Examining the Interaction of the T. vaginalis Homologues of RAD51 and DMC1 with TvBRCA2 via Co-Immunoprecipitation
Poster Number
12
Format
Poster Presentation
Faculty Mentor Name
Lisa Wrischnik
Faculty Mentor Department
Biological Sciences
Abstract/Artist Statement
Trichomonas vaginalis, a single-celled protozoan parasite, is the causal agent of the sexually transmitted infection trichomoniasis. Despite only having been observed reproducing by binary fission, the protozoan possesses a genome containing multiple genes known to be active in meiosis, implying that the organism may display a form of “cell sex.” One of these genes encodes the RAD51 protein, which is involved in DNA repair of double-stranded breaks during homologous recombination as well as repair after DNA damage. The DMC1 protein is also involved in repairing double stranded breaks, but only acts during meiosis. Both RAD51 and DMC1 may form a complex with the BRCA2 protein homologue to facilitate attachment to double-stranded breaks; specifically, RAD51 in other organisms has been shown to bind to repeat regions in the BRCA2 protein. Our project involves examining the interaction of both the Trichomonas vaginalis RAD51 and DMC1 homologues with the BRCA2 homologue using co-immunoprecipitation experiments to assay for protein-protein interactions.
Location
DeRosa University Center, Ballroom
Start Date
30-4-2016 10:00 AM
End Date
30-4-2016 12:00 PM
Examining the Interaction of the T. vaginalis Homologues of RAD51 and DMC1 with TvBRCA2 via Co-Immunoprecipitation
DeRosa University Center, Ballroom
Trichomonas vaginalis, a single-celled protozoan parasite, is the causal agent of the sexually transmitted infection trichomoniasis. Despite only having been observed reproducing by binary fission, the protozoan possesses a genome containing multiple genes known to be active in meiosis, implying that the organism may display a form of “cell sex.” One of these genes encodes the RAD51 protein, which is involved in DNA repair of double-stranded breaks during homologous recombination as well as repair after DNA damage. The DMC1 protein is also involved in repairing double stranded breaks, but only acts during meiosis. Both RAD51 and DMC1 may form a complex with the BRCA2 protein homologue to facilitate attachment to double-stranded breaks; specifically, RAD51 in other organisms has been shown to bind to repeat regions in the BRCA2 protein. Our project involves examining the interaction of both the Trichomonas vaginalis RAD51 and DMC1 homologues with the BRCA2 homologue using co-immunoprecipitation experiments to assay for protein-protein interactions.