Biochemistry Commons^™

Functional Foods: Promising Therapeutics For Nigerian Children With Sickle Cell Diseases, Oladeji John Alabi, Fikayo Noah Adegboyega, Dolapo Samuel Olawoyin, Oluwakemi Arinola Babatunde

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Sickle cell disease (SCD), also known as sickle cell anemia (SCA) is one of the structural hemoglobinopathies that occurs due to a single nucleotide mutation from GAG to GTG, which changes the amino acid of a β-globin chain of hemoglobin (Hb) from glutamate to valine. This singular mutation results to disorderliness in red blood cells (RBCs) with advent of changes in RBC morphology and other pathological conditions. In the 1980s, intermittent red blood cell transfusions, opioids, and penicillin prophylaxis were the only available therapy for SCA and were commonly reserved for acute, life threatening complications. So far, the US Food …

Biomimetic Synthesis Of Palladium Nanoparticles For Catalytic Application, Emily A. Groover

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The synthesis of palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) using materials-directed peptides is a novel, nontoxic approach which exerts a high level of control over the particle size and shape. This biomimetic technique is environmentally benign, featuring nonhazardous ligands and ambient conditions. Nanoparticles are extremely reactive catalysts, boasting a large surface-to-volume ratio when compared to their bulk counterparts. The rational design of these nanoparticles using peptides has been very successful in aqueous environments, but no research has been done to apply it in organic systems. As such, the biomimetic synthesis of Pd NPs in an organic system is here investigated, with ethanol …

Characterization Of A Malachite Green Dna Aptamer And Development Of Malachite Green Dna Aptamer Sensor, Martin O'Steen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Hydrogels have been extensively studied for use in applications such as tissue engineering, drug delivery systems, wound dressing, actuators, valves, and sensors in Micromechanical Systems (MEMS), among others. Thermo-responsive hydrogels in particular pose various advantages such as their capability to respond to an external stimulus and reverse the response when the stimulus is removed and the ability to imbibe a significant amount of solvent and increase their volume by over 1000%. Extensive research has been conducted to tune and improve hydrogel's rate and degree of swelling and mechanical properties. Previous work showed that when synthetic clay (Laponite) is cross-linked with …

Fish Oil Intake During Gestation And Lactation Attenuated Stz-Induced Diabetes Inmale Offspring Via Activation Of Brown Fat And Modulating Oxylipin Profile, Rong Fan, Shalom Thomas, Mikyoung You, Zhuoheng Li, Brandt Bessell, Bhanwar Lal Puniya, Tomáš Helikar, Zhenhua Liu, Soonkyu Chung

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Fish oil (FO) has been demonstrated to activate brown thermogenesis and attenuate inflammation in the brown adipose tissue (BAT). Previously, we have reported thatmaternal FO supplementation promotes BAT activity of the weaned mice pups. However, whether maternal FO intake could confer sustainable metabolic benefits to offspring remains uncovered. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the differential impact of maternal FO during pregnancy versus lactation on BAT transcriptome and evaluate the role of bioactive lipid metabolites derived from maternal FO supplementation on the extended metabolic benefits of older pups in the context of type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Conclusions: Our results suggested …

Recognition Of Extracellular Dna By Type Iv Pili Promotes Biofilm Formation By Clostridioides Difficile, Leslie A. Ronish, Ben Sidner, Yafan Yu, Kurt H. Piepenbrink

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Clostridioides difficile is a Gram-positive bacillus, which is a frequent cause of gastrointestinal infections triggered by the depletion of the gut microbiome. Because of the frequent recurrence of these infections after antibiotic treatment, mechanisms of C. difficile persistence and recurrence, including biofilm formation, are of increasing interest. Previously, our group and others found that type IV pili, filamentous helical appendages polymerized from protein subunits, promoted microcolony and biofilm formation in C. difficile. In Gram-negative bacteria, the ability of type IV pili to mediate bacterial self-association has been explained through interactions between the pili of adjacent cells, but type …

Coordination Of Metal Center Biogenesis In Human Cytochrome C Oxidase, Eva Nývltová, Jonathan Dietz, Javier Seravalli, Oleh Khalimonchuk, Antoni Barrientos

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) or respiratory chain complex IV is a heme aa3- copper oxygen reductase containing metal centers essential for holo-complex biogenesis and enzymatic function that are assembled by subunit-specific metallochaperones. The enzyme has two copper sites located in the catalytic core subunits. The COX1 subunit harbors the CuB site that tightly associates with heme a3 while the COX2 subunit contains the binuclear CuA site. Here, we report that in human cells the CcO copper chaperones form macromolecular assemblies and cooperate with several twin CX9C proteins to control heme a biosynthesis and coordinate copper transfer sequentially to the …

Coastal Upwelling Enhances Abundance Of A Symbiotic Diazotroph (Ucyn-A) And Its Haptophyte Host In The Arctic Ocean, Corday R. Selden, Sveinn V. Einarsson, Kate E. Lowry, Katherine E. Crider, Robert S. Pickart, Peigen Lin, Carin J. Ashjian, P. Dreux Chappell

OES Faculty Publications

The apparently obligate symbiosis between the diazotroph Candidatus Atelocyanobacterium thalassa (UCYN-A) and its haptophyte host, Braarudosphaera bigelowii, has recently been found to fix dinitrogen (N²) in polar waters at rates (per cell) comparable to those observed in the tropical/subtropical oligotrophic ocean basins. This study presents the novel observation that this symbiosis increased in abundance during a wind-driven upwelling event along the Alaskan Beaufort shelfbreak. As upwelling relaxed, the relative abundance of B. bigelowii among eukaryotic phytoplankton increased most significantly in waters over the upper slope. As the host’s nitrogen demands are believed to be supplied primarily by UCYN-A, …

Anti-Neuroinflammatory Effects And Underlying Mechanismsof Cleistocalyx Nervosum Var. Paniala Extracts In Microglia Cells, Sakawrat Janpaijit

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Sustained inflammatory responses have been implicated in various neurodegenerative disorders. Cleistocalyx nervosum var. paniala (CN), an edible berry, has been reported to exhibit several beneficial properties. However, only limited research is available on this fruit seed, which is classified as agricultural food waste. We therefore focused on the anti-neuroinflammatory effects and underlying mechanism of C. nervosum var. paniala seed extract (CNSE) on BV-2 mouse microglial cells induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). CN seeds were extracted in 95% ethanol by Soxhlet extraction. HPLC was carried out to identified resveratrol (RESV) in CNSE. For cell-based studies, the expression …

Kinetic Mechanism Of Indigo-Producing Indole Monooxygenase From Acinetobacter Baumannii, Kanyarat Suksomjaisaman

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Indole, a bicyclic compound comprising a fused benzene and pyrrole ring, serves as a fundamental component in numerous natural compounds. Additionally, indole holds significant importance in industrial applications, particularly in the production of pharmaceutical drugs and agrochemicals. Flavin-dependent indole monooxygenase is an enzyme responsible for hydroxylation of the indole ring. Indole monooxygenase is a two-components: flavoprotein reductase containing FAD as a cofactor, and monooxygenase. The reductase component utilizes NADH to catalyze flavin reduction and transfers the reduced flavin to the monooxygenase component. The hydroxylation of indole by monooxygenase reduced FAD and oxygen as substrates. In this study, we cloned the …

Microbial Labilization And Diversification Of Pyrogenic Dissolved Organic Matter, Aleksandar I. Goranov, Andrew S. Wozniak, Kyle W. Bostick, Andrew R. Zimmerman, Siddhartha Mitra, Patrick G. Hatcher

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

With the increased occurrence of wildfires around the world, interest in the chemistry of pyrogenic organic matter (pyOM) and its fate in the environment has increased. Upon leaching from soils by rain events, significant amounts of dissolved pyOM (pyDOM) enter the aquatic environment and interact with microbial communities that are essential for cycling organic matter within the different biogeochemical cycles. To evaluate the biodegradability of pyDOM, aqueous extracts of laboratory-produced biochars were incubated with soil microbes, and the molecular changes to the composition of pyDOM were probed using ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry (Fourier transform–ion cyclotron resonance–mass spectrometry). Given that solar irradiation …

The Role Of Irf-1 In Spontaneous Mouse Glioma, Aakash B. Vaidya

Theses and Dissertations

Glioblastoma Multiforme has been shown to be one of the deadliest primary brain cancers. One of the reasons why GBM is so deadly, is a unique immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment that promotes GBM growth and progression. Both astrocyte and microglia have been implicated in immunosuppression. In this study, we explored the role of Interferon Regulatory Factor 1 (IRF-1) in astrocytes and glioma cells on the growth of spontaneous glioma tumors. IRF-1 is regulated by the JAK/STAT pathway and induces expression of Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1). PD-L1 downregulates immune responses to glioma. We found that IRF-1 had no effect on spontaneous …

Structure Of A Monomeric Photosystem Ii Core Complex From A Cyanobacterium Acclimated To Far-Red Light Reveals The Functions Of Chlorophylls D And F, Christopher J. Gisriel, Gaozhong Shen, Ming-Yang Ho, Vasily Kurashov, David A. Flesher

Faculty Publications

Far-red light (FRL) photoacclimation in cyanobacteria provides a selective growth advantage for some terrestrial cyanobacteria by expanding the range of photosynthetically active radiation to include far-red/near-infrared light (700-800 nm). During this photoacclimation process, photosystem II (PSII), the water:plastoquinone photooxidoreductase involved in oxygenic photosynthesis, is modified. The resulting FRL-PSII is comprised of FRL-specific core subunits and binds chlorophyll (Chl) d and Chl f molecules in place of several of the Chl a molecules found when cells are grown in visible light. These new Chls effectively lower the energy canonically thought to define the "red limit" for light required to drive photochemical …

Understanding The Impact Of Human Germline Single-Nucleotide Variants, Samuel Adjei

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

All genetic variations in the human genome are due to mutations, and therefore determining the impact of the different categories of mutations, particularly nonsynonymous single nucleotide variants (SNVs) which are the most abundant in the population is essential for understanding the genetics of human diseases. Generations of mutation studies have focused on a relatively small number, partly due to technological limitations. However, advances in next-generation sequencing have allowed for empirical assessments of genome-wide mutations. genome sequence of any individual contains extensive protein-altering genetic variation (missense mutations) and of which only a few are unambiguously deleterious. Characterizing the phenotypes of these …

Characterization Of L-Malic Acid-Capped Cds Quantum Dots And Examination Of The Nanoncrystal's Biosensor Ability, Andrei A. Potapenko

Honors Theses and Capstones

Ligand-capped quantum dots are microscopic semiconductors commonly used in biomedical research and therapy for cell imaging and drug delivery. Despite the abundance of in vivo applications, the nature of interactions between the nanocrystals and the amino acids comprising human proteins remains insufficiently investigated. In this work, we report on the synthesis, ligand exchange, and characterization of the L-malic acid-capped CdS quantum dots via various spectroscopic techniques. We also assess the ligand-capped nanocrystals as potential probes for some amino acids. We determine that in the presence of L-cysteine, the L-malic acid-capped CdS quantum dots fluorescence signal quenches drastically, thus indicating a …

Synthesis Of Oligonucleotides Containing Unnatural Backbone And Regulation Of Crispr Activity Using Inverse Electron Demand Diels-Alder Chemistry, Alyssa Hoy

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This thesis describes the synthesis of an oligonucleotide containing an unnatural neutralbackbone. The backbone was constructed using bio-orthogonal inverse electron demand Diels- Alder chemistry between trans-cyclooctene (TCO) and tetrazine (Tz). A TCO phosphoramidite was synthesized and attached to solid support for strand propagation. Uridine monomers containing either bis-TCO or bis-Tz were also synthesized. The oligonucleotide strand was formed by sequential ligation of the bis-Tz and bis-TCO monomers. The oligonucleotide was analyzed using mass spectrometry. This thesis also describes the synthesis of sgRNAs containing non-canonical nucleobases, m1A, m6A, s2U and s4U using the ‘split-and-click’ methodology. The synthetic sgRNAs were assembled using …

The Photo-Transformation Of Free Methionine In The Presence Of Surrogate And Standard Isolate Dissolved Organic Matter Under Sunlit Irradiation, Benjamin J. Mohrhardt

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Sulfur (S)-containing amino acids are key sources of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur involved in protein synthesis, protein function, and providing energy for microbial growth. Dissolved free and combined methionine is one of two S-containing amino acids incorporated into proteins and has been attributed to their stability and function. The oxidation of methionine has received considerable attention given its ubiquitous presence in most biological systems and has been associated with losses in protein function and pathological disorders. In natural waters, methionine is rapidly and selectively taken up by microorganisms to achieve cellular requirements of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur. The abiotic transformation …

Identification And Characterization Of Transcription Factors Regulating Methionine Gamma-Lyase Gene Expressionin Durian Durio Zibethinus M. Pulps, Pinnapat Pinsorn

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Durian (Durio zibethinus L.) is an economic fruit crop in Southeast Asia. In Thailand, more than 200 durian varieties are found. Among them, two commercial cultivars which are Chanee and Monthong are mainly cultivated. Durian fruit releases a strong sulfuryl odor containing ethanethiol, methanethiol, and hydrogen sulfide during ripening. Methionine γ-lyase (MGL) is an enzyme responsible for α, γ-elimination of L-methionine into methanethiol, ammonia, and α-ketobutyrate. MGL gene is highly expressed in durian pulps during ripening concurring with methanethiol production during ripening. However, the function of durian MGL (DzMGL) has not been characterized. Thus, the enzymatic activity assay towards L-methionine, …

Identification Of Glutathionylated Cysteines Regulating Cell Migration, Dhanushika Kukulage

Wayne State University Dissertations

Cell migration is vital in many physiological processes, such as wound repair and metastasis. Impaired cell migration in wound healing may result in chronic wounds, by which 6.7 million Americans are affected, and they suffer from bacterial infections, amputations, increased mortality, and depression. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) play an essential role as a second messenger in redox signaling. Evidence has been found that H2O2 takes part in regulating cell migration as well. A primary mechanism of ROS regulating redox signaling is oxidative protein modifications. Protein S-glutathionylation, one of the oxidative modifications, is the conjugation of glutathione …

Effect Of Allosteric Site Binding On Smyd2 Conformational Ensemble, Jacob Daniel Sobota

Wayne State University Theses

Molecular dynamics simulation allows for the simulation of proteins with precise control over what ligands are present at what sites. The conformational ensemble of a protein can be obtained from MD simulation with and without binding at an allosteric site and compared between to gain insight at what effects binding at an allosteric site has on a protein’s structure. SMYD2, a critical regulator of cellular processes, was recently found to have a novel secondary binding site with allosteric effects on its activity. The discovery of an allosteric site has implications for drug design in the inhibition of SMYD2 to treat …

Mhc Diversity Analysis Of Spheniscus Demersus For In Situ And Ex Situ Populations, Antonieta Van Den Berg Monsalve

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

The South African Penguin has been listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) alleles provide valuable statistics because of their variation in terms of vertebrate genomes and are pertinent to immune and reproductive health. A greater number of MHC alleles correlates with survivability of a population because the genes control the immune and reproductive systems. Legacy research by Otterbein alumni and Dr. Simon Lawrance studied MHC samples from wild, in situ, and captive, ex situ, penguin populations. By comparing these populations' major histocompatibility complexes through biostatistical analysis, contributions to conservation of the …

ฮอร์โมนเอสโตรเจนเหนี่ยวนำให้เกิดการแทรกของ Line-1 ดีเอ็นเอเข้าไปในจีโนมของเซลล์มะเร็งเต้านม, กุลจิรา โรจน์ไพศาลกิจ

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

ในปัจจุบันโรคมะเร็งเต้านมเป็นมะเร็งที่มีอุบัติการณ์และอัตราการตายสูงที่สุดในเพศหญิงทั่วโลกรวมถึงในประเทศไทยด้วย โดยพบว่า LINE-1 ถือว่าเป็น Retrotransposon element ที่พบมากที่สุดถึง 17 % ของจีโนมและมีความสามารถในการคัดลอกแล้วแทรกตัวเองในบริเวณอื่นของจีโนมซึ่งเป็นสาเหตุของทำให้เกิดความไม่สเถียรของจีโนมอันเป็นสาเหตุของการเกิดโรคมะเร็ง และยังพบว่าการแสดงออกของLINE-1 มีผลต่อการลุกลาม, ขนาด, และระยะของโรคมะเร็งเต้านมด้วย นอกจากนี้ยังพบว่าผู้หญิงที่การได้รับฮอร์โมนเอสโตรเจนต่อเนื่องเป็นระยะเวลานานทำให้ความเสี่ยงของโรคมะเร็งเต้านมเพิ่มมากขึ้น ถึงกระนั้นยังคงไม่ทราบถึงกลไกการทำงานของเอสโตรเจน ดังนั้นผู้วิจัยจึงตั้งสมมุติฐานว่า เอสโตรเจนสามารถเหนี่ยวนำให้เกิดการแทรกของ LINE-1 ดีเอ็นเอเข้าไปในจีโนมของเซลล์มะเร็งเต้านม โดยทำการศึกษาบผลของเอสโตรเจนที่ได้รับต่อการแสดงออกของ LINE-1 mRNA และ LINE-1 โปรตีน รวมถึงผลของเอสโตรเจนที่ได้รับต่อการแทรกของ LINE-1 ดีเอ็นเอโดยวิเคราะห์จากปริมาณดีเอ็นเอในเซลล์มะเร็งเต้านม T47D ผลการทดลองพบว่าที่เอสโตรเจนมีผลทำให้การแสดงออกของ LINE-1 mRNA เพิ่มขึ้นสูงที่สุดอย่างมีนัยสำคัญที่ความเข้มข้นของเอสโตรเจน 5 nM ด้วยวิธี Realtime RT-PCR ในเซลล์มะเร็งเต้านม T47D และผลทำให้การแสดงออกของ LINE-1 mRNA เพิ่มขึ้นสูงที่สุดอย่างมีนัยสำคัญที่ 12 ชม. ด้วยวิธี Realtime RT-PCR ในเซลล์มะเร็งเต้านม T47D และเอสโตรเจนมีผลทำให้การแสดงออกของโปรตีน LINE-1 ORF1p เพิ่มขึ้นสูงที่สุดอย่างมีนัยสำคัญที่ 48 และ 72 ชม. ในเซลล์มะเร็งเต้านม T47D ด้วยวิธี Western blot โดยพบว่าการแสดงออกของโปรตีน LINE-1 ORF1p เพิ่มขึ้นสูงที่สุดอย่างมีนัยสำคัญ 72 ชม. นอกจากนี้เอสโตรเจนมีผลทำให้ปริมาณของ LINE-1 ดีเอ็นเอบริเวณ ORF2 เพิ่มขึ้นสูงที่สุดอย่างมีนัยสำคัญที่ 72 ชม.ในเซลล์มะเร็งเต้านม T47D มากที่สุดอย่างมีนัยสำคัญด้วยวิธี Real-time PCR แสดงให้เห็นว่าเอสโตรเจนมีผลทำให้เกิดการแทรกของ LINE-1 ดีเอ็นเอเข้าไปในจีโนมได้ จากผลการทดลองทั้งหมดจึงสรุปได้ว่า เอสโตรเจนมีผลต่อการเพิ่มแสดงออกของ LINE-1 mRNA และ LINE-1 โปรตีน รวมถึงเพิ่มปริมาณ LINE-1 ดีเอ็นเอ อย่างมีนัยสำคัญในเซลล์มะเร็งเต้านม T47D แสดงว่าเอสโตรเจนสามารถเหนี่ยวนำให้เกิดการแทรกของ LINE-1 ดีเอ็นเอเข้าไปในจีโนมนำไปสู่การกลายพันธุ์ของยีนและความไม่เสถียรของจีโนม

Molecular Mechanism Of Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns In Association With Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease Resistance Of Heat Stressed-Shrimp Penaeus Vannamei, Supitcha Wanvimonsuk

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Non-lethal heat shock (NLHS) is known to enhance resistance to acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VPAHPND) in the Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei. Generally, cell damage induced by stresses leads to the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), molecules that act as endogenous danger signals to promote immune response. The first part of this research aims to study molecular mechanism of DAMPs that can enhance innate immunity upon NLHS treatment on VPAHPND resistance. We identified and characterized the candidate NLHS-induced DAMP that can activate innate immune responses against VPAHPND. The candidate DAMP genes were retrieved from the …

Investigation Of Dna Hybridization In Localized Systems In Close Proximity, Ashley M. Sewsankar

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Hybridization of two or more DNA or RNA strands is well documented for the process taking place with all strands free in solution or when one strand is immobilized on a substrate. This study contributes to the investigation of the hybridization process when two single DNA strands (ssDNA) are in close proximity. We took advantage of an X sensor in which hybridization of four DNA strands enables the formation of a DNA four-way junction (crossover or X) structure. We immobilized multiple layers of crossover structures to study its hybridization being triggered by short ssDNA coming from solution and further investigate …

Peripheral And Central Glucose Flux In Type I Diabetes, Jelena Anna Juras

Theses and Dissertations--Neuroscience

Diabetes is a complex metabolic disorder, of which high blood glucose concentration is the primary hallmark. Type I diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is characterized by the lack of insulin production, due to a poorly understood autoinflammatory cascade. In the words of historian Barnett “Diabetes may no longer be a death sentence, but for more and more people in the 21st century, it will become a life sentence”, making it the focal point of many research groups. It is estimated that around 20 million individuals worldwide live with T1DM.

Effects of long-term chronically elevated blood glucose are not only seen in micro/macro-vascular …

Building Tools For Improved Modulation Of The Human Gabaa Receptor, A Central Nervous System Target For The Treatment Of Anxiety, Garrett Edward Zinck

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

In the U.S., anxiety is recognized as an increasing range of mentally and physically debilitating psychiatric health disorders with significant economic repercussions. Over the last 20 years, several novel anti-anxiety therapies have entered the drug development pipeline, but none have made it to market.

The work in this dissertation focused on structurally modifying valerenic acid (VA), a structurally unique carboxylated sesquiterpene acid found in Valeriana officinalis. VA is putatively reported to have allosteric modulatory activity of the human GABA_A receptor, a ligand-gated ion channel responsible for attenuating neurotransmissions. Structural modeling of VA’s GABA_A receptor interaction suggests that …

Apoe Genotype And Cerebral Glucose Metabolism: A Multi-Omics Approach, Holden C. Williams

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Apolipoprotein E (APOE) is encoded by the APOE gene, present in humans as three main isoforms (E2, E3, and E4). E4 carriers face up to a 15-fold increased risk for developing late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD), while E2 carriers are protected. Understanding the risk conferred by E4 has been an extensive research focus for nearly three decades, but the exact mechanism has yet to be proven. Many studies have demonstrated attenuated roles of E4 in classical hallmarks of AD, notably amyloid processing and neurofibrillary formation, which normally present later in disease progression. How APOE influences hallmarks that present much earlier are …

Function And Expression Of Ribonucleotide Reductase-Encoding Genes In Flavobacterium Johnsoniae, Hunter Scott Doheny

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) are essential enzymes that are involved in DNA synthesis. While this makes them ideal targets for antiproliferative drugs, most known RNR targeting agents are nonspecific. This poses a problem when considering antimicrobials, but several groups of bacteria have RNRs that utilize unique mechanisms that could be exploited if fully understood. One such bacteria, Flavobacterium johnsoniae, has the gene for a class Id RNR with a novel activation mechanism. Class Id RNRs belong to the aerobic class I RNRs and seem to have a unique metallocofactor and activation mechanism involving superoxide and manganese. The goal of this research …

Exosomal-Long Non-Coding Rnas Journey In Colorectal Cancer: Evil And Goodness Faces Of Key Players, Nehal I. Rizk, Ahmed I. Abulsoud, Mohamed M. Kamal, Dina H. Kassem, Nadia M. Hamdy

Pharmacy

Exosomes are nano-vesicles (NVs) secreted by cells and take part in cell-cell communications. Lately, these exosomes were proved to have dual faces in cancer. Actually, they can contribute to carcinogenesis through epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, metastasis and tumor microenvironment (TME) of various cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). On the other hand, they can be potential targets for cancer treatment. CRC is one of the most frequent tumors worldwide, with incidence rates rising in the recent decades. In its early stage, CRC is asymptomatic with poor treatment outcomes. Therefore, finding a non-invasive, early diagnostic biomarker tool and/or suitable defender to combat …

Protumorigenic Effects Of Mixed Lineage Kinase Domain-Like Protein In Cholangiocarcinoma Cells, Nattaya Duangthim

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a heterogeneous malignancy of bile duct system, has the highest incidence in Thailand. CCA is one of the leading causes of death which has low 5-year survival rate from 5% to 10% in advanced stages due to the difficulty of diagnosis in early stage and lack of effective therapies. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms and pathogenesis of CCA development and progression is urgently needs and will lead to the development of novel therapeutic targets and strategies. Mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL) was identified as a key effector in a novel regulated necrosis or necroptosis pathway. Recently studies have …

Investigating The Main Protease (Mpro) Of Sars-Cov-2 As A Potential Drug Target, Valerie Giovina Pascetta

Honors Theses and Capstones

The rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic has claimed the lives of roughly 6.2 million people worldwide as of May 2022. The virus’s main protease (M^pro ) has been identified as an attractive drug target due to the critical role it plays in the viral life cycle. The roughly 34 kDa M^pro cleaves functional viral polypeptides out of two long polyproteins at conserved cut sites, allowing them to fulfill their role in processes like transcription and replication. Here, we have studied the enzymatic activity …