Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Biology Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

University of Central Florida

Diseases

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Biology

Investigating The Role Of Neuronal Aging In Fragile X-Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome, Katlin Marie Hencak Jan 2019

Investigating The Role Of Neuronal Aging In Fragile X-Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome, Katlin Marie Hencak

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is an X-linked late-onset neurodegenerative disorder caused by a noncoding trinucleotide repeat expansion in the FMR1 gene. This gene produces fragile x mental retardation protein (FMRP), an RNA binding protein whose targets are involved in brain development and synaptic plasticity. One of the proposed mechanisms of FXTAS pathogenesis is an RNA gain-of-function in which the repeat expansion causes toxic mRNA that sequesters important proteins in the cell, interfering with their functions. Another suggested method of pathogenesis is through a mutant protein called FMRpolyG. This protein results from repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translation, in which the expanded …


Elucidating The Role Of Oxygen And Biotype In The Environmental Persistence Of Vibrio Cholerae, Amy M. Freiberg Jan 2019

Elucidating The Role Of Oxygen And Biotype In The Environmental Persistence Of Vibrio Cholerae, Amy M. Freiberg

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Vibrio cholerae is a natural inhabitant of aquatic environments and serves as the etiological agent for the severe diarrheal disease, cholera. Cholera epidemics follow a regular seasonal pattern, which account for tens to hundreds of thousands of deaths in a given year. V. choleraenaturally persist between epidemics through entry into a dormant state known as viable but nonculturable (VBNC). Research has shown that V. choleraein this VBNC state experience drastic morphological and metabolic changes, which serve as survival mechanisms until environmental conditions become suitable again. The natural marine ecosystem that V. cholerae inhabitis comprised of a complex …