Direct questions about HHMI-funded programs to: Dr. Ann Findley, Program Director: 318-342-1817 or mailto:afindley@ulm.edu
or
Ms. Sami Recoulley Owens, Coordinator for the Hughes Program at ULM: 318-342-1885 or mailto:recoulley@ulm.edu
2003 Summer Awardees
Allison Stacey (Jack Losso, Dept. of Food Science) Anti-angiogenic properties of proteoglycans extracted from chicken keel bone.
Proteoglycans were isolated and
purified from chicken keel bones, and analyzed for molecular weight and type,
enzyme inhibitory characteristics, and angiogenic properties. The analyses
of
the SDS-PAGE using Commassie Blue and glycoprotein stains proved that the
purified sample had a molecular mass of approximately 52 KDa and was made up of
glycoproteins. The MALDI-TOF mass spectra confirmed these results in further
detail. The Chemicon gelatinase assay using different concentrations of chicken
proteoglycans demonstrated inhibition of MMP-9. The in vitro
angiogenesis assay showed that the chicken proteoglycans contained
anti-angiogenesis properties, which inspires further research on these
compounds.
Paul Thurlow (Todd Monroe, Dept. of Biological Engineering) Control of DNAzyme activity using DMNPE as a Cage Compound.
In this
experiment Paul helped investigate the potential of using 1(4,5dimethoxy,2-nitrophenal)
diazoethane (DMNPE) to control a DNAzyme’s self cleaving ability . The DNAzyme
was tested in three forms: a self cleaving oligonucleotide, a substrate and
catalyst. The DNA was successfully caged to an estimated 30% efficiency. The
DNAzyme however did not cleave in any form (caged, native, or uncaged). Several
reaction conditions were evaluated. Future research should include DANzymes that
cleave RNA.