Structural characterisation of the human innate immune proteins FIBCD1 and surfactant proteins A and D (2021)
Thesis
Williams, H. M. (2021). Structural characterisation of the human innate immune proteins FIBCD1 and surfactant proteins A and D. (Thesis). Keele University

The surfactant proteins A and D (SP-A and SP-D) and fibrinogen C containing domain 1 (FIBCD1) are pattern recognition receptors, which recognise pathogens through the binding of carbohydrate residues embedded within surface structures. The work prese... Read More about Structural characterisation of the human innate immune proteins FIBCD1 and surfactant proteins A and D.

Investigation into the role of long non-coding RNAs in neuroblastoma and glioma (2021)
Thesis
Bountali, A. (2021). Investigation into the role of long non-coding RNAs in neuroblastoma and glioma. (Thesis). Keele University

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play key roles in several processes in healthy and cancer settings and the underpinning mechanisms of their action are thoroughly investigated. In line with this, this study investigates the role of the lncRNA myocardia... Read More about Investigation into the role of long non-coding RNAs in neuroblastoma and glioma.

Developmental Modulation of Root Cell Wall Architecture Confers Resistance to an Oomycete Pathogen (2020)
Journal Article
Gavrin, A., Rey, T., Torode, T. A., Toulotte, J., Chatterjee, A., Louis Kaplan, J., …Schornack, S. (2020). Developmental Modulation of Root Cell Wall Architecture Confers Resistance to an Oomycete Pathogen. Current Biology, 4165 - 4176.e5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.08.011

The cell wall is the primary interface between plant cells and their immediate environment and must balance multiple functionalities, including the regulation of growth, the entry of beneficial microbes, and protection against pathogens. Here, we dem... Read More about Developmental Modulation of Root Cell Wall Architecture Confers Resistance to an Oomycete Pathogen.

Structural characterisation of human immunoglobulin G Fc fragment and its interaction with heparin (2020)
Thesis
Earps, H. F. (2020). Structural characterisation of human immunoglobulin G Fc fragment and its interaction with heparin. (Thesis). Keele University

Human immunoglobulin (Ig) G is the most commonly found class of antibody in the human body and is involved in pathogen recognition as a part of the adaptive and innate immune response. Recognition occurs through the fragment antibody binding (FAB) re... Read More about Structural characterisation of human immunoglobulin G Fc fragment and its interaction with heparin.

Cytoprotective effects of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids in pancreatic beta cells (2020)
Thesis
Grimes, D. (2020). Cytoprotective effects of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids in pancreatic beta cells. (Thesis). Keele University

Pro-inflammatory cytokines and glucolipotoxicity are known mediators of beta cell death and dysfunction in the pathogenesis of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). In contrast to the pro-apoptotic effects of long-chain saturated fatty acids in b... Read More about Cytoprotective effects of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids in pancreatic beta cells.

The role of ATP6V1E1 in the control of apoptosis, survival and motility of breast cancer cells (2020)
Thesis
Mohammed, S. N. (2020). The role of ATP6V1E1 in the control of apoptosis, survival and motility of breast cancer cells. (Thesis). Keele University

Background and aims: Aggressiveness and invasiveness of breast cancer are influenced by multiple cellular and molecular factors, some of which are yet to be elucidated. In normal cells, vacuolar H (+) -ATPase (V ATPases), which pump protons across th... Read More about The role of ATP6V1E1 in the control of apoptosis, survival and motility of breast cancer cells.

Genetic validation of Leishmania genes essential for amastigote survival in vivo using N-myristoyltransferase as a model (2020)
Journal Article
Paape, D., Prendergast, C., Price, H., Doehl, J., & Smith, D. (2020). Genetic validation of Leishmania genes essential for amastigote survival in vivo using N-myristoyltransferase as a model. Parasites and Vectors, 13, Article 132. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-3999-1

Background: Proving that specifc genes are essential for the intracellular viability of Leishmania parasites within
macrophages remains a challenge for the identifcation of suitable targets for drug development. This is especially
evident in the ab... Read More about Genetic validation of Leishmania genes essential for amastigote survival in vivo using N-myristoyltransferase as a model.

Electrophysiological properties of neurons grown on soft polymer scaffolds reveal the potential to develop neuromimetic culture environments (2020)
Journal Article
Evans, M. G., Al-Shakli, A., & Chari, D. M. (2020). Electrophysiological properties of neurons grown on soft polymer scaffolds reveal the potential to develop neuromimetic culture environments. Integrative Biology, 395-403. https://doi.org/10.1093/intbio/zyz033

Tissue engineering methodologies for various physiological systems are seeing a significant trend towards 3-D cell culture in or on ‘soft’ polymeric hydrogel materials, widely considered to provide a more biomimetic environment for cell growth versus... Read More about Electrophysiological properties of neurons grown on soft polymer scaffolds reveal the potential to develop neuromimetic culture environments.

Investigation of modified forms of serum C-reactive protein in diabetes mellitus (2019)
Thesis
Mahmood, S. M. (2019). Investigation of modified forms of serum C-reactive protein in diabetes mellitus. (Thesis). Keele University. Retrieved from https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/414936

C-reactive protein (CRP) is known to dissociate to its monomeric subunits (mCRP) in vivo. Furthermore, hyperglycaemia associated with diabetes mellitus (DM) results in glycation of serum proteins to a various extent based on their half-life and glyca... Read More about Investigation of modified forms of serum C-reactive protein in diabetes mellitus.

The structure of Lipid A and composition of the oligosaccharides of the lipopolysaccharides of the bacterial species: Veillonella parvula (2019)
Thesis
Pither, M. (2019). The structure of Lipid A and composition of the oligosaccharides of the lipopolysaccharides of the bacterial species: Veillonella parvula. (Thesis). Keele University. Retrieved from https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/417815

Veillonella parvula is a Gram-negative bacterium known to be an abundant commensal coloniser of the human gut and mouth; it is linked to progression of childhood immune system but has also been found to be an opportunistic pathogen. Lipopolysaccharid... Read More about The structure of Lipid A and composition of the oligosaccharides of the lipopolysaccharides of the bacterial species: Veillonella parvula.

An evaluation of the antiparasitic activities of a novel natural product and open-access Pathogen Box libraries (2019)
Thesis
Hameed, H. N. (2019). An evaluation of the antiparasitic activities of a novel natural product and open-access Pathogen Box libraries. (Thesis). Keele University. Retrieved from https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/413079

Using a novel library of natural products isolated from temperate zone plants, the antiparasitic activity of 643 Phytopure library compounds were determined against intraerytrocytic P. falciparum, the blood-stream form of T. b brucei and axenic amast... Read More about An evaluation of the antiparasitic activities of a novel natural product and open-access Pathogen Box libraries.

Biophysical studies of dynamic CD4 changes implicated in HIV-1 infection (2019)
Thesis
Channell, J. A. (2019). Biophysical studies of dynamic CD4 changes implicated in HIV-1 infection. (Thesis). Keele University. Retrieved from https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/413133

Cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) is a receptor protein found on the surface of cells of the immune system and is the primary receptor of the human immuno-deficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein 120 (gp120). The extracellular portion of CD4... Read More about Biophysical studies of dynamic CD4 changes implicated in HIV-1 infection.

Biochemical, biophysical, and structural studies of seed proteins from Moringa oleifera and implications for traditional water purification (2019)
Thesis
Moulin, M. (2019). Biochemical, biophysical, and structural studies of seed proteins from Moringa oleifera and implications for traditional water purification. (Thesis). Keele University. Retrieved from https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/413067

Moringa oleifera is a tropical plant that belongs to the Moringaceae family and is native to northern India. Moringa oleifera is called The Miracle Tree because many of its parts have valuable applications. In particular, seed extracts from the plant... Read More about Biochemical, biophysical, and structural studies of seed proteins from Moringa oleifera and implications for traditional water purification.

Heparin and heparin-like molecules inhibit the Alzheimer’s ß-secretase (BACE1): considerations for biological assay and future therapeutic development (2018)
Thesis
Hadfield, L. C. (2018). Heparin and heparin-like molecules inhibit the Alzheimer’s ß-secretase (BACE1): considerations for biological assay and future therapeutic development. (Thesis). Keele University. Retrieved from https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/411146

The biologically and medically important heparan sulphate and heparin polysaccharides have previously been shown to modulate the activity of an aspartyl protease, ß-secretase (BACE1), implicated in the aetiology of Alzheimer’s disease. Research group... Read More about Heparin and heparin-like molecules inhibit the Alzheimer’s ß-secretase (BACE1): considerations for biological assay and future therapeutic development.

The copulation behaviour of the western flower thrips (2018)
Thesis
Akinyemi, A. O. (2018). The copulation behaviour of the western flower thrips. (Thesis). Keele University. Retrieved from https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/411431

The western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a major pest of agricultural and horticultural importance in most parts of the world. It damages crops by feeding and transmission of viruses. There is a nee... Read More about The copulation behaviour of the western flower thrips.

Plasmodium falciparum dipeptidyl aminopeptidase 3 activity is important for efficient erythrocyte invasion by the malaria parasite (2018)
Journal Article
Russo. (2018). Plasmodium falciparum dipeptidyl aminopeptidase 3 activity is important for efficient erythrocyte invasion by the malaria parasite. PLoS Pathogens, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1007031

Parasite egress from infected erythrocytes and invasion of new red blood cells are essential processes for the exponential asexual replication of the malaria parasite. These two tightly coordinated events take place in less than a minute and are in p... Read More about Plasmodium falciparum dipeptidyl aminopeptidase 3 activity is important for efficient erythrocyte invasion by the malaria parasite.

Evaluation of analogues of furan-amidines as inhibitors of NQO2 (2018)
Journal Article
Russo. (2018). Evaluation of analogues of furan-amidines as inhibitors of NQO2. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 1292 - 1297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bmcl.2018.03.025

Inhibitors of the enzyme NQO2 (NRH: quinone oxidoreductase 2) are of potential use in cancer chemotherapy and malaria. We have previously reported that non-symmetrical furan amidines are potent inhibitors of NQO2 and here novel analogues are evaluate... Read More about Evaluation of analogues of furan-amidines as inhibitors of NQO2.

Myeloid ERK5 deficiency suppresses tumor growth by blocking protumor macrophage polarization via STAT3 inhibition (2018)
Journal Article
Russo. (2018). Myeloid ERK5 deficiency suppresses tumor growth by blocking protumor macrophage polarization via STAT3 inhibition. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, E2801 - E2810. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1707929115

Owing to the prevalence of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in cancer and their unique influence upon disease progression and malignancy, macrophage-targeted interventions have attracted notable attention in cancer immunotherapy. However, tractabl... Read More about Myeloid ERK5 deficiency suppresses tumor growth by blocking protumor macrophage polarization via STAT3 inhibition.

Plasmepsins IX and X are essential and druggable mediators of malaria parasite egress and invasion (2017)
Journal Article
Russo. (2017). Plasmepsins IX and X are essential and druggable mediators of malaria parasite egress and invasion. Science, 518 - 522. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aan1478

Proteases of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum have long been investigated as drug targets. The P. falciparum genome encodes 10 aspartic proteases called plasmepsins, which are involved in diverse cellular processes. Most have been studied e... Read More about Plasmepsins IX and X are essential and druggable mediators of malaria parasite egress and invasion.

Biological Flora of the British Isles: Sorbus torminalis (2017)
Journal Article
(2017). Biological Flora of the British Isles: Sorbus torminalis. Journal of Ecology, 1806-1831. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.12857

1.This account presents information on all aspects of the biology of Sorbus torminalis (L.) Crantz (Wild Service-tree) that are relevant to understanding its ecological characteristics and behaviour. The main topics are presented within the standard... Read More about Biological Flora of the British Isles: Sorbus torminalis.