| Summary |
Promoter functions in lymphocytes of vertebrates such as fish have not been fully characterized. Viral promoters such as the CMV (cytomegalovirus) promoter are used to express transgenes, but have never been compared with a native catfish promoter. In this study, the channel catfish {Ictalurus punctatus) P-actin promoter was compared to the CMV promoter in the species B and T lymphocytes. The hypothesis tested was that a CMV promoter would provide a higher efficiency than the native P-actin catfish promoter. Characterizing the P-actin promoter's sequence provided information that compares this promoter to those of other higher vertebrates. Comparing the efficiency of this promoter to an early activating promoter such as the CMV provided information on how sequence identity and size can affect a promoter's efficiency. Herein is described the comparison of the two promoters cloned in frame with P-galactosidase, in which x-gal staining was used to ascertain efficiency. Ictalurus punctatus B and T lymphocytes were used in this study to provide a native medium for gene expression. The results suggested that in this study the P-actin promoter did not exhibit a higher efficiency when compared to the CMV promoter in B and T lymphocytes. |
| General note | Presented to the faculty of the Department of Biology. |
| General note | Advisor: Thomas J. McConnell |
| Dissertation note | M.S. East Carolina University 2007 |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 43-47). |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Thèses et écrits académiques. |
