Cells use diverse mechanisms to prevent DNA damage and tumor formation. Two tumor suppressors employed in this effort are the focus of our study: breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein (BRCA1) and BRCA-1-associated RING Domain protein 1 (BARD1). These two proteins form a complex that suppresses the generation of estrogen-derived free radicals. Inherited mutations in BRCA1 or BARD1 are associated with an increased risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer in humans. The model organism Caenorhabditis elegans possesses the orthologs BRC-1 and BRD-1 which can be readily mutated, offering an attractive model to study biochemical functions. However, it is unknown if BRC-1/BRD-1 also regulates the transcription of estrogen metabolism (cyp) genes to control the production of free radicals as noted for the human homologs. Utilizing gene expression analysis and estrogen exposure assays, this study demonstrates that BRC-1/BRD-1 has a conserved function of regulating cyp genes in C. elegans. However, our data also shows that BRC-1 and BRD-1 do not necessarily protect DNA from free radical damage upon estrogen exposure, despite its proven inhibition of cyp genes expression. Further investigation is required to determine the function of these cyp gene homologs in C. elegans. Our findings of this additional conserved function of the BRCA1/BARD1 homologs in C. elegans further validate its use as a model organism to better understand the myriad ways BRCA1/BARD1 protects the genome.

BRCA1 and p53 have been proven to interact in tumor suppressor pathways for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. Finding the physical binding location associated with this interplay is important in assessing cancer risk and determining molecular details of the interaction. This project aimed to identify the protein binding region of p53 with the intrinsically disordered region of BRCA1. We cloned select regions of human BRCA1 and p53 protein into E. coli bacteria, then harvested and purified the proteins. A pull-down assay was performed to test binding affinity between a segment of p53 and two different length BRCA1 constructs. The assay showed that neither the construct that contained BRCA1 amino acids between 772-1126 nor the construct with amino acids between 896-1190 interacted with p53. This indicates that these amino acids alone are not sufficient for binding of p53 and BRCA1. Our results could also indicate that a third-party binding mediator is required in vivo. This information expands upon our knowledge of the p53 and BRCA1 binding interaction and can be used in a clinical setting to evaluate risk associated with mutations in the experimental regions.

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease associated with old age and marked by deficits in memory and learning skills. AD pathology is characterized by amyloid-beta (AB) accumulation, which leads to plaque formation and ultimately neuronal death. Additionally, AB activates microglial cells, which function as an immune cell in the brain. Microglial cells secrete proteins that induce inflammation, known as pro-inflammatory cytokines. The chronic activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines engenders neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, which then further exacerbates AD pathologies. This project aims to study the effectiveness of cannabidiol (CBD) as a potential treatment for AD, due to its known anti-inflammatory properties. We will measure the inflammatory response of cultured BV2 immortalized mouse microglial cells following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment. We will then include a CBD treatment to study its therapeutic capabilities in reducing inflammation. We hypothesize that treatment with CBD will decrease the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-6 induced by LPS stimulation. We will perform enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) to detect and quantify the cytokine levels.The overall goal of the research is to demonstrate the capacity of CBD to minimize the immunological mechanisms that drive AD pathologies. Our research will contribute to the understanding of the link between the immune system and central nervous system in AD development. AD is the sixth leading cause of death in America, but the availability of therapies is limited. CBD represents a natural and possible effective therapy for those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and our research will contribute to determining its efficacy.

Effect of Season, Body Size, and Sex on the Mercury Concentrations of Orb-Weaving Spiders
Cale Perry, Garrett Helburn, Olivia Eberwein, Madeline Hannappel, Matthew Chumchal, and Ray Drenner
Mercury (Hg) is an anthropogenic contaminants found in all aquatic ecosystems across the world. One of the methods to monitor levels of Hg contamination in an ecosystem is using sentinel organisms: abundant and widely distributed organisms within the food web that accumulate contaminants in body tissues without negative effects. Riparian spiders are a potential sentinel organism for the study of Hg contamination in aquatic ecosystems, as they accumulate mercury through the consumption of contaminated emergent aquatic insects. The present study will examine the effects of spider body size, sex, and season on 2 taxa of orb-weaving spiders [Family Araneidae: Larinioides sp., Metazygia sp.]. 575 orb-weaving spiders were collected from a boat dock on the South side of Eagle Mountain Lake, Texas, USA, from May to September 2019. The spiders were preserved in 95% ethanol and sorted based genera, month collected, sex, and size class. Size class was determined by measuring the spiders front left leg length (tibia + patella) and served as an indicator of body size. Mercury contamination will be analyzed through direct Hg analysis.

Plants with threatened habitats and fragmented populations may require repatriation efforts to maintain healthy populations. Populations of Sarracenia alata, the pale pitcher plant, are severely fragmented, and the species is near threatened. A complete understanding of its reproduction will be crucial in establishing and maintaining healthy populations. The goals of this study were to determine if 1) S. alata is capable of selfing (reproducing with pollen from the same individual); 2) S. alata is capable of autogamy (selfing without intervention); and 3) pollen load affects reproductive success. We used seed set to measure individual fitness. Thus, it was necessary to determine a reliable method of counting seeds. Two methods were examined, and these gave statistically similar results. We found that while S. alata is capable of selfing, it is not autogamous. Seed set was significantly higher in outcrossed individuals than in selfed individuals . In 2019, plants receiving supplemental pollen yielded more seeds than those in either the control group or a group in which pollinator access was restricted. During 2021 (a year with higher pollinator activity), there was no significant difference between the number of seeds produced by control plants and those receiving supplemental pollen. This study demonstrates the important role of pollinators in maintaining healthy populations in this system.