Cell and Developmental Biology Commons^™

Influence Of Ph And Acidic Side Chain Charges On The Behavior Of Designed Model Peptides In Lipid Bilayer Membranes, Venkatesan Rajagopalan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The molecular properties of transmembrane proteins and their interactions with lipids regulate biological function. Of particular interest are interfacial aromatic residues and charged residues in the core helix whose functions range from stabilizing the native structure to regulating ion channels. This dissertation addresses the pH dependence and influence of potentially negatively charged tyrosine, glutamic acid or aspartic acid side chains. We have employed GWALP23 (acetyl-GGALW5LALALALALALALW19LAGA-amide) as favorable host peptide framework. We have substituted W5 with Tyr (Y5GWALP23) and Leu residues with Glu (L12E, L14E or L16E) or Asp (L14D or L16D), and have incorporated specific 2H-labeled alanine residues within the …

Exploring The Production Of Extracellular Matrix By Astrocytes In Response To Mimetic Traumatic Brain Injury, Addison Walker

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Following injury to the central nervous system, extracellular modulations are apparent at

the site of injury, often resulting in a glial scar. Astrocytes are mechanosensitive cells, which can create a neuroinhibitory extracellular environment in response to injury. The aim for this research was to gain a fundamental understanding of the affects a diffuse traumatic brain injury has on the astrocyte extracellular environment after injury. To accomplish this, a bioreactor culturing astrocytes in 3D constructs delivered 150G decelerations with 20% biaxial strain to mimic a traumatic brain injury. Experiments were designed to compare the potential effects of media type, number of …

Integrative Taxonomy Of North American Torrent Mites (Parasitengona: Torrenticolidae: Torrenticola), Jon Ray Fisher

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mites are notorious for being under-studied and incomplete knowledge of distribution, life-history, and morphology are commonplace. They typically gain attention through the relatively few pest species that plague our crops, pets, or bodies. Despite representing a successful radiation with an estimated 3–5 million species, relatively few mite lineages attract research attention from non-acarologists. However, the largest radiation of all mites—Parasitengona—has potential to bridge the gap between specialists and non-specialists. Parasitengona are the butterflies of the mite world. Obvious are the bright red mites searching for pollen on concrete, or the large, furry velvet mites coming out to mate after spring …

The Ccaat-Binding Factor Dependent Regulation Of The Oxidative Stress Response In Candida Albicans, Ananya Chakravarti

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The success of Candida albicans as an opportunistic human pathogen has been attributed to several factors, including the ability to survive in limiting iron environments and the ability to evade the respiratory burst of human macrophages and neutrophils. The goal of this research is to elucidate the role of the CCAAT-binding factor in the oxidative stress response of Candida albicans. Prior whole genome microarray studies performed in our lab compared the gene expression of a wild type Candida albicans strain versus a hap5Δ strain under iron-limiting growth conditions. Among the differentially regulated genes, CTA1, encoding catalase, had a four-fold higher …

Autophagy Regulation After Diet And Exercise In Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Megan Elizabeth Rosa

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Along with the rise in obesity, rates of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have also increased. NAFLD may begin with fat accumulation in the liver, but can progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, and eventual cirrhosis. With no pharmacological treatment for NASH, lifestyle interventions appear vital to maintaining liver health. Previous work has shown aberrant mitochondrial content/quality and autophagy in models of NAFLD. Exercise is known to improve mitochondrial health and possibly autophagy, thus autophagy may be a key regulatory factor for treatment of obesity induced-NAFLD. PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to examine how weight loss from diet …