Thesis (Ph.D.)--Aberdeen University, 2009. / Title from web page (viewed on July 30, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

Interactions between paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) and components of the butter clam (Saxidomus giganteus) were studied to determine which component was involved in the binding and retention of PSP by the butter clam, and to characterize the nature and strength of the interaction. A simple and accurate assay for PSP in buffer and salt solutions was developed for this study using the Folin-Ciocalteau phenol reagent. Equilibrium dialysis binding experiments with PSP and bovine serum albumin or fibrinogen indicated that proteins did not interact significantly with PSP. Binding experiments with PSP and a butter clam siphon homogenate indicated an apparent electrostatic interaction between PSP and some component of the clam siphon homogenate, which was later identified as melanin. Synthetic and natural clam melanin interacted strongly with PSP, and the interaction was similar in nature to a cation exchange reaction. The interaction between PSP and melanin was rapid, reaching an equilibrium within one hour at 25°C. The interaction was strongly influenced by pH; maximum binding took place at pH 6.0 to 8.0, but at pH 2.0 to 3.0 there was essentially no binding. The interaction was reversible and rapid desorption of bound PSP took place at pH 3.0. The interaction was also affected by the presence of competing cations; tri-, di-, and monovalent cations, in that order of effectiveness, interfered with the binding and caused desorption of bound PSP. The anatomical distribution of melanin in butter clams paralleled the distribution of PSP, and PSP was apparently bound to melanin in toxic butter clam siphons. Butter clams, which retain PSP for longer periods than do other bivalve mollusks, had a higher rnelanin content in the interior walls of their siphons than the other mollusks studied. The close relationship between the distribution of PSP and of melanin in butter clams together with the observed electrostatic interaction between PSP and melanin suggest that melanin may play an important role in the retention of PSP in butter clams. The reversible nature of the PSP-melanin interaction in the presence of competing cations suggests that polyvalent salt solutions may be used in the detoxification of toxic butter clams. / Graduation date: 1972

Viral contamination of bivalve molluscs is a continuing problem for the shellfish food industry.  The filter feeding mechanism employed by bivalve molluscs results in the concentration of viruses from environmental sewage pollution. Current detection methods use <i>E. coli</i> as an indicator of sewage contamination but this has been demonstrated not to give a reliable indication of viral contamination.  It has been shown that male specific F+ RNA bacteriophage display similar survival rates to those of the pathogenic viruses (e.g. Noroviruses) but are present at much higher levels and therefore have been identified as an indicator species for pathogenic viral contaminants. This study has used recombinant antibody technology to create antibodies highly specific for F+ RNA bacteriophage from two immunized rabbit phage-display libraries and a commercially available naïve phage-display library.  Novel recombinant antibodies specific for each of the four distinct bacteriophage serogroups (MS2, GA, SP, and Qβ), and cross-reactive within families (MS2/GA and SP/Qβ) were isolated from the three phage-display libraries.  These antibodies are shown to be  more sensitive than traditional methods of detection of F+RNA bacteriophage and require a shorter sample processing time, making this a very attractive proposition as a simple and cost effective first-line quality control assay.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in electronic version. Access restricted to campus users.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Hamburg, 1980.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 101-111). Also available in electronic version. Access restricted to campus users.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--College of William and Mary. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1978.

Thesis (M.S.)--Florida State University, 2006. / Advisor: Armen Zakarian, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Chemistry. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Sept. 19, 2006). Document formatted into pages; contains xiv, 120 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Forensic Science))--Mahidol University, 1984.