Novel Regulatory Roles Of Endocytic Membrane Trafficking Proteins In Mitochondrial Homeostasis,
2020
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Novel Regulatory Roles Of Endocytic Membrane Trafficking Proteins In Mitochondrial Homeostasis, Trey Farmer
Theses & Dissertations
Endocytic membrane trafficking is a basic cell process that is critical for regulating the transport of lipids and proteins. Our lab focuses on the cellular functions and mechanisms of the proteins that regulate these pathways. A key family of regulatory proteins is the C-terminal Eps15 Homology Domain (EHD) protein family. The EHD family includes EHD1-4, which are ubiquitously expressed in mammalian tissues. While these isoforms do have some overlapping functions, each protein also has distinct activities in regulating the shape and fission of membranes throughout the endocytic pathways. Specifically, EHD1 uses ATP hydrolysis to induce constriction and fission of endocytic …
The Physiology And Evolution Of Selenite Respiration In Bacteria,
2020
Duquesne University
The Physiology And Evolution Of Selenite Respiration In Bacteria, Michael Wells
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The selenium oxyanions selenate (Se(VI)) and selenite (Se(IV)) can be utilized by some bacteria and archaea as terminal electron acceptors in anaerobic respiration. Se(VI) and Se(IV) respiration is mediated by a phylogenetically and ecologically diverse array of organisms, suggesting that selenium respiration is ubiquitous in natural environments. Several respiratory Se(VI) reductases have been characterized in bacteria, revealing that Se(VI) respiration has evolved independently several times in this domain. Se(IV) respiration, in contrast, has yet to be characterized. I have purified and characterized the first respiratory Se(IV) reductase from Bacillus selenitireducens MLS10. The Se(IV) reductase appeared to purify as a single …
Characterizing The Role Of Β-Amylase3 In Cold Stress Response And Recovery In Arabidopsis Thaliana,
2020
James Madison University
Characterizing The Role Of Β-Amylase3 In Cold Stress Response And Recovery In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Isabelle G. Houston
Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current
Starch is a polymer of glucose that is used as an energy store in plants. Mobilization of starch has implications in abiotic stress survival and recovery. While the importance of carbon and energy allocation in plant survival has been explored, the specific roles of starch degrading enzymes in plant responses to stress are still unclear. β-Amylase3, or BAM3, is the principle starch degrading enzyme at night and is transcriptionally upregulated in response to cold stress in the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Using single and quadruple knockout mutant plants, I aimed to clarify the role of BAM3 in the response to …
Investigation Of Potentially Catalytic Residues Of Uba5 Through Mutagenesis, Purification, And Structural Characterization,
2020
James Madison University
Investigation Of Potentially Catalytic Residues Of Uba5 Through Mutagenesis, Purification, And Structural Characterization, Grant Bradley
Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current
Ubiquitin-fold modifier 1 (Ufm1) is a member of the Ubiquitin (Ub) family of proteins whose primary function is degradation of proteins through a sequential mechanism of chemical reactions. Though Ufm1’s specific roles are largely unknown, this family of proteins has shown to play a part in a wide variety of processes, including regulation of the cell cycle1, secretory functions of cells2,3, and blood clotting4. Ufm1’s mechanism of action proceeds with the aid of three enzymes: an E1, E2, and E3. Uba5 is the E1 activating enzyme that is specific to Ufm1, and its mechanism of …
Cell Proliferation And Viability Inhibition By Resveratrol On Breast Cancer Cell Lines,
2020
University of Mississippi
Cell Proliferation And Viability Inhibition By Resveratrol On Breast Cancer Cell Lines, Kyle Ford Gordon Jr
Honors Theses
Antioxidants are well-known for their various health benefits. They are able to protect cells from being damaged by free radicals that are produced by vital biochemical processes. It has long been known that antioxidants are important in our everyday health, but their potential as disease preventers and potential therapeutic agents is a relatively new field of study. Resveratrol, a natural polyphenol and well-known antioxidant, is found in plants, fruits, and products derived from them, like red wine. Resveratrol has been shown to have various properties, including antiaging, anti-aggregation of platelets, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. Because of their many health benefits, …
The Effects Of Largazole, A Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor, On Breast Cancer Cell Viability And Metastasis,
2020
University of Mississippi
The Effects Of Largazole, A Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor, On Breast Cancer Cell Viability And Metastasis, Hannah Mccowan
Honors Theses
Histone deacetylase enzymes modify epigenetic characteristics of a genome by removing acetyl groups from histone proteins in chromatin. Histone deacetylase inhibitors work by stopping this activity which can have various results in a cell including apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, differentiation, and migration. The purpose of these experiments was to see how largazole, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, affected cell viability for breast cancer and associated metastatic cell lines in both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. The experiment was completed by setting up two 96-well plates with varying concentrations of largazole and conducting a sulforhodamine viability assay. The specific cell lines used in …
Testing The Potential Of Environmental Dna: Genetic Monitoring Of Estuarine And Coastal Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus) Stocks In South Carolina,
2020
Coastal Carolina University
Testing The Potential Of Environmental Dna: Genetic Monitoring Of Estuarine And Coastal Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus) Stocks In South Carolina, Kathryn Greiner-Ferris
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis is a non-invasive monitoring technique that can detect and potentially monitor elusive marine mammals. To date, the majority of eDNA studies have been performed in freshwater environments, partially due to methodological challenges posed by higher salinities and increased dilution effects of large water masses in marine environments. The objective of this study was to design and optimize species-specific oligonucleotide PCR primers to accurately detect and quantify common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) eDNA collected from the marine environment and to evaluate potential trends between eDNA concentration and dolphin abundance and seasonality. Primer pairs were designed to target …
A Goldenbraid Cloning System For Synthetic Biology In Social Amoebae,
2020
The Texas Medical Center Library
A Goldenbraid Cloning System For Synthetic Biology In Social Amoebae, Peter Kundert, Alejandro Sarrion-Perdigones, Yezabel Gonzalez, Mariko Katoh-Kurasawa, Shigenori Hirose, Peter Lehmann, Koen J T Venken, Gad Shaulsky
Faculty, Staff and Students Publications
GoldenBraid is a rapid, modular, and robust cloning system used to assemble and combine genetic elements. Dictyostelium amoebae represent an intriguing synthetic biological chassis with tractable applications in development, chemotaxis, bacteria-host interactions, and allorecognition. We present GoldenBraid as a synthetic biological framework for Dictyostelium, including a library of 250 DNA parts and assemblies and a proof-of-concept strain that illustrates cAMP-chemotaxis with four fluorescent reporters coded by one plasmid.
Investigating The Link Between Mrna Binding To Hts1/Tys1 Trna Synthetases And Charcot Marie Tooth Neuropathy,
2020
Loyola Marymount University
Investigating The Link Between Mrna Binding To Hts1/Tys1 Trna Synthetases And Charcot Marie Tooth Neuropathy, Hallie G. Ryan, Sarah Mitchell
Honors Thesis
RNA binding proteins (RBPs) are critical in regulating gene expression and many cellular functions. Recent proteome-wide studies have revealed hundreds of novel RBPs showing new modes of binding. A subset of RBPs known as aminoacyl tRNA synthetases (aaRS) catalyze the covalent ligation of an amino acid with its corresponding tRNA in the synthesis of aminoacyl-tRNAs. A recent study found a significant number of novel mRNA-binding proteins to be cytosolic aaRS. The novel functions of RBPs and aaRS are important to consider for their potential relationships to human disease pathology. Dominant intermediate Charcot Marie Tooth type C, also known as DI-CMTC, …
Molecular Characterization Of A Gene Encoding Insulin-Like Peptide 5 (Ilp5) In Drosophila Virilis,
2020
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Molecular Characterization Of A Gene Encoding Insulin-Like Peptide 5 (Ilp5) In Drosophila Virilis, Nikolas R. Likourentzos, Jae H. Park
Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee
The study of the insulin-like peptides of Drosophila can provide insight of their similarities to mammalian insulin and their potential usage in treating human insulin-related diseases. In this study, we isolated and characterized cDNA encoding insulin-like peptide (ILP) 5 in D. virilis by using RNA purification, reverse transcription, and RACE protocols. Subsequently, various bioinformatic softwares were employed to predict peptide structure. The ILP5 gene (587 base pairs) codes for 121 amino acids that make up prepro-ILP5. After maturation, functional ILP5 is a peptide of two 25 amino acid chains, A- and B-chain, connected by two disulfide bonds. Sequencing genomic DNA …
The Current Neuroscientific Understanding Of Alzheimer's Disease,
2020
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
The Current Neuroscientific Understanding Of Alzheimer's Disease, Rachel A. Brandes
Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee
Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative neurological illness characterized by the deterioration of brain regions implicated in memory and cognitive function. While researchers have yet to find a cure or effective treatment, they have gained a better understanding of its pathology and development. Through years of neuroscience research, scientists have discovered much of what happens in the brain during Alzheimer’s disease onset and how this causes its symptoms; many hypotheses regarding this aspect of the illness involve temporal lobe atrophy, neurofibrillary tangles, and amyloid plaques. Although Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of people every day, it seems that most are unaware of …
Chemical Tools For Residue-Specific And Secondary Amine Selective Petasis (Sasp) Bioconjugation Of Peptides And Proteins,
2020
Seton Hall University
Chemical Tools For Residue-Specific And Secondary Amine Selective Petasis (Sasp) Bioconjugation Of Peptides And Proteins, Yonnette Sim
Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)
Chemical protein synthesis is an invaluable tool that enables the construction of novel protein design, incorporation of non-native functionalities, elucidation of structure-function relationships and enable a wide diversity of modifications (such as Post Translation Modification) to study protein functions. Native Chemical Ligation (NCL) in conjunction with Fmoc Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis (SPPS) is the most used method for synthesis of functional peptides and proteins. The synthesis relies on the reaction of a C-terminal peptide thioester and a N-terminal cysteine peptide. Fmoc SPPS of peptide thioester for chemical protein synthesis via NCL is a challenge. Methods that exist for the synthesis …
Rapid Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing Platform For Direct Clinical Samples,
2020
University of Connecticut
Rapid Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing Platform For Direct Clinical Samples, Terrance Zhang
Honors Scholar Theses
Infectious diseases and septicemia are two of the major causes of death in the U.S., necessitating rapid treatment of septic patients with proper, efficacious antibiotics. Unfortunately, the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria are continuously being aggravated by an abuse in antibiotic prescription at a clinical and agricultural level. It is known that antibiotic resistance evolves through the sequential accumulation of multiple mutations in bacteria, which is accentuated by prolonged exposure of bacteria to ineffective antibiotics when implementing traditional septicemia treatment. The goal of this project is to develop a novel, easy-to-use AST platform for rapid antimicrobial susceptibility profiling to …
Mechanisms Of Statin Effects On Muscle And Neuronal Proteostasis,
2020
University of Connecticut
Mechanisms Of Statin Effects On Muscle And Neuronal Proteostasis, Daniel Yu
University Scholar Projects
Statins are widely prescribed and used chronically, but we know little about the effects on long-term protein homeostasis during stress and aging. Our aim was to quantify the effect of statins on stress-induced protein damage. We administered atorvastatin in a dose-response curve in Caenorhabditis elegans under naïve control conditions and in conditions of hypertonic and heat stress known to induce muscle damage measurable as countable puncta in a polyglutamine aggregation model of damage. We observed that there is significant polyglutamine aggregation variability among worms at baseline and thus further study requires within experiment baseline controls, per worm. Our results are …
Investigating The Redox Sensitivity Of Mitf Splice Variants,
2020
Linfield College
Investigating The Redox Sensitivity Of Mitf Splice Variants, Rachel Berryman
Senior Theses
Within pigment-producing cells known as melanocytes, the transcription factor MITF is intimately involved in regulating genes associated with cell cycle maintenance and melanocyte differentiation. Research, however, has provided conflicting results on the relationship between the expression levels of MITF and melanocyte cell fate. To complicate matters, two splice variants of MITF exist, differing by only 18 base pairs. These variants have been observed at variable levels of expression in melanocyte and melanoma cells, raising the question as to their functional purpose. Building upon previous research by the Leachman/Cassidy lab that identified the redox sensitivity of MITF while additionally establishing a …
Chemoenzymatic Study Of Coa-Linked Rna In Bacteria,
2020
The University of Southern Mississippi
Chemoenzymatic Study Of Coa-Linked Rna In Bacteria, Krishna Sapkota
Dissertations
The ability of RNA to store genetic information and to catalyze biochemical transformations led to the speculation of the existence of RNA world before the evolution of contemporary ribonucleoprotein (RNP) world. Recent discovery of RNA molecules containing metabolic cofactors including coenzyme A and its various thioesters at their 5’ end further supported the RNA world hypothesis as these CoA-linked RNA molecules could be the molecular fossils with very ancient origin. As both RNA and Coenzyme A are believed to have co-existed since last universal common ancestor (LUCA) or even before, the CoA-RNA conjugates in current biology may reveal fundamental molecular …
The Autoimmune System: The Effect Of Physiological Stressors On Autoantibody Glycosylation And Fidelity Of Autoantibody Profiles,
2020
Rowan University
The Autoimmune System: The Effect Of Physiological Stressors On Autoantibody Glycosylation And Fidelity Of Autoantibody Profiles, Rahil Kheirkhah
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations
The presence of thousands of autoantibodies (aABs) in the human sera is typical, and therefore it is possible to identify an aAB profile for each individual. In the first part of this thesis, we will show the cerebrospinal fluid also exhibits an extraordinarily complex immunoglobulin G aAB profile that is composed of thousands of aABs. We show that the pattern of expression of individual aABs in CSF closely mimics that in the blood, indicative of a blood-based origin for CSF aABs. In addition, using longitudinal serum samples obtained over a span of nine years, we show remarkable stability in aAB …
Pedagogical Approaches To Enhance Q2s Conversion Teaching And Learning: Application Of The Acue Effective Practice Framework To Upper Division Biochemistry,
2020
California State University, San Bernardino
Pedagogical Approaches To Enhance Q2s Conversion Teaching And Learning: Application Of The Acue Effective Practice Framework To Upper Division Biochemistry, Jason Burke
Q2S Enhancing Pedagogy
The Effective Practice Framework course by the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE), and offered through the CSUSB Teaching Resource Center (TRC), was applied to the upper division biochemistry course series (CHEM 436A and 437A) in preparation for the Q2S conversion. This essay includes five reflections on the application of enhanced pedagogical approaches curated from a total of twenty-five. The enhanced pedagogies covered in the course are: designing and effective course and class; establishing a productive learning environment; using active learning techniques; promoting higher-order thinking; and assessing to inform instruction and promote learning. The reflections that follow have been …
Effects Of Nicotinamide Riboside And Beta-Hydroxybutyrate On C. Elegans Lifespan,
2020
East Tennessee State University
Effects Of Nicotinamide Riboside And Beta-Hydroxybutyrate On C. Elegans Lifespan, Jeffery Peters
Undergraduate Honors Theses
The nicotinamide riboside (NR) form of vitamin B3and the ketone body ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) are two of the most promising natural compounds yet identified for the treatment of aging and aging-related diseases. Forms of vitamin B3are precursors for the synthesis of the coenzymes nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(H)) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP(H)). In aged cells levels of NAD+decline, decreasing metabolism and decreasing activity of protective sirtuin protein deacetylases. In aged cells NR, but not more common forms of vitamin B3, boost NAD+levels. BHB is naturally produced by the body when individuals fast …
The Retinoblastoma Protein Mediates Metabolic Reprogramming In Lung Cancer.,
2020
University of Louisville
The Retinoblastoma Protein Mediates Metabolic Reprogramming In Lung Cancer., Lindsey R. Conroy
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Lung cancer is among the most frequently diagnosed cancers and is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. One of the hallmark events in lung cancer pathogenesis is deregulation of the cell cycle. The retinoblastoma protein (pRb) is a tumor suppressor that is deleted, mutated, or inactivated in most lung cancer cases. Canonically, pRb functions to regulate cell cycle progression by repressing the transcriptional activity of the E2F family of transcription factors, inhibiting S phase entry. Although the cell cycle functions of pRb have been well established, recent studies have highlighted a functional role for pRb in controlling cellular metabolism. …
