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2021

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Articles 271 - 300 of 392

Full-Text Articles in Biochemistry

Effects Of Cocaine And/Or Heroin Use On Resting Cardiovascular Function, Shabber Syed Bs, Lina A. Shkokani Bs, Leslie H. Lundahl Phd, Renato S. Roxas Md, Philip D. Levy Md, Mark K. Greenwald Phd Jan 2021

Effects Of Cocaine And/Or Heroin Use On Resting Cardiovascular Function, Shabber Syed Bs, Lina A. Shkokani Bs, Leslie H. Lundahl Phd, Renato S. Roxas Md, Philip D. Levy Md, Mark K. Greenwald Phd

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background: Regular cocaine and/or heroin use is associated with major health risks, especially cardiovascular disease (CVD), but confounded by other factors.

Objectives: We examined effects of chronic (years of regular use) and recent (past-month) use of cocaine and heroin, controlling for other factors, on resting cardiovascular function.

Methods: In a sample of cocaine and/or heroin users (N=292), we obtained data on demographics, body mass index (BMI), history of substance use, and electrocardiogram, heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP). Following bivariate correlations, three-block (1: demographics, BMI; 2: tobacco, alcohol, marijuana; 3: cocaine, heroin) regression analyses were …


Generating Pennycress (Thlaspi Arvense) Seed Triacylglycerols And Acetyl-Triacylglycerols Containing Medium-Chain Fatty Acids, Maliheh Esfahanian, Tara J. Nazarenus, Meghan M. Freund, Gary Mcintosh, Winthrop B. Phippen, Mary E. Phippen, Timothy P. Durrett, Edgar B. Cahoon, John C. Sedbrook Jan 2021

Generating Pennycress (Thlaspi Arvense) Seed Triacylglycerols And Acetyl-Triacylglycerols Containing Medium-Chain Fatty Acids, Maliheh Esfahanian, Tara J. Nazarenus, Meghan M. Freund, Gary Mcintosh, Winthrop B. Phippen, Mary E. Phippen, Timothy P. Durrett, Edgar B. Cahoon, John C. Sedbrook

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Thlaspi arvense L. (pennycress) is a cold-tolerant Brassicaceae that produces large amounts of seeds rich in triacylglycerols and protein, making it an attractive target for domestication into an offseason oilseed cash cover crop. Pennycress is easily genetically transformed, enabling synthetic biology approaches to tailor oil properties for specific biofuel and industrial applications. To test the feasibility in pennycress of producing TAGs and acetyl-TAGs rich in medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs; C6–C14) for industrial, biojet fuel and improved biodiesel applications, we generated transgenic lines with seed-specific expression of unique acyltransferase (LPAT and diacylglycerol acyltransferase) genes and thioesterase (FatB) genes isolated from Cuphea …


Transcriptional Coupling And Repair Of 8-Oxog Activate A Reca-Dependent Checkpoint That Controls The Onset Of Sporulation In Bacillus Subtilis, Valeria P. Suárez, Lissett E. Martínez, Hilda C. Leyva-Sánchez, Luz I. Valenzuela-García, Reyna Lara-Martínez, Luis F. Jiménez-García, Norma Ramírez-Ramírez, Armando Obregon-Herrera, Mayra Cuéllar-Cruz, Eduardo A. Robleto, Mario Pedraza-Reyes Jan 2021

Transcriptional Coupling And Repair Of 8-Oxog Activate A Reca-Dependent Checkpoint That Controls The Onset Of Sporulation In Bacillus Subtilis, Valeria P. Suárez, Lissett E. Martínez, Hilda C. Leyva-Sánchez, Luz I. Valenzuela-García, Reyna Lara-Martínez, Luis F. Jiménez-García, Norma Ramírez-Ramírez, Armando Obregon-Herrera, Mayra Cuéllar-Cruz, Eduardo A. Robleto, Mario Pedraza-Reyes

Life Sciences Faculty Research

© 2021, The Author(s). During sporulation Bacillus subtilis Mfd couples transcription to nucleotide excision repair (NER) to eliminate DNA distorting lesions. Here, we report a significant decline in sporulation following Mfd disruption, which was manifested in the absence of external DNA-damage suggesting that spontaneous lesions activate the function of Mfd for an efficient sporogenesis. Accordingly, a dramatic decline in sporulation efficiency took place in a B. subtilis strain lacking Mfd and the repair/prevention guanine oxidized (GO) system (hereafter, the ∆GO system), composed by YtkD, MutM and MutY. Furthermore, the simultaneous absence of Mfd and the GO system, (i) sensitized sporulating …


The Effect Of Alcalase Concentration On The Proteins From The Shells Of Litopenaeus Setiferus (White Shrimp), Liam T. Quan Jan 2021

The Effect Of Alcalase Concentration On The Proteins From The Shells Of Litopenaeus Setiferus (White Shrimp), Liam T. Quan

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Chitin is a naturally abundant polymer that also happens to be biodegradable. Chitin can be used in a variety of different products such as biodegradable plastics, papers, medical products, foods, and medical treatments. To extract chitin, shells must be demineralized and deproteinized. The goal of this experiment was to examine the effect of the protease Alcalase in the deproteinization of litopenaeus setiferus shells. The hypothesis was that if the concentration of Alcalase increased, then the absorbance of proteins in the spectrophotometer reading would increase. The null hypothesis was that if the concentration increased there would be no change in absorption. …


Genetic Engineering Of Lesquerella With Increased Ricinoleic Acid Content In Seed Oil, Grace Q. Chen, Kumiko Johnson, Tara J. Nazarenus, Grisel Ponciano, Eva Morales, Edgar B. Cahoon Jan 2021

Genetic Engineering Of Lesquerella With Increased Ricinoleic Acid Content In Seed Oil, Grace Q. Chen, Kumiko Johnson, Tara J. Nazarenus, Grisel Ponciano, Eva Morales, Edgar B. Cahoon

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Seeds of castor (Ricinus communis) are enriched in oil with high levels of the industrially valuable fatty acid ricinoleic acid (18:1OH), but production of this plant is limited because of the cooccurrence of the ricin toxin in its seeds. Lesquerella (Physaria fendleri) is being developed as an alternative industrial oilseed because its seeds accumulate lesquerolic acid (20:1OH), an elongated form of 18:1OH in seed oil which lacks toxins. Synthesis of 20:1OH is through elongation of 18:1OH by a lesquerella elongase, PfKCS18. Oleic acid (18:1) is the substrate for 18:1OH synthesis, but it is also used by fatty acid desaturase 2 …


Long Non-Coding Rna Meg3 Deficiency Impairs Glucose Homeostasis And Insulin Signaling By Inducing Cellular Senescence Of Hepatic Endothelium In Obesity, Xiao Cheng, Mohamed Sham Shihabudeen Haider Ali, Matthew Moran, Martonio Ponte Viana, Sarah L. Schlichte, Matthew C. Zimmerman, Oleh Khalimonchuk, Mark W. Feinberg, Xinghui Sun Jan 2021

Long Non-Coding Rna Meg3 Deficiency Impairs Glucose Homeostasis And Insulin Signaling By Inducing Cellular Senescence Of Hepatic Endothelium In Obesity, Xiao Cheng, Mohamed Sham Shihabudeen Haider Ali, Matthew Moran, Martonio Ponte Viana, Sarah L. Schlichte, Matthew C. Zimmerman, Oleh Khalimonchuk, Mark W. Feinberg, Xinghui Sun

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Obesity-induced insulin resistance is a risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, the mechanisms underlying endothelial senescence in obesity, and how it impacts obesity-induced insulin resistance remain incompletely understood. In this study, transcriptome analysis revealed that the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) Maternally expressed gene 3 (Meg3) is one of the top differentially expressed lncRNAs in the vascular endothelium in diet-induced obese mice. Meg3 knockdown induces cellular senescence of endothelial cells characterized by increased senescence-associated β–galactosidase activity, increased levels of endogenous superoxide, impaired mitochondrial structure and function, and impaired autophagy. Moreover, Meg3 knockdown causes cellular senescence of hepatic endothelium in …


Design Of Fibril Forming Collagen Mimetic Peptides: Heterotrimers And Nucleation Domains, Sally Tan Jan 2021

Design Of Fibril Forming Collagen Mimetic Peptides: Heterotrimers And Nucleation Domains, Sally Tan

Theses and Dissertations

This paper attempts to design collagen mimetic peptides where the triple-helical region mimics that of human Type I Collagen. With consideration for chain selection and chain register, we utilize the NC2 domain of heterotrimeric Type IX Collagen as a nucleation domain for triple-helix folding.


Arginase 1 Insufficiency Precipitates Amyloid-Β Deposition And Hastens Behavioral Impairment In A Mouse Model Of Amyloidosis, Chao Ma, Jerry B. Hunt, Maj-Linda B. Selenica, Awa Sanneh, Leslie A. Sandusky-Beltran, Mallory Watler, Rana Daas, Andrii Kovalenko, Huimin Liang, Devon Placides, Chuanhai Cao, Xiaoyang Lin, Michael B. Orr, Bei Zhang, John C. Gensel, David J. Feola, Marcia N. Gordon, Dave Morgan, Paula C. Bickford, Daniel C. Lee Jan 2021

Arginase 1 Insufficiency Precipitates Amyloid-Β Deposition And Hastens Behavioral Impairment In A Mouse Model Of Amyloidosis, Chao Ma, Jerry B. Hunt, Maj-Linda B. Selenica, Awa Sanneh, Leslie A. Sandusky-Beltran, Mallory Watler, Rana Daas, Andrii Kovalenko, Huimin Liang, Devon Placides, Chuanhai Cao, Xiaoyang Lin, Michael B. Orr, Bei Zhang, John C. Gensel, David J. Feola, Marcia N. Gordon, Dave Morgan, Paula C. Bickford, Daniel C. Lee

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) includes several hallmarks comprised of amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition, tau neuropathology, inflammation, and memory impairment. Brain metabolism becomes uncoupled due to aging and other AD risk factors, which ultimately lead to impaired protein clearance and aggregation. Increasing evidence indicates a role of arginine metabolism in AD, where arginases are key enzymes in neurons and glia capable of depleting arginine and producing ornithine and polyamines. However, currently, it remains unknown if the reduction of arginase 1 (Arg1) in myeloid cell impacts amyloidosis. Herein, we produced haploinsufficiency of Arg1 by the hemizygous deletion in myeloid cells using Arg1 …


Self-Assembled Thermoresponsive Nanogel From Grafted Hyaluronic Acid As A Biocompatible Delivery Platform For Curcumin With Enhanced Drug Loading And Biological Activities, Jittima Amie Luckanagul, Pahweenvaj Ratnatilaka Na Bhuket, Chawanphat Muangnoi, Pranee Rojsitthisak, Qian Wang, Pornchai Rojsitthisak Jan 2021

Self-Assembled Thermoresponsive Nanogel From Grafted Hyaluronic Acid As A Biocompatible Delivery Platform For Curcumin With Enhanced Drug Loading And Biological Activities, Jittima Amie Luckanagul, Pahweenvaj Ratnatilaka Na Bhuket, Chawanphat Muangnoi, Pranee Rojsitthisak, Qian Wang, Pornchai Rojsitthisak

Faculty Publications

A hyaluronic acid-grafted poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (HA-pNIPAM) was synthesized as a polymeric nanogel platform for encapsulation and delivery of hydrophobic bioactive compounds using curcumin as a model drug. As demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering techniques, the HA-pNIPAM was simply assembled into spherical nano-sized particles with the thermoresponsive behavior. The success of curcumin aqueous solubilization was confirmed by fluorescent spectroscopy. The resulting nanogel formulation enhanced the aqueous solubility and uptake into NIH-3T3 cells of curcumin. This nanogel formulation also demonstrates cytocompatibility against NIH-3T3 cells, which deems it safe as a delivery vehicle. Moreover, the formulation has a slight skin-protection …


Potential Counter Regulatory Effects Of A Gut Microbiota Metabolite In Alleviating Down-Regulation Krüppel-Like Factor 4 In Intestinal Inflammation, Ylva Forslund Jan 2021

Potential Counter Regulatory Effects Of A Gut Microbiota Metabolite In Alleviating Down-Regulation Krüppel-Like Factor 4 In Intestinal Inflammation, Ylva Forslund

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a medical condition characterized by chronic inflammation of the intestinal epithelium. Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), a zinc finger transcription factor, is vital for maintaining intestinal epithelial homeostasis. KLF4 promotes differentiation of goblet cells that generate the protective mucus layer. Reduced goblet cell number and defective mucus layer are associated with IBD. Shortchain fatty acids (SCFA) are known to play an important role in the maintenance of a strong and healthy intestinal epithelial layer and also in goblet cell differentiation. However, whether the positive effects of SCFAs on goblet cells are mediated, at least partly, via …


Root Nrt, Nir, Amt, Gs, Gogat And Gdh Expression Levels Reveal No Andaba Mediated Drought Tolerance In Brassica Juncea L., Seema Sahay, Luis Robledo-Arratia, Katarzyna Glowacka, Meetu Gupta Jan 2021

Root Nrt, Nir, Amt, Gs, Gogat And Gdh Expression Levels Reveal No Andaba Mediated Drought Tolerance In Brassica Juncea L., Seema Sahay, Luis Robledo-Arratia, Katarzyna Glowacka, Meetu Gupta

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Little is known about the interactive effects of exogenous nitric oxide (NO) and abscisic acid (ABA) on nitrogen (N) metabolism and related changes at molecular and biochemical levels under drought stress. The present study highlights the independent and combined effect of NO and ABA (grouped as “nitrate agonists”) on expression profiles of representative key genes known to be involved in N-uptake and assimilation, together with proline metabolism, N–NO metabolism enzyme’s activity and nutrient content in polyethylene glycol (PEG) treated roots of Indian mustard (B. juncea cv. Varuna). Here we report that PEG mediated drought stress negatively inhibited growth performance, as …


Validation Of A Deployable Proteomic Assay For The Serological Screening Of Sexual Assault Samples, Catherine O'Sullivan Brown Jan 2021

Validation Of A Deployable Proteomic Assay For The Serological Screening Of Sexual Assault Samples, Catherine O'Sullivan Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Protein mass spectrometry (MS) has emerged as a technique to supplant traditional serological tests for body fluid identification. It was hypothesized that proteomic techniques would surpass the sensitivity and specificity of traditional serological techniques. An automated workflow coupled with protein MS has been developed for the confirmatory identification of five biological fluids. A developmental validation was completed, assessing parameters such as reproducibility, sensitivity, ion suppression, and limit of detection. Implementation was determined through tandem sample processing by MS, traditional serological tests, and standard DNA profiling methods. The MS approach offered superior detection limits while also providing true confirmatory results, producing …


Nucleic Acids Promote Oligomerization Of Immunoglobulin G, Alexa Gomez Jan 2021

Nucleic Acids Promote Oligomerization Of Immunoglobulin G, Alexa Gomez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nucleic acids have been found to prevent aggregation as chaperones, as well as act as co-factors and promote aggregation of amyloidogenic proteins leading to various diseases. Immunoglobulin G, IgG, are prone to aggregate as therapeutic proteins, and light chains of IgG can form amyloid fibrils, causing a disease known as light chain amyloidosis. Here we discuss the effect nucleic acids have on full-length immunoglobulin G aggregation. Our results show G-quadruplex DNA, and bulk DNA lead to oligomerization of full-length IgG, and induce increases in secondary structure. Tryptophan fluorescence indicates structural changes are occurring in the presence of DNA. Additionally, IgG …


Bcs1l Interactors And Rieske Docking, Ashley Meyer, Emma Pastoor, Amy Wilstermann, Rachael Baker Jan 2021

Bcs1l Interactors And Rieske Docking, Ashley Meyer, Emma Pastoor, Amy Wilstermann, Rachael Baker

Summer Research

BCS1L interacts with many differentially localized proteins with functions ranging from metabolism to involvement in complex disease pathways


The Effects Of Rolipram, A Selective Phosphodiesterase Inhibitor, On Immortalized Schwann Cell Proliferation, Akap95 And Cyclin D3 Expression, Kyle P. Kenney, Mary Pistack, Angela Asirvatham Jan 2021

The Effects Of Rolipram, A Selective Phosphodiesterase Inhibitor, On Immortalized Schwann Cell Proliferation, Akap95 And Cyclin D3 Expression, Kyle P. Kenney, Mary Pistack, Angela Asirvatham

Student Research Poster Presentations 2021

Schwann cells are a vital component of the Peripheral Nervous System and aid in the repair of axons following injury. The regulation of Schwann cell growth in vitro is facilitated by heregulin, a neuron-secreted growth factor, and an unknown mitogen that activates the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) pathway. The abundance of intracellular cAMP is regulated by a family of enzymes called phosphodiesterases (PDEs). PDE inhibitors such as rolipram have therapeutic potential in various disorders and function by increasing the levels of intracellular cAMP. A-Kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs), a family of scaffolding proteins that belong to the cAMP/Protein Kinase A (PKA) …


Green Team - Ecological Restoration Of Plaster Creek, Jia Luchs, Caleb Mathai, Rachel Warners, David Warners, Deanna Geelhoed Jan 2021

Green Team - Ecological Restoration Of Plaster Creek, Jia Luchs, Caleb Mathai, Rachel Warners, David Warners, Deanna Geelhoed

Student Papers and Reports

Plaster Creek, though its watershed is home to many potential stewards in Grand Rapids, is the most polluted creek in West Michigan. The Green Team, a branch of Plaster Creek Stewards, is a group of students that work during the summer with a focus on research, education, and working directly to restore Plaster Creek. The team works toward this goal through urban green infrastructure, utilizing native plants to manage stormwater. Two Calvin students, Caleb Mathai and Jia Luchs, one high school intern, Ben Zwart, and twelve high school students living in the Plaster Creek watershed were hired by PCS this …


Synthetic Pathways For Potential Platinum 1,10-Phenanthroline Compounds, Jacob Young Jan 2021

Synthetic Pathways For Potential Platinum 1,10-Phenanthroline Compounds, Jacob Young

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

There are extremely important uses for platinum when it comes to the treatment of cancers and dementias. One potential therapeutic combines platinum with a structure known as phenanthroline. This platinum phenanthroline structure is normally extremely water-insoluble, rendering it difficult to study and use in biological systems. The Williams’ Biochemistry Laboratory endeavored to find a simpler synthetic pathway for a water-soluble phenanthroline product. While unsuccessful in identifying a product as of yet, many synthetic pathways have been ruled out, and more hypothetical pathways are being formulated for testing.

Among the strategies analyzed are varying solvent, reagents, apparatus, methodology, and temperature in …


Analyzing Single Ion Channel Activity In A Lipid Bilayer, David Ruiter, Loren Haarsma Jan 2021

Analyzing Single Ion Channel Activity In A Lipid Bilayer, David Ruiter, Loren Haarsma

Summer Research

Bilayers of lipid molecules form the basis of the cell membranes in living organisms. An ion channel is a type of molecule that can temporarily open a channel in a lipid bilayer in order to allow specific ions in and out. Problems with ion channels and their interactions with lipid bilayers are associated with several diseases, including osteoporosis. Carefully controlling the type of lipid in the bilayer, and its temperature, gives us tools to study the basic biophysics of these systems


Effects Of Resin Chemistries On The Selective Removal Of Industrially Relevant Metal Ions Using Wafer-Enhanced Electrodeionization, Humeyra B. Ulusoy Erol, Christa N. Hestekin, Jamie A. Hestekin Jan 2021

Effects Of Resin Chemistries On The Selective Removal Of Industrially Relevant Metal Ions Using Wafer-Enhanced Electrodeionization, Humeyra B. Ulusoy Erol, Christa N. Hestekin, Jamie A. Hestekin

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Wafer-enhanced electrodeionization (WE-EDI) is an electrically driven separations technology that occurs under the influence of an applied electric field and heavily depends on ion exchange resin chemistry. Unlike filtration processes, WE-EDI can be used to selectively remove ions even from high concentration systems. Because every excess ion transported increases the operating costs, the selective separation offered by WE-EDI can provide a more energy-efficient and cost-effective process, especially for highly concentrated salt solutions. This work reports the performance comparison of four commonly used cation exchange resins (Amberlite IR120 Na+, Amberlite IRP 69, Dowex MAC 3 H+, and …


Development Of A Dna Biosensor Using Crispr/Dcas9 On A Graphene Oxide Surface For Detecting Antibiotic Resistance Genes, Wendy Cecil Jan 2021

Development Of A Dna Biosensor Using Crispr/Dcas9 On A Graphene Oxide Surface For Detecting Antibiotic Resistance Genes, Wendy Cecil

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Antibiotic resistance is a rapidly spreading global threat to human health. Previously in our lab, we developed a simple method for facile detection of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in bacteria. This DNA detection system takes advantage of the CRISPR-Cas system (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat and CRISPRAssociated Protein). We designed CRISPR in complex with nuclease deactivated Cas9 (dCas9) on graphene oxide (GO) sheets conjugated with Cas9 antibodies. Single guide RNA (sgRNA) was customized to program dCas9 for target DNA binding. sgRNA was covalently labeled with fluorescein to provide fluorescence signal. Graphene oxide (GO) is utilized for its quenching properties …


Synthesis And Biological Evaluation Of Grp94 Selective Inhibitors, Zach Priebe, Kyler Pugh, Brian S. J. Blagg Jan 2021

Synthesis And Biological Evaluation Of Grp94 Selective Inhibitors, Zach Priebe, Kyler Pugh, Brian S. J. Blagg

Summer Research

Grp94 is one of four chaperones which belong to the Heat Shock Protein 90 (Hsp90) family. Hsp90 isoforms exist as homodimers and assist in the folding and maturation of over 400 client proteins. These proteins are highly sought-after therapeutic targets as they are known to chaperone misfolded proteins involved in various signaling pathways. During the protein folding cycle, ATP binds to the N-Terminal domain of Hsp90, which allows nascent polypeptides to undergo maturation. To prevent the folding and maturation of oncogenic proteins, researchers developed N-terminal inhibitors to prevent ATP binding. Unfortunately, these inhibitors (termed pan-inhibitors) were not isoform selective, which …


Substrate Profiling Of The Epigenetic Erasers Hdac1 And Lsd1, Herath Mudiyansela Gedara Kavinda Eranga Herath Jan 2021

Substrate Profiling Of The Epigenetic Erasers Hdac1 And Lsd1, Herath Mudiyansela Gedara Kavinda Eranga Herath

Wayne State University Dissertations

Regulators of chromatin structure have emerged as a key driver of transcriptional responses inside the cell. Two such groups of regulators, histone writers and erasers; the proteins, that add or remove histone post translational modifications (PTMs), have become the central players in chromatin structure. Thus, the aberrant expression of writers and erasures is a hallmark in human diseases. For example, overexpression of the erasures histone deacetylase1 (HDAC1) and lysine specific demethylase1 (LSD1) had been reported in many cancers. Currently, HDAC inhibitors have been used successfully for cancer treatment and several inhibitors targeting LSD1 are in clinical trial. To date, apart …


Developing Inhibitors Of Uchl5 Deubiquitinase In The Proteasome, Harshani Sewvandi Gurusingha Arachchige Jan 2021

Developing Inhibitors Of Uchl5 Deubiquitinase In The Proteasome, Harshani Sewvandi Gurusingha Arachchige

Wayne State University Dissertations

Ubiquitin proteasomal system (UPS) plays a vital role in maintaining protein homeostasis by eliminating misfolded and damaged proteins in a eukaryotic cell. Target proteins to be degraded are modified by poly-ubiquitination, which leads to degradation by 26S proteasome. Before entering the 20S catalytic subunit, the 19S regulatory particle is responsible for binding, unfolding, and deubiquitinating the target protein. Based on the nature of the polyubiquitin tag, removal of the ubiquitin is performed by the deubiquitinases (DUBs) associated with the proteasome.Ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase isozyme L5 (UCHL5) is one of the three DUBs in the proteasome. UCHL5 regulates many cellular functions and …


Integrative Network Analyses Of Transcriptomics Data Reveal Potential Drug Targets For Acute Radiation Syndrome, Robert Moore, Bhanwar Lal Puniya, Robert Powers, Chittibabu Guda, Kenneth W. Bayles, David Berkowitz, Tomas Helikar Jan 2021

Integrative Network Analyses Of Transcriptomics Data Reveal Potential Drug Targets For Acute Radiation Syndrome, Robert Moore, Bhanwar Lal Puniya, Robert Powers, Chittibabu Guda, Kenneth W. Bayles, David Berkowitz, Tomas Helikar

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Recent political unrest has highlighted the importance of understanding the short- and long-term effects of gamma-radiation exposure on human health and survivability. In this regard, effective treatment for acute radiation syndrome (ARS) is a necessity in cases of nuclear disasters. Here, we propose 20 therapeutic targets for ARS identified using a systematic approach that integrates gene co-expression networks obtained under radiation treatment in humans and mice, drug databases, disease-gene association, radiation-induced differential gene expression, and literature mining. By selecting gene targets with existing drugs, we identified potential candidates for drug repurposing. Eight of these genes (BRD4, NFKBIA, CDKN1A, TFPI, MMP9, …


Root Nrt, Nir, Amt, Gs, Gogat And Gdh Expression Levels Reveal No Andaba Mediated Drought Tolerance In Brassica Juncea L., Seema Sahay, Luis Robledo-Arratia, Katarzyna Glowacka, Meetu Gupta Jan 2021

Root Nrt, Nir, Amt, Gs, Gogat And Gdh Expression Levels Reveal No Andaba Mediated Drought Tolerance In Brassica Juncea L., Seema Sahay, Luis Robledo-Arratia, Katarzyna Glowacka, Meetu Gupta

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Little is known about the interactive effects of exogenous nitric oxide (NO) and abscisic acid (ABA) on nitrogen (N) metabolism and related changes at molecular and biochemical levels under drought stress. The present study highlights the independent and combined effect of NO and ABA (grouped as “nitrate agonists”) on expression profiles of representative key genes known to be involved in N-uptake and assimilation, together with proline metabolism, N–NO metabolism enzyme’s activity and nutrient content in polyethylene glycol (PEG) treated roots of Indian mustard (B. juncea cv. Varuna). Here we report that PEG mediated drought stress negatively inhibited growth performance, as …


The Inhibition Of Growth Of S. Cerevisiae, U. Maydis, And M. Lychinidis-Dioicae By Apiaecea Plant Extracts, Jackson M Hoffman, Jared Scott, David Schultz Phd Jan 2021

The Inhibition Of Growth Of S. Cerevisiae, U. Maydis, And M. Lychinidis-Dioicae By Apiaecea Plant Extracts, Jackson M Hoffman, Jared Scott, David Schultz Phd

Undergraduate Arts and Research Showcase

The Apiaceae family of plants contains over 3,500 species, many of which are used as food crops: vegetables (carrot, parsnip, celery, etc.), herbs (cilantro, fennel, dill, etc.), and spices (cumin, anise, caraway, etc.). Many spices have been shown to exhibit antimicrobial properties against both bacteria and fungi. We set out to determine if the Apiaceae spice extracts currently used in our lab for anticancer studies exhibit any antimicrobial properties. Ethanolic extracts were made from several Apiaceae seeds: Apium graveolens (celery), Cuminum cyminum (cumin), Anethum graveolens(dill), Foeniculum vulgare (fennel), Coriandrum satvium (coriander), Pimpinella ansium (anise), Trachyspermum ammi (ajwain), Carum carvi …


An In Vivo Inducible Expression System To Determine Antibacterial Activity Of Peptides, Rabiul Islam Jan 2021

An In Vivo Inducible Expression System To Determine Antibacterial Activity Of Peptides, Rabiul Islam

Wayne State University Dissertations

The threat of bacterial resistance throughout the world has created tremendous challenges to clinicians. Some bacterial species have acquired resistance to not only single antibiotics, but also to multiple compounds, which is called multidrug resistance. Since the early discovery of resistance to penicillin, scientists have been developing new drugs to combat antibiotic resistance. In some cases, it took less than a decade to develop resistance to a new antibiotic. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported several deadly multi-drug-resistant bacteria, some of which cause life-threating illnesses. Each year more than 35,000 people in the United States die from antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. …


Machine Learning And Bioinformatic Insights Into Key Enzymes For A Bio-Based Circular Economy, Japheth E. Gado Jan 2021

Machine Learning And Bioinformatic Insights Into Key Enzymes For A Bio-Based Circular Economy, Japheth E. Gado

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

The world is presently faced with a sustainability crisis; it is becoming increasingly difficult to meet the energy and material needs of a growing global population without depleting and polluting our planet. Greenhouse gases released from the continuous combustion of fossil fuels engender accelerated climate change, and plastic waste accumulates in the environment. There is need for a circular economy, where energy and materials are renewably derived from waste items, rather than by consuming limited resources. Deconstruction of the recalcitrant linkages in natural and synthetic polymers is crucial for a circular economy, as deconstructed monomers can be used to manufacture …


The Phylogenetic Analysis Of Genes Encoding Specific Steps In The Glutathione Pathway Within Industrial Beer Brewing Strains: Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Saccharomyces Pastorinus, And The Spoilage Microbe Brettanomyces, Miles Tyler Johnson Jan 2021

The Phylogenetic Analysis Of Genes Encoding Specific Steps In The Glutathione Pathway Within Industrial Beer Brewing Strains: Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Saccharomyces Pastorinus, And The Spoilage Microbe Brettanomyces, Miles Tyler Johnson

Online Theses and Dissertations

The Glutathione pathway, (GSH) is an antioxidant system in yeast that increases cell viability and contributes to the production of desirable beer flavors during industrial fermentation. Despite its importance, studies using the GSH pathway: GSH1, GSH2, GLR1, and SOD1 genes, to trace the evolutionary history of beer strains are lacking. As a result, the investigator sought to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships between four commonly used industrial beer strains: California Ale, London Ale, Oktoberfest, and Brettanomyces bruxellensis through single-gene sequencing analysis of the GSH pathway. It was hypothesized that the actions of these GSH genes are unique and potentially upregulated in …


How Does Atg 10 Regulate The Autophagic Process? An Investigation Into The Atg12-5 Conjugation Pathway, Ayanda Brydie Jan 2021

How Does Atg 10 Regulate The Autophagic Process? An Investigation Into The Atg12-5 Conjugation Pathway, Ayanda Brydie

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Autophagy is a highly conserved eukaryotic cellular recycling process in which the degradation of proteins and cytoplasmic organelles occurs to recycle broken down products throughout the cell. This process plays a critical role in cell survival and maintenance. Once initiated by either nutrient deficiency (bulk autophagy) or recognition of damaged organelles (selective autophagy) this process is mediated by autophagy-related proteins (Atg proteins). The Atg proteins function to form a double-membrane vesicle, the autophagosome, to target part of the cytoplasm and deliver it to the vesicle for breakdown. In bulk autophagy, the presence of these proteins at the phagophore assembly site …