Haem proteins are functionally and structurally extremely diverse biomolecules and play a vital role in aerobic life. They perform a vast range of functions like transport of oxygen and electron transfer, gene regulation, redox-sensing and drug metabolism. This many-sidedness of…
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An introductory chapter discusses the steric block, RNase H and RNA interference antisense mechanisms and the application of antisense nucleic acids as therapeutic agents. Examples of existing chemical modifications of the sugar and backbone regions of nucleic acids are given, f…
This project was aimed to elucidate the sub-cellular and molecular regulation of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced muscle protein turnover (protein synthesis (PS) and protein degradation) in two in vitro models, C2C12 murine myotubes and avian primary skeletal muscle cell line. I…
The therapeutic benefits of cannabis have been known for centuries of years. Yet it has only been in the last 40 years that an understanding of the system by which its works in our bodies has begun to be defined. This has in turn led to the discovery and understanding of the end…
The prevalence of cardiovascular disease is lower in premenopausal women compared to age-matched males and postmenopausal females. Differences in risk may be due to sex differences in endothelial function. Therefore, this thesis examined the effects of gender on endothelium-depe…
Marine polysaccharides have been widely used as a source of nutritional supplement for various therapeutic applications. Uncertainties and significant gaps in our knowledge about the macromolecular properties of these substances have limited their use particularly in the pharmac…
During vertebrate gastrulation, convergence and extension (CE) cell movements narrow the body axis medial-laterally (convergence) and extend it anterior-posteriorly (extension). In zebrafish, Wnt11 (silberblick) and Wnt5b (pipetail) mutants exhibited widening and shortening of t…
The cannabinoid CB1 receptor is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) which is important in the regulation of neuronal function, predominately via coupling to heterotrimeric Gi/o proteins. The receptor has also been shown to interact with a variety of other intracellular signallin…
Significant opioid- and endocannabinoid-dependent changes occur within the periaqueductal grey (PAG), rostroventral medulla (RVM) and spinal cord (DH) during postnatal development of the rat (Sprague Dawley). These changes are involved in the differential descending control of s…
The VGF gene (non-acronymic) was first implicated in energy homeostasis by VGF-/- null mice, which were lean, hypermetabolic and hyperactive, suggesting an anabolic role for VGF (Hahm et al., 1999). Furthermore, VGF-/- mice were resistant to obesity induced by diet and genetic m…
Very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) are essential to Arabidopsis growth and development. VLCFAs are found in sphingolipids, glycerophospholipids, triacylglycerols, suberin and cuticular waxes. VLCFAs are synthesized by the addition of 2 carbons from malonyl-CoA to pre-existing …
Eukaryotic initiation factor 4A (eIF4A) is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase responsible for unwinding the secondary structure of mRNAs. In humans, eIF4A exists as three separate paralogs: eIF4AI and eIF4AII possess a high degree of homology while eIF4AIII is distinct. Knockdown of …
Corticosterone is the main glucocorticoid in rodents. Its secretion follows a circadian rhythm and is increased in response to stress. Corticosterone is thought to possess rewarding effects. For example, enhanced corticosterone secretion is associated with the exposure to natura…
Central white matter and peripheral nerves function by conducting action potentials, which rely on the presence of transmembrane potentials generated by ion gradients. The maintenance of these transmembrane potentials is the main energy-dependent process in the nervous system. I…
The objective of this thesis was to assess the impact of altering macronutrient intakes on hepatic lipid metabolism. Two separate studies were performed, with liver triglyceride content being the principal outcome of both. In the first study 32 healthy and centrally overweight m…
Body condition score has been considered an indirect measure of nutritional status and nutrition has been demonstrated to interact with reproduction. Adiponectin and leptin, because of its insulin sensitising actions and their association with body condition could be potential r…
The RsmA/CsrA family of global post-transcriptional regulators are small RNA-binding proteins involved in the regulation of a large number of genes such as those involved in quorum sensing, virulence factor production, secondary metabolism, motility and biofilm formation. They b…
In vertebrates, haematopoiesis occurs in two waves. The primitive wave gives rise to transient myeloid and erythroid cells whereas the definitive wave generates haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which maintain the blood system throughout life. These HSCs are able to self-renew a…
Monocytic leukaemia zinc-finger protein (MOZ) is a histone acetyltransferase (HAT) implicated in haematopoiesis and acute myeloid leukaemia, as well as embryonic and postnatal development. MOZ contains multiple domains, including a MYST HAT domain and a double PHD finger domain …