This dissertation aimed to explore the S2 region with an attempt to modulate its elasticity in order to tune the contraction output. Two peptides, the stabilizer and destabilizer, showed high potential in modifying the S2 region at the cellular level, thus they were prepared for animal model testing. In this research, (i) S2 elasticity was studied, and the stabilizer and destabilizer peptides were built to tune contraction output through modulating S2 flexibility; (ii) the peptides were attached to heart homing adducts and the bond between them was confirmed; and (iii) it was shown that minor changes were imposed on the modulating peptides' functionality upon attaching to the heart homing adducts. S2 flexibility was confirmed through comparing it to other parts of myosin using simulated force spectroscopy. Modulatory peptides were built and computationally tested for their efficacy through interaction energy measurement, simulated force spectroscopy and molecular dynamics; these were attached to heart homing adducts for heart delivery. Interaction energy tests determined that tannic acid (TA) served well for this purpose. The stoichiometry of the bond between the TA and the modulating peptides was confirmed using mass spectroscopy. The functionality of the modulating peptides was shown to be unaltered through expansion microscopy …

The early signaling mechanism(s) that control oxidant perception and signal transduction leading to activation of the antioxidant defense response and survival mechanisms tailored toward specific oxidative insult remains unknown. Here, we identified early changes in metabolome and proteome of S. cerevisiae in response to hydrogen peroxide, menadione, cumene hydroperoxide, and diamide. Firstly, global untargeted LC–MS/MS analysis allowed us to identify 196 proteins in response to hydrogen peroxide, 569 proteins in response to cumene hydroperoxide, 369 proteins in response to menadione and 207 proteins in response to diamide that were significantly regulated at 3 min after exposure. We revealed that each oxidant triggered unique signaling mechanisms associated with survival and repair mechanisms as early as 3 minutes of post treatment with a set of proteins that uniquely responded to the particular oxidant. In addition, our comprehensive pathway analysis revealed signaling pathways and the molecular players that are regulated globally by all oxidants at early time points namely Ran, mTOR, Rho, and eIF2. Additionally, we analyzed metabolic response using targeted GC-MS/MS that allowed us to identity 35 metabolites that were consistently detected in all samples at 3 min of exposure. These metabolites showed distinct response to the four oxidants in carbohydrate metabolism, …