Undergraduate Research Day Projects
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Organized by the University of Houston Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards, Undergraduate Research Day is an annual event showcasing exceptional scholarship undertaken by the UH undergraduate community.
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Browsing Undergraduate Research Day Projects by Subject "Biotechnology"
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Item Extracting Mushroom Polysaccharides for Intended Benefits of Immunostimulation and Therapeutic Uses(2023-04-13) Momin, AashnaThe use of mushrooms adjuvant in clinical studies to boost immunity and prevent malignancies and viral infections has been promoted by the discovery of bioactive compounds with immunomodulatory capabilities. It is possible to genetically modify mushrooms to produce the desired bioactive compounds in large numbers, which may then be separated for use in both clinical and commercial settings. The purpose of this study is to identify a novel bioactive molecule in Calocybe Indica mushroom sample, which we found to have immunomodulatory properties and potential clinical uses. The research question in action is how to extract and identify polysaccharides and their composition from Calocybe Indica. The methodology used was a hot water extraction set up to extract water-soluble constituents, the concentration of extract, and precipitation of polysaccharides ethanol and centrifugation. Next, to identify the monosaccharide composition, three Thin Layer Chromatography methods were selected, and the Aniline Diphenylamine Phosphoric Acid method produced the best results when tested with sugar samples. Currently, the ongoing experiment involves hydrolyzing the polysaccharides into monomers and conducting a Thin-Layer Chromatography experiment with the hydrolyzed sample to determine the composition of the Calocybe Indica monomers. To further confirm the results of TLC (Thin Layer Chromatography), HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) protocol has been developed and is currently being tested. The future work of this project involves optimization of TLC and HPLC protocols, followed by fractionation by gel-filtration chromatography and MALDI analysis of Calocybe Indica extracts.Item Mutagenesis of Escherichia coli Elongation Factor G for Domain IV sm-FRET and Force Studies(2023-04-13) Desales, Caycel John P.The translation of mRNA into protein is performed by the ribosome. This ribonucleoprotein complex consists of two subunits which come together to form three tRNA binding sites; the A-, P-, and E-site. The complex is associated with several proteins, one of which is Elongation Factor G (EF-G) which advances the mRNA sequence through the ribosome in a process known as translocation. During translocation, tRNAs move from the A- and P-sites to the P- and E-sites, respectively, and the ribosome slides the mRNA exactly three nucleotides. Two key residues (Q508 and H584) in the domain IV region of EF-G form interactions with nucleotides of the A-site tRNA during translocation. Previous mutation attempts using Q5 hot-start polymerase for two substitutions at this site (Q508A and H584A) resulted in failure. Low plasmid yield, undesired off-site mutations, and high polymerase chain reaction (PCR) failure rates were some of the primary issues faced when using this enzyme. In this experiment, a new polymerase enzyme was tested to determine if the desired mutations can be successfully amplified via PCR. Gel electrophoresis was used to confirm the presence of recombinant plasmid following PCR. Plasmid was isolated via midi-prep, and sequencing for the H584A mutant was performed using Sanger sequencing. These findings suggest that the H584A substitution mutation was not successfully inserted into Escherichia coli pDNA due to a deletion of G1742, causing a -1 frameshift. This project will be re-attempted using PAGE purified primers and a new PCR kit with fresh polymerase.Item Pathogenic Perkinsus marinus Frequency in Consumable Oysters Used in Reef Restoration(2023-04-13) Schubert, EmilyDermo (Perkinsus marinus) disease is a highly transmissible pathogen which causes mortality of the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica). The Galveston Bay Foundation collects oyster shells from restaurants, sun cures them for approximately 6 months, and then utilizes those shells to restore reefs. The purpose of sun curing is to eliminate any Dermo remaining on oyster shells, however, individuals may not sun cure their shells before returning them to the marine environment. The objective of this study was to determine Dermo infection rates for oysters from a grocery store versus a restaurant. No significant difference was found between infection rate of grocery store and restaurant oysters - 22% and 21% respectively, were infected with Dermo. Despite both sources having oysters positive for Dermo, only restaurant shells are collected for Galveston Bay Foundationï¾’s shell recycling program. In the future, extending shell recycling programs to grocery stores would aid in the reef restoration effort and avoid the potential reintroduction of Dermo via shells which are not part of an existing shell recycling program.Item Producing Peptostreptococcus Magnus Protein L and binding domain using E. Coli(2023-04-13) Colbert, AbigailProtein L is an antibody-binding protein that interacts with the light chains. There are multiple domains within the protein and there could be a possibility to increase the binding capabilities. The area of protein L that binds to the antibody comprises several domains, the focus is the B1 domain. The protein cannot be produced on its own, it must be produced using a host organism. The host organism is BL21 and this was picked because it has the opportunity to allow proteins to grow due to the absence of proteases that would usually break down proteins. The next factor taken into consideration was the plasmid that would contain the gene of interest, the plasmid chosen was pET 28a, and the plasmid was chosen based on its antibiotic resistance to kanamycin, which would allow for the selection process to isolate the plasmids possibly containing the gene of interest. Lastly, the cut enzymes were chosen because of their location in contrast to the 6x His Tag. This project will be expanded into future processes such as the mass production of the protein and purifying the protein even further.Item Targeted Molecular Imaging of Colorectal Cancer using Hyperpolarized Functionalized Silicon Micro Particles by MRI(2023-04-13) Brown, DevinColorectal Cancer (CRC) remains a central figure in the fight against cancer due to the high mortality rates that make it the number three cause of cancer related deaths in men and women1. Early detection is imperative specifically with CRC; Hyperpolarized 29Silicon MRI based virtual colonoscopy can work with CRC expressing MUC-1 biomarkers that only account for 54-64% of CRC cases3. Our objective is to create a full noninvasive screening procedure for all kinds of CRC using hyperpolarized 29Silicon MRI. This process involved 2 basic parts: Attachment and Visualization . Attachment consisted of testing four CRC cell lines, HCT116, SW480, WiDR, and CaCO2. These cell lines account for the heterogeneous microenvironment actual tumors live in. In order to visualize the tumor in vivo there must be a functionalized biomarker that is capable seeking out and attaching on to the antigens with extreme specificity. The three- protein biomarkers that are being tested as antibodies against the four CRC cell lines are EPCAM, EGFR, MUC-1. Current methods only screening using the MUC-1 antibody under covering the variety of CRC Cell Lines. To functionalize the Silicon microparticles (MP'S) with the CRC antibodies a crosslink must be formed between the antibody and the silicon MP'S, this crosslink is formed using SM(PEG)2 . The PEGylated cross linker will form the bridge that connects the anti-body with the silicon particles. The silicon MP's are now fully functionalized to target CRC in vivo. The visualization of CRC can be achieved with clinical MRI and Dynamic Nuclear Polarizer. ***This project was completed with contributions from Pratip K. Bhattacharya, Saleh Ramezani, Mary Cindy Farach-Carson, and from the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Rice University, and UT Health Sciences at Houston.Item The Role of the Extracellular Matrix in Regulating Corneal Angiogenesis and Lymphangiogenesis(2023-04-13) Martinez, Manuel; Moreno, IsabelBlood and lymphatic vessels are present in nearly all mammalian tissues. They regulate vital metabolic processes, with their roles beginning early in embryogenesis. Blood vessels supply virtually all cells with oxygen and nutrients, while lymphatic vessels work in conjunction by draining interstitial fluid, allow for the absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins, and provide a pathway for immune cell trafficking. Due to the difficulty in visualization and study of lymphatic vasculature, progress in the study of lymphangiogenesis has stalled in comparison to angiogenesis. Limbal stem cells (LSCs) are present in the limbus, which aid in the renewal of the corneal epithelium. The blood vessels and lymphatic vessels that are present within the limbal region of the cornea arise from the anterior ciliary arteries and lymphatic vessels. Inflammatory stimuli can trigger the ingrowth of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels into the cornea, which leads to a loss of the immune privilege and transparency of the cornea. While the mechanisms of corneal neovascularization are not fully understood, infections, immune diseases, and diseases associated with a deficiency in limbal cells are the most common reason for significant vascularization of the cornea. This vessel formation is mediated primarily by the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family, much like other tissues, with CD44 playing an important role in pathological angiogenesis. Research into the mechanisms of vessel invagination could provide insight into treatment options as well as preventative measures against the most common causes of corneal scarring secondary to angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis.