Biotechnology Commons^™

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 …

Teaching Metabolism In Upper-Division Undergraduate Biochemistry Courses Using Online Computational Systems And Dynamical Models Improves Student Performance, Christine S. Booth, Changsoo Song, Michelle E. Howell, Achilles Rasquinha, Aleš Saska, Resa M. Helikar, Sharmin M. Sikich, Brain A. Couch, Karin Van Dijk, Rebecca Roston, Tomáš Helikar

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Understanding metabolic function requires knowledge of the dynamics, interdependence, and regulation of metabolic networks. However, multiple professional societies have recognized that most undergraduate biochemistry students acquire only a surface-level understanding of metabolism. We hypothesized that guiding students through interactive computer simulations of metabolic systems would increase their ability to recognize how individual interactions between components affect the behavior of a system under different conditions. The computer simulations were designed with an interactive activity (i.e., module) that used the predict–observe–explain model of instruction to guide students through a process in which they iteratively predict outcomes, test their predictions, modify the interactions …

The Need For Research-Grade Systems Modeling Technologies For Life Science Education, Tomáš Helikar

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic not only challenged deeply-rooted daily patterns but also put a spotlight on the role of computational modeling in science and society. Amid the impromptu upheaval of in-person education across the world, this article aims to articulate the need to train students in computational and systems biology using research-grade technologies. ...

Life sciences education needs multiple technical infrastructures explicitly designed to support this field’s vast computational needs. Developing and sustaining effective, scientifically authentic educational technologies is not easy. It requires expertise in software development and the scientific domain as well as in education and education …

Covid19 Disease Map, A Computational Knowledge Repository Of Virus–Host Interaction Mechanisms, Marek Ostaszewski, Tomáš Helikar, Bhanwar Lal Puniya, A Host Of Co-Authors, Covid-19 Disease Map Community

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

We need to effectively combine the knowledge from surging literature with complex datasets to propose mechanistic models of SARS-CoV-2 infection, improving data interpretation and predicting key targets of intervention. Here, we describe a large-scale community effort to build an open access, interoperable and computable repository of COVID-19 molecular mechanisms. The COVID-19 Disease Map (C19DMap) is a graphical, interactive representation of disease-relevant molecular mechanisms linking many knowledge sources. Notably, it is a computational resource for graph-based analyses and disease modelling. To this end, we established a framework of tools, platforms and guidelines necessary for a multifaceted community of biocurators, domain experts, …

Association Of The Malate Dehydrogenase‑Citrate Synthase Metabolon Is Modulated By Intermediates Of The Krebs Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle, Joy Omini, Izabela Wojciechowska, Aleksandra Skirycz, Hideaki Moriyama, Toshihiro Obata

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase (MDH)-citrate synthase (CS) multi-enzyme complex is a part of the Krebs tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle ‘metabolon’ which is enzyme machinery catalyzing sequential reactions without diffusion of reaction intermediates into a bulk matrix. This complex is assumed to be a dynamic structure involved in the regulation of the cycle by enhancing metabolic flux. Microscale Thermophoresis analysis of the porcine heart MDH-CS complex revealed that substrates of the MDH and CS reactions, NAD+ and acetyl-CoA, enhance complex association while products of the reactions, NADH and citrate, weaken the affinity of the complex. Oxaloacetate enhanced the interaction only when it …

Development Of Fluorescence Microscopy Approaches To Study Subcellular Protein Transport And Enzymatic Activity, Anchal Singh

Masters Theses

Understanding the subcellular localization of proteins and their activity is important in understanding their normal function in eukaryotic cells. Fluorescence cellular imaging techniques can selectively and sensitively visualize subcellular biochemistry. Using this approach, two different methods were employed in this thesis. The first focused on studying protein import into peroxisome and the other on monitoring the activity of an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized enzyme, human carboxylesterase 1 (CES1).

Peroxisomes are mainly known as the center for long chain fatty acid b-oxidation as well as the production and detoxification of hydrogen peroxide. Proteins which are needed in the peroxisomes are encoded in …

Sestrins: Emerging Dynamic Stress-Sensors In Metabolic And Environmental Health, Seung Hyun Ro, Julianne Fay, Cesar I. Cyuzuzo, Yura Jang, Naeun Lee, Hyun Seob Song, Edward N. Harris

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Proper timely management of various external and internal stresses is critical for metabolic and redox homeostasis in mammals. In particular, dysregulation of mechanistic target of rapamycin complex (mTORC) triggered from metabolic stress and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated from environmental and genotoxic stress are well-known culprits leading to chronic metabolic disease conditions in humans. Sestrins are one of the metabolic and environmental stress-responsive groups of proteins, which solely have the ability to regulate both mTORC activity and ROS levels in cells, tissues and organs. While Sestrins are originally reported as one of several p53 target genes, recent studies …

Editorial: Structure And Function Of Chloroplasts - Volume Ii, Yan Lu, Lu Ning Liu, Rebecca L. Roston, Jurgen Soll, Hongbo Gao

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Co-Opted Steroid Synthesis Gene, Maintained In Sorghum But Not Maize, Is Associated With A Divergence In Leaf Wax Chemistry, Lucas Busta, Elizabeth Schmitz, Dylan K. Kosma, James C. Schnable, Edgar B. Cahoon

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Virtually all land plants are coated in a cuticle, a waxy polyester that prevents nonstomatal water loss and is important for heat and drought tolerance. Here, we describe a likely genetic basis for a divergence in cuticular wax chemistry between Sorghum bicolor, a drought tolerant crop widely cultivated in hot climates, and its close relative Zea mays (maize). Combining chemical analyses, heterologous expression, and comparative genomics, we reveal that: 1) sorghum and maize leaf waxes are similar at the juvenile stage but, after the juvenile-to-adult transition, sorghum leaf waxes are rich in triterpenoids that are absent from maize; 2) biosynthesis …

Curie Temperature Engineering In A Novel 2d Analog Of Iron Ore (Hematene) Via Strain, Renu Singla, Timothy A. Hackett, Sarvesh Kumar, Jyotsna Sharma, Manish K. Kashyap

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

As a newly exfoliated magnetic 2D material from hematite, hematene is the most far-reaching ultrathin magnetic indirect bandgap semiconductor. We have carried out a detailed structural analysis of hematene via prefacing strain by means of first-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). Hematene in the pristine form emerges out to be a magnetic semiconductor with a bandgap of 1.0/2.0 eV for the majority/minority spin channel. The dependence of magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE), T_C, and the bandgap on compressive and tensile strains has been scanned exclusively. It is examined that T_C depends firmly on the compressive strain …

Changes In Lipid Profiles Of Epileptic Mouse Mode, Alicia Johnson, Ryan A. Grove, Deepak Madhavan, Cory H.T. Boone, Camila Pereira Braga, Hannah Kyllo, Kaeli K. Samson, Kristina A. Simeone, Timothy A. Simeone, Tomáš Helikar, Corrine K. Hanson, Jiri Adamec

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Introduction Approximately 1% of the world’s population is impacted by epilepsy, a chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. One-third of epileptic patients are resistant to AEDs, or have medically refractory epilepsy (MRE). One non-invasive treatment that exists for MRE includes the ketogenic diet (KD), a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet. Despite the KD’s success in seizure attenuation, it has a few risks and its mechanisms remain poorly understood. The KD has been shown to improve metabolism and mitochondrial function in epileptic phenotypes. Potassium channels have implications in epileptic conditions as they have dual roles as metabolic sensors and control neuronal excitation.

Objectives …

A Practical Guide To Mechanistic Systems Modeling In Biology Using A Logic-Based Approach, Anna Niarakis, Tomáš Helikar

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Mechanistic computational models enable the study of regulatory mechanisms implicated in various biological processes. These models provide a means to analyze the dynamics of the systems they describe, and to study and interrogate their properties, and provide insights about the emerging behavior of the system in the presence of single or combined perturbations. Aimed at those who are new to computational modeling, we present here a practical hands-on protocol breaking down the process of mechanistic modeling of biological systems in a succession of precise steps. The protocol provides a framework that includes defining the model scope, choosing validation criteria, selecting …

Cautionary Tale Of Using Tris(Alkyl)Phosphine Reducing Agents With Nad+-Dependent Enzymes, Sagar M. Patel, Thomas G. Smith, Martha Morton, Kyle M. Stiers, Javier Seravalli, Stephen J. Mayclin, Thomas E. Edwards, John J. Tanner, Donald F. Becker

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Protein biochemistry protocols typically include disulfide bond reducing agents to guard against unwanted thiol oxidation and protein aggregation. Commonly used disulfide bond reducing agents include dithiothreitol, β-mercaptoethanol, glutathione, and the tris(alkyl)phosphine compounds tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) and tris(3-hydroxypropyl)phosphine (THPP). While studying the catalytic activity of the NAD(P)H-dependent enzyme Δ¹-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase, we unexpectedly observed a rapid non-enzymatic chemical reaction between NAD⁺ and the reducing agents TCEP and THPP. The product of the reaction exhibits a maximum ultraviolet absorbance peak at 334 nm and forms with an apparent association rate constant of 231–491 M⁻¹ s⁻¹. The reaction is …

Role Of The Hyaluronan Receptor, Stabilin-2/Hare, In Health And Disease, Edward N. Harris, Erika Baker

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Stabilin-2/HARE is the primary clearance receptor for circulating hyaluronan (HA), a polysaccharide found in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of metazoans. HA has many biological functions including joint lubrication, ocular turgor pressure, skin elasticity and hydration, cell motility, and intercellular signaling, among many others. The regulatory system for HA content in the tissues, lymphatics, and circulatory systems is due, in part, to Stabilin-2/HARE. The activity of this receptor was discovered about 40 years ago (early 1980s), cloned in the mid-1990s, and has been characterized since then. Here, we discuss the overall domain organization of this receptor and how it correlates to …

Integrated Unicellular/Filamentous Algal Production, Harvesting And Remediation System, Paul N. Black, James Allen, Timothy J Nicodemus

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

A method of removing nitrogen-bound nitrate from at least one of groundwater, surface water, or waste water is disclosed. The method includes providing contaminant-containing water from groundwater, surface water, and/or waste water sources. The method further includes adding the contaminant-containing water to an algal photobioreactor system. The method further includes adding an alga culture to the alga photobioreactor system. The method further includes adjusting temperature, CO2 concentration, pH, light wavelength, and/or light intensity in the algal photobioreactor system to optimize the growth of the algea. The method further includes separating the aglae from the water and harvesting algal biomass.

Chemoenzymatic Study Of Coa-Linked Rna In Bacteria, Krishna Sapkota

Dissertations

The ability of RNA to store genetic information and to catalyze biochemical transformations led to the speculation of the existence of RNA world before the evolution of contemporary ribonucleoprotein (RNP) world. Recent discovery of RNA molecules containing metabolic cofactors including coenzyme A and its various thioesters at their 5’ end further supported the RNA world hypothesis as these CoA-linked RNA molecules could be the molecular fossils with very ancient origin. As both RNA and Coenzyme A are believed to have co-existed since last universal common ancestor (LUCA) or even before, the CoA-RNA conjugates in current biology may reveal fundamental molecular …

Transcriptome Analysis-Identified Long Noncoding Rna Crnde In Maintaining Endothelial Cell Proliferation, Migration, And Tube Formation, Matthew Moran, Xiao Cheng Zeng, Mohamed Sham Shihabudeen Haider Ali, Nishikant Wase, Nghi Nguyen, Weilong Yang, Chi Zhang, Concetta C. Dirusso, Xinghui Sun

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Obesity is a leading risk factor for type-2 diabetes. Diabetes often leads to the dysregulation of angiogenesis, although the mechanism is not fully understood. Previously, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been found to modulate angiogenesis. In this study, we asked how the expression levels of lncRNAs change in endothelial cells in response to excessive palmitic acid treatment, an obesitylike condition. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that 305 protein-coding transcripts were upregulated and 70 were downregulated, while 64 lncRNAs were upregulated and 46 were downregulated. Gene ontology and pathway analysis identified endoplasmic reticulum stress, HIF-1 signaling, and Toll-like receptor signaling as enriched after …

Compounds For Increasing Lipid Synthesis And Storage, Concetta C. Dirusso, Nishikant Wase

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

This invention relates to methods for increasing lipid production in cells. Methods of producing biofuel from cells and preparing mutraceuticals comprising lipids produced according to a method provided herein are also provided.

Validity Of Plasma Collection Cards For Ferritin Assessment—A Proof-Of-Concept Study, Karsten Koehler, Eileen Marks-Nelson, Camila Pereira Braga, Safiya E. Beckford, Jiri Adamec

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Objectives: Iron depletion is common around the world and among certain risk groups in developed countries. The overall purpose was to test the suitability of a novel plasma collection card for minimally invasive iron status assessment.

Methods: Twenty participants (10 f/10 m) participated in this cross-sectional study. Ferritin and hemoglobin were measured from blood collected from a forearm vein, serving as reference method. Blood was also collected from the fingertip using the NoviplexTM Plasma Prep Card as well as capillary collection tubes.

Results: There was substantial concordance between ferritin measured from samples collected via NoviplexTM and venous ferritin (concordance correlation …

Sestrin2 Phosphorylation By Ulk1 Induces Autophagic Degradation Of Mitochondria Damaged By Copper-Induced Oxidative Stress, Heejeong Kim, Byeong Tak Jeon, Isaac M. Kim, Sydney Townsend, Carolyn M. Lorch, Martonio Viana, Jacob F. Myers, Caroline J. Trupp, Zachary T. Whipps, Mondira Kundu, Soonkyu Chung, Xinghui Sun, Oleh Khalimonchuk, Jaekwon Lee, Seung-Hyun Ro

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Selective autolysosomal degradation of damaged mitochondria, also called mitophagy, is an indispensable process for maintaining integrity and homeostasis of mitochondria. One well-established mechanism mediating selective removal of mitochondria under relatively mild mitochondria-depolarizing stress is PINK1-Parkin-mediated or ubiquitin-dependent mitophagy. However, additional mechanisms such as LC3-mediated or ubiquitin-independent mitophagy induction by heavy environmental stress exist and remain poorly understood. The present study unravels a novel role of stress-inducible protein Sestrin2 in degradation of mitochondria damaged by transition metal stress. By utilizing proteomic methods and studies in cell culture and rodent models, we identify autophagy kinase ULK1-mediated phosphorylation sites of Sestrin2 and demonstrate …

Insights From The Inclusive Environments And Metrics In Biology Education And Research Network: Our Experience Organizing Inclusive Biology Education Research Events, Rebecca A. Campbell-Montalvo, Natalia Caporale, Gary S. Mcdowell, Candice Idlebird, Katie M. Wiens, Kimberly M. Jackson, Jana D. Marcette, Michael E. Moore

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

In contrast to efforts focusing on improving inclusion in STEM classrooms from kindergarten through un-dergraduate (K–16), efforts to improve inclusion in scientific meetings and conferences, important hubs of STEM culture, are more recent. Markers of inclusion that are sometimes overlooked at these events can include the composition of panels, how workshops are run, the affordability of conferences, and various other mechanisms that maintain pre-existing hierarchies and norms that limit the participation of early-career researchers and individuals of minoritized cultural, linguistic, and economic backgrounds. The Inclusive Environments and Metrics in Biology Education and Research (iEMBER) network coordinates efforts of researchers from …

Genome Biology Of The Paleotetraploid Perennial Biomass Crop Miscanthus, Therese Mitros, Adam M. Session, Brandon T. James, Guohong Albert Wu, Katarzyna Glowacka, Kankshita Swaminathan, Daniel S. Rokhsar, 35 Additional Co-Authors

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Miscanthus is a perennial wild grass that is of global importance for paper production, roofing, horticultural plantings, and an emerging highly productive temperate biomass crop. We report a chromosome-scale assembly of the paleotetraploid M. sinensis genome, providing a resource for Miscanthus that links its chromosomes to the related diploid Sorghum and complex polyploid sugarcanes. The asymmetric distribution of transposons across the two homoeologous subgenomes proves Miscanthus paleo-allotetraploidy and identifies several balanced reciprocal homoeologous exchanges. Analysis of M. sinensis and M. sacchariflorus populations demonstrates extensive interspecific admixture and hybridization, and documents the origin of the highly productive triploid bioenergy crop M. …

The Genome Evolution And Domestication Of Tropical Fruit Mango, Peng Wang, Yingfeng Luo, Jianfeng Huang, Shenghan Gao, Guopeng Zhu, Zhiguo Dang, Jiangtao Gai, Meng Yang, Min Zhu, Huangkai Zhang, Xiuxu Ye, Aiping Gao, Xinyu Tan, Sen Wang, Shuangyang Wu, Edgar B. Cahoon, Beibei Bai, Zhichang Zhao, Qian Li, Junya Wei, Huarui Chen, Ruixiong Luo, Deyong Gong, Kexuan Tang, Bing Zhang, Zhangguang Ni, Guodi Huang, Songnian Hu, Yeyuan Chen

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Background: Mango is one of the world’s most important tropical fruits. It belongs to the family Anacardiaceae, which includes several other economically important species, notably cashew, sumac and pistachio from other genera. Many species in this family produce family-specific urushiols and related phenols, which can induce contact dermatitis.

Results: We generate a chromosome-scale genome assembly of mango, providing a reference genome for the Anacardiaceae family. Our results indicate the occurrence of a recent whole-genome duplication (WGD) event in mango. Duplicated genes preferentially retained include photosynthetic, photorespiration, and lipid metabolic genes that may have provided adaptive advantages to sharp historical decreases …

From Synthesis To Utilization: The Ins And Outs Of Mitochondrial Heme, Samantha A. Swenson, Courtney M. Moore, Jason R. Marcero, Amy E. Medlock, Amit R. Reddi, Oleh Khalimonchuk

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Heme is a ubiquitous and essential iron containing metallo-organic cofactor required for virtually all aerobic life. Heme synthesis is initiated and completed in mitochondria, followed by certain covalent modifications and/or its delivery to apo-hemoproteins residing throughout the cell. While the biochemical aspects of heme biosynthetic reactions are well understood, the trafficking of newly synthesized heme—a highly reactive and inherently toxic compound—and its subsequent delivery to target proteins remain far from clear. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about heme biosynthesis and trafficking within and outside of the mitochondria.

Connecting Theory To Practice: Using Self-Determination Theory To Better Understand Inclusion In Stem, Michael E. Moore, Dulce M. Vega, Katie M. Wiens, Natalia Caporale

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

In the United States, persistence for women and ethnic minorities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers is strongly impacted by affective factors such as science identity, agency, and sense of belonging. Policies aimed at increasing the diversity of the national STEM student population and workforce have recently focused on fostering inclusive learning environments that can positively impact the experi-ences of underrepresented minorities (URMs) in STEM, thus increasing their retention. While research on inclusion in STEM in higher education is relatively new, inclusion research has a rich history in several other disciplines. These fields have developed theoretical frameworks and …

Systematic Age-, Organ-, And Diet-Associated Ionome Remodeling And The Development Of Ionomic Aging Clocks, Bohan Zhang, Dmitriy I. Podolskiy, Marco Mariotti, Javier Seravalli, Vadim N. Gladyshev

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Aging involves coordinated yet distinct changes in organs and systems throughout life, including changes in essential trace elements. However, how aging affects tissue element composition (ionome) and how these changes lead to dysfunction and dis-ease remain unclear. Here, we quantified changes in the ionome across eight organs and 16 age groups of mice. This global profiling revealed novel interactions between elements at the level of tissue, age, and diet, and allowed us to achieve a broader, organismal view of the aging process. We found that while the entire ionome stead-ily transitions along the young-to-old trajectory, individual organs are characterized by …

Training Population Optimization For Genomic Selection In Miscanthus, Marcus O. Olatoye, Lindsay V. Clark, Nicholas R. Labonte, Hongxu Dong, Maria S. Dwiyanti, Kossonou G. Anzoua, Joe E. Brummer, Bimal K. Ghimire, Elena Dzyubenko, Nikolay Dzyubenko, Larisa Bagmet, Andrey Sabitov, Pavel Chebukin, Katarzyna Głowacka, Kweon Heo, Xiaoli Jin, Hironori Nagano, Junhua Peng, Chang Y. Yu, Ji H. Yoo, Hua Zhao, Stephen P. Long, Toshihiko Yamada, Erik J. Sacks, Alexander E. Lipka

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Miscanthus is a perennial grass with potential for lignocellulosic ethanol production. To ensure its utility for this purpose, breeding efforts should focus on increasing genetic diversity of the nothospecies Miscanthus x giganteus (M·g) beyond the single clone used in many programs. Germplasm from the corresponding parental speciesM. sinensis (Msi) and M. sacchariflorus (Msa) could theoretically be used as training sets for genomic prediction of M·g clones with optimal genomic estimated breeding values for biofuel traits. To this end, we first showed that subpopulation structure makes a substantial contribution to the genomic selection (GS) prediction accuracies within a 538-member diversity panel …

Differences In Blood-Derived Francisella Tularensis Type B Strains From Clinical Cases Of Tularemia, Marilyn A. Larson, Baha Abdalhamid, Bhanwar Lal Puniya, Tomáš Helikar, David W. Kelley, Peter C. Iwen

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Francisella tularensis can cause the zoonotic disease tularemia and is partitioned into subspecies due to differences in chromosomal organization and virulence. The subspecies holarctica (type B) is generally considered more clonal than the other subpopulations with moderate virulence compared to the hypervirulent A.I clade. We performed whole genome sequencing (WGS) on six type B strains isolated from the blood of patients with tularemia within a one-year period from the same United States region, to better understand the associated pathogenicity. The WGS data were compared to the prototype strain for this subspecies, specifically FSC200, which was isolated from a patient with …

Metabolic Feedback Inhibition Influences Metabolite Secretion By The Human Gut Symbiont Bacteroides Thetaiotaomicron, Jennie L. Catlett, Jonathan Catazaro, Mikaela Cashman, Sean Carr, Robert Powers, Myra B. Cohen, Nicole R. Buan

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Microbial metabolism and trophic interactions between microbes give rise to complex multispecies communities in microbe-host systems. Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (B. theta) is a human gut symbiont thought to play an important role in maintaining host health. Untargeted nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics revealed B. theta secretes specific organic acids and amino acids in defined minimal medium. Physiological concentrations of acetate and formate found in the human intestinal tract were shown to cause dose-dependent changes in secretion of metabolites known to play roles in host nutrition and pathogenesis. While secretion fluxes varied, biomass yield was unchanged, suggesting feedback inhibition does not affect metabolic …

Amphiphiliccyclobutenes And Cylobutanes, Wantanee Sittiwong, Patrick H. Dussault, Raul Barletta, Robert Power

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

This disclosure relates to amphiphilic compounds containing a cyclobutene or cyclobutane moiety. In some embodiments, the compounds are useful for treating infection by Mycobacterium such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Cyclobutene containing compounds are also useful as monomers in the preparation of amphiphilic polymers.