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2020

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Articles 1651 - 1680 of 1996

Full-Text Articles in Biology

Utilizing Rhizospheric And Bacterial Endophytes For Use As Potential Bio-Fertilizers For Sustainable Agricultural Production, Vincent Peta Jan 2020

Utilizing Rhizospheric And Bacterial Endophytes For Use As Potential Bio-Fertilizers For Sustainable Agricultural Production, Vincent Peta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Brassica carinata crop production offers an exciting alternative approach to the energy crisis when looking at novel ways to power our motor vehicles. Bacterial endophytes, while residing in host-plant tissues, offer a wide array of plant growth promotion benefits such as nitrogen fixation to impart nitrogen (N) nutrition, phosphate (P) solubilization to make soil-bound phosphate more mobile in soil for plant uptake, can suppress pathogenic microbes such as fungus and produce plant growth hormones to offset stress incurred by the plant. Previous literature has shown that there is large interest in studying endophytes from economically important crops such as wheat, …

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Crispr/Cas9 Whole Genome Screens Reveal Novel Regulators Of Endocytic Processes In Macrophages, Jared Wollman Jan 2020

Crispr/Cas9 Whole Genome Screens Reveal Novel Regulators Of Endocytic Processes In Macrophages, Jared Wollman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Macrophages maintain tissue homeostasis by identifying and eliminating threats within their tissue microenvironment. Pattern recognition receptors allow macrophages to recognize and internalize specific ligands while macropinocytosis allows the internalization of all extracellular solutes from their environment. Without pattern recognition receptors, pathogens may grow unchecked if they cannot be detected, and without macropinocytosis, macrophages struggle to detect and move around their environment. This thesis presents the results of CRISPR/Cas9 whole-genome screens used to identify the regulators of both endocytosis (Chapter 2) and macropinocytosis (Chapter 3). In Chapter 2, we report genes regulating dextran uptake in primary murine macrophages and reveal Mrc1-mediated …

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What's In My Histological Dyes Anyway?, Ashley Post Jan 2020

What's In My Histological Dyes Anyway?, Ashley Post

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

There are many different dyes that are used for biological research, but not much is commonly known about the origins of the dyes or how they are synthesized. Our dyes of interest were Coomassie Blue G and Rhodamine B. Coomassie Blue G is a blue colored dye used mainly for SDS-PAGE (gel electrophoresis) in biological research. Rhodamine B is used for its ability to fluoresce under ultraviolet light. Both of these dyes have been used for research purposes for many years despite researchers who use the dyes not having little background knowledge regarding the purity of the manufactured dyes. We …

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Exploring The Functionality And Role Of The Interdomain Loop (Idl) Of Mouse Hepatitis Virus (Mhv) Protease Nsp5, Benjamin Nick Jan 2020

Exploring The Functionality And Role Of The Interdomain Loop (Idl) Of Mouse Hepatitis Virus (Mhv) Protease Nsp5, Benjamin Nick

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Human coronaviruses are responsible for a number of physiological ailments and include illnesses such as the common cold, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), pneumonia, and COVID-19. While vaccines exist for a multitude of pathogenic viruses that exists today, human coronaviruses are not among those that possess a stable and efficacious vaccine available on the market. Attempts to make an inhibitor against coronaviruses have targeted the active site and substrate binding sites of a protease known as non-structural protein 5 (Nsp5), however these attempts have failed to date. Models of the structure of MHV Nsp5 show …

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Characterization Of Ph-Based Inactivation Of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (Rsv), Jenna Nosek Jan 2020

Characterization Of Ph-Based Inactivation Of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (Rsv), Jenna Nosek

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a negative-sense, single-strand RNA virus that affects the upper and lower respiratory system in humans. Currently, RSV is the leading cause of infant mortality worldwide, while also infecting target populations of the elderly and immunocompromised. Significant efforts towards vaccine development have been made due to limited therapeutic options, however, physical instabilities of RSV may hinder movement in vaccine development. We hypothesize that strain-specific differences in stability likely attribute to differences in RSV F protein, as proposed by previous studies about the intrinsically instability of RSV. A panel of recombinant RSV viruses were analyzed for strain-specific …

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The Effect Of Natural Extracts On Border Cell And Centripetal Cell Migration In The Developing Drosophila Melanogaster Egg Chamber, Kirandeep Kaur Jan 2020

The Effect Of Natural Extracts On Border Cell And Centripetal Cell Migration In The Developing Drosophila Melanogaster Egg Chamber, Kirandeep Kaur

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world. Although targeted therapies that specifically inhibit pathways that are activated in cancer cells are becoming more common, often times the specific cancer-causing pathways are not known, or a treatment targeting that pathway has not been developed. In the absence of a targeted therapy, most common cancer treatments target proliferating cells, which can cause many unwanted adverse side effects. Therefore, researchers are testing whether natural extracts or dietary supplements could reduce the growth or metastasis of cancer cells without as many negative side effects. This study uses the Drosophila …

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Characterization Of Heavy Metal Bioremediation Pathways In Local Moss Species, Zachary Hanquier Jan 2020

Characterization Of Heavy Metal Bioremediation Pathways In Local Moss Species, Zachary Hanquier

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Heavy metals are found in natural water sources and are toxic to plants and animals. Metal removal remains a goal of environmental protection; one promising approach is to use plants that have been genetically modified to better remove metals from water. A known metabolic pathway to neutralize metals uses the Phytochelatin Synthase (PCS) enzyme to catalyze the production of phytochelatins. Our research characterizes the potential of Indiana moss species for heavy metal bioremediation as foundational research for future genetic modification. Mosses grow well in water and absorb metals through their entire surface area, and using locally collected moss species will …

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Impacts Of Variation In Food Availability On Spatial Habitat Use Of Breeding And Non-Breeding Red Crossbills (Loxia Curvirostra), Liam Pendleton Jan 2020

Impacts Of Variation In Food Availability On Spatial Habitat Use Of Breeding And Non-Breeding Red Crossbills (Loxia Curvirostra), Liam Pendleton

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Movement patterns, habitat use, and reproductive behavior are among many attributes impacted by the distribution of resources within habitats. Our study used radio telemetry to investigate the relationship between food availability and movement patterns of breeding and nonbreeding red crossbills (Loxia curvirostra). Crossbills were captured and tracked in different seasons and under conifer seed mast and non-mast conditions. Telemetry data were used to generate statistical models to analyze spatial habitat use. Total linear distance traveled per total area of the home range was used as a comparative measure of activity within home ranges across specimens. We found a …

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Evolutionary Ecology Of The Native Johnny Darter (Etheostoma Nigrum) And The Invasive Round Goby (Neogobius Melanostomus): A Genomic Perspective, Abby Joyce Wicks Jan 2020

Evolutionary Ecology Of The Native Johnny Darter (Etheostoma Nigrum) And The Invasive Round Goby (Neogobius Melanostomus): A Genomic Perspective, Abby Joyce Wicks

Wayne State University Dissertations

Round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is an invasive fish present in all five Great Lakes and is becoming increasingly common in their tributaries. Johnny darter (Etheostoma nigrum) is a native species that often coexists with round goby. Here, I use traditional population genetic methods and genomic tools to explore the evolutionary ecology of these species. First, historic factors are addressed as a source of variation in study populations by characterizing patterns of mitochondrial DNA variation throughout Lower Michigan. Round goby populations were largely homogenous and exhibited no evidence of overarching historical genetic structure, consistent with the recent invasion and rapid expansion …

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Loss Of Foundation Species Revisited: Conceptual Framework With Lessons Learned From Eastern Hemlock And Whitebark Pine, Allyson L. Degrassi, Steven Brantley, Carrie R. Levine, Jacqueline Mohan, Sydne Record, Diana F. Tomback, Aaron M. Ellison Jan 2020

Loss Of Foundation Species Revisited: Conceptual Framework With Lessons Learned From Eastern Hemlock And Whitebark Pine, Allyson L. Degrassi, Steven Brantley, Carrie R. Levine, Jacqueline Mohan, Sydne Record, Diana F. Tomback, Aaron M. Ellison

Biology Faculty Research and Scholarship

Ecologists and conservation biologists often prioritize the study of species that are declining, threatened, or endangered over species that are abundant and ecologically important, such as foundation species (FS ). Because entire ecosystems and their biodiversity depend on FS , we argue that they have high conservation priority. A citation analysis reveals that FS are studied, but often are characterized ambiguously. More effort is needed to identify FS before they, and the ecosystems they define, are at risk of decline or loss. We suggest a new conceptual framework that includes: informed identification of FS in ecosystems; documentation of ecosystem services …

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Plant Species Determine Tidal Wetland Methane Response To Sea Level Rise, Peter Mueller, Thomas J. Mozdzer, J. Adam Langley, Lillian R. Aoki, Genevieve L. Noyce, J. Patrick Megonigal Jan 2020

Plant Species Determine Tidal Wetland Methane Response To Sea Level Rise, Peter Mueller, Thomas J. Mozdzer, J. Adam Langley, Lillian R. Aoki, Genevieve L. Noyce, J. Patrick Megonigal

Biology Faculty Research and Scholarship

Blue carbon (C) ecosystems are among the most effective C sinks of the biosphere, but methane (CH4) emissions can offset their climate cooling effect. Drivers of CH4 emissions from blue C ecosystems and effects of global change are poorly understood. Here we test for the effects of sea level rise (SLR) and its interactions with elevated atmospheric CO2, eutrophication, and plant community composition on CH4 emissions from an estuarine tidal wetland. Changes in CH4 emissions with SLR are primarily mediated by shifts in plant community composition and associated plant traits that determine both the direction and magnitude of SLR effects …

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Synergies Among Environmental Science Research And Monitoring Networks: A Research Agenda, J. A. Jones, P. M. Groffman, J. Blair, F. W. Davis, H. Dugan, E. E. Euskirchen, S. D. Frey, T. K. Harms, E. Hinckley, M. Kosmala, S. Loberg, S. Malone, Sydne Record, A. V. Rocha, B. L. Ruddell, E. H. Stanley, C. Sturtevant, A. Thorpe, T. White., W. R. Wieder, L. Zhai, K. Zhu Jan 2020

Synergies Among Environmental Science Research And Monitoring Networks: A Research Agenda, J. A. Jones, P. M. Groffman, J. Blair, F. W. Davis, H. Dugan, E. E. Euskirchen, S. D. Frey, T. K. Harms, E. Hinckley, M. Kosmala, S. Loberg, S. Malone, Sydne Record, A. V. Rocha, B. L. Ruddell, E. H. Stanley, C. Sturtevant, A. Thorpe, T. White., W. R. Wieder, L. Zhai, K. Zhu

Biology Faculty Research and Scholarship

Many research and monitoring networks in recent decades have provided publicly available data documenting environmental and ecological change, but little is known about the status of efforts to synthesize this information across networks. We convened a working group to assess ongoing and potential cross-network synthesis research and outline opportunities and challenges for the future, focusing on the US-based research network (the US Long-Term Ecological Research network, LTER) and monitoring network (the National Ecological Observatory Network, NEON). LTER-NEON cross-network research synergies arise from the potentials for LTER measurements, experiments, models, and observational studies to provide context and mechanisms for interpreting NEON …

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Range Limitation Of The Peaks Of Otter Salamander (Plethodon Hubrichti) Due To Competition With The Eastern Red-Backed Salamander (Plethodon Cinereus) In Sympatry, Timothy R. Brophy, Norman G. Reichenbach Jan 2020

Range Limitation Of The Peaks Of Otter Salamander (Plethodon Hubrichti) Due To Competition With The Eastern Red-Backed Salamander (Plethodon Cinereus) In Sympatry, Timothy R. Brophy, Norman G. Reichenbach

Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Peaks of Otter salamander, Plethodon hubrichti, is a montane species found at altitudes above 442 m within a 117 km2 area of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia, USA. In areas where this species is sympatric with the eastern red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) it seemed likely that P. hubrichti populations were either depressed or eliminated. The habitability of areas beyond the current range boundaries for P. hubrichti is supported by several disjunct populations in areas sympatric with P. cinereus. From 2009 to 2012 we tested whether P. hubrichti was negatively impacted by competition with P. cinereus by removing …

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Exploring The Potential Of Commensal Lactobacilli To Inhibit Growth Of Uropathogens, Lydia Delaney Jan 2020

Exploring The Potential Of Commensal Lactobacilli To Inhibit Growth Of Uropathogens, Lydia Delaney

Summer Community of Scholars Posters (RCEU and HCR Combined Programs)

No abstract provided.

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Characterizing The Diverse Cells That Associate With The Developing Commissures Of The Zebrafish Forebrain, Jake Schnabl, M.P.H Litz, Caitlin Schneider, N. Penkofflidbeck, Sarah Bashiruddin, M. S. Schwartz, Kristin Alligood, Michael Barresi Jan 2020

Characterizing The Diverse Cells That Associate With The Developing Commissures Of The Zebrafish Forebrain, Jake Schnabl, M.P.H Litz, Caitlin Schneider, N. Penkofflidbeck, Sarah Bashiruddin, M. S. Schwartz, Kristin Alligood, Michael Barresi

Zebrafish Forebrain Cellular Characterization

During embryonic development of bilateral organisms, neurons send axons across the midline at specific points to connect the two halves of the nervous system with a commissure. Little is known about the cells at the midline that facilitate this tightly regulated process. We exploit the con served process of vertebrate embryonic development in the zebrafish model system to elucidate the identity of cells at the midline that may facilitate postoptic (POC) and anterior commissure (AC) development. We have discovered that three differentgfap+ astroglial cell morphologies persist in contact with pathfinding axons throughout commissure formation. Similarly, olig2+ progenitor cells occupy delineated …

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Model Prediction Of A Kunitz-Type Trypsin Inhibitor Protein From Seeds Of Acacia Nilotica L. With Strong Antimicrobial And Insecticidal Activity, Sohaib Mehmood, Muhammad Imran, Arslan Ali, Aisha Munawar, Binish Khaliq, Farzeen Anwar, Qamar Saeed, Friedrich Buck, Saber Hussain, Ahsan Saeed, Muhammad Yasin Ashraf, Ahmed Akrem Jan 2020

Model Prediction Of A Kunitz-Type Trypsin Inhibitor Protein From Seeds Of Acacia Nilotica L. With Strong Antimicrobial And Insecticidal Activity, Sohaib Mehmood, Muhammad Imran, Arslan Ali, Aisha Munawar, Binish Khaliq, Farzeen Anwar, Qamar Saeed, Friedrich Buck, Saber Hussain, Ahsan Saeed, Muhammad Yasin Ashraf, Ahmed Akrem

Turkish Journal of Biology

A Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor protein has been purified and characterized from seeds of Acacia nilotica L. LC-MS/MS analysis of Acacia nilotica trypsin inhibitor (AnTI) provided the N-terminal fragment of 11 amino acids which yielded 100% identity with already reported Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor protein of Acacia confusa (AcTI) in UniProtKB database search. SDS-PAGE showed a single band of ~21 kDa under nonreduced condition and appearance of a daughter band (17 kDa) in the presence of ß-mercaptoethanol indicating the presence of interchain disulfide linkage typical for Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitors. AnTI was purified from seed extract by using a combination of anion exchange …

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Cloning And Expression Of The Green Fluorescent Protein (Gvfp) From The Clinging Jellyfish (Gonionemus Vertens) Using Rna-Seq, Vasilios A. Orologas Jan 2020

Cloning And Expression Of The Green Fluorescent Protein (Gvfp) From The Clinging Jellyfish (Gonionemus Vertens) Using Rna-Seq, Vasilios A. Orologas

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

We have discovered a novel GFP in the clinging jellyfish (Gonionemus vertens), a protein we have named GvFP (Gonionemus vertens Fluorescent Protein). This protein is responsible for the bright green fluorescence seen in the rhopalia along the margin of the bell, the gonads associated with the radial canals, and the manubrium when illuminated with blue light (470 nm). GvFP was first identified by Nextgen sequencing (RNA-Seq) of libraries made from mRNA of mature medusa collected from a salt pond on Martha’s Vineyard, MA. The full-length GvFP gene is 690 bp, encoding a protein of 230 AA (25.95 kDa; pI = …

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Environmental And Trophic Factors That Influence The Prevalence Of Gonionemus Vertens In The Northeastern United States, Matthew Rigby Jan 2020

Environmental And Trophic Factors That Influence The Prevalence Of Gonionemus Vertens In The Northeastern United States, Matthew Rigby

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Gonionemus vertens, often referred to as the clinging jellyfish, is an invasive hydrozoan first documented in 2016 in New Jersey. Populations of the adult medusa stage bloom in May and continue to persist through the middle of July, during which time it is of particular concern from a public health standpoint. G. vertens 'clings' to sea grasses and other submerged aquatic vegetation in shallow coastal waters, which are highly utilized for recreational activities, and its sting is highly toxic, which can hospitalize victims for days with both physical and psychiatric symptoms. Encounters with highly toxic G. vertens are, unfortunately, becoming …

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A Salty Compromise: The Behavioral Response Of Red-Backed Salamanders (Plethodon Cinereus) To Different Concentrations Of Nacl, A Prevalent Road Deicer, Randolph Viola Jan 2020

A Salty Compromise: The Behavioral Response Of Red-Backed Salamanders (Plethodon Cinereus) To Different Concentrations Of Nacl, A Prevalent Road Deicer, Randolph Viola

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Many amphibians are bound to a nearby freshwater source such as lakes and vernal pools. Often times, this is because they are fully aquatic; if they are partially terrestrial, they still need freshwater bodies to lay their eggs in a suitable environment. With the constant use of road salt as a deicer during snowing periods, the subsequent runoff has negatively altered nearby soil and water sources. Amphibians, with their permeable skin, are at great risk of desiccation if exposed to a hyperosmotic environment caused by this application. However, some plethodontid salamanders deviate from this restrictive norm by living as dedicated …

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The Stromal Response In Salivary Gland Injury, Kevin O'Keefe Jan 2020

The Stromal Response In Salivary Gland Injury, Kevin O'Keefe

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Abstract

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Effect Of Draxin Manipulation On Btbr Mouse Brain And Behavior, Adam Blau Jan 2020

Effect Of Draxin Manipulation On Btbr Mouse Brain And Behavior, Adam Blau

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is known for distinct behavioral phenotypes such as a preference for repetitive activities and difficulty in socialization. However, little is known about what might cause ASD. Current evidence implicates genetics as playing a substantial role in ASD. Mouse models, such as BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) inbred mice, are an invaluable resource for ASD research, as they allow the investigation of both genetics and behavior in parallel. BTBR mice are of interest due to their reduced hippocampal commissure (HC) and absent corpus callosum (CC), along with increased exploratory activity, decreased anxiety, reduced sociability, and increased repetitive self-grooming …

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Characterizing The Function Of The Sigm Regulon In Mycobacterium Smegmatis, Sarah Montgomery Jan 2020

Characterizing The Function Of The Sigm Regulon In Mycobacterium Smegmatis, Sarah Montgomery

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Secretion systems, which are essential in bacteria, secrete proteins that maintain cellular

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The Dysregulation Of Circadian Rhythms And Its Relation To Hippocampal Neurodegenerative Disease, John Patrick Mccauley Jan 2020

The Dysregulation Of Circadian Rhythms And Its Relation To Hippocampal Neurodegenerative Disease, John Patrick Mccauley

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Circadian rhythms modulate body temperature, sleep-wake cycles and cognitive functions like learning and memory. Interestingly, patients suffering from neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer’s disease and brain insults like traumatic brain injury experience dysregulated circadian rhythms and learning and memory deficiencies as a symptom. The core molecular machinery that establishes these rhythms relies on the activation of positive and negative transcriptional-translational feedback loops within the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Subordinate circadian oscillators distributed throughout the peripheral and central nervous system follow the rhythmic activity of the SCN. One of these, the hippocampus, is mostly involved in regulating memory formation and recall. Experimental …

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Group Ii Introns : Evolution, Structure And Function, Xiaolong Dong Jan 2020

Group Ii Introns : Evolution, Structure And Function, Xiaolong Dong

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Group II introns are mobile, self-splicing ribozymes found in bacteria, archaea and eukaryotic organelles. They are widely believed to be the progenitors of the eukaryotic spliceosomal introns and retroelements. Yet many structural and evolutionary aspects of group II introns remain elusive. Indeed, while group II introns are the putative forerunners of spliceosomal introns in eukaryotes, they are notably absent in the nuclear genomes and a large portion of prokaryotes. Furthermore, although the architecture of a post-catalytic group II intron holoenzyme containing both the RNA and the bound intron encoded protein (IEP) has been solved by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), the interactions …

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Development Of Small Molecule Antibiotics Against A Conserved Rna Gene Regulatory Element In Gram-Positive Bacteria, Ville Yrjö Petteri Väre Jan 2020

Development Of Small Molecule Antibiotics Against A Conserved Rna Gene Regulatory Element In Gram-Positive Bacteria, Ville Yrjö Petteri Väre

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Bacterial infections and the rise of antibiotic resistance, especially multidrug resistant strains, have generated a clear need for discovery of novel therapeutics. Most antibiotics in use today are derivatives of previous antibiotics to which resistance mechanisms already exist, and traditionally they have a single target: either a protein or rRNA. Gram-positive bacteria regulate the expression of several essential genes or operons using a mechanism called the T-box. The T-box is a structurally conserved riboswitch-like gene regulator in the 5’-untranslated region (UTR) of numerous essential genes of Gram-positive bacteria. T-boxes are stabilized by cognate, unacylated tRNA ligands, allowing the formation of …

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Role Of Smad4 Dependent Signaling In Controlling The Functioning And Connectivity Of Basal Vomeronasal Sensory Neurons, Ankana S. Naik Jan 2020

Role Of Smad4 Dependent Signaling In Controlling The Functioning And Connectivity Of Basal Vomeronasal Sensory Neurons, Ankana S. Naik

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

ABSTRACT

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Construction Of A Yeast-Based Rescue System For Screening Of Effects Of Pharmacological Agents On Twik Channels, Mosi Lin Jan 2020

Construction Of A Yeast-Based Rescue System For Screening Of Effects Of Pharmacological Agents On Twik Channels, Mosi Lin

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Two-pore domain potassium (K2P) channels conduct leak or background K+ currents, which primarily maintain resting membrane potential and regulate cellular excitability. Among the TWIK subfamily of K2P channels, TWIK-1 (K2P1) and TWIK-2 (K2P6) channels are characterized as weak inwardly rectifying K+ channels, whereas TWIK-3 (K2P7) channels do not produce detectable currents in heterologous expression systems. Although K2P channels were first identified in the 1990s, only a few K2P-specific pharmacological agents are available. In this study, I developed a yeast-based rescue system to screen the effects of pharmacological agents on TWIK channels. First, I employed K+-uptake-deficient SGY1528 yeasts that K+ transporters …

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Haemoparasite Infection And Immunogenetic Diversity In A Clade Of North American Songbirds, Naima Starkloff Jan 2020

Haemoparasite Infection And Immunogenetic Diversity In A Clade Of North American Songbirds, Naima Starkloff

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The persistence of an organism in a particular habitat is mediated by a complex interplay of abiotic and biotic interactions. These interactions become especially complicated for a vector-transmitted parasite as its persistence relies on its ability to colonize both ectothermic and endothermic host organisms. Host factors, rather than environmental factors, have been highlighted as key predictors of the diversity and prevalence of avian haemosporidians (malaria parasites and relatives) globally. The range of a parasite is limited by its host specificity as well as the community of hosts present. In addition, as haemosporidian infections typically have negative fitness consequences on hosts, …

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Regulation Of Gene Expression Through Ribosome-Associated Proteins, Clare Margaret Miller Jan 2020

Regulation Of Gene Expression Through Ribosome-Associated Proteins, Clare Margaret Miller

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Translation is a crucial mechanism for generating proteins to carry out cellular processes and for ensuring proper cell functions. Ribosomes are at the center of translation and are complex pieces of machinery. They consist of at least 80 core eukaryotic ribosomal proteins, which are conserved from prokaryotes, and four ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs): 18S, 28S, 5,8A 5S. In addition, numerous translation factors aid the ribosome in protein production. While ribosomes are typically described by these core features, they are known to exist in a heterogenous pool with variations in protein composition, modifications of rRNA, and an assortment of non-ribosomal proteins that …

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Single-Domain Alpaca Antibodies That Disrupt Ricin Toxin Uptake And Trafficking In Mammalian Cells, Amanda Yee Poon Jan 2020

Single-Domain Alpaca Antibodies That Disrupt Ricin Toxin Uptake And Trafficking In Mammalian Cells, Amanda Yee Poon

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Ricin is a member of the ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) family of toxins found throughout the plant and microbial worlds. In its mature form, ricin is a 65 kDa glycoprotein consisting of two subunits, RTA and RTB, joined by a single disulfide bond. RTA (267 amino acids) is an RNA N-glycosidase that mediates the depurination of a universally conserved residue within the Sarcin-ricin loop (SRL) ribosomal RNA element. RTB is a galactose-/N-acetylgalactosamine-specific lectin that facilitates attachment, endocytosis, and intracellular trafficking of ricin in mammalian cells. Following endocytosis, ricin is routed to the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and then shuttled to the endoplasmic …

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