Case 32: Inhibition Of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Enzymes As A Possible Treatment For Diabetes,
2021
Providence College
Case 32: Inhibition Of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Enzymes As A Possible Treatment For Diabetes, Dr. Kathleen Cornely
Chemistry & Biochemistry Case Studies
Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are investigated because of their ability to reverse the effects of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs). Inhibitors of the PTP investigated in this study have insulin-mimetic effects and have potential in the treatment of diabetes.
Analysis Of Heavy Metal In Hair Samples Using Icp Oes,
2021
Andrews University
Analysis Of Heavy Metal In Hair Samples Using Icp Oes, Emma Suvacarov
Honors Scholars & Undergraduate Research Poster Symposium Programs
Exposure to heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and arsenic can negatively affect the structure and function of cells, tissues, and organs. Such heavy metals can be excreted from the hair as metabolic products during its growth process thus hair analysis is thought to be a reliable indicator for the environmental accumulation of heavy metals. Our research aims to develop a methodology to quantify heavy metal concentrations found in biological samples using Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectroscopy. Current research involves preparing hair samples for analysis and creating calibration curves for heavy metals through a process that is accurate, precise, and easily …
Lighting The Way: Recent Insights Into The Structure And Regulation Of Phototropin Blue Light Receptors,
2021
CUNY Advanced Science Research Center
Lighting The Way: Recent Insights Into The Structure And Regulation Of Phototropin Blue Light Receptors, Jaynee E. Hart, Kevin H. Gardner
Publications and Research
The phototropins (phots) are light-activated kinases that are critical for plant physiology and the many diverse optogenetic tools that they have inspired. Phototropins combine two bluelight- sensing Light–Oxygen–Voltage (LOV) domains (LOV1 and LOV2) and a C-terminal serine/threonine kinase domain, using the LOV domains to control the catalytic activity of the kinase. While much is known about the structure and photochemistry of the light-perceiving LOV domains, particularly in how activation of the LOV2 domain triggers the unfolding of alpha helices that communicate the light signal to the kinase domain, many questions about phot structure and mechanism remain. Recent studies have made …
Insights Into Viral Genome Function Through Comparative Structural Analysis,
2021
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Insights Into Viral Genome Function Through Comparative Structural Analysis, Lydia Phillips
UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair
Enteroviruses are single stranded RNA viruses which have caused many public health concerns, particularly in children. These viruses are responsible for polio, hand, foot, and mouth disease, many polio-like neurological diseases, and the common cold. The enterovirus called Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3), a close relative to poliovirus, has been shown responsible for severe human disease, including pancreatitis, myocarditis, and type 1 diabetes. A unique advantage of studying CVB3 is the existence of a naturally occurring strain (CVB3/GA) which displays no known pathogenicity. Earlier comparative genomic studies have shown that the primary difference between avirulent CVB3/GA and the virulent strains of CVB3 …
Telsam-Target Protein Fusions Can Form Diffraction-Quality Crystals Without Direct Inter-Polymer Contacts,
2021
Brigham Young University
Telsam-Target Protein Fusions Can Form Diffraction-Quality Crystals Without Direct Inter-Polymer Contacts, Moriah Longhurst
Undergraduate Honors Theses
X-ray diffraction is a robust method for determining the detailed 3D structures of specific proteins. However, this requires the formation of well-ordered protein crystals, a process that is time-consuming, expensive, and only has about a 10-30% success rate. New methods are needed to enable the efficient crystallization of challenging proteins. One such technique is explored here, which utilizes a protein polymer (the sterile alpha motif domain of the human protein translocation Ets leukemia, or TELSAM) as a crystallization chaperone to form a more ordered crystal lattice of target proteins and drive crystallization. This method was successfully used to crystallize, collect …
Highlighting Membrane Protein Structure And Function:
A Celebration Of The Protein Data Bank,
2021
University of California, San Francisco
Highlighting Membrane Protein Structure And Function: A Celebration Of The Protein Data Bank, Fei Li, Pascal F. Egea, Alex J. Vecchio, Ignacio Asial, Meghna Gupta, Joana Paulino, Ruchika Bajaj, Miles Sasha Dickinson, Shelagh Fergunson-Miller, Brian C. Monk, Robert M. Stroud
Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications
Biological membranes define the boundaries of cells and compartmentalize the chemical and physical processes required for life. Many biological processes are carried out by proteins embedded in or associated with such membranes. Determination of membrane protein (MP) structures at atomic or near-atomic resolution plays a vital role in elucidating their structural and functional impact in biology. This endeavor has determined 1198 unique MP structures as of early 2021. The value of these structures is expanded greatly by deposition of their three-dimensional (3D) coordinates into the Protein Data Bank (PDB) after the first atomic MP structure was elucidated in 1985. Since …
Investigations Of The Structure And Protein-Protein Interactions Of Chlamydia Trachomatis Scc4,
2021
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
Investigations Of The Structure And Protein-Protein Interactions Of Chlamydia Trachomatis Scc4, Thilini Oshadhi Senarath Ukwaththage
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is the most common, sexually transmitted bacterial disease (STD) in the world. In the developmental cycle of CT, specific chlamydia chaperone 4 (Scc4) is a unique protein with essential and multiple roles. Hence, Scc4 is significant as a virulence target for therapeutic approaches to treat chlamydial infections. A novel approach was discovered to purify tag free Scc4 by utilizing a 6X-histidine-tag on Scc1 in the co-expressed Scc4:Scc1 complex by capturing the complex on nickel-charged immobilized metal affinity chromatography resin, followed by dissociation of Scc4 with sarkosyl. Using triple resonance NMR experiments, backbone and sidechain resonances …
Indolizine Donor-Based Dyes For Applications In Fluorescence Biological Imaging,
2021
University of Mississippi
Indolizine Donor-Based Dyes For Applications In Fluorescence Biological Imaging, William Meador
Honors Theses
NIR emissive fluorophores are intensely researched due to their potential to replace modern imaging procedures. Many molecular strategies have been employed in the literature to optimize fluorophores for deeper NIR absorption and emission, biocompatibility, and higher fluorescence quantum yields. Amongst the fluorophores studied to date, proaromatic indolizine donors are attractive alternatives to traditional alkyl amine and indoline based donors due to their 1) lower energy absorption and emission facilitated by proaromaticity, 2) large Stokes shifts due to increased dihedral angles about the π-system, 3) ease of functionalization and capacity for bioconjugation at the phenyl ring, and 4) potential for further …
A Co-Opted Steroid Synthesis Gene, Maintained In Sorghum But Not Maize, Is Associated With A Divergence In Leaf Wax Chemistry,
2021
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
A Co-Opted Steroid Synthesis Gene, Maintained In Sorghum But Not Maize, Is Associated With A Divergence In Leaf Wax Chemistry, Lucas Busta, Elizabeth Schmitz, Dylan K. Kosma, James Schnable, Edgar B. Cahoon
Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications
Virtually all land plants are coated in a cuticle, a waxy polyester that prevents nonstomatal water loss and is important for heat and drought tolerance. Here, we describe a likely genetic basis for a divergence in cuticular wax chemistry between Sorghum bicolor, a drought tolerant crop widely cultivated in hot climates, and its close relative Zea mays (maize). Combining chemical analyses, heterologous expression, and comparative genomics, we reveal that: 1) sorghum and maize leaf waxes are similar at the juvenile stage but, after the juvenile-to-adult transition, sorghum leaf waxes are rich in triterpenoids that are absent from maize; 2) …
Engineering Src Homology 2 Domains With Improved Specificity For Sulfotyrosine,
2021
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Engineering Src Homology 2 Domains With Improved Specificity For Sulfotyrosine, Anya Morozov
Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)
Protein tyrosine O-sulfation (PTS) is a common post-translational modification that has been implicated in a variety of biological processes and human illnesses. Despite continued progress in the field of sulfoproteomics, the extent and function of sulfated tyrosine (sulfotyrosine) residues is a topic of ongoing research. Previous work in the Guo Lab has identified Src Homology-2 (SH2) mutants that have a high affinity for sulfotyrosine along with retained high affinity for their natural ligand, phosphorylated tyrosine (phosphotyrosine). In this thesis, I attempted to generate SH2 mutants that have high affinity and specificity for sulfotyrosine over phosphotyrosine. While I successfully generated …
Using Crispr-Cas9 To Construct Knockout Mutants In Dna-Repair Genes In Arabidopsis Thaliana,
2021
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Using Crispr-Cas9 To Construct Knockout Mutants In Dna-Repair Genes In Arabidopsis Thaliana, David Campbell
Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)
The mitochondria are known as the powerhouse of the cell, and just like a real powerhouse, it can be a dangerous place to store sensitive information. Energy generation and redox reactions in the mitochondria can cause damage to the DNA stored there, resulting in a higher mutation rate. Compared to their animal counterparts, however, plant mitochondria exhibit a lower mutation rate and a higher recombination rate. It is hypothesized that the unique DNA repair methods present in plant mitochondria are responsible for the phenomena observed there. To study the mechanics of DNA-repair in this organelle, however, researchers must be able …
Cown Sustains Nitrogenase Turnover In The Presence Of The Inhibitor Carbon Monoxide,
2021
Chapman University
Cown Sustains Nitrogenase Turnover In The Presence Of The Inhibitor Carbon Monoxide, Michael S. Medina, Kevin O. Bretzing, Richard A. Aviles, Kiersten M. Chong, Alejandro Espinoza, Chloe Nicole G. Garcia, Benjamin B. Katz, Ruchita N. Kharwa, Andrea Hernandez, Justin L. Lee, Terrence M. Lee, Christine Lo Verde, Max W. Strul, Emily Y. Wong, Cedric P. Owens
Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research
Nitrogenase is the only enzyme capable of catalyzing nitrogen fixation, the reduction of dinitrogen gas (N2) to ammonia (NH3). Nitrogenase is tightly inhibited by the environmental gas carbon monoxide (CO). Nitrogen-fixing bacteria rely on the protein CowN to grow in the presence of CO. However, the mechanism by which CowN operates is unknown. Here, we present the biochemical characterization of CowN and examine how CowN protects nitrogenase from CO. We determine that CowN interacts directly with nitrogenase and that CowN protection observes hyperbolic kinetics with respect to CowN concentration. At a CO concentration of 0.001 atm, …
Perspective On Multi-Scale Simulation Of Thermal Transport In Solids And Interfaces (Vol 23, Pg 1785, 2021),
2021
University of South Carolina
Perspective On Multi-Scale Simulation Of Thermal Transport In Solids And Interfaces (Vol 23, Pg 1785, 2021), Ming Hu, Zhonghua Yang
Faculty Publications
Correction for ‘Perspective on multi-scale simulation of thermal transport in solids and interfaces’ by Ming Hu et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2021, 23, 1785–1801, DOI: 10.1039/D0CP03372C.
Quantitative Proteomic And Metabolomic Profiling Reveals Altered Mitochondrial Metabolism And Folate Biosynthesis Pathways In The Aging Drosophila Eye,
2021
Purdue University
Quantitative Proteomic And Metabolomic Profiling Reveals Altered Mitochondrial Metabolism And Folate Biosynthesis Pathways In The Aging Drosophila Eye, Hana Hall, Bruce R. Cooper, Guihong Qi, Aruna B. Wijeratne, Amber L. Mosley, Vikki M. Weake
Department of Biochemistry Faculty Publications
Aging is associated with increased risk of ocular disease, suggesting that age-associated molecular changes in the eye increase its vulnerability to damage. Although there are common pathways involved in aging at an organismal level, different tissues and cell types exhibit specific changes in gene expression with advanced age. Drosophila melanogaster is an established model system for studying aging and neurodegenerative disease that also provides a valuable model for studying age-associated ocular disease. Flies, like humans, exhibit decreased visual function and increased risk of retinal degeneration with age. Here, we profiled the aging proteome and metabolome of the Drosophila eye and …
Structural Basis For Clostridium Perfringens Enterotoxin
Targeting Of Claudins At Tight Junctions In
Mammalian Gut,
2021
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Structural Basis For Clostridium Perfringens Enterotoxin Targeting Of Claudins At Tight Junctions In Mammalian Gut, Alex J. Vecchio, Sewwandi S. Rathnayake, Robert M. Stroud
Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications
The bacterium Clostridium perfringens causes severe, sometimes lethal gastrointestinal disorders in humans, including enteritis and enterotoxemia. Type F strains produce an enterotoxin (CpE) that causes the third most common foodborne illness in the United States. CpE induces gut breakdown by disrupting barriers at cell–cell contacts called tight junctions (TJs), which are formed and maintained by claudins. Targeted binding of CpE to specific claudins, encoded by its C-terminal domain (cCpE), loosens TJ barriers to trigger molecular leaks between cells. Cytotoxicity results from claudin-bound CpE complexes forming pores in cell membranes. In mammalian tissues, 24 claudins govern TJ barriers—but the basis for …
Case 70: Hemoglobin Mito: A Japanese Hemoglobin Variant With Altered Oxygen Binding Affinity,
2021
Providence College
Case 70: Hemoglobin Mito: A Japanese Hemoglobin Variant With Altered Oxygen Binding Affinity, Dr. Kathleen Cornely
Chemistry & Biochemistry Case Studies
In this case study, researchers use their knowledge of hemoglobin structure to predict the oxygen binding properties of a hemoglobin mutant with a single amino acid substitution, then test their hypothesis by studying the mutant’s oxygen binding properties.
Protease Oma1 Modulates Mitochondrial
Bioenergetics And Ultrastructure Through Dynamic
Association With Micos Complex,
2021
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Protease Oma1 Modulates Mitochondrial Bioenergetics And Ultrastructure Through Dynamic Association With Micos Complex, Martonio Ponte Viana, Roman M. Levytskyy, Ruchika Anand, Andreas S. Reichert, Oleh Khalimonchuk
Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications
Remodeling of mitochondrial ultrastructure is a process that is critical for organelle physiology and apoptosis. Although the key players in this process—mitochondrial contact site and cristae junction organizing system (MICOS) and Optic Atrophy 1 (OPA1)—have been characterized, the mechanisms behind its regulation remain incompletely defined. Here, we found that in addition to its role in mitochondrial division, metallopeptidase OMA1 is required for the maintenance of intermembrane connectivity through dynamic association with MICOS. This association is independent of OPA1, mediated via the MICOS subunit MIC60, and is important for stability of MICOS and the intermembrane contacts. The OMA1-MICOS relay is required …
Effects Of Drying, Packaging Conditions And Storage Time On Proximate Composition Of Chia Seeds (Salvia Hispanica),
2021
Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Dar es Salaam, P. O. Box 35134, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Effects Of Drying, Packaging Conditions And Storage Time On Proximate Composition Of Chia Seeds (Salvia Hispanica), Ashura Katunzi-Kilewela, Leonard Rweyemamu, Oscar Kibazohi, Lilian Kaale
Tanzania Journal of Science
The effects of drying, packaging conditions and storage time on proximate composition of chia seeds were investigated. Chia seeds were dried at 63 °C for 30 min (low-temperature long time–LTLT) and at 75 °C for 30 s (high-temperature short time-HTST) using dry oven, air/vacuum-packed and stored for ten weeks. The effect of heat processing (drying) on chia seeds had significant difference (p < 0.05) in ash, fiber and fat contents while there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in moisture and protein contents. Except for fiber content, there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in moisture, ash, fat and protein of chia seeds dried at LTLT and HTST before storage. During storage time, there was …
Understanding Molecular Interaction Between Sulfadoxine And Human Serum Albumin Through Spectroscopic And Molecular Docking Methods,
2021
Universiti Malaya
Understanding Molecular Interaction Between Sulfadoxine And Human Serum Albumin Through Spectroscopic And Molecular Docking Methods, Jaslene Anne Francis
Student Works (2020-2029)
The main aim of this study was to characterize the molecular interaction between sulfadoxine (SDN) and the major transport protein in the blood plasma, human serum albumin (HSA) using fluorescence, absorption, circular dichroism and voltammetric techniques along with computational methods. SDN-induced changes in the fluorescence intensity of HSA hinted the complex formation between SDN and HSA. Both values of the bimolecular quenching rate constant and UV-Vis absorption spectral results characterized the quenching of HSA fluorescence as static quenching. Analysis of the quenching results showed a moderate binding affinity (Ka = 3.39×104 M‒1 at 300 K) between SDN and HSA. Thermodynamic …
Methylation Of The D2 Dopamine Receptor Affects Binding With The Human Regulatory Proteins Par-4 And Calmodulin,
2021
Old Dominion University
Methylation Of The D2 Dopamine Receptor Affects Binding With The Human Regulatory Proteins Par-4 And Calmodulin, Alexander Bowitch, Ansuman Sahoo, Andrea M. Clark, Christiana Ntangka, Krishna K. Raut, Paul Gollnick, Michael C. Yu, Steven M. Pascal, Sarah E. Walker, Denise M. Ferkey
Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications
No abstract provided.
