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Articles 1051 - 1080 of 2133

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

Characterizing The Recognition Motif And Novel Substrates Of Carm1, Sitaram Gayatri Jul 2018

Characterizing The Recognition Motif And Novel Substrates Of Carm1, Sitaram Gayatri

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

A limited pool of proteins attains vast functional repertoire due to posttranslational modifications (PTMs). Arginine methylation is a common posttranslational modification, which is catalyzed by a family of nine protein arginine methyltransferases or PRMTs. These enzymes deposit one or two methyl groups to the nitrogen atoms of arginine side-chains. Elucidating the substrate specificity of each PRMT will promote a better understanding of which signaling networks these enzymes contribute to. Although many PRMT substrates have been identified, and their methylation sites mapped, the optimal target motif for each of the nine PRMTs has not been systematically addressed. Here we describe the …


Exploring The Role Of Rna Polymerase Iii Complex Assembly On Ribosomal Dna Silencing In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Kyle Thomas Kern Jun 2018

Exploring The Role Of Rna Polymerase Iii Complex Assembly On Ribosomal Dna Silencing In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Kyle Thomas Kern

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The yeast rDNA region is host to a number of transcriptional regulatory elements, which work in conjunction to generate essential RNA subunits of ribosomes, as well as protecting the region from DNA damage. The role of RNA polymerase III complex binding at the 5S gene on rDNA silencing in the NTS2 region was investigated, both by use of a TY1:MET15 reporter insert and a MET15 gene integration at an endogenous SphI site. It was discovered that Pol III complexes do have an effect on reporter expression in the NTS2 region, though the specific effect was different based on the method …


Snf1 Cooperates With The Cwi Mapk Pathway To Mediate The Degradation Of Med13 Following Oxidative Stress, Stephen D Willis, David C Stieg, Kai Li Ong, Ravina Shah, Alexandra K. Strich, Julianne H Grose, Katrina F Cooper Jun 2018

Snf1 Cooperates With The Cwi Mapk Pathway To Mediate The Degradation Of Med13 Following Oxidative Stress, Stephen D Willis, David C Stieg, Kai Li Ong, Ravina Shah, Alexandra K. Strich, Julianne H Grose, Katrina F Cooper

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Eukaryotic cells, when faced with unfavorable environmental conditions, mount either pro-survival or pro-death programs. The conserved cyclin C-Cdk8 kinase plays a key role in this decision. Both are members of the Cdk8 kinase module that, along with Med12 and Med13, associate with the core Mediator complex of RNA polymerase II. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, oxidative stress triggers Med13 destruction, which releases cyclin C into the cytoplasm to promote mitochondrial fission and programmed cell death. The SCFGrr1 ubiquitin ligase mediates Med13 degradation dependent on the cell wall integrity pathway, MAPK Slt2. Here we show that the AMP kinase Snf1 activates a second …


Aβ42 Protofibrils Interact With, And Are Trafficked Through, Microglial-Derived Microvesicles, Lisa Gouwens, Mudar Ismail, Victoria Rogers, Nathan Zeller, Evan Garrad, Fatima Amtashar, Nyasha Makoni, David Osborn, Michael Nichols Jun 2018

Aβ42 Protofibrils Interact With, And Are Trafficked Through, Microglial-Derived Microvesicles, Lisa Gouwens, Mudar Ismail, Victoria Rogers, Nathan Zeller, Evan Garrad, Fatima Amtashar, Nyasha Makoni, David Osborn, Michael Nichols

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Works

Microvesicles (MVs) and exosomes comprise a class of cell-secreted particles termed extracellular vesicles (EVs). These cargo-holding vesicles mediate cell-to-cell communication and have recently been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The two types of EVs are distinguished by the mechanism of cell release and their size, with the smaller exosomes and the larger MVs ranging from 30 to 100 nm and 100 nm to 1 μm in diameter, respectively. MV numbers are increased in AD and appear to interact with amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), the primary protein component of the neuritic plaques in the AD brain. Because microglial …


Mapping Molecular Datasets Back To The Brain Regions They Are Extracted From: Remembering The Native Countries Of Hypothalamic Expatriates And Refugees, Arshad Khan, Alice Grant, Anais Martinez, Gully Burns, Brendan Thatcher, Vishwanath Anekonda, Benjamin Thompson, Zachary Roberts, Daniel Moralejo, James Blevins Jun 2018

Mapping Molecular Datasets Back To The Brain Regions They Are Extracted From: Remembering The Native Countries Of Hypothalamic Expatriates And Refugees, Arshad Khan, Alice Grant, Anais Martinez, Gully Burns, Brendan Thatcher, Vishwanath Anekonda, Benjamin Thompson, Zachary Roberts, Daniel Moralejo, James Blevins

Selected Works Temporary Series

This article, which includes novel unpublished data along with commentary and analysis,focuses on approaches to link transcriptomic, proteomic, and peptidomic datasets mined frombrain tissue to the original locations within the brain that they are derived from using digital atlasmapping techniques. We use, as an example, the transcriptomic, proteomic and peptidomicanalyses conducted in the mammalian hypothalamus. Following a brief historical overview, wehighlight studies that have mined biochemical and molecular information from the hypothalamusand then lay out a strategy for how these data can be linked spatially to the mapped locations in acanonical brain atlas where the data come from, thereby allowing …


Mapping Molecular Datasets Back To The Brain Regions They Are Extracted From: Remembering The Native Countries Of Hypothalamic Expatriates And Refugees, Khan, Alice Grant, Anais Martinez, Gully Burns, Brendan Thatcher, Vishwanath Anekonda, Benjamin Thompson, Zachary Roberts, Daniel Moralejo, James Blevins Jun 2018

Mapping Molecular Datasets Back To The Brain Regions They Are Extracted From: Remembering The Native Countries Of Hypothalamic Expatriates And Refugees, Khan, Alice Grant, Anais Martinez, Gully Burns, Brendan Thatcher, Vishwanath Anekonda, Benjamin Thompson, Zachary Roberts, Daniel Moralejo, James Blevins

Departmental Papers (Biology)

This article, which includes novel unpublished data along with commentary and analysis,focuses on approaches to link transcriptomic, proteomic, and peptidomic datasets mined frombrain tissue to the original locations within the brain that they are derived from using digital atlasmapping techniques. We use, as an example, the transcriptomic, proteomic and peptidomicanalyses conducted in the mammalian hypothalamus. Following a brief historical overview, wehighlight studies that have mined biochemical and molecular information from the hypothalamusand then lay out a strategy for how these data can be linked spatially to the mapped locations in acanonical brain atlas where the data come from, thereby allowing …


Mathematical Modeling Of Nutrient Signaling And Growth In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Amogh P. Jalihal, Pavel Kraikivski, T.M. Murali, John J. Tyson Jun 2018

Mathematical Modeling Of Nutrient Signaling And Growth In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Amogh P. Jalihal, Pavel Kraikivski, T.M. Murali, John J. Tyson

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.


Acetic Acid Induces Sch9p-Dependent Translocation Of Isc1p From The Endoplasmic Reticulum Into Mitochondria, António Rego, Katrina F Cooper, Justin Snider, Yusuf A Hannun, Vítor Costa, Manuela Côrte-Real, Susana R Chaves Jun 2018

Acetic Acid Induces Sch9p-Dependent Translocation Of Isc1p From The Endoplasmic Reticulum Into Mitochondria, António Rego, Katrina F Cooper, Justin Snider, Yusuf A Hannun, Vítor Costa, Manuela Côrte-Real, Susana R Chaves

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Changes in sphingolipid metabolism have been linked to modulation of cell fate in both yeast and mammalian cells. We previously assessed the role of sphingolipids in cell death regulation using a well characterized yeast model of acetic acid-induced regulated cell death, finding that Isc1p, inositol phosphosphingolipid phospholipase C, plays a pro-death role in this process. Indeed, isc1∆ mutants exhibited a higher resistance to acetic acid associated with reduced mitochondrial alterations. Here, we show that Isc1p is regulated by Sch9p under acetic acid stress, since both single and double mutants lacking Isc1p or/and Sch9p have the same resistant phenotype, and SCH9 …


Gesture: An Online Hand-Drawing Tool For Gene Expression Pattern Search, Chunyan Wang, Yiqing Xu, Xuelin Wang, Li Zhang, Suyun Wei, Qiaolin Ye, Youxiang Zhu, Hengfu Yin, Manoj Nainwal, Luis Tanon-Reyes, Feng Cheng, Tongming Yin, Ning Ye Jun 2018

Gesture: An Online Hand-Drawing Tool For Gene Expression Pattern Search, Chunyan Wang, Yiqing Xu, Xuelin Wang, Li Zhang, Suyun Wei, Qiaolin Ye, Youxiang Zhu, Hengfu Yin, Manoj Nainwal, Luis Tanon-Reyes, Feng Cheng, Tongming Yin, Ning Ye

Molecular Biosciences Faculty Publications

Gene expression profiling data provide useful information for the investigation of biological function and process. However, identifying a specific expression pattern from extensive time series gene expression data is not an easy task. Clustering, a popular method, is often used to classify similar expression genes, however, genes with a ‘desirable’ or ‘user-defined’ pattern cannot be efficiently detected by clustering methods. To address these limitations, we developed an online tool called GEsture. Users can draw, or graph a curve using a mouse instead of inputting abstract parameters of clustering methods. GEsture explores genes showing similar, opposite and time-delay expression patterns with …


Identification Of A Novel Polyamine Scaffold With Potent Efflux Pump Inhibition Activity Toward Multi-Drug Resistant Bacterial Pathogens, Renee Fleeman, Ginamarie Debevec, Kirsten Antonen, Jessie Adams, Radleigh G. Santos, Gregory S. Welmaker, Richard A. Houghten, Marc A. Guilianotti, Lindsey N. Shaw Jun 2018

Identification Of A Novel Polyamine Scaffold With Potent Efflux Pump Inhibition Activity Toward Multi-Drug Resistant Bacterial Pathogens, Renee Fleeman, Ginamarie Debevec, Kirsten Antonen, Jessie Adams, Radleigh G. Santos, Gregory S. Welmaker, Richard A. Houghten, Marc A. Guilianotti, Lindsey N. Shaw

Molecular Biosciences Faculty Publications

We have previously reported the use of combinatorial chemistry to identify broad-spectrum antibacterial agents. Herein, we extend our analysis of this technology toward the discovery of anti-resistance molecules, focusing on efflux pump inhibitors. Using high-throughput screening against multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, we identified a polyamine scaffold that demonstrated strong efflux pump inhibition without possessing antibacterial effects. We determined that these molecules were most effective with an amine functionality at R1 and benzene functionalities at R2 and R3. From a library of 188 compounds, we studied the properties of 5 lead agents in detail, observing a fivefold to eightfold decrease …


Identification Of A Tola Protein Binding Site For Bacterial Toxins, Monica Ferrante May 2018

Identification Of A Tola Protein Binding Site For Bacterial Toxins, Monica Ferrante

Honors Projects

Group A colicins are proteinaceous bacteriocins encoded by plasmids that exploit the cellular envelope protein TolA to translocate the cell wall barrier and cellular envelope of the bacterium Escherichia coli. These colicins offer protocols for studying certain protein-protein interactions involved in such membrane transport functions. Previous experimentations suggest the carboxyl-terminal domain of TolA protein contains specific amino acid binding regions required for the translocation of group A colicins into E. coli. The amino acid sequence of this domain varies between E. coli and other gram-negative bacterial species. It has been suggested that this diversity could be utilized to …


The Caspase Cascade During Hibernation In The Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel, Spermophilus Lateralis, Michael David Treat May 2018

The Caspase Cascade During Hibernation In The Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel, Spermophilus Lateralis, Michael David Treat

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In several human pathologies like heart attack, stroke, neurodegenerative diseases, and autoimmune disorders, widespread cell death, or apoptosis, is a major cause of organ dysfunction and death. Hibernating golden-mantled ground squirrels, Spermophilus lateralis, experience numerous conditions during the winter that are known to be pro-apoptotic in other mammal systems (e.g. extreme hypothermia, ischemia and reperfusion, acidosis, increased reactive oxygen species, bone and muscle disuse). However, studies suggest that hibernators may invoke a protective phenotype to limit widespread cell damage and loss during the hibernation season. Could regulating apoptosis provide protection against the harmful conditions experienced during the hibernation season? Could …


Till Death Do Us Part: The Marriage Of Autophagy And Apoptosis., Katrina F Cooper May 2018

Till Death Do Us Part: The Marriage Of Autophagy And Apoptosis., Katrina F Cooper

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Autophagy is a widely conserved catabolic process that is necessary for maintaining cellular homeostasis under normal physiological conditions and driving the cell to switch back to this status quo under times of starvation, hypoxia, and oxidative stress. The potential similarities and differences between basal autophagy and stimulus-induced autophagy are still largely unknown. Both act by clearing aberrant or unnecessary cytoplasmic material, such as misfolded proteins, supernumerary and defective organelles. The relationship between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and autophagy is complex. Cellular ROS is predominantly derived from mitochondria. Autophagy is triggered by this event, and by clearing the defective organelles effectively, …


The Beta-Catenin/Muc1.Ct Interaction In Pancreatic Cancer, Edwin Wiest May 2018

The Beta-Catenin/Muc1.Ct Interaction In Pancreatic Cancer, Edwin Wiest

Theses & Dissertations

MUC1 is overexpressed in over 90% of pancreatic cancer cases, and its interaction with beta-catenin promotes progression of the disease. Various in vitro and in vivo methods show that beta-catenin and MUC1 interact by way of the cytoplasmic tail of MUC1 (MUC1.CT). This interaction occurs in the membrane of pancreatic cancer cells but is found to a smaller extent in the nucleus as well. Biophysical methods suggest that MUC1 interacts with beta-catenin through a sequence of amino acids in the tail of MUC1 that sit very near the transmembrane domain of MUC1. In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells, it appears that …


Modeling And Analyzing An Optogenetic System For Photoactivatable Protein Dissociation, Anvin Thomas, James Schaff May 2018

Modeling And Analyzing An Optogenetic System For Photoactivatable Protein Dissociation, Anvin Thomas, James Schaff

Honors Scholar Theses

Computational modeling of cell-cell interactions can grant clues and can answer questions about an experiment, especially for observations about binding interactions and kinetics. This approach was used to investigate an interaction between a light-oxygen-voltage (LOV) domain and an engineered protein called Zdark (Zdk). The LOV domain is membrane-bound while Zdk is cytosolic. The LOV domain and Zdk bind strongly in dark (Kd 26.2 nM), and weakly upon exposure to blue light (Kd > 4 μM). Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) images are acquired of Zdk, the fluorescent species bound to a mCherry tag, and the loss of fluorescence is …


Functional Studies Of The E. Coli Proc And A Putative Ortholog Mrub_1345, Maureen Azar, Dr. Lori Scott May 2018

Functional Studies Of The E. Coli Proc And A Putative Ortholog Mrub_1345, Maureen Azar, Dr. Lori Scott

Meiothermus ruber Genome Analysis Project

This project is part of the Meiothermus ruber genome analysis project, which uses the bioinformatics tools associated with the Guiding Education through Novel Investigation –Annotation Collaboration Toolkit (GENI-ACT) to predict gene function. We investigated the biological function of Escherichia coli and Meiothermus ruber proC genes using the complementation assay. In this research project, mutants of varying severity to the functional state of the protein were developed. The results showed that two or more amino acid deletions reduced or eliminated ProC function. Amino acid substitutions, on the other hand, were not severe enough to impact ProC function. Double and triple mutants …


Genetic Testing And A Real World Case Of Lynch Syndrome, Paige Montanaro May 2018

Genetic Testing And A Real World Case Of Lynch Syndrome, Paige Montanaro

Senior Honors Projects

In recent years, advancements in genetic testing methods have revolutionized the medical field by enhancing the ability to identify persons with an inherited predisposition to cancer. According to the American Society for Clinical Oncology, individuals should undergo genetic testing when he or she meets the following criteria: the individual demonstrates familial history that indicates a predisposition to certain cancers, the test can be adequately interpreted, and the results will aid in the diagnosis, treatment, or management of the patient or additional family members at risk. Genetic testing can be done on samples of hair, skin, blood, amniotic fluid, or other …


Investigation Of The Homologs Rad51 And Dmc1 Role In Cell Division And Homologous Recombination, Amaal Abulibdeh May 2018

Investigation Of The Homologs Rad51 And Dmc1 Role In Cell Division And Homologous Recombination, Amaal Abulibdeh

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

RecA-like proteins homologs Rad51 and Dmc1 (disruption of meiotic control) promote recombination between homologous chromosomes by repairing programmed DNA Double-Strand Breaks (DSBs). Dmc1 is a Recombinase involved in meiosis-specific repair of DSBs, whereas Rad51 has been found to be involved in meiotic and non-meiotic DSBs repair. Previous studies showed that when RAD51 is overexpressed, interhomologous recombination still occurs even when DMC1 is knocked out. Dmc1 and Rad51 have not been fully characterized in the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. In order to more fully investigate the role of Rad51 and Dmc1 in Homologous Recombination Repair (HHR), this work focuses on using …


Ketone Bodies And Signaling In Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines, Kyla B. Buettner, Pankaj K. Singh, Surendra K. Shukla May 2018

Ketone Bodies And Signaling In Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines, Kyla B. Buettner, Pankaj K. Singh, Surendra K. Shukla

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, and 95% of these cases are caused by PDAC (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma). Ketone bodies have previously been shown to decrease cell proliferation and cancer-induced cachexia. The molecular mechanism of ketone body-mediated growth inhibition of pancreatic cancer cells is not well understood. Research conducted thus far has not explored which molecular pathways are affected by ketone body treatment in pancreatic cancer cells. In the current study, the effect of the ketone body sodium hydroxybutyrate on the JAK-STAT and mTOR pathways and cell migration was explored. A decrease …


Regulation Of The Tubulin Homolog Ftsz In Escherichia Coli, Monika S. Buczek May 2018

Regulation Of The Tubulin Homolog Ftsz In Escherichia Coli, Monika S. Buczek

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Escherichia coli is a well-known pathogen, and importantly, a widely used model organism in all fields of biological sciences for cloning, protein purification, and as a model for Gram-negative bacterial species. And yet, researchers do not fully understand how this bacterium replicates and divides. Every year additional division proteins are discovered, which adds complexity to how we understand E. coli undergoes cell division. Due to their specific roles in cytokinesis, some of these proteins may be potential targets for development of antibacterials or bacteriostatics, which are much needed for fighting the current global antibacterial deficit. My thesis work focuses on …


Development Of Endogenous Tagging Plasmids For Characterization Of Protein Interactions, Localization, And Post-Translational Modifications Of Tetrahymena Thermophila Rad23, Evan Andrew Wilson May 2018

Development Of Endogenous Tagging Plasmids For Characterization Of Protein Interactions, Localization, And Post-Translational Modifications Of Tetrahymena Thermophila Rad23, Evan Andrew Wilson

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Rad23 is a protein involved in both nucleotide excision repair (NER) and proteasome-mediated degradation, and has been suggested to facilitate interactions between these two pathways. The model organism Tetrahymena thermophila, which has a transcriptionally silent micronucleus, provides a useful platform for studying the role of Rad23 in global genome NER (GG-NER). However, the ectopic expression systems used thus far in T. thermophila to study Rad23 are repressed by UV light and do not account for the background expression of endogenous RAD23; these phenomena prevent insightful gains to the true dynamics of Rad23. In this thesis, endogenous tagging …


Deciphering The Roles Of Δnp63 In Regulating Epithelial To Mesenchymal Transition, Cancer Progression And Metastasis, Ngoc Bui May 2018

Deciphering The Roles Of Δnp63 In Regulating Epithelial To Mesenchymal Transition, Cancer Progression And Metastasis, Ngoc Bui

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

p63 is a member of the p53 family, a well-known tumor suppressor which is considered the guardian of the genome. The TP63 gene encodes multiple isoforms that can be categorized into two main isoforms, TAp63 and ΔNp63, which are expressed in different cellular compartments and have distinct functions in many biological processes. While the Flores laboratory identified TAp63 as a tumor and metastasis suppressor, the precise roles of ΔNp63 isoforms in tumorigenesis and metastasis remain elusive. ΔNp63 is the predominant p63 isoform expressed in the epidermis and plays essential roles in regulating epidermal development and homeostasis. Utilizing a ΔNp63-conditional …


The Regulation Of Dna Methylation In Mammalian Development And Cancer, Nicolas Veland May 2018

The Regulation Of Dna Methylation In Mammalian Development And Cancer, Nicolas Veland

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

DNA methylation is an essential epigenetic modification in mammals, as it plays important regulatory roles in multiple biological processes, such as gene transcription, maintenance of chromosomal structure and genomic stability, genomic imprinting, retrotransposon silencing, and X-chromosome inactivation. Dysregulation of DNA methylation is associated with various human diseases. For example, cancer cells usually show global hypomethylation and regional hypermenthylation, which have been implicated in genomic instability and tumor suppressor silencing, respectively. Although great progress has been made in elucidating the biological functions of DNA methylation over the last several decades, how DNA methylation patterns and levels are regulated and dysregulated is …


Mitochondrial Mrna Translation Is Required For Maintenance Of Oxidative Capacity, David Lee May 2018

Mitochondrial Mrna Translation Is Required For Maintenance Of Oxidative Capacity, David Lee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Oxidative metabolism is required to produce adequate energy to sustain human life. A primary example of deteriorating oxidative capacity is seen in the cardiac musculature during chronic heart failure. This suggests that by improving oxidative potential, chronic heart disease could be mitigated and one approach to accomplish this may be through targeting the mt-mRNA translation system. Purpose: This investigation’s purpose was to characterize disruptions in mt-mRNA translation machinery in multiple forms of cardiomyopathy and to determine if mitochondrial mRNA translation initiation factor (mtIF2) is necessary to maintain oxidative capacity in cardiomyocytes. Methods Using a combination of animal and cell culture …


Microbiome Of Commercial Broilers Through Evisceration And Immersion Chilling, John A. Handley May 2018

Microbiome Of Commercial Broilers Through Evisceration And Immersion Chilling, John A. Handley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The United States poultry industry generated 38.6 billion pounds (17,500 metric ton) of meat in 2014 which averaged to 121 pounds (55 kg) per individual of the U.S that same year. Of that meat generated by the poultry industry, an estimated 1 million cases of Salmonellosis will occur. Out of the 1 million cases approximately 40, 000 to 50,000 will be confirmed cases by the CDC. Recently, the USDA has requested changes in the inspection process and are currently allowing processors more freedom to utilize innovation to drive the increase in safer and more desirable foods. The new standards set …


Roles Of Phospholipases And Ribosomal S6 Kinase In Lipid Remodeling And Growth In Arabidopsis Response To Phosphate Deprivation, Yuan Su Apr 2018

Roles Of Phospholipases And Ribosomal S6 Kinase In Lipid Remodeling And Growth In Arabidopsis Response To Phosphate Deprivation, Yuan Su

Dissertations

Phosphate (Pi) is one of three macronutrients for plants, which is vital for plant growth and development. Understanding the mechanism by which plants respond and adapt to Pi deficiency not only unveils functions of genes and pathways involved, but also provides potential tools to manipulate crops to better stand Pi stress in low Pi-containing lands. One of the significant metabolic changes in plants under Pi starvation is the membrane lipid remodeling that converts Pi-containing lipids such as phospholipids to Pi-free lipids, such as glycolipids. To elucidate the metabolism and regulation of lipid remodeling, this dissertation characterizes the role of two …


Reconstitution Of Gabaergic Postsynapses In Host Cells, Karthik Kanamalla Apr 2018

Reconstitution Of Gabaergic Postsynapses In Host Cells, Karthik Kanamalla

Honors Scholar Theses

Type A GABA receptors (GABAARs) can be found embedded in postsynaptic membranes or in a variety of extrasynaptic locations. Receptors with synaptic function are recruited to the postsynapse by submembranous scaffolds composed of gephyrin and collybistin (CB). This study was aimed at assessing whether the ability to interact with the scaffold differentiates synaptic from non-synaptic receptors. Using HEK293 cells as an expression system, and indirect immunofluorescence (IF), co-localization of extrasynaptic receptors α1β3δ and α4β3δ with the CB-gephyrin scaffold was assessed and compared with that of the synaptic receptor α1β3γ2. Results indicated that both extrasynaptic receptors were able to colocalize with …


Investigation Of Alcohol-Induced Changes In Hepatic Histone Modifications Using Mass Spectrometry Based Proteomics, Crystina Leah Kriss Apr 2018

Investigation Of Alcohol-Induced Changes In Hepatic Histone Modifications Using Mass Spectrometry Based Proteomics, Crystina Leah Kriss

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol liver disease (ALD) is a major health concern throughout the world. Currently, in the United States, 17 million people suffer from alcoholism, of which 1.4 million people are receiving treatment [1, 2]. The link between ethanol metabolism, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and liver injury in ALD has been well characterized over the last couple decades [3-10]. Ethanol metabolism relies on the availability of the cofactor NAD+ for the oxidation of ethanol into acetate, consequently causing alterations in redox potential. Redox dysfunction within the mitochondria can affect multiple pathways important in maintaining cellular homeostasis. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to …


The Role Of Phosphohistidine Phosphatase 1 In Ethanol-Induced Liver Injury, Daniel Richard Martin Apr 2018

The Role Of Phosphohistidine Phosphatase 1 In Ethanol-Induced Liver Injury, Daniel Richard Martin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chronic liver diseases, which includes alcoholic liver disease (ALD), are consistently among the top 15 leading causes of death in the United States. ALD is characterized by progression from a normal liver to fatty liver disease (hepatic steatosis), which can lead to cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis, and liver failure. We have identified a novel role of phosphohistidine signaling, mediated through phosphohistidine phosphatase 1 (PHPT1), in the onset of hepatic steatosis. We have identified PHPT1 as a target of selective oxidation following acute ethanol exposure as well as being downregulated following chronic ethanol exposure. We mapped the oxidative modification site and developed …


Vesicles Mimicking Normal And Cancer Cell Membranes Exhibit Differential Responses To The Cell-Penetrating Peptide Pep-1, Bashiyar Almarwani, Esther Nzuzi Phambu, Christopher Alexander, Ha Aimee T. Nguyen, Nsoki Phambu, Anderson Sunda-Meya Apr 2018

Vesicles Mimicking Normal And Cancer Cell Membranes Exhibit Differential Responses To The Cell-Penetrating Peptide Pep-1, Bashiyar Almarwani, Esther Nzuzi Phambu, Christopher Alexander, Ha Aimee T. Nguyen, Nsoki Phambu, Anderson Sunda-Meya

Chemistry Faculty Research

The cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) Pep-1 presents a great potential in drug delivery due to its intrinsic property to cross plasma membrane. However, its mechanism of entry into the cell remains unresolved. In this study, we compare the selectivity of Pep-1 towards vesicles mimicking normal and cancer cell membranes. The interaction was performed in a wide range of peptide-to-lipid molar ratios using infrared (IR), fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. At low peptide concentration, fluorescence experiments show that lipid-phosphatidylserine (PS) seems to enable Pep-1 translocation into cancer cell membrane as evidenced by the …