Life Sciences Commons^™

Influence Of Testosterone On Male-Male Competition In The Red-Sided Garter Snake, Thamnophis Sirtalis Parietalis, Isabella M. G. Bukovich

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Female mimicry in the red-sided garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis, is described in several well-studied evolutionary advantages, but an aspect that remains elusive is how reproductive traits are linked to the 3-fold higher circulating androgens in males with this phenotype. In this study, we implanted male garter snakes (n=15 per group) with either a blank implant (SHAM; control) or a T implant, the latter simulating the female mimic phenotype. Following simulated low-temperature dormancy, males were scored for courtship intensity over three days of behavioral trials with females housed in the same facility. Males were sacrificed, and sperm were collected …

Genetic Basis Of Hybrid Sterility Between Drosophila Pseudoobscura And D. Persimilis, Alannah J.P. Mattice

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Speciation is the underlying process that leads to formation of new species, and therefore is the basis of biodiversity. Genes involved in each stage of speciation, such as those involved in interspecies sterility, remain elusive. Male hybrid sterility and postzygotic isolation between Drosophila pseudoobscura and D. persimilis was examined in this study through backcrossing of female hybrids into each parental line (introgression), selecting for a sterile sperm phenotype, needle-eye sperm. Sperm phenotypes did not separate through backcrossing; instead, males presented with multiple sperm phenotypes. A relationship between the phenotypes observed and the potential genes involved was examined through whole genome …

Sperm Decondensation And Male Pronuclear Formation In Bovine Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection, Lauren Gatenby

LSU Master's Theses

This study assessed the effects both DTT and progesterone have on bovine spermatozoa to induce decondensation or the acrosome reaction in order to facilitate male pronuclear formation after ICSI. Sperm prepared by swim-up in a 5 mM concentration of DTT displayed time dependent morphological changes resulting in decondensation over a 6-hour period. An estimated 90% of treated sperm displayed early changes in morphology after the second hour of incubation. Sperm displaying partial decondensation of the nucleus was estimated as 42% by the 3^rd hour and increased to 62% by the 5^th hour of incubation. Fully decondensed sperm or …

The Association Between Sperm Dna Methylation And Sperm Mitochondrial Dna Copy Number, Emily Houle

Masters Theses

Background: Infertility has become a growing concern across the world as cases continue to increase each year. Research has now shifted to identifying novel biomarkers to predict male fertility. While mtDNAcn has recently been found to show promising results as potential biomarker, its regulation remains unclear.

Method: Triplex probe-based PCR was used to quantify mtDNA levels, while 850K Array was used to measure methylation levels. A-clustering algorithm followed by generalized estimating equations (GEE) lead to clustering of individual CpG sites, containing a minimum of 2 CpGs within 1000 base pairs of each other. These clusters were used for analysis of …

Non-Destructive, Rapid Differentiation Of Cell Types Relevant To Sexual Assault Investigations Utilizing Morphological And Autofluorescence Signatures, Taylor R. Moldenhauer

Theses and Dissertations

Current methods for confirming the presence of spermatozoa in sexual assault samples can be time-consuming and often lack sensitivity; however, this remains the most definitive test for the presence of semen. Additionally, male DNA can be deposited without the presence of intact sperm as may be the case with seminal fluid from vasectomized individuals or sexual activity where seminal fluid is not recovered (e.g., perpetrator wears a condom, penetration without ejaculation, etc.). The ability to detect bodily fluids, as well as quantify their presence in a sample, could aid in forensic DNA analysis by limiting the amount of time performing …