Life Sciences Commons^™

Methanogens, Plausible Extraterrestrial Life Forms On Mars, And Their Tolerance To Increasing Concentrations Of Illite Clay, Chandler Kern

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Methanogens, some of Earth’s most primitive prokaryotic organisms, are candidates for possible life forms capable of inhabiting Mars. Specifically, four different species (Methanobacterium formicicum, Methanococcus maripaludis, Methanosarcina barkeri, Methanothermobacter wolfeii) were analyzed for their tolerance to the presence of illite clay. Illite is a crystalline mineral that has been identified from regions of Mars’s surface. Results indicated that all four species grew with some success in the illite at different concentrations. This experimentation with methanogens’ abilities to survive and reproduce in the presence of illite allows for a more accurate understanding of the potential capability of microbial …

Investigating The Single Cell Heterogeneity And Physiological Impact Of Mistranslation, Christopher Evans

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Bacterial populations grow clonal populations; however, individual cells have a variety of phenotypes. The physiological heterogeneity observed in populations has been attributed to variations in the processes of gene expression. For example, promoter expression has been shown to be heterogeneous within a population and contribute to increased stress tolerance in a subpopulation of cells. In comparison to transcription, the influence of translation on single cells is unclear. In this study, my collaborators and I have developed a dual-fluorescence reporter that allows us to measure the mistranslation rate in single cells in vivo. Using this reporter, we found that mistranslation …

Behavioral Insights Into Nociceptor Function: A Systematic Approach To Understanding Postsurgical And Neuropathic Pain Mechanisms In Rats, Max Odem

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Postsurgical and neuropathic pain are each clinically common, and often associated with ongoing pain. Ongoing pain has been linked to ongoing activity (OA) in human C-fiber nociceptors. Preclinical studies using rodent neuropathic models have concentrated on allodynia driven by OA generated in non-nociceptive Aβ fibers, but little attention has been paid to postsurgical pain in sham controls or to C-fiber nociceptor OA promoting ongoing pain.

Operant assays that reveal negative motivational and cognitive aspects of voluntary pain-related behavior may be particularly sensitive to pain-related alterations. In the mechanical conflict (MC) test, rodents can freely choose to escape from a brightly …

Effects Of Maternal Protein Restriction On The Pulmonary Surfactant System During The Early Life And Adulthood, Reza Khazaee

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is defined by low birth weight and contributes to a variety of adult-onset diseases with different severities between males and females. However, the effects of FGR on the pulmonary surfactant are not fully elucidated. In this thesis, first, we investigated the FGR effects on the lung function and the surfactant system at the early postnatal life. It was hypothesized that FGR contributes to alterations of lung mechanics and the surfactant system during the neonatal period. Second, we assessed the FGR effects on the surfactant system in response to sepsis in adulthood. It was hypothesized that FGR …

Endothelial Glycocalyx Shedding In Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis, Rufina Ning

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a state of severe insulin deficiency resulting in hyperglycemia, ketoacidosis, and inflammation. Children with DKA have an increased risk of microvascular complications (e.g. stroke). The glycocalyx maintains the anti-thrombotic properties of endothelial cells (ECs), however the glycocalyx status is unknown in DKA. We quantified major glycocalyx components: hyaluronic acid (HA), heparan sulfate (HS), chondroitin sulfate (CS), and syndecan-1 in DKA plasma and correlated them with DKA severity. HA/HS were significantly increased in the plasma of DKA patients in comparison to insulin-controlled type-1 diabetics, but only HA correlated to DKA severity. Exogenous addition or removal of HA …

Mechanisms Underlying Freeze Tolerance In The Spring Field Cricket, Gryllus Veletis, Jantina Toxopeus

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Freeze tolerance has evolved repeatedly across insects, facilitating survival in low temperature environments. Internal ice formation poses several challenges, but the mechanisms that mitigate these challenges in freeze-tolerant insects are not well understood. To better understand how insects survive freezing, I describe a novel laboratory model, the spring field cricket Gryllus veletis (Orthoptera: Gryllidae). Following acclimation to six weeks of decreasing temperature and photoperiod (mimicking autumn), G. veletis juveniles becomes moderately freeze-tolerant, surviving freezing at -8 °C for up to one week, and surviving temperatures as low as -12 °C. Acclimation is associated with increased control of the temperature and …

Beta-Cell Β1 Integrin Deficiency During Second Transition Stage Of Fetal Pancreas Development On Islet Growth, Phyo Win

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

β1 integrin has been shown to be important for pancreatic beta-cell growth and functioning. Congenital and postnatal studies have shown beta-cell mass reduction with β1 integrin knockout (β1KO). Using an inducible cre recombinase (CreERT) expressed from the mouse insulin promoter (MIP) crossed to a line in which Itgb1 (β1 integrin encoding gene) was flanked by loxP sites (MIP-CreERT+; β1itg designated as MIPβ1KO), we examined the in vivo temporal role of beta-cell β1 integrin effect on islet growth during the second transition stage of pancreas development.

Prenatal MIPβ1KO mice displayed decreased beta-cell area, mass, density and proliferation. In addition, a decrease …

The Role Of Developmental Timing Regulators In Progenitor Proliferation And Cell Fate Specification During Mammalian Neurogenesis, Jennifer S. Romer-Seibert

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Developmental timing is a key aspect of tissue and organ formation in which distinct cell types are generated through a series of steps from common progenitors. These progenitors undergo specific changes in gene expression that signifies both a distinct progenitor type and developmental time point that thereby specifies a particular cell fate at that stage of development. The nervous system is an important setting for understanding developmental timing because different cell types are produced in a certain order and the switch from stem cells to progenitors requires precise timing and regulation. Notable examples of such regulatory molecules include the RNA-binding …

Insight Into Translational Activation In Yeast Mitochondria, Julia Lynn Jones

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Mitochondrial function depends on over a thousand proteins, of which the majority are nuclear DNA-encoded and approximately one percent are mitochondrial DNA-encoded. The mitochondrial DNA of Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains eight protein-encoding genes, seven of which are required for proper function of the respiratory complexes and one encodes a ribosomal protein. The bigenomic nature of the oxidative phosphorylation complexes requires coordinated expression and regulation from both the nuclear and the mitochondrial genomes. It is currently unclear how this regulatory network operates. However, it is thought that nuclear genome-encoded messengers localized to the mitochondria aid in this coordination.

A family of proteins …

The Role Of Perivascular Fibrosis In Post-Stroke Glymphatic Impairment And Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy, Matthew D. Howe

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

In healthy brain tissue, toxic amyloid-β (Aβ) proteins are transported by the pulsatile flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) along perivascular drainage pathways. Ischemic stroke may disrupt this process, leading to a perivascular build-up of Aβ, termed cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). I hypothesize that an abnormal pattern of extracellular matrix deposition within the vascular basement membrane, termed fibrosis, impairs Aβ drainage from the aged brain after stroke. I further hypothesize that inhibition of astrocytic transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling can reverse these phenotypes. Finally, I also hypothesize that serum biomarkers of perivascular fibrosis can be used to diagnose CAA following intracerebral …

Effect Of Morinda Citrifolia (Noni)-Enriched Diet On Hepatic Heat Shock Protein And Lipid Metabolism-Related Genes In Heat Stressed Broiler Chickens, Joshua Flees

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Heat stress (HS) has been reported to alter fat deposition in broilers, however the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well-defined; therefore, the objectives of the current study were to: (1) determine the effects of acute (2 h) and chronic (3 wk) HS on the expression of key molecular signatures involved in hepatic lipogenic and lipolytic programs; and (2) assess if diet supplementation with dried Noni medicinal plant (0.2% of the diet) modulates these effects. Broilers (n=480 males, 1 d) were randomly assigned to 12 environmental chambers, subjected to two environmental conditions (HS at 35°C vs. thermoneutral condition [TN] at 24°C) …

Grapevine Vein Clearing Virus: Epidemiological Patterns And Construction Of A Clone, Cory Von Keith

MSU Graduate Theses

Grapevine vein clearing virus (GVCV) is a recently discovered virus belonging to the Badnavirus genus. Characteristic to its name, the virus is associated with a disease where symptoms manifest as pronounced vein-clearing, resulting in severe berry deformation and vine decline in susceptible grape varieties. Sustainable production of wine is dependent on healthy plants. The associated disease is mainly found in Midwest vineyards. Attempts were made in this thesis to provide evidence of causality of the virus to the associated disease and to infer the historical path and migration pattern of GVCV. Conclusions and discussions will provide grape producers with the …

Heterotypic Docking Compatibility Of Human Connexin 37 With Other Vascular Connexins, Nicholas Kim

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Gap junction (GJ) channels provide direct intercellular communication. A GJ channel consists of two docked hemichannels and each hemichannel is a hexamer of six connexins. Human vascular connexins (Cx37, Cx40, Cx43, and Cx45) can form various types of gap junction channels to synchronize vasodilation/constriction to control local circulation. Most of our knowledge on heterotypic GJs of these vascular connexins comes from studies on rodent connexins. However it is not clear if these human connexins can also form heterotypic GJs. The present study used an in vitro expression system to investigate the coupling status and GJ properties of human heterotypic Cx37/Cx40, …

Investigating The Role Of Pannexin 3 In Intervertebral Disc Health And Disease, Meaghan E. Serjeant

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Pannexin 3 (Panx3) is a mechanosensitive, channel-forming glycoprotein implicated in the progression of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Despite evidence for Panx3 expression in intervertebral discs (IVDs), its function here remained unknown. Using Panx3^-/- mice, this study investigated the role of Panx3 in age-associated and injury-induced models of IVD degeneration. While loss of Panx3 did not significantly impact the progression of age-associated IVD degeneration, it was associated with a protective phenotype in an injury model of IVD degeneration, specifically in the annulus fibrosus (AF). Following IVD injury, WT mice showed an accumulation of enlarged cells that appeared to contribute to disrupted AF …

Autophagy Is Stimulated By Acute High Intensity Interval Exercise In Human Skeletal Muscle And Electrical Pulse Stimulation In C2c12 Myotubes In Vitro, Kurt A. Escobar

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Purpose: 1) To compare the effects of an acute bout of HIIT exercise (treadmill running) on autophagy to MICT exercise in human skeletal muscle 3 hours post exercise, and 2) to test an in vitro model of muscle contraction-induced autophagy using electrical pulse stimulation in C2C12 myotubes. Methods: Study 1: Ten recreationally active males and females completed a bout of high intensity interval training (HIIT) exercise and moderate intensity continuous exercise (MICT) exercise in a fasted state. Muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis were taken pre and 3 hours post-exercise. Muscle tissue was analyzed for protein expression of markers of …

Loss Of Marv1 Promotes Chop Signaling In Mouse Liver, Shad Anthony Mitchell

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a term used to define a set of metabolic diseases: obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), hyperlipidemia, hypertension, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and nonalcoholic hepatosteatosis (NASH). Those with MetS have a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Current drug treatments for MetS treat the individual pathologies associated with the diseases, rather than directly targeting MetS as a whole. We hypothesize that the inhibition of a ubiquitous lipid transporter known as ARV1 can improve pathologies associated with MetS. To test this hypothesis, we utilized liver tissue from mARV1 knockout mice fed a high-fat diet and examined …

Study Of Alpha Mangostin As A Chemoprotective Agent For Breast Cancer Via Activation Of The P53 Pathway, Vanessa Van Oost

Pence-Boyce STEM Student Scholarship

Breast carcinoma is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women and causes over 400,000 deaths yearly worldwide. Current treatments such as chemotherapy are not selective for cancerous tissues but are destructive to normal tissues as well. This causes a range of side effects including pain, nausea, hair loss, weakness, and more. Inactivation of p53 is an almost universal mutation within human cancer cells. The ability to activate the p53 pathway which protects cells from tumor formation is lost in 50% of cancers. Due to the prevalence of this mutation, p53 is a uniquely valuable target for applied research. Alpha mangostin …

Defective Aba-Mediated Sugar Signalling Pathway In An Established Arabidopsis Thaliana Cell Suspension Culture Explains Its Stay-Green Phenotype At High Sugar Concentrations, Avery Mccarthy

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

An unusual sugar insensitive phenotype was identified in an established cell suspension culture of Arabidopsis thaliana. We characterized the physiology, biochemistry and genetics of the sugar insensitive cell culture, in order to identify factors contributing to the phenotype. Chlorophyll levels of the cell suspension culture were insensitive to high sucrose (6-15% w/v) and maintained a green phenotype. Immunoblotting indicated that levels of key photosynthetic proteins (PsaA, Lhcb2 and Rubisco) increased as a function of external sucrose concentration. The green cell culture was photosynthetically competent based on light-dependent, CO₂-saturated rates of O₂ evolution as well as Fv/Fm …

Reactive Oxygen Species And The Regulation Of Cerebral Vascular Myogenic Tone, Neil Mazumdar

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The myogenic response refers to the intrinsic ability of arteries to constrict to elevated pressure, developing “tone”. The underlying mechanism has yet to be elucidated but recent evidence suggests that the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) is a key mechanosensor, linking intravascular pressure to tone development. One intriguing aspect of this receptor is its ability to activate NADPH oxidase (Nox), an enzyme responsible for the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The goal of this study was to ascertain the role of Nox in myogenic tone development. Isolated rat cerebral arteries were mounted in a myograph, pressurized to 60mmHg …

Radical Social Ecology As Deep Pragmatism: A Call To The Abolition Of Systemic Dissonance And The Minimization Of Entropic Chaos, Arielle Brender

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper aims to shed light on the dissonance caused by the superimposition of Dominant Human Systems on Natural Systems. I highlight the synthetic nature of Dominant Human Systems as egoic and linguistic phenomenon manufactured by a mere portion of the human population, which renders them inherently oppressive unto peoples and landscapes whose wisdom were barred from the design process. In pursuing a radical pragmatic approach to mending the simultaneous oppression and destruction of the human being and the earth, I highlight the necessity of minimizing entropic chaos caused by excess energy expenditure, an essential feature of systems that aim …

Role Of Eps15 Homology Domain-Containing Protein 4 (Ehd4) In The Kidney, Shamma Rahman

Theses & Dissertations

In the kidney, endocytic recycling regulates the abundance of channels and transporters in the membrane of the tubular epithelium, and thereby controls the kidney’s ability to regulate water homeostasis. In recent years, a family of proteins called Eps15 homology domain-containing (EHD) proteins has emerged as important regulators of the endocytic recycling pathway. Mammals express four paralogs of EHD proteins, EHD1-4, that are expressed in different tissues. Although EHD4 is expressed in the kidney, the specific physiological role of EHD4 in the kidney remains unknown. Therefore, this dissertation was focused to elucidate the physiological role of EHD4 in the kidney. In …

Determination Of Adamts13 Susceptibility In Type Iia Von Willebrand Disease, Monica Buselli

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

von Willebrand Disease (vWD) is a bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency in von Willebrand Factor (vWF), a large glycoprotein that assists in coagulation. Specifically, large vWF multimers in the blood stream are key components in starting the coagulation cascade. vWF is cleaved by the metalloprotease ADAMTS13, regulating the multimers size, which hinders vWF’s ability to function properly. The three main types of vWD —Type I, II, and III— are not well defined, and as a result are all similarly treated with plasma-derived vWF replacement therapy. Plasma-derived vWF is a treatment that does not cure the problem but relieves the …

Changes In Hepatic Extracellular Matrix During The Development Of Cancer-Cachexia In Mice, Kyle Turner

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

CHANGES IN HEPATIC EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF CANCER-CACHEXIA IN MICE

Turner K.W.¹, Rosa-Caldwell M.E.¹, Brown J.L.¹, Lee D.E.¹, Perry R.A.¹, Haynie W.A.¹ Washington T.A.¹, Wiggs M.P.², Greene N.P.¹: ¹University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas; ²Univeristy of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, Texas

BACKGROUND: Cancer is one of the most widespread and deadly diseases in recent history. Cancer-cachexia is a systemic, metabolic disorder that greatly disrupts the patient’s energy balance, causing uncontrollable weight and, specifically, skeletal muscle loss. This cancer-induced cachexia is …

Regulation Of The Tubulin Homolog Ftsz In Escherichia Coli, Monika S. Buczek

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Escherichia coli is a well-known pathogen, and importantly, a widely used model organism in all fields of biological sciences for cloning, protein purification, and as a model for Gram-negative bacterial species. And yet, researchers do not fully understand how this bacterium replicates and divides. Every year additional division proteins are discovered, which adds complexity to how we understand E. coli undergoes cell division. Due to their specific roles in cytokinesis, some of these proteins may be potential targets for development of antibacterials or bacteriostatics, which are much needed for fighting the current global antibacterial deficit. My thesis work focuses on …

Design And Development Of A Quartz Crystal Microbalance Immunosensor For Exosomes, Wesley Cox

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Alcohol Consumption On Adipokine Secretion, Ashley Degroat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (AFLD) is caused by excessive alcohol consumption and is a leading cause of liver related mortalities, with currently no treatments available. The goal of this project was to establish the effect of alcohol consumption on adipose tissue-derived secreted factors, adiponectin and C1q TNF Related Proteins 1-3 (CTRP1-3). We propose that excessive alcohol consumption will reduce circulating levels of adiponectin and CTRPs 1-3. Mice were fed a Lieber-Decarli control or alcohol diet for 10-days with a gavage (NIAAA model) or 6-weeks with no gavage (chronic model). Serum and adipose tissue were collected and CTRPs 1-3 and adiponectin …

Determining The Effects Of Quercetin On Cadmium Toxicity In Kidney Cells, Elizabeth Dugan

Undergraduate Theses

Cadmium is a heavy transition metal that causes kidney disease via prolonged, low-level exposure due to circulating metallothioneins. These proteins transport cadmium ions to the proximal convoluted tubule, where they induce the creation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Oxidative damage from ROS can lead to kidney dysfunction and eventually failure. Previous studies have shown that antioxidants, including quercetin, which is found in most fruits and vegetables, can lessen cadmium-induced toxicity. In this study, human embryonic kidney cells were pretreated for one hour with varying concentrations of quercetin ranging from 10 - 100 μM. This was followed by 24-hour treatment with …

Effects Of Radiation On Neurite Morphology And Cytoskeleton Structure, Melissa Sassman

Student Scholarship

Long-term manned space exploration to the moon, Mars, and other areas beyond Earth's protective magnetic field poses possible acute and late central nervous systems (CNS) risks. Of particular concern for astronauts is exposure to high atomic number, high energy particles known as HZE particles, a component of galactic cosmic radiation (GCR). Although NASA has radiation safety requirements, the possible effects of GCR and HZE particles on the central nervous systems of astronauts remains unknown. Understanding the risks and effects of galactic cosmic radiation and HZE particles on the central nervous system will allow for safer space exploration.

Additionally, and perhaps …

Characterization Of The Roles Of Muscle-Synthesized Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor And Presynaptic Tyrosine Receptor Kinase B In Motor Neuron Axonal Transport, Luke A. Vanosdol

All NMU Master's Theses

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a small, diffusible protein essential for the development and function of neurons. It is synthesized by many types of tissue, including muscle. BDNF actions are mediated via binding to its receptor, tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB). The BDNF-TrkB complex is endocytosed into a specialized vesicle, which induces downstream signaling cascades locally in the dendrites, or, more often, is delivered to the cell soma via retrograde axonal transport, where it modulates gene expression. BDNF activation of TrkB is critical for the initiation of axonal transport, and this cellular process relies on the interaction of numerous adaptor …

Comparative Proteomics: Assessing The Variation In Molecular Physiology Within The Adductor Muscle Between Mytilus Galloprovincialis And Mytilus Trossulus In Response To Acute Heat Stress, Joshua Scott Mier

Master's Theses

Increases in seawater temperatures have imposed physiological constraints which are partially thought to contribute to recently observed shifts in biogeographic distribution among closely related intertidal ectotherms. For instance, Mytilus galloprovincialis an introduced warm-adapted species from the Mediterranean, has displaced the native cold-adapted congener, M. trossulus, over large latitudinal expanses off the California coast. Several comparative physiological studies have revealed interspecific differences in thermal tolerance, including variation in aerobic metabolism and gape behavior, which suggest the invasive congener is better adapted to acclimate to increasing seawater conditions as predicted due to climate change. However, current analyses seek to discover the …