Cell Biology Commons^™

Robust Sex Determination In The Caenorhabditis Nigoni Germ Line, Jonathan P Harbin, Yongquan Shen, Shin-Yi Lin, Kevin Kemper, Eric S Haag, Erich M Schwarz, Ronald E Ellis

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Sexual characteristics and reproductive systems are dynamic traits in many taxa, but the developmental modifications that allow change and innovation are largely unknown. A leading model for this process is the evolution of self-fertile hermaphrodites from male/female ancestors. However, these studies require direct analysis of sex-determination in male/female species, as well as in the hermaphroditic species that are related to them. In Caenorhabditis nematodes this has only become possible recently, with the discovery of new species. Here, we use gene editing to characterize major sex-determination genes in C. nigoni, a sister to the widely studied hermaphroditic species C. briggsae. These …

Metabolic Transitions In Embryos Of Artemia Franciscana: Regulation And Consequences For Oxidative Stress, Daniel Anthony Arabie

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Embryos of Artemia franciscana survive harsh conditions in diapause and anoxia-induced quiescence for years by undergoing deep metabolic transitions. I investigated the relationship between phosphorylation of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and carbon flux to the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle during metabolic depression. The difference in catalytic activity of the PDH complex (PDC) in maximally phosphorylated and dephosphorylated samples was 16.5-fold. Western blot analysis confirmed the changes in phosphorylation of PDH. Analysis of PDH expression in diapause and post-diapause embryos via phospho-PDH showed no significant differences. Investigation of post-diapause embryos under anoxia showed that phosphorylation of PDH decreased and activated the enzyme. …

Adipocyte-Derived Cchamide-1, Eiger, Growth-Blocking Peptide 3, And Unpaired 2 Regulate Drosophila Melanogaster Oogenesis, Chad Simmons, Isaiah Williams, Tancia Bradshaw, Alissa R. Armstrong

Faculty Publications

In addition to energy storage, adipose tissue communication to other organs plays a key role in regulating organismal physiology. While the link between adipose tissue dysfunction and pathophysiology, including diabetes, chronic inflammation, and infertility, is clear, the molecular mechanisms that underlie these associations have not been fully described. We use Drosophila melanogaster as a model to better understand how adipose tissue communicates to the ovary. In this study, we utilized D. melanogaster’s robust genetic toolkit to examine the role of five adipokines known to control larval growth during development, CCHamide-1, CCHamide-2, eiger, Growth-blocking peptide 3, and unpaired 2 in regulating …

Investigation Of The Effects Of The Peptidylarginine Deiminase Inhibitor Cl-Amidine On Apoptosis And Gene Expression In Ovarian Cancer, Victoria Walden

Longwood Senior Thesis Proposal

Peptidylarginine deiminases (PADs) are a family of enzymatic proteins responsible for the conversion of arginine and methylarginine residues to citrulline. This conversion is important for several key cellular processes including transcriptional gene regulation. Recently, a link has been established between overexpression of a particular PAD, PAD4, and the accelerated progression of both autoimmune diseases and cancers. Ovarian cancer exhibits heightened levels of PAD4 in affected cells. High levels of PAD4 are associated with the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) that promote cancer metastasis, and downregulation of the p53 apoptotic pathway. Thus, it is important to explore inhibitors of PAD4. …

Ccr7 Regulated Mechanisms That Limit The Adaptive Immune Response, Jaisel Amilcar Cervantes

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

C-C chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) is critical in guiding T cell migration within the thymus and peripheral lymphoid tissues, shaping the adaptive immune response by promoting central tolerance and regulating immune homeostasis. Although its role in lymphocyte trafficking is well established, the molecular mechanisms by which CCR7 influences thymocyte development and T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire formation remain less understood. This study examines how CCR7 deficiency impacts thymic selection, TCR diversity, and the signaling events that shape repertoire restriction. Using a homozygously deleted CCR7 murine model, we found that the absence of CCR7 results in a less restricted TCR repertoire …

Steroid Receptors And Coregulators: Dissemination Of Sex Differences And Emerging Technologies, Sally Pauss, Evelyn A. Bates, Genesee J. Martinez, Zane T. Bates, Zachary A. Kipp, Cassandra D. Gipson, Terry D. Hinds Jr.

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Steroid receptors are ligand-induced transcription factors that have broad functions among all living animal species, ranging from control of sex differences, body weight, stress responses, and many others. Their binding to coregulator proteins is regulated by corepressors and coactivators that interchange upon stimulation with a ligand. Coregulator proteins are an imperative and understudied aspect of steroid receptor signaling. Here, we discuss steroid receptor basics from protein domain structures that allow them to interact with coregulators and other proteins, their essential functions as transcription factors, and other elemental protein–protein interactions. We deliberate about the mechanisms that coregulators control in steroid receptor …

Therapeutic Role Of Bioactive Peptides Derived From Hemoglobin, Priya Antony Pereppadan

Dissertations

Bioactive peptides are peptide fragments derived from the proteolytic cleavage or maturation of functional proteins that have shown promising therapeutic potential in addressing major health challenges, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and pain management. Diabetes is characterized by high blood glucose levels due to insufficient insulin production or utilization. There are several therapeutic targets for managing diabetes, and one key target is dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) due to its role in glucose metabolism. In hypertension, angiotensin-converting enzyme 1 (ACE1) is critical for regulating blood pressure by forming angiotensin II, and its inhibition represents an established treatment strategy. Additionally, the …

Focal Adhesion Genes And Proteins Are Differentially Expressed Across Cell Types In Down Syndrome, Brian Yoon

Senior Theses

Down syndrome (DS), caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21, leads to widespread gene expression changes through mechanisms such as transcriptional dysregulation and altered protein interactions. These disruptions contribute to a range of clinical features, including impaired wound healing, immune dysfunction, and neurodevelopmental abnormalities. This study focused on how DS affects fibroblast morphology and motility—processes critical for tissue repair and brain development. Using quantitative immunocytochemistry and image analysis, we found that DS fibroblasts displayed a broader, less polarized shape, with increased cell perimeter and reduced aspect ratio. However, levels of key adhesion proteins like vinculin, FAK, and β-actin were …

Painting Rich Six-Dimensional Pictures Using Polarized Fluorescence Microscopy, Matthew D. Lew

Electrical & Systems Engineering Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Dnajb6: A Potent Dnajb Chaperone In Regulating Tau Proteostasis, Abigail R. Esquivel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases often feature the pathological buildup of misfolded proteins, and tau is a principal culprit in multiple tauopathies. One chaperone of emerging interest is DnaJB6b, a member of the Hsp40/DnaJ family, which exhibits potent anti-aggregation activity against several disease-related proteins. Recent investigations highlight its unique capacity to recognize and neutralize aggregation-prone forms of tau. DnaJB6b appears potent against multiple variants of tau and may be acting against tau, in part, by directing misfolded tau toward proteasomal clearance. The first lines of evidence come from systematic chaperone screens, where DnaJB6b repeatedly emerged as a strong suppressor of tau seeding. Further …

Diverse Roles Of Stress-Responsive Rnp Granules In Oogenesis And Infertility, M. Rebecca Glineburg, Carolee Nguyen

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Effectively responding to cellular stress (e.g., nutrient deprivation, oxidative stress) is essential for cell and organismal survival. A protective mechanism is especially critical in developing oocytes, where a prolonged quiescent state and the inability to divide render oocytes highly susceptible to accumulating stress that can result in cell death if unaddressed. Despite the common view that stress granules are the primary stress-responsive ribonucleoprotein granule, accumulating evidence shows that in ovaries, other ribonucleoprotein granules also uniquely mediate gene regulation in response to stress. Here, we review recent insights into ribonucleoprotein granule dynamics and ribonucleoprotein granule protein function during stress in the …

Uca1 As A Key Regulator Of The Warburg Effect During Anoikis Resistance In Colorectal Cancer Metastasis, Ricardo Pequeno Bracho, Salique Hassan Shaham, Yamile Abuchard Anaya, Sophia Leslie, Kyle Doxtater, Subhash Chauhan, Bilal Hafeez, Tamer Oraby, Manish K. Tripathi

Research Symposium

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States. While localized CRC has a 90% five-year survival rate, this drops sharply to 14% upon metastasis. Metastasis occurs in approximately 40–50% of CRC cases and requires cancer cells to acquire anoikis resistance—a critical adaptation allowing survival after detachment from the extracellular matrix, enabling migration and colonization of secondary sites. Understanding the molecular mechanisms driving anoikis resistance, particularly those linked to altered glucose metabolism, is essential for developing targeted therapies for metastatic CRC.

Cancer cells frequently exhibit the Warburg Effect, a metabolic adaptation favoring glycolysis over …

Cargo Hitchhiking Autophagy - A Hybrid Autophagy Pathway Utilized In Yeast, Katrina F Cooper

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Macroautophagy is a catabolic process that maintains cellular homeostasis by recycling intracellular material through the use of double-membrane vesicles called autophagosomes. In turn, autophagosomes fuse with vacuoles (in yeast and plants) or lysosomes (in metazoans), where resident hydrolases degrade the cargo. Given the conservation of autophagy,

Overexpression And Biophysical And Functional Characterization Of A Recombinant Fgf21, Phuc Phan, Jason Hoang, Thallapuranam Krishnaswamy Suresh Kumar

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is an endocrine FGF that plays a vital role in regulating essential metabolic pathways. FGF21 increases glucose uptake by cells, promotes fatty acid oxidation, reduces blood glucose levels, and alleviates metabolic diseases. However, detailed studies on its stability and biophysical characteristics have not been reported. Herein, we present the overexpression, biophysical characterization, and metabolic activity of a soluble recombinant FGF21 (rFGF21). The far-UV circular dichroism spectra of rFGF21 show a negative trough at 215 nm, indicating that the protein’s backbone predominantly adopts a β sheet conformation. rFGF21 shows intrinsic tyrosine fluorescence at 305 nm. Thermal …

The Correlation Between Temporomandibular Disorder (Tmd) And Vitamin D Deficiency, Iris Kim, Claudia Freitas

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Nicotine-Driven Modulation Of Mtor Pathway In Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Cell-Specific Response To E-Cig Vapor Exposure, Kristina Vu

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Electronic Cigarette Vapor And Cigarette Smoke On Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Invasion And Inflammation, Neha Patel

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Comprehensive Sumo Proteomic Analyses Identify Hiv Latency-Associated Proteins In Microglia., Fergan Imbert, Dianne Langford

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

SUMOylation, the post-translational modification of proteins by small ubiquitin-like modifiers, plays a critical role in regulating various cellular processes, including innate immunity. This modification is essential for modulating immune responses and influencing signaling pathways that govern the activation and function of immune cells. Recent studies suggest that SUMOylation also contributes to the pathophysiology of central nervous system (CNS) viral infections, where it contributes to the host response and viral replication dynamics. Here, we explore the multifaceted role of SUMOylation in innate immune signaling and its implications for viral infections within the CNS. Notably, we present novel proteomic analyses aimed at …

Staying Sane In The Membrane: Neutral Sphingomyelinase 2 As A Master Regulator Of Plasma Membrane Ceramide, Zainuddin Quadri, Erhard Bieberich

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Ceramide, a key signaling sphingolipid in the plasma membrane, plays a pivotal role in fundamental cellular processes such as adhesion, polarity, and programmed cell death. The generation of plasma membrane ceramide is largely attributed to the activity of two types of sphingomyelinases: neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2, Smpd3) and acid sphingomyelinase (aSMase, Smpd1). While many studies have explored ceramide generation following experimental activation of these enzymes, the mechanisms governing basal or steady- state ceramide levels have remained poorly understood. Using an innovative mass spectrometry approach developed in the Canals’ lab, the team has quantified the distinct contributions of nSMase2 and aSMase …

Hiv Associated Epigenetic Trends And Chronic Diseases: Insights Into The Hidden Burden Of Chronic Infection, Courtney G. Wallace, Zachary Capriotti, Zachary Klase

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) remains a major health challenge despite dramatic advances in treatment and prevention. People living with HIV (PLWH) continue to experience high rates of non-AIDS comorbidities, including cardiovascular, renal, pulmonary, oncologic, and neurocognitive disorders. These conditions persist under viral suppression, underscoring the lasting biological impact of infection. Epigenetic dysregulation has emerged as a key driver of these outcomes. HIV integration, viral proteins, chronic inflammation, and ART exposure have all been reported to alter DNA methylation, histone modifications, transcription factor networks, and noncoding RNA regulation. These changes extend beyond infected cells, reprogramming uninfected immune and tissue compartments. Long-lived …