Volume 3, No. 1, 2017
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Acta Spartae is the undergraduate journal of sciences and mathematics at The University of Tampa, and is designed to recognize and promote the vibrant undergraduate research community at UT by providing a forum for the dissemination of research and ideas produced at the University.
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Browsing Volume 3, No. 1, 2017 by Subject "Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics"
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Item Quantum mechanical investigation of the inner sphere reduction of the [(NSSSN)Co(III)Cl+2] cation and its analogs(College of Natural and Health Sciences, The University of Tampa, 2017) William Smith; Thomas Jackman; Olaseni SodeThe inner sphere pathway is an electron transfer (ET) mechanism that utilizes a bridging ligand to covalently link oxidant and reductant centers. The reductions of chloro-N-methyl-bis(5-amino- 3-thiapentyl)amine cobalt(III) [(NSNSN)Co(III)Cl+3] and chloro(1,11- diamino-3,6,9-trithiaundecane)cobalt(III) cation [(NSSSN)Co(III)Cl+2] by iron(II) via inner sphere ET have been shown experimentally to occur with rate constants more than 107 times faster than the nitrogen analog [(NNNNN)Co(III)Cl+2]. It has been hypothesized that this is due to non-bridging ligand effects. To test this hypothesis, the role of ground state electronic effects by the sulfur-containing ligands on the ET is investigated through the use of quantum chemistry methods. The non-bridging ligand effects were explored through the structural parameters of the cobalt complexes and by examining the LUMOs using both wavefunction theory (WFT) and density functional theory (DFT) methods. We show that the complexes containing sulfur atoms (NSSSN and NSNSN) display similar geometries. These are in contrast to the nitrogen analog (NNNNN) geometry, pointing towards a possible structural driving force in the rate constant difference.Item Stability of p53 mRNA Isoforms in MCF7 Cells(College of Natural and Health Sciences, The University of Tampa, 2017) Zachary M. Connelly; L. Michael CarastroTumor protein 53 (p53) is a tumor suppressor gene that has two key functions. This protein regulates cell cycle and induces apoptosis, or programmed cell death. TP53 mRNA isoforms differ in lengths of the 5’-leader sequence. Longer isoforms (p53 mRNAL) contain a putative upstream open reading frame, not present in shorter 5’ leaders (p53 mRNA-S). We hypothesize p53 mRNAL is subject to nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD). Treatment with cycloheximide, caffeine, and wortmannin diminish NMD. Our objective was to chemically inhibit NMD in MCF7 cells concurrently treated with Actinomycin D. Cellular proteins were subjected to SDSPAGE and western analyses for p53. Isolated RNA samples were synthesized into cDNA, then subjected to qRT-PCR analyses of p53 mRNA isoforms. p53 mRNA-L/ p53 mRNA-S isoform ratios (L/S) were calculated from Relative Quantification (RQ) values obtained from p53 mRNA isoforms, by comparing treated to untreated samples and were reported as mean L/S ratios and standard deviations. Actinomycin D treatment, without inhibitors, resulted in a L/S = 1.070 ( 0.05). Actinomycin D co-treatment with cycloheximide, caffeine or wortmannin resulted in L/S means of 1.159 ( 0.07), 1.181 ( 0.18) and 1.279 ( 0.15), respectively. Western blot analyses were consistent with reduced translation of p53 protein in cycloheximide treated cells. Caffeine and wortmannin treated cells contained a prominent p53 protein band consistent with hypo-phosphorylated p53. In conclusion, chemical treatment effectively inhibited translation and kinase activity. p53 mRNA-L is partially rescued in cells treated with inhibitors of translation and kinase activity.