The aggregation of the amyloid β peptide (Aβ) into amyloid fibrils is a defining characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. Because of the complexity of this aggregation process, effective therapeutic inhibitors will need to target the specific microscopic steps that lead to the production of neurotoxic species. We introduce a strategy for generating fibril-specific antibodies that selectively supp...

Nox3, a member of the superoxide-producing NADPH oxidase (Nox) family, participates in otoconia formation in mouse inner ears, which is required for perception of balance and gravity. The activity of other Nox enzymes such as gp91(phox)/Nox2 and Nox1 is known to absolutely require both an organizer protein (p47(phox) or Noxo1) andanactivatorprotein (p67(phox) or Noxa1); for the p47(phox)-depend...

OF DISSERTATION Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Biomedical Sciences The University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico

The P22 phage system is an intensely studied model system. Studies have ranged from biochemical analysis of basic life processes to the use of this phage for phage therapy. The phage tailspike protein (TSP) has itself been the subject of intensive studies over the past fifty years. The P22 TSP is essential for initiation of the infection process and instrumental as the last protein assembled on...

AIMS The NADH/NADPH oxidase system plays a central role in vascular superoxide anion production, which appears to cause coronary endothelial dysfunction. Recently, it has been suggested that the C242T polymorphism of the NADH/NADPH oxidase p22 phox gene can reduce susceptibility to coronary artery disease. We therefore tested whether this polymorphism is associated with an altered endothelium-d...

The long-terminal repeat retrotransposon Ty1 is the most abundant mobile genetic element in many Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolates. Ty1 retrotransposons contribute to the genetic diversity of host cells, but they can also act as an insertional mutagen and cause genetic instability. Interestingly, retrotransposition occurs at a low level despite a high level of Ty1 RNA, even though S. cerevisiae...

The high affinity IgE receptor is a multisubunit complex that participates in IgE-dependent activation of mast cells and basophils. The IgE-binding portion of the receptor resides exclusively in the alpha-subunit and specifically within the 180 residues of the mature extracytoplasmic portion. In this study the contiguous two-domain human alpha-subunit has been displayed on the surface of a fila...