This study investigates the relationship between national institutional context andnational advantage in the biotechnology sector. It is argued that differences in nationaltechnological advantage may be traced to differences in deep-rooted, country-specificinstitutional systems which support the accumulation and diffusion of knowledge betweenthe scientific and industrial communities. The study contributes to a better understandingof the relationship between societal context and national innovative performance. Itfurther enriches theory through considering how national patterns are imprinted upon theR&D strategies which firms pursue.[...] / Cette these etudie la relation au niveau national entre le contexte institutiormel etI'avantage technologique dans I'industrie de la biotechnologie. U est suggere que lesdifferences dans les avantages technologiques peuvent etre reliees aux differences dessystemes institutionnels propres aux pays respectifs qui soutiennent la production et ladiffusion de cormaissance entre les communautes scientifique et industrielle. Cette etudepermet une meilleure comprehension de la relation entre le contexte social et laperformance d'innovation d'un pays. De plus, cette these etudie comment les tendancesnationales sont impregnees des strategies de R & D prises par les entreprises.[...]

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Triticale (x Triticosecale Whitm.) is a cereal with favorable agronomic traits for a Canadian bioproduction platform crop. Appropriate tissue sampling times were determined and gene expression profiles were evaluated in five triticale seed tissues and eleven vegetative tissues using the Affymetrix Wheat GeneChip®. Genes that were expressed, not expressed, tissue-specific, tissue-enriched and developmentally regulated were identified. The percentage of probe sets on the wheat GeneChip with gene ontology annotations was improved from less than 3% to over 76% using homologous sequence identification and annotation transfer. This information was used to determine functions and processes over-represented within the identified gene lists and provide biological meaning to the results. Expression of candidate genes was further evaluated using qRT-PCR, RNA in situ hybridization and promoter characterization. This study has provided a comprehensive triticale gene expression atlas; knowledge regarding triticale development, gene function, expression and regulation; and tools enabling further triticale research and development. / xxiii, 425 leaves : col. ill. ; 29 cm

Francisella tularensis is one of a small group of bacteria recognized for their virulence and potential for use as biological weapons. In this study we utilize a novel approach to identify an immunologically prominent component of F. tularensis that appears to be a promising vaccine candidate. Francisella is an intracellular pathogen that infects cells of the reticuloendothelial system. Other bacteria, such as Brucella spp. have this part of their life cylce in common. However, while mice injected with Brucella spp. survive and produce antibodies to the bacteria which are immunologically reactive not only with Brucella spp. but, also with Francisella. When we vaccinated mice with a B. abortis O-linked polysaccharide (OPS) and then challenged them with 10 LD50F.tularensis LVS, 60% survived. Sera from Brucella OPS-primed/F.tularensis-challenged mice was used to identify immune reactive proteins from F. tularensis. A novel 52 kDa fraction was identified. While vaccination of mice with this partially purified fraction only provided 20% protection to F.tularensis challenged mice, both whole cell extracts and a partially purified soluble fraction (>30kDa) given to Brucella-vaccinated mice were 100% protective. The 52 kDa enriched fraction elicited a rudimentary cytokine burst of nitric oxide in a cell culture of J774.1 macrophages. The 52 kDa fraction was degraded by proteinase K and appeared to decrease in size to 36 kDa in the presence of DNAase, suggesting a possible protein and nucleic acid composition. The host response to F. tularensiss infection is complex, but given the ability of the 52 kDa component to protect against live vaccine challenge, and its apparent ability to elicit a cytokine burst, this component may have potential use in future vaccine production. / xii, 97 leaves ; 29 cm.

Diss. Göteborg : Göteborgs universitet, 2010.

Orientador: Lúcia Regina Durrant / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-22T11:02:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pescumo_FernandaFranzoni_M.pdf: 1387373 bytes, checksum: baa6cd7b83f29182ab90172ebb03c248 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: Biossurfactantes e bioemulsificantes são compostos ativos de superfícies (CAS) produzidos por micro-organismos. Desempenham várias funções biológicas, e sua característica anfifílica, juntamente com baixa toxicidade, biodegradabilidade e resistência a extremos de pH, temperatura e salinidade, tem despertado o interesse para a aplicação dessas moléculas em processos biotecnológicos. Porém, o alto custo aliado à baixa produção ainda são impedimentos para a utilização em larga escala. Os desafios para se implementar a produção são: desenvolvimento de estratégias para tornar a produção economicamente viável e o isolamento de moléculas e microorganismos mais eficientes. Neste trabalho, foi estudada a produção, isolamento, extração e caracterização de um CAS por Gordonia amicalis. O micro-organismo foi cultivado em meio GYP (glucose, extracto de levedura, peptona) por 7 dias, e a extração foi feita por precipitação com sulfato de amônio, que resultou em uma concentração de 0,5 g/L do extrato bruto em meio líquido. O CAS não reduziu significativamente a tensão superficial do meio GYP, e apresentou um balanço hidrofílico-lipofílico (HBL) de caráter lipofílico, apresentando mais emulsões do tipo água em óleo (A/O) do que óleo em água (O/A). A molécula apresentou estabilidade a temperaturas de 25ºC a 100ºC, pH de 2 a 10 e salinidades de 5% a 15% quando cultivado por 7 dias, e foi capaz de modificar a interface água/superfície na análise de ângulo de contato. O extrato de 14 dias apresentou Atividade Emulsificante em 24 horas (AE24) reduzida em temperaturas acima de 50ºC, e ausente em pH ácido e salinidades de 5% e 10%. Análises de Cromatografia de Camada Delgada (CCD) revelaram presença de aminoácidos e açúcares na molécula e a análise do potencial zeta revelou que o CAS é um surfactante aniônico. Nas análises de Espectrometria no Infravermelho com Transformadas de Fourier (IR-TF) foram observados estiramentos indicativos de agrupamentos O-H e C-O, que podem indicar presença de grupos éter ou ésteres. O CAS produzido por Gordonia amicalis em meio sintético GYP mostrou-se um eficiente agente emulsificante, com potencial para aplicações biotecnológicas futuras / Abstract: Biosurfactants and bioemulssifiers are surface active compounds (SACs) produced by microorganisms. They have a wide variety of biological functions. Its amphiphilic characteristic, with low toxicity, biodegradability and resistance to extremes of pH, temperature and salinity, has increased the interest of these molecules for application biotechnological process. However, high costs and low production rates are restrictions to their widespread use. The challenges for implementing production are: developing strategies to turn the production economically feasible and isolating more efficient molecules and microorganisms. In this work, we studied the production, isolation, extraction and characterization of a SAC by a Gordonia amicalis. The microrganism was grown in GYP (Glucose, Yeast extract, Peptone) medium for 7 days, and the isolation was carried out by precipitation with ammonium sulfate, which resulted in 0.5 g / L of crude extract. The SAC did not significantly reduce the surface tension of GYP medium, and showed an hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) with lipophilic character, showing more water in oil (W/O) emulsions than oil in water (O/W) emulsions. The molecule extracted at 7 days was stable at temperatures ranging from 25 to 100 ° C, pH of 2-10 and salinities of 5-15%, and can modify the water/surface contact by the angle of contact analysis. The 14-day isolated extract showed EA24 reduced at temperatures above 50 ºC, and had no Emulsification Activity in 24 hours (EA24) in acid pH and salinity of 5% and 10%. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) analysis revealed the presence of sugars and amino acids in the molecule and the zeta potential analysis revealed the compound is an anionic surfactant. In the Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectrometry (FTIV) it were observed stretches indicatives of O-H and C-O groups, that might indicate ether or ester groups. The SAC produced by Gordonia amicalis in GYP medium proved to be an efficient emulsifier, with potential for biotechnological applications / Mestrado / Ciência de Alimentos / Mestra em Ciência de Alimentos

Municipal treated wastewater entering rivers contain biologically active pharmaceuticals capable of inducing effects in aquatic life. Phytoremediation of three of these pharmaceuticals and an herbicide was investigated using Sandbar willow (Salix exigua) and Arabidopsis thaliana. Both plants were effective at removing compounds from solution, with removal of 86% of the synthetic estrogen, 17α-ethynylestradiol, 65% of the anti-hypertensive, diltiazem, 60% of the anti-convulsant, diazepam (Valium®), and 51% of the herbicide atrazine, in 24 hours. Distribution of compounds within roots and shoots, in soluble and bound forms, differed among compounds. Uptake and distribution of pharmaceuticals within the study plants confirmed pharmaceutical behaviour can be predicted based on a physiochemical property, their octanol-water partitioning coefficients. An effective method for detection of 17α-ethynylestradiol within surface water using solid phase extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was developed. Previously unreported breakdown of 17α-ethynylestradiol into another common estrogen, estrone, during preparative steps and gas chromatography was resolved. / xv, 216 leaves ; 29 cm.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Solid organ transplantation is limited by available donor allografts. Pig to human transplantation, xenotransplantation, could potentially solve this problem if physiologic and immunologic incompatibilities are overcome. Genetic modifications of pigs have proven valuable in the study of xenotransplantation by improving pig to human compatibility. More genetic targets must be identified for clinical success. First, this study examines platelet homeostasis incompatibilities leading to acute thrombocytopenia in liver xenotransplantation. Mechanisms for xenogeneic thrombocytopenia were evaluated using liver macrophages, Kupffer cells, leading to identification of CD18, beta-2 integrin, as a potential target for modification. When disruption of CD18 was accomplished, human platelet binding and clearance by pig Kupffer cells was inhibited. Further, human and pig platelet surface carbohydrates were examined demonstrating significant differences in carbohydrates known to be involved with platelet homeostasis. Carbohydrate recognition domains of receptors responsible for platelet clearance Macrophage antigen complex-1 (CD11b/CD18) and Asialoglycoprotein receptor 1 in pigs were found to be different from those in humans, further supporting the involvement of platelet surface carbohydrate differences in xenogeneic thrombocytopenia. Second, immunologic incompatibilities due to antibody recognition of antigens resulting in antibody-mediated rejection were studied. Identification of relevant targets was systematically approached through evaluation of a known xenoantigenic protein fibronectin from genetically modified pigs. N-Glycolylneuraminic acid, a sialic acid not found in humans, was expressed on pig fibronectin and was identified as an antigenic epitope recognized by human IgG. These studies have provided further insight into xenogeneic thrombocytopenia and antibody-mediated rejection, and have identified potential targets to improve pig to human transplant compatibility.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The phototropin photoreceptors are important regulators of plant growth and development and can therefore affect the photosynthetic activity of plants. Phototropin1 and Phototropin2 are versatile protein kinases that become activated when exposed to blue light. Their photobiological actions are best understood in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, where they are known to trigger several responses to blue light, one of which is phototropism, the bending of plant organs towards light. Additionally, phot1 and phot2 drive stomatal opening, chloroplast arrangement in leaf cells, leaf expansion, and leaf orientation. The phot1-specific response is rapid inhibition of hypocotyl growth, leaf positioning and mRNA stability whereas phot2 mediates the chloroplast avoidance response to high light. These responses impact a plant’s ability to capture light for photosynthesis, therefore the phototropins play important roles in optimizing a plant’s photosynthetic activity. Soybean (Glycine max) is a very important crop plant in Indiana known for its nutritional versatility and is also utilized for biodiesel production.In spite of soybean being a key crop, there is currently no information about the functionality of soybean phototropins. Also, being a legume, soybean has many structural and functional features that are not present in Arabidopsis. Interestingly, PsPHOT1A (a photoreceptor from garden pea) was found to be a functional phototropin as it was able to complement the phot1 mutation in Arabidopsis. The roles of these proteins in soybean will be elucidated based on the hypothesis that soybean phototropins play essential roles in regulating photosynthetic activity as do the Arabidopsis phototropins. To date, five soybean phototropins, 3 PHOT1s and 2 PHOT2s, are believed to exist. These GmPHOT protein coding regions were amplified by RT-PCR and cloned into pCR8/TOPO or pENTR-D/TOPO vectors via TOPO cloning to utilize Gateway cloning technology to create plant transformation constructs subsequently. The cloned GmPHOT cDNAs from each of the 5 GmPHOTs were sequenced and compared to the GmPHOT sequences from the Phytozome database to assess the accuracy of the gene models. The gene models of all the GmPHOTs were found to be accurate except that of GmPHOT1B-2. The high level of sequence identity between the GmPHOTs and AtPHOTs and the conservation of LOV domains and catalytic domains indicate structural resemblance between them. This suggests that soybean phototropins should encode active photoreceptors. The cloned protein coding regions from soybean were then recombined into a plant expression vector via Gateway technology,which were then used for transformation of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. These plant expression constructs will be utilized in the future to determine the functionality of soybean phototropins in Arabidopsis.