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Development And Validation Of A High Throughput, Elisa Morales Jan 2009

Development And Validation Of A High Throughput, Elisa Morales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

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The Effect Of Exogenous Leptin On Murine Dendritic Cell Morphology And Function, Christine Delgado Jan 2009

The Effect Of Exogenous Leptin On Murine Dendritic Cell Morphology And Function, Christine Delgado

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Leptin is a pleiotropic hormone primarily secreted by white adipose tissue. Although originally found to regulate food intake and energy expenditure, it is now known to also significantly affect the immune system. In this study we assessed the effect of leptin on bone marrow derived dendritic cell (BM-DC) cytoskeletal structure and functionality. Our preliminary data demonstrates that the addition of physiological concentrations of exogenous leptin to BM-DC causes cytoskeletal rearrangement specifically that of actin as evidenced by increased number of llamelopodia/dendrites and increased staining for actin within the llamelopodia/dendrite region. This suggests that leptin is a necessary component of DC …

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The Taxonomic Designation Of Eriogonum Corymbosum Var. Nilesii (Polygonaceae) Is Supported By Aflp And Cpdna Analyses, M. W. Ellis, J. M. Roper, R. Gainer, J. P. Der, Paul G. Wolf Jan 2009

The Taxonomic Designation Of Eriogonum Corymbosum Var. Nilesii (Polygonaceae) Is Supported By Aflp And Cpdna Analyses, M. W. Ellis, J. M. Roper, R. Gainer, J. P. Der, Paul G. Wolf

Biology Faculty Publications

We examined populations of perennial, shrubby buckwheats in the Eriogonum corymbosum complex and related Eriogonum species in the subgenus Eucycla, to assess genetic affiliations of the recently named E. corymbosum var. nilesii. The known populations of this varietyare all located in Clark County, Nevada, U. S. A. We compared AFLP profiles and chloroplast DNA sequences of plants sampled from populations of E. corymbosum var. nilesii with those of plants representing other E. corymbosum varieties and related Eriogonum species from Colorado,Utah, northern Arizona, and northern New Mexico. We found evidence of genetic cohesion among the Clark County populations as well astheir …

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Global Chloroplast Phylogeny And Biogeography Of Bracken (Pteridium: Dennstaedtiaceae), J. P. Der, J. A. Thomson, J. K. Stratford, Paul G. Wolf Jan 2009

Global Chloroplast Phylogeny And Biogeography Of Bracken (Pteridium: Dennstaedtiaceae), J. P. Der, J. A. Thomson, J. K. Stratford, Paul G. Wolf

Biology Faculty Publications

Bracken ferns (genus Pteridium) represent an ancient species complex with a natural worldwide distribution. Pteridium has historically been treated as comprising a single species, but recent treatments have recognized several related species. Phenotypic plasticity, geographically structured morphological variation, and geographically biased sampling have all contributed to taxonomic confusion in the genus. We sampled bracken specimens worldwide and used variable regions of the chloroplast genome to investigate phylogeography and reticulate evolution within the genus. Our results distinguish two major clades within Pteridium, a primarily northern hemisphere Laurasian/African clade, which includes all taxa currently assigned to P. aquilinum, and a primarily southern …

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Conservation Of Selection On Matk Following An Ancient Loss Of Its Flanking Intron, A. M. Duffy, S. A. Kelchner, Paul G. Wolf Jan 2009

Conservation Of Selection On Matk Following An Ancient Loss Of Its Flanking Intron, A. M. Duffy, S. A. Kelchner, Paul G. Wolf

Biology Faculty Publications

The chloroplast gene trnK and its associated group II intron appear to be absent in a large and ancient clade that includes nearly 90% of fern species. However, the maturase protein encoded within the intron (matK) is still present and located on the boundary of a large-scale inversion. We surveyed the chloroplast genome sequence of clade-member Adiantum capillus-veneris for evidence of a still present but fragmented trnK intron. Lack of signature structural domains and sequence motifs in the genome indicate loss of the trnK intron through degradation in an ancestor of the clade. In plants, matK preferentially catalyzes splicing of …

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Differences In Nitrate Uptakeamong Benthic Algal Assemblages In A Mountain Stream, Michelle A. Baker, G. De Guzman Jan 2009

Differences In Nitrate Uptakeamong Benthic Algal Assemblages In A Mountain Stream, Michelle A. Baker, G. De Guzman

Biology Faculty Publications

We evaluated how benthic algal assemblages that vary in composition, richness, and other diversity metrics remove NO 3 -N from the water column of a mountain stream. Ecological theory and empirical studies suggest that ecosystem process rates should increase as richness increases because of niche separation or activity of dominant taxa. Accordingly, we predicted that algal assemblages with highest richness would show the highest rates of NO 3 -N uptake. To test this prediction, we transplanted 225 rocks representing 3 patch types (green, yellow, and brown) that differed macroscopically in algal composition from a lake outflow stream to a lake …

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Comparison Of The Compositional Proclivities Of The Complete Genomes Of Plasmodium Falciparum And Human, April Williams, Yuriy Fofanov, Catherine Putonti Jan 2009

Comparison Of The Compositional Proclivities Of The Complete Genomes Of Plasmodium Falciparum And Human, April Williams, Yuriy Fofanov, Catherine Putonti

Bioinformatics Faculty Publications

Pathogens and hosts have a dynamic relationship, one that is ever changing at the molecular level - the pathogen influencing the evolutionary path of the host and the host influencing the evolutionary path of the pathogen. The pathogen’s adaptation to a particular host could serve several purposes, e.g. to mimic the host to avoid detection, to take advantage of the host’s cellular machinery, to increase virulence, etc. Recognizing these adaptations is far from trivial, particularly when the size of the pathogen’s and host’s genomes differ by orders of magnitudes. Novel algorithms and data structures have been developed in our laboratory …

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Horseshoe Crab Spawning Survey Protocol, Jennifer Mattei Jan 2009

Horseshoe Crab Spawning Survey Protocol, Jennifer Mattei

Biology Faculty Publications

The protocol lists supplies and clothing needed for the survey, as well as which data is to be collected and when and how it should be entered for the census of horseshoe crabs on the Recapture Data Sheet for 2009. Adopted from Cape Cod and Delaware Bay survey protocols.

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Within-Pond Oviposition Site Selection In The Wood Frog (Rana Sylvatica), A. A. Brindle, S. B. Karr, Geoffrey R. Smith, Jessica E. Rettig Jan 2009

Within-Pond Oviposition Site Selection In The Wood Frog (Rana Sylvatica), A. A. Brindle, S. B. Karr, Geoffrey R. Smith, Jessica E. Rettig

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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The 5' Bop Gene Stem-Loop Sequence: Stability, Structure, And Function, Srikanth Tangelloju Jan 2009

The 5' Bop Gene Stem-Loop Sequence: Stability, Structure, And Function, Srikanth Tangelloju

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

In pursuit of GPCR characterization, our lab chose to work with a model organism Halobacterium salinarum (H sal). This organism contains the bacterioopsin gene (bop), which encodes the protein precursor of the purple membrane protein bacterioopsin (Bop). The bacterioopsin gene (bop) was chosen as the reporter for the study. The putative stem-loop structure within the bop gene is considered to be a key component of the molecular machinery that regulates Bop synthesis. Previous work in our lab has indicated that single base pair disruptions dramatically reduced stem-loop stability (differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), circular dichroism (CD) and ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy analysis). …

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Dispersion Of Large-Seeded Tree Species By Two Forest Primates: Primate Seed Handling, Microhabitat Variability, And Post-Dispersal Seed Fate, Nicole D. Gross-Camp Jan 2009

Dispersion Of Large-Seeded Tree Species By Two Forest Primates: Primate Seed Handling, Microhabitat Variability, And Post-Dispersal Seed Fate, Nicole D. Gross-Camp

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

I describe the relative effectiveness of two primates in dispersing large-seeded tree seeds (> 0.5 cm) in the Nyungwe National Park (NNP), Rwanda. My objectives are three-fold: (1) to describe the relative effectiveness of primates in dispersing the seeds of five large-seeded tree species, (2) to evaluate the influence of primate seed-handling method on seed fate, and (3) to determine the influence of deposition site on seed fate. I employed focal tree observations, day-follows of habituated primate groups, in situ monitoring of primate-dispersed seeds, and experimental plots to achieve these objectives. Data were collected over the course of one year …

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Potential Export Of Unattached Benthic Macroalgae To The Deep Sea Through Wind Driven Langmuir Circulation, H. M. Dierssen, Richard C. Zimmerman, Lisa A. Drake, David J. Burdige Jan 2009

Potential Export Of Unattached Benthic Macroalgae To The Deep Sea Through Wind Driven Langmuir Circulation, H. M. Dierssen, Richard C. Zimmerman, Lisa A. Drake, David J. Burdige

OES Faculty Publications

Carbon export to the deep sea is conventionally attributed to the sinking of open ocean phytoplankton. Here, we report a Langmuir supercell event driven by high winds across the shallow Great Bahama Bank that organized benthic non-attached macroalgae, Colpomenia sp., into visible windrows on the seafloor. Ocean color satellite imagery obtained before and after the windrows revealed a 588 km2 patch that rapidly shifted from highly productive macroalgae to bare sand. We assess a number of possible fates for this macroalgae and contend that this event potentially transported negatively buoyant macroalgae to the deep Tongue of the Ocean …

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Geobiology: Evidence For Early Life On Earth And The Search For Life On Other Planets, Sherry L. Cady, Nora Noffke Jan 2009

Geobiology: Evidence For Early Life On Earth And The Search For Life On Other Planets, Sherry L. Cady, Nora Noffke

OES Faculty Publications

Extensive research efforts in the subdisciplinary field of geobiology have focused on the interactions between Earth and life through time. As a consequence, gaps in our knowledge of Earth’s history are closing, and the search for life beyond Earth is expanding. A few examples of geobiology studies designed to advance our understanding of life on early Earth and to improve the chances of finding life on other planets are provided to highlight recent developments and research areas that are on the verge of new discoveries.

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Synergistic Effects Of Iron And Temperature On Antarctic Phytoplankton And Microzooplankton Assemblages, J. M. Rose, Y. Feng, G. R. Ditullio, R. B. Dunbar, C. E. Hare, P. A. Lee, M. Lohan, M. Long, W. O. Smith Jr., B. Sohst, S. Tozzi, Y. Zhang, D. A. Hutchins Jan 2009

Synergistic Effects Of Iron And Temperature On Antarctic Phytoplankton And Microzooplankton Assemblages, J. M. Rose, Y. Feng, G. R. Ditullio, R. B. Dunbar, C. E. Hare, P. A. Lee, M. Lohan, M. Long, W. O. Smith Jr., B. Sohst, S. Tozzi, Y. Zhang, D. A. Hutchins

OES Faculty Publications

Iron availability and temperature are important limiting factors for the biota in many areas of the world ocean, and both have been predicted to change in future climate scenarios. However, the impacts of combined changes in these two key factors on microbial trophic dynamics and nutrient cycling are unknown. We examined the relative effects of iron addition (+1 nM) and increased temperature (+4° C) on plankton assemblages of the Ross Sea, Antarctica, a region characterized by annual algal blooms and an active microbial community. Increased iron and temperature individually had consistently significant but relatively minor positive effects on total phytoplankton …

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Warming Of The Antarctic Ice-Sheet Surface Since The 1957 International Geophysical Year, Eric J. Steig, David P. Schneider, Scott Rutherford, Michael E. E. Mann, Josefino C. Comiso, Drew T. Shindell Jan 2009

Warming Of The Antarctic Ice-Sheet Surface Since The 1957 International Geophysical Year, Eric J. Steig, David P. Schneider, Scott Rutherford, Michael E. E. Mann, Josefino C. Comiso, Drew T. Shindell

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Assessments of Antarctic temperature change have emphasized the contrast between strong warming of the Antarctic Peninsula and slight cooling of the Antarctic continental interior in recent decades. This pattern of temperature change has been attributed to the increased strength of the circumpolar westerlies, largely in response to changes in stratospheric ozone. This picture, however, is substantially incomplete owing to the sparseness and short duration of the observations. Here we show that significant warming extends well beyond the Antarctic Peninsula to cover most of West Antarctica, an area of warming much larger than previously reported. West Antarctic warming exceeds 0.1 °C …

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Acceptance Of Evolution Increases With Student Academic Level: A Comparison Between A Secular And A Religious College, Guillermo Paz-Y-Mino C., Avelina Espinosa Jan 2009

Acceptance Of Evolution Increases With Student Academic Level: A Comparison Between A Secular And A Religious College, Guillermo Paz-Y-Mino C., Avelina Espinosa

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Acceptance of evolution among the general public, high schools, teachers, and scientists has been documented in the USA; little is known about college students’ views on evolution; this population is relevant since it transits from a high-school/parent-protective environment to an independent role in societal decisions. Here we compare perspectives about evolution, creationism, and intelligent design (ID) between a secular (S) and a religious (R) college in the Northeastern USA. Interinstitutional comparisons showed that 64% (mean S + R) biology majors vs. 42/62% (S/R) nonmajors supported the exclusive teaching of evolution in science classes; 24/29% (S/R) biology majors vs. 26/38% (S/R) …

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Scratching The Surface And Digging Deeper: Exploring Ecological Theories In Urban Soils, Mitchell A. Pavao-Zuckerman, Loren B. Byrne Jan 2009

Scratching The Surface And Digging Deeper: Exploring Ecological Theories In Urban Soils, Mitchell A. Pavao-Zuckerman, Loren B. Byrne

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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The Numerical Comparison Of Flow Patterns And Propulsive Performances For The Hydromedusae Sarsia Tubulosa And Aequorea Victoria, Mehmet Sahin, Kamran Mohseni, Sean Colin Jan 2009

The Numerical Comparison Of Flow Patterns And Propulsive Performances For The Hydromedusae Sarsia Tubulosa And Aequorea Victoria, Mehmet Sahin, Kamran Mohseni, Sean Colin

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

The thrust-generating mechanism of a prolate hydromedusa Sarsia tubulosa and an oblate hydromedusa Aequorea victoria was investigated by solving the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations in the swirl-free cylindrical coordinates. The calculations clearly show the vortex dynamics related to the thrust-generating mechanism, which is very important for understanding the underlying propulsion mechanism. The calculations for the prolate jetting hydromedusa S. tubulosa indicate the formation of a single starting vortex ring for each pulse cycle with a relatively high vortex formation number. However, the calculations for the oblate jet-paddling hydromedusa A. victoria indicate shedding of the opposite-signed vortex rings very close to each …

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Crawling To Collapse: Ecologically Unsound Ornamental Invertebrate Fisheries, Andrew L. Rhyne, Randi Rotjan, Andrew Bruckner, Michael Tlusty Jan 2009

Crawling To Collapse: Ecologically Unsound Ornamental Invertebrate Fisheries, Andrew L. Rhyne, Randi Rotjan, Andrew Bruckner, Michael Tlusty

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Fishery management has historically been an inexact and reactionary discipline, often taking action only after a critical stock suffers overfishing or collapse. The invertebrate ornamental fishery in the State of Florida, with increasing catches over a more diverse array of species, is poised for collapse. Current management is static and the lack of an adaptive strategy will not allow for adequate responses associated with managing this multi-species fishery. The last decade has seen aquarium hobbyists shift their display preference from fish-only tanks to miniature reef ecosystems that include many invertebrate species, creating increased demand without proper oversight. The once …

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Transcriptional Regulation Of Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase, Ashling Hampson Jan 2009

Transcriptional Regulation Of Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase, Ashling Hampson

Masters

Each year cardiovascular disease causes over 4.3 million deaths in Europe and is the cause of nearly one in three deaths in the US. Nitric oxide (NO) is a toxic atmospheric gas which exists in tissues as a biological product of mammalian cells. It has been used to manage cardiovascular disease for over a century and to this day remains an important treatment option in cardiovascular medicine. NO is produced by many cells in the body including vascular endothelial cells. Because of its importance in vascular function, abnormal production of NO, which occurs in different disease states, can adversely affect …

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Tidal Influences On Bacterial And Phytoplankton Abundances And The Resulting Effects On Patterns Of Dissolved Oxygen In The Skidaway River Estuary, Casey Colleen Brazell Jan 2009

Tidal Influences On Bacterial And Phytoplankton Abundances And The Resulting Effects On Patterns Of Dissolved Oxygen In The Skidaway River Estuary, Casey Colleen Brazell

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Two studies were conducted to investigate the physical and biological processes contributing to the dissolved oxygen (DO) availability in the Skidaway River Estuary (SRE), Savannah, GA during the summer of 2005. A temporal study looked at changes in DO concentrations, Chlorophyll a concentrations, bacterial abundance, water depth, and salinity, every hour, for 26 hours, over both a neap and a spring tide. A spatial study looked at changes in the above variables at 5 sites along the SRE while following the tide inland during a neap high and low tide, and a spring high and low tide. DO concentrations varied …

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Effects Of Habitat Quality On Reproduction In Two Georgia Populations Of Gopherus Polyphemus, Jaqueline W. Entz Jan 2009

Effects Of Habitat Quality On Reproduction In Two Georgia Populations Of Gopherus Polyphemus, Jaqueline W. Entz

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine differences in maternal investment by examining variation in the habitat structure and reproductive parameters for two populations of Gopherus polyphemus in Southeast GA. Both habitat structure and reproductive parameters for these populations are known from a previous study, thus this study expands upon the previous one and addresses four main questions. (1) Has habitat quality changed in the past ten years within and between population sites? (2) Could a change of habitat have affected female morphology or female reproductive parameters within or between populations? (3) Is female body size shaping …

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Oxidative Stress, Calcium Homeostasis, And Altered Gene Expression In Human Lung Epithelial Cells Exposed To Zno Nanoparticles, Chuan-Chin Huang Jan 2009

Oxidative Stress, Calcium Homeostasis, And Altered Gene Expression In Human Lung Epithelial Cells Exposed To Zno Nanoparticles, Chuan-Chin Huang

Masters Theses

"The influence of 20 nm ZnO nanoparticles on oxidative stress, intracellular calcium homeostasis, and gene expression was studied in human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B). ZnO caused a concentration- and time-dependent cytotoxicity while elevating oxidative stress and causing membrane damage (cellular LDH release). There was a remarkably steep relationship between concentration and toxicity at concentrations from 5 to 10 μg/ml. Exposure to ZnO increased intracellular calcium levels in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Treatment with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine prevented cell loss and diminished the increase in intracellular calcium concentration, suggesting oxidative stress mediated cytotoxicity. Exposure to a sublethal concentration of ZnO …

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Electricity Generation And Ethanol Production Using Iron-Reducing, Haloalkaliphilic Bacteria, Varun Paul Jan 2009

Electricity Generation And Ethanol Production Using Iron-Reducing, Haloalkaliphilic Bacteria, Varun Paul

Masters Theses

"Microbial life in extreme environments has been studied primarily for their metabolic activities. Very few commercial or industrial applications have been known from these systems. In this study, the metabolic pathways and properties of bacteria from a haloalkaliphilic environment of Soap Lake, Washington were employed in two research applications related to energy production. In the first study, the bacterial cultures that were known to reduce iron (III) were used in a Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) reactor. Iron reducing bacteria have shown to shunt their electrons on to the surface of a carbon electrode of an MFC, and the electrons can …

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A Phylogeographic Analysis Of Fiddler Crabs, Uca Longisignalis And U. Pugnax, Cydney Brooks Jan 2009

A Phylogeographic Analysis Of Fiddler Crabs, Uca Longisignalis And U. Pugnax, Cydney Brooks

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Uca pugnax and U. longisignalis are fiddler crabs commonly found in the southeastern United States. These sibling species occupy distinct regions. Uca pugnax is found on the Atlantic and U. longisignalis on the Gulf coasts. Their distributions are separated by the Florida peninsula. Many different taxa with similar distributions in this region have been the focus of phylogeographic studies. In these studies, it appears there is no simple pattern to explain genetic variability. Previous studies of Uca pugnax and U. longisignalis reveal no significant morphological or physiological differences within either species across its respective region. The purpose of this study …

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Evaluating Acute Toxicity Of Cadmium To Chironomid Using Hemoglobin As A Molecular Biomarker, Jun Taek Oh Jan 2009

Evaluating Acute Toxicity Of Cadmium To Chironomid Using Hemoglobin As A Molecular Biomarker, Jun Taek Oh

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Effects of cadmium (Cd), a heavy metal contaminant, on hemoglobin were investigated in aquatic midge fly larvae of the Family, Chironomidae. In this study, chironomid populations from one polluted site, Kearny Marsh, New Jersey, two reference sites, North East Creek, and Bass Harbor, ME, and a laboratory population were taxonomically identified and tested for their sensitivity to Cd. Heavy metals in tissue, water and sediment were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. Water quality at each site was assessed by measuring pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), oxidation-reduction potential ( eH), salinity and temperature. Hemoglobin proteins in individual larvae were easily detected using …

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The Effect Of Homocysteine On Development Of Contractions And Expression Of Β-Catenin In Chick Embryo Precardiac Mesoderm, Michelle Lee Formanek Jan 2009

The Effect Of Homocysteine On Development Of Contractions And Expression Of Β-Catenin In Chick Embryo Precardiac Mesoderm, Michelle Lee Formanek

Honors Program Theses

In the chick embryo, homocysteine (Hcys) is teratogenic at elevated levels, causing neural tube defects and cardiac malformations. There is evidence for several Hcys mechanisms of action, including inhibition of cyclin A and cdk2 in the cell cycle, increasing cytosolic calcium levels, and acting as a calcium chelator within adhesion molecules. Elevated Hcys also promotes detachment of endothelial cells, increases migration and proliferation of trunk neural crest cells, and acts as an antagonist to the NMDA receptor that mediates sympathetic pathways to the cardiovascular system. Elevated Hcys' effects on the cell cycle, intracellular and blood calcium levels, and cell proliferation …

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The Effect Of Elevated Homocysteine On The Expression Of Cadherins 6b, 7, And 11 In Migrating Neural Crest Cells Of Chick Embryos, Chelsea L. Reinhard Jan 2009

The Effect Of Elevated Homocysteine On The Expression Of Cadherins 6b, 7, And 11 In Migrating Neural Crest Cells Of Chick Embryos, Chelsea L. Reinhard

Honors Program Theses

Following neurulation in the chick embryo, the pleuripotent neural crest cells (NCC) migrate from the dorsal neural tube to form a variety of tissues, including the dorsal root ganglia, craniofacial cartilage, melanocytes, and the adrenal medullae. Type II cadherins, calcium-dependent mesenchymal cell adhesion molecules, are expressed in NCCs prior to and during migration, including a period of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Among teratogenic substances known to cause congenital malformations, including heart and neural tube defects, which involve NCCs, homocysteine (Heys) is a natural blood amino acid known to disrupt EMT. The purpose of this thesis was to study the effect of …

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Assessing The Potential Habitat Value Of Biomass Production Fields For Grassland Birds, Mandy Larson Jan 2009

Assessing The Potential Habitat Value Of Biomass Production Fields For Grassland Birds, Mandy Larson

Honors Program Theses

In this paper, I researched the habitat requirements of grassland birds in general, including an in-depth analysis of the specific habitat requirements of four selected species: Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), Dickcissel (Spiza Americana), Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), and Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis). In the second part of my research, I evaluated three possible scenarios that could be used for biomass production in Iowa and reviewed the methods producers employ in establishing and managing their fields. I evaluated area, species diversity, timing of harvest, edge habitats, and fertilizers/chemicals used during production. Then I compared these three biomass production scenarios to the habitat …

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Dna Before Proteins? Recent Discoveries In Nucleic Acid Catalysis Strengthen The Case, Aaron Steven Burton, Niles Lehman Jan 2009

Dna Before Proteins? Recent Discoveries In Nucleic Acid Catalysis Strengthen The Case, Aaron Steven Burton, Niles Lehman

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

An RNA-DNA World could arise from an all-RNA system with the development of as few as three ribozymes— a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase, and a catalyst for the production of DNA nucleotides. A significant objection to DNA preceding proteins is that RNA has not been shown to catalyze the production of DNA. However, RNA- and DNAzymes have been recently discovered that catalyze chemical reactions capable of forming deoxyribose, such as mixed aldol condensation of 5’-glyceryl- and 3’- glycoaldehyde-terminated DNA strands. Thus, the only remaining obstacles to RNA-catalyzed in vitro DNA synthesis are alterations of substrate and template …

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