Biochemistry electronic theses and dissertations (MU)
The items in this collection are the theses and dissertations written by students of the Division of Biochemistry. Some items may be viewed only by members of the University of Missouri System and/or University of Missouri-Columbia. Click on one of the browse buttons above for a complete listing of the works.
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Recent Submissions
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Structural and biochemical studies of virus : host interactions in HIV-1
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2023)[EMBARGOED UNTIL 8/1/2024] According to 2021 UNAIDS estimates, as of 2020, 680,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses and 38 million people globally were living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (1). Despite ... -
DotB : Legionella pneumophila's Dot/Icm Type IV Secretion System's AAA+ motor
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2023)The Gram-negative bacteria Legionella pneumophila is the causative agent of a severe form of pneumonia known as Legionnaire's Disease. Legionella utilizes its Defect in organelle trafficking/Intracellular multiplication ... -
Investigating changes in the Plasma Membrane proteome and role of USPA-related proteins during plant immune responses
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2023)[EMBARGOED UNTIL 5/1/2024] Food insecurity is a growing global concern as food prices continue to increase. While many factors influence the loss of food production, plant diseases are a contributing factor that result in ... -
On the role of the purinergic receptor P2Y2R in oral cancer and salivary gland dysfunction
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2023)[EMBARGOED UNTIL 5/1/2024] Due to the important roles the oral cavity plays in our daily lives ranging from eating and drinking to speech, diseases of the oral cavity significantly impact the quality of life. Oral cancers ... -
Methods of partitioning, biogenesis, and selecting for natural and engineered CoA-RNA
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2023)More than a decade ago, RNAs with NAD+, CoA, and acylated CoA caps were identified. Since then, studies have described NAD+'s protective, cap-like function in bacteria and its role in promoting mRNA degradation in eukaryotic ... -
Cryo-EM reveals how adeno-associated virus engages its receptor AAVR and an investigation of the GPR108 ectodomain
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2022)Adeno-associated virus is one of the leading delivery agents used in gene therapy today. While it is already used in the clinic, some aspects of its basic biology are still not yet fully understood. Only recently in 2017 ... -
A transcriptomic approach to uncovering the molecular mechanisms of maize nodal root growth maintenance during drought stress in the field
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2021)Drought is the most important factor limiting crop production across the globe. Therefore, understanding how plants adapt and survive drought conditions is critical for improving food production with lower water input. One ... -
Investigating the roles and functions of plasma membrane E3 ligases and MKP1 in plant immunity
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2021)When a plant encounters a pathogen, a complex set of responses occurs on both sides of the interaction. In a process known as pattern-triggered immunity (PTI), the plant uses plasma membrane (PM)-localized proteins, or ... -
Structural and kinetic studies of proline metabolic enzyme inhibitors and inactivators
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2021)Structural and kinetic studies of the proline metabolic enzymes proline dehydrogenase (PRODH), [delta]1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (PYCR), and aldehyde dehydrogenase 4A1 (ALDH4A1) are presented in this thesis. ... -
HIV-1 5'UTR RNA structures: connections to infectious lifecycle and potential therapeutic applications
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2021)Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is among the most sinister pathogens plaguing man. As of now, we do not yet have a method to "cure" infection once the virus has integrated into the host genome. It has the highest mutation ... -
Targeted cancer radioimaging and radiotherapy and the development of tumor-avid molecules using phage display
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2021)Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer death in men and new biomarkers are needed to improve diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in aggressive forms of this disease. CD44v6, a splice variant of the ... -
Effects of differential and combinatorial inhibition of myostatin and activin A in the G610 murine model of osteogenesis imperfecta
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2021)Bone fragility, increased susceptibility to fracture, and low bone mineral density (BMD) are hallmarks of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a rare skeletal disorder that arises primarily from defects in the generation, quantity ... -
RNA structural studies : implications in HIV-1 replication and the origins of life
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2021)Structure and function relationships are important to understand many biological processes. Biological components are not one dimensional and their structures may drive key aspects of their function. This dissertation ... -
Investigation of the initial steps of jasmonic acid biosynthesis and a study of differential regulation of the ribosomal association of mRNA transcripts in jasmonate-dependent wound response
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2020)Jasmonic acid is an oxylipin derived hormone that is responsible for regulating plant responses against various abiotic and biotic stressors and it also serves important roles in plant development. Jasmonic acid once ... -
Roles of dynamin-related protein network in plant immune responses and development
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2020)[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] At the host-pathogen interphase, the PM's protein composition has a critical role in how plants perceive and respond to the invading pathogenic ... -
Aptamers that bind filovirus GP : a new frontier for detection and neutralization of Ebola and Marburg virus
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2020)Aptamers are single chained, nucleic acid-based affinity probes that bind to their targets with strong affinity and specificity. They are made through an in vitro combinatorial selection method, wherein large libraries of ... -
Skeletal muscle weakness and mitochondrial dysfunction in the osteogenesis imperfecta murine (oim) model
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2021)Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), also commonly referred to as brittle bone disease, is a heritable connective tissue disorder occurring in roughly 1:15,000 births. OI arises as a result of mutations in the type I collagen ... -
Structural studies of flavoprotein inhibitors and inactivators
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2020)[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Flavoenzymes have a versatile capacity to catalyze a wide range of reactions, using their flavin cofactor. In this thesis, work on two ... -
Merging technology development of trapped ion mobility spectrometry quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry with biological investigation of Medicago truncatularoot exudates
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2020)[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] "New commercial ion mobility instrumentation has the potential to improve current analytical techniques, but developments need to be applicable to ... -
Viral RNA structural equilibria and their interactions with host proteins
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2019)[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Understanding viral RNA structure and how it functions is crucial in elucidating new drug targets. There are many kinds of viruses that utilize RNA ...