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$Aggregation kinetics of A\U+fffd\ peptides and the inhibition effects of small molecules on A\U+fffd\ peptide aggregation$

Title: Aggregation kinetics of A\U+fffd\ peptides and the inhibition effects of small molecules on A\U+fffd\ peptide aggregation.
Creator: Hijazi, Ahmad Alex., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: The pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains elusive. Competing evidence links amylois \U+fffd\-peptide (A\U+fffd\) amyloid formation to the phenotype of AD (1). The mechanism of amyloid fibril formation has been an ongoing investigation for many years. A\U+fffd\10-23 peptide, a fragment of A\U+fffd\1-42 peptide, contained crucial hydrophobic core residues (2). In this study, an investigation was launched to study the aggreagation process of A\U+fffd\1023 peptide and its ability to form...
Show moreThe pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains elusive. Competing evidence links amylois \U+fffd\-peptide (A\U+fffd\) amyloid formation to the phenotype of AD (1). The mechanism of amyloid fibril formation has been an ongoing investigation for many years. A\U+fffd\10-23 peptide, a fragment of A\U+fffd\1-42 peptide, contained crucial hydrophobic core residues (2). In this study, an investigation was launched to study the aggreagation process of A\U+fffd\1023 peptide and its ability to form amyloid fibrils. Furthermore, the presence of its hydrophobic core showed importance for its ability to aggregate and form amyloid fibrils. Thereafter, the inhibition of A\U+fffd\1-42 peptide aggregation was studied by using pyrimidine-based compounds. A\U+fffd\1-42 peptides, known to be neurotoxic, aggregate to form amyloid fibrils (3). This investigation may provide insight into the development of novel small molecular candidates to treat AD.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3358550
Subject Headings: Amyloid beta-protein, Proteins, Metabolism, Disorders, Prions, Alzheimer's disease
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Cell-surface glycan-lectin interactions for biomedical applications.
Creator: Rodriguez Benavente, Maria Carolina, Lepore, Salvatore D., Cudic, Predrag, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: Carbohydrate recognition is one of the most sophisticated recognition processes in biological systems, mediating many important aspects of cell-cell recognition, such as inflammation, cell differentiation, and metastasis. Consequently, lectin-glycan interactions have been intensively studied in order to mimic their actions for potential bioanalytical and biomedical applications. Galectins, a class of ß-galactoside-specific animal lectins, have been strongly implicated in inflammation and...
Show moreCarbohydrate recognition is one of the most sophisticated recognition processes in biological systems, mediating many important aspects of cell-cell recognition, such as inflammation, cell differentiation, and metastasis. Consequently, lectin-glycan interactions have been intensively studied in order to mimic their actions for potential bioanalytical and biomedical applications. Galectins, a class of ß-galactoside-specific animal lectins, have been strongly implicated in inflammation and cancer. Galectin-3 is involved in carbohydrate-mediated metastatic cell heterotypic and homotypic adhesion via interaction with Thomsen-Friedenreich (TF) antigen on cancer-associated MUC1. However, the precise mechanism by which galectin-3 recognizes TF antigen is poorly understood. Our thermodynamic studies have shown that the presentation of the carbohydrate ligand by MUC1-based peptide scaffolds can have a major impact on recognition, and may facilitate the design of more potent and specific galectin-3 inhibitors that can be used as novel chemical tools in dissecting the precise role of galectin-3 in cancer and inflammatory diseases. Another lectin, odorranalectin (OL), has been recently identified from Odorrana grahami skin secretions as the smallest cyclic peptide lectin, has a particular selectivity for L-fucose and very low toxicity and immunogenicity, rendering OL an excellent candidate for drug delivery to targeted sites, such as: (1) tumor-associated fucosylated antigens implicated in the pathogenesis of several cancers, for overcoming the nonspecificity of most anticancer agents; (2) the olfactory epithelium of nasal mucosa for enhanced delivery of peptide-based drugs to the brain.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004405
Subject Headings: Biopharmaceutics, Carbohydrates -- Therapeutic use, Cell differentiation, Drug delivery systems, Glycoproteins, Glycoslation, Mice as laboratory animals, Peptides -- Derivatives, Pharmaceutical biotechnology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The chemistry of Briareum asbestinum.
Creator: Rondeau, Melody D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: Briareum asbestinum, a soft coral, is a rich source of diterpenoid natural products. The secondary metabolites of B. asbestinum fall into four classes : asbestinins, briarellins, briareolate esters, and briaranes. Briareolate esters have been shown to possess biological activity and were previously only reported from Tobago. Our group recently isolated briareolate esters from a specimen collected off the coast of Boca Raton, Florida. To determine whether location has an impact on the...
Show moreBriareum asbestinum, a soft coral, is a rich source of diterpenoid natural products. The secondary metabolites of B. asbestinum fall into four classes : asbestinins, briarellins, briareolate esters, and briaranes. Briareolate esters have been shown to possess biological activity and were previously only reported from Tobago. Our group recently isolated briareolate esters from a specimen collected off the coast of Boca Raton, Florida. To determine whether location has an impact on the chemistry produced by the organism, a method to discern between chemotypes was sought. Several techniques including thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and sclerite analysis were employed, with NMR being the most successful method. By utilizing both 1H and COSY NMR experiments, it is possible to differentiate between the chemotypes of B. asbestinum. Application of this method allowed analysis of chemical variability with respect to location.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3355882
Subject Headings: Heterocyclic compounds, Synthesis, Coral reef ecology, Marine organisms, Environmental aspects, Biochemical markers
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Comparison of chemotaxonomic methods for the determination of periphyton community composition.
Creator: Browne, Jamie L., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: Pigment-based chemotaxonomy uses relative amounts of photosynthetic pigments (biomarkers) within algae samples to determine the algal class composition of each sample. Chemotaxonomy has been applied successfully to phytoplankton communities, but its efficacy for periphyton has not yet been established. This study examined the ability of simultaneous linear equations (SLE), CHEMTAX, and the Bayesian Compositional Estimator (BCE) to determine algal class composition in Florida Everglades...
Show morePigment-based chemotaxonomy uses relative amounts of photosynthetic pigments (biomarkers) within algae samples to determine the algal class composition of each sample. Chemotaxonomy has been applied successfully to phytoplankton communities, but its efficacy for periphyton has not yet been established. This study examined the ability of simultaneous linear equations (SLE), CHEMTAX, and the Bayesian Compositional Estimator (BCE) to determine algal class composition in Florida Everglades periphyton. The methods were applied to artificial datasets, mixed lab cultures of known composition, and Everglades periphyton samples for which microscopic biovolume data was available. All methods were able to return accurate sample compositions for artificial data and mixed lab cultures. Correlation between pigment methods and microscopic results for natural periphyton samples was poor. SLE and CHEMTAX returned similar results for all samples while BCE performed less well.
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2100582
Subject Headings: Water quality biological assessment, Periphyton, Water, Phosphorus content, Freshwater algae
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Cyclic lipodepsipeptides as lead structures for the discovery of new antiobiotics.
Creator: Bionda, Nina., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: With antimicrobial resistance to current drugs steadily rising, the development of new antibiotics with novel mechanisms of action has become an imperative. The majority of life-threatening infections worldwide are caused by "ESKAPE" pathogens which are encountered in more than 40% of hospital-acquired infections, and are resistant to the majority of commonly used antibiotics. Naturally occurring cyclic depsipeptides, microbial secondary metabolites that contain one or more ester bonds in...
Show moreWith antimicrobial resistance to current drugs steadily rising, the development of new antibiotics with novel mechanisms of action has become an imperative. The majority of life-threatening infections worldwide are caused by "ESKAPE" pathogens which are encountered in more than 40% of hospital-acquired infections, and are resistant to the majority of commonly used antibiotics. Naturally occurring cyclic depsipeptides, microbial secondary metabolites that contain one or more ester bonds in addition to amide bonds, have emerged as an important source of pharmacologically active compounds or lead structures for the development of novel antibiotics. Some of those peptides are either already marketed (daptomycin) or in advanced stages of clinical development (ramoplanin). Structurally simple, yet potent, fusaricidin/LI-F and lysobactin families of naturally occurring antibiotics represent particularly attractive candidates for the development of new antibacterial agents capable of overco ming infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. These natural products exhibit potent antimicrobial activity against a variety of clinically relevant fungi and Gram-positive bacteria. Therefore, access to these classes of natural products and their synthetic analogs, combined with elucidation of their mode of action represent important initial steps toward full exploitation of their antmicrobial potential. This dissertation describes a general approach toward the solid-phase synthesis of fusaricidin/LI-F and lysobactin analogs and an extensive structure-activity relationship (SAR) study. We have devised a simple and robust preparation strategy based on standard Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis protocols., The SAR study revealed key structural requirements for fusaricidin/LI-F and related cyclic lipopeptides antibacterial activity, including the presence of the guanidino moietly at the end of the lipidic tail, hydrophobic amino acid residues, and peptide conformation Moreover, substitution of the ester bond with an amide bond significantly improved stability under physiologically relevant conditions and reduced toxicity. In addition, we have shown that these antibacterial peptides exert their mode of action via a novel mechanism, which invloves bacterial membrane interactions, followed by peptide internalization. Altogether, the research described in this dissertation demonstrates that new antibiotics derived from fusaricidin/LI-F natural products, have the potential to meet the challenge of antibiotic resistance in Gram-positive bacteria.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3360768
Subject Headings: Microbial peptides, Drugs, Design, Peptides, Therapeutic use, Genetic engineering, Antibacterial agents, Peptide antibiotics, Research, Methodology, Peptide antibiotics, Analysis
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Determination and evaluation of electrical properties of metal-containing condensation polymers.
Creator: Battin, Amitabh J., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: Doped electrically conductive polymers are one of the critical materials that have allowed the current technological revolution. Essentially all of today's applications of doped conductive polymers involve vinyl-related polymers. While the application of conductive polymers is rapidly increasing, there is need for additional materials with different electrical behaviors. The current focus is on studying condensation polymers that contain a metal atom and the possibility of undergoing entire...
Show moreDoped electrically conductive polymers are one of the critical materials that have allowed the current technological revolution. Essentially all of today's applications of doped conductive polymers involve vinyl-related polymers. While the application of conductive polymers is rapidly increasing, there is need for additional materials with different electrical behaviors. The current focus is on studying condensation polymers that contain a metal atom and the possibility of undergoing entire chain delocalization of electrons. The different series of organometallic condensation polymers were synthesized by employing interfacial polycondensation technique and characterization of these products were carried out using standard techniques like light scattering photometer, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI TOF MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). The electrical measurements were carried out employing Genrad 1650-B impedance spectroscopy. Prior studies conducted in this area have led to the pathway of looking at two aspects; first, surveying 60 metal-containing polymers that can undergo entire chain delocalization studying the effect of different substituents on their electrical properties and secondly, doping selected candidates employing iodine. The products derived from 2-nitro-1,4-phenylenediamine and N-methyl-1,4- pheneylenediamines with titanocene dichloride exhibited about 10 3 to 10 5 fold magnitude increases in the electrical conductivity on doping with iodine, moving it near conductive region. This increase is dependent on the concentration of the iodine and is cyclic. The results support the starting premise that selected metal-containing condensation polymers can be doped to increase their electrical conductivity., Further investigation is warranted to see if metal-containing condensation polymers can be important materials in the electronic industry. This research sets the stage for studying not only metal-containing polymeric materials but also to investigate the ability to increase the conductivity of other condensation polymers such as nylons and polyesters through doping.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/216415
Subject Headings: Polycondensation, Condensation products (Chemistry), Polymers and polymerization, Polymers, Electric properties
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Development and applications of nucleophile assisting leaving groups (NALGs) with Titanium (IV) and Grignard reagents.
Creator: Li, Songye., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: We report here the development of very efficient aryl- and quinolinyl- sulfonate based leaving groups, termed Nucleophile Assisting Leaving Groups (NALGs), which substantially accelerate the rate of nucleophilic substitution reactions with metal halides. Detailed synthesis and kinetics study are described herein. Our synthesized NALGs have shown great reactivity towards poor nucleophiles and/or substrates traditionally considered too hindered to undergo nucleophilic attack. The abundant...
Show moreWe report here the development of very efficient aryl- and quinolinyl- sulfonate based leaving groups, termed Nucleophile Assisting Leaving Groups (NALGs), which substantially accelerate the rate of nucleophilic substitution reactions with metal halides. Detailed synthesis and kinetics study are described herein. Our synthesized NALGs have shown great reactivity towards poor nucleophiles and/or substrates traditionally considered too hindered to undergo nucleophilic attack. The abundant existence of halide, azide and amine in natural products demands new synthetic pathway. To fulfill this requirement, new mild stereoretentive halogenations (chlorination, bromination and iodination) reactions have also been developed for secondary cyclic alcohols using NALGs involving titanium (IV) reagents. The novel methodology can be extended to Azidation reactions as well with titanium (IV) azide, in which Ti (N3)4 is the first time being engaged in organic synthesis. Beased on the NALGs theory we discover the chlorosulfite can be a simplest NALG and applied as the intermediate in mild one-pot stereoretentive halogenations (chlorination and bromination) using titanium (IV) halides as catalysts or stoichiometric reagents. These reactions were found to be particularly efficient for cyclic alcohols. Finally, an efficient mild bromination and iodination reaction for primary and secondary alcohols with Grignard reagents is also reported. This reaction exhibits the generality with substrates with various leaving groups. The important features of this reaction are that, for the first time, bromide formation using Grignard reagents without the Cu (I) catalysts.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3183130
Subject Headings: Chemical kinetics, Chemical reaction, Condition and laws of, Organic compounds, Synthesis, Organotransition metal compounds, Intermediates (Chemistry), Organic reaction mechanisms
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Development of Nucleophile Assisting Leaving Groups (NALGs) and new stereoselective reactions using titanium(IV) reagents.
Creator: Mondal, Deboprosad., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: We report here the development of very efficient sulfonate based leaving groups, termed Nucleophile Assisting Leaving Groups (NALGs), to accelerate the rate of nucleophilic substitution reactions involving poor nucleophiles and/or substrates traditionally considered too hindered to undergo nucleophilic attack. Indeed NALGs have shown exceptional ability in improving rate of nucleophilic substitution reactions. New very mild stereoretentive halogenations and azidation reactions have also been...
Show moreWe report here the development of very efficient sulfonate based leaving groups, termed Nucleophile Assisting Leaving Groups (NALGs), to accelerate the rate of nucleophilic substitution reactions involving poor nucleophiles and/or substrates traditionally considered too hindered to undergo nucleophilic attack. Indeed NALGs have shown exceptional ability in improving rate of nucleophilic substitution reactions. New very mild stereoretentive halogenations and azidation reactions have also been developed for secondary cyclic alcohols using NALGs involving titanium(IV) reagents. This reaction is particularly significant since the carbon-halogen bond is found widely in natural products and is used extensively as a synthesis intermediate. Azide is also a synthetically important functional group from which a variety of biologically important functional groups are conveniently obtained. Though stereoretentive chlorination and bromination reactions are known, we have developed, for the first time, a stereoretentive azidation reaction using titanium(IV) azide, a reagent not previously used in organic synthesis. During our development of stereoretentive reactions, we eventually developed very efficient, mild, two-step one-pot stereoretentive halogenations (chlorination and bromination) using titanium(IV) halides as catalysts or stoichiometric reagents. These reactions were found to be particularly efficient for cyclic alcohols. An efficient one pot stereoretentive amidation reaction for secondary cyclic alcohols is also reported. The important features of this reaction are that, for the first time, chlorosulfite (prepared in situ from alcohol using thionylchloride) has been used as a leaving group and titanium(IV) fluoride as an activator., Utilization of those two reagents is unique as thionylchloride has never been used for nucleophilic substitution reactions except in chlorination procedures. In addition, this work has found new and creative applications for titanium (IV) fluoride, a reactant rarely used in organic synthesis. Further exploiting the unique reactivity of titanium(IV), reactions of alkenes with various nucleophiles have been developed with this reagent in both catalytic and stoichiometric quantities. It was observed that a-substituted aromatic conjugated alkenes dimerize to generate important indan class of compounds which are very important in the polymer industry. In addition, non conjugated unactivated alkenes react with various nucleophiles to yield the adduct.
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3159264
Subject Headings: Chemical reaction, Condition and laws of, Organic compounds, Synthesis, Chemical templates, Intermediates (Chemistry), Organotransition metal compounds, Organic reaction mechanisms
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Discovery and structural characterization of conotoxins from the venom of vermivorous cone snails.
Creator: Dovell, Sanaz., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: Cone snails are venomous marine gastropods that produce venom rich in neuroactive peptides, called conopeptides. The majority of published work on conopeptides has been from fish-hunting and mollusk-hunting cone snails. The work in this dissertation focuses on the discovery and characterization of novel conopeptides from the venom of worm-hunting cone snails. Eleven novel conopeptides have been isolated and biochemically characterized from the venom of C. nux using high performance liquid...
Show moreCone snails are venomous marine gastropods that produce venom rich in neuroactive peptides, called conopeptides. The majority of published work on conopeptides has been from fish-hunting and mollusk-hunting cone snails. The work in this dissertation focuses on the discovery and characterization of novel conopeptides from the venom of worm-hunting cone snails. Eleven novel conopeptides have been isolated and biochemically characterized from the venom of C. nux using high performance liquid chromatography for the isolation and purification, and mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy were used for the biochemical characterization of the conopeptides. Nano-NMR spectroscopy was used as a tool to elucidate the three-dimensional structures of four conotoxins using native quantities of peptide isolated from the venom of C. nux, C. villepinii, and C. regius. In addition, the sequence-specific assignments and molecular model of a conotoxin from the venom of C. flo ridanus was also completed. The first chapter reviews the known conotoxin three-dimensional structures and cystine-constrained frameworks. The second chapter presents the mini-M conotoxins isolated from the venom of C. nux. The third chapter presents the three-dimensional NMR solution structure of a mini-M conotoxin from the venom of C. regius. The fourth chapter presents the cysteine-free conopeptides isolated from the venom of C. nux; conorfamide-nux1, a RFamide-related peptide, and nux770, a short pentapeptide. The fifth chapter presents the T-superfamily conotoxins isolated from the venom of C. nux, as well as the three-dimensional solution structure of one of the T-superfamily conotoxins. The sixth chapter presents the NMR solution structure of the first conotoxin with a cysteine-stabilized helix-loop-helix fold., Finally, the seventh chapter presents the O-superfamily conotoxins isolated from the venom of C. nux, as well as the three-dimensional solution structure of one of the O- superfamily conotoxins with an unusually knotted fold. This work shows the vast structural diversity of peptides that cone snails continue to engineer.
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2684305
Subject Headings: Gastropoda, Venom, Peptides, Structure, Conus, Venom
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: An ecological study of photoautotrophs in Lake Worth.
Creator: Bolter, Keren P., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: Little Lake Worth (LLW) (800 m x 200 m x 8« m) is an artificially deep, monomictic marine basin. Pigments and other water quality parameters (O2, pH, T, S, NO3 -. etc.) were utilized to characterize phototrophic communities and water quality. The water column is dominated by diatoms except in the hypolimnon during stratification events (late Summer) when strong anoxia and H2S favors abundant Chlorobium sulfur bacteria. Results indicate nitrate-enriched freshwater baseflow indicative of septic...
Show moreLittle Lake Worth (LLW) (800 m x 200 m x 8« m) is an artificially deep, monomictic marine basin. Pigments and other water quality parameters (O2, pH, T, S, NO3 -. etc.) were utilized to characterize phototrophic communities and water quality. The water column is dominated by diatoms except in the hypolimnon during stratification events (late Summer) when strong anoxia and H2S favors abundant Chlorobium sulfur bacteria. Results indicate nitrate-enriched freshwater baseflow indicative of septic tank seepage during the wet season. This also appears to lead to the accumulation of concentrated organic matter in the sediment. LLW is a potential threat to the health of the ecosystem and the humans using it recreationally. More research is required to verify the effectiveness of restoration options. The spatial and temporal distribution of Chlorobium (phaeovibiroides tent.) and their Bacteriochlorophyll-e homologues is described and compared to similar studies.
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3151675
Subject Headings: Algae culture, Water quality, Biotic communities, Marine sediments
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Effect of external pH on cyanobacterial pigment expression.
Creator: West, Maria., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: Cyanobacteria are classified as alkalophiles despite their preferential uptake of the acidic form of dissolved inorganic carbon. Long term impacts of external pH on the expression of photosynthetic and structural pigments in Schizothrix calcicola were investigated as potential contributing factors to this phenomenon. More robust cell walls in S. calcicola at pH
Show moreCyanobacteria are classified as alkalophiles despite their preferential uptake of the acidic form of dissolved inorganic carbon. Long term impacts of external pH on the expression of photosynthetic and structural pigments in Schizothrix calcicola were investigated as potential contributing factors to this phenomenon. More robust cell walls in S. calcicola at pH <7 are suggested by significantly greater expression of myxoxanthophylls. Direct and indirect physiological costs of altering cell walls may contribute to S. calcicola's depressed growth at acidic pH. Comparison of chlorophylls expression suggests that alkaline rather than neutral external pH is only beneficial for S. calcicola growth in absence of nutrient limitation. While the cyanobacterial biomarker ratio of chlorophylls to echinenone was stable across the pertinent pH range of 6-8, other pigment ratios in S. calcicola were affected by pH with an approximately two week lag between the change of pH and the corresponding change of pigment expression.
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2795335
Subject Headings: Environmental toxicology, Cyanobacteria, Environmental aspects, Ecosystem management, Vegetation dynamics
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: An extraction optimization and determination of the absolute configuartion of clathric acid.
Creator: Rueda de Leon, Rolando, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: Current research in natural products has heavily focused on the identification of potent biologically active compounds, specifically for drug development. The project detailed in this thesis focuses on the extraction of compounds from marine invertebrates as well as defining the absolute configuration for a compound. Utilizing marine invertebrates, the sonications method developed in this thesis provides an alternative approach to rapidly extract compounds for primary screening. This method...
Show moreCurrent research in natural products has heavily focused on the identification of potent biologically active compounds, specifically for drug development. The project detailed in this thesis focuses on the extraction of compounds from marine invertebrates as well as defining the absolute configuration for a compound. Utilizing marine invertebrates, the sonications method developed in this thesis provides an alternative approach to rapidly extract compounds for primary screening. This method is viable compared to a traditional overnight extraction method, without suffering compound degredation... Previously, clathric acid was isolated from an unknown Clathria sp. This compound is a bibyblic C-21 terpenoid shown to have mild antimicrobial activity against gram positive bacteria. With only its relative configuration established, additional amounts of clathric acid were required to define the overall absolute configuration. Identifying the Clathria sp. to be Clathria compressa, through spicule analysis, additional sponge tissues were then collected off the coast of Boca Raton, Florida to isolate additional quatities of clathric acid. The absolulte configuration was determined through circular dichroism and the octant rule to establish a final configuration for clathric acid's four carbon stereocenters to be: (3S, 7S, 8R, and 12S).
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3355874
Subject Headings: Organic compounds, Analysis, Extraction (Chemistry), Natural products, Therapeutic use, Marine biotechology, Marine resources, Research, Sponges, Ecology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Immunoassay test strip for Microcystin-LR detection.
Creator: Xu, Jiesi., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: Microcystin-LR (MCLR) is hepatotoxic to animals and humans with disruption of liver structure causing cytoskeletal damage, necrosis and pooling of blood in the liver, leading to large increase in liver weight. It is also a strong liver tumor promoter and protein phosphatase inhibitor. Microcysin-LR binds protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, and influences regulation of cellular protein phosphorylation. In the present study, a colloidal gold based immunoassay test strip was developed for Microcystin...
Show moreMicrocystin-LR (MCLR) is hepatotoxic to animals and humans with disruption of liver structure causing cytoskeletal damage, necrosis and pooling of blood in the liver, leading to large increase in liver weight. It is also a strong liver tumor promoter and protein phosphatase inhibitor. Microcysin-LR binds protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, and influences regulation of cellular protein phosphorylation. In the present study, a colloidal gold based immunoassay test strip was developed for Microcystin-LR detection. The detection limit was found to be 1 ng/mL. 5 nm colloidal gold test strips exhibits more efficient for detection, compared with 20 nm colloidal gold test strips. The interaction between Microcystin-LR antibody (immunoglobulin G) and colloidal gold nanoparticles was investigated by various analytical methods, including Ultraviolet/Visible (UV/VIS), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Fluorescence spectroscopy as well as transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2683532
Subject Headings: Immunoassay, Biosensors, Environmental chemistry, Cyanobacterial toxins, Drinking water, Microbiology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Initial investigations of the magnetic circular dichroism of isobutene using synchrotron radiation in the vacuum ultraviolet region.
Creator: Sanders, Clifford., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: Ethylene is the simplest alkene. The carbon-carbon double bond is ubiquitous in the field of chemistry. Ethylene serves as the basis for understanding these molecules. Thus, the assignment of the electronic transitions in ethylene is an important endeavor that many scientists have undertaken, but are yet to decipher theoretically or experimentally. Synchrotron Radiation in the vacuum ultraviolet region allows for magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) measurements of ethylene and other simple...
Show moreEthylene is the simplest alkene. The carbon-carbon double bond is ubiquitous in the field of chemistry. Ethylene serves as the basis for understanding these molecules. Thus, the assignment of the electronic transitions in ethylene is an important endeavor that many scientists have undertaken, but are yet to decipher theoretically or experimentally. Synchrotron Radiation in the vacuum ultraviolet region allows for magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) measurements of ethylene and other simple alkenes. Studies of ethylene and propylene revealed that the páap* (AgáaB1u ethylene notation) transition is not the lowest energy transition. The páa3s(R) (AgáaB3u ethylene notation) is the lowest energy transition. To further this investigation, MCD and absorption measurement were carried out on isobutene. The isobutene spectra clearly showed four electronic transitions in the 156 to 212 nm wavelength region. These four isobutene transitions have been assigned as páa3s, páap*, páa3p(Sv (Band páa3px proceeding from lower energy to higher energy. The present results support the assignments in ethylene and propylene.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/228772
Subject Headings: Bioactive compounds, Testing, Magnetic circular dichroism, Molecular spectroscopy, Spectrum analysis, Quantum theory
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Isolation and structure elucidation of novel compounds from marine cyanobacteria.
Creator: Meickle, Theresa, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: The work of this dissertation examined the secondary metabolites of several blooms of the marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya collected in Guam and Florida with an emphasis on the isolation and structure elucidation of novel biologically active compounds. The introduction in Chapter One provides a brief history of marine natural products, a description of cyanobacteria and a summary of peptides isolated from Lyngbya collected in the Caribbean. In Chapter Two, a bioassay-guided fractionation of a...
Show moreThe work of this dissertation examined the secondary metabolites of several blooms of the marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya collected in Guam and Florida with an emphasis on the isolation and structure elucidation of novel biologically active compounds. The introduction in Chapter One provides a brief history of marine natural products, a description of cyanobacteria and a summary of peptides isolated from Lyngbya collected in the Caribbean. In Chapter Two, a bioassay-guided fractionation of a Floridian collection of Lyngbya polychroa led to the isolation and structural determination of the cytotoxin desacetylmicrocolin B and the known compounds microcolins A and B. The structures were established by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic analysis. All three compounds inhibited the growth of cancer cell lines HT-29 and IMR-32 at nanomolar concentrations. Microcolins A and B were found to have little activity in the ecological assay against the marine fungus Dendryphiella salina. Chapter Three describes the isolation and structure elucidation of the glycosidic, acyl proline derivative tumonoic acid J from a sample Lyngbya sp. collected in Guam. The planar structure was determined by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with high resolution-mass spectrometry (HR-MS) data. Tumonoic acid J showed moderate activity in the ecological assay against the marine fungus D. salina. In Chapter Four, NMR-guided fractionation of a Floridian sample of Lyngbya majuscula led to the isolation of two novel cyclic peptides porpoisamides A and B. The planar structures were determined by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy with HR-MS data. The absolute configurations of these two compounds were defined through chiral chromatographic methods and derivatization techniques., The porpoisamides showed only moderate activity in cytotoxicity assays against cancer cell lines HCT-116 and U2OS. Finally, Chapter Five examines a potential ecological role of compounds isolated from marine cyanobacte ria. These secondary metabolites may function as chemical defenses against competing microorganisms within marine environments. Compounds isolated from cyanobacteria were tested for anti-fungal activity against the saprophytic marine fungus D. salina. Three of the six compounds tested produced inhibitory activity at or below their natural concentration.
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2978991
Subject Headings: Sponges, Ecology, Cyanobacteria, Biological control, Aquatic ecology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Isolation of briareolate esters from Briareum asbestinum.
Creator: Meginley, Rian J., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: The gorgonian Briareum asbestinum is widely studied because it possesses highly oxygenated novel structures, many of which exhibit useful biological activities. Recently, two new briarane diterpenoids, briareolate esters J and K, together with two known briareolate esters have been isolated from a specimen of Briareum asbestinum collected off the coast of Boca Raton, Florida. The method used was a 96-well plate real-time cell electronic sensing (RT-CES) system to discover compounds that...
Show moreThe gorgonian Briareum asbestinum is widely studied because it possesses highly oxygenated novel structures, many of which exhibit useful biological activities. Recently, two new briarane diterpenoids, briareolate esters J and K, together with two known briareolate esters have been isolated from a specimen of Briareum asbestinum collected off the coast of Boca Raton, Florida. The method used was a 96-well plate real-time cell electronic sensing (RT-CES) system to discover compounds that impact human embryonic stem cell growth. The compounds were isolated using reversed phase polystyrene divinylbenzene chromatographic support HP20ss followed by normal phased HPLC using a luna silica column. The structures of the compounds were established though the interpretation of spectroscopic data. Activity testing was conducted against hESCs (BG02) with briareolate ester J showing no inhibition activity and briareolate ester K showing mild activity with an EC50 value of 25 (So(BM. These results confirm that the exact confirmation and existence of the (E,Z)-dienone is related to the activity that was observed with the previously isolated briareolate esters L and M.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3360959
Subject Headings: Coral reef ecology, Marine organisms, Environmental aspects, Marine natural products, Bioactive compounds
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Light intensity influences on algal pigments, proteins and carbohydrates: implications for pigment-based chemotaxonomy.
Creator: Grant, Cidya S., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: Phytoplankton Chlorophyll a (CHLa), total protein, colloidal carbohydrates, storage carbohydrates and taxonomic pigment relationships were studied in two cyanophytes (Microcystis aeruginosa and Synnechococcus elongatus), two chlorophytes (Dunaliella tertiolecta and Scenedesmus quadricauda), one cryptophyte (Rhodomonas salina), two diatoms (Cyclotella meneghiniana and Thalassiosira weissflogii) and one dinophyte (Amphidinium carterae) to assess if algal biomass could be expressed in other...
Show morePhytoplankton Chlorophyll a (CHLa), total protein, colloidal carbohydrates, storage carbohydrates and taxonomic pigment relationships were studied in two cyanophytes (Microcystis aeruginosa and Synnechococcus elongatus), two chlorophytes (Dunaliella tertiolecta and Scenedesmus quadricauda), one cryptophyte (Rhodomonas salina), two diatoms (Cyclotella meneghiniana and Thalassiosira weissflogii) and one dinophyte (Amphidinium carterae) to assess if algal biomass could be expressed in other indices than just chlorophyll a alone. Protein and carbohydrates are more useful currencies for expressing algal biomass, with respect to energy flow amongst trophic levels. These phytoplankton were grown at low light (LL = 37 (So(Bmol photons m-2 s-1), medium light (ML = 70-75 (So(Bmol photons m-2 s-1), and high light (HL= 200 (So(Bmol photons m-2 s-1)., Even though pigment per cell increased with increasing light intensity, statistically light had very little effect on the CHL a : taxonomic marker pigment ratios, as they covaried in the same way. Protein, colloidal carbohydrates and storage carbohydrates per cell all increased with increasing light intensity, but they did not covary with CHLa. Statistical data showed that light intensity had a more noticeable effect on protein: CHL a, colloidal carbohydrate: CHLa, storage CHO: CHLa, therefore a general mathematical expression for these relationships cannot be generated. This study showed that light intensity does have an influence on these biomass indices, therefore, seasonal and latitudinal formulas may be required for meaningful algal biomass estimation. However, more studies are needed if that goal is to be realized., While studying the effects of light intensity on algal pigment content and concentration, a new pigment was isolated from a cyanophyte (Scytonema hofmanii) growing between 300-1800 (So(Bmol photons¨m-2¨s-1 and from samples collected in areas of the Florida Everglades. This pigment was characterized and structurally determined to possess indolic and phenolic subunits that are characteristic of scytonemin and its derivatives. In addition, the pigment has a ketamine functionality which gives it its unique polarity and spectral properties. Based on the ultra violet/visible absorbance data, this pigment was postulated to be protecting the chlorophyll a and cytochrome Soret bands as well as a and (Sb (Bbands of the cytochromes (e.g. cytc-562) in the photosynthetic unit.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3332257
Subject Headings: Plant pigments, Analysis, Photosynthetic pgiments, Analysis, Plant allometry, Enviornmental geochemistry, Marine algae, Analysis
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Mechanism of neuroprotection in stroke-related models.
Creator: Pan, Chunliu., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: Stroke is the third leading cause of mortality in the United States, and so far, no clinical interventions have been proved truly effective in stroke treatment. Stroke my result in hypoxia, glutamate release and oxidative stress, etc. The purpose of this dissertation study is to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of four drugs (taurine, G-CSF sulindac and DETC-MeSO) on PC12 cell line or primary cortical neuronal cell culture, and to understand the protective mechanisms underlying in three...
Show moreStroke is the third leading cause of mortality in the United States, and so far, no clinical interventions have been proved truly effective in stroke treatment. Stroke my result in hypoxia, glutamate release and oxidative stress, etc. The purpose of this dissertation study is to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of four drugs (taurine, G-CSF sulindac and DETC-MeSO) on PC12 cell line or primary cortical neuronal cell culture, and to understand the protective mechanisms underlying in three stroke-related models : hypoxia, excessive glutamtate and oxidative stress. In the first part of this dissertation, we studied the neuroprotection of taurine against oxidative stress induced by H2O2 in PC12 cells. Our results show that extracellular taurine exerts a neuroprotective function by restoring the expression of Bcl-2 and downregulation of the three Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) stress markers : GRP78, Bim and CHOP/GADD153, suggesting that ER stress can be provoked by oxidative stress and can be suppressed by taurine. In the second part, glutamate excitotoxicity-induced ER stress was studied with dose and time as variables in primary cortical neurons. The results demonstrate that glutamate excitotoxicity leads to the activation of three ER stress pathways (PERK, ATF6 and IRE1) by initiating PERK first, ATF6 second and IRE1 pathway last. The third part of this dissertation studied the robust and beneficial protection of taurine in cortical neurons under hypoxia/reoxygenation or glutamate toxicity condition. We found that taurine suppresses the up-regulation of GRP778, Bim, caspase-12 and GADD153/CHOP induced by excessive glutamate or hypoxia/reoxygenation, suggesting that taurine may exert a protective function against hypoxia/regeneration by reducing the ER stress., Moreover, taurine can down-regulate the ratio of cleaved ATF6 and full length ATF6, and p-IRE1 expresssion, indicating that taurine inhibits the ER stress induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation or glutamate through suppressing ATF6 and IRE1 pathways. In the fourth part, the synergistic benefits of the combination of taurine and G-CSF, and the neuroprotective effects of G-CSF, sulindac or DETC-MeSO are studied in cortical neurons. Our results show that G-CSF, sulindac or DETC-MeSO can highly increase the neuron visibility by inhibiting ER stress induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation or glutamate toxicity. Furthermore, we proved that G-CSF or sulindac can significantly inhibit the activation of ATF6 or IRE1 pathway stimulated by hypoxia/reoxygenation, and DETC-MeSO can suppress the activation of both PERK and IRE1 pathways in primary neuron cultures. These findings provide promising and rational strategies for stroke therapy.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3352284
Subject Headings: Sulindac, Physiological effect, Taurine, Physiological effect, Cerebral ischemia, Prevention, Biochemical markers, Diagnostic use, Apoptosis, Oxidation reduction reaction
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Molecular characterization of the injected venom of Conus ermineus.
Creator: Rivera-Ortiz, Jose A., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: Cone snails are predatory marine animals that rely on their venom components to immobilize and capture their prey. According to the type of prey preference, cone snails can be divided into three groups: vermivorous, molluscivorous and piscivorous. Conus ermineus had been identified as the only piscivorous snail of the Atlantic Ocean. Cone snail venom is a complex and rich sources of natural toxins. The majority of the components of the venom are peptidic in nature, and they act over different...
Show moreCone snails are predatory marine animals that rely on their venom components to immobilize and capture their prey. According to the type of prey preference, cone snails can be divided into three groups: vermivorous, molluscivorous and piscivorous. Conus ermineus had been identified as the only piscivorous snail of the Atlantic Ocean. Cone snail venom is a complex and rich sources of natural toxins. The majority of the components of the venom are peptidic in nature, and they act over different ionic channels and membrane receptors. Initial studies using mixture of venom collected from dissected venom ducts concluded that the venom from the same species do not exhibit unusual peptide polymorphism [Olivera, Hillyard, et al., 1995] and that the only major difference between individuals of the same species are different concentrations of the venom components [Vianna, et al., 2005]. For this study, peptides in the injected venom were collected from individual snails and characterized usin g analytical RP-HPLC for a maximum of three years. The different fractions collected were processed through capillary HPLC coupled with Q-TOF ESI-MS, and compared with analytical RP-HPLC fractions processed with MALDI-TOF MS. This study demonstrates that there is an animal-to-animal variation in the peptide components of the injected venom. The injected venom remains relatively constant over time for specific specimens in captivity. Finally, there are some peptides that had been found in all specimens both by MALDI-TOF MS and by ESI-MS. In this study, these peptides are called "molecular fingerprint" peptides. Based on matches of their derived masses to those predicted by published cDNA sequences, nine novel peptides were putatively identified. This study establishes that variations due to enzymatic posttranslational modification are omitted when we consider only information extrapolated from cDNA., The results of this study support the idea of the existence of a novel regulatory mechaism to expressed specific venom peptides for injection into the prey.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3333310
Subject Headings: Gastropoda, Venom, Peptides, Structure, Coastal ecology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Neuroprotection from induced glutamate excitotoxicity by Conus brunneus conopeptides in a stroke-related model.
Creator: Crouch, Rebecca A., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Abstract/Description: Cone snails are carnivorous marine mollusks, utilizing their neuropeptide-rich venom for prey capture. The venom of Conus brunneus, a wide-spread Eastern Pacific vermivore, has not been extensively studied. In the current work, peptides from the dissected venom were characterized and tested using preliminary bioassays. Six peptides (A-F) were isolated and tested. Three peptide identities were determined by comparison with previously reported data: bru9a (A), bru3a (F), and an a-conotoxin (E)....
Show moreCone snails are carnivorous marine mollusks, utilizing their neuropeptide-rich venom for prey capture. The venom of Conus brunneus, a wide-spread Eastern Pacific vermivore, has not been extensively studied. In the current work, peptides from the dissected venom were characterized and tested using preliminary bioassays. Six peptides (A-F) were isolated and tested. Three peptide identities were determined by comparison with previously reported data: bru9a (A), bru3a (F), and an a-conotoxin (E). Preliminary screening in a stroke-related model of induced glutamate excitotoxicity in primary neuronal cells and PC12 cell cultures indicated potential neuroprotective activity of peptide fractions A, D, and F. Further testing is necessary to determine and verify structure, activity, target, and mechanism of action of the promising peptides from C. brunneus, which may prove effective neuropharmacological agents to treat stroke.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3362331
Subject Headings: Gastropoda, Venom, Therapeutic use, Peptides, Structure, Neuroprotective agents, Central nervous system, Diseases, Treatment
Format: Document (PDF)

Synthesis (7)	+ -
Organic compounds (6)	+ -
Peptides (5)	+ -
Analysis (4)	+ -
Therapeutic use (4)	+ -

Ecology (3)	+ -
Environmental aspects (3)	+ -
Gastropoda (3)	+ -
Research (3)	+ -
Sponges (3)	+ -
Structure (3)	+ -
Venom (3)	+ -
Apoptosis (2)	+ -
Bioactive compounds (2)	+ -
Biochemical markers (2)	+ -
Carbonyl compounds (2)	+ -
Cellular signal transduction (2)	+ -
Chemical reaction, Condition and laws of (2)	+ -
Coral reef ecology (2)	+ -
Cyanobacteria (2)	+ -
Diseases (2)	+ -
Intermediates (Chemistry) (2)	+ -
Lanthanide shift reagents (2)	+ -
Marine organisms (2)	+ -
Marine resources (2)	+ -
Metallic composites (2)	+ -
Natural products (2)	+ -
Organic reaction mechanisms (2)	+ -
Organotransition metal compounds (2)	+ -
Polymers (2)	+ -

Everglades (1)	+ -
Florida (1)	+ -
Lake Worth Lagoon (Fla.) (1)	+ -

Charles E. Schmidt College of Science (30)	+ -
Barot, Girish Vallabhbhai. (1)	+ -
Battin, Amitabh J. (1)	+ -
Bionda, Nina. (1)	+ -
Bolter, Keren P. (1)	+ -

Browne, Jamie L. (1)	+ -
Clark, Jessica Montressa. (1)	+ -
Crouch, Rebecca A. (1)	+ -
Cudic, Predrag (1)	+ -
De Lill, Daniel T. (1)	+ -
Dovell, Sanaz. (1)	+ -
Fox, Sara A. (1)	+ -
Grant, Cidya S. (1)	+ -
Greig, Natalie E. (1)	+ -
He, Chang. (1)	+ -
Hijazi, Ahmad Alex. (1)	+ -
Lepore, Salvatore D. (1)	+ -
Li, Songye. (1)	+ -
Livingston, Paula A. (1)	+ -
Maity, Pradip. (1)	+ -
Meginley, Rian J. (1)	+ -
Meickle, Theresa (1)	+ -
Mondal, Deboprosad. (1)	+ -
Pan, Chunliu. (1)	+ -
Ramirez, Amanda Lyn Staggers. (1)	+ -
Rivera-Ortiz, Jose A. (1)	+ -
Rodriguez Benavente, Maria Carolina (1)	+ -
Rondeau, Melody D. (1)	+ -
Rueda de Leon, Rolando (1)	+ -

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