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Articles 1 - 17 of 17
Full-Text Articles in Biochemistry
Assessing Lipid Composition Of Cell Membrane In Escherichia Coli Under Aerobic And Anaerobic Conditions, Isabelle Johnson
Assessing Lipid Composition Of Cell Membrane In Escherichia Coli Under Aerobic And Anaerobic Conditions, Isabelle Johnson
Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts
Escherichia coli is a highly studied model organism that is tightly tied to the mammalian gastrointestinal system. This microorganism has the capability to be a beneficial gut microbe or a life-threatening pathogen. In this study, the lipid membrane of Escherichia coli was investigated using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to observe the change in its composition in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Evidence of desaturation was discovered in the spectra, though more investigation is needed to understand the metabolic processes and drives that result in this change. Elucidation of these pathways in the future could result in …
Biophysical Insights Into Peptide And Alcohol Perturbations On Biomimetic Membranes, Michael Hai Nguen
Biophysical Insights Into Peptide And Alcohol Perturbations On Biomimetic Membranes, Michael Hai Nguen
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Biological membranes exist in every domain of life. Life exists due to the presence of these special structures for which we take for granted. They are composed of fatty lipids and workhorse proteins and act as the premier interface of biological processes. Due to the sheer quantity and complexity within their thin boundary, studying their actions and properties pose challenges to researchers. As a result, simplified biomembrane mimics are employed regularly. We will use several types of biomembrane mimics to understand fundamental properties of membranes. In the present thesis, we also attempt to move beyond the canonical structure-based theories upon …
Oligomerization Of Amyloid-Β Peptide In The Presence Of Gangliosides–Implications For Alzheimer Disease, Sydney Boyd
Oligomerization Of Amyloid-Β Peptide In The Presence Of Gangliosides–Implications For Alzheimer Disease, Sydney Boyd
Honors Theses
Alzheimer disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that leads to memory impairment and cognitive dysfunction in elderly populations worldwide. A key characteristic of AD is the formation of neuritic plaques composed of extracellularly deposited aggregates of amyloid-β (Aβ), an intrinsically disordered protein. Although Aβ fibrils were once thought to be the prime initiators of the disease, research has since been shifted to consider soluble, low molecular weight Aβ oligomers as the driving force behind AD toxicity. Due to its origin as a cleavage product of amyloid precursor protein (APP), an integral membrane protein, Aβ is known to perpetually interact with …
Molecular Dynamics Simulations Of Self-Assemblies In Nature And Nanotechnology, Phu Khanh Tang
Molecular Dynamics Simulations Of Self-Assemblies In Nature And Nanotechnology, Phu Khanh Tang
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Nature usually divides complex systems into smaller building blocks specializing in a few tasks since one entity cannot achieve everything. Therefore, self-assembly is a robust tool exploited by Nature to build hierarchical systems that accomplish unique functions. The cell membrane distinguishes itself as an example of Nature’s self-assembly, defining and protecting the cell. By mimicking Nature’s designs using synthetically designed self-assemblies, researchers with advanced nanotechnological comprehension can manipulate these synthetic self-assemblies to improve many aspects of modern medicine and materials science. Understanding the competing underlying molecular interactions in self-assembly is always of interest to the academic scientific community and industry. …
Role Of Dyslipidemia On Lipid Metabolism In Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients, Eno Latifi
Role Of Dyslipidemia On Lipid Metabolism In Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients, Eno Latifi
Wayne State University Dissertations
Maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients experience various abnormalities such as systemic inflammation (SI), oxidative stress (OS), and dyslipidemia (D). Defined as an imbalance of plasma lipids, lipoproteins, and lipid metabolism enzymes, D has been associated with a rise in morbidity and mortality within ESRD patients due to cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the contribution of each of these parameters to D is poorly understood; moreover, the impact of the following parameters on dyslipidemia in different ethnicities is unknown. Hence, the objective of this study was to characterize D in a multi-ethnic cohort of ESRD patients. We hypothesized that the degree of dyslipidemia …
Temperature And Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid’S Effect On Daphnia Magna Reproduction, Mark Albright
Temperature And Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid’S Effect On Daphnia Magna Reproduction, Mark Albright
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organisms adapt to their environments by adjusting their biochemistry and physiology; such adaptation is limited by resource availability and physiological constraints. The freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna inhabits a wide range of environments and must survive and reproduce within a range of temperatures. One limit to low-temperature adaptation is thought to be the availability of unsaturated fatty acids necessary to maintain proper fluidity of cellular membranes. D. magna maintained at 10 ºC on a diet poor in unsaturated fatty acids have been observed to produce clutches that fail to develop. However, this has not been observed on a diet rich in …
Nanoscale Organization Of The Small Gtpase Rac1, Kelsey Maxwell
Nanoscale Organization Of The Small Gtpase Rac1, Kelsey Maxwell
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Rac1 is a small, guanine-nucleotide binding protein that cycles between an inactive GDP-bound and active GTP-bound state to regulate actin-mediated motility, migration, and adhesion. Plasma membrane (PM) localization is essential for its biological activity. Rac1 PM targeting is directed by a C-terminal membrane anchor that encompasses a geranylgeranyl-cysteine-methyl-ester, palmitoyl, and a polybasic domain (PBD) of contiguous lysine and arginine residues. Using high-resolution imaging combined with spatial mapping analysis, I found that Rac1 forms nanoclusters on the PM. Cycling between the GTP- and GDP-bound states, Rac1 forms nanoclusters that are non-overlapping, consequently undergoing guanine nucleotide-dependent spatial segregation. I further found that …
Design And Synthesis Of Analogs Of Myo-Inositol, Serine, And Cysteine To Enable Chemical Biology Studies, Tanei J. Ricks
Design And Synthesis Of Analogs Of Myo-Inositol, Serine, And Cysteine To Enable Chemical Biology Studies, Tanei J. Ricks
Doctoral Dissertations
Phosphorylated myo-inositol compounds including inositol phosphates (InsPs) as well as the phosphatidylinositol polyphosphate lipids (PIPns) are critical biomolecules that regulate many of the most important biological processes and pathways. They are aberrant in many disease states due to their regulatory function. The same is true of the phospholipid phosphatidylserine (PS) which can serve as a marker to begin apoptosis. However, the full scope of activities of these structures is not clear, particularly since techniques that enable global detection and analysis of the production of these compounds spatially and temporally are lacking. With all of these obstacles in …
Therapeutic Exploitation Of Metabolic Checkpoints In Cancer Cells, Deven S. Patel
Therapeutic Exploitation Of Metabolic Checkpoints In Cancer Cells, Deven S. Patel
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
During the G1 phase of the cell cycle, normal cells respond to growth factors and nutrients prior to entering S-phase to replicate its genome. We previously reported that the growth factor-mediated restriction point is distinguishable from a series of late G1 metabolic checkpoints mediated by essential amino acids (EAAs), the conditionally essential amino acid glutamine (Gln), and mTOR – the mammalian target of rapamycin. Mutations in genes encoding proteins that regulate G1 cell cycle progression are observed in virtually all cancers. We observed that cancer cells with K-Ras mutations bypass the late G1 Gln checkpoint when deprived of Gln and …
The Role Of N-Myc Downstream Regulated Gene 1 In Breast Cancer Lipid Metabolism, Christopher James Sevinsky
The Role Of N-Myc Downstream Regulated Gene 1 In Breast Cancer Lipid Metabolism, Christopher James Sevinsky
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Altered carbohydrate and lipid metabolism are increasingly well characterized hallmarks of aggressive breast cancers. While aerobic glycolysis, or “the Warburg effect”, is a well-established metabolic adaptation exploited by tumor cells, the understanding of unique aspects of cancer lipid metabolism lags behind. This is especially true regarding the coordination of complex lipid synthesis and trafficking pathways, which remains poorly understood. N-Myc Downstream Regulated Gene1 (NDRG1) is overexpressed in many solid tumors, but its function is unclear. The importance of NDRG1 is best exemplified by the effect of null mutations on human physiology: inactivating mutations give rise to the severe autosomal recessive …
Modulation Of Human And Malarial Glucose Transporter Activity By Lipids And Small Molecules, Thomas E. Kraft
Modulation Of Human And Malarial Glucose Transporter Activity By Lipids And Small Molecules, Thomas E. Kraft
Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Glucose transport is a fundamentally important process for maintenance and regulation of cellular metabolism in all kingdoms of life. Despite their high importance, detailed examination of glucose transport proteins in humans and parasites through biochemical, biophysical and structural properties was greatly hampered by the inability to express, purify and reconstitute sufficient amounts of active transporters. This dissertation describes strategies that led to the first successful expression, purification, stabilization and functional reconstitution of active insulin-responsive GLUT4 transport protein. Furthermore, the work described herein establishes a requirement of anionic and conical lipids for full activity of the mammalian glucose transporters GLUT3 and …
Role Of Microrna-21 In Atherogenesis., Rihab Hamed-Berair
Role Of Microrna-21 In Atherogenesis., Rihab Hamed-Berair
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) is an evolutionarily conserved microRNA, abundant in most cardiovascular tissues. It has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several cardiovascular diseases including restenosis, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. However, little is known about the contribution of miR-21 in atherosclerosis. My data show that expression of miR-21 is increased by >1.5-fold in murine atherosclerotic lesions and by 1.5-2.0-fold in the macrophages of Western diet (WD)-fed LDLR-KO mice (for 12-20 weeks). In vitro, LDL, oxidized LDL, acetylated LDL and LPS induced miR-21 by 2-4-fold and down-regulated its target protein, PDCD4, in bone marrow-derived macrophages. Basally, macrophages isolated from miR-21-KO …
Placental ‘Omics’ Study To Understand The Pathogenesis Of Preeclampsia, Komal Kedia
Placental ‘Omics’ Study To Understand The Pathogenesis Of Preeclampsia, Komal Kedia
Theses and Dissertations
Preeclampsia (PE) is a potentially fatal complication of pregnancy characterized by an increase in blood pressure (>140/90 mmHg) and proteinuria (>300 mg/24 hrs), often accompanied by edema. Symptoms of PE start after 20 weeks of gestation. If PE remains untreated, it can lead to eclampsia, grand-mal seizures responsible for most fatalities. PE is believed to affect 2-10% of pregnancies worldwide, and claims the lives of over 75,000 mothers and 500,000 newborns yearly. No therapeutic agents have been developed to prevent or cure PE. Part of the reason for this is the absence of a complete understanding of the …
Expression And Functional Analysis Of Lipids And Glycolipids From The Mammal-Dwelling Stages Of Trypanosoma Cruzi, Felipe Gazos Lopes
Expression And Functional Analysis Of Lipids And Glycolipids From The Mammal-Dwelling Stages Of Trypanosoma Cruzi, Felipe Gazos Lopes
Open Access Theses & Dissertations
Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of the life-threatening Chagas disease, in which increased platelet aggregation related to myocarditis is observed. Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a potent intercellular lipid mediator and second messenger that exerts its activity through a PAF-specific receptor (PAFR). Previous data from our group suggested that T. cruzi synthesizes a phospholipid with PAF-like activity. The structure of T. cruzi PAF-like molecule, however, remains elusive. Here, we have purified and structurally characterized the putative T. cruzi PAF-like molecule by electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). Our ESI-MS/MS data demonstrated that the T. cruzi PAF-like molecule is actually a lysophosphatidylcholine …
Lipid Dependence In Ras-Driven Tumors, Darin Salloum
Lipid Dependence In Ras-Driven Tumors, Darin Salloum
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Over past decade, metabolic alterations in cancer cells have received a substantial amount of interest. It had been established that cancer cells undergo a significant amount of metabolic alterations, and some of these alterations are similar to those in normal highly proliferative cells. However, it is becoming more apparent that many of the metabolic alterations are specific to particular oncogenic signaling pathways. Although altered metabolic machinery makes cancer cells more efficient at promoting growth when nutrients are supplied at the sufficient amounts, the dependency of cancer cells on particular metabolic reprogramming deems cancer cells susceptible to disruptions within metabolic network. …
A Characterization Of Extractable, Hydroxylated Fatty Acid Bearing Components In Legionella Pneumophila, Jonathan R. Lane
A Characterization Of Extractable, Hydroxylated Fatty Acid Bearing Components In Legionella Pneumophila, Jonathan R. Lane
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Extraction of the lipids of Legionella pneumophila yields phases unlike those produced from other Gram-negative bacteria. A viscous interface forms between the aqueous (wash) and organic phases. More than half of the hydroxylated fatty acids were found distributed between the aqueous phase and the interfacial material, fractions in which such constituents have not been reported in other Gram-negative species. It was further observed that after the material from the aqueous/interfacial phase was dissolved in methanol or chloroform/methanol (2:1 (V/V)), the addition of acetone would create a white, flocculent precipitate. Analyses showed that the supernatant contained fatty acids that were nonhydroxylated …
Ascorbic Acid, Lipid Peroxidation, And Aging, Brian Evan Leibovitz
Ascorbic Acid, Lipid Peroxidation, And Aging, Brian Evan Leibovitz
Dissertations and Theses
The role of ascorbic acid with regard to lipid peroxidation and aging has been examined. A thorough literature analysis indicates that free radical-induced lipid peroxidation is a plausible biochemical explanation for aging. Lipid peroxidation causes cellular damage due to altered enzyme activities, error-prone nucleic acid metabolism, and membrane dysfunction, as well as the accumulation of aging pigments in the lysomes. Ascorbic acid, a water soluble free radical quencher, was examined with regard to carbon tetra-chloride-induced lipid peroxidation and in vivo aging. Carbon tetrachloride, a well-known free radical inducer, caused marked increases in the ration of oxidized/reduced vitamin C only …