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Effect Of Cultivation Parameters On Fermentation And Hydrogen Production In The Phylum, Mariamichela Lanzilli, Nunzia Esercizio, Marco Vastano, Zhaohui Xu, Genoveffa Nuzzo, Carmela Gallo, Emiliano Manzo, Angelo Fontana, Giuliana D'Ippolito Dec 2020

Effect Of Cultivation Parameters On Fermentation And Hydrogen Production In The Phylum, Mariamichela Lanzilli, Nunzia Esercizio, Marco Vastano, Zhaohui Xu, Genoveffa Nuzzo, Carmela Gallo, Emiliano Manzo, Angelo Fontana, Giuliana D'Ippolito

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The phylum is composed of a single class (), 4 orders (), 5 families (), and 13 genera. They have been isolated from extremely hot environments whose characteristics are reflected in the metabolic and phenotypic properties of the species. The metabolic versatility of members leads to a pool of high value-added products with application potentials in many industry fields. The low risk of contamination associated with their extreme culture conditions has made most species of the phylum attractive candidates in biotechnological processes. Almost all members of the phylum, especially those in the order , can produce bio-hydrogen from a variety …


Fine-Scale Patterns Of Genetic Structure In The Host Plant Chamaecrista Fasciculata (Fabaceae) And Its Nodulating Rhizobia Symbionts, Mahboubeh Hosseinalizadeh Nobarinezhad, Lisa A. Wallace Dec 2020

Fine-Scale Patterns Of Genetic Structure In The Host Plant Chamaecrista Fasciculata (Fabaceae) And Its Nodulating Rhizobia Symbionts, Mahboubeh Hosseinalizadeh Nobarinezhad, Lisa A. Wallace

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

In natural plant populations, a fine-scale spatial genetic structure (SGS) can result from limited gene flow, selection pressures or spatial autocorrelation. However, limited gene flow is considered the predominant determinant in the establishment of SGS. With limited dispersal ability of bacterial cells in soil and host influence on their variety and abundance, spatial autocorrelation of bacterial communities associated with plants is expected. For this study, we collected genetic data from legume host plants, Chamaecrista fasciculata, their Bradyrhizobium symbionts and rhizosphere free-living bacteria at a small spatial scale to evaluate the extent to which symbiotic partners will have similar SGS …


Exploring The Niche Of Rickettsia Montanensis (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) Infection Of The American Dog Tick (Acari: Ixodidae), Using Multiple Species Distribution Model Approaches, Catherine A. Lippi, Holly Gaff, Alexis L. White, Heidi K. St. John, Allen L. Richards, Sadie J. Ryan Dec 2020

Exploring The Niche Of Rickettsia Montanensis (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) Infection Of The American Dog Tick (Acari: Ixodidae), Using Multiple Species Distribution Model Approaches, Catherine A. Lippi, Holly Gaff, Alexis L. White, Heidi K. St. John, Allen L. Richards, Sadie J. Ryan

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Say) (Acari: Ixodidae), is a vector for several human diseasecausing pathogens such as tularemia, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and the understudied spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) infection caused by Rickettsia montanensis. It is important for public health planning and intervention to understand the distribution of this tick and pathogen encounter risk. Risk is often described in terms of vector distribution, but greatest risk may be concentrated where more vectors are positive for a given pathogen. When assessing species distributions, the choice of modeling framework and spatial layers used to make predictions are important. …


Novel Small Rnas Expressed By Bartonella Bacilliformis Under Multiple Conditions Reveal Potential Mechanisms For Persistence In The Sand Fly Vector And Human Host, Shaun Wachter, Linda D. Hicks, Rahul Raghavan, Michael F. Minnick Nov 2020

Novel Small Rnas Expressed By Bartonella Bacilliformis Under Multiple Conditions Reveal Potential Mechanisms For Persistence In The Sand Fly Vector And Human Host, Shaun Wachter, Linda D. Hicks, Rahul Raghavan, Michael F. Minnick

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Bartonella bacilliformis, the etiological agent of Carrión's disease, is a Gram-negative, facultative intracellular alphaproteobacterium. Carrión's disease is an emerging but neglected tropical illness endemic to Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador. B. bacilliformis is spread between humans through the bite of female phlebotomine sand flies. As a result, the pathogen encounters significant and repeated environmental shifts during its life cycle, including changes in pH and temperature. In most bacteria, small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) serve as effectors that may post-transcriptionally regulate the stress response to such changes. However, sRNAs have not been characterized in B. bacilliformis, to date. We therefore performed total RNA-sequencing …


Adaptive Divergence, Neutral Panmixia, And Algal Symbiont Population Structure In The Temperate Coral Astrangia Poculata Along The Mid-Atlantic United States, Hannah E. Aichelman, Daniel J. Barshis Nov 2020

Adaptive Divergence, Neutral Panmixia, And Algal Symbiont Population Structure In The Temperate Coral Astrangia Poculata Along The Mid-Atlantic United States, Hannah E. Aichelman, Daniel J. Barshis

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Astrangia poculata is a temperate scleractinian coral that exists in facultative symbiosis with the dinoflagellate alga Breviolum psygmophilum across a range spanning the Gulf of Mexico to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Our previous work on metabolic thermal performance of Virginia (VA) and Rhode Island (RI) populations of A. poculata revealed physiological signatures of cold (RI) and warm (VA) adaptation of these populations to their respective local thermal environments. Here, we used whole-transcriptome sequencing (mRNA-Seq) to evaluate genetic differences and identify potential loci involved in the adaptive signature of VA and RI populations. Sequencing data from 40 A. poculata individuals, including 10 …


Varroa Destructor Mites Vector And Transmit Pathogenic Honey Bee Viruses Acquired From An Artificial Diet, Francisco Posada-Florez, Eugene V. Ryabov, Matthew C. Heerman, Yanping Chen, Jay D. Evans, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Steven C. Cook Nov 2020

Varroa Destructor Mites Vector And Transmit Pathogenic Honey Bee Viruses Acquired From An Artificial Diet, Francisco Posada-Florez, Eugene V. Ryabov, Matthew C. Heerman, Yanping Chen, Jay D. Evans, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Steven C. Cook

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructoris one of the most destructive pests of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) and the primary biotic cause of colony collapse in many regions of the world. These mites inflict physical injury on their honey bee hosts from feeding on host hemolymph and fat body cells/cellular components, and serve as the vector for deadly honey bee viruses, including Deformed wing virus (DWV) and the related Varroa destructor virus-1 (VDV-1) (i.e., DWV-like viruses). Studies focused on elucidating the dynamics of Varroa-mediated vectoring and transmission of DWV-like viruses may be confounded by viruses present in …


Matrices (Re)Loaded: Durability, Viability, And Fermentative Capacity Of Yeast Encapsulated In Beads Of Different Composition During Long-Term Fed-Batch Culture, Jordan Gulli, Peter Yunker, Frank Rosenzweig Oct 2020

Matrices (Re)Loaded: Durability, Viability, And Fermentative Capacity Of Yeast Encapsulated In Beads Of Different Composition During Long-Term Fed-Batch Culture, Jordan Gulli, Peter Yunker, Frank Rosenzweig

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Encapsulated microbes have been used for decades to produce commodities ranging from methyl ketone to beer. Encapsulated cells undergo limited replication, which enables them to more efficiently convert substrate to product than planktonic cells and which contributes to their stress resistance. To determine how encapsulated yeast supports long-term, repeated fed-batch ethanologenic fermentation, and whether different matrices influence that process, fermentation and indicators of matrix durability and cell viability were monitored in high-dextrose, fed-batch culture over 7 weeks. At most timepoints, ethanol yield (g/g) in encapsulated cultures exceeded that in planktonic cultures. And frequently, ethanol yield differed among the four matrices …


Adaptive Genetic Potential And Plasticity Of Trait Variation In The Foundation Prairie Grass Andropogon Gerardii Across The Us Great Plains’ Climate Gradient: Implications For Climate Change And Restoration, Matthew Galliart, Sofia Sabates, Hannah Tetreault, Angel Delacruz, Johnny Bryant, Jake Alsdurf, Mary Knapp, Nora M. Bello, Sara G. Baer, Brian R. Maricle Ph.D., David J. Gibson, Jesse Poland, Paul St Amand, Natalie Unruh, Olivia Parrish, Loretta Johnson Oct 2020

Adaptive Genetic Potential And Plasticity Of Trait Variation In The Foundation Prairie Grass Andropogon Gerardii Across The Us Great Plains’ Climate Gradient: Implications For Climate Change And Restoration, Matthew Galliart, Sofia Sabates, Hannah Tetreault, Angel Delacruz, Johnny Bryant, Jake Alsdurf, Mary Knapp, Nora M. Bello, Sara G. Baer, Brian R. Maricle Ph.D., David J. Gibson, Jesse Poland, Paul St Amand, Natalie Unruh, Olivia Parrish, Loretta Johnson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Plant response to climate depends on a species’ adaptive potential. To address this, we used reciprocal gardens to detect genetic and environmental plasticity effects on phenotypic variation and combined with genetic analyses. Four reciprocal garden sites were planted with three regional ecotypes of Andropogon gerardii, a dominant Great Plains prairie grass, using dry, mesic, and wet ecotypes originating from western KS to Illinois that span 500–1,200 mm rainfall/year. We aimed to answer: (a) What is the relative role of genetic constraints and phenotypic plasticity in controlling phenotypes? (b) When planted in the homesite, is there a trait syndrome for each …


Activated Protein Kinase C (Pkc) Is Persistently Trafficked With Epidermal Growth Factor (Egf) Receptor, Carol A. Heckman, Tania Biswas, Douglas M. Dimick, Marilyn L. Cayer Sep 2020

Activated Protein Kinase C (Pkc) Is Persistently Trafficked With Epidermal Growth Factor (Egf) Receptor, Carol A. Heckman, Tania Biswas, Douglas M. Dimick, Marilyn L. Cayer

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Protein kinase Cs (PKCs) are activated by lipids in the plasma membrane and bind to a scaffold assembled on the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR). Understanding how this complex is routed is important, because this determines whether EGFR is degraded, terminating signaling. Here, cells were preincubated in EGF-tagged gold nanoparticles, then allowed to internalize them in the presence or absence of a phorbol ester PKC activator. PKC colocalized with EGF-tagged nanoparticles within 5 min and migrated with EGFR-bearing vesicles into the cell. Two conformations of PKC-epsilon were distinguished by different primary antibodies. One, thought to be enzymatically active, was …


Multivariate Analysis Of Open Field Exploration Identifies Latent Spatial And Social Behavioral Axes In Domestic Dogs, Budhaditya Chowdhury, Moira Van Staaden, Robert Huber Jul 2020

Multivariate Analysis Of Open Field Exploration Identifies Latent Spatial And Social Behavioral Axes In Domestic Dogs, Budhaditya Chowdhury, Moira Van Staaden, Robert Huber

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Recent methodological advances in studying large scale animal movements have let researchers gather rich datasets from behaving animals. Often collected in small sample sizes due to logistical constraints, these datasets are however, ideal for multivariate explorations into behavioral complexity. In behavioral studies of domestic dogs, although automated data loggers have recently seen increasing use, a comprehensive framework to identify complex behavioral axes is lacking. Dog behavioral studies frequently rely on subjective ratings, despite demonstrable evidence that these are insufficient for identifying behavioral variables. Taking advantage of dogs' innate running abilities and readily available GPS data loggers, we extracted latitude-longitude coordinates …


Repression Of Tick Microrna-133 Induces Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptide Expression Critical For Anaplasma Phagocytophilumsurvival In The Vector And Transmission To The Vertebrate Host, Ellango Ramasamy, Vikas Taank, John F. Anderson, Hameeda Sultana, Girish Neelakanta Jul 2020

Repression Of Tick Microrna-133 Induces Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptide Expression Critical For Anaplasma Phagocytophilumsurvival In The Vector And Transmission To The Vertebrate Host, Ellango Ramasamy, Vikas Taank, John F. Anderson, Hameeda Sultana, Girish Neelakanta

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The microRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of gene expression. In this study, we provide evidence for the first time to show that rickettsial pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection results in the down-regulation of tick microRNA-133 (miR-133), to induce Ixodes scapularis organic anion transporting polypeptide (isoatp4056) gene expression critical for this bacterial survival in the vector and for its transmission to the vertebrate host. Transfection studies with recombinant constructs containing transcriptional fusions confirmed binding of miR-133 to isoatp4056 mRNA. Treatment with miR-133 inhibitor resulted in increased bacterial burden and isoatp4056 expression in ticks and tick cells. In contrast, treatment with …


The Complicated And Confusing Ecology Of Microcystis Blooms, Steven W. Wilhelm, George S. Bullerjahn, R Michael Mckay Jun 2020

The Complicated And Confusing Ecology Of Microcystis Blooms, Steven W. Wilhelm, George S. Bullerjahn, R Michael Mckay

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Blooms of the toxin-producing cyanobacterium are increasing globally, leading to the loss of ecosystem services, threats to human health, as well as the deaths of pets and husbandry animals. While nutrient availability is a well-known driver of algal biomass, the factors controlling "who" is present in fresh waters are more complicated. possesses multiple strategies to adapt to temperature, light, changes in nutrient chemistry, herbivory, and parasitism that provide a selective advantage over its competitors. Moreover, its ability to alter ecosystem pH provides it a further advantage that helps exclude many of its planktonic competitors. While decades of nutrient monitoring have …


Human Vascular Endothelial Cells Express Epithelial Growth Factor In Response To Infection By Bartonella Bacilliformis, Linda D. Hicks, Michael F. Minnick Apr 2020

Human Vascular Endothelial Cells Express Epithelial Growth Factor In Response To Infection By Bartonella Bacilliformis, Linda D. Hicks, Michael F. Minnick

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Bartonella are Gram-negative bacterial pathogens that trigger pathological angiogenesis during infection of humans. Bartonella bacilliformis (Bb) is a neglected tropical agent endemic to South America, where it causes Carrión's disease. Little is known about Bb's virulence determinants or how the pathogen elicits hyperproliferation of the vasculature, culminating in Peruvian warts (verruga peruana) of the skin. In this study, we determined that active infection of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) by live Bb induced host cell secretion of epidermal growth factor (EGF) using ELISA. Killed bacteria or lysates of various Bb strains did not cause EGF production, suggesting that an …


Performance Evaluation Of Cetacean Species Distribution Models Developed Using Generalized Additive Models And Boosted Regression Trees, Elizabeth A. Becker, James V. Carretta, Karin A. Forney, Jay Barlow, Stephanie Brodie, Ryan Hoopes, Michael G. Jacox, Sara M. Maxwell, Jessica V. Redfern, Nicholas B. Sisson, Heather Welch, Elliott L. Hazen Apr 2020

Performance Evaluation Of Cetacean Species Distribution Models Developed Using Generalized Additive Models And Boosted Regression Trees, Elizabeth A. Becker, James V. Carretta, Karin A. Forney, Jay Barlow, Stephanie Brodie, Ryan Hoopes, Michael G. Jacox, Sara M. Maxwell, Jessica V. Redfern, Nicholas B. Sisson, Heather Welch, Elliott L. Hazen

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Species distribution models (SDMs) are important management tools for highly mobile marine species because they provide spatially and temporally explicit information on animal distribution. Two prevalent modeling frameworks used to develop SDMs for marine species are generalized additive models (GAMs) and boosted regression trees (BRTs), but comparative studies have rarely been conducted; most rely on presence-only data; and few have explored how features such as species distribution characteristics affect model performance. Since the majority of marine species BRTs have been used to predict habitat suitability, we first compared BRTs to GAMs that used presence/absence as the response variable. We then …


Metatranscriptomic And Metagenomic Analysis Of Biological Diversity In Subglacial Lake Vostok (Antarctica), Colby Gura, Scott O. Rogers Mar 2020

Metatranscriptomic And Metagenomic Analysis Of Biological Diversity In Subglacial Lake Vostok (Antarctica), Colby Gura, Scott O. Rogers

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

A combined metatranscriptomic and metagenomic study of Vostok (Antarctica) ice core sections from glacial, basal, and lake water accretion ice yielded sequences that indicated a wide variety of species and possible conditions at the base of the glacier and in subglacial Lake Vostok. Few organisms were in common among the basal ice and accretion ice samples, suggesting little transmission of viable organisms from the basal ice meltwater into the lake water. Additionally, samples of accretion ice, each of which originated from water in several locations of the shallow embayment, exhibit only small amounts of mixing of species. The western-most portion …


Structure Of The G Protein Chaperone And Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor Ric-8a Bound To Gαi1, Levi J. Mcclelland, Kaiming Zhang, Tung-Chung Mou, Jake Johnston, Cindee Yates-Hansen, Shanshan Li, Celestine J. Thomas, Tzanko I. Doukov, Sarah Triest, Alexandre Wohlkonig, Gregory G. Tall, Jan Steyaert, Wah Chiu, Stephen Sprang Feb 2020

Structure Of The G Protein Chaperone And Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor Ric-8a Bound To Gαi1, Levi J. Mcclelland, Kaiming Zhang, Tung-Chung Mou, Jake Johnston, Cindee Yates-Hansen, Shanshan Li, Celestine J. Thomas, Tzanko I. Doukov, Sarah Triest, Alexandre Wohlkonig, Gregory G. Tall, Jan Steyaert, Wah Chiu, Stephen Sprang

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Ric-8A is a cytosolic Guanine Nucleotide exchange Factor (GEF) that activates heterotrimeric G protein alpha subunits (Gα) and serves as an essential Gα chaperone. Mechanisms by which Ric-8A catalyzes these activities, which are stimulated by Casein Kinase II phosphorylation, are unknown. We report the structure of the nanobody-stabilized complex of nucleotide-free Gα bound to phosphorylated Ric-8A at near atomic resolution by cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography. The mechanism of Ric-8A GEF activity differs considerably from that employed by G protein-coupled receptors at the plasma membrane. Ric-8A engages a specific conformation of Gα at multiple interfaces to form a complex that …


Statin Drugs Plus Th1 Cytokines Potentiate Apoptosis And Ras Delocalization In Human Breast Cancer Lines And Combine With Dendritic Cell-Based Immunotherapy To Suppress Tumor Growth In A Mouse Model Of Her-2 Disease, Crystal M. Oechsle, Loral E. Showalter, Colleen M. Novak, Brain J. Czerniecki, Gary K. Koski Feb 2020

Statin Drugs Plus Th1 Cytokines Potentiate Apoptosis And Ras Delocalization In Human Breast Cancer Lines And Combine With Dendritic Cell-Based Immunotherapy To Suppress Tumor Growth In A Mouse Model Of Her-2 Disease, Crystal M. Oechsle, Loral E. Showalter, Colleen M. Novak, Brain J. Czerniecki, Gary K. Koski

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

A dendritic cell-based, Type 1 Helper T cell (Th1)-polarizing anti-Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2 (HER-2) vaccine supplied in the neoadjuvant setting eliminates disease in up to 30% of recipients with HER-2-positive (HER-2) ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). We hypothesized that drugs with low toxicity profiles that target signaling pathways critical for oncogenesis may work in conjunction with vaccine-induced immune effector mechanisms to improve efficacy while minimizing side effects. In this study, a panel of four phenotypically diverse human breast cancer lines were exposed in vitro to the combination of Th1 cytokines Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) and lipophilic …


Encapsulation Enhances Protoplast Fusant Stability, Jordan Gulli, Eugene Kroll, Frank Rosenzweig Feb 2020

Encapsulation Enhances Protoplast Fusant Stability, Jordan Gulli, Eugene Kroll, Frank Rosenzweig

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

A barrier to cost-efficient biomanufacturing is the instability of engineered genetic elements, such as plasmids. Instability can also manifest at the whole-genome level, when fungal dikaryons revert to parental species due to nuclear segregation during cell division. Here, we show that by encapsulating Saccharomyces cerevisiae-Pichia stipitis dikaryons in an alginate matrix, we can limit cell division and preserve their expanded metabolic capabilities. As a proxy to cellulosic ethanol production, we tested the capacity of such cells to carry out ethanologenic fermentation of glucose and xylose, examining substrate use, ploidy, and cell viability in relation to planktonic fusants, as well as …


Using Genetics To Inform Restoration And Predict Resilience In Declining Populations Of A Keystone Marine Sponge, Sarah M. Griffiths, Evelyn D. Taylor-Cox, Donald C. Behringer, Mark J. Butler Iv, Richard F. Preziosi Feb 2020

Using Genetics To Inform Restoration And Predict Resilience In Declining Populations Of A Keystone Marine Sponge, Sarah M. Griffiths, Evelyn D. Taylor-Cox, Donald C. Behringer, Mark J. Butler Iv, Richard F. Preziosi

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Genetic tools can have a key role in informing conservation management of declining populations. Genetic diversity is an important determinant of population fitness and resilience, and can require careful management to ensure sufficient variation is present. In addition, population genetics data reveal patterns of connectivity and gene flow between locations, enabling mangers to predict recovery and resilience, identify areas of local adaptation, and generate restoration plans. Here, we demonstrate a conservation genetics approach to inform restoration and management of the loggerhead sponge (Spheciospongia vesparium) in the Florida Keys, USA. This species is a dominant, habitat-forming component of marine ecosystems in …


The Role Of Demographic History And Selection In Shaping Genetic Diversity Of The Galápagos Penguin (Spheniscus Mendiculus), Gabriella Arauco-Shapiro, Katelyn I. Schumacher, Dee Boersma, Juan L. Bouzat Jan 2020

The Role Of Demographic History And Selection In Shaping Genetic Diversity Of The Galápagos Penguin (Spheniscus Mendiculus), Gabriella Arauco-Shapiro, Katelyn I. Schumacher, Dee Boersma, Juan L. Bouzat

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Although many studies have documented the effects of demographic bottlenecks on the genetic diversity of natural populations, there is conflicting evidence of the roles that genetic drift and selection may play in driving changes in genetic variation at adaptive loci. We analyzed genetic variation at microsatellite and mitochondrial loci in conjunction with an adaptive MHC class II locus in the Galápagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus), a species that has undergone serial demographic bottlenecks associated with El Niño events through its evolutionary history. We compared levels of variation in the Galápagos penguin to those of its congener, the Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus), …


Cpet Is The Phycoerythrobilin Lyase For Cys-165 On Beta-Phycoerythrin From Fremyella Diplosiphon And The Chaperone-Like Protein Cpez Greatly Improves Its Activity., Wendy M. Schluchter, A. A. Nguyen, K. L. Joseph, A. N. Bussell, S. Pokhrel, A. J. Karty, M. C. Kronfel, D. M. Kehoe Jan 2020

Cpet Is The Phycoerythrobilin Lyase For Cys-165 On Beta-Phycoerythrin From Fremyella Diplosiphon And The Chaperone-Like Protein Cpez Greatly Improves Its Activity., Wendy M. Schluchter, A. A. Nguyen, K. L. Joseph, A. N. Bussell, S. Pokhrel, A. J. Karty, M. C. Kronfel, D. M. Kehoe

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Bilin lyases are enzymes which ligate linear tetrapyrrole chromophores to specific cysteine residues on light harvesting proteins present in cyanobacteria and red algae. The lyases responsible for chromophorylating the light harvesting protein phycoerythrin (PE) have not been fully characterized. In this study, we explore the role of CpeT, a putative bilin lyase, in the biosynthesis of PE in the cyanobacterium Fremyella diplosiphon. Recombinant protein studies show that CpeT alone can bind phycoerythrobilin (PEB), but CpeZ, a chaperone-like protein, is needed in order to correctly and efficiently attach PEB to the beta-subunit of PE. MS analyses of the recombinant beta-subunit of …


Gene Duplication And Deletion, Not Horizontal Transfer, Drove Intra-Species Mosaicism Of Bartonella Henselae, Rachana Banerjee, Oshina Shine, Vyshakh Rajachandran, Govind Krishnadas, Michael F. Minnick, Sandip Paul, Sujay Chattopadhyay Jan 2020

Gene Duplication And Deletion, Not Horizontal Transfer, Drove Intra-Species Mosaicism Of Bartonella Henselae, Rachana Banerjee, Oshina Shine, Vyshakh Rajachandran, Govind Krishnadas, Michael F. Minnick, Sandip Paul, Sujay Chattopadhyay

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Bartonella henselae is a facultative intracellular pathogen that occurs worldwide and is responsible primarily for cat-scratch disease in young people and bacillary angiomatosis in immunocompromised patients. The principal source of genome-level diversity that contributes to B. henselae's host-adaptive features is thought to be horizontal gene transfer events. However, our analyses did not reveal the acquisition of horizontally-transferred islands in B. henselae after its divergence from other Bartonella. Rather, diversity in gene content and genome size was apparently acquired through two alternative mechanisms, including deletion and, more predominantly, duplication of genes. Interestingly, a majority of these events occurred in regions that …


Phenotypic Variation Of Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista Fasciculata) From Mississippi Persists In A Common Garden, Lisa E. Wallace, Mahboubeh Hosseinalizadeh-Nobarinezhad, Robert Coltharp Jan 2020

Phenotypic Variation Of Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista Fasciculata) From Mississippi Persists In A Common Garden, Lisa E. Wallace, Mahboubeh Hosseinalizadeh-Nobarinezhad, Robert Coltharp

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Intraspecific phenotypic variation occurs for many different reasons and understanding its basis has applications in taxonomy, ecology, and evolution. Chamaecrista fasciculata (partridge pea) is a widely distributed species with much phenotypic variation and varied interactions with other species in communities where it grows. Botanists have often noted that phenotypic variation in some traits of this species increases from north to south in the eastern United States. In this study, we grew seeds collected from five Mississippi populations in a common greenhouse environment to determine if the observed variation in leaf and stem traits is maintained in this environment. Interpopulation variation …


Correlates Of Bird Collisions With Buildings Across Three North American Countries, Jared A. Elmore, Stephen B. Hager, Bradley J. Cosentino, Nastasha Hagemeyer, Eric Walters, Scott R. Loss, Et Al. Jan 2020

Correlates Of Bird Collisions With Buildings Across Three North American Countries, Jared A. Elmore, Stephen B. Hager, Bradley J. Cosentino, Nastasha Hagemeyer, Eric Walters, Scott R. Loss, Et Al.

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Collisions with buildings cause up to 1 billion bird fatalities annually in North America. Bird-building collisions have recently received increased conservation, research, and policy attention. However, efforts to reduce collisions would benefit from studies conducted at large spatial scales across multiple study sites, with standardized methods, and with consideration of species- and life history-related variation and correlates of collisions. We addressed these research needs with a coordinated data collection effort at 40 sites across North America. We estimated collision vulnerability for 40 bird species by accounting for their North American population abundance, distribution overlap with study sites, and sampling effort. …


Tick-Borne Flavivirus Inhibits Sphingomyelinase (Issmase), A Venomous Spider Ortholog To Increase Sphingomyelin Lipid Levels For Its Survival In Ixodes Scapularis Ticks, Pravesh Regmi, Supreet Khanal, Girish Neelakanta, Hameda Sultana Jan 2020

Tick-Borne Flavivirus Inhibits Sphingomyelinase (Issmase), A Venomous Spider Ortholog To Increase Sphingomyelin Lipid Levels For Its Survival In Ixodes Scapularis Ticks, Pravesh Regmi, Supreet Khanal, Girish Neelakanta, Hameda Sultana

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Our previous study showed that cells from medically important arthropods, such as ticks, secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs) including exosomes that mediate transmission of flavivirus RNA and proteins to the human cells. Understanding the molecular determinants and mechanism(s) of arthropod-borne flavivirus transmission via exosome biogenesis is very important. In this current study, we showed that in the presence of tick-borne Langat Virus (LGTV; a member of tick-borne encephalitis virus complex), the expression of arthropod IsSMase, a sphingomyelinase D (SMase D) that catalyzes the hydrolytic cleavage of substrates like sphingomyelin (SM) lipids, was significantly reduced in both Ixodes scapularis ticks (in vivo) …


A Simple, Inexpensive Method For Mark-Recapture Of Ixodid Ticks, Alexis White, Robin Minch, Lindsey Bidder, Holly Gaff Jan 2020

A Simple, Inexpensive Method For Mark-Recapture Of Ixodid Ticks, Alexis White, Robin Minch, Lindsey Bidder, Holly Gaff

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Mark-recapture techniques have been widely used and specialized to study organisms throughout the field of biology. To mark-recapture ticks (Ixodida), we have created a simple method to mark ticks using nail polish applied with an insect pin secured in a pencil that allows for a variety of questions to be answered. For measuring tick control efficacy, estimating population estimates, or measuring movement of ticks, this inexpensive mark-recapture method has been easily applied in the field and in the lab to provide useful data to answer a variety of questions about ticks.


Patterns Of Genetic Diversity In Highly Invasive Species: Cogongrass (Imperata Cylindrica) Expansion In The Invaded Range Of The Southern United States (Us), Rima D. Lucardi, Lisa E. Wallace, Gary N. Ervin Jan 2020

Patterns Of Genetic Diversity In Highly Invasive Species: Cogongrass (Imperata Cylindrica) Expansion In The Invaded Range Of The Southern United States (Us), Rima D. Lucardi, Lisa E. Wallace, Gary N. Ervin

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The spatial expansions of invasive organisms in the novel range are generally expected to follow an isolation-by-distance relationship (IBD) if the invasion is biologically driven; however, many invasions are facilitated anthropogenically. This research focused on the extant expansion patterns of cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica). Cogongrass is a widespread invasive species throughout the southern United States (US). Patterns of infestation vary among US states. Cogongrass is pyrogenic, and its invasion threatens softwood (Pinus spp.) plantations, a substantial economic market for this US region. Over 600 individuals were sampled from seven invaded US states, using amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) …


Biogeographic Variation In Resistance Of The Invasive Plant, Alliaria Petiolata, To A Powdery Mildew Fungus And Effect Of Resistance On Competitive Dynamics, Don Cipollini, Sam Davisd, Deah Lieurance, Kendra Cipollini, Volker Bahn Jan 2020

Biogeographic Variation In Resistance Of The Invasive Plant, Alliaria Petiolata, To A Powdery Mildew Fungus And Effect Of Resistance On Competitive Dynamics, Don Cipollini, Sam Davisd, Deah Lieurance, Kendra Cipollini, Volker Bahn

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Garlic mustard is an invasive Eurasian biennial that has spread throughout the eastern United States and southern Canada. Populations of this plant vary in their susceptibility to Erysiphe cruciferarum, a causal agent of powdery mildew disease in Brassicaceous plants. We examined whether there were biogeographic patterns in the distribution of resistance in invasive North American and native European populations of this plant. We grew plants from 78 invasive and 20 native populations and screened them for powdery mildew resistance in the greenhouse. We found that populations were mostly monomorphic for either resistance or susceptibility but that some polymorphic populations …


Larval Performance Of A Major Forest Pest On Novel Hosts And The Effect Of Stressors, Donnie Lee Peterson, Don Cipollini Jan 2020

Larval Performance Of A Major Forest Pest On Novel Hosts And The Effect Of Stressors, Donnie Lee Peterson, Don Cipollini

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Novel hosts lacking a coevolutionary history with herbivores can often support improved larval performance over historic hosts; e.g., emerald ash borer [Agrilus planipennis (Fairmaire) Coleoptera: Buprestidae] on North American ash (Fraxinus spp.) trees. Whether trees are novel or ancestral, stress on plants increases emerald ash borer preference and performance. White fringetree [Chionanthus virginicus (L.) Lamiales: Oleaceae] and olive [Olea europaea (L.) Lamiales: Oleaceae] are closely related non-ash hosts that support development of emerald ash borer to adulthood, but their relative suitability as hosts and the impact of plant stress on larval success has not been well …


On The Potential For Saturated Buffers In Northwest Ohio To Remediate Nutrients From Agricultural Runoff, Stephen J. Jacquemin, Gregory J. Mcglinch, Theresa Dirksen, Angela Clayton Jan 2020

On The Potential For Saturated Buffers In Northwest Ohio To Remediate Nutrients From Agricultural Runoff, Stephen J. Jacquemin, Gregory J. Mcglinch, Theresa Dirksen, Angela Clayton

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Nutrient loading from nonpoint source runoff in the Midwest has emerged as one of the largest threats to water quality as the frequency of harmful algal blooms, hypoxic zones, and issues associated with human-resource interactions have risen abruptly over the past several decades. In this study, a saturated buffer ~500 m in length located in the western basin of the Lake Erie watershed was evaluated for its potential to reduce edge of field runoff and nutrient loading. Saturated buffers reduce runoff by routing subsurface tile drainage water into the riparian zone, providing an opportunity for drainage volume as well as …