kiiskila Jan 2018

The Abiotic Stress Response Of Hydroponic Vetiver Grass (Chrysopogon Zizanioides L.) To Acid Mine Drainage And Its Potential For Environmental Remediation, Jef Kiiskila

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Mining activities can generate acid mine drainage (AMD), an acidic discharge that contains elevated sulfate (SO42-), soluble metals, and orange-yellow metal-containing particulates. AMD imposes ecological risks from metal toxicity and physical stress, which may physically spread to nearby water sources or biologically through bioaccumulation. Current methods for AMD treatment, such as chemical or passive biological treatments, are often non-sustainable. Chemical treatments can be expensive and create large amounts of secondary waste, whereas biological treatments like anaerobic wetlands require continuous maintenance through input of organic nutrients. The end goal of this research is to develop a cost-efficient and …


Modulation Of Electron Transport By Metformin In Cardiac Protection: Role Of Complex I, Ahmed Abdul Hussein Mohsin Jan 2018

Modulation Of Electron Transport By Metformin In Cardiac Protection: Role Of Complex I, Ahmed Abdul Hussein Mohsin

Theses and Dissertations

Modulation of mitochondrial complex I during reperfusion reduces cardiac injury. Complex I exists in two structural states: active (A) and deactive (D) with transition from A→D during ischemia. Reperfusion reactivates D→A with an increase in ROS production. Metformin preserves the D-Form. Our aim was to study the contribution of maintenance of deactivation of complex I during early reperfusion by metformin to protect against ischemia reperfusion injury. Our results showed that metformin decreased H9c2 cardiomyoblast apoptosis and total cell death following simulated ischemia for six hours followed by reoxygenation for twenty four hours compared to untreated cells. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) …


Development Of Septic Polysynovitis And Uveitis In Foals Experimentally Infected With Rhodococcus Equi, Laura Huber, Steeve Giguère, Londa J. Berghaus, Amanda Hanafi, Sarah Vitosh-Sillman, Sarah L. Czerwinski Jan 2018

Development Of Septic Polysynovitis And Uveitis In Foals Experimentally Infected With Rhodococcus Equi, Laura Huber, Steeve Giguère, Londa J. Berghaus, Amanda Hanafi, Sarah Vitosh-Sillman, Sarah L. Czerwinski

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Rhodococcus equi is one of the most important causes of disease in foals. Infection is typically characterized by pyogranulomatous pneumonia although extrapulmonary infections occur occasionally. Uveitis and polysynovitis have been reported in foals naturally infected with R. equi and are thought to be the result of an immune-mediated process. However, the pathogenesis of these conditions is poorly understood. The objectives of this study were to document the occurrence of uveitis and polysynovitis after experimental infection with R. equi and to determine if these disorders are the direct result of infection at these sites. Foals between 3 and 4 weeks of …


Alkaline Stabilization Of Manure Slurry Inactivates Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus, Erin E. Stevens, Daniel N. Miller, Bethany A. Brittenham, Sarah J. Vitosh-Sillman, Bruce W. Brodersen, Virginia L. Jin, John D. Loy, Amy M. Schmidt Jan 2018

Alkaline Stabilization Of Manure Slurry Inactivates Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus, Erin E. Stevens, Daniel N. Miller, Bethany A. Brittenham, Sarah J. Vitosh-Sillman, Bruce W. Brodersen, Virginia L. Jin, John D. Loy, Amy M. Schmidt

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Hydrated lime manure treatment was evaluated to determine porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) susceptibility to alkaline stabilization. At pH 10, PEDV decreased (quantitative polymerase chain reaction) and lost infectivity (swine bioassay). Although ammonium decreased above pH 9 (up to 25%), alkaline stabilization managed to control potential infection from manure sources.


Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry Identification Of Moraxella Bovoculi And Moraxella Bovis Isolates From Cattle, Kara Robbins, Aaron M. Dickey, Michael L. Clawson, John Dustin Loy Jan 2018

Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry Identification Of Moraxella Bovoculi And Moraxella Bovis Isolates From Cattle, Kara Robbins, Aaron M. Dickey, Michael L. Clawson, John Dustin Loy

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) is an economically significant disease caused by Moraxella bovis. Moraxella bovoculi, although not reported to cause IBK, has been isolated from the eyes of cattle diagnosed with IBK. Identification of M. bovis and M. bovoculi can be performed using biochemical or DNA-based approaches, both of which may be time consuming and inconsistent between laboratories. We conducted a comparative evaluation of M. bovoculi and M. bovis identification using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) with a database provided by Bruker Daltonics (termed the BDAL database), the BDAL database supplemented with spectra generated in …


Circadian Behavioral Responses To Light And Optic Chiasm-Evoked Glutamatergic Epscs In The Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Of Iprgc Conditional Vglut2 Knock-Out Mice, Michael G. Moldavan, Patricia J. Sollars, Michael R. Lasarev, Charles N. Allen, Gary E. Pickard Jan 2018

Circadian Behavioral Responses To Light And Optic Chiasm-Evoked Glutamatergic Epscs In The Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Of Iprgc Conditional Vglut2 Knock-Out Mice, Michael G. Moldavan, Patricia J. Sollars, Michael R. Lasarev, Charles N. Allen, Gary E. Pickard

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) innervate the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), a circadian oscillator that functions as a biological clock. ipRGCs use vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (vGlut2) to package glutamate into synaptic vesicles and light-evoked resetting of the SCN circadian clock is widely attributed to ipRGC glutamatergic neurotransmission. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is also packaged into vesicles in ipRGCs and PACAP may be coreleased with glutamate in the SCN. vGlut2 has been conditionally deleted in ipRGCs in mice [conditional knock-outs (cKOs)] and their aberrant photoentrainment and residual attenuated light responses have been ascribed to ipRGC PACAP release. However, …


Development Of A Multiplex Real-Time Pcr Assay Using Two Thermocycling Platforms For Detection Of Major Bacterial Pathogens Associated With Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex From Clinical Samples, John Dustin Loy, Laura Leger, Aspen M. Workman, Michael L. Clawson, Ece Bulut, Bing Wang Jan 2018

Development Of A Multiplex Real-Time Pcr Assay Using Two Thermocycling Platforms For Detection Of Major Bacterial Pathogens Associated With Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex From Clinical Samples, John Dustin Loy, Laura Leger, Aspen M. Workman, Michael L. Clawson, Ece Bulut, Bing Wang

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC) is one of the most significant diseases of cattle. Bacterial pathogens involved in BRDC include Mannheimia haemolytica, Mycoplasma bovis, Histophilus somni, and Pasteurella multocida. We developed and evaluated a multiplexed real-time hydrolysis probe (rtPCR) assay using block-based Peltier and rotary-based thermocycling on lung tissue, nasal swabs, and deep nasopharyngeal swabs. The rtPCR results were compared to culture or a gel-based M. bovis PCR using statistical analysis to determine optimum quantification cycle (Cq) cutoffs to maximize agreement. The limits of detection were 1.2–12 CFU/reaction for each pathogen. M. haemolytica was the most prevalent organism detected …


Coordinated Regulation Of Transcription By Ccpa And The Staphylococcus Aureus Twocomponent System Hptrs, Joseph M. Reed, Sean Olson, Danielle F. Brees, Caitlin E. Griffin, Ryan A. Grove, Paul J. Davis, Stephen D. Kachman, Jiri Adamec, Greg A. Somerville Jan 2018

Coordinated Regulation Of Transcription By Ccpa And The Staphylococcus Aureus Twocomponent System Hptrs, Joseph M. Reed, Sean Olson, Danielle F. Brees, Caitlin E. Griffin, Ryan A. Grove, Paul J. Davis, Stephen D. Kachman, Jiri Adamec, Greg A. Somerville

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The success of Staphylococcus aureus as a pathogen is due in part to its ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions using signal transduction pathways, such as metaboliteresponsive regulators and two-component systems. S. aureus has a two-component system encoded by the gene pair sav0224 (hptS) and sav0223 (hptR) that regulate the hexose phosphate transport (uhpT) system in response to extracellular glucose-6-phosphate. Glycolytic intermediates such as glucose-6-phosphate are important carbon sources that also modulate the activity of the global metabolite-responsive transcriptional regulator CcpA. Because uhpT has a putative CcpA binding site in its promoter and …


Novel Docosahexaenoic Acid Ester Of Phloridzin Inhibits Proliferation And Triggers Apoptosis In An In Vitro Model Of Skin Cancer, Theodora Mantso, Dimitrios T. Trafalis, Sotiris Botaitis, Rodrigo Franco, Aglaia Pappa, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe, Mihalis I. Panayiotidis Jan 2018

Novel Docosahexaenoic Acid Ester Of Phloridzin Inhibits Proliferation And Triggers Apoptosis In An In Vitro Model Of Skin Cancer, Theodora Mantso, Dimitrios T. Trafalis, Sotiris Botaitis, Rodrigo Franco, Aglaia Pappa, H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe, Mihalis I. Panayiotidis

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Skin cancer is among the most common cancer types accompanied by rapidly increasing incidence rates, thus making the development of more efficient therapeutic approaches a necessity. Recent studies have revealed the potential role of decosahexaenoic acid ester of phloridzin (PZDHA) in suppressing proliferation of liver, breast, and blood cancer cell lines. In the present study, we investigated the cytotoxic potential of PZDHA in an in vitro model of skin cancer consisting of melanoma (A375), epidermoid carcinoma (A431), and non-tumorigenic (HaCaT) cell lines. Decosahexaenoic acid ester of phloridzin led to increased cytotoxicity in all cell lines as revealed by cell viability …


Whole Genome Sequencing Of Moraxella Bovoculi Reveals High Genetic Diversity And Evidence For Interspecies Recombination At Multiple Loci, Aaron M. Dickey, Gennie Schuller, John D. Loy, Michael L. Clawson Jan 2018

Whole Genome Sequencing Of Moraxella Bovoculi Reveals High Genetic Diversity And Evidence For Interspecies Recombination At Multiple Loci, Aaron M. Dickey, Gennie Schuller, John D. Loy, Michael L. Clawson

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Moraxella bovoculi is frequently cultured from the ocular secretions and conjunctiva of cattle with Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis (IBK). Previous work has shown that single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) diversity in this species is quite high with 81,284 SNPs identified in eight genomes representing two distinct genotypes isolated from IBK affected eyes (genotype 1) and the nasopharynx of cattle without clinical IBK signs (genotype 2), respectively. The goals of this study were to identify SNPs from a collection of geographically diverse and epidemiologically unlinked M. bovoculi strains from the eyes of IBK positive cattle (n = 183) and another from the eyes …


Differential Modulation Of Human Gabac‑Ρ1 Receptor By Sulfur‑Containing Compounds Structurally Related To Taurine, Lenin David Ochoa‑De La Paz, Martin González‑Andrade, Herminia Pasantes‑Morales, Rodrigo Franco, Rubén Zamora‑Alvarado, Edgar Zenteno, Hugo Quiroz‑Mercado, Roberto Gonzales‑Salinas, Rosario Gulias‑Cañizo Jan 2018

Differential Modulation Of Human Gabac‑Ρ1 Receptor By Sulfur‑Containing Compounds Structurally Related To Taurine, Lenin David Ochoa‑De La Paz, Martin González‑Andrade, Herminia Pasantes‑Morales, Rodrigo Franco, Rubén Zamora‑Alvarado, Edgar Zenteno, Hugo Quiroz‑Mercado, Roberto Gonzales‑Salinas, Rosario Gulias‑Cañizo

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: The amino acid taurine (2-Aminoethanesulfonic acid) modulates inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors. This study aimed to determine if the dual action of taurine on GABAC- ρ1R relates to its structure. To address this, we tested the ability of the structurally related compounds homotaurine, hypotaurine, and isethionic acid to modulate GABAC- ρ1R.

Results: In Xenopus laevis oocytes, hypotaurine and homotaurine partially activate heterologously expressed GABAC- ρ1R, showing an increment in its deactivation time with no changes in channel permeability, whereas isethionic acid showed no effect. Competitive assays suggest that hypotaurine and homotaurine compete for the GABA-binding site. In addition, their effects were …


Using Art And Story To Explore How Primary School Students In Rural Tanzania Understand Planetary Health: A Qualitative Analysis, Elizabeth Vanwormer, Jesca Mlawa, Elizabeth Komba, Christopher Gustafson, Hilda Mrema, Jenny M. Dauer Jan 2018

Using Art And Story To Explore How Primary School Students In Rural Tanzania Understand Planetary Health: A Qualitative Analysis, Elizabeth Vanwormer, Jesca Mlawa, Elizabeth Komba, Christopher Gustafson, Hilda Mrema, Jenny M. Dauer

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background The global planetary health community increasingly recognises the need to prepare students to investigate and address connections between environmental change and human health. As we strive to support education on planetary health themes for students of all ages, understanding students’ concepts of linkages between the health of people and animals, and their shared environments might advance educational approaches. Children living in villages bordering Ruaha National Park in Iringa Region, Tanzania, have direct experience of these connections as they share a water-stressed but biodiverse environment with domestic animals and wildlife. Livelihoods in these villages depend predominantly on crop and livestock …


Tellurite Resistance In Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli , Gentry L. Lewis, Quentin R. Jorgensen, John Dustin Loy, Rodney A. Moxley Jan 2018

Tellurite Resistance In Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli , Gentry L. Lewis, Quentin R. Jorgensen, John Dustin Loy, Rodney A. Moxley

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Potassium tellurite ( K2TeO3) is an effective selective agent for O157:H7 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), whereas tellurite resistance in non-O157 STEC is variable with information on O45 minimal. High-level K2TeO3 resistance in STEC is attributable to the ter gene cluster with terD an indicator of the cluster’s presence. Polymerase chain reactions for terD and K2TeO3 minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determinations in broth cultures were conducted on 70 STEC and 40 non-STEC control organisms. Sixty-six STEC strains (94.3%) were terD+ compared to 28 control organisms (70.0%; P < 0.001). The prevalence of terD in …


Epitope Mapping Of Serca2a Identifies An Antigenic Determinant That Induces Mainly Atrial Myocarditis In A/J Mice, Bharathi Krishnan, Chandirasegara Massilamany, Rakesh H. Basavalingappa, Arunakumar Gangaplara, Rajkumar Rajasekaran, Muhammad Z. Afzal, Vahid Khalilzad-Sharghi, You Zhou, Jean-Jack Riethoven, Shyam S. Nandi, Paras K. Mishra, Raymond A. Sobel, Jennifer L. Strande, David Steffen, Jay Reddy Jan 2018

Epitope Mapping Of Serca2a Identifies An Antigenic Determinant That Induces Mainly Atrial Myocarditis In A/J Mice, Bharathi Krishnan, Chandirasegara Massilamany, Rakesh H. Basavalingappa, Arunakumar Gangaplara, Rajkumar Rajasekaran, Muhammad Z. Afzal, Vahid Khalilzad-Sharghi, You Zhou, Jean-Jack Riethoven, Shyam S. Nandi, Paras K. Mishra, Raymond A. Sobel, Jennifer L. Strande, David Steffen, Jay Reddy

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ adenosine triphosphatase (SERCA)2a, a critical regulator of calcium homeostasis, is known to be decreased in heart failure. Patients with myocarditis or dilated cardiomyopathy develop autoantibodies to SERCA2a suggesting that they may have pathogenetic significance. In this report, we describe epitope mapping analysis of SERCA2a in A/J mice that leads us to make five observations: 1) SERCA2a contains multiple T cell epitopes that induce varying degrees of myocarditis. One epitope, SERCA2a 971–990, induces widespread atrial inflammation without affecting noncardiac tissues; the cardiac abnormalities could be noninvasively captured by echocardiography, electrocardiography, and magnetic resonance microscopy imaging. 2) SERCA2a …


Total Mercury Determination In Muscle And Liver Tissue Samples From Brazilian Amazon Fish Using Slurry Sampling, João Vitor De Queiroz, José Cavalcante Souza Vieira, Izabela Da Cunha Bataglioli, Alis Correia Bittarello, Camila Pereira Braga, Grasieli De Oliveira, Cilene Do Carmo Federici Padilha, Pedro De Magalhães Padilha Jan 2018

Total Mercury Determination In Muscle And Liver Tissue Samples From Brazilian Amazon Fish Using Slurry Sampling, João Vitor De Queiroz, José Cavalcante Souza Vieira, Izabela Da Cunha Bataglioli, Alis Correia Bittarello, Camila Pereira Braga, Grasieli De Oliveira, Cilene Do Carmo Federici Padilha, Pedro De Magalhães Padilha

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

This paper presents a slurry sampling method for total mercury determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) in tissue of fish from the Amazon. The tissue samples were lyophilized and macerated, and then the slurry samples were prepared by putting 20 mg of tissue, added to a solution containing Triton X-100, Suprapur HNO3, and zirconium nitrate directly in sampling vials of a spectrometer. Mercury standard solutions were prepared under the same conditions as the slurry samples. The slurry samples and the mercury standard solutions were sonicated for 20 s. Twenty microliters of slurry samples were injected into …


Cancerdiscover: An Integrative Pipeline For Cancer Biomarker And Cancer Class Prediction From High-Throughput Sequencing Data, Akram Mohammed, Greyson Biegert, Jiri Adamec, Tomáš Helikar Jan 2018

Cancerdiscover: An Integrative Pipeline For Cancer Biomarker And Cancer Class Prediction From High-Throughput Sequencing Data, Akram Mohammed, Greyson Biegert, Jiri Adamec, Tomáš Helikar

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Accurate identification of cancer biomarkers and classification of cancer type and subtype from High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) data is a challenging problem because it requires manual processing of raw HTS data from various sequencing platforms, quality control, and normalization, which are both tedious and timeconsuming. Machine learning techniques for cancer class prediction and biomarker discovery can hasten cancer detection and significantly improve prognosis. To date, great research efforts have been taken for cancer biomarker identification and cancer class prediction. However, currently available tools and pipelines lack flexibility in data preprocessing, running multiple feature selection methods and learning algorithms, therefore, developing …


Towards The Synthetic Design Of Camelina Oil Enriched In Tailored Acetyl-Triacylglycerols With Medium-Chain Fatty Acids, Sunil Bansal, Hae Jin Kim, Gunnam Na, Megan E. Hamilton, Edgar B. Cahoon, Chaofu Lu, Timothy P. Durrett Jan 2018

Towards The Synthetic Design Of Camelina Oil Enriched In Tailored Acetyl-Triacylglycerols With Medium-Chain Fatty Acids, Sunil Bansal, Hae Jin Kim, Gunnam Na, Megan E. Hamilton, Edgar B. Cahoon, Chaofu Lu, Timothy P. Durrett

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

The ability to manipulate expression of key biosynthetic enzymes has allowed the development of genetically modified plants that synthesise unusual lipids that are useful for biofuel and industrial applications. By taking advantage of the unique activities of enzymes from different species, tailored lipids with a targeted structure can be conceived. In this study we demonstrate the successful implementation of such an approach by metabolically engineering the oilseed crop Camelina sativa to produce 3-acetyl-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerols (acetyl-TAGs) with medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). Different transgenic camelina lines that had been genetically modified to produce MCFAs through the expression of MCFA-specific thioesterases and …


Single-Molecule Unbinding Forces Between The Polysaccharide Hyaluronan And Its Binding Proteins, Fouzia Bano, Markku I. Tammi, David W. Kang, Edward N. Harris, Ralf P. Richter Jan 2018

Single-Molecule Unbinding Forces Between The Polysaccharide Hyaluronan And Its Binding Proteins, Fouzia Bano, Markku I. Tammi, David W. Kang, Edward N. Harris, Ralf P. Richter

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

The extracellular polysaccharide hyaluronan (HA) is ubiquitous in all vertebrate tissues, where its various functions are encoded in the supramolecular complexes and matrices that it forms with HA-binding proteins (hyaladherins). In tissues, these supramolecular architectures are frequently subjected to mechanical stress, yet how this affects the intermolecular bonding is largely unknown. Here, we used a recently developed single-molecule force spectroscopy platform to analyze and compare the mechanical strength of bonds between HA and a panel of hyaladherins from the Link module superfamily, namely the complex of the proteoglycan aggrecan and cartilage link protein, the proteoglycan versican, the inflammation-associated protein TSG-6, …


Endosomal Escape Of Antisense Oligonucleotides Internalized By Stabilin Receptors Is Regulated By Rab5c And Eea1 During Endosomal Maturation, Colton M. Miller, W. Brad Wan, Punit P. Seth, Edward N. Harris Jan 2018

Endosomal Escape Of Antisense Oligonucleotides Internalized By Stabilin Receptors Is Regulated By Rab5c And Eea1 During Endosomal Maturation, Colton M. Miller, W. Brad Wan, Punit P. Seth, Edward N. Harris

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Second-generation (Gen 2) Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) show increased nuclease stability and affinity for their RNA targets, which has translated to improved potency and therapeutic index in the clinic. Gen 2 ASOs are typically modified using the phosphorothioate (PS) backbone modification, which enhances ASO interactions with plasma, cell surface, and intracellular proteins. This facilitates ASO distribution to peripheral tissues and also promotes cellular uptake after injection into animals. Previous work identified that Stabilin receptors specifically internalize PS-ASOs in the sinusoidal endothelial cells of the liver and the spleen. By modulating expression of specific proteins involved in the trafficking and maturation of …


Purification Of Hepatocytes And Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells From Mouse Liver Perfusion, Fatima Cabral, Colton M. Miller, Katrina M. Kudrna, Blake E. Hass, Jocelyn G. Daubendiek, Brianna M. Kellar, Edward N. Harris Jan 2018

Purification Of Hepatocytes And Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells From Mouse Liver Perfusion, Fatima Cabral, Colton M. Miller, Katrina M. Kudrna, Blake E. Hass, Jocelyn G. Daubendiek, Brianna M. Kellar, Edward N. Harris

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

This protocol demonstrates a method for obtaining high yield and viability for mouse hepatocytes and sinusoidal endothelial cells (SECs) suitable for culturing or for obtaining cell lysates. In this protocol, the portal vein is used as the site for catheterization, rather than the vena cava, as this limits contamination of other possible cell types in the final liver preparation. No special instrumentation is required throughout the procedure. A water bath is used as a source of heat to maintain the temperature of all the buffers and solutions. A standard peristaltic pump is used to drive the fluid, and a refrigerated …


A Tlr/Akt/Foxo3 Immune Tolerance–Like Pathway Disrupts The Repair Capacity Of Oligodendrocyte Progenitors, Taasin Srivastava, Parham Diba, Justin M. Dean, Fatima Banine, Daniel Shaver, Matthew Hagen, Xi Gong, Weiping Su, Ben Emery, Daniel L. Marks, Edward N. Harris, Bruce Baggentoss, Paul H. Weigel, Larry S. Sherman, Stephen A. Back Jan 2018

A Tlr/Akt/Foxo3 Immune Tolerance–Like Pathway Disrupts The Repair Capacity Of Oligodendrocyte Progenitors, Taasin Srivastava, Parham Diba, Justin M. Dean, Fatima Banine, Daniel Shaver, Matthew Hagen, Xi Gong, Weiping Su, Ben Emery, Daniel L. Marks, Edward N. Harris, Bruce Baggentoss, Paul H. Weigel, Larry S. Sherman, Stephen A. Back

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Cerebral white matter injury (WMI) persistently disrupts myelin regeneration by oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). We identified a specific bioactive hyaluronan fragment (bHAf) that downregulates myelin gene expression and chronically blocks OPC maturation and myelination via a tolerance-like mechanism that dysregulates pro-myelination signaling via AKT. Desensitization of AKT occurs via TLR4 but not TLR2 or CD44. OPC differentiation was selectively blocked by bHAf in a maturation-dependent fashion at the late OPC (preOL) stage by a noncanonical TLR4/TRIF pathway that induced persistent activation of the FoxO3 transcription factor downstream of AKT. Activated FoxO3 selectively localized to oligodendrocyte lineage cells in white matter …