Biochemistry Commons^™

Binding Interactions Of (R)- And (S)-Hydroxypropyl-Com Dehydrogenases And The Zinc Knuckle Proteins Air1 And Air2, Jeremy W. Bakelar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A thorough understanding of protein function requires knowledge of how proteins interact with their substrates and with other proteins. The work entailed in this dissertation describes the binding interactions of proteins from two different model systems: (1) the dehydrogenase enzymes R- and S-HPCDH and (2) the zinc knuckle proteins Air1 and Air2.

R- and S-HPCDH are highly similar enzymes (42% identical) that function in a unique metabolic pathway found in the soil bacterium Xanthobacter autotrophicus. The bacterium produces R- and S-HPCDH simultaneously to facilitate the transformation of two different forms of the organic …

Dna Methylation In Lung Tissues Of Mouse Offspring Exposed In Utero To Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Trevor J. Fish

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) comprise an important class of environmental pollutants that are known to cause lung cancer in animals and suspected lung carcinogens in humans. PAHs are also known to cause cancer in offspring when provided to a pregnant mouse. Some evidence from cell-based studies points to PAHs as modulators of the epigenome, that is modifications to DNA structure that control the expression of genes. Inappropriate changes to the epigenome and consequently expression of cancer-critical genes are often characteristic of cancer cells. The objective of this thesis research was to determine the impact of transplacental exposure to two model …

Microbial-Derived Oils And Value-Added Products: Biosynthesis And Applications For Biofuel Production, Alex T. Mccurdy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Efforts are being made to replace petroleum-derived fuels with biofuels in a cost competitive manner. It is apparent that the continued use of petroleum is futile as population and technological growth put increasing pressure on the demand for cheap energy and chemicals. Diminishing resources, civil unrest in the Middle East, and the impact of using petrochemicals on the environment are critical driving forces for research in generating renewable petroleum replacements that can be produced with a limited carbon-footprint. Today, biofuels are derived mostly from land-based plants, but their potential for displacing petroleum is limited due to the competition with available …