Molecular Genetics Commons^™

Investigating The Role Of The Nucleosome Remodeling Factor Nurf As A Regulator Of Gene Expression, Aiman S. Alhazmi

Theses and Dissertations

The nucleosome remodeling factor (NURF) is an evolutionary conserved ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling factor. It was first isolated from Drosophila as a complex with enzymatic activity that once recruited to nucleosome, it slides the nucleosome to provide accessibility for transcription factors. Since then, numerous works from animal models and cell lines show the role of NURF as a regulator of gene expression. NURF interacts with H3K4me3 and sequence specific transcription factors that recruit the complex to promoter regions. Whether this is the only mechanism by which NURF regulates gene expression is not known. However, other ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes are known …

Functional Characterization Of Rai1 In Zebrafish, Joshua S. Beach

Theses and Dissertations

Smith-Magenis Syndrome (SMS; OMIM #182290) is a multiple congenital abnormality and intellectual disability (ID) disorder caused by either an interstitial deletion of the 17p11.2 region containing the retinoic acid induced-1 (RAI1) gene or a mutation of the RAI1 gene. Individuals diagnosed with SMS typically present characteristics such as ID, self-injurious behavior, sleep disturbance, ocular and otolaryngological abnormalities, craniofacial and skeletal abnormalities, neurological and behavioral abnormalities, as well as other systemic defects and manifestations. Previous work by Vyas in 2009 showed temporal expression of rai1 in zebrafish embryos as early as 9 hpf. We hypothesize that there is maternal …

Snd1 Mediated Downregulation Of Ptpn23 In Hcc, Nidhi Jariwala

Theses and Dissertations

SND1 MEDIATED DOWNREGULATION OF PTPN23 IN HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA

By Nidhi Jariwala, MS

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014.

ADVISOR: Dr. Devanand Sarkar

Associate Professor, Department of Human and Molecular Genetics Blick Scholar Associate Scientific Director, Cancer Therapeutics VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine Massey Cancer Center

ABSTRACT

Staphyloccocal nuclease domain containing protein 1 (SND1) is identified as an oncogene in multiple cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). SND1 regulates gene expression at transcriptional as well as post-transcriptional level and mediates molecular pathways that culminate into carcinogenesis. SND1 …

Structural And Functional Characterization Of The Mbd2-Nurd Co-Repressor Complex, Megha Desai

Theses and Dissertations

The MBD2-NuRD co-repressor complex is an epigenetic regulator of the developmental silencing of embryonic and fetal β-type globin genes in adult erythroid cells as well as aberrant methylation-dependent silencing of tumor suppressor genes in neoplastic diseases. Biochemical characterization of the MBD2-NuRD complex in chicken erythroid cells identified RbAp46/48, HDAC1/2, MTA1/2/3, p66α/β, Mi2α/β and MBD2 to comprise this multi-protein complex.

In the work presented in Chapter 2, we have pursued biophysical and molecular studies to describe a previously uncharacterized domain of human MBD2 (MBD2_IDR). Biophysical analyses show that MBD2_IDR is an intrinsically disordered region (IDR). Despite this inherent …