Biochemistry Commons^™

A Crispr Platform For Rapid And Inducible Genome Editing In Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells, Lloyd Bartley

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for about 85% of lung cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer death in the world. High mortality rate associated with NSCLC is partially attributed to the limited understanding of NSCLC as well as ineffective therapeutic treatments. The initiation and progression of NSCLC involves genetic changes leading to alterations in the control of tissue development and homeostatic maintenance. Better knowledge about these genetic abnormalities is imperative for developing new chemotherapeutic drugs for NSCLC. Recent research demonstrates that the expression of paraoxonase 2 (PON2), a lactonase/arylesterase with anti-oxidant properties, are markedly enhanced in cancer …

Water Temperature And Harmful Algal Bloom Rate, Geoff Bright, Greg Michalski, Benjamin P. Wilkins

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Harmful algal blooms, made up of cyanobacteria, is an increasing problem in Midwestern lakes. Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers used in crops such as corn and soybeans run off into streams and eventually lakes. Nitrogen and phosphorus in the form of nitrate and phosphate respectively is then used by cyanobacteria as a food source, allowing them to bloom at an alarming rate. Massive bloom events can be hazardous to both human health and the natural environment because of the release of neurotoxins, hepatotoxins and others into the air and drinking water. We set out to find if different water temperature can …

Engineering Bioluminescent Sensors Of Cyclic Amp To Study Opioid Signaling, Alexander L. Tesmer, Alexander R. French, Mathew Tantama

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Opioids are small signaling molecules which bind to opioid receptors on the surface of cells. The kappa opioid receptor (KOR) is one of three major types of opioid receptors found in human neurons. When an opioid binds to a KOR, a variety of biochemical signaling pathways are activated inside the cell. Each of these pathways are associated with different physiological effects of KOR activation. The production of a small signaling molecule, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), is known to be inhibited during KOR activation of the analgesic (pain-killing) signaling pathway. The ability to interrogate the individual responses of KOR signaling pathways …

Cost-Effective Paper-Based Diagnostic Using Split Proteins To Detect Yeast Infections, Zachary R. Berglund, Kevin V. Solomon, Mohit S. Verma, Moiz Rasheed, Zachary Hartley, Kevin Fitzgerald, Kok Zhi Lee, Janice Chan, Julianne Dejoie, Makayla Schacht, Alex Zavala

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

The common yeast infection, vulvovaginal candidiasis, affects three out of four women throughout their lifetime and can be spread to their child in the form of oral candidiasis (thrush). This disease is caused by the fungal pathogen Candida albicans, which is also a major cause of systemic candidiasis, a rarer but deadly disease with up to a 49% lethality rate. Current widely-used diagnostic methods include cell cultures, pH tests, and antibody detection, to assist effective treatment. Despite availability of various diagnostic methods, there is no inexpensive, rapid, and accurate way to detect C. albicans infection. This project aims to …

Engineering Dub-Deficient Viral Proteases From Fipv And Pedv Coronaviruses, Daniel T. Wesenberg, Jozlyn R. Clasman, Andrew D. Mesecar

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Coronaviruses form a class of viral pathogens lethal to humans and livestock. This issue is compounded by a lack of commercially available treatments or vaccines. In 2014, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) emerged in the United States and accounted for an estimated 7 million porcine deaths. Deaths of humans, companion animals, and livestock caused by coronaviruses highlight the need for therapeutic strategies to combat this devastating disease. One strategy involves engineering papain-like protease 2 (PLP2), an enzyme conserved among coronavirus species that is critical for virus replication and pathogenesis. PLP2’s de-ubiquitinating (DUB) activity aids in the suppression of the host’s …

Glucosamine From Hydrolysis Of 3d Printing Chitosan For Osteoarthritis Treatment, Ruj Dansriboon, Laphon Premcharoen

The International Student Science Fair 2018

This project aims to introduce a new way for osteoarthritis treatment which is expected to increase in the future. Glucosamine is the main subject for a treatment, which can be derived by hydrolyzing chitosan. This project also includes extraction of chitosan from shrimp waste to make a worthy use of food waste from industry. In this project, 3D printer is applied to print chitosan gel since 3D printing is adjustable to form various shapes of the gel.

The research process begins with the extraction of chitosan from shrimp shells. For the next step, the percent of deacetylation of chitosan was …

Utilization Of Papaya’S Sap (Carica Papaya L.) And Water Lettuce (Pistia Stratiotes) To Reduce Protein Amount On Liquid Tofu Waste, Muhammad Dzulfikar Farkhan, Naila Aliyahandra Anzani, Nabila Fikria Santoso

The International Student Science Fair 2018

ABSTRACT

Liquid waste from tofu production is one of the causes of environmental pollution. This condition happens because liquid tofu waste contain protein. Protein is metabolized by bacteria formed ammonia which emits foul odor. On this research, the protein amount in liquid tofu waste is reduced by the application of papaya’s sap and water lettuce. This research is divided into several steps. First, collecting the liquid tofu waste. second, tapping the papaya’s sap. Third, poured the papaya’s sap into the tofu waste. the next step is keep the mixture between tofu waste and papaya’s sap rest for 6, 18, and …

Structure Determination Of A Bioengineered Human/Porcine Factor Viii For Hemophilia A Treatment, And Improvements To The Human Factor Viii Model, Ian Smith

Graduate Student Symposium

Blood coagulation factor VIII (FVIII), is a non-enzymatic cofactor which plays a crucial role in the formation of a stable blood clot. Absence or deficiency of FVIII results in the blood disorder hemophilia A; with symptoms including internal hemorrhaging and the inability to stop bleeding from open wounds. Treatment of hemophilia A relies on infusions of blood, plasma, or protein concentrates to replace FVIII. Unfortunately, approximately 30% of patients receiving replacement FVIII generate pathologic anti-FVIII inhibitory antibodies, which both reduce the effectiveness of the FVIII therapeutic and increase the severity of hemophilia A symptoms.

We have determined the molecular structure …

Constitutive Expression Of Thioglucoside Glucohydrolase 1 (Tgg1) Decreases Intercellular Trafficking In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Alessandro Francesco Sarno

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Plasmodesmata (PD) are pores that traverse plant cell walls, providing a route for intercellular trafficking of essential metabolites, nutrients, and signaling molecules between adjacent plant cells, thereby aiding communication. The increased size exclusion limit 2 (ise2) mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana has an increased abundance of branched PD, as well as a greater flux of intercellular trafficking. A search for proteins that interact with ISE2 identified THIOGLUCOSIDE GLUCOHYDROLASE 2 (a myrosinase). A. thaliana also encodes a second, closely-related myrosinase, TGG1. Myrosinases are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of glucosinolates, a type of secondary metabolite that are amino acid derivatives. The breakdown …

Site-Directed Mutagenesis Of Malate Dehydrogenase: A Class Project, Bruce J. Heyen, Chesley Rowlett, Jon Zatorski, Ryan Burch, Emily Veach, Andy Gemmaka

Scholar Week 2016 - present

Malate dehydrogenase (MDH) is an important enzyme in an organism’s metabolic pathways. MDH is found in almost all living cells and catalyzes the conversion of malate to oxaloacetate which also involves nicotinamide dehydrogenase (NAD) as a coenzyme. A method to study how an enzyme operates is to alter one of its amino acids and compare the activity of the enzyme before and after the mutation. As a class project in Advanced Biochemistry during the spring semester of 2018, we are working as a team to propose and carry out a point-based mutation on MDH.

Synthesis And Incorporation Of 1,2-Alkanolamine-Functionalized Lysine As A Non-Canonical Amino Acid Into Gfp, Chesley M. Rowlett

Scholar Week 2016 - present

Synthesis of specific post translational modifications in proteins can be difficult but achievable via genetic code expansion techniques. An attempt has been made to synthesize and incorporate D-cThrK into green fluorescent protein (GFP) at an amber mutation site in Escherichia coli via the coordination of pyrrolysyl- tRNA synthetase and its cognate tRNApyl. The incorporation of this non-canonical amino acid and potential chemical transformations following it allow the synthesis of proteins with post translational lysine modifications, making a variety of basic and biotechnological applications available.

The Effects Of Inulin And Galactooligosaccharides On The Production Of Reuterin By Lactobacillus Reuteri, Micah Forshee

Scholar Week 2016 - present

The microbiome is a dynamic community that can positively and negatively influence host health. Lactobacillus reuteri is a probiotic that has received much attention for its ability to inhibit pathogens such as Salmonella Typhimurium, Escherichia coli, and Clostridium difficile. It does so by its unique ability to metabolize glycerol into the antimicrobial compound 3-HPA, which is commonly referred to as reuterin. The ability to secrete reuterin is dependent not only on glycerol availability but also the concentration of glucose. In fact, there appears to be a “goldilocks” ratio between glucose and glycerol as either too much or too …

Cation Exchange Capacity Determination: Comparative Study Of Three Methods, Lillie Zech

Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Netrin-3: Tracking The Elusive Antimitotic Signal On The Western Frontier, Michael David Jolley, Kirsten P. Kelley, Jared E. Matz, Natalie S. Phillips, Emma Wessels, Heather G. Kuruvilla

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Netrin-3 is a guidance protein expressed throughout the animal kingdom, and involved in the development of branched structures such as the nervous system, lung, and mammary gland. We have previously shown that peptides derived from this protein serve as chemorepellents and mitotic inhibitors in Tetrahymena thermophila. Our previous work shows that Tetrahymena synthesize and secrete a netrin-3-like protein, as detected by ELISA. In this study, we find that a netrin-3-like protein is present in whole cell extract and secreted protein, as detected by Western blotting. A protein of approximately 48 kD is consistently detected in our Western blots. In addition, …

Netrin-3 Signals Through Serine Phosphorylation In Tetrahymena Thermophila, Cayla C. Eckley, Rebecca N. Haught, Kyle J. Hooper, Jared E. Matz, Joshua L. Wilson, Bethany C. Khol, Katelyn R. Malik, Heather G. Kuruvilla

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

The netrin family of proteins are structurally related to laminin and, while first discovered in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, are now known to be present in species throughout the animal kingdom, including humans. These proteins also have a wide variety of roles that include inhibition of apoptosis, chemorepulsion, and axonal guidance. Due to the results of previous studies involving netrin-1 in vertebrate systems, the current prevailing assumption is that netrins, when acting as chemorepellents, signal using tyrosine kinases. However, data that we gathered through phosphoserine-targeting ELISA assays and immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrates that the netrin-3 peptides signal Tetrahymena thermophila through serine …

Mapping Netrin Signaling In Tetrahymena Thermophila, Katelyn R. Malik, Bethany C. Khol, Stephanie J. Hermann, Kenneth W. Ward, Daniele T. Modderman, Heather G. Kuruvilla

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

The netrin family of proteins, found throughout the animal kingdom, are well known for their roles in developmental signaling. Netrin-1, the best-studied member of this family, signals through four receptor types in vertebrates: the UNC-5 family, DCC, neogenin, and DSCAM. We have previously characterized a netrin-1-like protein in the ciliated protozoan, Tetrahymena thermophila. This protein is secreted from Tetrahymena, and functions as a chemorepellent. Since a netrin-like protein is produced by this organism, we hypothesized that some components of the vertebrate netrin signaling pathway might also be present in Tetrahymena. Through immunolocalization on the plasma membrane of the cell, we …

Elemental Analysis Of Beer Manufactured In Virginia Satellite Breweries, Jennifer Wiliams

Student Scholar Showcase

Financial incentives from the state and wider distribution potential have lured many west coast brewers to open satellite breweries in Virginia. Quality control is crucial for any brewery and especially important in satellite breweries that need to imitate the standard set by the parent brewery. Zinc, magnesium, iron, sodium manganese, and calcium are trace elements found in wort and are essential for enzymes that catalyze fermentation reactions. These elements protect against cell stress, play a crucial role in flocculation, and can affect the flavoring and coloration of beer. Barley, water, and hops are the sources of these elements in beer. …

Anti-Fungal Compounds From Native Prairie Plants, Sarah Mcmichael, Kirk Manfredi

Research in the Capitol

Plant compounds can be found in many consumer products such as nutritional supplements (nutraceuticals), soaps, shampoos, and other personal care products. They are not yet used in these products as preservatives. This area of research focusses on identifying compounds from native prairie plants that can be used as preservatives in personal care products. An objective of this research is to isolate compounds that can be used to replace synthetic parabens. Synthetic parabens have been found to be harmful to humans and the environment. Our isolate would be a natural preservative and eliminate the harmful synthetic. This research presentation will discuss …

Developing Novel Therapeutics For Bacterial Lung Infections, Brandon J. Baer, Ruud Veldhuizen, Cory Yamashita

Western Research Forum

Background: Bacterial lung infections are leading causes of death worldwide. Unfortunately, increasing resistance to antibiotics and the inflammation often accompanying these infections are leading to poor outcomes despite antibiotic intervention. Complicating treatment further, the tree-like branching structure of the lung makes drug delivery to distal sites of infection difficult. Our research aims to address these challenges by developing new therapeutics and new tools to improve and assess drug delivery, bacterial killing and inflammation. Our therapy combines host defense peptides, which have been shown to kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria and down regulate inflammation, with a pulmonary vehicle, exogenous surfactant, that can improve …

Maternal Protein Restriction (Mpr): A Risk Factor For Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (Ards), Reza Khazaee

Western Research Forum

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is defined as severe lung dysfunction. The lung impairments in ARDS result from alterations to pulmonary surfactant; a lipid-protein mixture coating the inside of the lung and maintains the lungs’ ability to expand easily. Due to a lack of effective pharmacological therapies mortality associated with ARDS is over 30%. Our research focuses on risk factors that indicate a susceptibility to the disease, which could provide new and early therapeutic options. One such potential risk factor is Maternal Protein Restriction (MPR). MPR is defined by low birth weight and contributes to a variety of adult-onset …

A Chimeric Nucleobase - Phenylazo Derivative As An Intrinsic Nucleobase Quencher, Gyeongsu Park, Timothy Martin-Chan, Amer El Samm, Robert H.E. Hudson

Western Research Forum

Molecular beacons are important bioanalytical probes which are most often

constructed from a single-stranded oligonucleotide which has been labeled at

opposite termini with a fluorophore and a quencher. When the fluorophore and

quencher are in close proximity, no fluorescence is observed due to FRET

(Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer). DABCYL (4-dimethylaminoazobenzene-

4'-carboxylic acid) has been used as a quencher in the molecular beacon to absorbs

excitation energy from a fluorophore and to dissipate the energy as heat. However,

DABCYL is unable to form a base-pair and is conventionally placed as an overhanging

residue. This produces a derivative wherein the chromophore has …

Studies Of Amino Acid Mutations In Drug Resistance Of The Smo Protein, Eunice Wintona

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Smoothened receptor (SMO) is a protein that in humans, is encoded by the SMO gene. A systemic mutation in its binding pocket helps predict the sensitivity of mutant proteins to different drugs. Known as a GPCR-like receptor, it is a component of the hedgehog signaling pathway; a pathway involved in body patterning and the regulation of adult stem cells. An uncontrolled or inappropriate activation of the Hedgehog pathway drives tumor progression in cancers and a number of birth defects. To achieve these goals, the molecular modeling software MOE was used to build small molecules and drug molecules like Vismodegib and …

Rescue Of Neocortical Circuit Deficits With Modified Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Sb623, In A Rat Model Of Photothrombotic Stroke, Alexander Urry

Yale Day of Data

The following poster characterizes the effects of a novel stem cell line on treating the neural circuit deficits resulting from stroke.