Microbiology Commons^™

Expression Of The Alpha, Beta, And Gamma Subunits Of The Interleukin-2 Receptor By Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells, Sultan Mohammed Alhayyani

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Interleukin 2 (IL-2) is a member of the cytokine family and contributes to the proliferation, survival, and death of lymphocytes [1]. The interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2) is a tripartite receptor commonly expressed on the surfaces of many lymphoid cells and is composed of three non-covalently associated subunits, alpha (CD25), beta (CD122), and gamma (CD132) [2]. Our laboratory has previously described IL-2 receptor Beta expression by vasculature smooth muscle cells (VSMC) in mice and humans [3]. The current work expands our previous observations by assessing the expression of the alpha and gamma subunits of the IL-2R by VSMCs. Analysis of IL-2R expression …

A Prospective Study Of Periodontal Disease And Risk Of Gastric And Duodenal Ulcer In Male Health Professionals, Matthew R. Boylan, Hamed Khalili, Edward S. Huang, Dominique S. Michaud, Jacques Izard, Kaumudi J. Joshipura, Andrew T. Chan

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Periodontal disease is characterized by microbial shifts within the oral cavity and chronic inflammation of the gingival tissue, and can lead to tooth loss. Several studies support an association between periodontal disease and risk of chronic systemic conditions, including vascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, and cancer, including gastric adenocarcinoma. These associations may be mediated by systemic inflammation, the immune response to periodontal infection, or direct invasion by pathogens. Previous studies of periodontal disease and risk of peptic ulcer have been limited by cross-sectional design, diagnoses that were not confirmed by medical record review, and a lack of …

Cell- And Virus-Mediated Regulation Of The Barrier-To-Autointegration Factor’S Phosphorylation State Controls Its Dna Binding, Dimerization, Subcellular Localization, And Antipoxviral Activity, Augusta Jamin, April Wicklund, Matthew S. Wiebe

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF) is a DNA binding protein with multiple cellular functions, including the ability to act as a potent defense against vaccinia virus infection. This antiviral function involves BAF’s ability to condense double-stranded DNA and subsequently prevent viral DNA replication. In recent years, it has become increasingly evident that dynamic phosphorylation involving the vaccinia virus B1 kinase and cellular enzymes is likely a key regulator of multiple BAF functions; however, the precise mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we analyzed how phosphorylation impacts BAF’s DNA binding, subcellular localization, dimerization, and antipoxviral activity through the characterization of BAF phosphomimetic and unphosphorylatable …

Characterization Of A Dual-Tropic Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Hiv-1) Strain Derived From The Prototypical X4 Isolate Hxbc2, Shi-Hua Xiang, Beatriz Pacheco, Dane Bowder, Wen Yuan, Joseph Sodroski

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) coreceptor usage and tropism can be modulated by the V3 loop sequence of the gp120 exterior envelope glycoprotein. For coreceptors, R5 viruses use CCR5, X4 viruses use CXCR4, and dual-tropic (R5X4) viruses use either CCR5 or CXCR4. To understand the requirements for dual tropism, we derived and analyzed a dual-tropic variant of an X4 virus. Changes in the V3 base, which allow gp120 to interact with the tyrosine-sulfated CCR5 N-terminus, and deletion of residues 310/311 in the V3 tip were necessary for efficient CCR5 binding and utilization. Thus, both sets of V3 changes allowed …

Live Siv Vaccine Correlate Of Protection: Immune Complex-Inhibitory Fc Receptor Interactions That Reduce Target Cell Availability, Anthony J. Smith, Stephen W. Wietgrefe, Liang Shang, Cavan S. Reilly, Peter J. Southern, Katherine E. Perkey, Lijie Duan, Heinz Kohler, Sybille Muller, James Robinson, John V. Carlis, Qingsheng Li, R. Paul Johnson, Ashley T. Haase

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Principles to guide design of an effective vaccine against HIV are greatly needed, particularly to

protect women in the pandemic’s epicentre in Africa. We have been seeking these principles by

identifying correlates of the robust protection associated with SIV_mac239Δnef vaccination in the

SIV-rhesus macaque animal model of HIV-1 transmission to women. We have identified one

correlate of SIV_mac239Δnef protection against vaginal challenge as a resident mucosal system for

SIV-gp41 trimer antibody production and neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn)-mediated concentration of

these antibodies on the path of virus entry to inhibit establishment of infected founder populations

at the …

Review Of Epidemiology And Transmission Of Kaposi’S Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus, Veenu Minhas, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

This review summarizes the current knowledge pertaining to Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) epidemiology and transmission. Since the identification of KSHV twenty years ago, it is now known to be associated with Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), primary effusion lymphoma, and multicentric Castleman’s disease. Many studies have been conducted to understand its epidemiology and pathogenesis and their results clearly show that the worldwide distribution of KSHV is uneven. Some geographical areas, such as sub-Saharan Africa, the Mediterranean region and the Xinjiang region of China, are endemic areas, but Western Europe and United States have a low prevalence in the general population. This makes …

Seroprevalence Of Human Herpesvirus 8 And Hepatitis C Virus Among Drug Users In Shanghai, China, Tiejun Zhang, Ying Liu, Yuyan Zhang, Jun Wang, Veenu Minhas, Charles Wood, Na He

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

To elucidate and compare the seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among Chinese drug users, a cross-sectional study of 441 participants, was conducted in Shanghai, China, from 2012 through 2013. Seventy-seven (17.5%) participants were found to be positive for HHV8 antibodies, while 271 (61.5%) participants were positive for HCV. No significant association between HHV8 seropositivity and drug use characteristics, sexual behaviors, HCV, or syphilis was observed. In contrast, a statistically significant association between HCV seropositivity and injected drug history (OR, 2.18, 95% CI 1.41–3.37) was detected, whereas no statistically significant association between HCV seropositivity and …

Vaccines Within Vaccines: The Use Of Adenovirus Types 4 And 7 As Influenza Vaccine Vectors, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

adenovirus Types 4 and 7 (ad4 and ad7) are associated with acute respiratory distress (aRD). In order to prevent wide- spread ad-associated aRD (ad-aRD) the United states military immunizes new recruits using a safe and effective lyophi- lized wildtype ad4 and ad7 delivered orally in an enteric-coated capsule. We cloned ad4 and ad7 and modified them to express either a GFP-Luciferase (GFPLuc) fusion gene or a centralized influenza H1 hemagglutinin (Ha1-con). BaLB/c mice were injected with GFPLuc expressing viruses intramuscularly (i.m.) and intranasally (i.n.). ad4 induced significantly higher luciferase expression levels as compared with ad7 by both routes. ad7 transduction …

Effect Of Prey Richness On A Consumer’S Intrinsic Growth Rate, Brian J. Darby, Michael A. Herman

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

The intrinsic growth rate of nonselective microbivores increases asymptotically with increasing prey biomass, but we do not know how intrinsic growth rate is affected by prey richness. The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of prey richness on the growth kinetics of nematode predators while grazing on mixed bacterial lawns. We found that the intrinsic growth rate of Caenorhabditis elegans in laboratory culture increased asymptotically with prey richness. The mechanism of this pattern was primarily due to the best available prey species in the mixture: the intrinsic growth rate of the consumer feeding on a mixture of …

Construction Of A Live-Attenuated Hiv-1 Vaccine Through Genetic Code Expansion, Nanxi Wang, Yue Li, Wei Niu, Ming Sun, Ronald Cerny, Qingsheng Li, Jiantao Guo

Qingsheng Li Publications

A safe and effective vaccine against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is urgently needed to combat the worldwide AIDS pandemic, but still remains elusive. The fact that uncontrolled replication of an attenuated vaccine can lead to regaining of its virulence creates safety concerns precluding many vaccines from clinical application. We introduce a novel approach to control HIV-1 replication, which entails the manipulation of essential HIV-1 protein biosynthesis through unnatural amino acid (UAA*)-mediated suppression of genome-encoded blank codon. We successfully demonstrate that HIV-1 replication can be precisely turned on and off in vitro.

Includes supporting information.

A Glutathione-Independent Glyoxalase Of The Dj-1 Superfamily Plays An Important Role In Managing Metabolically Generated Methylglyoxal In Candida Albicans, Sahar Hasim, Nur Ahmad Hussin, Fadhel Alomar, Keshore R. Bidasee, Kenneth W. Nickerson, Mark A. Wilson

Kenneth Nickerson Papers

Methylglyoxal is a cytotoxic reactive carbonyl compound produced by central metabolism. Dedicated glyoxalases convert methylglyoxal to D-lactate using multiple catalytic strategies. In this study, the DJ-1 superfamily member ORF 19.251/GLX3 from Candida albicans is shown to possess glyoxalase activity, making this the first demonstrated glutathione-independent glyoxalase in fungi. The crystal structure of Glx3p indicates that the protein is a monomer containing the catalytic triad Cys¹³⁶- His¹³⁷-Glu¹⁶⁸. Purified Glx3p has an in vitro methylglyoxalase activity (K_m = 5.5 mM andk_cat = 7.8 s^-1) that is significantly greater than that of …

Bacteria In Bioethanol Fermentations, Qing Li

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

To gain a better understanding of contaminating bacteria in bioethanol industry, we profiled the bacterial community structure in corn-based bioethanol fermentations and evaluated its correlation to environmental variables. Twenty-three batches of corn-mash sample were collected from six bioethanol facilities. The V4 region of the collective bacterial 16S rRNA genes was analyzed by Illumina Miseq sequencing to investigate the bacterial community structure. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination plots were constructed to visualize bacterial community structure groupings among different samples, as well as the effects of multiple environmental variables on community structure variation. Our results suggest that bacterial community structure is facility-specific, …

Soil Microbial Community Distributions And Disease Suppressiveness In The Coastal Plain Of Georgia, Michael J. Sabula

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study compared the soil microbial communities of three vegetation types in the coastal plain of Georgia: 1. crop land actively in use for agricultural production, 2. transitional grassland in early stages of secondary succession, and 3. pristine unmanaged forest land. Microbial species diversity and quantities of microbial DNA were determined from each of these vegetation types at three separate locations near Statesboro, Georgia. Length heterogeneity PCR(LH-PCR) methods and subsequent analysis of fungal, bacterial, and metazoan communities by analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) revealed high within-group similarity by vegetation type, indicating land management intensity and vegetation cover is a strong determining …

Glut 4 And Insulin Resistance, Salmin Ali

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Five types of glucose transporters stimulate the transport of glucose from the bloodstream into cells such as muscle cells and adipocytes in response to insulin signaling or exercise. Skeletal muscle and adipose tissue are the main sites for glucose uptake and dispose in insulin action dependent pathway. In non-insulin stimulated condition, the GLUT4 storage vesicles stay away from the plasma membrane, so there is no GLUT4 translocation or GLUT4 mediated glucose uptake. However, in insulin stimulated state, insulin initiates insulin signaling cascade which results in rapid GLUT4 translocation and increased glucose uptake at the cell surface. Failure of the translocation …

Remediation Of Tetracycline From Water Sources Using Vetiver Grass (Chrysopogon Zizanioides L. Nash) And Tetracycline-Tolerant Root-Associated Bacteria, Aparupa Sengupta

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Antibiotics are emerging contaminants worldwide. Due to insufficient policy regulations, public awareness, and the constant exposure of the environment to antibiotic sources has created a major environmental concern. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are not equipped to filter-out these compounds before the discharge of the disinfected effluent into water sources (e.g., lakes and streams) and current available technologies are not equipped to remediate these compounds from environmental sources. Hence, the challenge remains to establish a biological system to remove these antibiotics from wastewater. An invitro hydroponic remediation system was developed using vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides L. Nash) to remediate tetracycline …

The Burden Of Avian Influenza Viruses In Community Ponds In California, Zin Htway

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emerging influenza viruses continue to challenge public health. The problem is public health science professionals have been battling emerging human influenza diseases with tactile and reactionary methods because there is a lack of knowledge and data at the human-animal interface. This research was a baseline study of the proportion of influenza A virus (IAV) in urban and rural communities in California. The population was artificial recirculating water ponds in the geographic locations of rural and urban Californian communities. Surface water samples [N = 182] were collected from artificial recirculating ponds in California. Positivity for IAV was verified by real time …

Effects Of Elevated Salinity And Oxidative Stress On The Physiology Of The Toxigenic Cyanobacterium Microcystis Aeruginosa, Billy Christopher Warhurst

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are found worldwide, particularly in places where warm, well-lit, and stagnant waters are common. HABs can have negative effects on aquatic plants and wildlife due to the reduction in light availability associated with turbidity, decrease in O₂ availability, and the production of secondary metabolites that can harm or even prove lethal. Aquatic ecosystems are regularly being affected by elevated salinity because of recent water management strategies, episodes of drought, and salt water intrusion. This research focused on how salinity levels ranging from 0-10ppt affected physiological attributes such as cellular growth and abundance, cell mortality, toxin …

Identification Of Clinical Markers That Predict The Outcomes Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infections And Identification Of Synergistic Antibiotic Combinations For The Treatment Of These Infections, Virginia Long

Master's Theses

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) is a prominent nosocomial infection. Vancomycin is the mainstay of treatment, but it has a high rate of failure. Combination therapies can be used, but synergy is often not tested in clinical laboratories. Physicians are at a disadvantage because they cannot predict MRSA outcomes. The first aim of the study was to identify clinical and demographic markers that could predict infection recurrence or prolonged bacteremia. This was accomplished using retrospective chart review and statistical analysis. The second aim of the study was to identify which combinations, of those commonly used for MRSA treatment at Loyola, demonstrate the …

Host Proteins Interact With The Hiv-1 Core To Facilitate And Restrict, Zana Lukic

Dissertations

Host cell proteins, termed restriction factors, which inhibit viral replication at various stages of the viral life cycle, determine the species-specific tropism of numerous retroviruses. Many members of the TRIM family of proteins act as viral restriction factors. One well-characterized example is the ability of TRIM5á from rhesus macaques (rhTRIM5á) to inhibit human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) soon after viral entry but prior to reverse transcription (RT). It is well established that the restriction requires an interaction between the viral capsid lattice and the B30.2/SPRY domain of TRIM5á. Following the binding of the viral core, TRIM5á mediates an event or …

Adenovirus Vectors As Potent Adjuvants In Vaccine Development, Kathleen Ann Mcguire

Dissertations

Due to their ability to activate the immune system, replication-defective Adenoviruses (Ad) are potential vaccine vectors for several pathogens. The proinflammatory response to Ad contributes to the response to vaccine antigens. We found that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are an important signal in the proinflammatory response to Ad. We identified that serotype 5 adenovirus (Ad5) elicits ROS by inducing mitochondrial membrane damage, a process that is dependent on endosomal membrane rupture and Cathepsin release. This mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to NLRP3 inflammasome- and NFκB-dependent innate immune activation. The ROS-dependent inflammatory response likely contributes to the adaptive immune response by supporting DC …

Dielectric Barrier Discharge Atmospheric Cold Plasma For Inactivation Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Biofilms, Dana Ziuzina, Sonal Patil, Patrick J. Cullen, Daniela Boehm, Paula Bourke

Articles

In recent years, atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) has been widely investigated for potential application as an alternative decontamination technology in biomedical and healthcare sectors. In this study, the antimicrobial efficacy of ACP against Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms was investigated. The 48-h biofilms were treated inside sealed polypropylene containers with a high-voltage dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) ACP (80 kVRMS) and subsequently stored for 24 h at room temperature. Treatment for 60 s by either the direct or indirect mode of ACP exposure (inside or outside plasma discharge, respectively) reduced bacterial populations by an average of 5.4 log cycles from an initial 6.6 …

Reconsidering The Model Of Trim5Α Assembly: The Role Of The Linker2 (L2) Region In Trim5Α Assembly, Laura Johnsen

Master's Theses

The TRIM5α protein from rhesus macaques (TRIM5αrh) exhibits a remarkable ability to potently inhibit infection by Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type-1 (HIV-1). Extensive studies have shown that TRIM5α is capable of self-associating at many levels, eventually leading to the formation of a hexameric assembly that can superimpose on the hexameric lattice of the HIV-1 capsid. The mechanism underlying the self-association of TRIM5α and the molecular determinants of self-association remain to be completely understood. In this study, we show that the Linker 2 (L2) region of TRIM5rh is important for dimerization and higher order self-association, both of which are independent processes. Additionally, …

Characterization Of The Female Urinary Microbiota And Their Association With The Female Bladder Uroepithelium, Evann Elizabeth Hilt

Master's Theses

The current clinical dogma assumes that urine is sterile in the absence of clinically relevant infection. However, recent evidence has demonstrated the existence of a female urinary microbiota in women with and without lower urinary tract symptoms. With the knowledge that the lower urinary tract possesses its own unique microbiota, I hypothesize that certain bacterial species of the female microbiota may be the cause or play a role in lower urinary tract syndromes such as overactive bladder syndrome (OAB). About 40-50% of OAB patients do not respond to conventional anti-muscarinic and beta-3 adrenergic agonist drug treatment. One possible explanation for …

An Investigation Of The Role Of Vibrio Vulnificus Rbda And Vibrio Parahaemolyticus Sypa In Biofilm Formation, Cecilia Thompson

Master's Theses

Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus are both bacteria that cause human infection. V. vulnificus has a polysaccharide locus, rbd, responsible for bacterial aggregation, a form of biofilm. This locus is conserved in V. parahaemolyticus and in the non-pathogen V. fischeri.

In V. fischeri, the polysaccharide locus, syp, has been extensively characterized and shown to be important for biofilm formation. In V. fischeri, the first gene, sypA, is critical for biofilm formation. V. fischeri biofilm-proficient strains form wrinkled colonies. In contrast, sypA mutants form smooth colonies, indicating a lack of biofilm formation.

To understand the function of RbdA and SypAVP, proteins …

Host Entry Factors For Human Coronaviruses, Taylor Heald-Sargent

Dissertations

Coronaviruses infect a diverse range of animals from birds to pigs and cats to humans. Coronaviruses employ RNA-based replicative processes and as such are genetically adaptable to acquire novel host ranges. A coronavirus from one species can jump to another by shifting its entry requirements. As we learned from the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) pandemic, this shift in species can have detrimental consequences. Thus, it is imperative that we understand the virus-host interaction during the entry process.

This dissertation focuses on host entry factors that influence human coronavirus entry. Recently, a new class of proteases, the type II transmembrane …

Identifying Novel Factors Involved In Biofilm Formation By Vibrio Fischeri, Valerie Ray

Dissertations

Biofilm formation by bacteria provides them with a means to survive harsh environmental conditions and promote colonization of a particular surface (biotic or abiotic). Due to the resistance properties of biofilms, biofilm-forming bacteria are difficult to treat in the context of host infections. Thus, investigating the processes that control biofilm formation will promote the development of novel therapeutics. To study biofilm formation in the context of a host, I utilized as a model system the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri, which must be competent to form a biofilm to colonize its squid host Euprymna scolopes. Biofilm formation by V. fischeri requires …

Multifunctional Coronavirus Papain-Like Proteases As Targets For Antiviral Therapeutics And Vaccines, Anna Maria Mielech

Dissertations

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle Ease Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) pose a severe threat to humans because of high mortality. Despite the risk of coronavirus (CoV) emerging in the human population there are no antiviral drugs or vaccines to combat coronavirus infection. The focus of my dissertation was to study the multifunctionality of papain-like proteases (PLPs) encoded within coronavirus genomes to facilitate the development of antiviral drugs and vaccines. The viral PLPs are critical for processing the amino-terminal end of the replicase during virus replication and are attractive targets for antiviral therapies.

In my research, I analyzed …

Ticks And Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae Of Southeastern Virginia, Robyn M. Nadolny, Chelsea L. Wright, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Wayne L. Hynes, Holly D. Gaff

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The incidence of tick-borne rickettsial disease in the southeastern United States has been rising steadily through the past decade, and the range expansions of tick species and tick-borne infectious agents, new and old, has resulted in an unprecedented mix of vectors and pathogens. The results of an ongoing 4-year surveillance project describe the relative abundance of questing tick populations in southeastern Virginia. Since 2009, more than 66,000 questing ticks of 7 species have been collected from vegetation in a variety of habitats, with Amblyomma americanum constituting over 95% of ticks collected. Other species represented included Ixodes scapularis, Dermacentor variabilis …

Tick-Bourne Pathogens Of Potential Zoonotic Importance In The Southern African Region, Simbarashe Chitanga, Holly Gaff, Samson Mukaratirwa

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The aim of this communication is to provide preliminary information on the tick-borne pathogens of potential zoonotic importance present in southern Africa, mainly focusing on their geographical distribution and host range, and to identify research gaps. The following tick-borne zoonoses have been reported to occur in southern Africa based mainly on case reports: Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever caused by Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever virus; ehrlichiosis caused by Ehrlichia ruminantium, Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum; babesiosis caused by Babesia microti; relapsing fever caused by Borrelia duttonii and rickettsioses caused by Rickettsia africae, Rickettsia aeschlimannii and Rickettsia conorii. The …

Single-Tube Real-Time Pcr Assay For Differentiation Of Ixodes Affinis And Ixodes Scapularis, Chelsea L. Wright, Wayne L. Hynes, Breanna T. White, Mindy N. Marshall, Holly D. Gaff, David T. Gauthier

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Ixodes affinis Neumann (1899) and Ixodes scapularis Say (1821) are tick vectors of the etiologic agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto. Ixodes affinis and I. scapularis are morphologically very similar, and as they are sympatric in the mid- and south-Atlantic U.S. coastal states, their accurate identification is crucial to studies of disease and vector ecology in this area. This work describes a rapid, single-tube SYBR® Green-based real-time PCR assay for differentiation of I. affinis and I. scapularis at all life stages. The assay employs 2 pairs of species specific primers directed against the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) …