Biochemistry Commons^™

Tunable Picosecond Infrared Laser System Based On Parametric Amplification In Ktp With A Ti:Sapphire Amplifier, D. E. Gragson, D. S. Alavi, G. L. Richmond

Chemistry and Biochemistry

A picosecond laser system that will generate high-power tunable IR pulses with bandwidths suitable for spectroscopic applications is discussed. The system is based on white-light continuum generation in ethylene glycol and optical parametric amplification in potassium titanyl phosphate. The nonlinear-optical processes are driven by a regeneratively amplified Ti:sapphire laser that produces 1.7-ps pulses at a repetition rate of 1 kHz. Energies as high as 40 and 12 µJ have been achieved over the signal (1.02–1.16-µm) and idler (2.6–3.7-µm) tuning ranges, respectively. The IR beam temporal and spatial characteristics are also presented.

Competitive Enzyme Immunoassay Of Catechin In Human Blood Serum, Jay Fedorowicz

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

( +)-Catechin is a type of polyphenolic compound, and it is enriched in fruits, plants, and various beverages. Polyphenolic compounds also play an important role in the human diet. Many scientists, especially wine researchers, have proposed that(+)catechin and its polymers could have many positive health effects. Thus, it is essential to learn more about (+)-catechin and other polyphenolics. Presently, high performance liquid chromatography is the only method to detect ( + )-catechin levels in human blood serum, but this method has the high cost of instrumentation and does not provide good sensitivity. The objective of this project is to develop …

Biochemical And Molecular Characterization Of The Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (Psma), John Karl Troyer

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer death in males in the United States. Additionally, the number of deaths attributed to prostate cancer is increasing at a rate of approximately 8% a year. Development of new diagnostic and therapy strategies are needed in order to improve the life expectancy of patients with this disease. One tool which may allow for improvements in prostate cancer diagnosis and therapy is the monoclonal antibody (MAb) 7E11-C5.3 which was first described in 1987. Since then, the antigen recognized by MAb 7E11-C5.3 has been named the prostate specific …

Three-Phase Intersection Points In Monolayers, John P. Hagen, Harden M. Mcconnell

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Some phospholipid/dihydrocholesterol Langmuir monolayers form coexisting liquid phases. Gas domains form at the interface between the phospholipid-rich and dihydrocholesterol-rich liquid phases when these monolayers undergo expansion to low surface pressure. Analysis of the domain shapes thus formed yields the relative line tensions of the gas/phospholipid, gas/dihydrocholesterol, and phospholipid/dihydrocholesterol phase interfaces.

Pattern Of Disease After Murine Hepatitis Virus Strain 3 Infection Correlates With Macrophage Activation And Not Viral Replication, M. Pope, O. Rotstein, E. Cole, S. Sinclair, Rebecca D. Parr, B. Cruz, R. Fingerote, S. Chung, R. Gorczynski, L. Fung, J. Leibowitz, Y. S. Rao, G. Levy

Faculty Publications

Murine hepatitis virus strain (MHV-3) produces a strain-dependent pattern of disease which has been used as a model for fulminant viral hepatitis. This study was undertaken to examine whether there was a correlation between macrophage activation and susceptibility or resistance to MHV-3 infection. Peritoneal macrophages were isolated from resistant A/J and susceptible BALB/cJ mice and, following stimulation with MHV-3 or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), analyzed for transcription of mRNA and production of interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), mouse fibrinogen-like protein (musfiblp), tissue factor (TF), leukotriene B4, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Macrophages from BALB/cJ mice produced …

Basic Medical Research As A Means Of Solving National Health Problems, M. Perwaiz Iqbal, M Anwar Waqar

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

No abstract provided.

The Cytoplasmic Tail Domain Of The Vacuolar Protein Sorting Receptor Vps10p And A Subset Of Vps Gene Products Regulate Receptor Stability, Function, And Localization, Joan Lin-Cereghino, Eric G. Marcusson, Scott D. Emr

College of the Pacific Faculty Articles

VPS10 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes a type I transmembrane receptor protein required for the sorting of the soluble vacuolar hydrolase carboxypeptidase Y (CPY). To characterize the essential structural features and intercompartmental transport itinerary of the CPY receptor, we have constructed mutant forms of Vps10p that alter the carboxyterminal cytoplasmic tail of the protein. In addition, we have analyzed the effect these mutations as well as mutations in several VPS genes have on the function, stability, and localization of Vps10p. Although wild-type Vps10p is very stable over a 3-h chase period, overproduction of Vps10p results in PEP4-dependent degradation of the receptor. …

Nutrient Limitation In A Southwestern Desert Reservoir: Eutrophication Of Las Vegas Bay, Lake Mead, Nevada, Davine M. Lieberman

Publications (WR)

Algal bioassay tests were conducted with Selenastrum capricornutum and natural algae on inner Las Vegas Bay, Lake Mead, Nevada, from December 1992 through September 1993, to identify any nutrient limitation in an area of the reservoir that has experienced problems associated with severe nutrient enrichment. Three areas were sampled based on a gradient of water quality conditions that existed in Las Vegas Bay (LVB). Disodium ethylenedinitrilotetraacetate (EDTA) significantly stimulated algal growth compared to non-EDTA treatment. Algal bioassays indicated that phosphorus (P) was the primary limiting nutrient at all stations for most of the test dates. Chl a response with EDTA …

Ph And Calcium Dependence Of Hemolysis Due To Rickettsia Prowazekii: Comparison With Phospholipase Activity, David M. Ojcius, M. Thibon, C. Mounier, Alice Dautry-Varsat

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Rickettsia prowazekii invades nucleated cells through phagocytosis and subsequently proliferates in the cytoplasm of the host cell. Hemolysis and a phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity at neutral pHs have previously been reported; even though the phagosomal environment is most likely acidic. We here show that R. prowazekii and R. typhi also lyse erythrocytes at mildly acidic pHs, compatible with an early phagosomal compartment. For R. prowazekii, hemolysis at an acidic pH but not a neutral pH is enhanced by Ca2+, raising the possibility that more than one membranolytic factor may be produced by the rickettsiae. The rickettsiae alone display PLA2 activity, …

Environments Of The Four Tryptophans In The Extracellular Domain Of Human Tissue Factor: Comparison Of Results From Absorption And Fluorescence Difference Spectra Of Tryptophan Replacement Mutants With The Crystal Structure Of The Wild-Type Protein, C. A. Hasselbacher, E. Rusinova, R. Rusinova, R. A. Kohanski, W. Lam, A. Guha, J. Du, T. C. Lin, I. Polikarpov, C. W. G. Boys, Y. Nemerson, W. H. Konigsberg, J. B. A. Ross

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The local environments of the four tryptophan residues of the extracellular domain of human tissue factor (sTF) were assessed from difference absorption and fluorescence spectra. The difference spectra were derived by subtracting spectra from single Trp-to-Phe or Trp-to-Tyr replacement mutants from the corresponding spectrum of the wild-type protein. Each of the mutants was capable of enhancing the proteolytic activity of factor Vila showing that the mutations did not introduce major structural changes, although the mutants were more susceptible to denaturation by guanidinium chloride. The difference spectra indicate that the Trp residues are buried to different extents within the protein matrix. …

Trophic Transfer Of Fatty Acids, Sterols, And A Triterpenoid Alcohol Between Bacteria, A Ciliate, And The Copepod Acartia Tonsa, Melissa C. Ederington, George B. Mcmanus, H. Rodger Harvey

OES Faculty Publications

The incorporation of lipids into the copepod Acartia tonsa and its eggs was measured when it was fed either a bacterivorous ciliate (Pleuronema sp.) or a diatom (Thalassiosira weissflogii). Egg production was 10-fold higher on the diatom diet, whereas hatch success of eggs was the same for algal and ciliate diets. Adult copepods fed diatoms contained more total fatty acid and sterols than copepods fed the ciliate diet, and individual lipids reflected the dietary source. Eggs from diatom-fed copepods had fewer fatty acids but more sterols than eggs from copepods on a ciliate diet. Ciliate-fed copepods and …

Chemical Characterization Of Condensate From Steam Classified Municipal Solid Waste, Gregory C. Batson

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Biosynthesis Of Galactose Β-(1–>4)-Mannose, A Novel Disaccharide, Through Loosened Acceptor Specificity Of Bovine Galactosyltransferase, Darren Schmidt

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Identification Of The Catalytic Residue In Rabbit Muscle Phosphofructokinase By Site-Directed Mutagenesis, Wenjue Hu

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Identification And Characterization Of Genes Associated With V-Jun Induced Cell Transformation, Martin Toralballa Hadman

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The v-jun oncogene was initially identified as the causative agent for fibrosarcomas in chickens. Studies show that overexpression of v-Jun proteins transforms chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) in vitro, and forms tumors in chickens in vivo. The mechanisms for this are not clearly defined. Conceivably, overexpression of an unregulated transcription factor would cause cell transfonnation by illicit regulation of its target genes. In support of this, we show that in vivo v-Jun complexes exhibit differential binding to in vitro generated AP-1 and 'AP-1 like' target sequences, suggesting that the pattern of target gene expression is altered during cell transformation. …

The Kinetic Characterization Of Mutant L289p Of Recombinant Hiv-1 Reverse Transcriptase, Tryn Thomas Stimart

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus, type 1 (HIV-1) is the causative agent of the Acquired immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Currently, AIDS is the leading cause of death amongst young people in the United States. The large increase of HIV-1 infections over the past decade has spawned considerable research in fighting the spread of this disease. One area of intense HIV-1 research has focused on the enzyme Reverse Transcriptase (RT) which is an essential enzyme involved in the replication and life cycle of HIV-1. HIV-1 RT is composed of p66 and p51 subunits and is only active as a heterodimer in vivo. …

A Kinetic Investigation Of The Mechanism Of Muscle Contraction With A Series Of Nucleotides, Wei Jiang

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Muscle contraction is thought to be accomplished by sliding of myosin filaments along actin filaments. Although actomyosin naturally uses ATP as an energy source, it can also use other nucleoside triphosphates (NTP) as substrates. In this work, the dependence of rate and equilibrium constants of the various steps in the muscle contraction mechanism upon nucleotide structure was investigated to unravel the dependence of the mechanical properties of the muscle upon changes in different biochemical steps of the mechanism.

The experiments measuring the dissociation of actomyosin by NTP (or mant-NTP) shows that both the rate constant of actomyosin-S1 dissociation and second …

Structural Characterization Of A Novel Inhibitor Of Hiv Reverse Transcriptase (Hiv Rt), Greggory Jon Woitte

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections have become a leading cause of death among young people in the United States today. As the number of HIV infections increases, so too does the cost of treatment. Together, these numbers have prompted an increase in the development of pharmaceutical interventions. HIV reverse transcriptase (HIV RT) has become a suitable target for drug therapy because it is the sole enzyme responsible for HIV replication.

Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide isolated from the brown algae Fucus vesiculosus, has been shown to block a variety of cell adhesion related events including metastasis. In addition, fucoidan has also …

The Crystal Structure Of Recombinant Human Neutrophil-Activating Peptide-2 (M6l) At 1.9-Å Resolution, Michael G. Malkowski, Jean Yang Wu, Jerome B. Lazar, Paul H. Johnson, Brian Fp Edwards

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications

Neutrophil-activating peptide-2 (NAP-2) is a 70-residue carboxyl-terminal fragment of platelet basic protein, which is found in the a-granules of human platelets. NAP-2, which belongs to the CXC family of chemokines that includes Interleukin-B and platelet factor 4, binds to the interleukin-8 type II receptor and induces a rise in cytosolic calcium, chemotaxis of neutrophils, and exocytosis. Crystals of recombinant NAP-2 in which the single methionine at position 6 was replaced by leucine to facilitate expression belong to space group PI (unit cell parameters a = 40.8, b = 43.8, and c = 44.7 A and a = 98.4°, fl = …

Conversion Of Bovine Pancreatic Phospholipase A At A Single Site Into A Competitor Of Neurotoxic Phospholipases A By Site-Directed Mutagenesis, Mu-Chin Tzeng, Chon-Ho Yen, Ming-Jhy Hseu, Cynthia M. Dupureur, Ming-Daw Tsai

Educator Preparation & Leadership Faculty Works

A 45-kDa polypeptide preferentially present in neuronal membranes was previously identified as a subunit of a binding (or receptor) protein for several phospholipase A2 variants with neurotoxicity, including crotoxin, by chemical cross-linking experiments (Yen, C.-H., and Tzeng, M.-C.(1991) Biochemistry 30, 11473-11477). The binding of crotoxin to this receptor protein was completely suppressed by sufficient F22Y, a mutated bovine pancreatic phospholipase A2 generated by site-directed mutagenesis of Phe of the wild-type enzyme to Tyr. The IC of this inhibition was estimated to be 1 μM. In sharp contrast, the wild-type enzyme gave no effect even at 50 μM. This …

Antifungal Activity Of Halophenols And Halonitrophenols / H. Gershon, D. D. Clarke, And M. Gershon Department Of Chemistry, Fordham University, Bronx, Ny 10458, Usa New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, Ny 10458, Usa, Herman Gershon, Donald Dudley Clarke Phd, Muriel Gershon

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Thirty one compounds (phenol; its 12 possible monohalo analogues; 18 nitrophenols (2- and 4-nitrophenols, 4-, 5-, and 6-halo-2-nitrophenols, 3-halo-4-nitrophenols)) were tested for antifungal activity against six fungi (A. niger, A. oryzae, M. verrucaria, T. viride, M. cirinelloides, and T. mentagrophytes) in Sabouraud dextrose broth. The two most fungitoxic compounds of those studied were 5-fluoro- and 5-iodo-2-nitrophenols which inhibited all the fungi at concentrations under 10 μg/ml. 6-Iodo-2-nitrophenol inhibited five fungi at a concentration below 10 μg/ml and M. cirinelloides at 10- 100 μg/ ml

Biotransformation Of Bile Acids, Cholesterol And Steroids. Chapter 13 In: The Ecology And Physiology Of Gastrointestinal Microbes. Vol. 1, New York, Chapman And Hall., Stephen Baron, Phillip B. Hylemon

Biology Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Substituted 8-Quinolinols: Halo, Nitro, And Sulfonic Acids / Herman Gershon, Donald D. Clarke, And Muriel Gershon Department Of Chemistry, Fordham University, Bronx, New York 10458 U.S.A., New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York 10458, U.S.A., Herman Gershon, Donald Dudley Clarke Phd, Muriel Gershon

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Methods have been systematized for preparing substituted 8-quinolinols. The 5 and 7 positions are those available for electrophilic substitution. The entry position of the electrophile can be controlled by controlling the prototropic form of the 8-quinolinol. Under acidic conditions the 5 position is attacked first and under basic conditions the electrophile is directed to the 7 position. Iodination is the reverse. Regiospecificity also can be achieved by blocking the 5 or 7 position with sulfonic acid groups followed by addition of the electrophile and deblocking by acid hydrolysis, providing the new substituent is stable to acid hydrolysis. When compounds containing …

A Small Modified Hammerhead Ribozyme And Its Conformational Characteristics Determined By Mutagenesis And Lattice Calculation, Brooke Lustig, N H. Lin, S M. Smith, R L. Jernigan, K.-T Jeang

Faculty Publications, Chemistry

A prototypic hammerhead ribozyme has three helices that surround an asymmetrical central core loop. We have mutagenized a hammerhead type ribozyme. In agreement with previous studies, progressive removal of stem-loop II from a three stemmed ribozyme showed that this region is not absolutely critical for catalysis. However, complete elimination of stem II and its loop did reduce, but did not eliminate, function. In a stem-loop II-deleted ribozyme, activity was best preserved when a purine, preferably a G, was present at position 10.1. This G contributed to catalysis irregardless of its role as either one part of a canonical pair with …

Molecular Mimicry Between Fc Receptor And S Peplomer Protein Of Mouse Hepatitis Virus, Bovine Corona Virus, And Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus [Abstract], Emilia L. Oleszak, Jacek Kuzmak, Brenda Hogue, Rebecca D. Parr, Ellen W. Collisson, L. Scott Rodkey, Julian L. Leibowitz

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Fish Analysis On Spontaneously Arising Micronuclei In The Icf Syndrome, Michael W. Stacey, M. S. Bennett, M. Hulten

Bioelectrics Publications

The ICF syndrome is a rare disorder where patients show undercondensation of the heterochromatic blocks of chromosomes 1, 9, and 16 along with variable immunodeficiency. The undercondensation of the heterochromatic block appears to be restricted to a portion of PHA stimulated T cells. Patients with this syndrome also show an increase in micronuclei formation. We have used dual colour FISH to investigate the chromosomal content of these micronuclei in PHA stimulated peripheral blood cultures, an EBV transformed B cell line, and also micronuclei observed in vivo from peripheral blood smears. Chromosome 1 appears to be present in a higher proportion …

The Development Of Methodology For The Examination Of Interhelical Distances Of A Bacteriorhodopsin Mutant Using The Heterobifunctional Cross-Linker 4-(N-Maleimido) Benzophenone, Tracie L. Bishop

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Bacteriorhodopsin (BR) is the sole protein found in the purple membrane of Halobacteria salinarium. The chromophore of BR, all-trans retinal, is bound to the apoprotein of BR via a protonated Schiff base linkage to the E-amino group of Lys216. The protonated all-trans retinal isomerizes to the deprotonated I3-cis retinal upon the absorption of light. This light induced chromophore isomerization triggers a cycle of proton pumping from the cytosol to the extracellular side of the membrane (one H+ per trans to cis isomerization). This proton pumping creates a gradient across the membrane which can be used by the bacterium to synthesize …

Activation Of Transfer Rna-Guanine Ribosyltransferase By Protein Kinase C, Rana C. Morris, Bonnie J. Brooks, Panayota Eriotou, Deborah F. Kelly, Sandeep Sagar, K. Lenore Hart, Mark S. Elliot

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Transfer RNA-guanine ribosyltransferase (TGRase) irreversibly incorporates queuine into the first position in the anticodon of four tRNA isoacceptors. Rat brain protein kinase C (PKC) was shown to stimulate rat liver TG Rase activity, TGRase preparations derived from rat liver have been observed to decrease in activity over time in storage at -20 or -70°C, Contamination of the samples by phosphatases was indicated by a p-nitrophenylphosphate conversion test, The addition of micromolar concentrations of the phosphatase inhibitors sodium pyrophosphate and sodium fluoride into TGRase isolation buffers resulted in a greater return of TGRase activity than without these inhibitors, Inactive TGRase preparations …

Elimination Of Dissolved Sulfide Interference In The Flow-Injection Determination Of Sigma-Co2 By Addition Of Molybdate, Rigel L. Lustwerk, David J. Burdige

OES Faculty Publications

A previously described flow injection method for the analysis of ΣCO₂ included the addition of ZnCl₂ to some samples before analysis in order to precipitate dissolved sulfide (which interferes with the method) as ZnS. However, the use of Zn²⁺ in samples with high concentrations of dissolved sulfide causes the coprecipitation of ZnCO₃, and in our experience with this technique, ZnCO₃ also precipitates even in the absence of dissolved sulfide. The addition of molybdate effectively complexes dissolved sulfide without interfering with the determination of ΣCO2 by this technique.

In Vivo Regulation Of Wheat-Leaf Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase By Reversible Phosphorylation, Stephen M. G. Duff, Raymond Chollet

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Regulation of C₃ phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) and its protein-serine/threonine kinase (PEPC-PK) was studied in wheat (Trificum aesfivum) leaves that were excised from low-N-grown seedlings and subsequently illuminated and/or supplied with 40 mM KNO₃. The apparent phosphorylation status of PEPC was assessed by its sensitivity to i-malate inhibition at suboptimal assay conditions, and the activity state of PEPC-PK was determined by the in vitro ³²P labeling of purified maize dephospho-PEPC by [y³²PIATP/ Mg. lllumination (±NO₃^-) for 1 h led to about a 4.5-fold increase in the 50% inhibition constant for i-malate, which …