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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Comparison Of Gray Squirrel (Sciurus Carolinensis) And Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger) In Order To Explore Genes That Confer A Fitness Advantage, Joshua Franzen Mar 2021

Comparison Of Gray Squirrel (Sciurus Carolinensis) And Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger) In Order To Explore Genes That Confer A Fitness Advantage, Joshua Franzen

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Mutations in the MC1R gene is associated with melanism, or black fur, and the presence of a 24 base pair deletion in the MC1R gene of fox and gray squirrels suggests a shared ancestry between the two species. This could be due to a mutation in a common ancestor or previous mating between species. Evidence has shown that the most likely cause for the presence of MC1R in both species is previous mating between species. If this did occur, then it is possible that other genes traveled between species along with the mutated MC1R gene. Conserved genes shared between species …


Variation In Genes Responsible For Melanism In Sciurus Carolinensis And Sciurus Niger, Ibrahim Hussain Mar 2021

Variation In Genes Responsible For Melanism In Sciurus Carolinensis And Sciurus Niger, Ibrahim Hussain

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

During the past few years, the population of melanistic squirrels in Nebraska has increased. These color variations have been associated with variation in the Melanocortin 1 Receptor (MC1R) and Agouti Signaling Protein (ASIP) genes, which are responsible for pigment production. DNA was isolated from 3 grey and 46 fox squirrels collected from Eastern Nebraska; 8 of the fox squirrels were melanistic in color. Primers were designed to amplify and sequence MC1R and three portions of ASIP to examine the extent of variation in these genes in local squirrels. The sequences were aligned to the grey squirrel reference …


Exploring Anti-Schistosoma Analog Sa01, Sarah Alsuleiman Mar 2021

Exploring Anti-Schistosoma Analog Sa01, Sarah Alsuleiman

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Schistosomiasis is a waterborne parasitic worm infection able to infect in the larval stage through direct skin penetration. This disease affects approximately 270 million people worldwide and is widespread in tropical as well as subtropical regions with higher distribution in areas lacking sufficient sanitation and safe drinking water. Although some possible alternatives are emerging, currently, the most effective drug treatment is praziquantel (PZQ). However, PZQ is only effective against the adult stage of the worm, allowing juvenile worms to progress in the infection. Furthermore, Schistosoma is developing resistance to this drug as reduced efficacy has been noted. As a result, …


Insights Into Viral Genome Function Through Comparative Structural Analysis, Lydia Phillips Mar 2021

Insights Into Viral Genome Function Through Comparative Structural Analysis, Lydia Phillips

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Enteroviruses are single stranded RNA viruses which have caused many public health concerns, particularly in children. These viruses are responsible for polio, hand, foot, and mouth disease, many polio-like neurological diseases, and the common cold. The enterovirus called Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3), a close relative to poliovirus, has been shown responsible for severe human disease, including pancreatitis, myocarditis, and type 1 diabetes. A unique advantage of studying CVB3 is the existence of a naturally occurring strain (CVB3/GA) which displays no known pathogenicity. Earlier comparative genomic studies have shown that the primary difference between avirulent CVB3/GA and the virulent strains of CVB3 …