Molecular Biosciences Dissertations and Theses: Recent submissions
Now showing items 161-180 of 270
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Molecular Mechanisms and Inhibition of Transcription Activation by Bacterial AraC Family Activator Proteins
(University of Kansas, 2013-12-31)AraC family proteins are transcriptional regulators that are defined by the presence of a conserved DNA binding domain (DBD). My research focused on three AraC family activators: Rns (activator of virulence genes in ... -
IN VITRO SUSCEPTIBILITY OF CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS TO LPS-BINDING POLYAMINES AND CELLULOSE ETHER POLYMERS: TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MICROBICIDE AGAINST CHLAMYDIA INFECTION
(University of Kansas, 2013-12-31)Chlamydia trachomatis is the causative agent of the most prevalent sexually transmitted bacterial infection in the United States. Antibiotic therapy is currently effective in treating Chlamydia infection; however, the vast ... -
STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL STUDIES OF THREE PROTEINS OF UNKNOWN FUNCTION ENCODED BY CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS
(University of Kansas, 2013-05-31)Infections by chlamydial species are of significant impact to global public health, causing sexually transmitted infections, blinding trachoma and pneumonia. Despite its importance, there are many aspects of chlamydial ... -
Modifications of the tau protein and their varied effects on aggregation and function
(University of Kansas, 2013-05-31)Tau is a microtubule-associated protein that is typically found in the axons of neurons. Six isoforms of the protein can be generated through alternative mRNA splicing and all are found in the adult brain. The protein is ... -
Novel Direct Targets and Functional Roles for MicroRNA-21 in Granulosa Cells and Human Uterine Leiomyomas
(University of Kansas, 2013-08-31)MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) is important for maintaining optimal ovulation rates and granulosa cell viability. It is also upregulated in human uterine leiomyomas (ULMs), a disease characterized by the presence of benign tumors ... -
Regulation Of Fshr And SF-1 In The Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Gonadal (HPG) Axis.
(University of Kansas, 2013-08-31)Mammalian reproduction is highly dependent on the delicate balance of signals within the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis that maintains proper endocrine environment. One of the key signals is the pituitary ... -
Characterization of three novel RNAi machinery components in C. elegans
(University of Kansas, 2013-08-31)RNA interference (RNAi) is a homology-based and antisense small RNA-dependent gene silencing mechanism found in most eukaryotes. This dissertation describes identification and characterization of three novel RNAi pathway ... -
Influence of the host cell factors CK2, hTERT, and PML, on the antiviral response to herpes simplex virus type I infection
(University of Kansas, 2013-08-31)Herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-1) is a significant human pathogen that infects a large portion of the human population. As an obligate intracellular parasite, HSV-1 requires certain cellular factors for its replication; ... -
Cloning and characterization of EXC-1, an IRGP homologue that controls Intracellular Trafficking and the Maintenance of Shape in Small Biological Tubes
(University of Kansas, 2013-08-31)Biological tubes are ubiquitous structures that carry out vital roles. The formation and maintenance of these tubule structures is a fundamental process in most organisms. The goal of this work is to get a better understanding ... -
On the development of a GroEL based platform for identifying pharmacological chaperones
(University of Kansas, 2013-05-31)Many protein misfolding diseases are due to changes in protein homeostasis. This might lead to protein misfolding and possibly intra- or extracellular aggregation, causing loss of protein function or gain of toxic function. ... -
THE APPLICATION OF HISTONE ANALYSIS FOR IDENTIFYING DISTAL REGULATORY ELEMENTS - REGULATION OF FSHR
(University of Kansas, 2013-05-31)Mechanisms that regulate gene expression are fundamental to many complex biological processes and disease states. Genome-wide approaches that combine chromatin-immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and next-generation sequencing have ... -
Functional analysis of actin-like protein MreB and alternative sigma factor RpoN in chlamydial developmental cycle
(University of Kansas, 2013-05-31)Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular pathogen of immense public health impact and is responsible for diverse disease states leading to blindness, sterility, atherosclerosis etc. in humans. Its unique biphasic ... -
THE ENTEROHEMORRHAGIC ESCHERICHIA COLI EFFECTOR PROTEIN NLEF BINDS MAMMALIAN HOST PROTEINS
(University of Kansas, 2012-12-31)The extracellular human pathogens enterohemorrhagic and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EHEC and EPEC) and the related mouse pathogen Citrobacter rodentium inject type III secretion system (T3SS) effector proteins to ... -
BIOGENESIS OF TELOMERASE RNA IN FISSION YEAST
(University of Kansas, 2012-08-31)Telomerase, a reverse transcriptase, counteracts the progressive loss of chromosome-terminal DNA sequences in most eukaryotes. Work from C. W. Greider and E. H. Blackburn first revealed telomerase activity in Tetrahymena ... -
The Tumor Suprressor APC: Nuclear Functions and Regulation by Heat Shock Response
(University of Kansas, 2012-05-31)Because mutation of the tumor suppressor APC initiates ~80% of all colorectal cancers, understanding APC function is central for better diagnostic, preventive, and therapeutic strategies for the disease. In-vitro studies ... -
Designing allosteric control into enzymes by chemical rescue of structure
(University of Kansas, 2012-12-31)In recent years chemical biology has been used to engineer ligand-dependent activity into enzymes to control a variety of signaling pathways, such as modulating protein production, degradation, and localization. These ... -
The role of the cadherin fmi-1/flamingo in the development of the D-type GABAergic neurons
(University of Kansas, 2012-12-31)Cadherin proteins are cell adhesion molecules involved in multiple aspects of the development of the nervous system. A subgroup of these proteins, called protocadherin, has been recently shown to play key roles during the ... -
Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 Guides Naive T Cell Differentiation and Regulatory T Cell Induction
(University of Kansas, 2012-12-31)The outcome of naïve T cell activation and differentiation is guided by cues received from the cellular microenvironment, including cytokine and costimulatory signals. Naïve T cell precursors can differentiate into a variety ... -
Structure and function of human cytochromes P450 enzymes: Xenobiotic metabolism by CYP2A and steroid biosynthesis by CYP17A1
(University of Kansas, 2011-05-31)Cytochrome P450 (CYP) is a superfamily of heme-containing enzymes that have roles in the breakdown or synthesis of steroids, fatty acids, vitamins, and eicosanoids. They are also the main family of enzymes involved in the ... -
VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY CAUSES MUSCULOSKELETAL HYPERSENSITIVITY: THE ROLE OF NOCICEPTOR HYPERINNERVATION
(University of Kansas, 2011-05-31)Clinical studies link vitamin D deficiency and musculoskeletal pain, both of which occur more frequently in women. However, a causal relationship has been difficult to establish and it is not clear whether vitamin D ...