Digital Commons Network^™

Optimized Microbial Recombinant Production Of Hiv-1 Anti-Envelope Antibody Fragments With Applications To Single Particle Tracking Of Virus Assembly, Merissa Michelle Bruns

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In my findings, I have established a set series of protocols to recombinantly produce, purify and apply various fluorescent probes in vitro for the fluorescent labeling and study of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope (Env) protein during HIV viral assembly. There remains insufficient knowledge about the molecular dynamics and interactions of HIV-1 Env protein with its counterpart, Gag, on the inner host cell surface during assembly of a mature virus particle. There also remains an insufficient amount of data for the understanding and clarification of the mechanism of action of a known host cell HIV-1 restriction factor, …

Decreased Glucocerebrosidase Activity And Substrate Accumulation Of Glycosphingolipids In A Novel Gba1 D409v Knock-In Mouse Model., Nicole K Polinski, Terina N Martinez, Alexander Gorodinsky, Ralph Gareus, Michael Sasner, Mark Herberth, Robert Switzer, Syed O Ahmad, Mali Cosden, Monika Kandebo, Robert E Drolet, Peter D Buckett, Weisong Shan, Yi Chen, Lee J Pellegrino, Gregory D Ellsworth, Leo B Dungan, Warren D Hirst, Sean W Clark, Kuldip D Dave

Faculty Research 2021

Multiple mutations have been described in the human GBA1 gene, which encodes the lysosomal enzyme beta-glucocerebrosidase (GCase) that degrades glucosylceramide and is pivotal in glycosphingolipid substrate metabolism. Depletion of GCase, typically by homozygous mutations in GBA1, is linked to the lysosomal storage disorder Gaucher's disease (GD) and distinct or heterozygous mutations in GBA1 are associated with increased Parkinson's disease (PD) risk. While numerous genes have been linked to heritable PD, GBA1 mutations in aggregate are the single greatest risk factor for development of idiopathic PD. The importance of GCase in PD necessitates preclinical models in which to study GCase-related mechanisms …

Identification Of Loci Influencing Teosinte Crossing Barrier 1 (Tcb1) Efficacy In Maize By Quantitative Trait Loci (Qtl) Mapping And Genome-Wide Association Study (Gwas), Namrata Maharjan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pollen cross-contamination has been a major problem for maize breeders. Various mechanical methods applied to avoid the contaminations are ineffective. The genetic factors related to maize fertilization can be used to develop an effective method to prevent pollen contamination. Pollen rejection ability controlled by Teosinte crossing barrier 1 (Tcb1) is such a genetic system. Silks possessing dominant Tcb1-s reject pollen possessing the recessive allele (tcb1). Successful fertilization occurs when Tcb1-s pollen falls upon tcb1 silks. The efficacy of dominant Tcb1-s was, however, reduced when repeatedly backcross with maize inbred lines, which suggests that there are modifiers to Tcb1-s. To find …

Photoreceptor Phosphodiesterase (Pde6): Activation And Inactivation Mechanisms During Visual Transduction In Rods And Cones, Rick H. Cote

Faculty Publications

Rod and cone photoreceptors of the vertebrate retina utilize cGMP as the primary

intracellular messenger for the visual signaling pathway that converts a light stimulus into an electrical response. cGMP metabolism in the signal-transducing photoreceptor outer segment reflects the balance of cGMP synthesis (catalyzed by guanylyl cyclase) and degradation (catalyzed by the photoreceptor phosphodiesterase, PDE6). Upon light stimulation, rapid activation of PDE6 by the heterotrimeric G-protein (transducin) triggers a dramatic drop in cGMP levels that lead to cell hyperpolarization. Following cessation of the light stimulus, the lifetime of activated PDE6 is also precisely regulated by additional processes. This review summarizes …

Deep-Pelagic Research In The Gulf Of Mexico: Ten Years And Counting…, Tracey Sutton

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

No abstract provided.

Assaying Bacillus Amyloliquefaciens Isolates 1ba And 1d3 For Biosurfactant Production And Utilization Of Petroleum Hydrocarbons And Phenolic Acids, Pavan Kulkarni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Several Bacillus amyloliquefaciens isolates obtained from wheat residue have been studied as biological agents to control wheat diseases. Notable traits of isolates 1BA and 1D3 include growth with high salt (10% NaCl), at temperatures up to 50°C and over a wide pH range. BIOLOG Gen III plates were used to study and further characterize Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 1BA and 1D3. Both isolates showed tolerance to high salt concentration supporting previous studies. They also grew in the presence of lithium chloride, potassium tellurite, and sodium bromate. Both isolates grew at pH 5, with almost identical carbon source utilization fingerprints. However, D-serine, quinic …

Development Of Chemical Methods For Oligonucleotide Purification, Paramagnetic Labeling And Synthesis Of Dna-Based Advanced Materials, Muhan He

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This thesis describes a chemical method for alternative oligonucleotide purification that is non-chromatographic and gel-free and allows to routinely synthesize and purify long functional RNA strands. The purification of long RNAs is based on the bio-orthogonal inverse electron demand Diels-Alder (IEDDA) chemistry between trans-cyclooctene (TCO) and tetrazine (Tz). Target oligonucleotide strands are selectively tagged with Tz and can be captured and purified from the failure sequences with immobilized TCO. RNA strands are synthesized on solid support through a photolabile linker to avoid the loss of Tz tag. Purity of the isolated oligonucleotides was evaluated using gel electrophoresis, HPLC and mass …

Evaluation Of The Effects Of Temperature, Light, And Uv-C Radiation On Hsp70aexpression In Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii, Tuba Sevgi̇, Eli̇f Demi̇rkan

Turkish Journal of Botany

In this study, various physical parameters (temperature, light intensity and UV-C radiation) which could be effective in heat shock response on C.reinhardtii by using molecular tools were investigated. In total, 256 transformants were obtained, among them, 160 transformants had continuous expression while 96 of them had heat-inducible expression. In these transformants, arylsulfatase activities were detected qualitatively and quantitatively. The best two transformants were selected and used in studies. To determine the effect of temperature, the cells were shifted from 23 °C to 35 °C, 37 °C, 40 °C and 42 °C. The heat shock response was induced at all temperatures. …

Altered Water Relations, Selective Nutrient Uptake, And Reduced Na+ Flux Makehalopeplis Perfoliata An Obligate Halophyte, Sarwat Ghulam Rasool, Muhammad Zaheer Ahmed, Abdul Hameed, Bilquees Gul

Turkish Journal of Botany

Halopeplis perfoliata, a succulent halophyte of coastal marshy habitats, was grown in a greenhouse to study its adaptive responses in terms of growth, osmoregulation, and N-metabolism following one-month exposure to salinity (0, 150, 300, and 600 mmol L-1 NaCl). Biomass was optimal in 150 mmol L-1 NaCl with unaltered malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. On the other hand, biomass remained comparable to non-saline control with some increase in MDA in 300 and 600 mmol L-1 NaCl. Osmotic potential (?S ) was maintained up to 300 mmol L-1 NaCl that correlated with an increase in succulence (SC) and lower water deficit (WD), whereas …

Biocompatible And Multifunctional Trityl Spin Probes For Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Teresa D. Gluth

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The primary objective of my thesis was to develop and utilize a biocompatible multifunctional trityl spin probe for concurrent measurement of pO₂, pH_e, and [P_i] in vivo by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy (Chapter 2). My first goal was to synthesize the proposed probe we are terming HOPE71. Secondly, HOPE71 was characterized by X-band and L-band EPR spectroscopy. Next, the biocompatibility of HOPE71 was assessed through an albumin binding test, cytotoxicity assays, and in vivo intravenous tolerance. Then, the use of HOPE71 to measure the target parameters was demonstrated in a breast cancer …

A First Flight In North Carolina—But Not At Kitty Hawk, Robert J. Wright

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The southern corn billbug is a univoltine insect most common in the Coastal Plains region of North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and South Carolina. However, this insect can also be found in the midwestern U.S. (Van Duyn and Wright 1999). Early in the growing season, the adults can be found feeding at the base of corn plants—typically with their head pointed downward (Fig. 1)—by inserting their beak into the base of the plant. They can kill or stunt seedlings or injure the developing leaves inside the plant, causing twisted leaves as they emerge or a series of small holes across the …

Synthesis Of Nest Predation Impacts Of Common Ravens On Sensitive Avian Species, Peter S. Coates, William C. Webb, Seth J. Dettenmaier, Seth M. Harju, David J. Delehanty

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Decades of mounting scientific evidence have revealed that common raven (Corvus corax; raven) population numbers have been increasing across nearly all regions of their geographic range in North America. Concomitantly, numerous native wildlife species have experienced elevated predation rates from ravens as populations have increased and expanded their range. Managers are concerned that increased raven predation of many threatened and endangered avian species in the U.S. and Canada during nesting periods may be hampering species recovery. We explored the literature to aggregate existing knowledge and evaluate the impacts of raven predation on nests and young of sensitive avian …

Infestation And Effect Of Parasitic Isopod Epipenaeon Ingens Ingens Nobili, 1906 Oncommercial Shrimp Species In The Eastern Mediterranean: A Case Study Of The Populationof Brown Shrimp Penaeus Aztecus Ives, 1891, Mehmet Cengi̇z Deval, Fatma Gonca Koçanci

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Monthly samples of seven species of penaeid shrimps, namely, Penaeus aztecus (Ives, 1891), Penaus hathor (Burkenroad, 1959) Penaus japonicus (Spence Bate,1888), Penaus kerathurus (Forskal,1775), Penaus semisulcatus (De Haan,1844), Metapenaeus monoceros (Fabricus, 1798) and Metapenaeopsis aegyptia (Galil & Golani, 1990) were collected from Antalya Bay in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea from March, 2019 through March, 2020. Except for P. aztecus and P. semisulcatus, no other shrimp species were infected with the parasitic isopod Epipenaeon ingens ingens. Of the 3043 P. aztecus shrimp inspected, 541 individuals were infected (17.8%) with the bopyrid parasite E. ingens ingens. However, the annual infestation rate in …

Biodiversity Of The Coccidia (Apicomplexa: Conoidasida) In Vertebrates: What We Know, What We Do Not Know, And What Needs To Be Done, Donald W. Duszynski

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Over the last two decades my colleagues and I have assembled the literature on a good percentage of most of the coccidians (Conoidasida) known, to date, to parasitise: Amphibia, four major lineages of Reptilia (Amphisbaenia, Chelonia, Crocodylia, Serpentes), and seven major orders in the Mammalia (Carnivora, Chiroptera, Lagomorpha, Insectivora, Marsupialia, Primates, Scandentia). These vertebrates, combined, comprise about 15,225 species; only about 899 (5.8%) of them have been surveyed for coccidia and 1,946 apicomplexan valid species names or other forms are recorded in the literature. Based on these compilations and other factors, I extrapolated that there yet may be an additional …

An Evaluation Of College Preparedness On Natural Selection Principles Following The Completion Of An Entry-Level Biology Course, Amy Bell

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Evolution education in secondary education has long been a topic of research. The level of knowledge and acceptance of students upon entering college has been studied using various methods; however, no study had provided the perception of preparedness from the student perspective nor had analyzed the individual Natural Selection principles. This study analyzed college freshmen (n=162) in an entry-level BIO 101 course. Participants were given the Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection Instrument (CINSI) and perception survey questions upon completion of the course. The CINSI data was then analyzed for each of the four Natural Selection principles as well as …

Analysis Of Protein-Protein Interaction Network From Leukocyte Transcriptomic Profiles In Severe Covid -19 Patients, Pakorn Sagulkoo

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) still provides global public health issues although several vaccines and antiviral agents have been developed. Some patients experience severe conditions needed medical intensive care, and some are dead due to the failure of treatments. Therefore, identifying the key genes and underlying molecular mechanisms is necessary to discover precisely targeted drugs. Analysis of protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks provides invaluable information to find disease mechanisms and effective alternative drugs. Hence, PPI network analysis based on leukocyte transcriptomic profiles of severe COVID-19 collected from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) DataSets was proposed for this study. A network diffusion method called …

Novel Heat Index Models For Subtropical Region Based On Daily Milk Production Incrossbred Holstein Cows, Neeraj Kashyap, Atish Kumar Chakravarty, Bharti Deshmukh

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The quantification of the effect of heat stress imposed due to higher rate of heat gain on animal production is a prerequisite while estimating effects of heat stress. Temperature humidity index (THI) models developed empirically using meteorological parameters have been utilized as an indicator of heat stress. This study attempted to develop a heat index model with respect to productivity of the crossbred Holstein cows. More than 1.23 million daily milk yield records of 1860 crossbred cattle spread over a duration of 30 years were utilized. Statistically significant (p < 0.0001) partial regression coefficients were estimated as 0.0748 ± 0.0009 for dry bulb temperature (T$_{db}$) and -0.2228 ± 0.0011 for wet bulb temperature in model 1, -0.0182 ± 0.0005 T$_{db}$ and -0.1205 ± 0.0006 for vapour pressure in model 2, -0.0150 ± 0.0006 for Tdb and -0.1151 ± 0.0006 for dew point temperature in model 3 while as -0.1283 ± 0.0004 for T$_{db}$ and -0.0394 ± 0.0002 for relative humidity in model 4. The ratio of the partial regression coefficients of meteorological parameters (ß2/ß1) was -2.9791 in model 1, 6.8739 in model 2, 7.6731 in model 3 and 0.3073 in model 4. The developed THI models are based on the effect of meteorological parameters on daily productivity of the dairy animals, so the weightages to meteorological parameters were contrastingly different than the reported THI models. These models may successfully be used to evaluate the impact of heat stress on crossbred Holstein cows with respect to milk productivity and many other traits.

Some Histological Reveals On Reproduction Of One Of The Lessepsian Species, Nemipterus Randalli In Antalya (Turkey), Mehmet Rüştü Özen

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

In this study, the reproduction of Nemipterus randalli, one of the lessepsian fish catch from the Gulf of Antalya, Turkey was interpreted histologically. Regarding the fish used in this study (N = 1715), it is noteworthy to mention that male individuals are larger than females. The first sexual maturity in males was determined 17 cm TL and 60 g in BW, whereas 13 cm TL and 25 g BW in females. Females reached sexual maturity at age I+ and males at the age of II+. Seven different stages (O1-O7) were identified in oocyte maturation in the ovaries. The spawning time …

Visual Arts Enhance Instruction In Observation And Analysis Of Microscopic Forms In Developmental And Cell Biology, Max Ezin, Christina Noravian, Amira Mahomed, Adam Lyle, Aveleen Gill, Tamira Elul

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

Two important skills for scientists in developmental and cell biology, as well as in fields such as neurobiology, histology and pathology, are: 1) observation of features and details in microscopic images of cells, and 2) quantification of cellular features observed in microscopic images. However, current training in developmental and cell biology does not emphasize observation and quantitative analysis of microscopic images, and it is unclear how best to teach students these skills. Here, we describe our experiences applying visual artistic approaches to instruct undergraduate and graduate students in how to observe and analyze cellular forms in microscopic images. At Loyola …

Mouse Mutant Phenotyping At Scale Reveals Novel Genes Controlling Bone Mineral Density., Anna L Swan, Christine Schütt, Jan Rozman, Maria Del Mar Muñiz Moreno, Stefan Brandmaier, Michelle Simon, Stefanie Leuchtenberger, Mark Griffiths, Robert Brommage, Piia Keskivali-Bond, Harald Grallert, Thomas Werner, Raffaele Teperino, Lore Becker, Gregor Miller, Ala Moshiri, John R Seavitt, Derek D Cissell, Terrence F Meehan, Elif F Acar, Christopher J Lelliott, Ann M Flenniken, Marie-France Champy, Tania Sorg, Abdel Ayadi, Robert E Braun, Heather Cater, Mary E Dickinson, Paul Flicek, Juan Gallegos, Elena J Ghirardello, Jason D Heaney, Sylvie Jacquot, Connor Lally, John G Logan, Lydia Teboul, Jeremy Mason, Nadine Spielmann, Colin Mckerlie, Stephen A Murray, Lauryl M J Nutter, Kristian F Odfalk, Helen Parkinson, Jan Prochazka, Corey L Reynolds, Mohammed Selloum, Frantisek Spoutil, Karen L. Svenson, Taylor S Vales, Sara E Wells, Jacqueline K White, Radislav Sedlacek, Wolfgang Wurst, Kent K C Lloyd, Peter I Croucher, Helmut Fuchs, Graham R Williams, Duncan Bassett, Valerie Gailus-Durner, Yann Herault, Ann-Marie Mallon, Steve D M Brown, Philipp Mayer-Kuckuk, Martin Hrabe De Angelis, Impc Consortium

Faculty Research 2020

The genetic landscape of diseases associated with changes in bone mineral density (BMD), such as osteoporosis, is only partially understood. Here, we explored data from 3,823 mutant mouse strains for BMD, a measure that is frequently altered in a range of bone pathologies, including osteoporosis. A total of 200 genes were found to significantly affect BMD. This pool of BMD genes comprised 141 genes with previously unknown functions in bone biology and was complementary to pools derived from recent human studies. Nineteen of the 141 genes also caused skeletal abnormalities. Examination of the BMD genes in osteoclasts and osteoblasts underscored …

Exploration Of Local Microorganisms From Rumen And Their Potential To Make Silage From Agricultural Waste, Purnamasari Listya, Purnomo Hari, Setyawan Hidayat Bambang

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Agricultural wastes are very diverse in type and have low nutrient values, especially in lignin and cellulose, which are difficult to digest. One way of overcoming this problem is by biological treatment using microorganisms, also known as silage. The availability of bio-activators that are both cost-efficient and easy to make further suggests that using local microorganisms may be an effective possible solution. This study focused on processing food crop waste (corn leaves) into silage using local microorganisms as the bio-activators. Research took place in the Agrotechnology Laboratory, University of Jember. The experimental design was completely randomized with four treatments: Treatment …

The Promise Of A Multi-Disciplinary, Mixed-Methods Approach To Inform Insect Pest Management: Evidence From Wyoming Alfalfa, Randa Jabbour, Shiri Noy

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Development Of Computational To Ols To Target Microrna, Luo Song

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

MicroRNAs (a.k.a, miRNAs) play an important role in disease development. However, few of their structures have been determined and structure-based computational methods remain challenging in accurately predicting their interactions with small molecules. To address this issue, my thesis is to develop integrated approaches to screening for novel inhibitors by targeting specific structure motifs in miRNAs. The project starts with implementing a tool to find potential miRNA targets with desired motifs. I combined both sequence information of miRNAs and known RNA structure data from Protein Data Bank (PDB) to predict the miRNA structure and identify the motif to target, then I …

Determining A Method For Expressing And Purifying Cytochrome P450 4v2: A Protein Involved In Bietti's Crystalline Dystrophy, Cody Lane Turner

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Within the Cytochrome P450 class of enzymes, there are a group known as the “orphan” cytochromes. The “orphan” classification comes from the poorly understood in vivo functionality and substrate specificity. Cytochrome P450 4V2 (CYP4V2) is one of these “orphans” and belongs to the CYP4 family. The CYP4 family is known for the omega oxidation of endogenous fatty acids. This family is most commonly found on chromosome 1 (CYP4ABXZ). CYP4V2 is unique in that its location is bound to chromosome 4 as discovered by Jiao in 2004. Mutations within the CYP4V2 gene have been associated with the …

Plant Single-Cell Metabolomics—Challenges And Perspectives, Leonardo Perez De Souza, Monica Borghi, Alisdair R. Fernie

Biology Faculty Publications

Omics approaches for investigating biological systems were introduced in the mid-1990s and quickly consolidated to become a fundamental pillar of modern biology. The idea of measuring the whole complement of genes, transcripts, proteins, and metabolites has since become widespread and routinely adopted in the pursuit of an infinity of scientific questions. Incremental improvements over technical aspects such as sampling, sensitivity, cost, and throughput pushed even further the boundaries of what these techniques can achieve. In this context, single-cell genomics and transcriptomics quickly became a well-established tool to answer fundamental questions challenging to assess at a whole tissue level. Following a …

Posttranslational Modification And Protein Disorder Regulate Protein-Protein Interactions And Dna Binding Specificity Of P53, Robin Levy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

p53 is an intrinsically disordered transcription factor that suppresses tumor development by arresting the cell cycle and promoting DNA repair. p53 deletions or mutations can lead to cancer due to the inability of cells to respond to stress. The protein levels and post-translational modification state of p53 changes in response to cellular stress like DNA damage. Previous studies have shown that p53 can undergo coupled folding and binding with the E3 ubiquitin ligase, Mdm2, and the histone deacetylase, p300. In normal cells, p53 is kept at a low level by Mdm2, which marks it with ubiquitin, targeting p53 for proteasome …

The Role Of System Xc- In Cognition: The Importance Of Neuron-Astrocyte Signaling, Evan Michael Hess

Dissertations (1934 -)

The biological basis of human intelligence is largely a mystery, but likely required evolutionary adaptations to achieve the information processing capacity needed to expand the complexity of cognition among species. The link between evolutionary expansion of signaling complexity in the brain and cognition has largely focused on neuronal mechanisms, in part because information processing has historically been attributed to these cells. However, astrocytes are emerging as a second type of brain cell that is capable of processing information due to their capacity to release glutamate and, thereby, regulate neural circuits. Hence, a modern question is whether astrocytes contributed to the …

Machine Learning Applications For Drug Repurposing, Hansaim Lim

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The cost of bringing a drug to market is astounding and the failure rate is intimidating. Drug discovery has been of limited success under the conventional reductionist model of one-drug-one-gene-one-disease paradigm, where a single disease-associated gene is identified and a molecular binder to the specific target is subsequently designed. Under the simplistic paradigm of drug discovery, a drug molecule is assumed to interact only with the intended on-target. However, small molecular drugs often interact with multiple targets, and those off-target interactions are not considered under the conventional paradigm. As a result, drug-induced side effects and adverse reactions are often neglected …

Ecology And Evolution, David J. Lohman

Open Educational Resources

Introduction to the basic principles of ecology and evolutionary biology emphasizing quantitative approaches and hypothesis testing. Scientific reasoning, computer literacy, and writing skills are developed in the laboratory.

Addressing The Batch Effect Issue For Lc/Ms Metabolomics Data In Data Preprocessing., Qin Liu, Douglas Walker, Karan Uppal, Zihe Liu, Chunyu Ma, Vilinh Tran, Shuzhao Li, Dean P Jones, Tianwei Yu

Faculty Research 2020

With the growth of metabolomics research, more and more studies are conducted on large numbers of samples. Due to technical limitations of the Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS) platform, samples often need to be processed in multiple batches. Across different batches, we often observe differences in data characteristics. In this work, we specifically focus on data generated in multiple batches on the same LC/MS machinery. Traditional preprocessing methods treat all samples as a single group. Such practice can result in errors in the alignment of peaks, which cannot be corrected by post hoc application of batch effect correction methods. In this …