20th Annual Student Research Conference
Science
Isolation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Protein Ubc9
Stephanie D. Pratt
Dr. Robert Weldon (University of Nebraska- Lincoln) and Dr. Michael Lockhart, Faculty Mentors
The potential significance of isolating Ubc9 protein is to better understand the nature of the interaction between Ubc9 and a consensual sequence in the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) genome, to prospectively inhibit this interaction, and to decrease the infectivity of the virus. This could lead to improved drug therapy with possible universal applications due to Ubc9 function identified in other viruses. Polymerase chain reaction was used to produce Ubc9 DNA that was subsequently cloned into a TOPO vector for mass production. The gene was cleaved out and ligated into a Pet21a+ vector that would code for the addition of a His-tag to facilitate Ubc9 protein purification. A Western blot of purified Ubc9 revealed unexpected results, demonstrating the difference between theoretical science and experimental.
Keywords: HIV, cloning, PCR, Ubc9, drug discovery
Topic(s):Biology
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 63-2
Location: VH 1416
Time: 3:00 pm