Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Chemistry Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Life Sciences

Institution
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 1831 - 1860 of 3949

Full-Text Articles in Chemistry

Resurrecting The Regulatory Properties Of The Ostreococcus Tauri Adp-Glucose Pyrophosphorylase Large Subunit, Carlos M. Figueroa, Misty L. Kuhn, Benjamin L. Hill, Alberto A. Iglesias, Miguel A. Ballicora Oct 2018

Resurrecting The Regulatory Properties Of The Ostreococcus Tauri Adp-Glucose Pyrophosphorylase Large Subunit, Carlos M. Figueroa, Misty L. Kuhn, Benjamin L. Hill, Alberto A. Iglesias, Miguel A. Ballicora

Chemistry: Faculty Publications and Other Works

ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (ADP-Glc PPase) catalyzes the first committed step for the synthesis of glycogen in cyanobacteria and starch in green algae and plants. The enzyme from cyanobacteria is homotetrameric (α4), while that from green algae and plants is heterotetrameric (α2β2). These ADP-Glc PPases are allosterically regulated by 3-phosphoglycerate (3PGA, activator) and inorganic orthophosphate (Pi, inhibitor). Previous studies on the cyanobacterial and plant enzymes showed that 3PGA binds to two highly conserved Lys residues located in the C-terminal domain. We observed that both Lys residues are present in the small (α) subunit of the Ostreococcus tauri enzyme; however, one of these …

Go to article

Acidity And Antioxidant Activity Of Cold Brew Coffee., Niny Z. Rao, Megan Fuller Oct 2018

Acidity And Antioxidant Activity Of Cold Brew Coffee., Niny Z. Rao, Megan Fuller

College of Life Sciences Faculty Papers

The acidity and antioxidant activity of cold brew coffee were investigated using light roast coffees from Brazil, two regions of Ethiopia, Columbia, Myanmar, and Mexico. The concentrations of three caffeoylquinic acid (CQA) isomers were also determined. Cold brew coffee chemistry was compared to that of hot brew coffee prepared with the same grind-to-coffee ratio. The pH values of the cold and hot brew samples were found to be comparable, ranging from 4.85 to 5.13. The hot brew coffees were found to have higher concentrations of total titratable acids, as well as higher antioxidant activity, than that of their cold brew …

Go to article

Primary Emissions Of Glyoxal And Methylglyoxal From Laboratory Measurements Of Open Biomass Burning, Kyle J. Zarzana, Vanessa Selimovic, Abigail R. Koss, Kanako Sekimoto, Matthew M. Coggon, Bin Yuan, William P. Dubé, Robert J. Yokelson, Carsten Warneke, Joost A. De Gouw, James M. Roberts, Steven S. Brown Oct 2018

Primary Emissions Of Glyoxal And Methylglyoxal From Laboratory Measurements Of Open Biomass Burning, Kyle J. Zarzana, Vanessa Selimovic, Abigail R. Koss, Kanako Sekimoto, Matthew M. Coggon, Bin Yuan, William P. Dubé, Robert J. Yokelson, Carsten Warneke, Joost A. De Gouw, James M. Roberts, Steven S. Brown

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

We report the emissions of glyoxal and methylglyoxal from the open burning of biomass during the NOAA-led 2016 FIREX intensive at the Fire Sciences Laboratory in Missoula, MT. Both compounds were measured using cavity-enhanced spectroscopy, which is both more sensitive and more selective than methods previously used to determine emissions of these two compounds. A total of 75 burns were conducted, using 33 different fuels in 8 different categories, providing a far more comprehensive dataset for emissions than was previously available. Measurements of methylglyoxal using our instrument suffer from spectral interferences from several other species, and the values reported here …

Go to article

Starch Synthesis In Ostreococcus Tauri: The Starch-Binding Domains Of Starch Synthase Iii-B Are Essential For Catalytic Activity, Julieta Barchiesi, Maria Belen Velazquez, Nicolas Palopoli, Alberto A. Iglesias, Diego F. Gomez-Casati, Miguel A. Ballicora, Maria Victoria Busi Oct 2018

Starch Synthesis In Ostreococcus Tauri: The Starch-Binding Domains Of Starch Synthase Iii-B Are Essential For Catalytic Activity, Julieta Barchiesi, Maria Belen Velazquez, Nicolas Palopoli, Alberto A. Iglesias, Diego F. Gomez-Casati, Miguel A. Ballicora, Maria Victoria Busi

Chemistry: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Starch is the major energy storage carbohydrate in photosynthetic eukaryotes. Several enzymes are involved in building highly organized semi-crystalline starch granules, including starch-synthase III (SSIII), which is widely conserved in photosynthetic organisms. This enzyme catalyzes the extension of the α-1,4 glucan chain and plays a regulatory role in the synthesis of starch. Interestingly, unlike most plants, the unicellular green alga Ostreococcus tauri has three SSIII isoforms. In the present study, we describe the structure and function of OsttaSSIII-B, which has a similar modular organization to SSIII in higher plants, comprising three putative starch-binding domains (SBDs) at the N-terminal region and …

Go to article

Metallo-Polyelectrolytes As A Class Of Ionic Macromolecules For Functional Materials, Tianyu Zhu, Ye Sha, Jing Yan, Parasmani Pageni, Md Anisur Rahman, Yi Yan, Chuanbing Tang Oct 2018

Metallo-Polyelectrolytes As A Class Of Ionic Macromolecules For Functional Materials, Tianyu Zhu, Ye Sha, Jing Yan, Parasmani Pageni, Md Anisur Rahman, Yi Yan, Chuanbing Tang

Faculty Publications

The fields of soft polymers and macromolecular sciences have enjoyed a unique combination of metals and organic frameworks in the name of metallopolymers or organometallic polymers. When metallopolymers carry charged groups, they form a class of metal-containing polyelectrolytes or metallo-polyelectrolytes. This review identifies the unique properties and functions of metallo-polyelectrolytes compared with conventional organo-polyelectrolytes, in the hope of shedding light on the formation of functional materials with intriguing applications and potential benefits. It concludes with a critical perspective on the challenges and hurdles for metallo-polyelectrolytes, especially experimental quantitative analysis and theoretical modeling of ionic binding.

Go to article

On The Roles Of Wheat Endosperm Adp-Glucose Pyrophosphorylase Subunits, Danisa M. L. Ferrero, Matias D. Asencion Diez, Misty L. Kuhn, Christine A. Falaschetti, Claudia V. Piattoni, Alberto A. Iglesias, Miguel A. Ballicora Oct 2018

On The Roles Of Wheat Endosperm Adp-Glucose Pyrophosphorylase Subunits, Danisa M. L. Ferrero, Matias D. Asencion Diez, Misty L. Kuhn, Christine A. Falaschetti, Claudia V. Piattoni, Alberto A. Iglesias, Miguel A. Ballicora

Chemistry: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase from wheat endosperm controls starch synthesis in seeds and has unique regulatory properties compared to others from this family. It comprises two types of subunits, but despite its importance little is known about their roles. Here, we synthesized de novo the wheat endosperm ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase small (S) and large (L) subunit genes, heterologously expressed them in Escherichia coli, and kinetically characterized the recombinant proteins. To understand their distinct roles, we co-expressed them with well characterized subunits from the potato tuber enzyme to obtain hybrids with one S subunit from one source and an L subunit from …

Go to article

Speciated Online Pm1 From South Asian Combustion Sources-Part 1: Fuel-Based Emission Factors And Size Distributions, J. Douglas Goetz, Michael R. Giordano, Chelsea E. Stockwell, Ted J. Christian, Rashmi Maharjan, Sagar Adhikari, Prakash V. Bhave, Puppala S. Praveen, Arnico K. Panday, Thilina Jayarathne, Elizabeth A. Stone, Robert J. Yokelson, Peter F. Decarlo Oct 2018

Speciated Online Pm1 From South Asian Combustion Sources-Part 1: Fuel-Based Emission Factors And Size Distributions, J. Douglas Goetz, Michael R. Giordano, Chelsea E. Stockwell, Ted J. Christian, Rashmi Maharjan, Sagar Adhikari, Prakash V. Bhave, Puppala S. Praveen, Arnico K. Panday, Thilina Jayarathne, Elizabeth A. Stone, Robert J. Yokelson, Peter F. Decarlo

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Combustion of biomass, garbage, and fossil fuels in South Asia has led to poor air quality in the region and has uncertain climate forcing impacts. Online measurements of submicron aerosol (PM1) emissions were conducted as part of the Nepal Ambient Monitoring and Source Testing Experiment (NAMaSTE) to investigate and report emission factors (EFs) and vacuum aerodynamic diameter (dva) size distributions from prevalent but poorly characterized combustion sources. The online aerosol instrumentation included a qmini aerosol mass spectrometer (mAMS) and a dual-spot eight-channel aethalometer (AE33). The mAMS measured non-refractory PM1 mass, composition, and size. The AE33-measured black carbon (BC) mass and …

Go to article

Adapting Cell-Free Protein Synthesis As A Platform Technology For Education, Grace W. Chu, Max Z. Levine, Nicole E. Gregorio, Javin P. Oza Oct 2018

Adapting Cell-Free Protein Synthesis As A Platform Technology For Education, Grace W. Chu, Max Z. Levine, Nicole E. Gregorio, Javin P. Oza

STAR Program Research Presentations

Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) has emerged as an enabling biotechnology for research and biomanufacturing as it allows for the production of protein without the need for a living cell. Applications of CFPS include the construction of libraries for functional genomics and structural biology, the production of personalized medicine, and the expression of virus-like particles. The absence of a cell wall provides an open platform for direct manipulation of the reaction conditions and biological machinery. This project focuses on adapting the CFPS biotechnology to the classroom, making a hands-on bioengineering approach to learning protein synthesis accessible to students grades K-16 through …

Go to article

Developing A New Sensing Technology For Double-Stranded Dna Detection Utilizing Engineered Zinc Finger Proteins And Nanomaterials, Dat Thinh Ha Oct 2018

Developing A New Sensing Technology For Double-Stranded Dna Detection Utilizing Engineered Zinc Finger Proteins And Nanomaterials, Dat Thinh Ha

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A specific double-stranded DNA sensing system is of great interest for diagnostic and other biomedical applications. Zinc finger domains, which recognize double-stranded DNA, can be engineered to form custom DNA-binding proteins for recognition of specific DNA sequences. As a proof of concept, a sequence-enabled reassembly of TEM-1 β- lactamase system (SEER-LAC) was previously demonstrated to develop zinc finger protein (ZFP) arrays for the detection of a double-stranded bacterial DNA sequence. Here, we implemented the SEER-LAC system to demonstrate the direct detection of pathogenspecific DNA sequences present in E. coli O157:H7 on the lab-on-a chip. ZFPs customdesigned to detect shiga toxin …

Go to article

Regulation Of Kv11.1 Potassium Channel C-Terminal Isoform Expression By The Rna-Binding Proteins Hur And Hud, Qiuming Gong, Matthew R. Stump, Zhengfeng Zhou Oct 2018

Regulation Of Kv11.1 Potassium Channel C-Terminal Isoform Expression By The Rna-Binding Proteins Hur And Hud, Qiuming Gong, Matthew R. Stump, Zhengfeng Zhou

Faculty Publications - Department of Biological & Molecular Science

The potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily H member 2 (KCNH2) gene encodes the Kv11.1 potassium channel, which conducts the rapidly activating delayed rectifier current in the heart. KCNH2 pre-mRNA undergoes alternative polyadenylation and forms a functional, full-length Kv11.1a isoform if exon 15 is polyadenylated or a nonfunctional, C-terminally truncated Kv11.1a-USO isoform if intron 9 is polyadenylated. The molecular mechanisms that regulate Kv11.1 isoform expression are poorly understood. In this study, using HEK293 cells and reporter gene expression, pulldown assays, and RNase protection assays, we identified the RNA-binding proteins Hu antigen R (HuR) and Hu antigen D (HuD) as regulators of Kv11.1 …

Go to article

Folding Of Gα Subunits: Implications For Disease States, Matthew Najor, Brian D. Leverson, Jesse L. Goossens, Saad Kothawala, Kenneth W. Olsen, Duarte Mota De Freitas Oct 2018

Folding Of Gα Subunits: Implications For Disease States, Matthew Najor, Brian D. Leverson, Jesse L. Goossens, Saad Kothawala, Kenneth W. Olsen, Duarte Mota De Freitas

Chemistry: Faculty Publications and Other Works

G-proteins play a central role in signal transduction by fluctuating between “on” and “off” phases that are determined by a conformational change. cAMP is a secondary messenger whose formation is inhibited or stimulated by activated Giα1 or Gsα subunit. We used tryptophan fluorescence, UV/vis spectrophotometry, and circular dichroism to probe distinct structural features within active and inactive conformations from wild-type and tryptophan mutants of Giα1 and Gsα. For all proteins studied, we found that the active conformations were more stable than the inactive conformations, and upon refolding from higher temperatures, activated wild-type subunits recovered significantly more native structure. We also …

Go to article

The Role Of Proton Transport In Gating Current In A Voltage Gated Ion Channel, As Shown By Quantum Calculations, Alisher M. Kariev, Michael E. Green Sep 2018

The Role Of Proton Transport In Gating Current In A Voltage Gated Ion Channel, As Shown By Quantum Calculations, Alisher M. Kariev, Michael E. Green

Publications and Research

Over two-thirds of a century ago, Hodgkin and Huxley proposed the existence of voltage gated ion channels (VGIC) to carry Na+ and K+ ions across the cell membrane to create the nerve impulse, in response to depolarization of the membrane. The channels have multiple physiological roles, and play a central role in a wide variety of diseases when they malfunction. The first channel structure was found by MacKinnon and coworkers in 1998. Subsequently the structure of a number of VGIC was determined in the open (ion conducting) state. This type of channel consists of four voltage sensing domains …

Go to article

Short-Term Low Salinity Mitigates Effects Of Oil And Dispersant On Juvenile Eastern Oysters: A Laboratory Experiment With Implications For Oil Spill Response Activities, Meagan N. Schrandt, Sean Powers, F.Scott Rikard, Wilawan Thongda, Eric Peatman Sep 2018

Short-Term Low Salinity Mitigates Effects Of Oil And Dispersant On Juvenile Eastern Oysters: A Laboratory Experiment With Implications For Oil Spill Response Activities, Meagan N. Schrandt, Sean Powers, F.Scott Rikard, Wilawan Thongda, Eric Peatman

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) reefs in the northern Gulf of Mexico were exposed to oil and various associated clean-up activities that may have compromised oyster reef health. Included in the exposure was oil, dispersant, and in some locales, atypical salinity regimes. Oil and dispersants can be detrimental to oysters and the effects of salinity depend on the level. In addition to these extrinsic factors, genetic diversity of oyster populations may help the oysters respond to stressors, as demonstrated in other systems. We used a 3×3×2 factorial design to experimentally examine the effects …

Go to article

Deep Soils Modify Environmental Consequences Of Increased Nitrogen Fertilizer Use In Intensifying Amazon Agriculture, Kathijo Jankowski, Christopher Neill, Eric A. Davidson, Marcia Macedo, Ciniro Costa Jr., Gillian L. Galford, Leonardo Maracahipes Santos, Paul Lefebvre, Darlisson Nunes, Carlos E. P. Cerri, Richard Mchorney, Christine S. O'Connell, Michael T. Coe Sep 2018

Deep Soils Modify Environmental Consequences Of Increased Nitrogen Fertilizer Use In Intensifying Amazon Agriculture, Kathijo Jankowski, Christopher Neill, Eric A. Davidson, Marcia Macedo, Ciniro Costa Jr., Gillian L. Galford, Leonardo Maracahipes Santos, Paul Lefebvre, Darlisson Nunes, Carlos E. P. Cerri, Richard Mchorney, Christine S. O'Connell, Michael T. Coe

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Agricultural intensification offers potential to grow more food while reducing the conversion of native ecosystems to croplands. However, intensification also risks environmental degradation through emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) and nitrate leaching to ground and surface waters. Intensively-managed croplands and nitrogen (N) fertilizer use are expanding rapidly in tropical regions. We quantified fertilizer responses of maize yield, N2O emissions, and N leaching in an Amazon soybean-maize double-cropping system on deep, highly-weathered soils in Mato Grosso, Brazil. Application of N fertilizer above 80 kg N ha−1 yr−1 increased maize yield and N …

Go to article

Modulating Restriction Endonuclease Activities And Specificities Using Neutral Detergents, Lori H. Conlan, Thomas J. José, Kevin C. Thornton, Cynthia M. Dupureur Aug 2018

Modulating Restriction Endonuclease Activities And Specificities Using Neutral Detergents, Lori H. Conlan, Thomas J. José, Kevin C. Thornton, Cynthia M. Dupureur

Educator Preparation & Leadership Faculty Works

It is well known that type II restriction enzyme activities and specificities can be modulated by altering solution conditions. The addition of co-solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), alcohols and polyols can promote star activity, which is the cleavage of non-cognate sequences. While neutral detergents are often used to control protein aggregation, little is known about the effect of neutral detergents on restriction enzyme activities and specificities. We report here that BamHI, BglI, BglII, EcoRI, EcoRV, HindIII, MluI, PvuII, SalI and XhoI restriction endonucleases are remarkably tolerant of high concentrations …

Go to article

P62-Dependent Phase Separation Of Patient-Derived Keap1 Mutations And Nrf2, E. W. Cloer, P. F. Siesser, E. M. Cousins, D Goldfarb, D. D. Mowrey, Joseph S. Harrison, S. J. Weir, N. V. Dokholyan, M. B. Major Aug 2018

P62-Dependent Phase Separation Of Patient-Derived Keap1 Mutations And Nrf2, E. W. Cloer, P. F. Siesser, E. M. Cousins, D Goldfarb, D. D. Mowrey, Joseph S. Harrison, S. J. Weir, N. V. Dokholyan, M. B. Major

College of the Pacific Faculty Articles

Cancer-derived loss-of-function mutations in the KEAP1 tumor suppressor gene stabilize the NRF2 transcription factor, resulting in a pro-survival gene expression program that alters cellular metabolism and neutralizes oxidative stress. In a recent genotype-phenotype study, we classified 40% of KEAP1 mutations as ANCHOR mutants. By immunoprecipitation, these mutants bind more NRF2 than wild-type KEAP1 and ubiquitylate NRF2, but are incapable of promoting NRF2 degradation. BioID-based protein interaction studies confirmed increased abundance of NRF2 within the KEAP1 ANCHOR mutant complexes with no other statistically significant changes to the complexes. Discrete molecular dynamic simulation modeling and limited proteolysis suggest that the ANCHOR mutations …

Go to article

Structure And Thermodynamics Of Polyglutamine Peptides And Amyloid Fibrils Via Metadynamics And Molecular Dynamics Simulations, Riley Workman Aug 2018

Structure And Thermodynamics Of Polyglutamine Peptides And Amyloid Fibrils Via Metadynamics And Molecular Dynamics Simulations, Riley Workman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aggregation of polyglutamine (polyQ)-rich polypeptides in neurons is a marker for nine neurodegenerative diseases. The molecular process responsible for the formation of polyQ fibrils is not well understood and represents a growing area of study. To enable development of treatments that could interfere with aggregation of polyQ peptides, it is crucial to understand the molecular mechanisms by which polyQ peptides aggregate into fibrils. Many experimental techniques have been employed to probe polyQ aggregation, however, observations from these studies have not lead to a unified understanding of the properties of these systems, instead yielding competing, fragmented theories of polyQ aggregation. This …

Go to article

Design And Synthesis Of Circadian Clock Modulators And The Study Of Lov Domain Protein Lkp2 In Arabidosis Thaliana And Brassica Rapa, Aditi Nagar Aug 2018

Design And Synthesis Of Circadian Clock Modulators And The Study Of Lov Domain Protein Lkp2 In Arabidosis Thaliana And Brassica Rapa, Aditi Nagar

Chemistry Theses and Dissertations

Circadian rhythms are self-autonomous endogenous clocks synchronized with the rotation of the Earth. With the Earth’s rotation and revolution on its axis, the internal clock undergoes oscillation in the period of ~24 hour and governs day to day activities in most organisms. In humans, it regulates the day to day physiological activities. Today’s modern lifestyle has an impact on health: shift work, jet lag, and irregular eating habits contribute to the misalignment of the endogenous circadian oscillator, thereby, increasing the risk of many metabolic disorders including diabetes, irregular blood pressure, sleep disorders, obesity, depression, and cancer. The primary goal of …

Go to article

Ultrafast Laser Filament-Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy Of Uranyl Fluoride, P. J. Skrodzki, M. Burger, L. A. Finney, F. Poineau, S. M. Balasekaran, J. Nees, K. R. Czerwinski, I. Jovanovic Aug 2018

Ultrafast Laser Filament-Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy Of Uranyl Fluoride, P. J. Skrodzki, M. Burger, L. A. Finney, F. Poineau, S. M. Balasekaran, J. Nees, K. R. Czerwinski, I. Jovanovic

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Research

Uranyl fluoride (UO2F2) is a compound which forms in the reaction between water and uranium hexafluoride, a uranium containing gas widely used for uranium enrichment. Uranyl fluoride exhibits negligible natural background in atmosphere; as a result, its observation implies the presence and active operation of nearby enrichment facilities and could be used as a tracer for treaty verification technologies. Additionally, detection of UO2F2 has a potential application in guiding remediation efforts around enrichment facilities. Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) has been proposed in the past as a viable technique for the detection and tracking of UO2F2. We demonstrate that ultrafast laser filamentation …

Go to article

Tof-Sims Analysis Of Plant Seed Interactions With Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria, Tammy Pheuphong, Rachel Komorek, Xiao-Ying Yu Aug 2018

Tof-Sims Analysis Of Plant Seed Interactions With Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria, Tammy Pheuphong, Rachel Komorek, Xiao-Ying Yu

STAR Program Research Presentations

The use of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) in plant biology is a relatively unexplored and quickly developing field. The majority of research in plant SIMS involves the application of ToF-SIMS to study dried wood tissues, and only a handful of studies apply SIMS on plant stems, roots, and/or seeds. Our project provides a brief description and review of previous work using SIMS on plant stems, roots, and/or seeds, along with an emphasis on the sample preparation in each study. Additionally, the use of Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium) as a model system for research on grasses has also become more …

Go to article

Manganese Oxide/Hemin-Functionalized Graphene As A Platform For Peroxynitrite Sensing, Haitham F. Kalil, Shaimaa Maher, Tiyash Bose, Mekki Bayachou Aug 2018

Manganese Oxide/Hemin-Functionalized Graphene As A Platform For Peroxynitrite Sensing, Haitham F. Kalil, Shaimaa Maher, Tiyash Bose, Mekki Bayachou

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Peroxynitrite (ONOO−, PON) is a powerful oxidizing agent generated in vivo by the diffusion-limited reaction of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide (O2˙−) radicals. Under oxidative stress, cumulated peroxynitrite levels are associated with chronic inflammatory disorders and other pathophysiological conditions. The accurate detection of peroxynitrite in biological systems is important, not only to understand the genesis and development of diseases, but also to explore and design potential therapeutics. Herein, a manganese oxide/hemin-modified graphene interface is explored as a platform for peroxynitrite amperometric detection. Hemin-functionalized reduced graphene oxide was further modified with manganese oxide nanoparticles to provide a …

Go to article

Development Of Rapid, Homogeneous Assay For Investigating Isopeptide Bond Formation Using Fluorescence Polarization/Depolarization Measurements, Samuel Patricc Kasson Aug 2018

Development Of Rapid, Homogeneous Assay For Investigating Isopeptide Bond Formation Using Fluorescence Polarization/Depolarization Measurements, Samuel Patricc Kasson

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Autocatalytic intramolecular isopeptide bonds have been found in nature in certain gram-positive bacterial pilus structures. Recently, splitting of these domains that are capable of autocatalytic intramolecular isopeptide bond formation have been applied to create stable, selective, bio-orthogonal Catcher/Tag systems. The CnaB2 domain found in the FbaB pilus structure of Streptococcus pyogenes, has yielded the Catcher/Tag, Protein/Peptide systems termed SpyCatchter and SpyTag. Recent study has focused on tag optimization, stability and bio-orthogonality evaluation, along with applications in bioconjugation. I have recombinantly expressed SpyCatcher and SpyTag-fused proteins in E.coli, and conjugated them to fluorescent probes in order for use in fluorescence polarization/depolarization …

Go to article

Bayesian Analytical Approaches For Metabolomics : A Novel Method For Molecular Structure-Informed Metabolite Interaction Modeling, A Novel Diagnostic Model For Differentiating Myocardial Infarction Type, And Approaches For Compound Identification Given Mass Spectrometry Data., Patrick J. Trainor Aug 2018

Bayesian Analytical Approaches For Metabolomics : A Novel Method For Molecular Structure-Informed Metabolite Interaction Modeling, A Novel Diagnostic Model For Differentiating Myocardial Infarction Type, And Approaches For Compound Identification Given Mass Spectrometry Data., Patrick J. Trainor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Metabolomics, the study of small molecules in biological systems, has enjoyed great success in enabling researchers to examine disease-associated metabolic dysregulation and has been utilized for the discovery biomarkers of disease and phenotypic states. In spite of recent technological advances in the analytical platforms utilized in metabolomics and the proliferation of tools for the analysis of metabolomics data, significant challenges in metabolomics data analyses remain. In this dissertation, we present three of these challenges and Bayesian methodological solutions for each. In the first part we develop a new methodology to serve a basis for making higher order inferences in metabolomics, …

Go to article

Fluorescently Labeled Sirnas And Their Theranostic Applications In Cancer Gene Therapy, Stephen David Kozuch Aug 2018

Fluorescently Labeled Sirnas And Their Theranostic Applications In Cancer Gene Therapy, Stephen David Kozuch

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Gene therapy has emerged as a promising precision nano-medicine strategy in the treatment of numerous diseases including cancer. At the forefront of its utility are the applications of short-interfering RNA (siRNA), that silence oncogenic mRNA expression leading to cancer cell death through the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. Despite the therapeutic potential, siRNAs are limited by poor pharmacological properties, which has hindered their translation into the clinic. Recent studies, however, have highlighted the applications of modified siRNAs, including the use of fluorescent probes and siRNA nanostructures in cancer detection and treatment. The siRNAs reported in this thesis are designed to target …

Go to article

Conformationally-Controlled Late-Stage Modifications For Sar Studies Of The C-3-Glcp Moiety Of Ipomoeassin F, Lucas Whisenhunt Aug 2018

Conformationally-Controlled Late-Stage Modifications For Sar Studies Of The C-3-Glcp Moiety Of Ipomoeassin F, Lucas Whisenhunt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The resin glycoside, ipomoeassin F has been shown to be extremely potent against multiple cancer lines (IC50 = 4.2-36 nM). However, the mechanism of action of this potent and complex natural product is still not fully understood. The α,β-unsaturated esters of the glucosyl moiety have been shown to be vital for the overall cytotoxicity of ipomoeassin F. Nevertheless, the importance of the tigloyl ester of the glucosyl moiety is still largely unknown. This work aimed to study the pharmacophore importance of the tigloyl ester by creating, an efficient, scalable, and flexible synthesis route for various analogs. The 18-linear step synthesis …

Go to article

Cost Effective Strategy For The Synthesis Of Azo Dyes By Using Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (Cnsl), Mathias Yohana, Monica M. Ndoile, Quintino A. Mgani Jul 2018

Cost Effective Strategy For The Synthesis Of Azo Dyes By Using Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (Cnsl), Mathias Yohana, Monica M. Ndoile, Quintino A. Mgani

Tanzania Journal of Science

The synthesis and dyeing properties of two types of azo dyes are reported in this paper. The two types of dyes were obtained from coupling of amino cardanol with unsaturated anacardic acid [ACUSA (Aminocardanol unsaturated anacardic acid)] and saturated anacardic acid [ACSA (Aminocardanol saturated anacardic acid)] separately. Both, anacardic acid and aminocardanol were obtained from CNSL as their source material. ACSA dyes were solid and dark brown while ACUSA were gelatinous and dark red. The performance of both ACUSA and ACSA dyes was moderate on textile fabrics with varying cotton content. The dyeing efficiency of the ACUSA was better than …

Go to article

Semisynthesis Of A Mellein-Type 3,4-Dihydroisocoumarin From Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (Cnsl), Clarence A. Mgina, Fatma Kadir Jul 2018

Semisynthesis Of A Mellein-Type 3,4-Dihydroisocoumarin From Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (Cnsl), Clarence A. Mgina, Fatma Kadir

Tanzania Journal of Science

Mellein-type 3,4-dihydroisocoumarin 39 (i.e., 8-methoxy-3-tridecyl-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin or 8-methoxy-3-tridecylisochroman-1-one), and its precursors, namely, methyl 2-methoxy-6-pentadecylbenzoate (37), methyl 2-methoxy-6-pentadecanoylbenzoate (38) and (E)-methyl 2-methoxy-6-(pentadec-1-enyl)benzoate (19) were synthesized from anacardic acid (12) as a starting material obtained from Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL) in an overall yield of 78%. The transformation of 12 to 39 involved protection of the reactive phenolic and carboxylic acid groups of compound 12 through methylation followed by hydrogenation so as to saturate the mono-, di- and tri-unsaturated C15 chains of anacardic acid (12). Subsequent benzylic oxidation and reduction of the keto functional group with concomitant dehydration of the alcohol led …

Go to article

The Effects Of Cold Plasma Treatment On Sweet Basil (Ocimum Basilicum), Sauvelson Auguste Jul 2018

The Effects Of Cold Plasma Treatment On Sweet Basil (Ocimum Basilicum), Sauvelson Auguste

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The study discussed herein looks both to continue and to expand upon previous work conducted here at Seton Hall University, which investigated the effect of cold plasma processing on sweet basil and their essential oils. It was found that the application of cold plasma treatment increases plant growth and eugenol concentration, which is an essential oil component and one of the potential natural antioxidants used in food preservation. In this study, we considered methods for increasing the production and harvesting of plants that produce essential oils such as sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum). The study also incorporated more controls …

Go to article

Nickel Exposure Reduces Enterobactin Production In Escherichia Coli, Clorissa L. Washington-Hughes, Geoffrey T. Ford, Alsten D. Jones, Kimberly Mcrae, Franklin Wayne Outten Jul 2018

Nickel Exposure Reduces Enterobactin Production In Escherichia Coli, Clorissa L. Washington-Hughes, Geoffrey T. Ford, Alsten D. Jones, Kimberly Mcrae, Franklin Wayne Outten

Faculty Publications

Escherichia coli is a well- studied bacterium that can be found in many niches, such as industrial wastewater, where the concentration of nickel can rise to low- millimolar levels. Recent studies show that nickel exposure can repress pyochelin or induce pyo-verdine siderophore production in Pseudomonas aueroginosa. Understanding the mo-lecular cross- talk between siderophore production, metal homeostasis, and metal toxicity in microorganisms is critical for designing bioremediation strategies for metal- contaminated sites. Here, we show that high- nickel exposure prolongs lag phase duration as a result of low- intracellular iron levels in E. coli. Although E. coli cells respond to low- …

Go to article

Nanostructured Fibers As A Versatile Photonic Platform: Radiative Cooling And Waveguiding Through Transverse Anderson Localization, Norman Nan Shi, Cheng-Chia Tsai, Michael J. Carter, Jyotirmoy Mandal, Adam C. Overvig, Matthew Y. Sfeir, Ming Lu, Catherine L. Craig, Gary D. Bernard, Yuan Yang, Nanfang Yu Jul 2018

Nanostructured Fibers As A Versatile Photonic Platform: Radiative Cooling And Waveguiding Through Transverse Anderson Localization, Norman Nan Shi, Cheng-Chia Tsai, Michael J. Carter, Jyotirmoy Mandal, Adam C. Overvig, Matthew Y. Sfeir, Ming Lu, Catherine L. Craig, Gary D. Bernard, Yuan Yang, Nanfang Yu

Publications and Research

Broadband high reflectance in nature is often the result of randomly, three-dimensionally structured materials. This study explores unique optical properties associated with one-dimensional nanostructures discovered in silk cocoon fibers of the comet moth, Argema mittrei. The fibers are populated with a high density of air voids randomly distributed across the fiber cross-section but are invariant along the fiber. These filamentary air voids strongly scatter light in the solar spectrum. A single silk fiber measuring ~50 μm thick can reflect 66% of incoming solar radiation, and this, together with the fibers' high emissivity of 0.88 in the mid-infrared range, allows …

Go to article

First Prev Next Last