Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen als Folge arteriosklerotischer Prozesse sind die häufigste Todesursache weltweit. Lipidstoffwechselstörungen sind ein wichtiger Risikofaktor für die Pathogenese der Arteriosklerose. Komplexe Phänotypen, wie z.B. der Lipidstoffwechsel, werden durch eine Vielzahl von genetischen und Umweltfaktoren beeinflusst. Obwohl der Lipidstoffwechsel biochemisch gut charakterisiert ist und viele Gene, die für Proteine innerhalb des Lipidstoffwechsels kodieren bekannt sind, sind die spezifischen genetischen Faktoren, die die Variabilität des Lipidstoffwechsels beeinflussen, weitgehend unbekannt. Die vorgelegten Studien zeigen verschiedene Ansätze, wie genetische Faktoren, die die Variabilität des Lipidstoffwechsels beeinflussen, identifiziert und quantifiziert werden können. Dabei wird ein besonderer Schwerpunkt auf die Untersuchung der Variabilität im nicht-pathologischen Bereich des Stoffwechsels gelegt. Im Rahmen der durchgeführten Arbeiten wurden: 1. modifizierende Genorte bei familiären Hyperlipidämien identifiziert. Dieser Ansatz wurde am Beispiel von zwei Familien mit familiärer Hypercholesterinämie aus Israel und Syrien illustriert. Mit Hilfe der Familie aus Israel wurde ein Genort, der für einen Cholesterin-senkenden Effekt verantwortlich ist, kartiert. Mit Hilfe der Familie aus Syrien wurde ein Gen für die Ausprägung von Xanthomen postuliert. 1. der Einfluß von Genen und Genorten auf die Variabilität des Lipidstoffwechsels in einer Zwillingspopulation nachgewiesen. Dieser Anstz wurde anhand von Genorten auf Chromosom 13q (Cholesterin-senkender Genort), auf Chromosom 8 (Lipioprotein Lipase und Makrophagen Scavenger Rezeptor) und dem PPAR?-Gen auf Chromosom 3 illsutriert. 3. der Einfluß einzelner genetischer Varianten in sechs Kandidatengenen des Lipidstoffwechsels in einer familienbasierten Stichprobe quantifiziert. 4. ein mathematisches Modell des Lipidstoffwechsels entwickelt, mit dem Ziel, sich der Komplexität des Stoffwechsels sowohl von experimenteller als auch von theoretischer Seite her zu nähern. / Cardiovascular disease resultung from atherosclerotic processes are the most commonest cause of death worldwide. Lipid disturbances are a major risk factor in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Complex phenotypes, e.g. lipid metabolism, are influenced by a variety of genetic and environmental factors. Although lipid metabolism is well characterized biochemically and many genes, coding for proteins of lipid metabolism are known, the specific genetic variants, influencing the variability of lipid metabolism are largely unknown. The studies presented show different approaches to the identification of genetic factors contributing quantitatively and qualitatively to the variability of lipid metabolism. This work puts an emphasis on the variability in the non-pathological range of lipid concentrations. The following issues are addressed in the context of this work: 1. Identification of modifying genes of familial lipid disorders. This approach is illustrated for two families with familial hypercholesterolemia from Israel and Syria. The family from Israel allowed the mapping and identification of a cholesterol-lowering gene locus. The family from Syria helped postulating a giant xanthoma gene. 2. The influence of genes and gene loci on the variability of lipid metabolism using a twin cohort. This approach was illustrated for gene loci on chromosome 13q (cholesterol-lowering gene locus), chromosome 8 (Lipoprotein lipase and macrophage scavenger receptor gene locus), and the PPAR?-gene on chromosome 3. 3. The influence of single nucleotide polymorphisms in six lipid metabolism relevant genes using a family based association approach. 5. A mathematical model of lipid metabolism was developed. The goal was to approach the complexity of lipid metabolism experimentally as well as theoretically.

The scientific progress about the important chemotherapeutic drug substance cisplatin (CDDP) and its function has often been rendered by data difficult to interpret, and still many questions about its mode of action remains to be clarified by the scientific community. However, studies of CDDP possess a high complexity due to; i) low intracellular concentration, ii) many potential biomolecule targets, iii) poor or unknown stability of the intact drug and its biomolecule adducts and iv) complex and varying sample matrices. Metallomic studies, using advanced analytical techniques may contribute to clarify the interactions between CDDP and intracellular biomolecules. For a successful outcome sample preparation conditions as well as separation and detection techniques must be carefully selected and optimized to achieve accurate results and correct interpretation of data.         This thesis describes some new and improved analytical methodologies for characterizing the Pt metallome in CDDP-exposed malignant cells. The developed methods are based on powerful liquid chromatography (LC) methods hyphenated to sensitive detection by inductively coupled plasma- (ICP) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESIMS). Consideration has also been taken about sample preparation conditions.         By selecting “chemically inert” sample preparation (cell lysis by osmosis) and separation (using only nonreactive or no additatives) conditions we could avoid the formation of platinum artifact compounds previously described in the literature (Paper I and II). Using oxygen containing organic solvents with high boiling points (dimethylformamide; DMF, 1,4-dioxane, n-propanol and ethanol) as alternatives to acetonitrile in the LC separations, significant improvements were achieved in ICPMS sensitivity and robustness. When evaluated in combination with chromatographic performance and ESIMS detection the overall best performance was achieved with n-propanol (Paper II, III and IV). From the studies in Paper II we could show that free intact CDDP can be found in malignant cells, as supporting evidence for passive or endocytotic uptake of the drug and further estimate a half-life for intracellular CDDP to about 15 minutes. Such data has not been shown before. In Paper V, the above improved LC methods were used to demonstrate differences in the platinum and cupper metallome from sensitive and resistant T289 melanoma cells exposed to CDDP at near clinical levels.         In a wider perspective we have shown the potential of using hydrophilic liquid interaction chromatography (HILIC) hyphenated to ICPMS detection as a general approach for analysis of hydrophilic metallo-compounds (Paper II). Taking advantage of the superior ICPMS performance using n-propanol gradients for reversed phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) possess a true alternative and /or complimentary technique to size exclusion chromatography (SEC) commonly applied within metallomic studies of biomolecules (Paper V). Using n-propanol in HILIC as well as in RPLC enables parallel detection by ICP- and ESIMS using only one set of chromatographic parameters (Paper III and IV), something commonly called for by scientists in the field.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a single gene Mendelian disorder characterized by pulmonary disease and pancreatic insufficiency. Pulmonary disease is the major cause of death in CF patients. Although some cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) genotypes are associated with less severe disease, patients possessing the same genotype show great variation in pulmonary disease severity and progression. Genes involved in modulating the inflammatory response and genes increasing susceptibility to infection are proposed as modifiers of pulmonary disease severity. Polymorphisms selected for based on evidence that they affect the function of the gene and prevalence of the putative risk allele: 1) antiprotease gene alpha-1-antitrypsin (alpha-1-AT), 2) innate immunity genes: mannose binding lectin (MBL2) (promoter [G→C] at -221 and codon 52 (Arg52Cys, D allele), 54 (Gly54Asp, B allele), and 57 (Gly57Glu, C allele), and pulmonary surfactant genes SPA-1 (Arg219Trp), SPA-2 (Thr9Asn, Lys223Gln) and SPD (Thr11Met), 3) antioxidant genes GSTM1 and T1 (gene deletion polymorphisms), GSTP1 (Ile105Val) and GCLC repeats, 4) mucin genes (MUC2 and MUC5B). Pulmonary disease progression and survival in patients with chronic Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) infection were also investigated controlling for genomovar and RAPD type of the organism. BCC infection was associated with more severe pulmonary disease progression and worse survival. Alpha-1-AT genotype was not a major contributor to variability of pulmonary disease severity, but the results suggest that alpha-1-AT plasma levels during pulmonary infections may be affected by poor nutritional status. We showed similar pulmonary disease progression and MBL2 genotype. Contrary to the previous literature, wild-type MBL2 genotype was associated with steeper decline in pulmonary disease over time following chronic infection with BCC, but genotype was not associated with increased susceptibility to BCC infection. We showed inconsistant results for the pulmonary surfactant gene polymorphisms, GSTM1, T1 and GSTP1 polymorphisms, and number of repeats for GCLC and MUC5B depending on the phenotype investigated. We conclude that some of the variability in pulmonary disease severity and progression in CF is explained by polymorphisms in secondary genes.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a single gene Mendelian disorder characterized by pulmonary disease and pancreatic insufficiency. Pulmonary disease is the major cause of death in CF patients. Although some cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) genotypes are associated with less severe disease, patients possessing the same genotype show great variation in pulmonary disease severity and progression. Genes involved in modulating the inflammatory response and genes increasing susceptibility to infection are proposed as modifiers of pulmonary disease severity. Polymorphisms selected for based on evidence that they affect the function of the gene and prevalence of the putative risk allele: 1) antiprotease gene alpha-1-antitrypsin (alpha-1-AT), 2) innate immunity genes: mannose binding lectin (MBL2) (promoter [G→C] at -221 and codon 52 (Arg52Cys, D allele), 54 (Gly54Asp, B allele), and 57 (Gly57Glu, C allele), and pulmonary surfactant genes SPA-1 (Arg219Trp), SPA-2 (Thr9Asn, Lys223Gln) and SPD (Thr11Met), 3) antioxidant genes GSTM1 and T1 (gene deletion polymorphisms), GSTP1 (Ile105Val) and GCLC repeats, 4) mucin genes (MUC2 and MUC5B). Pulmonary disease progression and survival in patients with chronic Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) infection were also investigated controlling for genomovar and RAPD type of the organism. BCC infection was associated with more severe pulmonary disease progression and worse survival. Alpha-1-AT genotype was not a major contributor to variability of pulmonary disease severity, but the results suggest that alpha-1-AT plasma levels during pulmonary infections may be affected by poor nutritional status. We showed similar pulmonary disease progression and MBL2 genotype. Contrary to the previous literature, wild-type MBL2 genotype was associated with steeper decline in pulmonary disease over time following chronic infection with BCC, but genotype was not associated with increased susceptibility to BCC infection. We showed inconsistant results for the pulmonary surfactant gene polymorphisms, GSTM1, T1 and GSTP1 polymorphisms, and number of repeats for GCLC and MUC5B depending on the phenotype investigated. We conclude that some of the variability in pulmonary disease severity and progression in CF is explained by polymorphisms in secondary genes.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Case Western Reserve University, 2006. / [School of Medicine] Department of Pharmacology. Includes bibliographical references. Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center.

CD8 T cells recognize complexes of MHC class I and peptide on the surface of target cells. MHC class I antigen presentation is a long pathway, in which proteins are degraded by proteasomes to generating oligopeptides, which may be further trimmed by aminopeptidases in the cytosol. Peptides are transported into the ER, where they may be further trimmed by ER lumenal aminopeptidases and bind to newly-synthesized MHC class I complexes. Proteins degraded by the proteasome are generally tagged with ubiquitin by a combination of ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes and ubiquitin ligases. UBC9 is one ubiquitin conjugating enzyme, which does not conjugate ubiquitin, but instead conjugates small ubiquitin-like molecules (SUMO) to target protein. UBC9 has been found to regulate the functions of many proteins in vivo, most importantly by modifying nuclear transportation and function. Curing [During] my thesis work, I studied the function of UBC9 in MHC class I antigen presentation. UBC9 over-expression in COS cells co-expressing ovalbumin markedly increased presentation SIINFEKL (the immunodominant epitope from ovalbumin in the context of H-2Kb), and UBC9 overexpression increased cell surface H-2Kbin general, suggesting that Ubc9 increased MHC class I antigen presentation by increasing peptide supply. UBC9 did not increase synthesis or degradation of ovalbumin. In transient transfection experiments, Ubc9 increased presentation of SIINFEKL precursors that did, and that did not, depend on proteasomes for processing, as well as SIINFEKL precursors targeted to the ER, bypassing cytosolic processing altogether. However, a C-terminal extended precursor of SIINFEKL, which requires only proteasomal processing before presentation, was the most markedly affected by UBC9 overexpression. This suggested that UBC9 was affecting the pattern of cleavages made by proteasomes in ways that enhance the generation of the C-terminus of SIINFEKL. Because presentation of SIINFEKL itself (which requires no further proteolytic processing) was also enhanced, UBC9 must also affect steps in the class I pathway that occur after the generation of the mature epitopes. UBC9 did not affect the rate of peptide degradation in cytosolic extracts or in intact cells. These findings suggested that UBC9 might have multiple effects on the MHC class I antigen presentation pathway. Immunofluorescent microscopy demonstrated that UBC9 increased the expression of the beta subunits of immunoproteasomes (LMP2, LMP7, and MECL1) as well as of TAP1 and tapasin. In contrast, UBC9 expression did not increase levels of calnexin, calreticulin, ERp57, or Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI). Similarly, levels of leucine aminopeptidase were not increased in UBC9-transfected cells. Therefore, UBC9 overexpression increases the levels of some but not all components of the class I pathway. UBC9 overexpression increased protein levels of MECL1, LMP2 or LMP7 that were under the control of viral promoters, and levels of MECL1 mRNA were similar in control vector and UBC9 transfected cells. Therefore, UBC9 did not increase the level of expression of these subunits through increased transcription. Pulse-chase experiments showed that UBC9 overexpression reduced the degradation of MECL1. Therefore, UBC9 increases the levels of at least some of these components of the MHC class I antigen presentation pathway by increasing their stability. To know the biological significance of UBC9 in MHC class I antigen presentation, I used small interfering RNA (siRNA) to knock down UBC9. Though UBC9 can be successfully knocked down by siRNA, the UBC9-negative cells became very sick, and were not suitable for the study of MHC class I antigen presentation. There are three forms of SUMO molecules in mammalian cells: SUMO-1, SUMO-2 and SUMO-3. My study suggested that SUMO-2 may be involved in UBC9's regulation of MHC class I antigen presentation, since mutant SUMO-2 blocked UBC9's ability to increase H-2Kb-SIINFEKL levels on the cell surface after the cells were loaded with ovalbumin. To further study the function of UBC9, I mutated the active amino acid Cys 93 of UBC9 to Ser (UBC9OH). Unexpectedly, this mutant form (UBC9OH) has very similar effects as wild-type UBC9, increasing Kb-SIINFEKL levels at the cells surface. This suggested that UBC9 protein regulates MHC class I antigen presentation pathway proteins by direct or indirect protein interaction, rather than (or as well as) by SUMO conjugation. Taking account of SUMO-2 results, I propose that wild-type UBC9 (either transfected or endogenous) conjugates SUMO-2 to its substrates, and then UBC9 (wild-type or mutant) interacts with its sumoylated targets, thus affecting protein functions. I also studied heat shock protein Hsp27, which is known to be a substrate for UBC9 in vivo. Hsp27 is expressed in a variety of tissues in the absence of stress, and may regulate actin dynamics. Hsp27 overexpression decreased generation of H-2Kb-SIINFEKL complexes from SIINFEKL precursors that did, and did not, require proteasomes for processing, or that were targeted to the ER. Hsp27 over-expression did not affect protein synthesis, and globally decreased cell surface H2-Kb and H2-Dblevels, but did not affect HLA-A0302 level. Hsp27 overexpression inhibits the presentation of ER-localized SIINFEKL. Taken together, my data suggested that HSP27 may inhibit MHC class I antigen presentation by affecting MHC class I molecules itself rather than peptide supply. After Hsp27 was eliminated with siRNA, the effects were very similar to those seen with Hsp27 overexpression. Levels of H-2Kb-SIINFEKL decreased, and overall cell surface H-2Kb and H-2Db levels decreased. It is possible that when Hsp27 is over-expressed, it acts as a dominant negative form, conferring a similar phenotype to Hsp27 knockdown. These observations suggest that Hsp27 plays an important role in MHC class I antigen presentation.

Les technologies actuellement utilisées pour les moteurs diesel conduisent à la dégradation accélérée des constituants chimiques des lubrifiants, notamment des additifs non polymériques de type antioxydants, anti-usures, modificateurs de friction et de détergence.Nos travaux visent à identifier la nature des modifications chimiques de ces additifs au cours du fonctionnement moteur. Ainsi, un protocole analytique a été établi afin d’étudier qualitativement et quantitativement ces familles dans les lubrifiants.Ce protocole a ensuite été utilisé pour l’analyse d’huiles vieillies lors de tests sur banc moteur et d’essais réalisés en laboratoire. L'évolution de la composition chimique des lubrifiants, la nature des produits de dégradation formés, et les processus d'altération impliqués ont ainsi été étudiés, et des modèles cinétiques de la dégradation de chaque famille d’additifs ont été établis.Il ressort de notre étude que les processus mis en jeu dans l’altération des additifs en laboratoire ne reproduisent pas ceux existant lors du fonctionnement moteur, ce qui laisse envisager le développement d'expériences de laboratoire mieux adaptées. / Current technologies used for diesel engines lead to an accelerated degradation of the non-polymeric additives from lubricants, such as antioxidants, antiwear, friction modifiers and detergency additives.Our work intends to identify the nature of the chemical modifications undergone by such additives during engine functioning. In this respect, an analytical protocol has been developed in order to investigate qualitatively and quantitatively these compound families in engine oils. Following this, the analytical methodology has then been used to study oils altered during engine bench tests and laboratory experiments. Thus, the evolution of the chemical composition, the nature of the degradation products and the alteration processes have been considered. Furthermore, kinetic models have been established for each family of additives.It appears from this study that the processes implied in the alteration of the additives during laboratory tests do not reproduce those existing while engine running. Further laboratory experiments are needed in order to develop tests mimicking more closely the conditions occurring during engine functioning.

The thesis deals with the differences in Czech and German language in the word-formation, specifically the issue of composite. The main part is devoted to the word-formation of both languages possibilities of vocabulary enrichment are given, important terms of the word-formation are defined and word forming kinds are introduced. It is further processed the theory of composite concepts from different authors. The aim of this work is to demonstrate that in German language appear significantly more composites than sketched options of their Czech equivalents and create a list of Czech equivalent structures. As the basis for this analysis are used texts from the field of hotel industry and tourism in Austria, which are available online on the websites of tourist portals (www.oberoesterreich.at and www.niederoesterreich.at).

Submitted by Ana Hilda Fonseca (anahilda@ufba.br) on 2014-12-18T15:35:02Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Doutorado Douglas Gonçalves da Silva.pdf: 2348008 bytes, checksum: 01d5eb52cbdd6aa3d019b03a07db5771 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Fatima Cleômenis Botelho Maria (botelho@ufba.br) on 2015-01-14T12:18:20Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Doutorado Douglas Gonçalves da Silva.pdf: 2348008 bytes, checksum: 01d5eb52cbdd6aa3d019b03a07db5771 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-01-14T12:18:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Doutorado Douglas Gonçalves da Silva.pdf: 2348008 bytes, checksum: 01d5eb52cbdd6aa3d019b03a07db5771 (MD5) / CNPq / Neste trabalho foram desenvolvidas estratégias analíticas visando a determinação de espécies metálicas em amostras de arroz utilizando procedimento de digestão ácida em micro-ondas e em bloco digestor para o preparo das amostras. Na primeira parte deste trabalho desenvolveu-se um sistema automático para determinação de mercúrio em amostras de arroz empregando injeção em fluxo com multiseringa (MSFIA) e detecção por fluorescência atômica com vapor frio (CV-AFS). Inicialmente, empregou-se o planejamento fatorial completo para avaliação preliminar das variáveis que afetavam o sistema. Em seguida, o planejamento Doehlert foi utilizado com o objetivo de se obter condições ótimas (SnCl2 3% (m/v) em HCl 2%; vazão da amostra 3 mL min-1 e HNO3 8% (v/v)). O LD e LQ foram iguais a 0,48 e 1,61ng g -1, respectivamente. O desvio padrão relativo foi menor que 2% para uma amostra com concentração de mercúrio igual a 3,63 ng g-1. As concentrações de mercúrio encontradas nas amostras de arroz variaram na faixa de 2,15 a 7,25 ng g-1. Na segunda parte deste trabalho foi proposto um procedimento simples, eficiente e reprodutível para a determinação de cádmio em amostras de arroz por espectrometria de absorção atômica com forno de grafite empregando modificação química permanente com 400 μg de alumínio. Os experimentos foram realizados utilizando-se tubo de grafite com plataforma integrada e aquecimento transversal. Para avaliação da modificação permanente, foram realizados experimentos na ausência e na presença de modificação química convencional com paládio e fosfato de amônio. O programa de temperatura do forno de grafite para a determinação de cádmio foi otimizado para cada tipo de modificador permanente a fim de avaliar a sensibilidade por meio das curvas de pirólise e atomização. A temperatura ótima de pirólise e atomização obtidas foram de 400 e 1800 ºC uma vez que nestas temperaturas os níveis de fundo apresentaram-se baixo, não sendo observada perda de sensibilidade. A massa característica (mo) e o LD do método foram 1,32 pg e 1,8 ng g-1, respectivamente, e a vida útil do tubo de grafite foi de 1080 queimas. O desvio padrão relativo foi igual a 1,67 %, demonstrando uma boa precisão do método. As características analíticas foram comparadas com os métodos recomendados na literatura. No terceiro trabalho avaliou-se a composição mineral de Ca, K, Mg, Na, Zn, Fe, Mn, Sr e Zn em arroz integral, parboilizado e amostras de arroz branco usando ICP OES. O efeito do cozimento no conteúdo mineral também foi investigado. Todos os dados obtidos foram avaliados utilizando as técnicas de análise multivariada PCA e HCA. O procedimento avaliado apresentou uma boa exatidão, evidenciada pela análise de material certificado. Foram alcançados baixos limites de detecção e quantificação e coeficientes de correlação maiores que 0,999. / In this work, strategies analytical were developed aiming determination of metallic species in rice samples using acid digestion procedure in microwave and block digestor for preparation of the samples. In the first part of this work we developed an automated system for determination of mercury in rice samples using flow injection with multiseringa (MSFIA) and detection by cold vapor atomic fluorescence (CVAFS). Initially, we used a full factorial design for preliminary evaluation of the variables affecting the system. Then, the planning Doehlert was used in order to obtain optimal conditions (SnCl2 3% (w / v) in 2% HCl, sample flow 3 mL min-1 and HNO3 8% (v / v)). The LD and LQ were equal to 0.48 and 1.61 ng g -1, respectively. The relative standard deviation was less than 2% for a sample with a mercury concentration of 3.63 ng g-1. The mercury concentrations found in samples of rice in a range from 2.15 to 7.25 ng g-1. In the second part of this work we propose a simple, efficient and reproducible for the determination of cadmium in rice samples by atomic absorption spectrometry with graphite furnace employing permanent chemical modification with 400 mg of aluminum. The experiments were performed using graphite tube with integrated platform and cross warming. For evaluation of permanent modification, experiments were performed in the absence and presence of conventional chemical modification with palladium and ammonium phosphate. The temperature program graphite furnace for the determination of cadmium was optimized for each type of permanent modifier to assess the sensitivity curves by means of pyrolysis and atomization. The optimum temperature pyrolysis and atomization obtained were 400 and 1800 °C temperatu res since these background levels are presented below, with no observed loss of sensitivity. The characteristic mass (mo) and LD method were 1.32 pg and 1.8 ng g-1 respectively and lifetime of the graphite tube was 1080 firings. The relative standard deviation was equal to 1.67%, showing a good accuracy of the method. The analytical characteristics were compared with the methods recommended in the literature. In the third study evaluated the mineral composition of Ca, K, Mg, Na, Zn, Fe, Mn, Sr and Zn in brown rice, parboiled and white rice samples using ICP OES. The effect of cooking on the mineral content was also investigated. All data were evaluated using multivariate analysis PCA and HCA. The procedure evaluated showed good accuracy, as evidenced by the analysis of certified material. Were achieved low limits of detection and quantification and correlation coefficients greater than 0.999.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive neuromuscular disorder characterized by widespread loss of lower motor neurons from the spinal cord. Lower motor neuron degeneration leads to a progressive decline in motor development, manifesting as muscle atrophy and weakness. It is now well characterised that ubiquitin homeostasis is altered in SMA and that reduction of the ubiquitin-like modifier-activating enzyme 1 (UBA1) is central to this disruption. UBA1 is responsible for activating ubiquitin as the first step in the ubiquitin conjugation process, marking unwanted proteins for degradation by the proteasome. While it is known that therapies targeting UBA1 rescue neuromuscular phenotypes in SMA models, the mechanism by which UBA1 mediates neurodegeneration is unclear. In fact, very little is known about the function of UBA1 beyond its canonical role in the ubiquitin proteasome system. To better understand the role of UBA1 in motor neuron degeneration, a robust set of antibodies for both in vivo and in vitro work to study UBA1 have been identified. This enabled a novel characterisation of UBA1 distribution throughout disease progression in SMA spinal motor neurons to be performed, revealing that UBA1 reduction is an important pre-symptomatic molecular feature of SMA. To identify downstream targets of UBA1 critical for UBA1-mediated degeneration in SMA, label-free proteomics was performed on HEK293 cells after overexpression or knockdown of UBA1. The proteomics data was analysed across multiple platforms, including Biolayout, IPA and DAVID to identify UBA1-dependent pathways and demonstrated that modulation of UBA1 levels lead to disruption of key cellular pathways including translation elongation, nuclear transport, and tRNA synthetases. Validation of target proteins from these UBA1-dependent pathways identified that the tRNA synthetease GARS behaves in a UBA1-dependent manner across a range of model systems in vitro and in vivo. It was then identified that GARS expression is significantly dysregulated across a range of neuronal tissues in a mouse model of SMA. Interestingly, mutations in GARS cause Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2D (CMT2D), an axonal neuropathy, in which a disruption to sensory neuron fate in dorsal root ganglia has recently been identified. In a mouse model of SMA we identified a phenotype consistent with that in the CMT2D mouse model and showed that disruption to sensory neuron fate is reversible and dependent on changes in UBA1 and GARS expression in SMA. In conclusion, modulation of UBA1 levels leads to disruption of key cellular pathways, with dysregulation of tRNA synthetases a prominent feature that is likely to play a role in the pathogenesis of SMA.