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University at Albany, State University of New York

2015

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Articles 1 - 30 of 38

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Structure-Activity Relationship Studies Of Small Molecules Directed Against The T-Box Specifier Loop, Spencer Weintraub May 2015

Structure-Activity Relationship Studies Of Small Molecules Directed Against The T-Box Specifier Loop, Spencer Weintraub

Biological Sciences

High rates of antibiotic use have resulted in the pervasiveness of multi-drug resistant organisms. With rising drug-resistance the development of antibiotics with new targets against these pathogens is imperative. The T-box regulatory mechanism is a process specific to Grampositive bacteria and controls many essential genes including aaRS genes, which are code for the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases required to charge tRNA. The T-box Specifier Loop is a novel target for antibacterial drug discovery as we hypothesize that a small compound bound to the Specifier Loop will inhibit transcription of essential bacterial genes resulting in bacterial cell death or growth arrest. We used …


Use Of A Ph-Sensitive Probe To Study The Role Of Pkc-Epsilon In Phagocytosis Of Pathogens, Rebekah Marie Pierce May 2015

Use Of A Ph-Sensitive Probe To Study The Role Of Pkc-Epsilon In Phagocytosis Of Pathogens, Rebekah Marie Pierce

Biological Sciences

The main force behind innate immunity, our primary defense against infection, is the clearance of pathogens, or phagocytosis. Protein Kinase C-epsilon (PKC-ε) is necessary for efficient phagocytosis of antibody (IgG)-coated particles. Previous studies used IgG-coated glass beads, which are larger and more rigid than bacteria and lack their complex surface protein expression. To test the hypothesis that PKC-ε is necessary for phagocytosis of pathogens, we compared the rate of uptake of common pathogens by macrophages from wild type and PKC- ε knock out mice. We tested two targets, a bacteria (E. coli) and a yeast (zymosan), both physiologically relevant phagocytic …


The Rck/P54 Prion-Related Domain And Its Influence On The Localization And Function Of Rck/P54 During Hcv Infection, Lindsey Oltz May 2015

The Rck/P54 Prion-Related Domain And Its Influence On The Localization And Function Of Rck/P54 During Hcv Infection, Lindsey Oltz

Biological Sciences

Currently over 180 million people are infected with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) worldwide. HCV infection is a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), liver cirrhosis, and chronic hepatitis. The available antiviral treatment of interferon and ribavirin has limited success, is costly and toxic. Furthermore, there is no vaccine. An increased understanding of how HCV exploits the many cellular pathways and host factors during infection will provide information necessary for the development of novel anti-HCV therapies, which target host proteins rather than the rapidly evolving viral proteins. During infection, HCV interacts with and manipulates many host mRNA pathways. The Pager lab …


Developing A Novel Means Of Observing The Intracellular Activities Of Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K Within Xenopus Laevis, Janeah A. Alexis May 2015

Developing A Novel Means Of Observing The Intracellular Activities Of Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K Within Xenopus Laevis, Janeah A. Alexis

Biological Sciences

Research into the regeneration of optic nerves in Xenopus laevis has determined that heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP K) plays a crucial role in regulating the trafficking and translation of mRNAs essential for the organization of the axonal cytoskeleton. To further explore this role, our lab has turned to tools that can definitively elucidate hnRNP K’s translocation in-and-out of the nucleus, as well as directly quantitate its degradation rate, in vivo. An appropriate tool for such experiments is the monomeric Eos fluorescent protein (mEosFP), which can be stably and irreversibly photo-converted. This fluorescent protein naturally emits green light (~516nm) and …


Identifying Genes That Affect Lactococcus Lactis Intron Mobility, Mary Njie May 2015

Identifying Genes That Affect Lactococcus Lactis Intron Mobility, Mary Njie

Biological Sciences

A gene consists of coding segments, exons, which are maintained and contribute to the final mRNA product, while non-coding segments, introns, are spliced out through RNA splicing mechanisms to code a functional gene. The mobility of the spliced introns and factors that affect mobility are an important field of study evolutionarily whereas splicing defects have medical implications. For this study, the genome of the Lactococcus lactis bacterial strain, IL1403 and the group II intron of interest, L1.LtrB were utilized. This intron moves into new sites on DNA by a process termed retrotransposition (RTP). Our goal is to identify genes that …


The Differential Splicing Of The Socs2 5’Utr, A Gene Involved In Successful Central Nervous System Axon Regeneration In Xenopus Laevis, Megan Gura May 2015

The Differential Splicing Of The Socs2 5’Utr, A Gene Involved In Successful Central Nervous System Axon Regeneration In Xenopus Laevis, Megan Gura

Biological Sciences

The amphibian Xenopus laevis has the ability to regenerate axons of its optic nerve even after metamorphosis. From previous studies done in our lab, we found that Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 2 (SOCS2) could be involved in the complex pathway of genes regulating nervous system development and regeneration. 3’ and 5’ Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (RACE) revealed that the 5’ untranslated region (UTR) of SOCS2 contains two splice forms. One splice form contained a previously unidentified 68 base pair exon, which will be referred to as ‘Exon 2’, which we hypothesized is involved in post-transcriptional regulation of SOCS2. I …


Chronic Resveratrol Treatment Ameliorates Cognitive Deficits Associated With A High Fat Diet, Kelsey E. O'Leary May 2015

Chronic Resveratrol Treatment Ameliorates Cognitive Deficits Associated With A High Fat Diet, Kelsey E. O'Leary

Biological Sciences

Resveratrol is a polyphenol antioxidant found in red wine known to have anti-aging, anti-cancer, and anti-obesity effects in both humans and animals. Resveratrol's primary biological action is as an antioxidant, causing a reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS are produced as byproducts of normal metabolic functions, but become abnormally elevated in individuals who consume a high fat diet (HFD) or who have metabolic conditions like Type II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM); in these circumstances, abnormal elevation in ROS leads to cellular damage and cell death. Another common effect of a diet high in fat and calories is cognitive impairment: specifically, …


Household Demography And Early Childhood Mortality In A Rice-Farming Village In Northern Laos, Shinsuke Tomita, Daniel M. Parker, Julia Jennings, James Wood Mar 2015

Household Demography And Early Childhood Mortality In A Rice-Farming Village In Northern Laos, Shinsuke Tomita, Daniel M. Parker, Julia Jennings, James Wood

Anthropology Faculty Scholarship

This paper extends Alexandr Chayanov’s model of changing household demography (specifically the ratio of food consumers to food producers) and its influence on agricultural behavior so that it includes possible adverse effects of a rising ratio on nutritional status and early childhood mortality within the household. We apply the model to 35 years’ worth of longitudinal demographic and economic data collected in the irrigated-rice growing village of Na Savang in northern Laos. When appropriate controls are included for other household variables, unobserved inter-household heterogeneity, and changes in local conditions and national policy over the study period, the analysis suggests that …


An Investigation Of Alkaline Earth And Rare Earth Elements In Human Bone Following Long-Term Parenteral Nutrition, Aubrey L. Galusha Jan 2015

An Investigation Of Alkaline Earth And Rare Earth Elements In Human Bone Following Long-Term Parenteral Nutrition, Aubrey L. Galusha

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This investigation focused on a unique collection of archived human bones obtained post-mortem from 7 patients, who had received long-term parenteral nutrition (PN) for up to 21 years. Parenterals are administered intravenously as a nutritional supplement, and may be contaminated with metals, which are completely absorbed into the blood compartment. Some metal contaminants may be deposited in the body’s reservoir for inorganic elements – bone.


The Structural Heterogeneity And Dynamics Of Base Stacking And Unstacking In Nucleic Acids, Ada Anna Sedova Jan 2015

The Structural Heterogeneity And Dynamics Of Base Stacking And Unstacking In Nucleic Acids, Ada Anna Sedova

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Base stacking provides stability to nucleic acid duplexes, and base unstacking is involved in numerous biological functions related to nucleic acids, including replication, repair, transcription, and translation. The patterns of base stacking and unstacking in available nucleic acid crystal structures were classified after separation into their individual single strand dinucleotide components and clustering using a k-means-based ensemble clustering method. The A- and B-form proximity of these dinucleotide structures were assessed to discover that RNA dinucleotides can approach B-form-like structures. Umbrella sampling molecular dynamics simulations were used to obtain the potential of mean force profiles for base unstacking at 5'-termini for …


Structure And Stability Of Amyloid Fibrils Studied By Advanced Vibrational Spectroscopy, Marudachalam Shanmugasundaram Jan 2015

Structure And Stability Of Amyloid Fibrils Studied By Advanced Vibrational Spectroscopy, Marudachalam Shanmugasundaram

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Protein misfolding often leads to the formation of refractory protein aggregates like amyloid fibrils. These fibrils possess a highly ordered structure and are implicated in over 25 severe diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and prion diseases. This work was focused on understanding the morphology and conformation of amyloid fibrils and their stability after formation. The deconstruction of fibrils as well as other aggregates like inclusion bodies under mild conditions was also investigated using Archaeal chaperones.


Vitamin D Regulates Metabolic Gene Expression, Glutamate And Glutamine Utilization, And Mitochondrial Function In Human Mammary Epithelial Cells, Sarah Beaudin Jan 2015

Vitamin D Regulates Metabolic Gene Expression, Glutamate And Glutamine Utilization, And Mitochondrial Function In Human Mammary Epithelial Cells, Sarah Beaudin

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Exposure to 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25D) decreases proliferation and induces differentiation in telomerase-immortalized human mammary epithelial (hTERT-HME1) cells. The studies described here addressed the mechanisms by which these effects are exerted. Microarray experiments were used to identify a subset of metabolic genes and pathways that are altered by 1,25D. In particular, genes involved in glutamate and glutamine utilization, including SLC1A1 and GLUL, were studied. Interestingly, qPCR analysis in a panel of six cell lines, representing either normal epithelial tissue or breast cancer, demonstrated diverse gene expression responses to 1,25D. In an isogenic model of mammary cell transformation, 1,25D altered gene expression …


Separating The Signal From The Noise In Electrocorticographic (Ecog) Signals : Novel Analytic Methods And Their Application To Experimental And Theoretical Neuroscience, William Grey Coon Jan 2015

Separating The Signal From The Noise In Electrocorticographic (Ecog) Signals : Novel Analytic Methods And Their Application To Experimental And Theoretical Neuroscience, William Grey Coon

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Measurements are comprised of two parts: signal, that is, the true quantity one wishes to measure, and noise, that is, measurement fluctuations that are unrelated to the true signal.


Role Of Antibody Isotypes In Providing Passive Protection Against Ricin Toxin, Ipneet Kaur Dhaliwal Jan 2015

Role Of Antibody Isotypes In Providing Passive Protection Against Ricin Toxin, Ipneet Kaur Dhaliwal

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Ricin toxin is a glycoprotein produced by the castor bean plant, Ricinus communis. Ricin is an extraordinarily potent inducer of cell death and inflammation, especially following inhalation. The toxin’s enzymatic subunit (RTA) is transported via retrograde transport into the cytoplasm of mammalian cells by the toxin’s B subunit (RTB). Once in the cytoplasm, RTA inactivates ribosomes through cleavage of ribosomal RNA. In this study, I characterized a ricin-specific monoclonal IgA antibody (mAb) known as 23D7. I confirmed that 23D7 reacts with RTA and is effective at neutralizing ricin in a Vero cell cytotoxicity assay in vitro. To localize the epitope …


Genome-Scale Analyses Of Transcription And Transcriptional Regulation In Bacteria, Devon Marie Fitzgerald Jan 2015

Genome-Scale Analyses Of Transcription And Transcriptional Regulation In Bacteria, Devon Marie Fitzgerald

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The textbook model of bacterial transcription regulation posits that promoters occur immediately upstream of genes and that transcription factors (TFs) modulate transcription through promoter-proximal binding. However, the recent application of unbiased genome-wide approaches, such as ChIP-seq and RNA-seq, has revealed a much more complex picture, including TF binding and transcription initiation occurring in unexpected locations. This dissertation describes the use of deep sequencing-based approaches to evaluate the genome-wide binding of transcription-related proteins and identify locations of transcription initiation. I have assessed the genome-wide binding of three Escherichia coli TFs and an alternative σ factor. Additionally, I have analyzed genome-wide patterns …


Francisella Tularensis Catalase Restricts Immune Function By Impairing Trpm2 Channel Activity, Nicole Lynn Flaherty Jan 2015

Francisella Tularensis Catalase Restricts Immune Function By Impairing Trpm2 Channel Activity, Nicole Lynn Flaherty

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

As an innate defense mechanism, macrophages produce reactive species that weaken pathogens and serve as secondary messengers to modify signaling responses involved in immune function. The gram-negative bacterium F. tularensis utilizes its antioxidant armature to limit the host immune response but the mechanism behind this suppression has not been defined. Here we establish that F. tularensis limits Ca2+ entry thereby limiting actin reorganization and IL-6 production in a redox-dependent fashion. Wild-type (LVS) or catalase deficient F. tularensis (∆katG) show distinct profiles in their H2O2 scavenging capacity, 1 pM/sec and 0.015 pM/sec, respectively. Murine alveolar macrophages infected with ∆katG display distinct …


Myoepithelial Cell Morphogenesis And Differentiation In The Mouse Submandibular Salivary Gland In Development And Disease, Elise Marie Gervais Jan 2015

Myoepithelial Cell Morphogenesis And Differentiation In The Mouse Submandibular Salivary Gland In Development And Disease, Elise Marie Gervais

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Organogenesis is the process by which tissues organize, gain considerable size, and undergo cellular differentiation or specialization to form fully functional organs. To study the processes involved in organogenesis of branched organs, the mouse submandibular salivary gland is frequently used as a model system, as it can undergo morphogenesis and differentiation and be genetically manipulated ex vivo. The mouse submandibular salivary gland undergoes a specific process of outgrowth and invagination known as branching morphogenesis which allows for the significant increase in gland size and complexity, as well as maximization of surface area for secretion of saliva. Surrounding the mouse submandibular …


Foraminiferal Beta 2-Tubulin And Microtubule To Helical Filament Transition In Reticulomyxa Filosa, Ingrid Ann Hahn Jan 2015

Foraminiferal Beta 2-Tubulin And Microtubule To Helical Filament Transition In Reticulomyxa Filosa, Ingrid Ann Hahn

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Foraminifera have unusually fast dynamic movements resulting in the reorganization of the microtubule cytoskeleton (Travis and Bowser, 1988; Travis et al., 1983). We are interested in using Reticulomyxa filosa as a model to investigate the mechanisms and factors that regulate such fast microtubule assembly/disassembly rates (Chen and Schliwa 1990; Travis and Bowser, 1991; Welnhofer and Travis, 1996). Compared to conventional microtubule assembly and disassembly models, foraminifera tubulin can exist in another assembly state termed helical filaments. A novel form of tubulin, β2, in foraminifera is likely critical to these unusual microtubule properties. This thesis investigates Reticulomyxa filosa, a freshwater foraminifera …


Characterization Of R-Plasmid Dependent Single-Stranded Rna Phages : Interactions Of Phage Hgal1 With Five Enterobacteriaceae Species, Sherin Kannoly Jan 2015

Characterization Of R-Plasmid Dependent Single-Stranded Rna Phages : Interactions Of Phage Hgal1 With Five Enterobacteriaceae Species, Sherin Kannoly

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Viruses in general have a narrow host range, usually infecting a single or very closely related host species. Recently, emerging diseases in human populations have been increasingly attributed to host range expansion in animal viruses. Many studies have investigated host range expansion in model systems involving animal viruses and potential hosts. My study describes the development of a model system that uses a single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) phage and five Enterobacteriaceae species. The study involved: I) Characterization of two ssRNA phages, Hgal1 and C-1, and assessing their abilities to infect multiple hosts, II) Developing and characterizing a model system involving an …


Study Of Human Ovarian Follicular Fluid High Density Lipoprotein (Hdl) And Embryo Quality During In Vitro Fertilization (Ivf), Keewan Kim Jan 2015

Study Of Human Ovarian Follicular Fluid High Density Lipoprotein (Hdl) And Embryo Quality During In Vitro Fertilization (Ivf), Keewan Kim

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Follicular fluid (FF) is in direct contact with granulosa cells that surround a developing oocyte, and high density lipoprotein (HDL) is the sole lipoprotein found in FF. Therefore, we investigated 41 FF HDL particle components, including 26 HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) subfractions measured for particle size, apolipoproteins, enzymes, and lipophilic micronutrients, in association with embryo quality on 180 women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).


The Effects Of Landscape On Malaria Vectors Of The Neotropics, William David Lainhart Jan 2015

The Effects Of Landscape On Malaria Vectors Of The Neotropics, William David Lainhart

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Worldwide malaria control efforts have had varying degrees of success, leaving many countries either eliminating malaria or controlling malaria. In order to maintain forward momentum toward malaria elimination, malaria-eliminating and –controlling countries require different information regarding risk factors, spatial distributions of cases and vectors, vector biology metrics, and vector population genetics. The goal of this dissertation work was to provide information that addresses the knowledge gaps preventing the creation of effective vector and malaria control programs in one malaria-eliminating country (Panama) and two malaria-controlling countries (Peru and Brazil). Case data from Panama were analyzed to assess differences in risk factors …


Human Feeding Biomechanics : Intraspecific Variation And Evolution, Justin Ledogar Jan 2015

Human Feeding Biomechanics : Intraspecific Variation And Evolution, Justin Ledogar

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study examines feeding biomechanics in modern human crania and those of extinct early members of the human lineage in order to better understand the selective pressures that influenced human craniofacial evolution. Specifically, this study uses finite element analysis to examine: 1) human feeding performance, in terms bite force production and craniofacial strength; 2) intraspecific variation in human feeding biomechanics; 3) feeding biomechanics in fossil hominins, including Australopithecus sediba and Homo habilis, species that are potentially at the root of modern human lineage, and 4) the functional role of purported facial buttresses.


Novel Nmr Based Technologies To Study Macromolecular Structures, Subhabrata Majumder Jan 2015

Novel Nmr Based Technologies To Study Macromolecular Structures, Subhabrata Majumder

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) is one of the principle tools in structural biology to probe macromolecular structures and interactions. The atomic resolution afforded by this technique has been widely used to probe protein-protein, and protein-ligand interactions in-vitro. However, the natural milieu of the proteins is the living cell and the cellular cytoplasm is extremely heterogeneous. The NMR studies of folded protein in-cell, till now, have been limited by non-specific interactions of the cytosol. This thesis outlays a general methodology to study protein structure/interactions inside the living cells using NMR. In a closely related objective, it also describes the use …


Using A Novel Multiplexing Method To Track Cell Populations And Cytodifferentiation During Development Of The Submandibular Salivary Gland, Charles Thomas Manhardt Jan 2015

Using A Novel Multiplexing Method To Track Cell Populations And Cytodifferentiation During Development Of The Submandibular Salivary Gland, Charles Thomas Manhardt

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The development of submandibular salivary glands is complex and requires coordination of specific signaling events. Submandibular salivary glands originate as an epithelial invagination into the adjacent mesenchyme that leads to a single stalk and end bud; this end bud will go through a clefting process. Numerous rounds of clefting will lead to a fully developed salivary gland by this process, which is known as branching morphogenesis. As the gland undergoes morphogenesis, specific cues leading to differentiation of multiple cell types and even epithelial sub classes are required. By the later stages of development the glands are fully innervated, have an …


Vitamin D Signaling And The Impact On Mouse Mammary Gland Epithelium, Donald Grant Matthews Jan 2015

Vitamin D Signaling And The Impact On Mouse Mammary Gland Epithelium, Donald Grant Matthews

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

A strong correlation between vitamin D deficiency and increased breast cancer incidence and mortality has been well established, leading researchers to further examine the possibility of using vitamin D in treatment and prevention strategies. Our long term goal is to elucidate the mechanisms by which vitamin D pathway signaling impacts on breast cancer. Generation of the high-affinity vitamin D receptor (VDR) ligand 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25-D) from 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-D) is mediated by CYP27B1 which is present and developmentally regulated in multiple tissues including the mammary gland. We utilized transgenic mouse models combined with diet-induced vitamin D deficiency to determine whether …


Analysis Of Strategies For Successful Identification, Reporting, And Prevention Of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (Cre) In Acute Health Care Facilities In New York State, Christen Leigh Mayer Jan 2015

Analysis Of Strategies For Successful Identification, Reporting, And Prevention Of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (Cre) In Acute Health Care Facilities In New York State, Christen Leigh Mayer

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Background


Landowner Knowledge And Opinions Of Invasive Species And Their Management Surrounding A Suburban Nature Preserve, Christina Mclaughlin Jan 2015

Landowner Knowledge And Opinions Of Invasive Species And Their Management Surrounding A Suburban Nature Preserve, Christina Mclaughlin

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Invasive species are a growing human-caused threat to biodiversity around the globe as they are moved both accidentally and intentionally through trade routes. The human component of conservation management is especially critical in invasive species, as human awareness is key to preventing and rapidly responding to new introductions. Yet the social component of management is poorly studied, even as outreach efforts continue to grow in an effort to gain public support. This study attempts to understand public knowledge and opinions toward invasive species and their management through an online survey of neighboring landowners to a suburban nature preserve, the Albany …


A Retrospective Evaluation Of The Locally Grown Produce Initiative Of New York State's Hunger Prevention And Nutrition Assistance Program, Marie Allsopp Jan 2015

A Retrospective Evaluation Of The Locally Grown Produce Initiative Of New York State's Hunger Prevention And Nutrition Assistance Program, Marie Allsopp

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP) is administered by the Bureau of Nutrition Risk Reduction in the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). This program provides state funds to food banks, the United Way of New York City and other organizations within the emergency food network. Those organizations use HPNAP dollars to fund food and other resources for food pantries, soup kitchens and emergency shelters. In 2012, HPNAP received a one-time $2 million funding allocation for a Locally Grown Produce Initiative. This one-time stimulus to increase the proportion of state-grown fresh produce in emergency food relief services …


Rna Aptamers For Molecular Chaperones Hsp27 And Hsp90, Sathishkumar Kumar Munusamy Jan 2015

Rna Aptamers For Molecular Chaperones Hsp27 And Hsp90, Sathishkumar Kumar Munusamy

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Hsp90 and Hsp27 are members of the heat shock protein family of chaperones that perform multiple roles in cellular maintenance through protein folding and inhibition of apoptosis. They are abundantly expressed in cells and are over-expressed during conditions of stress. Hsp90 requires ATP for its chaperone function while Hsp27 self-associates into higher order oligomers enclosing its substrate. Their ability to interact with other proteins or with themselves lies at the heart of their mechanisms. The specific consequences of each of their interactions on global cellular health have not yet been fully discovered. The sheer diversity of proteins that interact with …


Impacts Of Climate, Geography And White-Nose Syndrome Mortality On The Population Genetic Structure And Variation Of Myotis Lucifugus In The Eastern United States, Shannon Marie Dodge Morgan Jan 2015

Impacts Of Climate, Geography And White-Nose Syndrome Mortality On The Population Genetic Structure And Variation Of Myotis Lucifugus In The Eastern United States, Shannon Marie Dodge Morgan

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

A myriad of biotic and abiotic factors contribute to the fluctuations in geographic range and size of animal populations. In the Nearctic, bat species have experienced drastic historic changes in available habitat due to Pleistocene glaciations, and are recently imperiled by the introduction of a novel fungal pathogen, Pseudogymnoascus destructans within the last decade. Myotis lucifugus in particular has lost 90-95% of the population in the eastern US due to the fungal disease White-Nose Syndrome (WNS). A population decline of this magnitude will likely result in a loss of allelic diversity as a result of a genetic bottleneck. My study …