Digital Commons Network^™

Does Environment Filtering Or Seed Limitation Determine Post-Fire Forest Recovery Patterns In Boreal Larch Forests?, Wen H. Cai, Zhihua Liu, Yuan Z. Yang, Jian Yang

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Wildfire is a primary natural disturbance in boreal forests, and post-fire vegetation recovery rate influences carbon, water, and energy exchange between the land and atmosphere in the region. Seed availability and environmental filtering are two important determinants in regulating post-fire vegetation recovery in boreal forests. Quantifying how these determinants change over time is helpful for understanding post-fire forest successional trajectory. Time series of remote sensing data offer considerable potential in monitoring the trajectory of post-fire vegetation recovery dynamics beyond current field surveys about structural attributes, which generally lack a temporal perspective across large burned areas. We used a time series …

Alterations In Platelet Secretion Differentially Affect Thrombosis And Hemostasis, Smita Joshi, Meenakshi Banerjee, Jinchao Zhang, Akhil Kesaraju, Irina D. Pokrovskaya, Brian Storrie, Sidney W. Whiteheart

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

We genetically manipulated the major platelet vesicle-associated membrane proteins (VAMP2, VAMP3, and VAMP8) to create mice with varying degrees of disrupted platelet secretion. As previously shown, loss of VAMP8 reduced granule secretion, and this defect was exacerbated by further deletion of VAMP2 and VAMP3. VAMP2^Δ3^Δ8^−/− platelets also had reduced VAMP7. Loss of VAMP2 and VAMP3 (VAMP2^Δ3^Δ) had a minimal impact on secretion when VAMP7 and VAMP8 were present. Integrin αIIbβ3 activation and aggregation were not affected, although spreading was reduced in VAMP2^Δ3^Δ8^−/− platelets. Using these mice …

Methods For Treating Neuropathic Pain, Joseph R. Holtman, Peter Anthony Crooks, Linda Phyliss Dwoskin, Michael J. Mcintosh, Elzbieta Pogonowska Wala

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Patents

Provided are methods for using bis-quaternary ammonium compounds to treat inflammatory pain, neuropathic pain and nociceptive pain.

In Vivo Brainstem Imaging In Alzheimer’S Disease: Potential For Biomarker Development, David J. Braun, Linda J. Van Eldik

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

The dearth of effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the largest public health issues worldwide, costing hundreds of billions of dollars per year. From a therapeutic standpoint, research efforts to date have met with strikingly little clinical success. One major issue is that trials begin after substantial pathological change has occurred, and it is increasingly clear that the most effective treatment regimens will need to be administered earlier in the disease process. In order to identify individuals within the long preclinical phase of AD who are likely to progress to dementia, improvements are required in biomarker development. …

Glutathione De Novo Synthesis But Not Recycling Process Coordinates With Glutamine Catabolism To Control Redox Homeostasis And Directs Murine T Cell Differentiation, Gaojian Lian, J. N. Rashida Gnanaprakasam, Tingting Wang, Ruohan Wu, Xuyong Chen, Lingling Liu, Yuqing Shen, Mao Yang, Jun Yang, Ying Chen, Vasilis Vasiliou, Teresa A. Cassel, Douglas R. Green, Yusen Liu, Teresa W. -M. Fan, Ruoning Wang

Toxicology and Cancer Biology Faculty Publications

Upon antigen stimulation, T lymphocytes undergo dramatic changes in metabolism to fulfill the bioenergetic, biosynthetic and redox demands of proliferation and differentiation. Glutathione (GSH) plays an essential role in controlling redox balance and cell fate. While GSH can be recycled from Glutathione disulfide (GSSG), the inhibition of this recycling pathway does not impact GSH content and murine T cell fate. By contrast, the inhibition of the de novo synthesis of GSH, by deleting either the catalytic (Gclc) or the modifier (Gclm) subunit of glutamate–cysteine ligase (Gcl), dampens intracellular GSH, increases ROS, and impact T cell differentiation. Moreover, the inhibition of …

Capsid Structure Of Dsrna Fungal Viruses, Daniel Luque, Carlos P. Mata, Nobuhiro Suzuki, Said A. Ghabrial, José R. Castón

Plant Pathology Faculty Publications

Most fungal, double-stranded (ds) RNA viruses lack an extracellular life cycle stage and are transmitted by cytoplasmic interchange. dsRNA mycovirus capsids are based on a 120-subunit T = 1 capsid, with a dimer as the asymmetric unit. These capsids, which remain structurally undisturbed throughout the viral cycle, nevertheless, are dynamic particles involved in the organization of the viral genome and the viral polymerase necessary for RNA synthesis. The atomic structure of the T = 1 capsids of four mycoviruses was resolved: the L-A virus of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ScV-L-A), Penicillium chrysogenum virus (PcV), Penicillium stoloniferum virus F (PsV-F), and Rosellinia necatrix …

Effects Of Beta Blockers And Ace Inhibitors After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation, Gaurang Vaidya, Emma Birks, Jessica Pillarella, Benjamin Salgado, Rajakrishnan Vijayakrishnan, Andrew Lenneman, Mark Slaughter, Dmitry Abramov

The VAD Journal

Purpose: While Beta blockers(BB) and Angiotensin system blockers(ACEinh/ARB) are important components in advanced heart failure therapy, their use after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation remains controversial. Concern has been raised about possible adverse effects of BB on right ventricular(RV) function while tolerance and efficacy/outcome data for ACEinh are lacking. This study aimed to characterize the use of medical therapy post-LVAD implantation and to evaluate its safety and efficacy. Methods: Demographic, clinical and echocardiographic variables of patients implanted with a continuous-flow LVAD between 2012 and 2015 at a single center were retrospectively reviewed. Mortality and heart failure(CHF) hospitalizations were followed …

Gold-Catalyzed Conversion Of Lignin To Low Molecular Weight Aromatics, Yang Song, Justin K. Mobley, Ali Hussain Motagamwala, Mark Isaacs, James E. Dumesic, John Ralph, Adam F. Lee, Karen Wilson, Mark Crocker

Chemistry Faculty Publications

A heterogeneous catalyst system, employing Au nanoparticles (NPs) and Li–Al (1 : 2) layered double hydroxide (LDH) as support, showed excellent activity in aerobic oxidation of the benzylic alcohol group in β-O-4 linked lignin model dimers to the corresponding carbonyl products using molecular oxygen under atmospheric pressure. The synergistic effect between Au NPs and the basic Li–Al LDH support induces further reaction of the oxidized model compounds, facilitating facile cleavage of the β-O-4 linkage. Extension to oxidation of γ-valerolactone (GVL) extracted lignin and kraft lignin using Au/Li–Al LDH under similar conditions produced a range of aromatic monomers in high yield. …

Interfering With Dna Decondensation As A Strategy Against Mycobacteria, Enzo M. Scutigliani, Edwin R. Scholl, Anita E. Grootemaat, Sadhana Khanal, Jakub A. Kochan, Przemek M. Krawczyk, Eric A. Reits, Atefeh Garzan, Huy X. Ngo, Keith D. Green, Sylvie Garneau-Tsodikova, Jan M. Ruijter, Henk A. Van Veen, Nicole N. Van Der Wel

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Tuberculosis is once again a major global threat, leading to more than 1 million deaths each year. Treatment options for tuberculosis patients are limited, expensive and characterized by severe side effects, especially in the case of multidrug-resistant forms. Uncovering novel vulnerabilities of the pathogen is crucial to generate new therapeutic strategies. Using high resolution microscopy techniques, we discovered one such vulnerability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We demonstrate that the DNA of M. tuberculosis can condense under stressful conditions such as starvation and antibiotic treatment. The DNA condensation is reversible and specific for viable bacteria. Based on these observations, we hypothesized …

Does Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation To The Prefrontal Cortex Affect Social Behavior? A Meta-Analysis, Sarah Beth Bell, Nathan Dewall

Psychology Faculty Publications

This meta-analysis (k = 48, N = 2196) examined the effect of transcranial direct current brain stimulation (tDCS) applied to the prefrontal cortex on a variety of social behaviors, including aggression, overeating, impulsivity, bias, honesty, and risk-taking. tDCS showed an overall significant effect on reducing undesirable behaviors, with an average effect size of d = −0.20. tDCS was most effective at reducing risk-taking behavior, bias, and overeating. tDCS did not affect aggression, impulsivity, or dishonesty. We examined moderators such as brain region of interest, online vs offline stimulation, within- vs between-subjects designs, dose, and duration, but none showed significant …

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Used To Predict Soybean Seed Germination And Vigour, Maythem Al-Amery, Robert L. Geneve, Mauricio F. Sanches, Paul R. Armstrong, Elizabeth B. Maghirang, Chad Lee, Roberval D. Vieira, David F. Hildebrand

Horticulture Faculty Publications

Rapid, non-destructive methods for measuring seed germination and vigour are valuable. Standard germination and seed vigour were determined using 81 soybean seed lots. From these data, seed lots were separated into high and low germinating seed lots as well as high, medium and low vigour seed lots. Near-infrared spectra (950–1650 nm) were collected for training and validation samples for each seed category and used to create partial least squares (PLS) prediction models. For both germination and vigour, qualitative models provided better discrimination of high and low performing seed lots compared with quantitative models. The qualitative germination prediction models correctly identified …

Engineered Nanoparticles Interact With Nutrients To Intensify Eutrophication In A Wetland Ecosystem Experiment, Marie Simonin, Benjamin P. Colman, Steven M. Anderson, Ryan S. King, Matthew T. Ruis, Astrid Avellan, Christina M. Bergemann, Brittany G. Perrotta, Nicholas K. Geitner, Mengchi Ho, Belen De La Barrera, Jason M. Unrine, Gregory V. Lowry, Curtis J. Richardson, Mark R. Wiesner, Emily S. Bernhardt

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Despite the rapid rise in diversity and quantities of engineered nanomaterials produced, the impacts of these emerging contaminants on the structure and function of ecosystems have received little attention from ecologists. Moreover, little is known about how manufactured nanomaterials may interact with nutrient pollution in altering ecosystem productivity, despite the recognition that eutrophication is the primary water quality issue in freshwater ecosystems worldwide. In this study, we asked two main questions: (1) To what extent do manufactured nanoparticles affect the biomass and productivity of primary producers in wetland ecosystems? (2) How are these impacts mediated by nutrient pollution? To address …

Metabolic Syndrome And The Risk Of Breast Cancer And Subtypes By Race, Menopause And Bmi, Daniel T. Dibaba, Dejana Braithwaite, Tomi Akinyemiju

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to investigate the association of metabolic syndrome (MetS) with the risk of invasive breast cancer and molecular subtypes across race, menopause, and body mass index (BMI) groups. We examined the association of metabolic syndrome and its components with risk of invasive breast cancer among 94,555 female participants of the National Institute of Health-American Association of Retired Persons (NIH-AARP) Diet and Health Study, accounting for ductal carcinoma in situ as a competing risk. Cox proportional hazard regression with the Fine and Gray method was used to generate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) …

Hypermethylation Of Mir21 In Cd4+ T Cells From Patients With Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Associates With Lower Mirna-21 Levels And Concomitant Up-Regulation Of Its Target Genes, Sabrina Ruhrmann, Ewoud Ewing, Eliane Piket, Lara Kular, Julio Cesar Cetrulo Lorenzi, Sunjay Jude Fernandes, Hiromasa Morikawa, Shahin Aeinehband, Sergi Sayols-Baixeras, Stella Aslibekyan, Devin M. Absher, Donna K. Arnett, Jesper Tegner, David Gomez-Cabrero, Fredrik Piehl, Maja Jagodic

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system caused by genetic and environmental factors. DNA methylation, an epigenetic mechanism that controls genome activity, may provide a link between genetic and environmental risk factors.

Objective: We sought to identify DNA methylation changes in CD4+ T cells in patients with relapsing-remitting (RR-MS) and secondary-progressive (SP-MS) disease and healthy controls (HC).

Methods: We performed DNA methylation analysis in CD4+ T cells from RR-MS, SP-MS, and HC and associated identified changes with the nearby risk allele, smoking, age, and gene expression.

Results: We observed significant methylation differences in …

P-Value Histograms: Inference And Diagnostics, Patrick Breheny, Arnold Stromberg, Joshua Lambert

Statistics Faculty Publications

It is increasingly common for experiments in biology and medicine to involve large numbers of hypothesis tests. A natural graphical method for visualizing these tests is to construct a histogram from the p-values of these tests. In this article, we examine the shapes, both regular and irregular, that these histograms can take on, as well as present simple inferential procedures that help to interpret the shapes in terms of diagnosing potential problems with the experiment. We examine potential causes of these problems in detail, and discuss potential remedies. Throughout, examples of irregular-looking p-value histograms are provided and based …

Ubiquitin Regulation: The Histone Modifying Enzyme's Story, Jianlin Wang, Zhaoping Qiu, Yadi Wu

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Histone post-translational modifications influence many fundamental cellular events by regulating chromatin structure and gene transcriptional activity. These modifications are highly dynamic and tightly controlled, with many enzymes devoted to the addition and removal of these modifications. Interestingly, these modifying enzymes are themselves fine-tuned and precisely regulated at the level of protein turnover by ubiquitin-proteasomal processing. Here, we focus on recent progress centered on the mechanisms regulating ubiquitination of histone modifying enzymes, including ubiquitin proteasomal degradation and the reverse process of deubiquitination. We will also discuss the potential pathophysiological significance of these processes.

The "Lightning Bolt" Sign On Computed Tomography During Percutaneous Renal Mass Cryoablation, Qian Yu, Driss Raissi

Radiology Faculty Publications

Ice‑ball fracture is a rare and often overlooked entity that may lead to intraprocedural hemorrhage after percutaneous cryoablation of renal masses. There is scant literature on ice‑ball fractures associated with percutaneous renal cryoablation. Immediate recognition of the lightning bolt sign during intraprocedural computed tomography can help identify patients who may have developed this complication.

Depression Following A Traumatic Brain Injury: Uncovering Cytokine Dysregulation As A Pathogenic Mechanism, Colleen N. Bodnar, Josh M. Morganti, Adam D. Bachstetter

Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center Faculty Publications

A substantial number of individuals have long-lasting adverse effects from a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Depression is one of these long-term complications that influences many aspects of life. Depression can limit the ability to return to work, and even worsen cognitive function and contribute to dementia. The mechanistic cause for the increased depression risk associated with a TBI remains to be defined. As TBI results in chronic neuroinflammation, and priming of glia to a secondary challenge, the inflammatory theory of depression provides a promising framework for investigating the cause of depression following a TBI. Increases in cytokines similar to those …

Transcriptional Response Of Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera) To Differential Nutritional Status And Nosema Infection, Farida Azzouz-Olden, Arthur G. Hunt, Gloria Degrandi-Hoffman

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Bees are confronting several environmental challenges, including the intermingled effects of malnutrition and disease. Intuitively, pollen is the healthiest nutritional choice, however, commercial substitutes, such as Bee-Pro and MegaBee, are widely used. Herein we examined how feeding natural and artificial diets shapes transcription in the abdomen of the honey bee, and how transcription shifts in combination with Nosema parasitism.

Results: Gene ontology enrichment revealed that, compared with poor diet (carbohydrates [C]), bees fed pollen (P > C), Bee-Pro (B > C), and MegaBee (M > C) showed a broad upregulation of metabolic processes, especially lipids; however, pollen feeding promoted more functions, and …

Na/K-Atpase Y260 Phosphorylation-Mediated Src Regulation In Control Of Aerobic Glycolysis And Tumor Growth, Moumita Banerjee, Xiaoyu Cui, Zhichuan Li, Hui Yu, Liquan Cai, Xuelian Jia, Daheng He, Chi Wang, Tianyan Gao, Zijian Xie

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

We report here the identification of α1 Na/K-ATPase as a major regulator of the proto-oncogene Src kinase and the role of this regulation in control of Warburg effect and tumor growth. Specifically, we discovered Y260 in α1 Na/K-ATPase as a Src-specific phosphorylation and binding site and that Y260 phosphorylation is required for Src-mediated signal transduction in response to a number of stimuli including EGF. As such, it enables a dynamic control of aerobic glycolysis. However, such regulation appears to be lost or attenuated in human cancers as the expression of Na/K-ATPase α1 was significantly decreased in prostate, breast and kidney …

Crop Pests And Predators Exhibit Inconsistent Responses To Surrounding Landscape Composition, Daniel S. Karp, Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer, Timothy D. Meehan, Emily A. Martin, Fabrice Declerck, Heather Grab, Claudio Gratton, Lauren Hunt, Ashley E. Larsen, Alejandra Martínez-Salinas, Megan E. O’Rourke, Adrien Rusch, Katja Poveda, Mattias Jonsson, Jay A. Rosenheim, Nancy A. Schellhorn, Teja Tscharntke, Stephen D. Wratten, Wei Zhang, Aaron L. Iverson, Lynn S. Adler, Matthias Albrecht, Audrey Alignier, Gina M. Angelella, Muhammad Zubair Anjum, Jacques Avelino, Péter Batáry, Johannes M. Baveco, Felix J. J. A. Bianchi, Klaus Birkhofer, David J. Gonthier

Entomology Faculty Publications

The idea that noncrop habitat enhances pest control and represents a win–win opportunity to conserve biodiversity and bolster yields has emerged as an agroecological paradigm. However, while noncrop habitat in landscapes surrounding farms sometimes benefits pest predators, natural enemy responses remain heterogeneous across studies and effects on pests are inconclusive. The observed heterogeneity in species responses to noncrop habitat may be biological in origin or could result from variation in how habitat and biocontrol are measured. Here, we use a pest-control database encompassing 132 studies and 6,759 sites worldwide to model natural enemy and pest abundances, predation rates, and crop …

Japanese Beetles’ Feeding On Milkweed Flowers May Compromise Efforts To Restore Monarch Butterfly Habitat, Adam M. Baker, Daniel A. Potter

Entomology Faculty Publications

The eastern North American migratory population of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) is in serious decline. Habitat restoration, including adding millions of host plants to compensate for loss of milkweed in US cropland, is a key part of the international conservation strategy to return this iconic butterfly to sustainable status. We report here that Popillia japonica, a polyphagous, invasive beetle, aggregates and feeds on flowers of Asclepias syriaca, the monarch’s most important larval food plant, reducing fruiting and seed set by >90% and extensively damaging milkweed umbels in the field. The beetle’s ongoing incursion into the monarch’s …

Double-Stranded Rna Binding Protein, Staufen, Is Required For The Initiation Of Rnai In Coleopteran Insects, June-Sun Yoon, Kanakachari Mogilicherla, Dhandapani Gurusamy, Xien Chen, Shankar C. R. R. Chereddy, Subba R. Palli

Entomology Faculty Publications

RNA interference (RNAi) is being used to develop methods to control pests and disease vectors. RNAi is robust and systemic in coleopteran insects but is quite variable in other insects. The determinants of efficient RNAi in coleopterans, as well as its potential mechanisms of resistance, are not known. RNAi screen identified a double-stranded RNA binding protein (StaufenC) as a major player in RNAi. StaufenC homologs have been identified in only coleopteran insects. Experiments in two coleopteran insects, Leptinotarsa decemlineata and Tribolium castaneum, showed the requirement of StaufenC for RNAi, especially for processing of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to small interfering …

Revision Of Zosteragathis Sharkey Of Thailand (Hymonoptera, Braconidae, Agathidinae, Agathidini), Michael J. Sharkey, Eric G. Chapman

Entomology Faculty Publications

Based on cladistic analyses recently conducted by Sharkey and Chapman, the genus Zosteragathis Sharkey is revised. Twenty-two species are reported from Thailand, three previously described species, Z. samensis, Z. contrasta and Z. nuichuaensis, and 19 new species, i.e., Z. chaiyaphumensis, Z. eukos, Z. hinensis, Z. hongensis, Z. inthanonensis, Z. krachanensis, Z. lampangensis, Z. lampooensis, Z. luangensis, Z. ngamensis, Z. perknos, Z. petchaburiensis, Z. phahompokensis, Z. phuphanensis, Z. sakaeratensis, Z. sakonensis, Z. samensis, Z. surinensis, Z. taemensis, Z. tonensis. …

Identification Of Susceptibility Pathways For The Role Of Chromosome 15q25.1 In Modifying Lung Cancer Risk, Xuemei Ji, Yohan Bossé, Maria Teresa Landi, Jiang Gui, Xiangjun Xiao, David Qian, Philippe Joubert Joubert, Maxime Lamontagne, Yafang Li, Ivan Gorlov, Mariella De Biasi, Younghun Han, Olga Gorlova, Rayjean J. Hung, Xifeng Wu, James Mckay, Xuchen Zong, Robert Carreras-Torres, David C. Christiani, Neil Caporaso, Mattias Johansson, Geoffrey Liu, Stig E. Bojesen, Loic Le Marchand, Demetrios Albanes, Heike Bickeböller, Melinda C. Aldrich, William S. Bush, Adonina Tardon, Gad Rennert, Susanne M. Arnold

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified the chromosome 15q25.1 locus as a leading susceptibility region for lung cancer. However, the pathogenic pathways, through which susceptibility SNPs within chromosome 15q25.1 affects lung cancer risk, have not been explored. We analyzed three cohorts with GWAS data consisting 42,901 individuals and lung expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) data on 409 individuals to identify and validate the underlying pathways and to investigate the combined effect of genes from the identified susceptibility pathways. The KEGG neuroactive ligand receptor interaction pathway, two Reactome pathways, and 22 Gene Ontology terms were identified and replicated to be significantly associated …

Imapsplice: Alleviating Reference Bias Through Personalized Rna-Seq Alignment, Xinan Liu, James N. Macleod, Jinze Liu

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Genomic variants in both coding and non-coding sequences can have functionally important and sometimes deleterious effects on exon splicing of gene transcripts. For transcriptome profiling using RNA-seq, the accurate alignment of reads across exon junctions is a critical step. Existing algorithms that utilize a standard reference genome as a template sometimes have difficulty in mapping reads that carry genomic variants. These problems can lead to allelic ratio biases and the failure to detect splice variants created by splice site polymorphisms. To improve RNA-seq read alignment, we have developed a novel approach called iMapSplice that enables personalized mRNA transcriptome profiling. The …

Aged Murine Hematopoietic Stem Cells Drive Aging-Associate Immune Remodeling, Hanna Leins, Medhanie Mulaw, Karina Eiwen, Vadim Sakk, Ying Liang, Michael Denkinger, Hartmut Geiger, Reinhold Schirmbeck

Toxicology and Cancer Biology Faculty Publications

Aging-associated remodeling of the immune system impairs its functional integrity and contributes to increased morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Aging of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), from which all cells of the adaptive immune system ultimately originate, might play a crucial role in the remodeling of the aged immune system. We recently reported that aging of HSCs is, in part, driven by elevated activity of the small RhoGTPase Cdc42 and that aged HSCs can be rejuvenated in vitro by inhibition of the elevated Cdc42 activity in aged HSCs with the pharmacological compound CASIN. To study the quality of immune systems …

Why Large Seeds With Physical Dormancy Become Nondormant Earlier Than Small Ones, Ailton G. Rodrigues-Junior, Ana Caroline M. P. Mello, Carol C. Baskin, Jerry M. Baskin, Denise M. T. Oliveira, Queila S. Garcia

Biology Faculty Publications

Under natural conditions, large seeds with physical dormancy (PY) may become water permeable earlier than small ones. However, the mechanism for this difference has not been elucidated. Thus, our aim was to evaluate the traits associated with PY in seeds of Senna multijuga (Fabaceae) and to propose a mechanism for earlier dormancy-break in large than in small seeds. Two seedlots were collected and each separated into large and small seeds. Seed dry mass, water content, thickness of palisade layer in the hilar and distal regions and the ratio between palisade layer thickness (P) in the lens fissure and seed mass …

Structure Of The Mouse Trpc4 Ion Channel, Jingjing Duan, Jian Li, Bo Zeng, Gui-Lan Chen, Xiaogang Peng, Yixing Zhang, Jianbin Wang, David E. Clapham, Zongli Li, Jin Zhang

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Members of the transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels conduct cations into cells. They mediate functions ranging from neuronally mediated hot and cold sensation to intracellular organellar and primary ciliary signaling. Here we report a cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of TRPC4 in its unliganded (apo) state to an overall resolution of 3.3 Å. The structure reveals a unique architecture with a long pore loop stabilized by a disulfide bond. Beyond the shared tetrameric six-transmembrane fold, the TRPC4 structure deviates from other TRP channels with a unique cytosolic domain. This unique cytosolic N-terminal domain forms extensive aromatic contacts with the TRP …

Quantifying Plant Soluble Protein And Digestible Carbohydrate Content, Using Corn (Zea Mays) As An Exemplar, Carrie A. Deans, Gregory A. Sword, Paul A. Lenhart, Eric Burkness, William D. Hutchison, Spencer T. Behmer

Entomology Faculty Publications

Elemental data are commonly used to infer plant quality as a resource to herbivores. However, the ubiquity of carbon in biomolecules, the presence of nitrogen-containing plant defensive compounds, and variation in species-specific correlations between nitrogen and plant protein content all limit the accuracy of these inferences. Additionally, research focused on plant and/or herbivore physiology require a level of accuracy that is not achieved using generalized correlations. The methods presented here offer researchers a clear and rapid protocol for directly measuring plant soluble proteins and digestible carbohydrates, the two plant macronutrients most closely tied to animal physiological performance. The protocols combine …