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Articles 361 - 390 of 474

Full-Text Articles in Microbiology

Follicular Dendritic Cells, Hiv And Haart Treatment, Jason Meyer, Dr. Gregory Burton Aug 2013

Follicular Dendritic Cells, Hiv And Haart Treatment, Jason Meyer, Dr. Gregory Burton

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for HIV-infected patients can result in the reduction of plasma viral RNA levels to nearly undetectable levels. However, the existence of replication competent virus from chronically infected CD4+ T cells despite apparently successful HAART treatment suggests the existence of protective reservoirs in the body that protect virally infected cells from the effects of HAART treatment (1). Follicular dendritic cells (FDC) are specialized cells that exist primarily in secondary lymphoid tissue. The purpose of my research was to examine my hypothesis that FDC act as such reservoirs by protecting infected cells from the …

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Vitamin Enhanced Cancer Chemotherapy Using 13-Cis- Retinoic Acid, Vitamin E Succinate And 5-Fluorouracil, Marcus C. Neuffer, Dr. Byron K. Murray Aug 2013

Vitamin Enhanced Cancer Chemotherapy Using 13-Cis- Retinoic Acid, Vitamin E Succinate And 5-Fluorouracil, Marcus C. Neuffer, Dr. Byron K. Murray

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Recent studies have suggested that vitamins and vitamin derivatives can enhance the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs (2,3). In this study the combination of 13-cis-Retinoic Acid (RA), a Vitamin A derivative, and Vitamin E Succinate (VES) are used with the chemotherapeutic agent 5-Fluorouracil (5FU). Previous studies have suggested that the RA and VES combination have a synergistic effect on inhibiting the growth of the HT-29 human colon adenocarcinoma cell line (1). The RA and VES combination also caused the cells to go through morphological and biochemical changes indicative of apoptosis. The purpose of this study was to treat the HT-29 cell …

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Analysis Of A Constitutively Active Phob Mutant Protein, Chad C. Lowe, Dr. William R. Mccleary Aug 2013

Analysis Of A Constitutively Active Phob Mutant Protein, Chad C. Lowe, Dr. William R. Mccleary

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Within the cellular environment, the processing of essential nutrients required for cellular growth and metabolism are tightly regulated. When these essential nutrients become limited in the cells surroundings, cellular stress responses are induced. This enables the cell to maintain life in less than ideal environmental conditions.

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Transfer Of Hiv From Fdc To Macrophages, Michael Fuller, Dr. Gregory Burton Aug 2013

Transfer Of Hiv From Fdc To Macrophages, Michael Fuller, Dr. Gregory Burton

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Over the last semester, I have been engaged in studying the ability of macrophages to pick up HIV from follicular dendritic cells (FDC) in the follicles of the lymph nodes. Research by Dr. Gregory F. Burton of Brigham Young University has shown that HIV virions held on the dendrite processes of follicular dendritic cells in immune complex form are still infectious, and can infect T cells. Research by Dr. Suzanne Gartner at Johns Hopkins University has shown homology between HIV isolated from the brain to HIV in the lymph nodes. Tying these data together, I hypothesized that macrophages are able …

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Creating A Gene Deletion In Scherichia Coli, Brian J. Beames, Dr. William R. Mccleary Aug 2013

Creating A Gene Deletion In Scherichia Coli, Brian J. Beames, Dr. William R. Mccleary

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Two component systems are an integral part of a bacterial cell. They consist of a histidine kinase and a response regulator. The histidine kinase is a receptor protein that signals from the outside of the cell to the inside. Once a ligand binds to the histidine kinase, it autophosphorylates on the inside of the cell and activates the response regulator by phosphorylating it. Once the response regulator is activated, it can then phosphorylate another protein of the cell and that protein can carry out its function. An example of a two component system is the Pho system. PhoB is a …

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Creation Of An Artificial Microbial Consortium, Sam Augustine, Dr. Alan Harker Aug 2013

Creation Of An Artificial Microbial Consortium, Sam Augustine, Dr. Alan Harker

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Ecology is the study of the interactions of living organisms with each other and their environment. In microbiology there has been relatively little done in this field compared to the macro-biological world. In traditional macro-scale ecology an environment is clearly delineated by physical boundaries, access to resources and competition.

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Moving Nucleosomes To Regulate And Maintain Gene Function, Benjamin Jorgensen, Dr. Steven Johnson Aug 2013

Moving Nucleosomes To Regulate And Maintain Gene Function, Benjamin Jorgensen, Dr. Steven Johnson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Gene therapy is a technique that uses gene insertions or transgenes to alter and correct genetic mutations that cause hereditary diseases. Gene therapy holds hope in curing diseases such as Cystic Fibrosis and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy or any disease caused by a recessive mutation in a single gene target. Transgenes may be incorporated into the nuclei of the patient’s cells, however, problems occur with the genes being turned off after time, negating the positive effects of the therapy. The goal of my research is to elucidate the contribution of underlying DNA sequences in the formation of nucleosomes (the basic unit …

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Function Of Novel Nuclear-Variant Bone Morphogenic Protein (Nbmp2) In Muscle Fiber Type Differentiation, Nicholas Wallace, Dr. Laura Bridgewater Aug 2013

Function Of Novel Nuclear-Variant Bone Morphogenic Protein (Nbmp2) In Muscle Fiber Type Differentiation, Nicholas Wallace, Dr. Laura Bridgewater

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are in the transforming growth factor B (TGF-) super family of proteins, which were originally identified by their ability to induce bone formation in animals.A novel nuclear variant of BMP2 (nBMP2) was recently discovered by Dr. Bridgewater and her graduate researchers. In order to discern the exact function of this nuclear form of BMP2, nBMP2 chimeric mice were created.

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Identification Of Yersiniapseudotuberculosisgenes That Affect Congo-Red Binding, Ryan Stewart, Dr. David Erickson Aug 2013

Identification Of Yersiniapseudotuberculosisgenes That Affect Congo-Red Binding, Ryan Stewart, Dr. David Erickson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The plague bacterium Yersiniapestis recently evolved from the enteric pathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, during which time it has adopted a flea-borne lifestyle.

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Chemokine-Mediated Migration Of B-1 B Cells, Lauren Zagieboylo, Dr. Eric Wilson Aug 2013

Chemokine-Mediated Migration Of B-1 B Cells, Lauren Zagieboylo, Dr. Eric Wilson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

B-1 B cells are an understudied type of white blood cell that provide T cell-independent antibody production, allowing them to play an important role in the early immune response to many bacterial and viral pathogens. They are especially important for defense in mucosal sites, such as the intestinal tract, where many infections occur.

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Pas Kinase Interactions, Steven Sowa, Dr. Julianne Grose Aug 2013

Pas Kinase Interactions, Steven Sowa, Dr. Julianne Grose

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Signal transduction pathways are critical to the function of a cell. Correct signals help the cell to manage its resources effectively while improper or inactive signals contribute to cancer and many other human diseases. One protein involved in signal transduction is PAS kinase.

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Quantification Of Kaposi’S Sarcoma Herpesvirus Gene Expression In Infected Humanized Mice, Mark Rowan, Dr. Bradford K. Berges Aug 2013

Quantification Of Kaposi’S Sarcoma Herpesvirus Gene Expression In Infected Humanized Mice, Mark Rowan, Dr. Bradford K. Berges

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Kaposi’s Sarcoma Herpesvirus (KSHV) is a prevalent disease around the world. Some Sub- Saharan African countries have infection levels as high as 40 percent. Usually the effects of this disease are not fatal unless the infected person has already been infected with HIV or has some other immunodeficiency. If both of these problems exist, deadly cancers can form within the infected person1. Studies have shown that people with HIV are 200,000 times more likely to have Kaposi’s sarcoma (a cancer caused by KSHV) than those not infected. Until now, no competent animal model existed to study KSHV pathogenesis.

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The Effect Of Kalanchoe-Pinnata Extract On Epstein-Barr Virus, Miles Murri, Dr. Brian D. Poole Aug 2013

The Effect Of Kalanchoe-Pinnata Extract On Epstein-Barr Virus, Miles Murri, Dr. Brian D. Poole

Journal of Undergraduate Research

For the last year I have been working on a project that would test the efficacy of a potential drug on a common human virus called Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV). Though the virus often resides in a latent or dormant state, it is commonly found in nearly all adults worldwide (1). When it is active, its upregulated gene expression leads to conditions ranging from ear infections and tonsillitis to highly serious conditions like lymphomas (1). It has also been linked substantially with multiple autoimmune diseases such as Lupus (2). A certain immunosuppressive plant extract called Kalanchoe has been used traditionally as …

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Real-Time, In Vivo, Nad Biosensor, Jonathan Neubert, Dr. Julianne Grose Aug 2013

Real-Time, In Vivo, Nad Biosensor, Jonathan Neubert, Dr. Julianne Grose

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a crucial coenzyme used in the production of ATP and general cellular metabolism. Its structure consists of two nucleotides—pyridine and adenine—joined by a pyrophosphate bond. The pyridine allows the molecule to function as an electron carrier in the cell. In this capacity, NAD is involved in over 300 cellular reactions including enzymatic reactions in glycolysis, reactions within the TCA cycle, and especially in the electron transport chain (Grose et al, 2005). Differing levels of NAD have been associated with many pathologies, including diabetes, inflammatory syndromes, neurodegeneration, and cancer (Magni et al., 2008). Current methods of …

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Function Of Novel Nuclear Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 In Regulating Inositol 1,4,5-Triphosphate Receptor 1 Expression, Broc Mccune, Dr. Laura Bridgewater Aug 2013

Function Of Novel Nuclear Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 In Regulating Inositol 1,4,5-Triphosphate Receptor 1 Expression, Broc Mccune, Dr. Laura Bridgewater

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (Bmp2) is a well-characterized secreted transforming growth factor. Researchers in the lab of Dr. Laura Bridgewater, Brigham Young University, discovered a novel nuclear variant of Bmp2 (nBmp2)1. Preliminary data indicates that mice not expressing nBmp2 have difficulty regulating intracellular Ca2+ (unpublished). Seeking to find a molecular explanation for this observation, I performed a yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screen to identify putative binding-partners of nBmp2. My results indicate nBmp2 binds Phospholipid scramblase 1 (PLSCR1). Zhou et al2 have shown that PLSCR1 directly binds a 15 DNA base pair sequence (hereafter called P1) ~100 base pairs upstream of the …

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The Contribution Of Ccr9 To The Homing, Migration, And Accumulation Of Iga Antibody Secreting Cells In Mouse Salivary Glands, Susanne Linderman, Dr. Eric Wilson Aug 2013

The Contribution Of Ccr9 To The Homing, Migration, And Accumulation Of Iga Antibody Secreting Cells In Mouse Salivary Glands, Susanne Linderman, Dr. Eric Wilson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

IgA is the most common antibody isotype involved in the immune system’s defense of mucosal membranes. In order to migrate and accumulate at these sites, IgA antibody secreting cells rely on chemokines. These chemokines, which are proteins differentially secreted in different tissues, bind to chemokine receptors on the cell’s surface. By discovering which receptors are important for immune cell migration to specific sites, we can gain a better understanding of how the immune system functions. This could eventually lead to better treatment of autoimmune and immunodeficiency diseases, as well as to the development of better vaccines. My goal was to …

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Assessing The Splicing Variants Of The Interferon Regulatory Factor 5 Risk Haplotype, Jared Lambert, Dr. Brian Poole Aug 2013

Assessing The Splicing Variants Of The Interferon Regulatory Factor 5 Risk Haplotype, Jared Lambert, Dr. Brian Poole

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease which commences from the immune system producing antibodies which target the body’s own tissues and cells. There are various factors thought to be involved in the development of SLE. In this study I assessed how the splicing variants of the interferon regulatory factor (IRF5) gene are affected by a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) associated with risk for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Through this assessment I hoped to more fully determine the mechanisms through which this risk allele affects the development of SLE. IRF5 is a cytoplasmic transcription factor gene responsible for interferon …

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Isolating Mononucleosome Core Dnas To Be Used In The Encode Project, Elliot Winters, Dr. Steven M. Johnson Aug 2013

Isolating Mononucleosome Core Dnas To Be Used In The Encode Project, Elliot Winters, Dr. Steven M. Johnson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this project has its roots in the nationwide mission named “ENCODE” for the “ENCyclopedia Of DNA Elements” the purpose of which is to map the functional elements of the human genome. The human genome was successfully sequenced in 2001, (Consortium T.I.H.G.S., 2001) but the functional units acting on the DNA are largely unknown in biomedical research. For example: the DNA contained in almost every cell of the human body is identical, encoding the same genes in each cell.

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A Multiplex Real-Time Pcr Assay For Rapid Detection And Differentiation Of Burkholderia Mallei, B. Pseudomallei, And B. Thailandensis, Chinn-Woan Shih, Richard Robison Aug 2013

A Multiplex Real-Time Pcr Assay For Rapid Detection And Differentiation Of Burkholderia Mallei, B. Pseudomallei, And B. Thailandensis, Chinn-Woan Shih, Richard Robison

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As stated in the proposal, my focus has been with three bacterial species of Burkholderia: mallei, pseudomallei, and thailandensis. Burkholderia mallei is the causative agent of glanders, an abscess-forming infection that is predominantly found in the equine population and is capable of being transmitted to humans from infected animals. There is documentation that B. mallei was used as a biowarfare agent in World War I (Gee et al., 2003).

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Cancer And The Immune System: A Study Of Cytokine Communication With Macrophages, Charles Daniel Knechtel, Dr. Kim O'Neill Aug 2013

Cancer And The Immune System: A Study Of Cytokine Communication With Macrophages, Charles Daniel Knechtel, Dr. Kim O'Neill

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Macrophages are a part of the early immune system that interacts with abnormal and foreign cells in your body. They are a non-specific defense system that engulfs foreign cells or stimulates other immune system cells to respond. We know they can play a role in fighting cancer, or promoting it, but we don’t fully understand how. According to Frontiers in Bioscience May 2008, “At late stages tumor-associated macrophages are known to produce molecules directly promoting tumor growth, invasion and metastasis….however, if properly activated, macrophages may control initial tumor development”(Nardin, A., Astado, J. 2008). Cytokines are small signaling molecules that play …

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Characterization Of Herpes Simplex Clinical Isolate, Daniel Hammond, Dr. Brian Poole Aug 2013

Characterization Of Herpes Simplex Clinical Isolate, Daniel Hammond, Dr. Brian Poole

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My project was focused on the identification and characterization of a clinical isolate of Herpes Simplex, the virus family responsible for cold sores and genital herpes. The virus was collected from a 48 year old female who was otherwise healthy. The patient had no previous history of genital herpes. The patient’s sexual partner was also HSV positive. The specimen was collected from a suspected infected genital tract and was submitted for analysis for Herpes simplex virus. Initial analysis using non-specific antibody tests verified that the virus was indeed a member of the herpes simplex family. Further analysis, shown in Figure …

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Analyzing The Homing Of Iga Antibody Secreting Cells In The Gestational Murine Mammary Gland Via Chemokine Interaction, Taylor Gardner, Dr. Eric Wilson Aug 2013

Analyzing The Homing Of Iga Antibody Secreting Cells In The Gestational Murine Mammary Gland Via Chemokine Interaction, Taylor Gardner, Dr. Eric Wilson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My purpose was to understand more deeply the process of mucosal immunological response in mice. Specifically, I hoped to understand the role of chemokine interactions in the recruitment of Immunoglobin A (IgA) in mouse colostrum/milk and mammary gland tissue during the gestation period. I focused on the time period just prior to the point at which milk production (and thus relative IgA levels) is upregulated in preparation for feeding young.

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Yersinia Murine Toxin And Its Potential Role In Preventing Killing Of Yersinia Pestis Via Hympthiocyanate, Sarah Pyne-Gehen, Dr. David Erickson Aug 2013

Yersinia Murine Toxin And Its Potential Role In Preventing Killing Of Yersinia Pestis Via Hympthiocyanate, Sarah Pyne-Gehen, Dr. David Erickson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, is transmitted by fleas such as the Oriental rat flea Xenopsylla cheopis. Very little is known about the Y. pestis factors that are important in establishing a transmissible infection in fleas. The Yersinia Murine Toxin (Ymt) is an intracellular phospholipase enzyme that is required for Y. pestis to survive inside the midgut after fleas take an infectious blood meal (1). The basis for the Ymt requirement is unknown.

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Improvement Of Malaria Diagnosis Techniques In Low-Income Areas, Trenden Flanigan, Dr. Eric Wilson Aug 2013

Improvement Of Malaria Diagnosis Techniques In Low-Income Areas, Trenden Flanigan, Dr. Eric Wilson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Malaria causes over 1 million deaths every year worldwide. Due to the difficulty in obtaining a precise diagnosis, combined with nonspecific symptoms in early stages (fever, aches, fatigue), many cases are misdiagnosed. Diagnosis methods are generally done through visual examination of peripheral blood smears or rapid diagnostic tests. Due to transient low levels of parasitemia in patients, these diagnostic methods often result in false negatives. By separating the parasitized erythrocytes from the others, the sensitivity of diagnostic tests improves. This was demonstrated by using a novel blood smear technique that introduces centrifugation and isolation into the conventional smear or by …

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Phou Localization In Escherichia Coli, Austin Callison, Dr. William R. Mccleary Aug 2013

Phou Localization In Escherichia Coli, Austin Callison, Dr. William R. Mccleary

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Just as simpler systems are studied to better understand more complex systems, E. coli has long been a standard for biological experiments aimed at a more complete comprehension of the mechanisms that propitiate cell life. One of these vital mechanisms in E. coli is the uptake of phosphate (Pi) in varying levels of environmental phosphorous. Pi is a key element involved in cell membranes, DNA, RNA, and metabolism in E. coli. This uptake is accomplished by the cooperation of the PstSCAB2, PhoU, PhoR and PhoB proteins in phosphate poor environments1. PhoU acts as a negative regulator of the Pho operon …

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Development Of Humanized Mice As A Model For The Study Of Neuro-Aids, German Cuadra, Dr. Bradford Berges Aug 2013

Development Of Humanized Mice As A Model For The Study Of Neuro-Aids, German Cuadra, Dr. Bradford Berges

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Our main goal of this project was to document the existence of human macrophages in the brain of humanized mice. After the accomplishment of this goal, we planned to infect humanized mice with HIV and find out if these human macrophages support infection in mouse brain tissue. We hypothesize that humanized mice will have human macrophages engrafted in the brain and that these cells will become infected with HIV via normal pathways after introduction of virus via other routes, as in humans. By identifying these cells in humanized mice, we plan to develop a mechanism to study the relationship between …

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A Nuclear Variant Of Gdf5 May Present Novel Insights On Arthritis Formation, Michael Baldwin, Dr. Laura Bridgewater Aug 2013

A Nuclear Variant Of Gdf5 May Present Novel Insights On Arthritis Formation, Michael Baldwin, Dr. Laura Bridgewater

Journal of Undergraduate Research

More than 40 million Americans suffer from the pains of arthritis. Arthritis is characterized by joint inflammation and cartilage deterioration (3). For many years growth differentiation factor 5 (Gdf5) has been associated with cartilage formation and maintenance (4, 1). GDF5 has been traditionally regarded as a secreted growth factor; however, a new variant of Gdf5 was recently discovered in the nucleus. Nuclear Gdf5 (nGdf5) may present a new mechanism by which Gdf5 regulates cartilage development and preservation.

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Determining The Effect Of Toll-Like Receptor-7 On Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Development, Douglas Baumann, Dr. Brian Poole Aug 2013

Determining The Effect Of Toll-Like Receptor-7 On Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Development, Douglas Baumann, Dr. Brian Poole

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Lupus) is an autoimmune disease that afflicts over 250,000 citizens of the United States. Although much remains to be learned about Lupus, the information gathered so far has proven to be extremely valuable in increasing survival rates and improving the quality of life of Lupus patients. As we continue to put time and energy into Lupus research, the result will be that we will be able to combat the disease more effectively. The first step in combating Lupus is to gain knowledge about the pathogenesis and mechanisms of the disease. By further developing our knowledge, we will …

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Nuclear Bmp2 And The Immune Response, Daniel S. Olsen Jul 2013

Nuclear Bmp2 And The Immune Response, Daniel S. Olsen

Theses and Dissertations

Nuclear bone morphogenetic protein 2 (nBMP2) is a nuclear variant of the secreted growth factor BMP2. Experiments in nBmp2NLStm mutant mice, which lack nBMP2 in the nucleus, have shown that nBMP2 affects intracellular calcium transport in skeletal muscle and hippocampal neurons. The objective of this study was to determine whether nBMP2 affects the immune system, since activation of lymphocytes and other immune cells depends on intracellular calcium transport. We found that spleens in nBmp2NLStm mutant mice were 24% smaller than in wild type mice. The white pulp of the spleen contains many immune cells, particularly B and T lymphocytes and …

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The Role Of Nuclear Bmp2 In The Cell Cycle And Tumorigenesis, Brandt Alan Nichols Jul 2013

The Role Of Nuclear Bmp2 In The Cell Cycle And Tumorigenesis, Brandt Alan Nichols

Theses and Dissertations

Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) is a secreted growth factor that is essential for proper embryonic development and proliferation. Our laboratory discovered a nuclear variant of BMP2 (nBMP2) which is produced when translation is initiated at an alternative start codon within the BMP2 gene. When translation occurs at the downstream start codon, the resulting protein lacks the ER signal peptide, thereby allowing cytoplasmic translation and nuclear localization. Our aim is to distinguish the role of this nuclear localized variant from secreted BMP2. Overexpression of nBMP2 in HEK293 and HT29 cell lines resulted in a higher percentage of cells in proliferative …

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