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Fesselin, an intrinsically disordered smooth muscle protein, organizes and stabilizes actin-myosin and myosin
(East Carolina University, 2014)
Fesselin is an intrinsically disordered protein that is known to bind a large variety of cytoskeletal proteins. The proteins fesselin is known to bind include: actin (Leinweber et al. 1999), [alpha]-actinin (Pham et al. ...
Molecular mechanism of anandamide-induced apoptosis in non-melanoma skin cancer.
(East Carolina University, 2015)
Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common cancer in the United States. The absence of selective toxicity is the major problem associated with chemotherapeutic and radiation therapy for NMSCs. The goal of the present ...
Role of Notch signaling in tumorigenesis, stemness, and epithelial to mesenchymal transtion in colorectal cancer.
(East Carolina University, 2015)
Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in both men and women in the United States. Surgical resection and combination chemotherapy are often used for treatment, but in later stages of the disease, ...
The unique roles of IFE-1, a germline-specific isoform of eukaryotic translation factor 4E, during gametogenesis
(East Carolina University, 2009)
Fertility and embryonic viability are measures of efficient germ cell growth and differentiation. During oogenesis, spermatogenesis and embryogenesis cells initially proliferate then differentiate into specific tissues. New proteins are required for both cell growth and differentiation, requiring qualitative and quantitative changes in protein synthesis. During late gametogenesis and early embryogenesis the expression of the appropriate proteins is a primarily due to translational control. Translational control of mRNAs is mediated in part by eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E). eIF4E binds the methylated 5' cap of mRNA and recruits it to the ribosome. The nematode worm C.elegans expresses five isoforms of eIF4E (termed IFE-1 through 5). IFE-1 is expressed primarily in the germline and is the only isoform that associates with P granules by binding directly to PGL-1. P granules are ribonucleoprotein particles (RNPs) that contain stored mRNAs and proteins needed for oogenesis and early embryogenesis. Using a strain that lacks IFE-1, I assessed the translational efficiency of maternal mRNAs bound and not bound to P granules by polysome fractionation. Translation of pos-1, pal-1, mex-1, oma-1, ced-4 and glp-1 mRNAs was inefficient in the ife-1 strain relative to wild type worms. GAPDH (gpd-3) mRNA translation was not affected. We also observed differences in the pattern of expression of the MEX-1 protein during oogenesis. In males, secondary spermatocytes failed to complete cytokinesis at 25°C in absence of IFE-1. Males deficient of IFE-1 therefore lacked mature sperm. In addition, ife-1 spermatocytes prematurely accumulated pro-apoptotic CED-4, homolog to mammalian Apaf-1, during spermatogenesis. In ife-1 worms fertility was decreased by 80% due to decreased viability of both oocytes and spermatocytes. Our data indicate two unique roles for eIF4E (IFE-1 isoform) in late oogenesis and spermatogenesis. We suggest that IFE-1 preferentially recruits regulated mRNAs at critical times during germ cell development. ...
The involvement of cap-independent mRNA translation in cell fate decisions
(East Carolina University, 2014)
During cell stress many biochemical processes are shut down. For
example, global mRNA translation initiation is inhibited due to the
disruption of the cap-dependent mRNA recruitment mechanism. One
specific example of ...
The contribution of motility and chemotaxis in the Borrelia burgdorferi infectious life cycle
(East Carolina University, 2013)
Lyme disease has emerged as an increasing problem for people in the east and northeastern part of the United States. It can cause a chronic debilitating infection if left untreated and is difficult to diagnose. The illness ...
Proposed regulatory role of noncatalytic Adams in ectodomain shedding
(East Carolina University, 2015)
Members of the ADAM (A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease) protein family uniquely exhibit both proteolytic and adhesive properties. Specifically, ADAMs catalyze the conversion of cell-surface proteins to soluble, biologically ...
Human T-cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Basic Leucine Zipper Factor (HBZ) Interacts and Inhibits the Acetyltransferase Activity of Multiple Cellular Coactivator Families to Deregulate Transcription
(East Carolina University, 1/13/16)
Of the 20 million individuals infected worldwide with the complex retrovirus, Human T-cell Leukemia Virus Type 1, 5% will develop an incurable and fatal form of leukemia known as adult T-cell leukemia (ATL). During the ...
Multiple Translation Factor eIF4G (IFG-1) Isoforms are Required for the Apoptosome-Dependent Activation of Germ Cell Apoptosis
(East Carolina University, 2010)
Apoptosis is a naturally occurring process during animal development required for the programmed killing and removal of injured cells. Cellular insult induces a switch in translation that allows for the rapid synthesis ...
[Delta]-catenin: implications in prostate cancer progression
(East Carolina University, 2014)
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death among men in the US. Due to the advances in research, the ability to detect and cure PCa has improved and led to ...