Molecular Biology Commons^™

A Lipid Binding Structure And Functional Analysis Of Human Arv1, Jessie Lee Cunningham

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a combination of risk factors that can over time increase the probability of developing diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Acyl-coenzyme-A: cholesterol O-acyl transferase related enzyme required for viability-1, abbreviated as Arv1, is an evolutionarily conserved putative lipid binding protein. Several studies have implicated hArv1 as a critical regulator of lipid transport and trafficking.

Recent work using an Arv1 knock out (KO) mouse model have established a clear link between Arv1 function and the progression of MetS and NAFLD/NASH [unpublished data] [1]. Overall, studies show that …

Endocrine And Metabolic Effects Of Consuming Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: Preclinical And Clinical Studies", Peter Havel

Science Seminar Series

Peter J. Havel of the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis will speak on his research on Endocrine and Metabolic Effects of Consuming Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: Preclinical and clinical studies at this Science Seminar Series lecture.

Approaching Undergraduate Research With Students Who Are Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing, Austin U. Gehret, Jessica W. Trussell, Lea V. Michel

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

An undergraduate research experience can provide a unique opportunity for students to learn and grow as scientists; when positive, this experience is often transformative and motivates students to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduate degrees or careers. Conversely, negative research experiences can sour a student’s opinion of research, propagate misconceptions of graduate school, and lead to attrition from STEM fields. Negative research experiences can be equally devastating for faculty mentors and may result in reluctance to mentor future research students. Using a mentoring approach that has traditionally translated to positive research experiences for hearing students may not be …

Functional Roles Of Matrix Metalloproteinases In Bone Metastatic Prostate Cancer, Jeremy S. Frieling

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Skeletal metastasis is a lethal component of many advanced cancers including prostate, the second most common cancer among men. Patients whose prostate cancer is localized and detected early benefit from multiple treatment options ranging from active surveillance to radiation and surgery, resulting in a 5-year survival rate of nearly 100%. Unfortunately, the prognosis and survival for patients with advanced metastatic disease is much worse due to the highly aggressive nature of the disease and a paucity of treatment options. Understanding the mechanisms and interactions that occur between metastatic cancer cells and the bone will enable the future treatment landscape for …

Applied Drug Development And Combinatorial Strategies For Antimicrobial Treatment, Steven K. Lai Hing

Andrews Research Conference

Streptococcus mutans JH1140 is a strain of bacteria which produces a lantibiotic product, named mutacin 1140. Mutacin 1140 has been shown to be effective at inhibiting Gram-positive bacterial infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Mutacin 1140 is a ribosomally synthesized peptide antibiotic that undergoes extensive posttranslational modifications (PTM). We have found that Mutacin 1140 and an aminoglycoside, Kanamycin, when combined together, act synergistically against Staphylococcus aureus. This was determined by performing serial kill curve dilution overlays on solid media, followed up with kill curve by microdilution plate, and most recently confirmed with kill curve CFU count plates …

Negative Regulation Of Haa1 By Casein Kinase I Protein Hrr25 In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Morgan Collins

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Haa1 is a transcription factor that adapts Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells to weak organic acid stresses by activating the expression of various genes. How Haa1 is activated by weak acids is not clear. This study proposes that Hrr25 is an important regulator of cellular adaptation to weak acid stress by inhibiting Haa1 through phosphorylation. YRO2, one of the targets of Haa1, shows increase in expression during stationary phase. This increase is due to basal activity of Haa1 and another, unknown, transcription factor. This study proposes that Gsm1 is another transcription factor that regulates YRO2 expression in the stationary phase. Finally, …

Characterization Of Genes Involved In Phycobiliprotein Biosynthesis In Fremyella Diplosiphon And Thermosynechococcus Elongatus, Christina M. Kronfel

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic organisms that efficiently capture light by utilizing the light-harvesting complexes called phycobilisomes. In many cyanobacteria, phycobilisomes are composed of an allophycocyanin core with phycocyanin and phycoerythrin (PE) rods radiating from the core. These phycobiliproteins have multiple bilin chromophores, such as phycoerythrobilin (PEB), covalently attached to specific cysteine (Cys) residues for efficient photosynthetic light capture. Chromophore ligation on phycobiliprotein subunits occurs through bilin lyase catalyzed reactions.

This study mainly focuses on characterizing the roles of enzymes that are involved in the biosynthetic pathway of the phycobiliproteins within two cyanobacteria Thermosynechococcus elongatus and Fremyella diplosiphon. A combination of molecular …

Identification Of Novel Nuclear Proteins Required For Meiotic Silencing By Unpaired Dna In Neurospora Crassa, Dilini Ralalage

Theses and Dissertations

A fundamental step that occurs during sexual reproduction is meiosis, which is a specialized type of cell division. During meiosis, pairs of chromosomes exchange genetic information via recombination. At this point, the genome is particularly susceptible to viruses and other foreign genetic invasions. Therefore, it is important to protect the genome to prevent the transmission of foreign genetic materials to the offspring. There are several mechanisms work together to protect host genome from foreign genetic materials. These are known as “genome defense mechanisms”.

The fungus Neurospora crassa is one of the best organisms for genome defense studies due to the …

The Impact Of The Mitochondrial Metabolism Of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Upon Differentiation, Stefanie T. Shahan

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be differentiated into any cell type found in the body. The derivation of a stem cell derived β cell (SC-β) capable of responding to glucose by secreting insulin was hugely significant for diabetes research and opened up the possibility of cell replacement therapy to combat this widespread disease (Pagliuca et al. 2014). The optimization of differentiation procedures such as this could improve yield, function, cost, and efficiency of a stem cell-derived product. Current approaches to improve differentiation are primarily focused on signal transduction pathways, while the metabolic state of the cells has received little …

Long Non-Coding Rna Profile In Mantle Cell Lymphoma Identifies A Functional Lncrna Ror1-As1 Associated With Ezh2/Prc2 Complex., Guangzhen Hu, Shiv K Gupta, Tammy P Troska, Asha Nair, Mamta Gupta

Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an aggressive B-cell lymphoma characterized by rapid disease progression. The needs for new therapeutic strategies for MCL patients call for further understanding on the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis of MCL. Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been recognized as key regulators of gene expression and disease development, however, the role of lncRNAs in non-Hodgkin lymphoma and specifically in MCL is still unknown. Next generation RNA-sequencing was carried out on MCL patient samples along with normal controls and data was analyzed. As a result, several novel lncRNAs were found significantly overexpressed in the MCL samples with …

B7h6: A Cancer Biomarker For The Development Of Novel Immunotherapy Approaches, Mariana Phillips

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Cancer-based immunotherapy has led the evolution of biologics that can stimulate immune responses towards tumor eradication. The synthesis of small to intermediate size molecules with the targeting and effector functions of mAb may represent a novel class of immunotherapeutics that may overcome the limitations of their biological counterparts.Towards this objective, B7H6 has been identified as a protein ligand localized on the cell surface of transformed tumor cells. B7H6 binds specifically to the activating receptor NKp30, constitutively expressed on all resting and active NK cells. Upon ligand:receptor binding, B7H6 triggers NK cell activation and release of chemokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines such …

Cloning, Purification, And Biochemical Characterization Of Human Prolyl Endopeptidase, Travis K. Moore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Eurygaster integriceps Puton, common name sunn Pest, is one of the primary sources of wheat crop wastes in North Africa, Middle East, and Eastern Europe. It feeds by injecting the wheat grain with an enzyme characterized as prolyl endoprotease (spPEP) that breaks down Gluten, the wheat’s main constitutive protein necessary for bread production (Darkoh et al., 2010). Previously, it has been shown that peptides isolated from Lactobacillus hydrolysates of caseins in bovine milk are able to inhibit mammalian PEP in colon cells, as well as bacterial PEP (Juillerat-Jeanneret et al., 2010). While recombinant versions of these peptides are also potential …

Studies On The Effect Of Glycolysis And Pi(3,5)P2 On V-Atpase Activity, Dennis Ralph Dominguez

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

We studied two signals that regulate the yeast vacuolar proton pump, V-ATPase, glucose and PI(3,5)P2.  V-ATPase regulation by glucose is linked to the glycolytic enzyme PFK-1. Chapter one investigates the relationship between V-ATPase and glycolysis in cells overexpressing the PFK-1 subunit Pfk2p.  We measured: (i) PFK-1 activity to determine the effect on PFK-1 function; and (ii) NADH autofluorescence to determine the effect on glycolysis. PFK2 overexpression decreased PFK-1 catalytic activity. However, the NADH synthesis rate increased by 1.4 – 2.6-fold, suggesting that excess Pfk2p enhanced the apparent glycolytic capacity of the cells. Vacuolar acidification was measured after the glucose concentration …

Optimizing Collection Of Trace Biological Samples From Vehicle Headrests, Kevin Tang, Jesse Ramirez, John Bond, Jocelyn Weart, Yvette Delatorre, Ian Fitch, Steven Lee

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Tape-lifting and swabbing are two methods commonly used for collecting biological samples in the United Kingdom and United States to investigate vehicle crimes. Determining the optimal collection method may lead to an increase in generating DNA profiles and crime-solving. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of adhesive tape and the double-swab collection methods for investigating vehicle crimes with possible touch DNA samples. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the use of tape-lifts and swabs on spiked common vehicle fabric materials. The efficiency of recovery between the two collection methods was performed using qPCR. The results from …

The Role Of Exosomes In Prostate Field Cancerization, Julie Nguyen

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Field cancerization is formally defined as the presence of molecular alterations in structurally normal tissues adjacent to tumors. Currently, the etiology of prostate field cancerization is still unknown. We hypothesize that exosomes (vesicles excreted by cells that may contain protein, lipids, or RNA) are released by tumors and are endocytosed by adjacent normal cells converting them into abnormal cells, thereby aiding cancer progression. The following biomarkers have been associated with field cancerization: MIC-1, PDGF-A, FASN, and EGR-1, while markers for exosomes are CD-9, CD-63, and PSMA. To test this hypothesis, exosomes were isolated from human prostate cancer cell models LNCaP …

Discovery Of A Diaminopyrimidine Flt3 Inhibitor Active Against Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Jamie A. Jarusiewicz, Jae Yoon Jeon, Michele C. Connelly, Yizhe Chen, Lei Yang, Sharyn D. Baker, R. Kiplin Guy

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Profiling of the kinase-binding capabilities of an aminopyrimidine analogue detected in a cellular screen of the St. Jude small-molecule collection led to the identification of a novel series of FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) inhibitors. Structure–activity relationship studies led to the development of compounds exhibiting good potency against MV4-11 and MOLM13 acute myelogenous leukemia cells driven by FLT3, regardless of their FLT3 mutation status. In vitro pharmacological profiling demonstrated that compound 5e shows characteristics suitable for further preclinical development.

Altered Na, K- Atpase Isoform Expression In Artemia Franciscana In Response To Hypersaline Environments, Jessica Drenth

Theses and Dissertations

The Na,K-ATPase (NKA) is an essential membrane pump that helps to establish cell ion gradients, and regulate intracellular salt in many organisms. One such species, Artemia franciscana (brine shrimp), extreme halophiles which live in hypersaline environments, expresses 2 distinct α-catalytic subunits of the NKA. One of these subunits, α2-(KK), has two key lysine substitutions located within the cation binding sites. Prior work has demonstrated this specific subunit may be directly involved in brine shrimp adaptation to their extreme environments. However, the precise molecular and physiological effects of α2-(KK) have not been entirely elucidated. I determined through immunohistochemistry that my initial …

The Rise And Fall Of The Bovine Corpus Luteum, Heather Talbott

Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation describes a study of the mechanisms regulating the genesis and subsequent involution of the temporary endocrine structure, the corpus luteum (CL), through the use of a bovine model. The CL is essential for maintaining a suitable uterine environment for embryo implantation and early development through secretion of the steroid hormone progesterone. The “Rise and Fall” of the CL occurs within each estrous cycle whereby the CL must form from the ruptured follicle, secrete sufficient progesterone for uterine maturation, and at the end of the cycle (or pregnancy) regress to allow new follicular development. During the rise of the …

Organ-Specific Transcriptome Profiling Of Metabolic And Pigment Biosynthesis Pathways In The Floral Ornamental Progenitor Species Anthurium Amnicola Dressler, Jon Suzuki, Teresita D. Amore, Bernarda Calla, Nathan A. Palmer, Erin D. Scully, Scott E. Sattler, Gautam Sarath, Joanne S. Lichty, Roxanna Y. Myers, Lisa M. Keith, Tracie K. Matsumoto, Scott M. Geib

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Anthurium amnicola Dressler possesses a number of desirable and novel ornamental traits such as a purple-colored upright spathe, profuse flowering, and floral scent, some of which have been introgressed into modern Anthurium cultivars. As a first step in identifying genes associated with these traits, the transcriptome from root, leaf, spathe, and spadix from an accession of A. amnicola was assembled, resulting in 28,019 putative transcripts representing 19,458 unigenes. Genes involved in pigmentation, including those for the metabolism of chlorophyll and the biosynthesis of carotenoids, phenylpropanoids, and flavonoids were identified. The expression levels of one MYB transcription factor was highly …

Mri Applications In Tissue Engineering, Shadi Othman

Science Seminar Series

Shadi Othman of the School of Engineering and Computer Science Bioengineering Program, will speak on his research on MRI applications in tissue engineering.

Mechanism Of Lck Activation In Driving Leukemia Cell Proliferation, Hannah E. Dobson

Senior Honors Projects

Leukemia is a type of cancer that develops in blood-forming tissues of the immune system. These tissues can include the bone marrow or sites within the lymphatic system such as the lymph nodes. Leukemia progresses from a mutational event within a white blood cell. Often this mutation alters the cell’s normal life cycle, resulting in uninhibited cell division and growth. With this uncontrolled cell proliferation, mutated white blood cells accumulate and begin interfering with the functioning of healthy cells.

Scientists are unsure of the exact mechanisms required for leukemia development. However, recently scientists identified four characteristic mutations in the protein …

Mapping The Interaction Between Lrrc59 And Cip2a Oncoprotein, Tamika C. Reed

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

The oncogene cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (CIP2A) has been shown to promote oncogenesis through numerous protein-protein interactions. CIP2A was initially found to be a direct inhibitor of the PP2A tumor suppressor protein; however, new research has demonstrated that CIP2A can act independently of PP2A through protein-protein interactions resulting in deregulation of the cell cycle and the development of therapeutic drug resistance, tumorigenesis, and cell proliferation. It has been shown that leucine rich repeat containing 59 protein (LRRC59) binds to and is required for the nuclear translocation of CIP2A, thereby making this interaction a target for drug therapy. Thus, …

Characterization Of E-Cadherin Regulation In Response To Zeb1 Inhibition In Endometrial Cancer Cell Lines, Chidozie Paul Chukwu

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the process in which cells lose their epithelial structure during gastrulation. This process also affects the migration and movement of tumor cells and promotes invasion and metastases of endometrial carcinomas. Down-regulation of E-cadherin (CDH1) by transcription factors is the key target of EMT modulators and is achieved mainly by ZEB1 (zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1). Current research looking at restoration of E-cadherin expression in vitro involves the use of small molecules such as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors and DNA methyltransferase inhibitors. Trichostatin A (TSA) and small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) are tools that …

The Role Of The Expansion Segment 7 Of 25s Rrna During Oxidative Stress In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Ethan Gardner

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Translation is an essential process for protein expression in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Like any cellular process, translational factors are prone to damage when the cell is under stress. One common stressor that nearly all cells may experience is abnormal levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Damage caused by ROS has been associated with disease ranging from neurodegenerative impairments, to the aging process of cells. These oxygen radicals are capable of damaging a litany of molecules including nucleic acids, and molecular factors involved in translation. It has been shown that tRNA can be cleaved upon ROS-induced stress and these fragments …

A Review Of The Signal Transduction Pathways Involved In Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition Induced In Breast Cancer Metastasis And Their Cross-Talks, Kasey Cervantes '17

Independent Study

Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is a biological process utilized by epithelial cells to transform into motile mesenchymal cells, initiating metastasis in cancer. EMT is also utilized during development and wound healing [10]. This process allows for cancerous cells to detach themselves from their primary tumor and invade normal tissue in preferred organ sites, forming secondary tumors called metastases. Metastasis is very important in the progression of cancer in patients as it the process responsible for the mortality of patients through the collection of metastases that effect vital organs like the brain, lung, or immune system. The most common metastases for malignant …

Lymphoid Hematopoiesis And The Role Of B-Cells In Transgenic Mouse Model Of Sickle Cell Disease, Christina Cotte

University Scholar Projects

Sickle cell disease (SCD) has been shown to be associated with decreased baseline immunity and thus increased susceptibility to infection. I sought to discern possible causes of this by looking into the correlations between SCD and hematopoiesis, the immune system and the neuroendocrine system, and ultimately by conducting experiments surrounding the impaired immune system of SCD. These experiments focused on the potential causes and effects of the diminution of B-1a cells in the SCD spleen. Adoptive transfers, infections with Streptococcus pneumoniae, and histologic imaging were conducted to establish if the diminution of the B-1a cells in the SCD spleen …

Determination Of The Substrate Specificity Of Citrus Paradisi Flavonol Specific 3-O-Glucosyltransferase Mutant D344p, Nathan R. Spaulding

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Plants produce a vast array of secondary metabolites. A group of phenolic compounds, the flavonoids, are metabolites ubiquitous among plants and are known to aid in processes such as plant reproduction, UV defense, pigmentation and development. In relation to human health, flavonoids have been found to possess anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and antioxidant properties. Flavonoid’s ability to participate in so many interactions is due in part to their subclass variation and further chemical modification. One such modification is glucosylation, where a glucose molecule is added to the flavonoid substrate. The enzymes that catalyze these reactions are known as glucosyltransferases (GT). Citrus paradisi …

Evaluation Of Different Probiotic Strains Supplemented In Commercial Broiler Rations And Their Influences On Performance, Yield, And Intestinal Microbiota., Justin M. Glasscock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to evaluate Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus subtilis, as probiotic strains compared to Bacitracin Methylene Disalicylate (BMD) 50 as the antibiotic growth promotor, supplemented in commercial broiler rations and their influences on performance, yield, and intestinal microbiota. This trial was completed as a randomized-block design with 4,800 birds split into 96, 5’x10’ pens, and randomly assigned to one of eight treatment groups. The birds were placed at a stocking density of 1.00 ft²/bird, (50 birds/pen), and reared on used pine shaving for 55 days. Throughout the study, bird …

Burkholderia Cenocepacia J2315-Mediated Destruction Of Staphylococcus Aureus Nrs77 Biofilms., Rachel Thompson

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disorder that affects over 30,000 people in the US and more than 70,000 people worldwide. Recurring bacterial infections in CF patients result in tissue damage that dramatically lowers respiratory function and are ultimately fatal. The formation of bacterial biofilms in the mucus and on lung epithelial tissue allows pathogens to be protected from antibiotics and the host immune system, making treatment of infection difficult. The interactions between CF pathogens in co-culture biofilms are not well understood and were examined in this study. Staphylococcus aureus and Burkholderia cenocepacia, two common CF pathogens, were used …

Uncovering The Identity And Metabolism Of Bacterial Coa-Rna, Joseph R. Spangler

Dissertations

Coenzyme A is an indispensable molecule in all known life with roles in metabolism, gene regulation, and macromolecule synthesis. As CoA is derived from RNA itself, it’s incorporation into RNA by in vitro methods has proven useful in research probing the origin of life based on the RNA World theory. The discovery in contemporary bacteria of RNA modified with CoA, however, provided an unexpected twist to previously well-characterized bacterial systems. The identity of sequences associated with CoA-RNA has been elusive since their discovery in 2009 based on the difficulties in isolation while maintaining RNA quality. The aim of this study …