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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Testing Predicted Specificity Determinants In The Dihydrofolate Reductase Enzyme Family, Seema J. Patel
Testing Predicted Specificity Determinants In The Dihydrofolate Reductase Enzyme Family, Seema J. Patel
Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects
Dihydrofolate Reductase (DHFR) is an essential enzyme for most organisms, ranging from bacteria to humans. DHFR has essential functions in DNA biosynthesis and cell replication; as a result, cell growth can be inhibited by the inhibition of DHFR. Evaluating the use of well-known DHFR inhibitors is becoming essential in treating infections in the developing world as DHFR is a known target of antibacterial and antiparasitic drugs. Understanding determinants of DHFR inhibitor specificity in terms of amino acid sequence and structure will allow repurposing or designing of new compounds that selectively target DHFR from the pathogenic organism of interest over the …
The Role Of Stress-Activated Protein Kinases In Parasites, Tamara Kreiss
The Role Of Stress-Activated Protein Kinases In Parasites, Tamara Kreiss
Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects
Lymphatic filariasis and leishmaniasis are neglected tropical diseases that are caused by nematode and protozoal parasites. These diseases cause disfiguration, leaving their host socially marked, and in some cases cause more severe disease that can lead to death. These infections, which tend to persist for long periods of time, also lead to bacterial and fungal co-infections, which further exacerbate the disease. Currently there are insufficient treatment options. Current therapies are often too expensive, have toxicity associated with them and are subjected to growing resistance amongst parasite populations. In this thesis I investigated two potential drug targets. The first, is the …
Elucidation Of The Substrate Recognition Mechanism Of Vccry1, Rohe Ahmad
Elucidation Of The Substrate Recognition Mechanism Of Vccry1, Rohe Ahmad
Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects
Vibrio cholerae cryptochrome 1 (VcCryl), a DNA repair enzyme, uses a lightdriven electron transfer to repair UV damaged single strand DNA but not double strand DNA. VcCryl has an active site FAD which is required for substrate binding and repair. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) was used to observe changes in oligomer structure when changes in the oxidation state of the FAD cofactor were made. SEC studies found the oxidized state exists as a dimer with an observed mass of 163 kDa in solution, in dynamic equilibrium with a 67 kDa fragment. The reduced state exists as a monomer in …
Graphene-Like 2-D Nanomaterials And Their Properties, Diana Daikie Aggudey
Graphene-Like 2-D Nanomaterials And Their Properties, Diana Daikie Aggudey
Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects
Graphene, unlike other carbon allotropes has recently been the subject of interest in the field of nano material research. Graphene is being utilized as the building block for graphitic materials such as the 0-D fullerenes, 1-D nanotubes and 3-D graphites. Graphene is a single layer material, made up of interconnected hexagons of sp bonded carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb crystal lattice. Graphene and its derivatives have been shown in previous studies/research to exhibit exceptional high electronic and thermal conductivity, optical transparency and high specific surface area additional to outstanding mechanical flexibility and environmental stability. Graphene is amongst the most …
High-Level Expression Of The Brugia Malayi Protein Kinase, Bm-Mpk 1, In Insect Sf9 Cells, Arti Rana
High-Level Expression Of The Brugia Malayi Protein Kinase, Bm-Mpk 1, In Insect Sf9 Cells, Arti Rana
Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects
Lymphatic Filariasis (elephantiasis) is a neglected tropical disease caused by the filarial nematodes Brugia malayi (B. malayi), Brugia timori, and Wuchererici Bancrofti (1,8). These parasites are present in over 83 counties in the tropics and sub-tropics where more than 1.4 billion people are at risk of infection and 130 million people are presently infected (1,7). Previous work from our lab has led to the identification and expression of a B. malayi stress-activated protein kinase, Bm-MPKl (a human p38/C. elegans PMK-1 ortholog). Bm-MPKl plays an important role in the parasites’ protection against oxidative stress (1), and as such is a potential …