Trace Work

Trace Clark

Foci: Antioxidant assays, ROS quantification, AOX characterization

Degree Sought: B.S. in Biochemistry

Role:
Undergraduate Student Researcher, Senior

Date:
Spring 2021-Present

Funding:
Creative Discovery and Undergraduate Research Award (Spring 2024, Summer 2023, Spring 2022), Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (Summer 2022), NASA WVSGC Fellowship (2022-2023)

Extracurricular Interests:
Woodworking, reading, weightlifting.

Tardigrade Electron Transport Chain

Trace’s main focus this semester is on the inhibition of protein complexes within the tardigrade electron transport chain (ETC). The electron transport chain holds several important protein complexes that use electrons to perform redox reactions, and the energy from these reactions is used to transport protons into the mitochondrial intermembrane space to create a proton gradient which is used for the generation of ATP (oxidative phosphorylation). During this process, reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be produced as a byproduct in varying porportions. This is important for Trace’s work as he uses ETC inhibitors to affect the total amount of ROS produced to study how the mitochondrial production of ROS affects the rate of tardigrade tun formation. To see if the amount of ROS changes with the inhibition of the complexes, Trace will be using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. He will be working alongside Brendin Flinn and Aaron Grimmett on this project.

Antioxidant Assays

Another one of Trace’s projects is quantifying certain antioxidant enzymes within tardigrades, specifically catalase, glutathione reductase, and superoxide dismutase. These antioxidant enzymes are known to combat the harmful effects of reactive oxygen species by catalyzing their conversion into less reactive products. Knowing that introducing stressors to tardigrades can cause an increase in ROS, Trace wants to explore if antioxidants are upregulated in stressed tardigrades to counteract the harmful effects of the increased ROS. He does this using biochemical assays that rely on ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy.

Characterization of Cryobiosis and Other Stressors

Trace’s first contribution to the lab was the exploration of new stress conditions to be utilized by the lab as models, with a particular focus on cryobiosis. Cryobiosis is the induction of cryptobiosis through the exposure of tardigrades to subzero temperatures. Trace’s intial work determined the optimal protocol to induce successful cryobiosis in Hypsibius exemplaris. After that, Trace began working with other members of the Kolling lab to characterize other forms of cryptobiosis such as osmobiosis and chemobiosis.