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Articles 5101 - 5130 of 6986

Full-Text Articles in Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology

Udp-Glucose Dehydrogenase Polymorphisms From Patients With Congenital Heart Valve Defects Disrupt Enzyme Stability And Quaternary Assembly, Annastasia S. Hyde, Erin L. Farmer, Katherine E. Easley, Kristy Van Lammeren, Vincent M. Christoffels, Joseph J. Barycki, Jeroen Bakkers, Melanie A. Simpson Jan 2012

Udp-Glucose Dehydrogenase Polymorphisms From Patients With Congenital Heart Valve Defects Disrupt Enzyme Stability And Quaternary Assembly, Annastasia S. Hyde, Erin L. Farmer, Katherine E. Easley, Kristy Van Lammeren, Vincent M. Christoffels, Joseph J. Barycki, Jeroen Bakkers, Melanie A. Simpson

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Background: UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (UGDH) polymorphisms were identified in a screen of candidate genes for heart valve defects.

Results: Two individual mutants fail to rescue cardiac valve defects in UGDH-deleted zebrafish and have reduced stability in vitro.

Conclusion: UGDH loss of function mutations result in a subset of human congenital cardiac valve defects caused by reduced enzyme activity during morphogenesis.

Significance: Screening these alleles could predict valve defects.


Genome, Functional Gene Annotation, And Nuclear Transformation Of The Heterokont Oleaginous Alga Nannochloropsis Oceanica Ccmp1779, Astrid Vieler, Guangxi Wu, Chia-Hong Tsai, Blair Bullard, Adam J. Cornish, Christopher Harvey, Ida-Barbara Reca, Chelsea Thornburg, Rujira Achawanantakun, Christopher J. Buehl, Michael S. Campbell, David Cavalier, Kevin L. Childs, Teresa J. Clark, Rahul Deshpande, Erika Erickson, Ann Armenia Ferguson, Witawas Handee, Que Kong, Xiaobo Li, Bensheng Liu, Steven Lundback, Cheng Peng, Rebecca Roston, Michigan State University, Jeffrey P. Simpson, Allan Terbush, Jaruswan Warakanont, Simone Zäuner, Eva M. Farre, Eric L. Hegg, Ning Jiang, Min-Hao Kuo, Yan Lu, Krishna K. Niyogi, John Ohlrogge, Katherine W. Osteryoung, Yair Shachar-Hill, Barbara B. Sears, Yanni Sun, Hideki Takahashi, Mark Yandell, Shin-Han Shiu, Christoph Benning Jan 2012

Genome, Functional Gene Annotation, And Nuclear Transformation Of The Heterokont Oleaginous Alga Nannochloropsis Oceanica Ccmp1779, Astrid Vieler, Guangxi Wu, Chia-Hong Tsai, Blair Bullard, Adam J. Cornish, Christopher Harvey, Ida-Barbara Reca, Chelsea Thornburg, Rujira Achawanantakun, Christopher J. Buehl, Michael S. Campbell, David Cavalier, Kevin L. Childs, Teresa J. Clark, Rahul Deshpande, Erika Erickson, Ann Armenia Ferguson, Witawas Handee, Que Kong, Xiaobo Li, Bensheng Liu, Steven Lundback, Cheng Peng, Rebecca Roston, Michigan State University, Jeffrey P. Simpson, Allan Terbush, Jaruswan Warakanont, Simone Zäuner, Eva M. Farre, Eric L. Hegg, Ning Jiang, Min-Hao Kuo, Yan Lu, Krishna K. Niyogi, John Ohlrogge, Katherine W. Osteryoung, Yair Shachar-Hill, Barbara B. Sears, Yanni Sun, Hideki Takahashi, Mark Yandell, Shin-Han Shiu, Christoph Benning

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Unicellular marine algae have promise for providing sustainable and scalable biofuel feedstocks, although no single species has emerged as a preferred organism. Moreover, adequate molecular and genetic resources prerequisite for the rational engineering of marine algal feedstocks are lacking for most candidate species. Heterokonts of the genus Nannochloropsis naturally have high cellular oil content and are already in use for industrial production of high-value lipid products. First success in applying reverse genetics by targeted gene replacement makes Nannochloropsis oceanica an attractive model to investigate the cell and molecular biology and biochemistry of this fascinating organism group. Here we present the …


Cellular Responses Of Candida Albicans To Phagocytosis And The Extracellular Activities Of Neutrophils Are Critical To Counteract Carbohydrate Starvation, Oxidative And Nitrosative Stress, Pedro Miramón, Christine Dunker, Hanna Windecker, Iryna Bohovych, Alistair J.P. Brown, Oliver Kurzai, Bernhard Hube Jan 2012

Cellular Responses Of Candida Albicans To Phagocytosis And The Extracellular Activities Of Neutrophils Are Critical To Counteract Carbohydrate Starvation, Oxidative And Nitrosative Stress, Pedro Miramón, Christine Dunker, Hanna Windecker, Iryna Bohovych, Alistair J.P. Brown, Oliver Kurzai, Bernhard Hube

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Neutrophils are key players during Candida albicans infection. However, the relative contributions of neutrophil activities to fungal clearance and the relative importance of the fungal responses that counteract these activities remain unclear. We studied the contributions of the intra- and extracellular antifungal activities of human neutrophils using diagnostic Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)-marked C. albicans strains. We found that a carbohydrate starvation response, as indicated by upregulation of glyoxylate cycle genes, was only induced upon phagocytosis of the fungus. Similarly, the nitrosative stress response was only observed in internalised fungal cells. In contrast, the response to oxidative stress was observed in …


Small But Crucial: The Novel Small Heat Shock Protein Hsp21 Mediates Stress Adaptation And Virulence In Candida Albicans, Francois L. Mayer, Duncan Wilson, Ilse D. Jacobsen, Pedro Miramón, Silvia Slesiona, Iryna Bohovych, Alistair J.P. Brown, Bernhard Hube Jan 2012

Small But Crucial: The Novel Small Heat Shock Protein Hsp21 Mediates Stress Adaptation And Virulence In Candida Albicans, Francois L. Mayer, Duncan Wilson, Ilse D. Jacobsen, Pedro Miramón, Silvia Slesiona, Iryna Bohovych, Alistair J.P. Brown, Bernhard Hube

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) have multiple cellular functions. However, the biological function of sHsps in pathogenic microorganisms is largely unknown. In the present study we identified and characterized the novel sHsp Hsp21 of the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Using a reverse genetics approach we demonstrate the importance of Hsp21 for resistance of C. albicans to specific stresses, including thermal and oxidative stress. Furthermore, a hsp21∆/∆ mutant was defective in invasive growth and formed significantly shorter filaments compared to the wild type under various filamentinducing conditions. Although adhesion to and invasion into human-derived endothelial and oral epithelial cells …


Oligomerization Of Heme O Synthase In Cytochrome Oxidase Biogenesis Is Mediated By Cytochrome Oxidase Assembly Factor Coa2, Oleh Khalimonchuk, Hyung Kim, Talina Watts, Xochitl Perez-Martinez, Dennis R. Winge Jan 2012

Oligomerization Of Heme O Synthase In Cytochrome Oxidase Biogenesis Is Mediated By Cytochrome Oxidase Assembly Factor Coa2, Oleh Khalimonchuk, Hyung Kim, Talina Watts, Xochitl Perez-Martinez, Dennis R. Winge

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

The synthesis of the heme a cofactor used in cytochrome c

oxidase (CcO) is dependent on the sequential action of heme o

synthase (Cox10) and heme a synthase (Cox15). The active state of

Cox10 appears to be a homo-oligomeric complex,andformation of

this complex is dependent on the newly synthesized CcO subunit

Cox1 and the presence of an early Cox1 assembly intermediate.

Cox10 multimerization is triggered by progression of Cox1 from

the early assembly intermediate todownstreamintermediates.The

CcOassembly factor Coa2 appears important in coupling the presence

of newly synthesized Cox1 to Cox10 oligomerization. Cells

lacking Coa2 are impaired in Cox10 complex formation …


Selective Oma1 Protease-Mediated Proteolysis Of Cox1 Subunit Of Cytochrome Oxidase In Assembly Mutants, Oleh Khalimonchuk, Mi-Young Jeong, Talina Watts, Elliott Ferris, Dennis R. Winge Jan 2012

Selective Oma1 Protease-Mediated Proteolysis Of Cox1 Subunit Of Cytochrome Oxidase In Assembly Mutants, Oleh Khalimonchuk, Mi-Young Jeong, Talina Watts, Elliott Ferris, Dennis R. Winge

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Background: Yeast lacking Coa2 are deficient in cytochrome c oxidase due to Cox1 degradation.

Results: Oma1 mediates Cox1 degradation in coa2∆ cells but not other mutants stalled in oxidase biogenesis.

Conclusion: Impaired hemylation of Cox1 in coa2∆ cells leads to misfolding and facile degradation by Oma1.

Significance: Oma1 functions in quality control of cytochrome oxidase assembly.


The Evolutionary Rewiring Of Ubiquitination Targets Has Reprogrammed The Regulation Of Carbon Assimilation In The Pathogenic Yeast Candida Albicans, Doblin Sandai, Zhikang Yin, Laura Selway, David Stead, Janet Walker, Michelle D. Leach, Iryna Bohovych, Iuliana V. Ene, Stavroula Kastora, Susan Budge, Carol A. Munro, Frank C. Odds, Neil A.R. Gow, Alistair J.P. Brown Jan 2012

The Evolutionary Rewiring Of Ubiquitination Targets Has Reprogrammed The Regulation Of Carbon Assimilation In The Pathogenic Yeast Candida Albicans, Doblin Sandai, Zhikang Yin, Laura Selway, David Stead, Janet Walker, Michelle D. Leach, Iryna Bohovych, Iuliana V. Ene, Stavroula Kastora, Susan Budge, Carol A. Munro, Frank C. Odds, Neil A.R. Gow, Alistair J.P. Brown

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Microbes must assimilate carbon to grow and colonize their niches. Transcript profiling has suggested that Candida albicans, a major pathogen of humans, regulates its carbon assimilation in an analogous fashion to the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, repressing metabolic pathways required for the use of alterative nonpreferred carbon sources when sugars are available. However, we show that there is significant dislocation between the proteome and transcriptome in C. albicans. Glucose triggers the degradation of the ICL1 and PCK1 transcripts in C. albicans, yet isocitrate lyase (Icl1) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (Pck1) are stable and are retained. Indeed, numerous …


Role Of Apoptosis-Inducing Factor, Proline Dehydrogenase, And Nadph Oxidase In Apoptosis And Oxidative Stress, Sathish Kumar Natarajan, Donald F. Becker Jan 2012

Role Of Apoptosis-Inducing Factor, Proline Dehydrogenase, And Nadph Oxidase In Apoptosis And Oxidative Stress, Sathish Kumar Natarajan, Donald F. Becker

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Flavoproteins catalyze a variety of reactions utilizing flavin mononucleotide or flavin adenine dinucleotide as cofactors. The oxidoreductase properties of flavoenzymes implicate them in redox homeostasis, oxidative stress, and various cellular processes, including programmed cell death. Here we explore three critical flavoproteins involved in apoptosis and redox signaling, ie, apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), proline dehydrogenase, and NADPH oxidase. These proteins have diverse biochemical functions and influence apoptotic signaling by unique mechanisms. The role of AIF in apoptotic signaling is two-fold, with AIF changing intracellular location from the inner mitochondrial membrane space to the nucleus upon exposure of cells to apoptotic stimuli. In …


Late-Stage Maturation Of The Rieske Fe/S Protein: Mzm1 Stabilizes Rip1 But Does Not Facilitate Its Translocation By The Aaa Atpase Bcs1, Tie-Zhong Cui, Pamela M. Smith, Jennifer L. Fox, Oleh Khalimonchuk, Dennis R. Winge Jan 2012

Late-Stage Maturation Of The Rieske Fe/S Protein: Mzm1 Stabilizes Rip1 But Does Not Facilitate Its Translocation By The Aaa Atpase Bcs1, Tie-Zhong Cui, Pamela M. Smith, Jennifer L. Fox, Oleh Khalimonchuk, Dennis R. Winge

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

The final step in the assembly of the ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase or bc1 complex involves the insertion of the Rieske Fe/S cluster protein, Rip1. Maturation of Rip1 occurs within the mitochondrial matrix prior to its translocation across the inner membrane (IM) in a process mediated by the Bcs1 ATPase and subsequent insertion into the bc1 complex. Here we show that the matrix protein Mzm1 functions as a Rip1 chaperone, stabilizing Rip1 prior to the translocation step. In the absence of Mzm1, Rip1 is prone to either proteolytic degradation or temperature-induced aggregation. A series of Rip1 truncations were engineered …


Substrate Channeling In Proline Metabolism, Benjamin W. Arentson, Nikhilesh Sanyal, Donald F. Becker Jan 2012

Substrate Channeling In Proline Metabolism, Benjamin W. Arentson, Nikhilesh Sanyal, Donald F. Becker

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Proline metabolism is an important pathway that has relevance in several cellular functions such as redox balance, apoptosis, and cell survival. Results from different groups have indicated that substrate channeling of proline metabolic intermediates may be a critical mechanism. One intermediate is pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C), which upon hydrolysis opens to glutamic semialdehyde (GSA). Recent structural and kinetic evidence indicate substrate channeling of P5C/ GSA occurs in the proline catabolic pathway between the proline dehydrogenase and P5C dehydrogenase active sites of bifunctional proline utilization A (PutA). Substrate channeling in PutA is proposed to facilitate the hydrolysis of P5C to GSA which is …


Glutaredoxin 1 Protects Dopaminergic Cells By Increased Protein Glutathionylation In Experimental Parkinson's Disease, Humberto Rodriguez-Rocha, Aracely Garcia Garcia, Laura Zavala-Flores, Sumin Li, Nandakumar Madayiputhiya, Rodrigo Franco Jan 2012

Glutaredoxin 1 Protects Dopaminergic Cells By Increased Protein Glutathionylation In Experimental Parkinson's Disease, Humberto Rodriguez-Rocha, Aracely Garcia Garcia, Laura Zavala-Flores, Sumin Li, Nandakumar Madayiputhiya, Rodrigo Franco

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Aims: Chronic exposure to environmental toxicants, such as paraquat, has been suggested as a risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD). Although dopaminergic cell death in PD is associated with oxidative damage, the molecular mechanisms involved remain elusive. Glutaredoxins (GRXs) utilize the reducing power of glutathione to modulate redox-dependent signaling pathways by protein glutathionylation. We aimed to determine the role of GRX1 and protein glutathionylation in dopaminergic cell death. Results: In dopaminergic cells, toxicity induced by paraquat or 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was inhibited by GRX1 overexpression, while its knock-down sensitized cells to paraquat-induced cell death. Dopaminergic cell death was paralleled by protein …


Ergodic Sets As Cell Phenotype Of Budding Yeast Cell Cycle, Robert G. Todd, Tomáš Helikar Jan 2012

Ergodic Sets As Cell Phenotype Of Budding Yeast Cell Cycle, Robert G. Todd, Tomáš Helikar

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

It has been suggested that irreducible sets of states in Probabilistic Boolean Networks correspond to cellular phenotype. In this study, we identify such sets of states for each phase of the budding yeast cell cycle. We find that these ‘‘ergodic sets’’ underly the cyclin activity levels during each phase of the cell cycle. Our results compare to the observations made in several laboratory experiments as well as the results of differential equation models. Dynamical studies of this model: (i) indicate that under stochastic external signals the continuous oscillating waves of cyclin activity and the opposing waves of CKIs …


The Cell Collective: Toward An Open And Collaborative Approach To Systems Biology, Tomáš Helikar, Bryan Kowal, Sean Mcclenathan, Mitchell Bruckner, Thaine Rowley, Alex Madrahimov, Ben Wicks, Manish Shrestha, Kahani Limbu, Jim A. Rogers Jan 2012

The Cell Collective: Toward An Open And Collaborative Approach To Systems Biology, Tomáš Helikar, Bryan Kowal, Sean Mcclenathan, Mitchell Bruckner, Thaine Rowley, Alex Madrahimov, Ben Wicks, Manish Shrestha, Kahani Limbu, Jim A. Rogers

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Background: Despite decades of new discoveries in biomedical research, the overwhelming complexity of cells has been a significant barrier to a fundamental understanding of how cells work as a whole. As such, the holistic study of biochemical pathways requires computer modeling. Due to the complexity of cells, it is not feasible for one person or group to model the cell in its entirety.

Results: The Cell Collective is a platform that allows the world-wide scientific community to create these models collectively. Its interface enables users to build and use models without specifying any mathematical equations or computer code - addressing …


A Framework Genetic Map For Miscanthus Sinensis From Rnaseq-Based Markers Shows Recent Tetraploidy, Kankshita Swaminathan, Won Byoung Chae, Therese Mitros, Kranthi Varala, Liang Xie, Adam Barling, Katarzyna Glowacka, Megan Hall, Stanislaw Jezowski, Ray Ming, Matthew Hudson, John A. Juvik, Daniel S. Rokhsar, Stephen P. Moose Jan 2012

A Framework Genetic Map For Miscanthus Sinensis From Rnaseq-Based Markers Shows Recent Tetraploidy, Kankshita Swaminathan, Won Byoung Chae, Therese Mitros, Kranthi Varala, Liang Xie, Adam Barling, Katarzyna Glowacka, Megan Hall, Stanislaw Jezowski, Ray Ming, Matthew Hudson, John A. Juvik, Daniel S. Rokhsar, Stephen P. Moose

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Background: Miscanthus (subtribe Saccharinae, tribe Andropogoneae, family Poaceae) is a genus of temperate perennial C4 grasses whose high biomass production makes it, along with its close relatives sugarcane and sorghum, attractive as a biofuel feedstock. The base chromosome number of Miscanthus (x = 19) is different from that of other Saccharinae and approximately twice that of the related Sorghum bicolor (x = 10), suggesting largescale duplications may have occurred in recent ancestors of Miscanthus. Owing to the complexity of the Miscanthus genome and the complications of self-incompatibility, a complete genetic map with a high density of markers has not …


Enantioselective Demethylation: The Key To The Nornicotine Enantiomeric Composition In Tobacco Leaf, Bin Cai Jan 2012

Enantioselective Demethylation: The Key To The Nornicotine Enantiomeric Composition In Tobacco Leaf, Bin Cai

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Nicotine and nornicotine are the two main alkaloids that accumulate in Nicotiana tabacum L. (tobacco), and nornicotine is the N-demethylation metabolite of nicotine. Nicotine is synthesized in the root, and probably primarily in the root tip. Both nicotine and nornicotine exist as two isomers that differ from each other by the orientation of H atom at the C-2' position on the pyrrolidine ring. (S)-nicotine is the dominant form in tobacco leaf and the enantiomer fraction of nicotine (EFnic), the fraction of (R)-enantiomer over the total nicotine, is approximately 0.002. Despite considerable efforts to elucidate nicotine and nornicotine …


Combretazet-3 A Novel Synthetic Cis-Stable Combretastatin-A4-Azetidinone Hybrid With Enhanced Stabilityand Therapeutic Efficacy In Colon Cancer, Lisa M. Greene, Shu Wang, Niamh O'Boyle, Sandra A. Bright, Jane E. Reid, Patrick Kelly, Mary J. Meegan, Daniela M. Zisterer Jan 2012

Combretazet-3 A Novel Synthetic Cis-Stable Combretastatin-A4-Azetidinone Hybrid With Enhanced Stabilityand Therapeutic Efficacy In Colon Cancer, Lisa M. Greene, Shu Wang, Niamh O'Boyle, Sandra A. Bright, Jane E. Reid, Patrick Kelly, Mary J. Meegan, Daniela M. Zisterer

Articles

In recent years an extensive series of synthetic combretastatin A-4 (CA-4)-azetidinone (β-lactam) hybrids were designed and synthesised with a view to improve the stability, therapeutic efficacy and aqueous solubility of CA-4. Lead compounds containing a 3,4,5-trimethoxy aromatic ring at position 1 and a variety of substitution patterns at positions 3 and 4 of the β-lactam ring were screened in three adenocarcinoma-derived colon cancer cell lines (CT-26, Caco-2 and the CA-4 resistant cell line, HT-29). In both CT-26 and Caco-2 cells all β-lactam analogues analysed displayed potent therapeutic efficacy within the nanomolar range. Substitution of the ethylene bridge of CA-4 with …


Integrated Assessment Of Anthropogenic, Climate, And Policy Induced Changes Of Phosphorus Export In The United States Laurentian Great Lakes Watersheds, Meredith Ballard Labeau Jan 2012

Integrated Assessment Of Anthropogenic, Climate, And Policy Induced Changes Of Phosphorus Export In The United States Laurentian Great Lakes Watersheds, Meredith Ballard Labeau

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Anthropogenic activities have increased phosphorus (P) loading in tributaries to the Laurentian Great Lakes resulting in eutrophication in small bays to most notably, Lake Erie. Changes to surface water quality from P loading have resulted in billions of dollars in damage and threaten the health of the world’s largest freshwater resource. To understand the factors affecting P delivery with projected increasing urban lands and biofuels expansion, two spatially explicit models were coupled. The coupled models predict that the majority of the basin will experience a significant increase in urban area P sources while the agriculture intensity and forest sources of …


Investigations Into Modulation Of Brain Oxidative Stress By Various Interventions, Jessica Lynn Harris Jan 2012

Investigations Into Modulation Of Brain Oxidative Stress By Various Interventions, Jessica Lynn Harris

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

In this thesis study we examined glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and its effects over Nrf2 and Pin 1 as it relates to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). AD is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by a prolonged high oxidative environment. Transcription factor Nrf2 is vital in the brain’s defense against oxidative insults through its up-regulation of over 100 antioxidants. Depletion of the brain’s antioxidant defense system results in intolerance to an oxidative environment, contributing to the progression of AD. The regulatory Pin 1 protein promotes cellular homeostasis, and when down-regulated results in increased deposits of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques, the …


Bifunctional Bisphosphonates For Delivering Biomolecules To Bone, Jivan N. Yewle Jan 2012

Bifunctional Bisphosphonates For Delivering Biomolecules To Bone, Jivan N. Yewle

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Active targeting with controlled delivery of therapeutic agents to bone is an ideal approach for treatment of several bone diseases. Since bisphosphonates (BPs) are known to have high affinity to bone mineral and are being widely used in treatment of osteoporosis, they are well-suited for drug targeting to bone. For this purpose, bifunctional hydrazine-bisphosphonates (HBPs) with spacers of various lengths and lipophilicity were synthesized and studied. Crystal growth inhibition assays demonstrated that the HBPs with shorter spacers bound more strongly to bone mineral, hydroxyapatite (HA), than did alendronate. HBPs were also demonstrated to be non-toxic to MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts. The targeted …


Design, Synthesis, And Anticancer Activity Of Ruthenium Complexes, Brock S. Howerton Jan 2012

Design, Synthesis, And Anticancer Activity Of Ruthenium Complexes, Brock S. Howerton

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Ruthenium complexes show promise as light activated photodynamic therapy (PDT) prodrugs. Strained octahedral complexes were synthesized that produce a cytotoxic species upon light activation. pUC19 DNA damage in vitro experiments were carried out to determine the type of damage observed. In vivo cell experiments were carried out on the non-small lung cancer A549 cell line to determine the phototherapeutic window of the synthesized complexes. One mechanism of drug resistance via elevated levels of glutathione was addressed through in vitro binding studies carried out with UV-Vis spectroscopy and in vivo glutathione titrations in the A549 cell line. Several complexes were shown …


Interfamily Variation In Amphibian Early Life-History Traits: Raw Material For Natural Selection?, Gareth R. Hopkins, Brian G. Gall, Susannah S. French, Edmund D. Brodie Jr. Jan 2012

Interfamily Variation In Amphibian Early Life-History Traits: Raw Material For Natural Selection?, Gareth R. Hopkins, Brian G. Gall, Susannah S. French, Edmund D. Brodie Jr.

Biology Faculty Publications

The embryonic development and time to hatching of eggs can be highly adaptive in some species, and thus under selective pressure. In this study, we examined the underlying interfamily variation in hatching timing and embryonic development in a population of an oviparous amphibian, the rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa). We found significant, high variability in degree of embryonic development and hatching timing among eggs from different females. Patterns of variation were present regardless of temperature.We also could not explain the differences among families by morphological traits of the females or their eggs. This study suggests that the variation necessary for natural …


Signals From Intraventricular Depth Electrodes Can Control A Brain-Computer Interface, Jerry J. Shih, Dean J. Krusienski Jan 2012

Signals From Intraventricular Depth Electrodes Can Control A Brain-Computer Interface, Jerry J. Shih, Dean J. Krusienski

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

A Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) is a device that enables severely disabled people to communicate and interact with their environments using their brain waves. Most research investigating BCI in humans have used scalp-recorded electroencephalography (EEG). We have recently demonstrated that signals from intracranial electrocorticography (ECoG) and stereotactic depth electrodes (SDE) in the hippocampus can be used to control a BCI P300 Speller paradigm. We report a case in which stereotactic depth electrodes positioned in the ventricle were able to obtain viable signals for a BCI. Our results demonstrate that event-related potentials from intraventricular electrodes can be used to reliably control the …


Molecular Characterization And Tissue-Specific Gene Expression Of Dermacentor Variabilis Α-Catenin In Response To Rickettsial Infection, Piyanate Sunyakumthorn, Natthida Petchampai, Michael T. Kearney, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Kevin R. Macaluso Jan 2012

Molecular Characterization And Tissue-Specific Gene Expression Of Dermacentor Variabilis Α-Catenin In Response To Rickettsial Infection, Piyanate Sunyakumthorn, Natthida Petchampai, Michael T. Kearney, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Kevin R. Macaluso

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Alpha catenin is a cytoskeleton protein that acts as a regulator of actin rearrangement by forming an E-cadherin adhesion complex. In Dermacentor variabilis, a putative α-catenin (Dvα-catenin) was previously identified as differentially regulated in ovaries of ticks chronically infected with Rickettsia montanensis. To begin characterizing the role(s) of Dvα-catenin during rickettsial infection, the full-length Dvα-catenin cDNA was cloned and analysed. Comparative sequence analysis demonstrates a 3069-bp cDNA with a 2718-bp open reading frame with a sequence similar to Ixodes scapularis α-catenin. A portion of Dvα-catenin is homologous to the vinculin-conserved domain containing a putative …


Development Of An In-Cell Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Technique To Study Protein Structure Inside Living Cells, Victoria Lynn Murray Jan 2012

Development Of An In-Cell Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Technique To Study Protein Structure Inside Living Cells, Victoria Lynn Murray

Wayne State University Dissertations

The goal of my thesis is to develop an in-cell fluorescence technique that allows for measurement of the distances between fluorescence acceptors and donors within a protein or between two proteins inside the correct intracellular compartment of living cells. The successful achievement of this goal will allow us to obtain high-resolution structural information from a protein, one key step towards high-resolution structural biology of proteins inside the living cell.

To achieve this goal, we will apply the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technique to the specifically labeled proteins inside the cells. Our rationale is to specifically label the protein(s) of …


Stable Carbon Isotope Discrimination By Rubisco Enzymes Relevant To The Global Carbon Cycle, Amanda J. Boller Jan 2012

Stable Carbon Isotope Discrimination By Rubisco Enzymes Relevant To The Global Carbon Cycle, Amanda J. Boller

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Five different forms of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO; IA, IB, IC, ID, II), the carboxylase of the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle (CBB), are utilized by plants, algae and autotrophic bacteria for carbon fixation. Discrimination against 13C by RubisCO is a major factor dictating the stable carbon isotopic composition (δ13C = {[13C/12C sample/13C/12C standard] - 1} X 1000) of biomass. To date, isotope discrimination, expressed as ε values (={[12k/13k] - 1} X 1000; 12k and 13k …


Lipid Raft Formation And Peptide-Lipid Interactions In Myelin Model Membranes, Ashtina R. Appadu Jan 2012

Lipid Raft Formation And Peptide-Lipid Interactions In Myelin Model Membranes, Ashtina R. Appadu

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Multiple sclerosis (MS), a demyelinating disease affecting 75,000 Canadians and almost 400,000 Americans, is one of the most prevalent diseases in young adults. Unfortunately, there exist no known cures to date and the pathways involved in the progression of the disease remain relatively obscure. The demyelination process triggered by the onset of MS, affects the lipid composition of the myelin membrane and causes a loss in viable myelin which can in turn greatly impact the proper functioning of the central nervous system (CNS). The cholesterol content of myelin fluctuates during MS and consequently this could affect the fluidity as well …


Proteomic Analysis Of The Highly Detergent Resistant Radial Component Of Myelin, Vatsal M. Patel Jan 2012

Proteomic Analysis Of The Highly Detergent Resistant Radial Component Of Myelin, Vatsal M. Patel

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The wrapping of multiple layers of myelin membrane sheets around an axon plays an important role in normal neuronal function. In the central nervous system (CNS), oligodendrocytes are responsible for forming multiple myelin internodes which consist of lipids and proteins. Within these regions, there are various membrane microdomains including the radial component/tight junctions. The radial component is a junctional complex believed to stabilize the myelin membranes in the CNS myelin. In this study, the radial component from bovine and mouse myelin was isolated using differential detergent extraction. A highly detergent resistant fraction, containing previously identified proteins of the radial component …


Spontaneous Cooperative Assembly Of Replicative Catalytic Rna Systems, Nilesh Vaidya Jan 2012

Spontaneous Cooperative Assembly Of Replicative Catalytic Rna Systems, Nilesh Vaidya

Dissertations and Theses

The RNA World hypothesis proposes a period of time during the origins of life in which RNA molecules were the only source of both genotypes and phenotypes. Although a vast amount of evidence has been obtained in support of this hypothesis, a few critical demonstrations are lacking. A most crucial one is a demonstration of self-replication of RNA molecule from prebiotic soup. Previously in the Lehman laboratory, it has been demonstrated that a 198-nucleotide molecule derived from the Azoarcus group I intron can self-assemble from up to four fragments of RNA via recombination. Furthermore, the covalent full-length molecules are catalytically …


Design And Synthesis Of Cationic Steroid Antimicrobial Compounds, Synthesis Of Glycolipids Recognized By Natural Killer T Cells And Development Of Tlr-1, Tlr-6 Heterodimer Binders And Studies Of Their Immunology Activities, Yanshu Feng Dec 2011

Design And Synthesis Of Cationic Steroid Antimicrobial Compounds, Synthesis Of Glycolipids Recognized By Natural Killer T Cells And Development Of Tlr-1, Tlr-6 Heterodimer Binders And Studies Of Their Immunology Activities, Yanshu Feng

Theses and Dissertations

Cationic steroid antimicrobial agents (CSAs) are a family of bile acid derivatives. These compounds are amphiphilic and mimic endogenous antimicrobial peptides. The antimicrobial activities of CSA-13 have been investigated and due to portent bactericidal activities and low toxicity, a large amount of CSA-13 is demanded for clinic trails and other antimicrobial applications. During our studies, we optimized the synthetic route of CSA-13, so that it can be prepared at the kilogram, even in tons scale. We investigated three routes and one of them is suitable for industry, because only recrystallization is needed in the synthesis. Natural killer T cells (NKT …


Synthesis Of Resveratrol Esters And Aliphatic Acids., Stanley Mofor Jing Dec 2011

Synthesis Of Resveratrol Esters And Aliphatic Acids., Stanley Mofor Jing

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Resveratrol (RV) is a naturally occurring phytoalexin of the stilbenoid family produced by some plant species, and present in grape skin, peanuts, and red wine. It has been found to exhibit anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-aging, cardio protective, and anti-oxidant properties. Bioavailability is a huge setback that limits the potentials of RV. As a result, efforts have been made to design and synthesize RV esters and aliphatic acids in an attempt to increase its bioavailability, solubility in water, and possibly improving its biological activities. Resveratrol esters, 3,5,4'-triacetyloxystilbene (2) and Methyl 1,1',1''- (3,4',5-stilbenyl)-1,6-hexanedioate (3) have been synthesized. Compound 3 is a new …