Document Type

Honors Project

Publication Date

5-29-2019

Abstract

Biomphalaria glabrata is the intermediate host to the disease causing parasitic worm, Schistosoma mansoni. Previous work has identified homologs of NF-κB, a known immune related transcription factor, in B. glabrata and work has also been done to establish putative κB sites. It has also been observed that the p65 homologous subunit has an extended N-terminal region not present in other homologs. The goal of the present study is twofold: investigate DNA binding affinity of two NF-κB subunits, Bg-p65 and Bg-p50, and characterize the nature of the N-terminal extension of Bg-p65. In the current work, it is shown through the use of EMSAs, that Bg-p65 is capable of binding the vertebrate consensus κB site and a κB site associated with the gene that encodes a protein homologous to the inhibitor of NF-κB, IκB. Through the use of multiple sequence alignment, the present work also demonstrates the existence of sequences homologous to the Bg-p65 N-terminus in other mollusks.

Level of Honors

magna cum laude

Department

Biology

Advisor

Judith Humphries

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