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Circnet: A Database Of Circular Rnas Derived From Transcriptome Sequencing Data, Yu-Chen Liu, Jian-Rong Li, Chuan-Hu Sun, Erik Andrews, Rou-Fang Chao, Feng-Mao Lin, Shun-Long Weng, Sheng-Da Hsu, Chieh-Chen Huang, Chao Cheng, Chun-Chi Liu, Hsien-Da Huang Oct 2016

Circnet: A Database Of Circular Rnas Derived From Transcriptome Sequencing Data, Yu-Chen Liu, Jian-Rong Li, Chuan-Hu Sun, Erik Andrews, Rou-Fang Chao, Feng-Mao Lin, Shun-Long Weng, Sheng-Da Hsu, Chieh-Chen Huang, Chao Cheng, Chun-Chi Liu, Hsien-Da Huang

Dartmouth Scholarship

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) represent a new type of regulatory noncoding RNA that only recently has been identified and cataloged. Emerging evidence indicates that circRNAs exert a new layer of post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. In this study, we utilized transcriptome sequencing datasets to systematically identify the expression of circRNAs (including known and newly identified ones by our pipeline) in 464 RNA-seq samples, and then constructed the CircNet database (http://circnet.mbc.nctu.edu.tw/) that provides the following resources: (i) novel circRNAs, (ii) integrated miRNA-target networks, (iii) expression profiles of circRNA isoforms, (iv) genomic annotations of circRNA isoforms (e.g. 282 948 exon positions), …


Data Publication With The Structural Biology Data Grid Supports Live Analysis, Peter A. Meyer, Stephanie Socias, Jason Key, Elizabeth Ransey, Emily C. Tjon, Alejandro Buschiazzo, Ming Lei, Chris Botka, James Withrow, David Neau, Kanagalaghatta Rajashankar, Karen S. Anderson, Chung-I Chang, Walter J. Chazin, Kevin D. Corbett, Michael S. Cosgrove, Sean Crosson, Sirano Dhe-Paganon, Enrico Di Cera, Catherine L. Drennan, Michael J. Eck, Brandt F. Eichman, Qing R. Fan, Adrian R. Ferre-D’Amare, J. Christopher Fromme, K. Christopher Garcia, Rachelle Gaudet, Peng Gong, Stephen C. Harrison, Ekaterina E. Heldwein, Zongchao Jia, Robert J. Keenan, Andrew C. Kruse, Marc Kvansaku, Jason S. Mclellan Mar 2016

Data Publication With The Structural Biology Data Grid Supports Live Analysis, Peter A. Meyer, Stephanie Socias, Jason Key, Elizabeth Ransey, Emily C. Tjon, Alejandro Buschiazzo, Ming Lei, Chris Botka, James Withrow, David Neau, Kanagalaghatta Rajashankar, Karen S. Anderson, Chung-I Chang, Walter J. Chazin, Kevin D. Corbett, Michael S. Cosgrove, Sean Crosson, Sirano Dhe-Paganon, Enrico Di Cera, Catherine L. Drennan, Michael J. Eck, Brandt F. Eichman, Qing R. Fan, Adrian R. Ferre-D’Amare, J. Christopher Fromme, K. Christopher Garcia, Rachelle Gaudet, Peng Gong, Stephen C. Harrison, Ekaterina E. Heldwein, Zongchao Jia, Robert J. Keenan, Andrew C. Kruse, Marc Kvansaku, Jason S. Mclellan

Dartmouth Scholarship

Access to experimental X-ray diffraction image data is fundamental for validation and reproduction of macromolecular models and indispensable for development of structural biology processing methods. Here, we established a diffraction data publication and dissemination system, Structural Biology Data Grid (SBDG; data.sbgrid.org), to preserve primary experimental data sets that support scientific publications. Data sets are accessible to researchers through a community driven data grid, which facilitates global data access. Our analysis of a pilot collection of crystallographic data sets demonstrates that the information archived by SBDG is sufficient to reprocess data to statistics that meet or exceed the quality of the …


Identification Of A Family Of Fatty Acid-Speciated Sonic Hedgehog Proteins, Whose Members Display Differential Biological Properties, Jun Long, Robert Tokhunts, William M. Old, Stephane Houel, Jezabel Rodgriguez-Blanco, Samer Singh, Neal Schilling, Anthony J. Capobianco, Natalie G. Ahn, David J. Robbins Mar 2015

Identification Of A Family Of Fatty Acid-Speciated Sonic Hedgehog Proteins, Whose Members Display Differential Biological Properties, Jun Long, Robert Tokhunts, William M. Old, Stephane Houel, Jezabel Rodgriguez-Blanco, Samer Singh, Neal Schilling, Anthony J. Capobianco, Natalie G. Ahn, David J. Robbins

Dartmouth Scholarship

Hedgehog (HH) proteins are proteolytically processed into a biologically active form that is covalently modified by cholesterol and palmitate. However, most studies of HH biogenesis have characterized protein from cells in which HH is overexpressed. We purified Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) from cells expressing physiologically relevant levels and showed that it was more potent than SHH isolated from overexpressing cells. Furthermore, the SHH in our preparations was modified with a diverse spectrum of fatty acids on its amino termini, and this spectrum of fatty acids varied dramatically depending on the growth conditions of the cells. The fatty acid composition of SHH …


Highly Constrained Intergenic Drosophila Ultraconserved Elements Are Candidate Ncrnas, Andrew D. Kern, Daniel A. Barbash, Joshua Chang Mell, Daniel Hupalo, Amanda Jensen Jan 2015

Highly Constrained Intergenic Drosophila Ultraconserved Elements Are Candidate Ncrnas, Andrew D. Kern, Daniel A. Barbash, Joshua Chang Mell, Daniel Hupalo, Amanda Jensen

Dartmouth Scholarship

Eukaryotes contain short (∼80–200 bp) regions that have few or no substitutions among species that represent hundreds of millions of years of evolutionary divergence. These ultraconserved elements (UCEs) are candidates for containing essential functions, but their biological roles remain largely unknown. Here, we report the discovery and characterization of UCEs from 12 sequenced Drosophilaspecies. We identified 98 elements ≥80 bp long with very high conservation across the Drosophila phylogeny. Population genetic analyses reveal that these UCEs are not present in mutational cold spots. Instead we infer that they experience a level of selective constraint almost 10-fold higher compared with …


A Distinct Tethering Step Is Vital For Vacuole Membrane Fusion, Michael Zick, William T. Wickner Sep 2014

A Distinct Tethering Step Is Vital For Vacuole Membrane Fusion, Michael Zick, William T. Wickner

Dartmouth Scholarship

Past experiments with reconstituted proteoliposomes, employing assays that infer membrane fusion from fluorescent lipid dequenching, have suggested that vacuolar SNAREs alone suffice to catalyze membrane fusion in vitro. While we could replicate these results, we detected very little fusion with the more rigorous assay of lumenal compartment mixing. Exploring the discrepancies between lipid-dequenching and content-mixing assays, we surprisingly found that the disposition of the fluorescent lipids with respect to SNAREs had a striking effect. Without other proteins, the association of SNAREs in trans causes lipid dequenching that cannot be ascribed to fusion or hemifusion. Tethering of the SNARE-bearing proteoliposomes was …


Megadalton-Node Assembly By Binding Of Skb1 To The Membrane Anchor Slf1, Lin L. Deng, Ruth Kabeche, Ning Wang, Jian-Qiu Wu, James B. Moseley Jul 2014

Megadalton-Node Assembly By Binding Of Skb1 To The Membrane Anchor Slf1, Lin L. Deng, Ruth Kabeche, Ning Wang, Jian-Qiu Wu, James B. Moseley

Dartmouth Scholarship

The plasma membrane contains both dynamic and static microdomains. Given the growing appreciation of cortical microdomains in cell biology, it is important to determine the organizational principles that underlie assembly of compartmentalized structures at the plasma membrane. The fission yeast plasma membrane is highly compartmentalized by distinct sets of cortical nodes, which control signaling for cell cycle progression and cytokinesis. The mitotic inhibitor Skb1 localizes to a set of cortical nodes that provide spatial control over signaling for entry into mitosis. However, it has been unclear whether these nodes contain other proteins and how they might be organized and tethered …


Integrated Assessment Of Predicted Mhc Binding And Cross-Conservation With Self Reveals Patterns Of Viral Camouflage, Lu He, Anne S. De Groot, Andres H. Gutierrez, William D. Martin, Lenny Moise, Chris Bailey-Kellogg Mar 2014

Integrated Assessment Of Predicted Mhc Binding And Cross-Conservation With Self Reveals Patterns Of Viral Camouflage, Lu He, Anne S. De Groot, Andres H. Gutierrez, William D. Martin, Lenny Moise, Chris Bailey-Kellogg

Dartmouth Scholarship

Immune recognition of foreign proteins by T cells hinges on the formation of a ternary complex sandwiching a constituent peptide of the protein between a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule and a T cell receptor (TCR). Viruses have evolved means of "camouflaging" themselves, avoiding immune recognition by reducing the MHC and/or TCR binding of their constituent peptides. Computer-driven T cell epitope mapping tools have been used to evaluate the degree to which articular viruses have used this means of avoiding immune response, but most such analyses focus on MHC-facing ‘agretopes'. Here we set out a new means of evaluating the …


Genome Wide Association Mapping Of Grain Arsenic, Copper, Molybdenum And Zinc In Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) Grown At Four International Field Sites, Gareth J. Norton, Alex Douglas, Brett Lahner, Elena Yakubova, Mary Lou Guerinot, Shannon R.M Pinson, Lee Tarpley, George C. Eizenga, Steve P. Mcgrath, Fang-Jie Zhao Feb 2014

Genome Wide Association Mapping Of Grain Arsenic, Copper, Molybdenum And Zinc In Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) Grown At Four International Field Sites, Gareth J. Norton, Alex Douglas, Brett Lahner, Elena Yakubova, Mary Lou Guerinot, Shannon R.M Pinson, Lee Tarpley, George C. Eizenga, Steve P. Mcgrath, Fang-Jie Zhao

Dartmouth Scholarship

The mineral concentrations in cereals are important for human health, especially for individuals who consume a cereal subsistence diet. A number of elements, such as zinc, are required within the diet, while some elements are toxic to humans, for example arsenic. In this study we carry out genome-wide association (GWA) mapping of grain concentrations of arsenic, copper, molybdenum and zinc in brown rice using an established rice diversity panel of ~300 accessions and 36.9 k single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The study was performed across five environments: one field site in Bangladesh, one in China and two in the US, with …


Gene And Protein Sequence Optimization For High-Level Production Of Fully Active And Aglycosylated Lysostaphin In Pichia Pastoris, Hongliang Zhao, Kristina Blazanovic, Yoonjoo Choi, Chris Bailey-Kellogg, Karl E. Griswold Feb 2014

Gene And Protein Sequence Optimization For High-Level Production Of Fully Active And Aglycosylated Lysostaphin In Pichia Pastoris, Hongliang Zhao, Kristina Blazanovic, Yoonjoo Choi, Chris Bailey-Kellogg, Karl E. Griswold

Dartmouth Scholarship

Lysostaphin represents a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of staphylococcal infections, in particular those of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However, conventional expression systems for the enzyme suffer from various limitations, and there remains a need for an efficient and cost-effective production process to facilitate clinical translation and the development of nonmedical applications. While Pichia pastoris is widely used for high-level production of recombinant proteins, there are two major barriers to the production of lysostaphin in this industrially relevant host: lack of expression from the wild-type lysostaphin gene and aberrant glycosylation of the wild-type protein sequence. The first barrier can …


Redox-Dependent Stability, Protonation, And Reactivity Of Cysteine-Bound Heme Proteins, Fangfang Zhong, George P. Lisi, Daniel P. Collins, John H. Dawson, Ekaterina V. Pletneva Jan 2014

Redox-Dependent Stability, Protonation, And Reactivity Of Cysteine-Bound Heme Proteins, Fangfang Zhong, George P. Lisi, Daniel P. Collins, John H. Dawson, Ekaterina V. Pletneva

Dartmouth Scholarship

Cysteine-bound hemes are key components of many enzymes and biological sensors. Protonation (deprotonation) of the Cys ligand often accompanies redox transformations of these centers. To characterize these phenomena, we have engineered a series of Thr78Cys/Lys79Gly/Met80X mutants of yeast cytochrome c (cyt c) in which Cys78 becomes one of the axial ligands to the heme. At neutral pH, the protonation state of the coordinated Cys differs for the ferric and ferrous heme species, with Cys binding as a thiolate and a thiol, respectively. Analysis of redox-dependent stability and alkaline transitions of these model proteins, as well as comparisons to Cys …


Role Of The Cipa Scaffoldin Protein In Cellulose Solubilization, As Determined By Targeted Gene Deletion And Complementation In Clostridium Thermocellum, Daniel G. Olson, Richard J. Giannone, Robert L. Hettich, Lee R. Lynd Nov 2013

Role Of The Cipa Scaffoldin Protein In Cellulose Solubilization, As Determined By Targeted Gene Deletion And Complementation In Clostridium Thermocellum, Daniel G. Olson, Richard J. Giannone, Robert L. Hettich, Lee R. Lynd

Dartmouth Scholarship

The CipA scaffoldin protein plays a key role in the Clostridium thermocellum cellulosome. Previous studies have revealed that mutants deficient in binding or solubilizing cellulose also exhibit reduced expression of CipA. To confirm that CipA is, in fact, necessary for rapid solubilization of crystalline cellulose, the gene was deleted from the chromosome using targeted gene deletion technologies. The CipA deletion mutant exhibited a 100-fold reduction in cellulose solubilization rate, although it was eventually able to solubilize 80% of the 5 g/liter cellulose initially present. The deletion mutant was complemented by a copy of cipA expressed from a replicating plasmid. In …


Killerflip: A Novel Lytic Peptide Specifically Inducing Cancer Cell Death, B Pennarun, G. Gaidos, O Bucur, A Tinari Oct 2013

Killerflip: A Novel Lytic Peptide Specifically Inducing Cancer Cell Death, B Pennarun, G. Gaidos, O Bucur, A Tinari

Dartmouth Scholarship

One of the objectives in the development of effective cancer therapy is induction of tumor-selective cell death. Toward this end, we have identified a small peptide that, when introduced into cells via a TAT cell-delivery system, shows a remarkably potent cytoxicity in a variety of cancer cell lines and inhibits tumor growth in vivo, whereas sparing normal cells and tissues. This fusion peptide was named killer FLIP as its sequence was derived from the C-terminal domain of c-FLIP, an anti-apoptotic protein. Using structure activity analysis, we determined the minimal bioactive core of killerFLIP, namely killerFLIP-E. Structural analysis of cells using …


An Expanded View Of The Eukaryotic Cytoskeleton, James B. Moseley Oct 2013

An Expanded View Of The Eukaryotic Cytoskeleton, James B. Moseley

Dartmouth Scholarship

A rich and ongoing history of cell biology research has defined the major polymer systems of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton. Recent studies have identified additional proteins that form filamentous structures in cells and can self-assemble into linear polymers when purified. This suggests that the eukaryotic cytoskeleton is an even more complex system than previously considered. In this essay, I examine the case for an expanded definition of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton and present a series of challenges for future work in this area.


Bioengineered Lysozyme Reduces Bacterial Burden And Inflammation In A Murine Model Of Mucoid Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Lung Infection, Charlotte C. Teneback, Thomas C. Scanlon, Matthew J. Wargo, Jenna L. Bement, Karl E. Griswold, Laurie W. Leclair Aug 2013

Bioengineered Lysozyme Reduces Bacterial Burden And Inflammation In A Murine Model Of Mucoid Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Lung Infection, Charlotte C. Teneback, Thomas C. Scanlon, Matthew J. Wargo, Jenna L. Bement, Karl E. Griswold, Laurie W. Leclair

Dartmouth Scholarship

The spread of drug-resistant bacterial pathogens is a growing global concern and has prompted an effort to explore potential adjuvant and alternative therapies derived from nature's repertoire of bactericidal proteins and peptides. In humans, the airway surface liquid layer is a rich source of antibiotics, and lysozyme represents one of the most abundant and effective antimicrobial components of airway secretions. Human lysozyme is active against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, ac


P53'S Choice Of Myocardial Death Or Survival: Oxygen Protects Infarct Myocardium By Recruiting P53 On Nos3 Promoter Through Regulation Of P53-Lys118 Acetylation, Rajan Gogna, Esha Madan, Mahmood Khan, Uttam Pati, Periannan Kuppusamy Aug 2013

P53'S Choice Of Myocardial Death Or Survival: Oxygen Protects Infarct Myocardium By Recruiting P53 On Nos3 Promoter Through Regulation Of P53-Lys118 Acetylation, Rajan Gogna, Esha Madan, Mahmood Khan, Uttam Pati, Periannan Kuppusamy

Dartmouth Scholarship

Myocardial infarction, an irreversible cardiac tissue damage, involves progressive loss of cardiomyocytes due to p53-mediated apoptosis. Oxygenation is known to promote cardiac survival through activation of NOS3 gene. We hypothesized a dual role for p53, which, depending on oxygenation, can elicit apoptotic death signals or NOS3-mediated survival signals in the infarct heart. p53 exhibited a differential DNA-binding, namely, BAX-p53RE in the infarct heart or NOS3-p53RE in the oxygenated heart, which was regulated by oxygen-induced, post- translational modification of p53. In the infarct heart, p53 was heavily acetylated at Lys118 residue, which was exclusively reversed in the oxygenated heart, apparently regulated …


Control Of Candida Albicans Metabolism And Biofilm Formation By Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Phenazines, Diana K. Morales, Nora Grahl, Chinweike Okegbe, Lars E. P. Dietrich, Nicholas J. Jacobs, Deborah A. Hogan Jan 2013

Control Of Candida Albicans Metabolism And Biofilm Formation By Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Phenazines, Diana K. Morales, Nora Grahl, Chinweike Okegbe, Lars E. P. Dietrich, Nicholas J. Jacobs, Deborah A. Hogan

Dartmouth Scholarship

Candidaalbicanshasdevelopmentalprogramsthatgoverntransitionsbetweenyeastandfilamentousmorphologies and between unattached and biofilm lifestyles. Here, we report that filamentation, intercellular adherence, and biofilm develop- ment were inhibited during interactions between Candida albicans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa through the action of P. aeruginosa-produced phenazines. While phenazines are toxic to C. albicans at millimolar concentrations, we found that lower concentrations of any of three different phenazines (pyocyanin, phenazine methosulfate, and phenazine-1-carboxylate) allowed growth but affected the development of C. albicans wrinkled colony biofilms and inhibited the fungal yeast-to-filament transition. Phenazines impaired C. albicans growth on nonfermentable carbon sources and led to increased production of fer- mentation products (ethanol, glycerol, and …


Septin Phosphorylation And Coiled-Coil Domains Function In Cell And Septin Ring Morphology In The Filamentous Fungus Ashbya Gossypii, Rebecca A. Meseroll, Patricia Occhipinti, Amy S. Gladfelter Nov 2012

Septin Phosphorylation And Coiled-Coil Domains Function In Cell And Septin Ring Morphology In The Filamentous Fungus Ashbya Gossypii, Rebecca A. Meseroll, Patricia Occhipinti, Amy S. Gladfelter

Dartmouth Scholarship

Septins are a class of GTP-binding proteins conserved throughout many eukaryotes. Individual septin subunits associate with one another and assemble into heteromeric complexes that form filaments and higher-order structures in vivo. The mechanisms underlying the assembly and maintenance of higher-order structures in cells remain poorly understood. Septins in several organisms have been shown to be phosphorylated, although precisely how septin phosphorylation may be contributing to the formation of high-order septin structures is unknown. Four of the five septins expressed in the filamentous fungus, Ashbya gossypii, are phosphorylated, and we demonstrate here the diverse roles of these phosphorylation sites …


N-Terminal Domain Of Vacuolar Snare Vam7p Promotes Trans-Snare Complex Assembly, Hao Xu, William T. Wickner Sep 2012

N-Terminal Domain Of Vacuolar Snare Vam7p Promotes Trans-Snare Complex Assembly, Hao Xu, William T. Wickner

Dartmouth Scholarship

SNARE-dependent membrane fusion in eukaryotic cells requires that the heptad-repeat SNARE domains from R- and Q-SNAREs, anchored to apposed membranes, assemble into four-helix coiled-coil bundles. In addition to their SNARE and transmembrane domains, most SNAREs have N-terminal domains (N-domains), although their functions are unclear. The N-domain of the yeast vacuolar Qc-SNARE Vam7p is a binding partner for the homotypic fusion and vacuole protein sorting complex (a master regulator of vacuole fusion) and has Phox homology, providing a phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI3P)-specific membrane anchor. We now report that this Vam7p N-domain has yet another role, one that does not depend on its …


Septin Ring Size Scaling And Dynamics Require The Coiled-Coil Region Of Shs1p, Rebecca A. Meseroll, Louisa Howard, Amy S. Gladfelter Jul 2012

Septin Ring Size Scaling And Dynamics Require The Coiled-Coil Region Of Shs1p, Rebecca A. Meseroll, Louisa Howard, Amy S. Gladfelter

Dartmouth Scholarship

Septins are conserved GTP-binding proteins that assemble into heteromeric complexes that form filaments and higher-order structures in cells. What directs filament assembly, determines the size of higher-order septin structures, and governs septin dynamics is still not well understood. We previously identified two kinases essential for septin ring assembly in the filamentous fungus Ashbya gossypii and demonstrate here that the septin Shs1p is multiphosphorylated at the C-terminus of the protein near the predicted coiled-coil domain. Expression of the nonphosphorylatable allele shs1-9A does not mimic the loss of the kinase nor does complete truncation of the Shs1p C-terminus. Surprisingly, however, loss …


Planning Combinatorial Disulfide Cross-Links For Protein Fold Determination, Fei Xiong, Alan M Friedman, Chris Bailey-Kellogg Nov 2011

Planning Combinatorial Disulfide Cross-Links For Protein Fold Determination, Fei Xiong, Alan M Friedman, Chris Bailey-Kellogg

Dartmouth Scholarship

Fold recognition techniques take advantage of the limited number of overall structural organizations, and have become increasingly effective at identifying the fold of a given target sequence. However, in the absence of sufficient sequence identity, it remains difficult for fold recognition methods to always select the correct model. While a native-like model is often among a pool of highly ranked models, it is not necessarily the highest-ranked one, and the model rankings depend sensitively on the scoring function used. Structure elucidation methods can then be employed to decide among the models based on relatively rapid biochemical/biophysical experiments.


A Lipid-Anchored Snare Supports Membrane Fusion, Hao Xu, Michael Zick, William T. Wickner, Youngsoo Jun Oct 2011

A Lipid-Anchored Snare Supports Membrane Fusion, Hao Xu, Michael Zick, William T. Wickner, Youngsoo Jun

Dartmouth Scholarship

Intracellular membrane fusion requires R-SNAREs and Q-SNAREs to assemble into a four-helical parallel coiled-coil, with their hydrophobic anchors spanning the two apposed membranes. Based on the fusion properties of chemically defined SNARE- proteoliposomes, it has been proposed that the assembly of this helical bundle transduces force through the entire bilayer via the transmembrane SNARE anchor domains to drive fusion. However, an R-SNARE, Nyv1p, with a genetically engineered lipid anchor that spans half of the bilayer suffices for the fusion of isolated vacuoles, although this organelle has other R-SNAREs. To demonstrate unequivocally the fusion activity of lipid-anchored Nyv1p, we reconstituted proteoliposomes …


Global Analysis Of Serine-Threonine Protein Kinase Genes In Neurospora Crassa, Gyungsoon Park, Jacqueline A. Servin, Gloria E. Turner, Lorena Altamirano Sep 2011

Global Analysis Of Serine-Threonine Protein Kinase Genes In Neurospora Crassa, Gyungsoon Park, Jacqueline A. Servin, Gloria E. Turner, Lorena Altamirano

Dartmouth Scholarship

Serine/threonine (S/T) protein kinases are crucial components of diverse signaling pathways in eukaryotes, including the model filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa. In order to assess the importance of S/T kinases to Neurospora biology, we embarked on a global analysis of 86 S/T kinase genes in Neurospora. We were able to isolate viable mutants for 77 of the 86 kinase genes. Of these, 57% exhibited at least one growth or developmental phenotype, with a relatively large fraction (40%) possessing a defect in more than one trait. S/T kinase knockouts were subjected to chemical screening using a panel of eight chemical treatments, with …


High Ethanol Titers From Cellulose By Using Metabolically Engineered Thermophilic, Anaerobic Microbes, D. Aaron Argyros, Shital A. Tripathi, Trisha F. Barrett, Stephen R. Rogers, Lawrence F. Feinberg, Daniel G. Olson, Justin M. Foden, Bethany B. Miller, Lee R. Lynd, David A. Hogsett, Nicky C. Caiazza Sep 2011

High Ethanol Titers From Cellulose By Using Metabolically Engineered Thermophilic, Anaerobic Microbes, D. Aaron Argyros, Shital A. Tripathi, Trisha F. Barrett, Stephen R. Rogers, Lawrence F. Feinberg, Daniel G. Olson, Justin M. Foden, Bethany B. Miller, Lee R. Lynd, David A. Hogsett, Nicky C. Caiazza

Dartmouth Scholarship

This work describes novel genetic tools for use in Clostridium thermocellum that allow creation of unmarked mutations while using a replicating plasmid. The strategy employed counter-selections developed from the native C. thermocellum hpt gene and the Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum tdk gene and was used to delete the genes for both lactate dehydrogenase (Ldh) and phosphotransacetylase (Pta). The Δldh Δpta mutant was evolved for 2,000 h, resulting in a stable strain with 40:1 ethanol selectivity and a 4.2-fold increase in ethanol yield over the wild-type strain. Ethanol production from cellulose was investigated with an engineered coculture of organic acid-deficient engineered strains of …


Variations In Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 Status And Dna Damage-Induced S-Phase Arrest In The Cell Lines Of The Nci60 Panel, Kristen M. K. Garner, Alan Eastman May 2011

Variations In Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 Status And Dna Damage-Induced S-Phase Arrest In The Cell Lines Of The Nci60 Panel, Kristen M. K. Garner, Alan Eastman

Dartmouth Scholarship

The Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 (MRN) complex is a regulator of cell cycle checkpoints and DNA repair. Defects in MRN can lead to defective S-phase arrest when cells are damaged. Such defects may elicit sensitivity to selected drugs providing a chemical synthetic lethal interaction that could be used to target therapy to tumors with these defects. The goal of this study was to identify these defects in the NCI60 panel of cell lines and identify compounds that might elicit selective cytotoxicity.


Non-Identity-Mediated Crispr-Bacteriophage Interaction Mediated Via The Csy And Cas3 Proteins, Kyle C. Cady, George A. O'Toole Mar 2011

Non-Identity-Mediated Crispr-Bacteriophage Interaction Mediated Via The Csy And Cas3 Proteins, Kyle C. Cady, George A. O'Toole

Dartmouth Scholarship

Studies of the Escherichia, Neisseria, Thermotoga, and Mycobacteria clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) subtypes have resulted in a model whereby CRISPRs function as a defense system against bacteriophage infection and conjugative plasmid transfer. In contrast, we previously showed that the Yersinia-subtype CRISPR region of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain UCBPP-PA14 plays no detectable role in viral immunity but instead is required for bacteriophage DMS3-dependent inhibition of biofilm formation by P. aeruginosa. The goal of this study is to define the components of the Yersinia-subtype CRISPR region required to mediate this bacteriophage-host interaction. We show that the Yersinia-subtype-specific CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins …


Cellulose- And Xylan-Degrading Thermophilic Anaerobic Bacteria From Biocompost, M. V. Sizova, J. A. Izquierdo, N. S. Panikov, L. R. Lynd Feb 2011

Cellulose- And Xylan-Degrading Thermophilic Anaerobic Bacteria From Biocompost, M. V. Sizova, J. A. Izquierdo, N. S. Panikov, L. R. Lynd

Dartmouth Scholarship

Nine thermophilic cellulolytic clostridial isolates and four other noncellulolytic bacterial isolates were isolated from self-heated biocompost via preliminary enrichment culture on microcrystalline cellulose. All cellulolytic isolates grew vigorously on cellulose, with the formation of either ethanol and acetate or acetate and formate as principal fermentation products as well as lactate and glycerol as minor products. In addition, two out of nine cellulolytic strains were able to utilize xylan and pretreated wood with roughly the same efficiency as for cellulose. The major products of xylan fermentation were acetate and formate, with minor contributions of lactate and ethanol. Phylogenetic analyses of 16S …


H-Ns Binding And Repression Of The Ctx Promoter In Vibrio Cholerae, Emily A. Stonehouse, Robin R. Hulbert, Melinda B. Nye, Karen Skorupski, Ronald K. Taylor Dec 2010

H-Ns Binding And Repression Of The Ctx Promoter In Vibrio Cholerae, Emily A. Stonehouse, Robin R. Hulbert, Melinda B. Nye, Karen Skorupski, Ronald K. Taylor

Dartmouth Scholarship

Expression of the ctx and tcp genes, which encode cholera toxin and the toxin coregulated pilus, the Vibrio cholerae O1 virulence determinants having the largest contribution to cholera disease, is repressed by the nucleoid-associated protein H-NS and activated by the AraC-like transcriptional regulator ToxT. To elucidate the molecular mechanism by which H-NS controls transcription of the ctxAB operon, H-NS repression and binding were characterized by using a promoter truncation series, gel mobility shift assays, and DNase I footprinting. Promoter regions found to be important for H-NS repression correlated with in vitro binding. Four main H-NS binding regions are present at …


Excision Dynamics Of Vibrio Pathogenicity Island-2 From Vibrio Cholerae: Role Of A Recombination Directionality Factor Vefa, Salvador Almagro-Moreno, Michael G. Napolitano, E. Fidelma Boyd Nov 2010

Excision Dynamics Of Vibrio Pathogenicity Island-2 From Vibrio Cholerae: Role Of A Recombination Directionality Factor Vefa, Salvador Almagro-Moreno, Michael G. Napolitano, E. Fidelma Boyd

Dartmouth Scholarship

Vibrio Pathogenicity Island-2 (VPI-2) is a 57 kb region present in choleragenic V. cholerae isolates that is required for growth on sialic acid as a sole carbon source. V. cholerae non-O1/O139 pathogenic strains also contain VPI-2, which in addition to sialic acid catabolism genes also encodes a type 3 secretion system in these strains. VPI-2 integrates into chromosome 1 at a tRNA-serine site and encodes an integrase intV2 (VC1758) that belongs to the tyrosine recombinase family. ntV2 is required for VPI-2 excision from chromosome 1, which occurs at very low levels, and formation of a non-replicative circular intermediate.


The Armadillo Repeat Protein Pf16 Is Essential For Flagellar Structure And Function In Plasmodium Male Gametes, Ursula Straschil, Arthur M. Talman, David J. P. Ferguson, Karen A. Bunting, Zhengyao Xu, Elizabeth Bailes, Robert E. Sinden, Anthony A. Holder, Elizabeth F. Smith Sep 2010

The Armadillo Repeat Protein Pf16 Is Essential For Flagellar Structure And Function In Plasmodium Male Gametes, Ursula Straschil, Arthur M. Talman, David J. P. Ferguson, Karen A. Bunting, Zhengyao Xu, Elizabeth Bailes, Robert E. Sinden, Anthony A. Holder, Elizabeth F. Smith

Dartmouth Scholarship

Malaria, caused by the apicomplexan parasite Plasmodium, threatens 40% of the world's population. Transmission between vertebrate and insect hosts depends on the sexual stages of the life-cycle. The male gamete of Plasmodium parasite is the only developmental stage that possesses a flagellum. Very little is known about the identity or function of proteins in the parasite's flagellar biology. Here, we characterise a Plasmodium PF16 homologue using reverse genetics in the mouse malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei. PF16 is a conserved Armadillo-repeat protein that regulates flagellar structure and motility in organisms as diverse as green algae and mice. We show that …


Physical Interaction Between Vivid And White Collar Complex Regulates Photoadaptation In Neurospora, Chen-Hui H. Chen, Bradley S. Demay, Amy S. Gladfelter, Jay Dunlap, Jennifer J. Loros Sep 2010

Physical Interaction Between Vivid And White Collar Complex Regulates Photoadaptation In Neurospora, Chen-Hui H. Chen, Bradley S. Demay, Amy S. Gladfelter, Jay Dunlap, Jennifer J. Loros

Dartmouth Scholarship

Photoadaptation, the ability to attenuate a light response on prolonged light exposure while remaining sensitive to escalating changes in light intensity, is essential for organisms to decipher time information appropriately, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. In Neurospora crassa, VIVID (VVD), a small LOV domain containing blue-light photoreceptor protein, affects photoadaptation for most if not all light-responsive genes. We report that there is a physical interaction between VVD and the white collar complex (WCC), the primary blue-light photoreceptor and the transcription factor complex that initiates light-regulated transcriptional responses in Neurospora. Using two previously characterized VVD mutants, we show …