Functional Genetic Approaches To Provide Evidence For The Role Of Toolkit Genes In The Evolution Of Complex Color Patterns In Drosophila Guttifera,
2021
Michigan Technological University
Functional Genetic Approaches To Provide Evidence For The Role Of Toolkit Genes In The Evolution Of Complex Color Patterns In Drosophila Guttifera, Mujeeb Olushola Shittu
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
Toolkit genes are set of genes that orchestrate the development of basic body plan of animals, and they are highly conserved in all animals. The co-option of the toolkit genes into the pigmentation pathway has led to the evolution of novel species. This study focuses on understanding how the complex color patterns in animals develop by using the Drosophila species in the quinaria group as models. We developed an mRNA in situ hybridization (ISH) protocol, which allowed us to study gene expression patterns in the abdomen of developing pupae of non-model Drosophila species (Chapter 2). Through ISH, we found that …
Impact Of Hemodynamic Vortex Spatial And Temporal Characteristics On Analysis Of Intracranial Aneurysms,
2021
Michigan Technological University
Impact Of Hemodynamic Vortex Spatial And Temporal Characteristics On Analysis Of Intracranial Aneurysms, Kevin W. Sunderland
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
Subarachnoid hemorrhage is a potentially devastating pathological condition in which bleeding occurs into the space surrounding the brain. One of the prominent sources of subarachnoid hemorrhage are intracranial aneurysms (IA): degenerative, irregular expansions of area(s) of the cerebral vasculature. In the event of IA rupture, the resultant subarachnoid hemorrhage ends in patient mortality occurring in ~50% of cases, with survivors enduring significant neurological damage with physical or cognitive impairment. The seriousness of IA rupture drives a degree of clinical interest in understanding these conditions that promote both the development and possible rupture of the vascular malformations. Current metrics for the …
Transactivation And Mitochondrial Activity Are Affected By High Temperature In C. Elegans Sperm,
2021
Claremont Colleges
Transactivation And Mitochondrial Activity Are Affected By High Temperature In C. Elegans Sperm, Jacqueline Mcvay
Scripps Senior Theses
Sexual reproduction has a conserved flaw in that it is temperature sensitive. Exposure to high temperature leads to male infertility, but little is known about the underlying mechanism. Understanding these mechanisms is important for agriculture and reproductive medicine. Using C. elegans, we investigated two potential aspects of male fertility that may be affected by high temperature conditions: activation of sperm by seminal fluid and sperm mitochondrial activity. There are two pathways for sperm activation in C. elegans: the SPE-8 pathway in hermaphrodites and the TRY-5 pathway in male seminal fluid. Hermaphrodite sperm with a mutation in spe-8 can …
Cop9 Signalosome Component Csn-5 Promotes Accumulation And Function Of Stem Cell Regulators Fbf-1 And Fbf-2,
2021
University of Montana
Cop9 Signalosome Component Csn-5 Promotes Accumulation And Function Of Stem Cell Regulators Fbf-1 And Fbf-2, Emily Osterli
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
RNA-binding proteins FBF-1 and FBF-2 (FBFs) are required for stem cell maintenance in C. elegans, although the mechanisms by which FBFs protein levels are regulated remain unknown. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen, we identified an interaction between both FBFs and CSN-5, a component of the COP9 (constitutive photomorphogenesis 9) signalosome. This highly conserved COP9 complex can affect protein stability through a range of mechanisms including deneddylation, deubiquitination, and phosphorylation (Wolf et al., 2003). Mapping protein-protein interactions between FBFs and CSN-5 suggested that the MPN (Mpr1/Pad1 N-terminal) metalloprotease domain of CSN-5 interacts with the RNA-binding domain of FBFs at physiologically …
Nuclear Aurora-A Kinase-Induced Hypoxia Signaling Drives Dissemination And Metastasis In Breast Cancer.,
2021
West Virginia University
Nuclear Aurora-A Kinase-Induced Hypoxia Signaling Drives Dissemination And Metastasis In Breast Cancer., Kristina Marinak Whately
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)
Metastatic breast cancer causes the vast majority of cancer-associated deaths, especially in triple negative breast cancers (TNBC). TNBC is still poorly understood and has no effective treatment. Here we reveal that presence of Aurora-A Kinase (AURKA) in the nucleus and metastatic dissemination are molecularly connected through HIF1 (Hypoxia induced factor-1) signaling. The nuclear AURKA in the complex with constitutively expressed HIF-1β subunit activates transcription of “hypoxia induced genes” under normoxic conditions (the phenomenon called pseudohypoxia) without upregulation of oxygen-sensitive HIF-1α subunit. We uncover that AURKA preferentially binds to and phosphorylates HIF-1β, and co-localizes with HIF complex on DNA. The mass …
Cold-Induced Metabolic Changes In Lean, Nag-1 Transgenic Mice,
2021
Central Washington University
Cold-Induced Metabolic Changes In Lean, Nag-1 Transgenic Mice, Rachel J. Davey
All Master's Theses
Obesity is a multifaceted metabolic disorder with severe worldwide public health consequences. While obesity can often be treated using diet and exercise, there are complex genetic interactions driving obesity that don’t always respond to such changes. One important research focus for addressing genetic factors is activating brown adipose tissue which increases thermogenesis, the process of burning stored fats to generate heat. Cold exposure is a known way to activate brown adipose tissue through b3-adrenergic signaling. This signaling pathway causes an upregulation of thermogenesis in brown adipocytes and beige adipocytes, which is white adipose tissue that “browns” and becomes metabolically active. …
Bacterial Association Networks From Healthy And Cancer-Associated Gut Microbiomes,
2021
University of Central Florida
Bacterial Association Networks From Healthy And Cancer-Associated Gut Microbiomes, Mark Loftus
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
The human gastrointestinal tract is colonized by a diverse community of symbiotic microorganisms, mainly bacteria, that are known to play essential roles in maintaining the health of their human host. Disruption of this bacterial community has been associated with numerous diseases, including Colorectal Cancer (CRC). CRC is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. As such, focus has been placed on the modulation of the bacterial community within the cancer-associated gut microbiome as the next step in possible CRC treatment and prevention strategies. To use the bacterial community for these purposes, a better understanding of the associations that …
Impact Of The Histidine‐Containing Phosphocarrier Protein Hpr On Carbon Metabolism And Virulence In Staphylococcus Aureus,
2021
Saarland University
Impact Of The Histidine‐Containing Phosphocarrier Protein Hpr On Carbon Metabolism And Virulence In Staphylococcus Aureus, Linda Pätzold, Anne-Christine Brausch, Evelyn-Laura Bielefeld, Lisa Zimmer, Greg A. Somerville, Markus Bischoff, Rosmarie Gaupp
School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications
Carbon catabolite repression (CCR) is a common mechanism pathogenic bacteria use to link central metabolism with virulence factor synthesis. In gram‐positive bacteria, catabolite control protein A (CcpA) and the histidine‐containing phosphocarrier protein HPr (encoded by ptsH) are the predominant mediators of CCR. In addition to modulating CcpA activity, HPr is essential for glucose import via the phosphotransferase system. While the regulatory functions of CcpA in Staphylococcus aureus are largely known, little is known about the function of HPr in CCR and infectivity. To address this knowledge gap, ptsH mutants were created in S. aureus that either lack the open reading …
An Evaluation Of The Anti-Carcinogenic Response Of Major Isothiocyanates In Non-Metastatic And Metastatic Melanoma Cells,
2021
Northumbria University
An Evaluation Of The Anti-Carcinogenic Response Of Major Isothiocyanates In Non-Metastatic And Metastatic Melanoma Cells, Melina Mitsiogianni, Sotiris Kyriakou, Ioannis Anestopoulos, Dimitrios T. Trafalis, Maria V. Deligiorgi, Rodrigo Franco, Aglaia Pappa, Mihalis I. Panayiotidi
School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications
Malignant melanoma is one of the most deadly types of solid cancers, a property mainly attributed to its highly aggressive metastatic form. On the other hand, different classes of isothiocy- anates, a class of phytochemicals, present in cruciferous vegetables have been characterized by considerable anti-cancer activity in both in vitro and in vivo experimental models. In the current study, we investigated the anti-cancer response of five isothiocyanates in an in vitro model of melanoma consisting of non-metastatic (A375, B16F-10) and metastatic (VMM1, Hs294T) malignant melanoma as well as non-melanoma epidermoid carcinoma (A431) and non-tumorigenic melanocyte-neighboring keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells. Our aim …
Il-10 As A Th2 Cytokine: Differences Between Mice And Humans,
2021
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Il-10 As A Th2 Cytokine: Differences Between Mice And Humans, Mahima T. Rasquinha, Meghna Sur, Ninaad Lasrado, Jay Reddy
School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications
The discovery of interleukin (IL)-10 more than 30 years ago marked the beginning of our understanding of how cytokines regulate immune responses, based on cross-regulation between T helper (Th)1 and Th2 cytokines. Although multiple cell types were shown to produce IL-10, its identity as a Th2 cytokine remained strong since it was rigidly associated with Th2 clones in mice, whereas both Th1 and Th2 clones could secrete IL-10 in humans. However, as new Th1/Th2 cell functionalities emerged, anti-inflammatory action of IL-10 gained more attention than its inhibitory effect on Th1 cells, which may occur as an indirect consequence of suppression …
From Inner Segment To Outer Segment: Palmitoylation Of Photoreceptor Na+, K+-Atpase And The Importance Of Prcd In Photoreceptor Outer Segment Morphogenesis,
2021
West Virginia University
From Inner Segment To Outer Segment: Palmitoylation Of Photoreceptor Na+, K+-Atpase And The Importance Of Prcd In Photoreceptor Outer Segment Morphogenesis, Emily R. Sechrest
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)
Photoreceptors are specialized neuroepithelial cells which are optimized for efficient capture of light and initiation of visual transduction. These cells have several compartments which are very important for proper visual function and segregation of cellular processes, including the outer segment (OS), inner segment (IS), nucleus, and synapse. The IS houses all of the cellular organelles and biosynthetic molecular machinery the cell requires and is the site of protein synthesis. The light-sensing OS is a highly modified, primary cilium, which contains many stacks of double membranous discs which house proteins required for formation and maintenance of OS structure, as well as …
Periocular Mesenchyme Heterogeneity During Morphogenesis Of The Vertebrate Ocular Anterior Segment,
2021
University of Kentucky
Periocular Mesenchyme Heterogeneity During Morphogenesis Of The Vertebrate Ocular Anterior Segment, Kristyn L. Van Der Meulen
Theses and Dissertations--Biology
The vertebrate eye is a complex organ, responsible for the primary sense with which we interact with our environment: vision. Development of the eye is a tightly regulated process, controlled by a vast network of genes. This process begins with eye morphogenesis, when the eye structure is formed through a series of morphogenetic movements and culminates in the creation of the optic cup, lens, and presumptive optic stalk. Next, retinal differentiation creates the critical cell layers of the retina needed to process light waves that enter the eye, including rod and cone photoreceptors, interneurons, and support cells. Failure in either …
Protocadherin-17 Expression And Function In Vertebrate Brain: A Literature Review,
2021
The University of Akron
Protocadherin-17 Expression And Function In Vertebrate Brain: A Literature Review, Mathea Mcguire
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
For this project, I will be doing a systematic review on protocadherin-17 function in vertebrate brain development and function in the last 10 years. Protocadherins are members of cadherin superfamily. Cadherins are calcium-dependent cell adhesion molecules that are implicated to play crucial roles in the information and maintenance of tissues and organs in vertebrate animals. This review will summarize major findings regarding protocadherin-17 expression and function in major model organisms such as zebrafish and mice, as well as results from human studies. It is hoped that this work will be a valuable source for background knowledge of protocadherin-17 function in …
Leveraging Chemical And Computational Biology To Probe The Cellulose Synthase Complex,
2021
University of Kentucky
Leveraging Chemical And Computational Biology To Probe The Cellulose Synthase Complex, B. Kirtley Amos
Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences
Cellular expansion in plants is a complex process driven by the constraint of internal cellular turgor pressure by an expansible cell wall. The main structural element of the cell wall is cellulose. Cellulose is vital to plant fitness and the protein complex that creates it is an excellent target for small molecule inhibition to create herbicides. In the following thesis many small molecules (SMs) from a diverse library were screened in search of new cellulose biosynthesis inhibitors (CBI). Loss of cellular expansion was the primary phenotype used to search for putative CBIs. As such, this was approached in a forward …
The Effect Of Cxcl12 Ligand On Internalization And Dimerization Of Cxcr4 Receptors In Live Cells,
2021
The University of Akron
The Effect Of Cxcl12 Ligand On Internalization And Dimerization Of Cxcr4 Receptors In Live Cells, Loga Iyer
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The primary objective of this project was to determine the effect of CXCL12 ligand binding on the CXCR4 receptor, specifically, how it would impact receptor internalization and dimerization. The CXCL12 ligand derives from the stromal cell-derived alpha family [8]. The CXCR4 receptors, known as C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 play an essential role in controlling cell proliferation. When misregulated, these receptors can drive tumorigenesis and are thus important targets of cancer therapy. These G protein-coupled receptors stimulate a cascade of signaling pathways in specific tissues [1]. These pathways include the positive transcriptional control of CXCR4 via the Nuclear Respiratory Factor-1 …
Traction Force Is Modulated By The Calpain Small Subunit And Secreted Galectin-3,
2021
Wayne State University
Traction Force Is Modulated By The Calpain Small Subunit And Secreted Galectin-3, Imjoo Jang
Wayne State University Dissertations
Cell migration is a fundamental physical process for wound repair, innate immune response, embryonic development, inflammatory responses as well as cancer metastasis. Biochemical and mechanical cues present inside and outside the cell can modulate the mechanical aspects of cell migration. During cell migration, traction forces are generated by the contraction of the actomyosin cytoskeleton and transmitted to the extracellular matrix through integrin-mediated focal adhesions, facilitating the forward movement of the cell. Although regulating traction force is central to achieving successful cell migration, the detailed mechanism of the force production is still largely unclear. The calpain family of proteases has been …
Entry And Replication Of Negative-Strand Rna Viruses,
2021
University of Kentucky
Entry And Replication Of Negative-Strand Rna Viruses, Kerri Boggs
Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
Hendra virus (HeV) and human metapneumovirus (HMPV) are negative-sense, singled-stranded RNA viruses. The paramyxovirus HeV is classified as a biosafety level 4 pathogen due to its high fatality rate and the lack of a human vaccine or antiviral treatment. HMPV is a widespread pneumovirus that causes respiratory tract infections which are particularly dangerous for young children, immunocompromised individuals, and the elderly. Like HeV, no vaccines or therapies are available to combat HMPV infections. These viruses fuse their lipid envelopes with a cell to initiate infection. Blocking cell entry is a promising approach for antiviral development, and many vaccines are designed …
Therapeutic Targeting Of Leukemia Stem Cells To Prevent T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Relapse,
2021
University of Kentucky
Therapeutic Targeting Of Leukemia Stem Cells To Prevent T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Relapse, Meghan G. Haney
Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
The survival rate of T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (T-ALL) relapse is a dismal 10% of affected adults and 30% of children, largely due to the relapsed disease being more aggressive and treatment resistant than the initial disease. Relapse is thought to occur because conventional chemotherapies are unable to reliably eliminate a unique cell type known as leukemia stem (or propagating) cells (LSCs). LSCs are the only cells within the leukemia with the ability to self-renew and remake or replenish the ALL from a single cell. Currently, the pathways governing self-renewal in LSCs are largely unknown, precluding our ability to successfully …
Reversible Glucan Phosphorylation In The Red Alga, Cyanidioschyzon Merolae,
2021
University of Kentucky
Reversible Glucan Phosphorylation In The Red Alga, Cyanidioschyzon Merolae, Corey Owen Brizzee
Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
Starch and glycogen are an essential component for the majority of species and have been developed to maintain homeostasis in response to environmental changes. Water-soluble glycogen is an excellent source of quick, short-term energy in response to energy demands. In contrast, plants and algae have developed the macromolecule starch that is elegantly suitable for their dependence on external circumstances. Semi-crystalline starch is water-insoluble and inaccessible to most amylolytic enzymes, thus plants and algae have developed a coordinated system so that these enzymes can gain access to the denser starch energy cache. Starch-like semi-crystalline polysaccharides are also found in red algae, …
The Role Of Autophagy And Senescence In The Responses Of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells To Chemotherapy And Radiation,
2021
Virginia Commonwealth University
The Role Of Autophagy And Senescence In The Responses Of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells To Chemotherapy And Radiation, Nipa H. Patel
Theses and Dissertations
Cancer-associated deaths account for the second-highest mortality rates in the United States. Primary modalities of treatment often include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, and may also incorporate targeted therapy and immunotherapy. However, resistance to these treatments remains high, resulting in disease reoccurrence and poor survival rates. While apoptosis or cell death of tumor cells is the ideal outcome for anti-cancer therapy, this is often not the case, and in fact cancer cells may upregulate several pathways, such as autophagy and senescence, as a means to undergo alternative cell fate and evade apoptotic cell death. An essential tumor suppressor gene, TP53, …
