Life Sciences Commons^™

Aquaporin Expression And Cholesterol Content In Eel Swimbladder Tissue, Victoria Drechsel, Gabriel Schneebauer, Birgit Fiechtner, Christopher P. Cutler, Bernd Pelster

Department of Biology Faculty Publications

Leakiness of the swimbladder wall of teleost fishes must be prevented to avoid diffusional loss of gases out of the swimbladder. Guanine incrustation as well as high concentrations of cholesterol in swimbladder membranes in midwater and deep-sea fish has been connected to a reduced gas permeability of the swimbladder wall. On the contrary, the swimbladder is filled by diffusion of gases, mainly oxygen and CO2, from the blood and the gas gland cells into the swimbladder lumen. In swimbladder tissue of the zebrafish and the Japanese eel, aquaporin mRNA has been detected, and the aquaporin protein has been considered important …

High Rates Of Polygyny In Tropical Mexico Within The Native Range Of Vespula Squamosa., Alex K. Snyder, Kevin J. Loope

Honors College Theses

Polygyny, or the formation of colonies with multiple cooperating queens, has been observed in a variety of social Hymenoptera and likely exists as a convergent evolutionary strategy. Polygyne cooperation has been observed in several Vespula sp. and is correlated with a perennial social strategy. This perennial-polygyne behavior has been observed most commonly within the tropical and subtropical regions of the invasive Vespula pensylvanica and V. germanica, and rarely within their native temperate ranges. This phenomenon has been relatively undocumented within the tropical portions the V. squamosa native range, despite it being observed in their temperate ranges several times. We observed …

Molecular Analysis Of Mchm Toxicity In Zebrafish, Cassandra Pelton

Honors College Theses

In early 2014 Freedom Industries, located in Charleston, WV, leaked approximately 10,000 gallons of 4-methylcyclohexane methanol into the Elk River. This river serviced approximately 300,000 people as a source of municipal water. Its effects on the people and surrounding wildlife is largely unknown.

Chemicals in surface runoff have the potential to induce aquatic animal trait changes, such as altered movement and feeding, that can ultimately alter predator-prey dynamics in aquatic systems. However, chemicals with high potential to enter aquatic systems, like 4-methylcyclohexane methanol (MCHM) used to clean coal, were tested using only short-term, single-species studies prior to use. Data from …

Understanding The Mechanistic Roles Of Integrin Alpha 6 In Tumor Development Using A Humanized Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Model System, Ashley B. Williams

Honors College Theses

Present day cancer incidence and mortality rates indicate the need for effective cancer diagnostic tools and targeted cancer therapeutic strategies. Recent studies have focused on the biological pathways of cells and tumor microenvironments to identify putative biomarkers and potential drug targets as diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Human integrins, adhesion receptors, have become the focal points in these studies, specifically Integrin Alpha 6 (ITGA6) which has been implicated in major tumor progression roles: metastasis and angiogenesis. These characteristics make ITGA6 an excellent candidate for potential drug or diagnostic target, however, the mechanism by which ITGA6 facilitates tumor progression remains unclear. Cell …

Impacts Of Detritivore Diversity Loss On Instream Decomposition Are Greatest In The Tropics, Luz Boyero, Naiara López-Rojo, Alan M. Tonin, Javier Pérez, Francisco Correa-Araneda, Richard G. Pearson, Jaime Bosch, Ricardo J. Albariño, Sankarappan Anbalagan, Leon A. Barmuta, Ana Basaguren, Francis J. Burdon, Adriano Caliman, Marcos Callisto, Ian C. Campbell, Bradley J. Cardinale, J. Jesús Casas, Ana M. Chará-Serna, Eric Chauvet, Szymon Ciapała, Jose Checo Colón-Gaud, Aydeé Cornejo, Aaron M. Davis, Monika Degebrodt, Emerson S. Dias, María E. Díaz, Michael M. Douglas, Andrea C. Encalada, Ricardo Figueroa, Alexander S. Flecker, Tadeusz Fleituch, Erica A. García, Gabriela García, Pavel E. García, Mark O. Gessner, Jesús E. Gómez, Sergio Gómez, Jose F. Gonçalves Jr, Manuel A. S. Graça, Daniel C. Gwinn, Robert O. Hall Jr., Neusa Hamada, Cang Hui, Daichi Imazawa, Tomoya Iwata, Samuel K. Kariuki, Andrea Landeira-Dabarca, Kelsey A. Laymon, María Leal, Richard Marchant, Renato T. Martins, Frank O. Masese, Megan Maul, Brendan G. Mckie, Adriana O. Medeiros, Charles M. M’ Erimba, Jen A. Middleton, Silvia Monroy, Timo Muotka, Junjiro N. Negishi, Alonso Ramírez, John S. Richardson, José Rincón, Juan Rubio-Ríos, Gisele M. Dos Santos, Romain Sarremejane, Fran Sheldon, Augustine Sitati, Nathalie S. D. Tenkiano, Scott D. Tiegs, Janine R. Tolod, Michael Venarsky, Anne Watson, Catherine M. Yule

Department of Biology Faculty Publications

The relationship between detritivore diversity and decomposition can provide information on how biogeochemical cycles are affected by ongoing rates of extinction, but such evidence has come mostly from local studies and microcosm experiments. We conducted a globally distributed experiment (38 streams across 23 countries in 6 continents) using standardised methods to test the hypothesis that detritivore diversity enhances litter decomposition in streams, to establish the role of other characteristics of detritivore assemblages (abundance, biomass and body size), and to determine how patterns vary across realms, biomes and climates. We observed a positive relationship between diversity and decomposition, strongest in tropical …

A Forward Genetic Screen To Identify Human Genes Of Interest And Their Roles In Ovarian Cancer, Susan A. Ihejirika

Honors College Theses

Drosophila melanogaster, fruit flies, are very important for modeling and studying human diseases. This study identifies human genes of interest and their contributions to epithelial ovarian carcinogenesis and progression as well as the roles orthologs of these genes play in Drosophila melanogaster. This is important because ovarian cancer is the most common cause of death among the gynecological cancers. This identification of genes was carried out using a forward genetic screen employing the widely used GMR-Gal4 driver/UAS-transgene system. The GMR-Gal4 driver is commonly utilized to express transgenes in the developing eye of the fruit fly. Transgenes that are expressed using …

Effects Of Synthetic Estrogen (17Α-Ethinyl Estradiol) On Male Fiddler Crab Aggression, Micayla Shirley

Honors College Theses

Pharmaceuticals, including hormones and antibiotics, are considered contaminants due to their widespread use and release into the environment. Hormones, like the synthetic estrogen used in oral contraceptives (17α-ethinylestradiol), are present in freshwater and marine systems, but with relatively unknown effects on the organisms that live there. Ethinylestradiol (EE2) accumulates in waterlogged soil (sediment) with potential to harm sediment-dwelling animals. For example, fiddler crabs (Uca pugilator) are vital members of salt marsh communities. Their burrowing adds oxygen to sediments and cycles nutrients, and they are an important food resource to birds and raccoons. Male fiddler crabs are territorial, aggressively …

Characterization Of Cuticular Hydrocarbon Profiles In Southeastern Argentine Ant (Linepithema Humile) Colonies, Katherine R. Barrs

Honors College Theses

Argentine ants, Linepithema humile, are a globally invasive species that displaces native species and facilitates agricultural pests. Colonies occupy distinct territories with multiple nests and defend them against other colonies. Ants have a waxy coating of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) and can detect (i.e. smell) differences in these CHCs to identify their own vs foreign colonies. In the US, Argentine ants have been primarily studied in California where they only form four massive colonies showing mutual aggression, some spanning more than 500 miles. In the Southeast, colony recognition remains largely unexplored; however, we have identified several smaller colonies based on …

Evolution And Development Of Staminodes In Paronychia (Caryophyllaceae), Andrea D. Appleton

Honors College Theses

Staminodes are infertile stamens that have evolved numerous times in flowering plants and exhibit a vast array of forms and functions. Variation in staminodes suggests that numerous evolutionary processes underlie their origins, but to understand their how and why they evolved, comparative studies are needed in groups of closely related species. Identifying structures as staminodes is not always straightforward and sometimes requires corroborating phylogenetic and developmental evidence. Staminodial structures in Paronychia (Caryophyllaceae), for example, vary in shape and size and have been referred to as both petals and staminodes, rendering their homology uncertain. The development of staminodes was compared across …

Latitude Dictates Plant Diversity Effects On Instream Decomposition, Luz Boyero, Javier Pérez, Naiara López-Rojo, Alan M. Tonin, Francisco Correa-Araneda, Richard G. Pearson, Jaime Bosch, Ricardo J. Albariño, Sankarappan Anbalagan, Leon A. Barmuta, Leah Beesley, Francis J. Burdon, Adriano Caliman, Marcos Callisto, Ian C. Campbell, Bradley J. Cardinale, J. Jesús Casas, Ana M. Chará-Serna, Szymon Ciapała, Eric Chauvet, Jose Checo Colón-Gaud, Aydeé Cornejo, Aaron M. Davis, Monika Degebrodt, Emerson S. Dias, María E. Díaz, Michael M. Douglas, Arturo Elosegi, Andrea C. Encalada, Elvira De Eyto, Ricardo Figueroa, Alexander S. Flecker, André Frainer, Juliana S. França, Erica A. García, Gabriela García, Pavel E. García, Mark O. Gessner, Paul S. Giller, Jesús E. Gómez, Sergio Gómez, José F. Gonçalves Jr., Manuel A. S. Graça, Robert O. Hall Jr., Neusa Hamada, Luiz U. Hepp, Cang Hui, Daichi Imazawa, Tomoya Iwata, Edson S. A. Junior, Samuel K. Kariuki, Andrea Landeira-Dabarca, María Leal, Kaisa Lehosmaa, Charles M. M’ Erimba, Richard Marchant, Renato T. Martins, Frank O. Masese, Megan Camden, Brendan G. Mckie, Adriana O. Medeiros, Jen A. Middleton, Timo Muotka, Junjiro N. Negishi, Jesús Pozo, Alonso Ramírez, Renan S. Rezende, John S. Richardson, José Rincón, Juan Rubio-Ríos, Claudia Serrano, Angela R. Shaffer, Fran Sheldon, Christopher M. Swan, Nathalie S. D. Tenkiano, Scott D. Tiegs, Janine R. Tolod, Michael Vernasky, Anne Watson, Mourine J. Yegon, Catherine M. Yule

Department of Biology Faculty Publications

Running waters contribute substantially to global carbon fluxes through decomposition of terrestrial plant litter by aquatic microorganisms and detritivores. Diversity of this litter may influence instream decomposition globally in ways that are not yet understood. We investigated latitudinal differences in decomposition of litter mixtures of low and high functional diversity in 40 streams on 6 continents and spanning 113° of latitude. Despite important variability in our dataset, we found latitudinal differences in the effect of litter functional diversity on decomposition, which we explained as evolutionary adaptations of litter-consuming detritivores to resource availability. Specifically, a balanced diet effect appears to operate …

Examining The Mechanistic Roles Of Integrin Alpha-6 In Cancer Metastasis., Chase T. Clark

Honors College Theses

Metastasis- the spread of cancer cells from the primary tumor to the surrounding tissues- is responsible for 90% of cancer deaths. Integrin alpha-6 (ITGA6) is a specific transmembrane cell surface protein that functions in cell surface adhesion and signaling. ITGA6 is upregulated in many types of cancers and promotes the migration and invasion of cancer cells to surrounding tissues. It is my objective to determine the mechanism through which ITGA6 facilitates the migration of cancer cells through the extracellular matrix (ECM). These experiments helped to establish the role of ITGA6 in tumor development and provide focus for possible chemotherapeutic treatment. …

The Influence Of Autism Linked Gene Topoisomerase 3b (Top3b) On Neural Development In Zebrafish, Sydney Doolittle

Honors College Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a class of developmental disabilities characterized by a spectrum of social, communication, and behavioral impairments in affected individuals. Studies have shown these defects stem from abnormal brain development during critical periods during early development. The underlying genetic cause of these impairments is not well understood but is believed to be a combination of a complex pairing of genetic and environmental factors. One of the genetic factors that has been recognized to influence the phenotypic symptoms of ASD is the enzyme topoisomerase 3β (top3β.) Topoisomerases are responsible for the prevention of supercoiling during DNA replication. Top3β is …

Assessing Short-Term Microalgal Community Responses Over Altering Hydrological Conditions In Experimental Wetlands Of Costal Georgia, Maggie M. Kuhn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Wetlands provide valuable ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling and carbon storage. Microalgae (i.e., diatoms) provide the foundation of primary production and determine rates of energy transfer throughout the system. Climate change models predict an increase in frequency of intense storms and severe drought conditions that pose a threat to known hydrological regimes and wetland ecosystem stability. The purpose of my study was to assess the effects of water permanence (i.e., duration of flooding) on diatom community structure in experimental wetlands. I predicted that wetlands with prolonged periods of flooding (i.e., permanent) would harbor a consistent diatom community throughout flooding …

Creating A Georgia Southern Spider Collection: Can Dna Barcoding Help?, Guy B. Hobbs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With over 280 spider (Araneae) species recorded within the State of Georgia, USA, the need for a well-documented natural history collection with a usable voucher system is critical to continually assess spider diversity and their future ecological impact in this region. Spider identification can be daunting for the inexperienced taxonomist; it is time consuming and sometimes requires destructive procedures. Previous works have successfully used an alternative method, DNA barcoding, to correctly identify spider species while preserving their morphology. This study set forth to create the core of a well-documented spider collection within Georgia Southern University’s Institute for Coastal Plain Science …

Novel Quantification And Localization Of Water And Solute Transporters In The Tissues Of The Spiney Dogfish (Squalus Acanthias), Tolulope B. Ojo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dogfish, Squalus acanthias is a marine cartilaginous elasmobranch found in the North Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Dogfish synthesize and excrete urea as a product of nitrogen metabolism. They also convert ammonia into urea and retain this urea, such that their plasma is isosmotic or slightly hyperosmotic to the surrounding seawater. To facilitate the regulation of body fluid and to maintain ionic concentrations and osmotic pressure, Dogfish use ion and solute transporters (e.g., NCC, UT-1) and aquaporin water channel proteins. Studies have identified some of the aquaporin genes in the elasmobranch genome, but their functions are mostly uncharacterized. Recent transcriptomic …

Free-Roaming Cat Abundance Across A Habitat Gradient, Rachel E. Bird

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There are an estimated 172 million owned and feral cats in the United States, and wildlife enthusiasts and cat owners are often at odds over how best to manage free-roaming cats. Management is needed because of the documented impacts of free-ranging cats on wildlife. Targeting these management efforts, however, is hampered by an imperfect understanding of cat distribution in the landscape. My study used game cameras and capture-recapture sampling to estimate abundance of free-roaming cats across a habitat gradient in Bulloch County, Georgia, USA. In all, I detected cats at 51% (25/49) sites with a mean of 2.1 cats per …

Predation Threat In A Variable Landscape: Connecting Predation Risk To Nesting Success For The Seaside Sparrow (Ammospiza Maritima Macgilivraii), Corina D. Newsome

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Predation, the leading cause of nest-failure in birds, not only exists as a direct threat to nesting success, but may exacerbate other sources of nest mortality. Birds inhabiting Atlantic coastal marshes, such as Seaside Sparrows (Ammospiza maritima; hereafter SESP), are experiencing significant and rapid changes to their habitat, particularly sea level rise (SLR) and encroaching urbanization, that may affect the relative influence of nest predation on overall productivity. For SESPs, SLR presents an inherent threat to nest success in its potential to increase the frequency of nest flooding. In addition to this direct threat, the ability of SESPs …

Assessing The Utility Of Environmental Dna Techniques To Monitor White Shrimp (Litopenaeus Setiferus) Abundance On The Georgia Coast, Raven Hurt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys have developed over the last decade from once being a novel tool to now acting as an effective technology often used in complement to traditional capture surveys for assessing the distribution of organisms in freshwater and marine environments. However, many uncertainties on how to properly develop, operate, and analyze eDNA based techniques still hinder this technology effectiveness in the field. The white shrimp, Litopenaeus setiferus, is a common, commercially and recreationally important species in the United States, with landings exceeding $254 million in 2020. L. setiferus is also used as a key indicator species to changes …