Bcl-2-related ovarian killer, Bok, is often considered a pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member due to its ability to induce mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) when over-expressed. However, there are many conflicting reports regarding endogenous Bok's apoptotic function and stability. Some studies claim that endogenous Bok is constitutively a MOMP-mediator but is very unstable and kept at very low levels via ubiquitin proteasome pathway (UPP)-mediated degradation. On the other hand, many studies, including those from the Wojcikiewicz Lab, indicate that endogenous Bok is a stable protein constitutively bound to inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs), a calcium (Ca2+) release channel in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane, where it would be unable to induce MOMP. In fact, Bok KO mice have no developmental of phenotypical abnormalities, further suggesting that Bok's "killer" characterization needs to be reconsidered. Since endogenous Bok is an ER protein, studying its MOMP-like properties seems futile. Therefore, focusing on the significance of the Bok-IP3R interaction has been the priority of the Wojcikiewicz Lab since we discovered the complex. Over the years, we found that Bok protects IP3Rs from proteolytic cleavage and that Bok stability is dependent on its ability to bind to IP3Rs. However, surprisingly, there is no clear evidence to date that Bok influences the Ca2+ mobilizing activity of IP3Rs. Here, I study in detail the Bok-IP3R interaction and the impact it has on apoptosis, Bok stability, and IP3R-mediated Ca2+ mobilization. I resolve the controversy surrounding the apoptotic function of exogenous and endogenous Bok and hypothesize why there is a discrepancy between the two. Also, I show that IP3R binding in the ER membrane is essential for Bok stability, and without them Bok is rapidly degraded by the UPP. This demonstrates that the Bok-IP3R interaction is critical to Bok function, likely including its newly emerged non-apoptotic roles, such as regulating mitochondrial dynamics and mitochondria associated-ER membranes. Finally, for the first time, I reveal that Bok has suppressive effects on IP3R-mediated Ca2+ mobilization and describe how these effects are reversed when Bok is phosphorylated at serine-8. Overall, this thesis demonstrates the importance of the Bok-IP3R interaction on both Bok and IP3R function.

The Adirondack Park Agency (APA) is a state agency in New York that was established in 1971 with the goal of protecting private and public resources within the Adirondack Park. Over the summer I had the opportunity to work with the APA as their Wetland Mapping Intern in the Resource Analysis and Scientific Services (RASS) division. One of the responsibilities of RASS is to oversee wetland regulations under the New York State Freshwater Wetlands Act and the APA Act. For part of this internship, I accompanied RASS biologists on wetland site visits where I learned more about wetland delineations and the permitting process. After seeing the high demand for wetland site visits, I used the site visit data from the 2024 field season to highlight areas within the Adirondacks with higher wetland site visit frequencies. To accomplish this, I created a graduated symbol map to show the town-specific distribution of site visits. North Elba, Long Lake, and Chester were the towns with the highest frequency of wetland site visits. The resulting map could be used by the APA in an annual report. The second part of my internship was an independent project mapping deep-water marshes in six Adirondack lakes. Deep-water marshes consist primarily of submergent and floating aquatic vegetation that covers at least 100% of an 18.6 m² (200 ft²) area and is within a maximum water depth of 2 m (6.6 ft). GPS points along the boundary of each deep-water marsh were collected and used to create maps in ArcGIS Pro. I found that Lake Flower had the highest percent cover of deep-water marshes and that most of these marshes were less than an acre in size. This project helped expand the APA’s wetland database, which is a useful tool in the permitting process.