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This project is a study of the content, composition, and distribution of general protein, amino acids, and fatty acids in endoplasmic reticulum membrane fragments carrying cytochrome P450 enzymes. P450s are a large superfamily of enzymes that oxidize lipophilic xenobiotics (foreign compounds) with electronegative centers that may be toxic. The xenobiotic becomes polarized and thereby more reactive sot that it may either become water-soluble and excreted or it may become activated to an acutely toxic compound. The P450s are essential in determining the toxicity of compounds that an organism is accidentally or deliberately exposed to and therefore important in reducing or eliminating insect infestations.
Lyophilized, pulverized samples of four organisms, the fourth stage larvae of two mosquito species, Aedes albopictus and Ae. aegyptii, both pathogen vectors, that have been fed either of two species of yeast (the active dry form), Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lachancea thermotolerance, both of which the mosquito larvae normally eat will be examined. Mg amounts of the powder will be extracted with organic solvents and cation exchange column chromatography and the subsequent samples will be analyzed by HPLC for protein and amino acids and by GC-MS for fatty acids.
Correlations between the mosquito larvae, the yeast, and the insensitivity of the former to selected potentially toxic xenobiotics, including carbamates, neonicotinoids, and terpenoids will be evaluated by in vivo toxicity tests, using the appropriate statistical method (ANOVAs).
Applicant must be LSAMP eligible.
The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program at Rutgers University-New Brunswick is a non-medical science program sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The program is designed to increase the interest, retention, graduation, and success of students from racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in non-medical (STEM) fields (i.e., Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American/Alaskan, Pacific Islander). Must also be a US citizen.
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