Life Sciences Commons^™

Bhlh Iridoid Synthesis 3 Is A Member Of A Bhlh Gene Cluster Regulating Terpenoid Indole Alkaloid Biosynthesis In Catharanthus Roseus, Sanjay Kumar Singh, Barunava Patra, Priyanka Paul, Yongliang Liu, Sitakanta Pattanaik, Ling Yuan

Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center Faculty Publications

Basic helix‐loop‐helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) are key regulators of plant specialized metabolites, including terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs) in Catharanthus roseus. Two previously characterized subgroup‐IVa bHLH TFs, BIS1 (bHLH Iridoid Synthesis 1) and BIS2 regulate iridoid biosynthesis in the TIA pathway. We reanalyzed the recently updated C. roseus genome sequence and discovered that BIS1 and BIS2 are clustered on the same genomic scaffold with a previously uncharacterized bHLH gene, designated as BIS3. Only a few bHLH gene clusters have been studied to date. Comparative analysis of 49 genome sequences from different plant lineages revealed the presence of analogous …

Comprehensive Analysis Of Nac Transcription Factor Family Uncovers Drought And Salinity Stress Response In Pearl Millet (Pennisetum Glaucum), Ambika Dudhate, Harshraj Shinde, Pei Yu, Daisuke Tsugama, Shashi Kumar Gupta, Shenkui Liu, Tetsuo Takano

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is a cereal crop that possesses the ability to withstand drought, salinity and high temperature stresses. The NAC [NAM (No Apical Meristem), ATAF1 (Arabidopsis thaliana Activation Factor 1), and CUC2 (Cup-shaped Cotyledon)] transcription factor family is one of the largest transcription factor families in plants. NAC family members are known to regulate plant growth and abiotic stress response. Currently, no reports are available on the functions of the NAC family in pearl millet.

RESULTS: Our genome-wide analysis found 151 NAC transcription factor genes (PgNACs) in the pearl millet genome. Thirty-eight …

Applications Of The Critical Power Model To Dynamic Constant External Resistance Exercise: A Brief Review Of The Critical Load Test, Haley C. Bergstrom, Taylor K. Dinyer, Pasquale J. Succi, Caleb C. Voskuil, Terry J. Housh

Kinesiology and Health Promotion Faculty Publications

The study and application of the critical power (CP) concept has spanned many decades. The CP test provides estimates of two distinct parameters, CP and W′, that describe aerobic and anaerobic metabolic capacities, respectively. Various mathematical models have been used to estimate the CP and W′ parameters across exercise modalities. Recently, the CP model has been applied to dynamic constant external resistance (DCER) exercises. The same hyperbolic relationship that has been established across various continuous, whole-body, dynamic movements has also been demonstrated for upper-, lower-, and whole-body DCER exercises. The asymptote of the load versus repetition relationship is defined as …

Broiler Genetics Influences Proteome Profiles Of Normal And Woody Breast Muscle, Xue Zhang, K. Virellia To, Tessa R. Jarvis, Yan L. Campbell, Jasmine D. Hendrix, Surendranath Suman, Shuting Li, Daniel S. Antonelo, Wei Zhai, Jing Chen, Haining Zhu, M. Wes Schilling

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Wooden or woody breast (WB) is a myopathy of the pectoralis major in fast-growing broilers that influences the quality of breast meat and causes an economic loss in the poultry industry. The objective of this study was to evaluate growth and proteome differences between 5 genetic strains of broilers that yield WB and normal breast (NB) meat. Eight-week-old broilers were evaluated for the WB myopathy and divided into NB and WB groups. Differential expression of proteins was analyzed using 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and LC-MS/MS to elucidate the mechanism behind the breast myopathy because of the genetic …

Metabolomics-Based Analysis Of Miniature Flask Contents Identifies Tobacco Mixture Use Among The Ancient Maya, Mario Zimmermann, Korey J. Brownstein, Luis Pantoja Díaz, Iliana Ancona Aragón, Scott R. Hutson, Barry Kidder, Shannon Tushingham, David R. Gang

Anthropology Faculty Publications

A particular type of miniature ceramic vessel locally known as “veneneras” is occasionally found during archaeological excavations in the Maya Area. To date, only one study of a collection of such containers successfully identified organic residues through coupled chromatography–mass spectrometry methods. That study identified traces of nicotine likely associated with tobacco. Here we present a more complete picture by analyzing a suite of possible complementary ingredients in tobacco mixtures across a collection of 14 miniature vessels. The collection includes four different vessel forms and allows for the comparison of specimens which had previously formed part of museum exhibitions with recently …

Arginase 1 Insufficiency Precipitates Amyloid-Β Deposition And Hastens Behavioral Impairment In A Mouse Model Of Amyloidosis, Chao Ma, Jerry B. Hunt, Maj-Linda B. Selenica, Awa Sanneh, Leslie A. Sandusky-Beltran, Mallory Watler, Rana Daas, Andrii Kovalenko, Huimin Liang, Devon Placides, Chuanhai Cao, Xiaoyang Lin, Michael B. Orr, Bei Zhang, John C. Gensel, David J. Feola, Marcia N. Gordon, Dave Morgan, Paula C. Bickford, Daniel C. Lee

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) includes several hallmarks comprised of amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition, tau neuropathology, inflammation, and memory impairment. Brain metabolism becomes uncoupled due to aging and other AD risk factors, which ultimately lead to impaired protein clearance and aggregation. Increasing evidence indicates a role of arginine metabolism in AD, where arginases are key enzymes in neurons and glia capable of depleting arginine and producing ornithine and polyamines. However, currently, it remains unknown if the reduction of arginase 1 (Arg1) in myeloid cell impacts amyloidosis. Herein, we produced haploinsufficiency of Arg1 by the hemizygous deletion in myeloid cells using Arg1 …

Lat1 Protein Content Increases Following 12 Weeks Of Resistance Exercise Training In Human Skeletal Muscle, Paul A. Roberson, Christopher Brooks Mobley, Matthew A. Romero, Cody T. Haun, Shelby C. Osburn, Petey W. Mumford, Christopher G. Vann, Rory A. Greer, Arny A. Ferrando, Michael D. Roberts

Physiology Faculty Publications

Introduction: Amino acid transporters are essential for cellular amino acid transport and promoting protein synthesis. While previous literature has demonstrated the association of amino acid transporters and protein synthesis following acute resistance exercise and amino acid supplementation, the chronic effect of resistance exercise and supplementation on amino acid transporters is unknown. The purpose herein was to determine if amino acid transporters and amino acid metabolic enzymes were related to skeletal muscle hypertrophy following resistance exercise training with different nutritional supplementation strategies.

Methods: 43 college-aged males were separated into a maltodextrin placebo (PLA, n = 12), leucine (LEU, n = 14), …

Prenatal And Postnatal Nutrition Influence Pancreatic And Intestinal Carbohydrase Activities Of Ruminants, Ronald J. Trotta, Kendall C. Swanson

Animal and Food Sciences Graduate Research

In ruminant livestock species, nutrition can play an important role in the long-term programming of gastrointestinal function. Pancreatic and small intestinal digestive enzymes are important for postruminal digestion of carbohydrates and protein. Carbohydrases have been shown to respond to changes in the level of feed intake and the dietary inclusion of specific nutrients, including arginine, butyrate, folic acid, fructose, and leucine. Understanding how diet influences enzyme development and activity during prenatal and postnatal life could lead to the development of dietary strategies to optimize offspring growth and development to increase digestive efficiency of ruminant livestock species. More research is needed …

The History Of The International Grassland Congress 1927-2020, S. Ray Smith, Vivien G. Allen, Roger Wilkins, Garry D. Lacefield

Plant and Soil Sciences Presentations

Grasslands cover 27% of the world’s land area and 70% of agricultural land. They form an important foundation for agriculture and livestock husbandry and contribute to the livelihoods of more than 800 million people. The International Grassland Congress (IGC) began as a meeting of a small group of forage researchers in Europe in 1927. It has now expanded into a gathering held every 3-5 years with over 1000 delegates from 80+ countries who represent research, extension, and primary production. The newly released IGC history provides not only an overview of the IGC Congress over the last 93 years, but highlights …

Wine Terroir And The Soil Bacteria: An Amplicon Sequencing-Based Assessment Of The Barossa Valley And Its Sub-Regions, Jia Zhou, Timothy R. Cavagnaro, Roberta De Bei, Tiffanie M. Nelson, John R. Stephen, Andrew Metcalfe, Matthew Gilliham, James Breen, Cassandra Collins, Carlos M. Rodríguez López

Horticulture Faculty Publications

A wines’ terroir, represented as wine traits with regional distinctiveness, is a reflection of both the biophysical and human-driven conditions in which the grapes were grown and wine made. Soil is an important factor contributing to the uniqueness of a wine produced by vines grown in specific conditions. Here, we evaluated the impact of environmental variables on the soil bacteria of 22 Barossa Valley vineyard sites based on the 16S rRNA gene hypervariable region 4. In this study, we report that both dispersal isolation by geographic distance and environmental heterogeneity (soil plant-available P content, elevation, rainfall, temperature, spacing between row …

Mitochondria Exert Age-Divergent Effects On Recovery From Spinal Cord Injury, Andrew N. Stewart, Katelyn E. Mcfarlane, Hemendra J. Vekaria, William M. Bailey, Stacey A. Slone, Lauren A. Tranthem, Bei Zhang, Samir P. Patel, Patrick G. Sullivan, John C. Gensel

Physiology Faculty Publications

The extent that age-dependent mitochondrial dysfunction drives neurodegeneration is not well understood. This study tested the hypothesis that mitochondria contribute to spinal cord injury (SCI)-induced neurodegeneration in an age-dependent manner by using 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) to uncouple electron transport, thereby increasing cellular respiration and reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. We directly compared the effects of graded DNP doses in 4- and 14-month-old (MO) SCI-mice and found DNP to have increased efficacy in mitochondria isolated from 14-MO animals. In vivo, all DNP doses significantly exacerbated 4-MO SCI neurodegeneration coincident with worsened recovery. In contrast, low DNP doses (1.0-mg/kg/day) improved tissue …

Intragenic Dna Methylation Regulates Insect Gene Expression And Reproduction Through The Mbd/Tip60 Complex, Guanfeng Xu, Hao Lyu, Yangqin Yi, Yuling Peng, Qili Feng, Qisheng Song, Chengcheng Gong, Xuezhen Peng, Subba Reddy Palli, Sichun Zheng

Entomology Faculty Publications

DNA methylation is an important epigenetic modification. However, the regulations and functions of insect intragenic DNA methylation remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that a regulatory mechanism involving intragenic DNA methylation controls ovarian and embryonic developmental processes in Bombyx mori. In B. mori, DNA methylation is found near the transcription start site (TSS) of ovarian genes. By promoter activity analysis, we observed that 5′ UTR methylation enhances gene expression. Moreover, methyl-DNA-binding domain protein 2/3 (MBD2/3) binds to the intragenic methyl-CpG fragment and recruits acetyltransferase Tip60 to promote histone H3K27 acetylation and gene expression. Additionally, genome-wide analyses showed that the peak …

Composition Of The Metabolomic Bio-Coronas Isolated From Ocimum Sanctum And Rubia Tinctorum, Jasmina Kurepa, Jan A. Smalle

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Objective: Nanoharvesting from intact plants, organs, and cultured cells is a method in which nanoparticles are co-incubated with the target tissue, which leads to the internalization of nanoparticles. Internalized nanoparticles are coated in situ with specific metabolites that form a dynamic surface layer called a bio-corona. Our previous study showed that metabolites that form the bio-corona around anatase TiO₂ nanoparticles incubated with leaves of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana are enriched for flavonoids and lipids. The present study focused on the identification of metabolites isolated by nanoharvesting from two medicinal plants, Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) and Rubia tinctorum (common madder). …

Role Of Lab In Silage Fermentation: Effect On Nutritional Quality And Organic Acid Production—An Overview, Da Hye Kim, Kyung Dong Lee, Ki Choon Choi

Center for Research on Environmental Disease Faculty Publications

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inocula play a key role in the preservation and fermentation of forage crops within inoculated silages. LAB is a significant group of the bacterial community as they successfully reduce pH, inhibit the survival of undesirable microorganisms and control nutrient loss in fermented silage. Ensiled plants and metabolites such as simple plant carbohydrates have been utilized by LAB (homo-fermentative and hetero-fermentative LAB) to initiate the production of organic acids including lactic and acetic acids. LAB as a biological silage additive provides stable feed value and secondary metabolic products during rapid anaerobic primary silage fermentation. They are able …

Effect Of Temperature On Heart Rate For Phaenicia Sericata And Drosophila Melanogaster With Altered Expression Of The Trpa1 Receptors, Nicole T. Marguerite, Jate Bernard, Douglas A. Harrison, David Harris, Robin L. Cooper

Biology Faculty Publications

The transient receptor potential (TrpA—ankyrin) receptor has been linked to pathological conditions in cardiac function in mammals. To better understand the function of the TrpA1 in regulation of the heart, a Drosophila melanogaster model was used to express TrpA1 in heart and body wall muscles. Heartbeat of in intact larvae as well as hearts in situ, devoid of hormonal and neural input, indicate that strong over-expression of TrpA1 in larvae at 30 or 37 °C stopped the heart from beating, but in a diastolic state. Cardiac function recovered upon cooling after short exposure to high temperature. Parental control larvae (UAS-TrpA1) …

Investigation Of Salt Tolerance Mechanisms Across A Root Developmental Gradient In Almond Rootstocks, Yuhang Shao, Yukun Cheng, Hongguang Pang, Mingqin Chang, Fang He, Minmin Wang, Destiny J. Davis, Shuxiao Zhang, Oliver Betz, Chuck Fleck, Tingbo Dai, Shahab Madahhosseini, Thomas E. Wilkop, Judy Jernstedt, Georgia Drakakaki

Physiology Faculty Publications

The intensive use of groundwater in agriculture under the current climate conditions leads to acceleration of soil salinization. Given that almond is a salt-sensitive crop, selection of salt-tolerant rootstocks can help maintain productivity under salinity stress. Selection for tolerant rootstocks at an early growth stage can reduce the investment of time and resources. However, salinity-sensitive markers and salinity tolerance mechanisms of almond species to assist this selection process are largely unknown. We established a microscopy-based approach to investigate mechanisms of stress tolerance in and identified cellular, root anatomical, and molecular traits associated with rootstocks exhibiting salt tolerance. We characterized three …

In Vivo Optical Metabolic Imaging Of Long-Chain Fatty Acid Uptake In Orthotopic Models Of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Megan C. Madonna, Joy E. Duer, Joyce V. Lee, Jeremy Williams, Baris Avsaroglu, Caigang Zhu, Riley Deutsch, Roujia Wang, Brian T. Crouch, Matthew D. Hirschey, Andrei Goga, Nirmala Ramanujam

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Targeting a tumor’s metabolic dependencies is a clinically actionable therapeutic approach; however, identifying subtypes of tumors likely to respond remains difficult. The use of lipids as a nutrient source is of particular importance, especially in breast cancer. Imaging techniques offer the opportunity to quantify nutrient use in preclinical tumor models to guide development of new drugs that restrict uptake or utilization of these nutrients. We describe a fast and dynamic approach to image fatty acid uptake in vivo and demonstrate its relevance to study both tumor metabolic reprogramming directly, as well as the effectiveness of drugs targeting lipid metabolism. Specifically, …

Animal And Plant Protein Oxidation: Chemical And Functional Property Significance, Youling L. Xiong, Anqi Guo

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Protein oxidation, a phenomenon that was not well recognized previously but now better understood, is a complex chemical process occurring ubiquitously in food systems and can be induced by processing treatments as well. While early research concentrated on muscle protein oxidation, later investigations included plant, milk, and egg proteins. The process of protein oxidation involves both radicals and nonradicals, and amino acid side chain groups are usually the site of initial oxidant attack which generates protein carbonyls, disulfide, dityrosine, and protein radicals. The ensuing alteration of protein conformational structures and formation of protein polymers and aggregates can result in significant …

Dual-Functional Phosphorene Nanocomposite Membranes For The Treatment Of Perfluorinated Water: An Investigation Of Perfluorooctanoic Acid Removal Via Filtration Combined With Ultraviolet Irradiation Or Oxygenation, Joyner Eke, Lillian Banks, M. Abdul Mottaleb, Andrew J. Morris, Olga V. Tsyusko, Isabel C. Escobar

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Nanomaterials with tunable properties show promise because of their size-dependent electronic structure and controllable physical properties. The purpose of this research was to develop and validate environmentally safe nanomaterial-based approach for treatment of drinking water including removal and degradation of per- and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFAS). PFAS are surfactant chemicals with broad uses that are now recognized as contaminants with a significant risk to human health. They are commonly used in household and industrial products. They are extremely persistent in the environment because they possess both hydrophobic fluorine-saturated carbon chains and hydrophilic functional groups, along with being oleophobic. Traditional drinking water …

Seed Priming With Phytohormones: An Effective Approach For The Mitigation Of Abiotic Stress, Mohammad Saidur Rhaman, Shahin Imran, Farjana Rauf, Mousumi Khatun, Carol C. Baskin, Yoshiyuki Murata, Mirza Hasanuzzaman

Biology Faculty Publications

Plants are often exposed to abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, heat, cold, and heavy metals that induce complex responses, which result in reduced growth as well as crop yield. Phytohormones are well known for their regulatory role in plant growth and development, and they serve as important chemical messengers, allowing plants to function during exposure to various stresses. Seed priming is a physiological technique involving seed hydration and drying to improve metabolic processes prior to germination, thereby increasing the percentage and rate of germination and improving seedling growth and crop yield under normal and various biotic and abiotic stresses. …

Introduction To Special Issue Of Plant Virus Emergence, Michael M. Goodin, Jeanmarie Verchot

Plant Pathology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Visualizing Barrier Dysfunction Using Clarity, Rachel Robbe

Lewis Honors College Thesis Collection

Epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease are two prevalent neurological disorders. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a factor in why there are no long-term treatments for these diseases. The transporters in the neurovascular unit (NVU), which makes up the BBB, are highly specialized, so most drugs cannot pass the barrier to treat these diseases. It is unknown why drug uptake in the BBB varies in a diseased and wild-type brain, but one theory is that there are spatial differences in the NVU. One method for examining the NVU is the CLARITY tissue clearing technique which is unique in its capability to clear …

Effects Of Sleep Fragmentation On The Progression Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Lindsay Beechem

Lewis Honors College Capstone Collection

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, neuronal death, and profound cognitive impairment. Previous studies have indicated that increased Aβ and alterations in the daily sleep-wake cycle are early risk factors and possible predictors of AD. Acute sleep deprivation decreases Aβ clearance, and increased Aβ levels stimulate neuroinflammation and accelerate loss of neurons and synapses. Likewise, it has been shown that there are higher rates of sleep disorders in AD patients. However, limited studies have investigated whether sleep fragmentation accelerates the progression of AD pathology. This partial review will discuss experiments …

Forage News [2021-01], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

No abstract provided.

An Exploration Of Sleep Fragmentation And Sleep Enhancement In Mice, Frannie Salisbury

Lewis Honors College Capstone Collection

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that is can be defined by amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuronal death. AD patients have characteristically fragmented sleep, with frequent nighttime awakenings and daytime naps. Decreased clearance of Aβ from disrupted sleep may be a contributing factor in the progression of AD. This study investigated how sleep fragmentation effected the progression of AD in 3xTgAD mice. Results showed that sleep fragmented mice had significantly more Aβ build-up in the hippocampus and thus greater progression of AD when compared to control mice. Improving sleep may be one way to reduce the …