This dissertation and accompanying lecture recital explores the musical elements present in Áskell Másson’s three solos for snare drum, PRÍM (1984), KÍM (2001) and B2B: Back to Basics (2010). Two of the primary challenges for the performer when playing solo literature on a non-pitch oriented instrument are identifying thematic structures and understanding how to interpret all innovative sound production techniques employed within the music. A thematic and compositional analysis, as well as an investigation into the experimentation of timbre found in Másson’s three pieces for solo snare drum will help to clarify the musical complexities that are present throughout.

No description available.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an incretin hormone produced by the enteroendocrine L-cell that potently stimulates insulin secretion. Although signaling pathways promoting GLP-1 secretion are well characterized, the mechanism by which GLP-1 containing granules fuse to the L-cell membrane remain elusive. RT-PCR and protein analysis indicate that vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP2) is expressed and localized to secretory granules in the murine GLUTag L-cell model. VAMP2, but not VAMP1, interacted with the core SNARE complex protein, Syntaxin 1a, in GLUTag cells. Tetanus toxin (TetX) cleavage of VAMP2 in GLUTag cells prevented glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP)- and oleic acid (OA)-stimulated GLP-1 secretion, as well as K+-stimulated exocytosis from GLUTag cells. Although components of membrane rafts were detected in GLUTag cells, their role in GLP-1 secretion remains to be determined. Together, these findings indicate an essential role for VAMP2 in GLP-1 exocytosis from the GLUTag cell.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an incretin hormone produced by the enteroendocrine L-cell that potently stimulates insulin secretion. Although signaling pathways promoting GLP-1 secretion are well characterized, the mechanism by which GLP-1 containing granules fuse to the L-cell membrane remain elusive. RT-PCR and protein analysis indicate that vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP2) is expressed and localized to secretory granules in the murine GLUTag L-cell model. VAMP2, but not VAMP1, interacted with the core SNARE complex protein, Syntaxin 1a, in GLUTag cells. Tetanus toxin (TetX) cleavage of VAMP2 in GLUTag cells prevented glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP)- and oleic acid (OA)-stimulated GLP-1 secretion, as well as K+-stimulated exocytosis from GLUTag cells. Although components of membrane rafts were detected in GLUTag cells, their role in GLP-1 secretion remains to be determined. Together, these findings indicate an essential role for VAMP2 in GLP-1 exocytosis from the GLUTag cell.

No description available.

The secretory pathway of plant cells consists of several organelles that are connected by vesicle and tubular transport. Every compartment has a distinct function and the specificity of vesicle fusion is essential to maintain the organelles identity. N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) play a crucial role in the secretory pathway driving specific vesicle fusions. A vesicle SNARE (v-SNARE) on a vesicle specifically interacts with two or three target SNAREs (t-SNAREs) on the target compartment. This event leads to vesicle membrane fusion with the membrane of the target compartment and the release of cargo molecules into the organelle lumen.<p> The aim of this work was the characterization of two <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> SNAREs. The first one is a v-SNARE, Bet11 that is the Arabidopsis ortholog of the yeast and mammal ER-Golgi v-SNARE, Bet1. In these organisms, Bet1 is involved in trafficking between the ER and Golgi apparatus. The second protein studied is a putative SNARE called Bet12 that shares high sequence identity with Bet11. In particular, I was interested in studying the sorting of these two proteins and their role in the secretory pathway of plant cells. By confocal laser microscopy, I demonstrated that these two proteins have different intracellular localization: Bet11 was mainly localized on the ER, Golgi stacks and punctate structures that I have identified as endosomes. Bet12 was localized only on the Golgi stacks. The identification of signal(s) involved in targeting of Bet11 and Bet12 were studied. To reach this aim I generated different mutant chimeras of Bet11 and Bet12. The co-expression of these chimeras with specific protein markers suggested that the distribution of these proteins was the result of a combined influence of multiple domains.<p> A serine in the Bet11 sequence was identified as a putative phosphorylation site and appeared important for proper Bet11 intracellular distribution.<p> The different intracellular distributions of Bet11 and Bet12 suggest different biological roles for the two proteins. To functionally characterize these two proteins homozygous knock-down mutants of Bet11 were screened. These plants had no evident phenotype, suggesting a possible genetic redundancy in this SNARE family.

The secretory pathway of plant cells consists of several organelles that are connected by vesicle and tubular transport. Every compartment has a distinct function and the specificity of vesicle fusion is essential to maintain the organelles identity. N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) play a crucial role in the secretory pathway driving specific vesicle fusions. A vesicle SNARE (v-SNARE) on a vesicle specifically interacts with two or three target SNAREs (t-SNAREs) on the target compartment. This event leads to vesicle membrane fusion with the membrane of the target compartment and the release of cargo molecules into the organelle lumen.<p> The aim of this work was the characterization of two <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> SNAREs. The first one is a v-SNARE, Bet11 that is the Arabidopsis ortholog of the yeast and mammal ER-Golgi v-SNARE, Bet1. In these organisms, Bet1 is involved in trafficking between the ER and Golgi apparatus. The second protein studied is a putative SNARE called Bet12 that shares high sequence identity with Bet11. In particular, I was interested in studying the sorting of these two proteins and their role in the secretory pathway of plant cells. By confocal laser microscopy, I demonstrated that these two proteins have different intracellular localization: Bet11 was mainly localized on the ER, Golgi stacks and punctate structures that I have identified as endosomes. Bet12 was localized only on the Golgi stacks. The identification of signal(s) involved in targeting of Bet11 and Bet12 were studied. To reach this aim I generated different mutant chimeras of Bet11 and Bet12. The co-expression of these chimeras with specific protein markers suggested that the distribution of these proteins was the result of a combined influence of multiple domains.<p> A serine in the Bet11 sequence was identified as a putative phosphorylation site and appeared important for proper Bet11 intracellular distribution.<p> The different intracellular distributions of Bet11 and Bet12 suggest different biological roles for the two proteins. To functionally characterize these two proteins homozygous knock-down mutants of Bet11 were screened. These plants had no evident phenotype, suggesting a possible genetic redundancy in this SNARE family.

Macrophages serve key roles in host defence by initiating inflammatory responses to infection and/or injury. They contribute to innate immunity by secreting a range of pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g. TNF and IL-6) upon activation as well as by phagocytosing pathogens and dead cells, which is necessary for the resolution of inflammation and effective wound repair. Macrophages also contribute to adaptive immunity by functioning as antigen presenting cells.Colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) is the major growth factor governing the differentiation, proliferation and survival of macrophages. Although not as well appreciated, CSF-1 also regulates some of the immune functions of macrophages, such as cytokine secretion and phagocytosis. However, the mechanisms by which CSF-1 governs the immune functions of macrophages are poorly understood. Cytokine secretion, phagocytosis and antigen presentation involve various vesicle trafficking and membrane fusion events, processes in which SNARE proteins play vital roles. Thus, the hypothesis tested in this thesis was that CSF-1 modulates the immune functions of macrophages by regulating the expression and/or activity of SNARE proteins that regulate endocytic and exocytic processes.In this study, the endosomal SNARE protein syntaxin 7 was identified, via microarray analysis, as a CSF-1 inducible gene in primary mouse macrophages. Syntaxin 7 has previously been detected in phagosomal membranes in macrophages. Furthermore, syntaxin 7 has recently been implicated in the secretion of cytokines (e.g. TNF) from macrophages by forming a novel complex with syntaxin 6, Vti1b and VAMP3.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Diabetes mellitus is a complex metabolic disease that currently affects an estimated 422 million people worldwide, with incidence rates rising annually. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) accounts for 5-10% of these cases. Its complications remain a major cause of global deaths. T1D is characterized by autoimmune destruction of β-cell mass. Efforts to preserve and protect β-cell mass in the preclinical stages of T1D are limited by few blood-borne biomarkers of β-cell destruction. In healthy β-cells, insulin secretion requires soluble n-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor-attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complexes and associated accessory regulatory proteins to promote the docking and fusion of insulin vesicles at the plasma membrane. Two target membrane (t)-SNARE proteins, Syntaxin 1/4 and SNAP25/23, and one vesicle-associated (v)-SNARE protein, VAMP2, constitute the SNARE core complex. SNARE complex assembly is also facilitated by the regulatory protein, Double C2-domain protein β (DOC2B). I hypothesized that DOC2B deficiency may underlie β-cell susceptibility to T1D damage; conversely , overexpression of DOC2B may protect β-cell mass. Indeed, with regard to DOC2B abundance, my studies show reduced levels of DOC2B in platelets and islets of prediabetic rodents and new-onset T1D humans. Remarkably, clinical islet transplantation in T1D humans restores platelet DOC2B levels, indicating a correlation With regard to protection/functional effects, DOC2B deficiency enhances susceptibility to T1D in mice, while overexpression of DOC2B selectively in β-cells protects mice from chemically induced T1D; this correlates with preservation of functional β-cell mass. Mechanistically, overexpression of DOC2B and the DOC2B peptide, C2AB, protects clonal β-cell against cytokine or thapsigargin-induced apoptosis and reduces ER stress; this is dependent on C2AB’s calcium binding capacity. C2AB is sufficient to enhance glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and SNARE activation in clonal β-cells to the same extent as full-length DOC2B. In summary, these studies identify DOC2B as a potential biomarker and novel therapeutic target for prevention/management of T1D.

Les cellules eucaryotes sont caractérisées par le cloisonnement des organelles par des membranes. La communication entre les différents compartiments cellulaires est assurée par deux voies de transport : le transport vésiculaire et transport non-vésiculaire. Le transport vésiculaire permet à la fois le trafic des protéines et des lipides d'un compartiment à un autre, alors que le transport non-vésiculaire permet uniquement le trafic des lipides. En effet, les lipides jouent un rôle essentiel dans l'organisation cellulaire. Au cours de ma thèse, je me suis intéressé au rôle des lipides dans le trafic intracellulaire, en utilisant la levure comme organisme modèle. Dans une première partie de ma thèse, j'ai étudié les hélices amphipathiques qui permettent le ciblage des protéines vers des compartiments cellulaires spécifiques. Dans une étude précédente, réalisé au laboratoire a montré que ces hélices amphipathiques interagissaient directement avec les lipides membranaires, ce qui permet un adressage spécifique des protéines en fonction des environnements lipidiques dans la cellule. Deux hélices amphipatiques ont fait l’objet de cette étude : le motif ALPS qui cible les vésicules de la voie sécrétoire précoce, et alpha-synucléine qui reconnaît et fixe les vésicules du compartiment trans-Golgi-membrane plasmique. Dans cette première partie de la thèse j’ai cherché à identifier des motifs similaires à celui d’alpha-synucléine dans les protéines de levure, et de déterminer leurs rôles dans la cellule. Dans une seconde partie de ma thèse, en collaboration avec le laboratoire du Dr Thierry Galli, j'ai étudié de nouveaux composants impliqués dans le métabolisme lipidique aux sites de contact entre le réticulum endoplasmique et la membrane plasmique. Les sites de contact membranaires sont des régions de proches appositions (de l'ordre de 10 à 30 nm) entre deux membranes, généralement entre la membrane du réticulum endoplasmique (RE) et une autre organelle. Ce sont principalement des sites de transfert des lipides et d'ions. Maja Petkovic dans le laboratoire de Thierry Galli a fait la découverte que la protéine SNARE du RE, Sec22, interagit avec une syntaxine (Stx1) de la membrane plasmique dans les neurones, ce qui permet un nouveau mécanisme de contact entre ces deux membranes. J’ai donc essayé de voir si ce mécanisme est conservé chez la levure. Les résultats que j'ai obtenus ont confirmé que la levure Sec22 est capable d'interagir avec une protéine SNARE SSO1 localisée à la membrane plasmatique et homologue de Stx1. J'ai trouvé par co-immunoprecipitation que Sec22 et SSO1 deux interagissent avec les protéines de transfert des lipides localisées aux sites de contact. L'utilisation d'une sonde spécifique au Phosphatidylinositol-4 phosphate (PI4P), nous a permis de montrer que Sec22 est impliquée dans la régulation du niveau de PI4P à la membrane plasmique. Pour disséquer les deux fonctions de Sec22, dans la voie sécrétoire et aux sites de contact, nous avons utilisé l'approche des suppresseurs multicopies dans la levure. Parmi les suppresseurs identifiés, nous avons trouvé le Sfh1, une protéine qui a un rôle potentiel dans le transfert des lipides. Ces résultats confirment bien ceux obtenus par l’équipe de Thierry Galli, montrant que Sec22 a un nouveau rôle aux sites de contact entre le RE et la membrane plasmique et suggèrent que ce complexe SNARE pourrait être impliqué dans transfert de lipides chez la levure. / Eukaryotic cells are characterized by their internal membrane compartmentalization, with the various specialized organelles of the cell bounded by lipid membranes. Communication between different cellular compartments occurs via two transport pathways: vesicular transport and non-vesicular transport. Vesicular transport carries both proteins and lipids from one compartment to another in cells, whereas non-vesicular transport carries only lipids. An emerging idea is the important role that lipids play in cellular organization. Lipid binding amphipathic helices such as the ALPS (amphipathic lipid packing sensor) motif are targeted to membranes of a specific lipid composition, and hence act to transfer information encoded in membrane lipids to the vesicle trafficking machinery. The lipid composition of the membranes of different organelles is therefore of great importance. One mechanism that cells use to maintain the distinct lipid compositions of organelles is lipid transport, which occurs preferentially at membrane contact sites (MCS). MCS are regions of close appositions, on the order of 10 to 30 nm, between two membranes, generally between the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and another organelle. In my thesis, I addressed two aspects of how lipids and their transport function in intracellular trafficking, using yeast as a model system. First, I studied amphipathic motifs that mediate targeting of proteins to specific compartments in cells. Lipid binding amphipathic helices were shown in a previous study in the laboratory to mediate specific targeting to distinct lipid environments via direct protein-lipid interactions, both in vitro and in cells. One of these, the ALPS motif, targets vesicles of the early secretory pathway. The other, alpha-synuclein, targets vesicles travelling between the late Golgi, the plasma membrane and endosomes. I studied new potential alpha-synuclein-like motifs in yeast proteins, and their roles in cells. In a second project, in collaboration with the laboratory of Dr. Thierry Galli, I studied new compenents involved in lipid metabolism at contact sites between the endoplasmic reticulum and the plasma membrane. Maja Petkovic in the laboratory of Thierry Galli made the important discovery that the ER-localized SNARE protein Sec22 interacts with a plasma membrane syntaxin in neurons, thus providing a novel mechanism for mediating close contact between these two membranes. I addressed the question of whether this mechanism is conserved in yeast. The results I obtained confirmed that yeast Sec22 is able to interact with a SNARE protein localized to the plasma membrane, Sso1. I found by co-immunoprecitation that Sec22 and Sso1 both interact with lipid transfer proteins localized to ER-plasma membrane contact sites. Using a specific probe for phosphatidylinositol-4 phosphate (PI4P), we showed that Sec22 was involved in regulating the level of PI4P at the plasma membrane. These results extend to yeast those obtained by Maja Petkovic, Thierry Galli and colleauges showing that Sec22 has a novel role at ER-plasma membrane contact sites, and suggest that this SNARE complex might be implicated in lipid transfer at these sites in yeast.