Genetics and Genomics Commons^™

Developing A Gene Specific Probe For Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase Mrna, Stephen M. Kuntz

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Isozyme Polymorphism In Some Yellow-And Blue-Flowered Vigna Species Complexes (Fabaceae, Phaseoleae), Remy S. Pasquet, Thierry Vanderborght

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

An electrophoretic comparison of variation at 28 isozyme loci was performed for 58 Vigna accessions belonging to the V. luteola, V. ambacensis, and V. racemosa groups of species. In all three groups, strong divergence is noted between results and actual nomenclature.

Analysis Of Protein And Rna Interactions Of The Hiv-1 Rev Protein, John Francis

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The HIV-1 Rev protein enters the nucleus via it’s nuclear localization sequence/RNA binding domain and interacts with a ≈234 nt region of viral RNA, termed the Rev Response Element (RRE), which is located in the env region of unspliced and singly-spliced HIV-1 mRNA. The Rev nuclear export sequence (NES) then mediates translocation of the viral transcript to the cytoplasm, allowing for translation of viral structural genes and active virion formation. We report identification of two yeast nucleopore proteins, NUP49 and NUP100, that have been found to interact with Rev in vivo using the yeast two-hybrid system. NUP49 and NUP100 contain …

Drosophila Unpaired Encodes A Secreted Protein That Activates The Jak Signaling Pathway, Douglas A. Harrison, Patricia E. Mccoon, Richard Binari, Michael Gilman, Norbert Perrimon

Biology Faculty Publications

In vertebrates, many cytokines and growth factors have been identified as activators of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. In Drosophila, JAK and STAT molecules have been isolated, but no ligands or receptors capable of activating the pathway have been described. We have characterized the unpaired (upd) gene, which displays the same distinctive embryonic mutant defects as mutations in the Drosophila JAK (hopscotch) and STAT (stat92E) genes. Upd is a secreted protein, associated with the extracellular matrix, that activates the JAK pathway. We propose that Upd is a ligand that relies on JAK signaling to stimulate transcription of pair-rule genes in a …

Mutational Analysis Of A Transcriptional Activation Region Of The Vp16 Protein Of Herpes Simplex Virus, Susan M. Sullivan, Peter J. Horn, Victoria A. Olson, Allen H. Koop

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

The VP16 protein of herpes simplex virus is a potent transcriptional activator of the viral immediate early genes. The transcriptional activation region of VP16 can be divided into two functional subregions, here designated VP16N (comprising amino acids 413-456) and VP16C (amino acids 450-490). Assays of VP16C mutants resulting from both random and alanine-scanning mutagenesis indicated that the sidechains of three phenylalanines (at positions 473, 475 and 479) and one acidic residue (glutamate 476) are important for transcriptional activation. Aromatic and bulky hydrophobic amino acids were effective substitutes for each of the three Phe residues, whereas replacement with smaller or polar …

Influence Of The Ccr2-V64i Polymorphism On Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Coreceptor Activity And On Chemokine Receptor Function Of Ccr2b, Ccr3, Ccr5, And Cxcr4, Benhur Lee, Benjamin J. Doranz, Shalini Rana, Yanji Yi, Mario Mellado, Jose M. R. Frade, Carlos Martinez-A., Stephen J. O'Brien, Michael Dean, Ronald G. Collman, Robert W. Doms

Biology Faculty Articles

The chemokine receptors CCR5 and CXCR4 are used by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in conjunction with CD4 to infect cells. In addition, some virus strains can use alternative chemokine receptors, including CCR2b and CCR3, for infection. A polymorphism in CCR2 (CCR2-V64I) is associated with a 2- to 4-year delay in the progression to AIDS. To investigate the mechanism of this protective effect, we studied the expression of CCR2b and CCR2b-V64I, their chemokine and HIV-1 coreceptor activities, and their effects on the expression and receptor activities of the major HIV-1 coreceptors. CCR2b and CCR2b-V64I were expressed at …

Characterization Of Metal-Regulated Genes In Pseudomonas Fluorescens, Melanie Pearson

Honors Theses

One side effect of today's industrialized world is increased levels of heavy metals in the environment. Many of these metals are necessary for biological function as trace elements, but at higher concentrations are toxic. Other metals, such as cadmium, are not beneficial at any level, and have only deleterious effects on living organisms. Cadmium is primarily thought to interfere with normal biological function of proteins. Human exposure to cadmium appears to primarily damage the kidneys, but may also affect the liver, lungs, immune system, and central nervous system. Bacteria, however, have developed several methods for handling toxic heavy metals: cation …

Identification Of Putative Cytoskeletal Protein Homologues In The Protozoan Host Hartmannella Vermiformis As Substrates For Induced Tyrosine Phosphatase Activity Upon Attachment To The Legionnaires' Disease Bacterium, Legionella Pneumophila, Chandrasekar Venkataraman, Lian-Yang Gao, Subbarao Bondada, Yousef Abu Kwaik

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

The Legionnaires' disease bacterium, Legionella pneumophila, is a facultative intracellular pathogen that invades and replicates within two evolutionarily distant hosts, free living protozoa and mammalian cells. Invasion and intracellular replication within protozoa are thought to be major factors in the transmission of Legionnaires' disease. We have recently reported the identification of a galactose/N-acetyl-d-galactosamine (Gal/GalNAc) lectin in the protozoan host Hartmannella vermiformis as a receptor for attachment and invasion by L. pneumophila (Venkataraman, C., B.J. Haack, S. Bondada, and Y.A. Kwaik. 1997. J. Exp. Med. 186:537–547). In this report, we extended our studies to the …

Heritability Of Expression Of The 70kd Heat-Shock Protein In Drosophila Melanogaster And Its Relevance To The Evolution Of Thermotolerance, Robert A. Krebs, Martin E. Feder, Jeehyun Lee

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

The principle inducible heat-shock protein of Drosophila melanogasrer, Hsp70, contributes to thermotolerance throughout the entire life cycle of the species but may also reduce fitness in some life stages. In principle, selection might maximize the benefits of Hsp70 expression relative to its costs by adjusting the magnitude of Hsp70 expression for each life-cycle stage independently. Therefore we examined whether the magnitude of Hsp70 ex pre sion varied during the life cycle and the relationship of this variation to several life-history traits. For 28 isofemale lines derived from a single natural population, estimates of heritable variation in Hsp70 expression ranged between …

Igf-Ii Expression In Human Tumor Tissues And Human Igf-Ii Ribozyme Action, Zhaodong Xu

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are potent mitogens for a variety of cancer cells in vitro. In breast, prostate and neuroblastoma cancer cells, it has been suggested that IGF-II plays a paracrine/autocrine role. However, information on cell-type -specific IGF-II expression in vivo is limited. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry were carried out to determine the cell type expressing IGF-II in different tumor tissues. Both IGF-II mRNA and protein were localized to malignant cells, and expression in the stroma was minimal in all the tumors. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that cancer cell growth is regulated by IGF-II, and therefore …

Plant-Delivered Cholera Toxin B Subunit As An Immunomodulatory Molecule, Takeshi Arakawa

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The B subunit of cholera toxin (CTB) functions as an effective mucosal carrier molecule of chemically or genetically conjugated antigens. Orally delivered CTB or CTB fusion protein binds to G_M1-ganglioside receptor molecules located on cells in the gutassociated lymphoid tissues, the site of immunological induction. We have generated transgenic plants synthesizing CTB conjugated with vaccine antigens for food plant-based prevention of cholera and rotavirus toxin-induced diarrhea and for autoimmune diseases such as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).

Mice fed with transgenic potato tubers synthesizing 0.3% of CTB as total tuber protein generated serum and mucosal antibodies with toxin neutralizing …

A Model Using Radiation And Pws4-Htnf-Α Gene Therapy For Treatment Of Glioblastomas, Angelo G. Baher

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The efficacy of radiotherapy for cancer is limited by the dose that can be safely delivered to the tumor without causing debilitating side effects. In addition, successful treatment of highly malignant tumors such as glioblastomas is likely to require adjunctive therapies to enhance tumor response to radiation. Previous studies have shown immunomodulation and a synergestic reduction in tumor volume of malignant tumors when tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) protein is administered prior to radiation. The major goal of the present investigation was to evaluate the efficacy of pWS4-human TNF-α (pWS4-hTNF-α), a new plasmid construct that expresses human TNF-α protein, together with …

An Investigation Of Crystalline Intensity Of The Wood Of Poplar Clones Grown In Jiangsu Province, China, Bernard R. Parresol, Fuliang Cao

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Identification Of A Genetic Marker For Litter Size In Sheep, Olivia Price

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The purpose of this experiment was to determine if the estrogen receptor gene (ESR) could be used as a genetic marker for litter size in sheep. The estrogen receptor gene was chosen because it has been successfully used as a genetic marker for litter size in swine. In this study, DNA dilutions from two experimental flocks, totaling approximately 200 animals, were used. Amplification of exon 1/intron 1 of the ESR gene was performed using PCR. Initial results indicated a polymorphism in the gene when cut with the restriction enzyme Ava ll. It appeared that the gene contained a deletion with …

Isozyme Polymorphism Within Section Reticulatae Of Genus Vigna (Tribe Phaseoleae: Fabaceae), Maimouna Garba, Rémy S. Pasquet

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

An electrophoretic comparison of variation at 30 isozyme loci was performed for 45 accessions from genus Vigna, section reticulatae. Within the section level, these results fitted the nomenclature used. Within V. reticulata, variability was organized geographically and the West African weedy V. reticulata genetically was different from West African wild V. reticulata.

The Evolution Of Primate Malaria Parasites Based On The Gene Encoding Cytochrome B From The Linear Mitochondrial Genome, Ananias A. Escalante, Denise E. Freeland, William E. Collins, Altaf A. Lal

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

We report a phylogenetic analysis of primate malaria parasites based on the gene encoding the cytochrome b protein from the mitochondrial genome. We have studied 17 species of Plasmodium, including 14 parasitic in primates. In our analysis, four species were used for rooting the Plasmodium phylogenetic tree: two from closely related genera (Hepatocystis sp. and Haemoproteus columbae) and two other Apicomplexa (Toxoplasma gondii and Theileria parva). We found that primate malaria parasites form a monophyletic group, with the only exception being the Plasmodium falciparum–Plasmodium reichenowi lineage. Phylogenetic analyses that include two species …

The Mechanics And Regulation Of Rat Aortic Smooth Muscle Contraction: Implications Of Cytoskeletal Remodeling, Protein Phosphorylations, And Microtubule-Based Kinase Transport, Alison Summers Battistella-Patterson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The exact nature of the mechanisms and the regulation of vascular smooth muscle contraction is not well understood. To better understand these processes, we examined two systems involved in smooth muscle contraction, the cytoskeleton and the protein kinases. In order to study the role of the cytoskeleton in smooth muscle contraction, we examined the contractile and mechanical effects of cytoskeleton disruption. We found that the relationship between passive tension applied to aortic rings and the resulting increase in tissue length was nearly linear over the range of 1 g to 15 g. However, even with increasing tissue length, within the …

The Use Of Isoelectric Focusing To Assess The Genetic Diversity Of The Cyprinid Fishes: Rhinichthys Cataractae And Rhinichthys Atratulus In West Virginia, Fauzia Alam Miah

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In this study, isoelectric focusing is used to separate proteins of Rhinichthys cataractae and R. atratulus and conventional staining is used to identify alleles of six genes. The objective of this work is to determine whether these methods can effectively assay isozymes that may be used to establish the relationship between anthropogenic stress and genetic diversity. Alleles for LDH-A, LDH-B, EST-A, EST-B, EST-C, and EST-D loci were identified for two species of fish, R. atratulus and R. cataractae. Both fish species are known to be sensitive to anthropogenic stress and known to be widely distributed in stressed environments. Alleles …

Consequences Of Differing Wool Growth Rates On Staple Strength Of Merino Wethers With Divergent Staple Strengths, A. C. Schlink, G. Mata, R. M. Lewis

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of dietary protein intake after a period of weight loss on the wool components of staple strength for sheep with a history of low or high staple strength (18.0 vs 34 Nlktex). After being fed to lose 15% of their liveweight over 10 weeks, sheep within each staple strength group were assigned in equal numbers to either a low or high protein diet designed to re-gain initialliveweight in 8 weeks. Liveweight, feed intakes and the growth, fibre diameter and fibre length characteristics of wool were measured at regular intervals. After the weight …

Clones Help Develop Ewe Feeding Strategy, Myra Yelland, Rob Kelly, John Davies, Johan Greeff

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Cloned sheep are not a new animal to the researchers of Agriculture WA, but the method that produced Dolly is.

Cloned sheep have been produced at the great Southern Research Institute as early as the mid 1980s. Myra Yelland, Rob Kelly, John Davies and Johan Greef outline how clones are used in experimental studies on wool production

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa): Molecular Detection And Dna Fingerprinting, Leslie Cotter

Theses

Throughout the 1990s, the incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has increased in many health care areas including acute and chronic care facilities, outpatient clinics and in the community. Once introduced into a health care environment, this nosocomial pathogen can spread rapidly and as MRSA are resistant to multiple antibiotics, treatment is often difficult. Therefore effective infection control measures are required to prevent cross-infection and further spread of endemic strains.

In this study, a sensitive and specific triplex-PCR assay was designed for MRSA detection, wherein three genes, the methicillin resistance gene (mecA). femA and the extracellular thermonuclease gene (rmc) were simultaneously …

Toward A Framework Of Mutualism: The Jewish Community In Genetics Research, Karen H. Rothenberg, Amy B. Rutkin

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Title, Fergus Ryan, D Devaney, Caroline Joyce, A Nestorowicz, M Permutt, Benjamin Glaser, Paul Thornton, David E. Barton

Articles

Persistent hypoglycaemia in infancy is most commonly caused by hyperinsulinism. A case is reported of the somatic loss of the maternal 11p in an insulin secreting focal adenoma in association with a germline SUR-1mutation on the paternal allele in a baby boy with hyperinsulinism diagnosed at 49 days old. A reduction to homozygosity of an SUR-1 mutation is proposed as a critical part of the cause of focal hyperinsulinism.

Multiple Members Of A Third Subfamily Of P-Type Atpases Identified By Genomic Sequences And Ests, Margaret S. Halleck, Deepti Pradhan, Christie Blackman, Charlotte A. Berkes, Partrick Williamson, Robert A. Schlegel

Biology Faculty Publications

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome contains five P-type ATPases divergent from both of the well-known subfamilies of these membrane ion transporters. This newly recognized third subfamily can be further divided into four classes of genes with nearly equal relatedness to each other. Genes of this new subfamily are also present and expressed in multicellular organisms such as Caenorhabditis elegans and mammals; some, but not all, can be assigned to the classes identified in yeast. Different classes of genes and different genes within a class are expressed differentially in tissues of the mouse. The recently cloned gene for the mammalian aminophospholipid translocase …

Molecular Analysis Of The Factor V-Leiden Mutation In A Cardiac Transplant Patient Population, Caroline Maher

Theses

Venous thrombosis is a serious health problem affecting 1 in 1000 individuals annually. Until recently the pathogenic factors underlying thrombosis were associated with genetic defects in protein C, protein S and antithrombin III. However these were recognised in fewer than 5-10% of thrombotic patients. A breakthrough was made with the discovery of activated protein C resistance (APCr) which is associated in 90% of cases v/herein a G-->A transition in the factor V gene results in an abnormal molecule, Factor V Leiden. APCr is a major risk factor for thrombosis being present in 20-60% of thrombotic patients. Recently a G-^A …

Draft: Plan For The Management Of The Houtman Abrolhos Islands Fish Habitat Protection Area (Schedule 1), Abrolhos Islands Management Advisory Council, Fisheries Department Of Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

This document is a separate draft plan which has been prepared to meet the requirements of Section 117 of the Fish Resources Management Act 1994. It contains a description of the area; outlines the purposes for which the area is to be set aside; and lists the recommendations contained in Fisheries Management Paper No. 104, Management of the Houtman Abrolhos System, which relate to the management of the proposed Fish Habitat Protection Area.

Management Of The Houtman Abrolhos System, Abrolhos Islands Management Advisory Council, Fisheries Department Of Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

In November 1995 Cabinet resolved that the Minister for Fisheries would establish the Abrolhos Islands Management Advisory Committee (AIMAC) pursuant to Section 42 of the Fish Resources Management Act 1994. The role of AIMAC is to advise the Minister for Fisheries about the management of the Abrolhos Islands and the adjoining State Territorial Waters, as detailed in Section 2.2.3.1 of this report. The AIMAC has overseen the preparation of this report on behalf of the Minister for Fisheries. This draft report contains a brief description of the Abrolhos System and its special values. It also states goals and objectives for …

Genetic Polymorphism Among Cryptosporidium Parvum Isolates: Evidence Of Two Distinct Human Transmission Cycles, Michael M. Peng, Lihua Xiao, Amanda R. Freeman, Michael J. Arrowood, Ananias A. Escalante, André C. Weltman, Corinne S.L. Ong, William R. Mac Kenzie, Altaf A. Lal, Charles B. Beard

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

We report the results of molecular analysis of 39 isolates of Cryptosporidium parvum from human and bovine sources in nine human outbreaks and from bovine sources from a wide geographic distribution. All 39 isolates could be divided into either of two genotypes, on the basis of genetic polymorphism observed at the thrombospondin-related adhesion protein (TRAP-C2) locus. Genotype 1 was observed only in isolates from humans. Genotype 2, however, was seen in calf isolates and in isolates from a subset of human patients who reported direct exposure to infected cattle or consumed items thought to be contaminated with cattle feces. Furthermore, …

Role Of Egr-1 Gene Expression In B Cell Receptor-Induced Apoptosis In An Immature B Cell Lymphoma, Subramanian Muthukkumar, Seong-Su Han, Sumathi Muthukkumar, Vivek M. Rangnekar, Subbarao Bondada

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Ligation of B cell receptor (BCR) on BKS-2, an immature B cell lymphoma by anti-IgM antibodies (Ab) caused apoptosis. Here we report that signaling through B cell receptor in wild type BKS-2 cells down-regulated the expression of Egr-1, a zinc finger-containing transcription factor. A reduction in the level ofEgr-1 mRNA could be demonstrated as early as 30 min after the ligation of BCR on BKS-2 cells. Immunocytochemical and Western blot analysis revealed that the expression of EGR-1 protein was also inhibited by anti-IgM treatment. Antisense oligonucleotides to Egr-1 caused growth inhibition and apoptosis in BKS-2 cells, suggesting that …

Abalone Aquaculture In Western Australia. Discussion Paper And Draft Policy Guidelines., Cameron Westaway, Jeff Norriss

Fisheries Management Papers

The purposes of this discussion paper is to highlight relevant issues associated with abalone aquaculture development and outline a set of draft policy guidelines. The paper is being disseminated to members of the aquaculture industry, commercial and recreational fishing bodies and the broader community to allow comment.