Optimizing Itpa R178c Assays Via Hplc,
2026
Eastern Washington University
Optimizing Itpa R178c Assays Via Hplc, Jared J. Reisnouer, Wally D. Pines
2026 Symposium
Two of the major nucleotide bases in DNA and RNA (Adenine and Guanine) are derived from the purine Inosine Monophosphate (IMP). IMP may occasionally form the noncanonical nucleotide Inosine Triphosphate (ITP) within the cell and become incorporated into DNA during replication, leading to potentially lethal errors. To combat this, human cells produce the “housekeeping” enzyme Inosine Triphosphatase (ITPA) to revert ITP to IMP. A mutation of this protein that replaces the 178th amino acid Arginine with Cysteine (R178C) is associated with a fatal infantile encephalopathy. Previous assessments of enzyme-substrate binding and catalysis for ITPA variants have been run at a …
Assessment Of Total Cellular Protein Following Fatty Acid Treatment Using The Bca Assay,
2026
Arkansas State University - Jonesboro
Assessment Of Total Cellular Protein Following Fatty Acid Treatment Using The Bca Assay, Carli B. Maguire
Create@State
Fatty acids can influence cellular metabolism and protein homeostasis, potentially altering total protein content within cell samples. Accurate quantification of total protein concentration is essential for standardization for further biochemical assays and ensuring reproducibility. In this study, adherent mammalian cells were treated with a defined fatty acid preparation under controlled culture conditions. Following treatment, whole-cell lysates were collected and total protein concentration was determined using the bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assay. The BCA assay is a colorimetric method based on the reduction of Cu²⁺ to Cu¹⁺ by peptide bonds under basic conditions, followed by formation of a purple-colored complex between bicinchoninic …
Uptake And Fate Of Silver And Zinc Engineered Nanoparticles In Maize Under Single And Binary Dosing Soil Ecosystems,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Uptake And Fate Of Silver And Zinc Engineered Nanoparticles In Maize Under Single And Binary Dosing Soil Ecosystems, Lei Xu, Qingbo Yang, Xingmao Ma, Honglan Shi, John Yang, Hu Yang, Samira Mahdi, Ying Wang, Young Shin Jun
Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works
Recent agricultural applications of engineered metallic nanoparticles (ENPs) have raised concerns about their uptake and fate in plants. To understand this critical issue, this study investigated the fate and uptake of silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO) ENPs in maize (Zea mays L.) after single or binary ENP exposure in soil. Results indicated that both Zn and Ag elemental concentrations in roots increased with increasing ENP dosage. Ag NPs in the tissues were detected, but not Zn NPs. Ag NP concentration was 3 times higher in the roots than in the shoots at low Ag NP dosing, while Ag NP …
Maternal Inflammation Alters Nuclear And Mitochondrial Dna Methylation Patterns In Neonatal Brain Monocytes,
2026
Thomas Jefferson University
Maternal Inflammation Alters Nuclear And Mitochondrial Dna Methylation Patterns In Neonatal Brain Monocytes, Andrew Ebenezer, Jonathan Hicks, Brooke Hollander, Alexander Hone, Mona Batish, Robert Akins, Adam Marsh, Elizabeth Wright-Jin
Department of Medicine Faculty Papers
Neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a common birth complication that can cause death or lifelong disabling conditions like cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism. It is well established that maternal infection and inflammation are significant risk factors for HIE but reasons for this increase in neurological risk to the offspring remain unknown. Inflammation or infection are associated with epigenetic changes and may contribute to the increased risk of neurodevelopmental disability in exposed offspring. Here, we analyzed and compared DNA methylation patterns in brain monocytes isolated from control, maternal immune activation (MIA), and an inflammation sensitized HIE (IS-HIE) CF-1 mouse model …
Exploration Of A Relationship Between The Activities Of Trail And 4’-Trifluoromethoxychalcone.,
2026
Bellarmine University
Exploration Of A Relationship Between The Activities Of Trail And 4’-Trifluoromethoxychalcone., Abigail C. Ernst
Undergraduate Theses
Cancer is the overgrowth of dysregulated or mutated cells that affects 1 in 3 Americans. Chalcones are natural products with many possible derivatives, such as 4’-trifluromethoxychalcone (4TF), developed in Dr. Krzysiak’s lab, which exhibit anticancer activity against cancer cell lines. Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL) is a tumor surveillance cytokine that acts on two receptor types: death receptors and decoy receptors. One way cancer cells can become resistant to TRAIL is by upregulating decoy receptors and/or downregulating death receptors. In this study, MTS assays evaluated the potential relationship between TRAIL and 4TF that sensitizes A549 cells to TRAIL. The …
Evaluating The Impact Of K135t Mutation On Malate Dehydrogenase Kinetic Activity,
2026
University of Minnesota - Morris
Evaluating The Impact Of K135t Mutation On Malate Dehydrogenase Kinetic Activity, Emily Frost, Kaitlyn Mello
Undergraduate Research Symposium (2026- )
Malate Dehydrogenase (MDH) is a key protein in the citric acid cycle; its dysregulation can have catastrophic impacts, such as neurological and metabolic disorders, and various cancers. MDH catalyzes the reversible oxidation-reduction reaction between malate and oxaloacetate, also reducing NAD+ to NADH in the process. The citric acid cycle is one of the central metabolic pathways, connecting to other essential pathways, such as amino acid and fatty acid biosynthesis, highlighting the importance of understanding how MDH works. A key site in MDH is the flexible loop region (amino acids 119-137), responsible for substrate binding, catalysis, and orientation. The flexibility of …
Proline To Serine Mutation In Flexible Loop Region Of Malate Dehydrogenase,
2026
University of Minnesota - Morris
Proline To Serine Mutation In Flexible Loop Region Of Malate Dehydrogenase, Anna Molstad, Hannah Robertson
Undergraduate Research Symposium (2026- )
Malate Dehydrogenase (MDH) is an essential enzyme that converts malate to oxaloacetate using the reduction of NAD+ to NADH. In humans, MDH plays a role in energy metabolism by catalyzing a key step of the citric acid cycle, important for energy production. Other indirect roles for MDH include gluconeogenesis and reoxidizing NADH from fatty-acid β-oxidation. An important feature of MDH is a flexible loop region that can alter substrate binding and enzyme activity, but its role is not well understood. Our study investigated how Pro123 to Ser (P123S) mutation in the flexible loop region affects MDH function. We hypothesized that …
Biophysical Insights Into A Cryptic, Hydrophobic Binding Site On Pcna,
2026
Rowan University
Biophysical Insights Into A Cryptic, Hydrophobic Binding Site On Pcna, Alexis Dispensa
Theses and Dissertations
Proteins are dynamic molecules whose functional landscapes extend beyond static structural representations. Transient cryptic pockets (buried cavities that emerge through protein motion) represent underexplored targets for allosteric regulation and drug discovery. General anesthetics are small, lipophilic, weakly polar molecules that are well suited to partition into such hydrophobic sites. In this work, environment-sensitive fluorescence, photoaffinity labeling, mass spectrometry, mutational analysis, and microsecond molecular dynamics simulations were integrated to discover and characterize a cryptic, highly apolar binding site within the hydrophobic core of human proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a central scaffold in DNA replication and repair. Using the solvatochromic fluorescent …
Quantitative Proteomics For The Investigation Of Phosphoprotein Phosphatase 1 And 3 Substrate Specificities,
2026
Dartmouth College
Quantitative Proteomics For The Investigation Of Phosphoprotein Phosphatase 1 And 3 Substrate Specificities, Galini Poimenidou
Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations
Reversible phosphorylation is a crucial post-translational modification (PTM) that modulates a variety of signaling pathways intracellularly, with aberrant protein phosphorylation being a hallmark of many human diseases. Kinases, which catalyze phosphorylation of their substrates, have been extensively studied in the context of the signaling pathways they regulate and their effects on cellular processes. In contrast, phosphoprotein phosphatases (PPPs), which catalyze the removal of phosphate groups from substrate proteins, have only recently come to the research spotlight. For a long time, protein phosphatases were deemed unspecific housekeeping enzymes, but they are now known to display exquisite substrate specificity. Phosphoprotein phosphatase 1 …
Mechanistic Insights Into E. Coli Recovery From Growth Arrest,
2026
Thomas Jefferson University
Mechanistic Insights Into E. Coli Recovery From Growth Arrest, Ahmed H. Hassan, Yuko Nakano, Howard Gamper, Isao Masuda, Ludmila Vesela, Matyas Pinkas, Sathya Narayanan Nagarajan, Jonathan Dworkin, Gregor Blaha, Ya-Ming Hou, Gabriel Demo
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers
Bacteria survive hostile conditions by shutting down protein synthesis, but how they restart growth remains poorly understood. Here, we use an E. coli ΔrimM strain, which exhibits a prolonged growth arrest, as a model to investigate how bacteria recover from this state and restore protein synthesis. RimM is a conserved ribosome maturation factor for the 3'-major (head) domain of the 16S rRNA within the bacterial 30S subunit. The loss of RimM causes a longer delay in recovery than other 30S maturation factors, including RbfA. Cryo-EM analysis of ΔrimM ribosomes suggests a delayed recruitment of ribosomal proteins to the 30S head …
Evaluating Elisa-Based Domoic Acid Detection Methods In Fetal And Maternal Samples Of California Sea Lions (Zalophus Californianus),
2026
Pepperdine University
Evaluating Elisa-Based Domoic Acid Detection Methods In Fetal And Maternal Samples Of California Sea Lions (Zalophus Californianus), Deanie Woodruff, Emily Lickiss, Samuel Gardiner, Mia Gastile, Elizabeth Sandoval, Florybeth La Valle
Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium
Harmful algal blooms produced by the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia regularly expose marine mammals along the California coast to domoic acid (DA), a neurotoxin that bioaccumulates in marine food webs. In California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), domoic acid exposure is associated with seizures, hippocampal injury, and maternal-fetal transfer of the toxin that can result in abortion. Bloom events have led to large numbers of stranded sea lions along the California coast. Although some clinical and neurological effects of domoic acid toxicosis have been documented, especially with regard to the hippocampus, there is limited understanding of how domoic acid concentrations fluctuate over the …
Identification Of Covalent Catechin Adducts Of Enoyl-Acp Reductase (Fabi) From E. Coli Using Mass Spectrometry,
2026
Pepperdine University
Identification Of Covalent Catechin Adducts Of Enoyl-Acp Reductase (Fabi) From E. Coli Using Mass Spectrometry, Francisco G. Atwi, P. M. Joyner, Rustin Ghidari
Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium
Enoyl-ACP reductase (FabI), an enzyme which is inhibited by catechin, is essential for lipid biosynthesis in bacteria (E. coli). Another FabI inhibitor, triclosan, has strong antibacterial effects,1 but overuse can be detrimental to the environment. Flavonoids, a class of dietary compounds, are known to have potent inhibitory effects on FabI and other kinases.2,3,4 Adducts form as a result of the biochemical reaction between flavonoids and cysteine, a modification which can be verified by m/z shifts on the mass spectra.5 Samples of E. coli protein with overexpressed FabI are utilized: the wild type with ordinary primary structure, and mutant type lacking …
Rna Interference Targeting Autocrine Motility Factor Receptor In Unfolded Protein Response In Acyrthosiphon Pisum,
2026
Fort Hays State University
Rna Interference Targeting Autocrine Motility Factor Receptor In Unfolded Protein Response In Acyrthosiphon Pisum, Micah A. Von Stroh, James Balthazor
SACAD: Scholarly Activities
Acyrthosiphon pisum, more commonly known as pea aphids, are a pest to many species of Fabaceae (legumes) mainly due to the species being prone to carrying Fabaceae diseases. Protection against A. pisum currently includes insecticides and natural predators, both of which bring potential negative effects to other organisms in the surrounding area. In this study, the use of RNA interference (RNAi) provides an alternative and species-specific elimination of A. pisum. The targeted proteins in this study, Autocrine Motility Factor Receptor, plays a role in removing misfolded proteins from the cells of A. Pisum and is encoded by the AMFR gene. …
Atp Architect - Development Of A Metabolism Boardgame,
2026
Fort Hays State University
Atp Architect - Development Of A Metabolism Boardgame, Selene J. Welch, Micah Burk, Brooklyn Gilchrist, Emma Haase, Timothy T. Jones
SACAD: Scholarly Activities
Traditional metabolism instruction often leaves students struggling with pathway interconnectedness and metabolite flux. To foster systems thinking, we are developing an educational board game where students manipulate tokens to navigate physiological constraints and achieve target energy goals. Grounded in Design-Based Research (DBR), the game undergoes iterative refinement based on player feedback. The design utilizes constructivism by allowing students to "fail safely" and revise strategies in real-time, while leveraging embodied cognition to externalize abstract flux into the physical trading of resource tokens.
Studying The Role Of Combitional Flavonoids Against Toxicity Of Chemothrapeutic Drugs In Human Fibroblast Cells,
2026
United Arab Emirates University
Studying The Role Of Combitional Flavonoids Against Toxicity Of Chemothrapeutic Drugs In Human Fibroblast Cells, Hussain Al Zouabi
Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses
Chemotherapy remains the primary treatment strategy for cancers; however, its clinical efficacy is often limited by severe toxic effects resulting in normal cells. The study investigated the protective potential of the flavonoids epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) and quercetin, used in combination, against chemotherapy-induced toxicity in human fibroblast F-180 cells. Cells were exposed to three commonly used chemotherapeutic agents, doxorubicin, cisplatin, and etoposide, in the presence or absence of EGCG and quercetin at concentrations of 25 and 50 μM. cells viability was assessed using the MTT assay, while oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity were evaluated by intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and total …
Site-Directed Mutagenesis Of The He1Α Subunit Of Human Branched Chain Α-Ketoacid Dehydrogenase Complex,
2026
Bridgewater College
Site-Directed Mutagenesis Of The He1Α Subunit Of Human Branched Chain Α-Ketoacid Dehydrogenase Complex, Riley B. Corcoran, Isabel Wilson, Bálint Csuka-Nagy, Stephen Baron
ASPIRE 2026
No abstract provided.
Protocol For Inducing Focal Striatal Stroke In Mice Using Photothrombosis,
2026
Thomas Jefferson University
Protocol For Inducing Focal Striatal Stroke In Mice Using Photothrombosis, Bridget R. Boyle, Eileen Collyer, Andrea P. Berghella, Elena Blanco-Suarez
Department of Neuroscience Faculty Papers
Here, we present a protocol for inducing focal striatal stroke in mice using photothrombosis. We describe steps for photothrombotic striatal surgery, magnetic resonance imaging, open field behavioral assessment of stroke-induced motor deficits, and post-stroke monitoring. We then detail procedures for tissue collection and immunofluorescence. This protocol provides a standardized approach for consistently modeling striatal stroke in mice, enabling mechanistic studies and preclinical therapeutic testing.
Assessing Functional Visual Recovery After Retinal Regeneration In Zebrafish Using The Optokinetic Response (Okr),
2026
Wayne State University
Assessing Functional Visual Recovery After Retinal Regeneration In Zebrafish Using The Optokinetic Response (Okr), Yeganeh Tabatabaei Alavi, Yeganeh Tabatabaei Alavi
Medical Student Research Symposium
Zebrafish have a unique ability to regenerate retinal neurons through Müller glia-mediated reprogramming, a process not found in mammals. While structural regeneration has been extensively documented, the degree to which regenerated photoreceptors restore functional vision remains unclear. The optokinetic response (OKR), a reflexive eye-tracking behavior triggered by moving visual stimuli, provides a quantitative, non-invasive method to assess visual performance. This study aims to determine whether photoreceptor regeneration following acute and chronic light-induced injury results in functional restoration of vision. Adult zebrafish will be divided into three groups: uninjured control, acute injury (short-term high-intensity light), and chronic injury (long-term low-intensity light). …
Cytokinesis And Dbf2,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Cytokinesis And Dbf2, Katharine Gray
Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference
The Mitotic Exit Network (MEN) is a signaling pathway that allows a dividing cell to exit cytokinesis. Dbf2 is a MEN protein kinase in yeast, which provides a simplified model for studying this pathway. By altering Dbf2’s activity through phosphorylation mutants, its effect on cytokinesis can be studied. Transformed cells with a mutant and degron Dbf2 allele are prompted to destroy the degron Dbf2 protein, leaving only mutated Dbf2 behind. This allows for clear analysis of the effect of the phosphorylation mutant on division. Fluorescence microscopy can be used to visualise this degradation, and the impact on actin ring formation …
The Effects Of Preventing Dephosphorylation Of Lqg1 On Cytokinesis,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
The Effects Of Preventing Dephosphorylation Of Lqg1 On Cytokinesis, Jenna Mueller
Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference
Iqg1 plays crucial roles in cytokinesis, including the assembly, contraction, and disassembly of the actomyosin ring, as well as the coordination of contraction and septation. Given that cytokinesis must occur post-mitosis, Iqg1 is regulated by the cell cycle. This study explores hypotheses regarding Iqg1 regulation: it’s binding to action is negatively influenced by the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) Cdc28 and positively influenced by dephosphorylation via Cdc14. Newly developed yeast degron tagged strains allow for rapid depletion of specific proteins. Iqg1 mutations that alter serine to threonine, which allows phosphorylation but not dephosphorylation, in the degron strain allow testing of mutant phenotypes. …
