Life Sciences Commons^™

Stressed, But Doing Fine. An Investigation Of Apocynum Canabinum Patches And Individuals, Lauren Kyburz, Lily Monnett, Quincie Simmons, Dana Dudle

Annual Student Research Poster Session

Apocynum cannabinum (hemp dogbane) is a native Indiana plant that is abundant in the DePauw University Nature Park’s quarry, a heterogeneous site that contains stretches of dry, rocky terrain in addition to many temporary ponds. In 2023, I mapped the distribution of A. cannabinum in the quarry to see if its habitats are associated with elevation and/or the presence of temporary ponds. I also conducted a study of diurnal pollinator visitation, and an examination of damage caused by the dogbane saucrobotys moth (Saucrobotys futilalis).

The Tomato Strikes Back: Plant Response To Environmental Stress, Maya K. Davis, Erinn Dady, Esther N. Ngumbi

PRECS student projects

Introduction

• Tomato is an important vegetable. Its production is threatened due to altered weather patterns which increase environmental stressors such as flooding^{1, 2} and herbivory³ to crops.
• Plants respond in many ways. Stressed plants strike back to environmental stress by altering their chemistry⁴:

1. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emissions
2. Defensive secondary metabolites²

• Stress induced physiological changes in plants impact growth and development of insects.
• This study is broken into two experiments:

1. The plant response to flooding stress
2. The insect performance on flooded plants

Plant Proteomic Research 5.0: From Data To Insights, Setsuko Komatsu, Michelle L. Colgrave

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Proteomics offers one of the best approaches for the functional analysis of the genome, generating detailed information that can be integrated with that obtained by other classic and omics approaches. It, thus, provides deep knowledge and an understanding of diverse proteoforms and different plant processes. Several different generations of proteomic platforms have appeared in the past 25 years. They have been exploited for describing protein profiles, post-translational modifications, and subcellular localization. Despite recent advancements, more emphasis needs to be given to the protein sample preparation protocols, especially for cases with very low abundance, hydrophobicity, and a large molecular weight. The …

"Biology 4920g: Benefits Of Ecological Restoration Techniques", Umama Karim, Olivia Tran, Winston Herold

Community Engaged Learning Final Projects

No abstract provided.

Pre-Growth Environmental Stresses Affect Foodborne Pathogens Response To Subsequent Chemical Treatments, Amandeep Singh, Veerachandra K. Yemmireddy

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes are known to survive under different environmental stresses with an effect on their physiological properties. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of different environmental stresses on the foodborne pathogens response to subsequent chemical treatments. Three types of pathogens Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes were subjected to different environmental stresses: (i) Desiccation (ii) high salt (iii) low pH, and (iv) temperatures (14, 23, and 37 °C) during their growth. The cells harvested at their early stationary growth phase were subsequently subjected to chlorine (100 …

Environment-Driven Shifts In Inter-Individual Variation And Phenotypic Integration Within Subnetworks Of The Mussel Transcriptome And Proteome, Richelle L. Tanner, Lani U. Gleason, W. Wesley Dowd

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The environment can alter the magnitude of phenotypic variation among individuals, potentially influencing evolutionary trajectories. However, environmental influences on variation are complex and remain understudied. Populations in heterogeneous environments might exhibit more variation, the amount of variation could differ between benign and stressful conditions, and/or variation might manifest in different ways among stages of the gene-to-protein expression cascade or among physiological functions. Here, we explore these three issues by quantifying patterns of inter-individual variation in both transcript and protein expression levels among California mussels, Mytilus californianus Conrad. Mussels were exposed to five ecologically relevant treatments that varied in the mean …

Decline In Amphibian Health In Local Stream, Elyse Vetter, Elise Dearment, Colton Russell, Audrey Fontes, Lee Kats

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Many local streams of the Santa Monica Mountains are populated by the native California Newt, Taricha torosa, a species of special concern. Arroyo Sequit is one of these streams, the upper and lower portions of which are split by a culvert and the Mulholland Highway. This stream and the surrounding areas burned during the Woolsey fire of 2018. Since the fire, construction has been ongoing in and around the stream. Two years post-fire (during the summer of 2020) significantly more newts were found in the stream than years prior. A large proportion of these newts were unhealthy in appearance, …

Field Performance Of Transgenic Tall Fescue (Festuca Arundinacea Schreb.) With Enhanced Tolerance To Environmental Stress, Ki-Yong Kim, Sang-Hoon Lee, Gi-Jun Choi, Hee-Chung Ji, Joung-Kyong Lee, Keun-Bal Lim, Byung-Ryul Seong, Sung Seo, Byung‐Hyun Lee, Sang‐Soo Kwak

IGC Proceedings (2001-2023)

No abstract provided.

Sestrins: Emerging Dynamic Stress-Sensors In Metabolic And Environmental Health, Seung Hyun Ro, Julianne Fay, Cesar I. Cyuzuzo, Yura Jang, Naeun Lee, Hyun Seob Song, Edward N. Harris

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Proper timely management of various external and internal stresses is critical for metabolic and redox homeostasis in mammals. In particular, dysregulation of mechanistic target of rapamycin complex (mTORC) triggered from metabolic stress and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated from environmental and genotoxic stress are well-known culprits leading to chronic metabolic disease conditions in humans. Sestrins are one of the metabolic and environmental stress-responsive groups of proteins, which solely have the ability to regulate both mTORC activity and ROS levels in cells, tissues and organs. While Sestrins are originally reported as one of several p53 target genes, recent studies …

The Genomic Landscape Of Molecular Responses To Natural Drought Stress In Panicum Hallii., John T. Lovell, Jerry Jenkins, David B. Lowry, Sujan Mamidi, Avinash Sreedasyam, Xiaoyu Weng, Kerrie Barry, Jason Bonnette, Brandon Campitelli, Chris Daum, Sean P. Gordon, Billie A. Gould, Albina Khasanova, Anna Lipzen, Alice Macqueen, Juan Diego Palacio-Mejía, Christopher Plott, Eugene V. Shakirov, Shengqiang Shu, Yuko Yoshinaga, Matt Zane, Dave Kudrna, Jason D. Talag, Daniel Rokhsar, Jane Grimwood, Jeremy Schmutz, Thomas E. Juenger

Yevgeniy (Eugene) Shakirov

Environmental stress is a major driver of ecological community dynamics and agricultural productivity. This is especially true for soil water availability, because drought is the greatest abiotic inhibitor of worldwide crop yields. Here, we test the genetic basis of drought responses in the genetic model for C4 perennial grasses, Panicum hallii, through population genomics, field-scale gene-expression (eQTL) analysis, and comparison of two complete genomes. While gene expression networks are dominated by local cis-regulatory elements, we observe three genomic hotspots of unlinked trans-regulatory loci. These regulatory hubs are four times more drought responsive than the genome-wide average. Additionally, cis- and trans-regulatory …

Historical Population Increases And Related Inciting Factors Of Agrilus Anxius, Agrilus Bilineatus, And Agrilus Granulatus Liragus (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) In The Lake States (Michigan, Minnesota, And Wisconsin), Robert A. Haack, Toby Petrice

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Three native species of tree-infesting Agrilus have regularly reached outbreak levels in the Lake States (Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin), including A. anxius Gory (bronze birch borer), A. bilineatus (Weber) (twolined chestnut borer), and A. granulatus liragus Barter & Brown (bronze poplar borer). The main host trees for these Agrilus are species of Betula for A. anxius, Castanea and Quercus for A. bilineatus, and Populus for A. granulatus liragus. Based on 197 annual forest health reports for Michigan (1950–2017, 66 years), Minnesota (1950–2017, 64 years), and Wisconsin (1951–2017, 67 years), A. bilineatus was the most often reported Agrilus …

Genome Analyses Of The New Model Protist Euplotes Vannus Focusing On Genome Rearrangement And Resistance To Environmental Stressors, Xiao Chen, Yaohan Jiang, Feng Gao, Weibo Zheng, Timothy J. Krock, Naomi A. Stover, Chao Lu, Laura A. Katz, Weibo Song

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

As a model organism for studies of cell and environmental biology, the free-living and cosmopolitan ciliate Euplotes vannus shows intriguing features like dual genome architecture (i.e., separate germline and somatic nuclei in each cell/organism), “gene-sized” chromosomes, stop codon reassignment, programmed ribosomal frameshifting (PRF) and strong resistance to environmental stressors. However, the molecular mechanisms that account for these remarkable traits remain largely unknown. Here we report a combined analysis of de novo assembled high-quality macronuclear (MAC; i.e., somatic) and partial micronuclear (MIC; i.e., germline) genome sequences for E. vannus, and transcriptome profiling data under varying conditions. The results demonstrate that: (a) …

Identification Of The Alternative Oxidase Gene And Its Expression In The Copepod Tigriopus Californicus, Allison Mcdonald, Carly E. Tward, Willie Cygelfarb, Jaspreet Singh

Biology Faculty Publications

In addition to the typical electron transport system (ETS) in animal mitochondria responsible for oxidative phosphorylation, in some species there exists an alternative oxidase (AOX) pathway capable of catalyzing the oxidation of ubiquinol and the reduction of oxygen to water. The discovery of AOX in animals is recent and further investigations into its expression, regulation, and physiological role have been hampered by the lack of a tractable experimental model organism. Our recent DNA database searches using bioinformatics revealed an AOX sequence in several marine copepods including Tigriopus californicus. This species lives in tidepools along the west coast of North …

Expression Of Alternative Oxidase In The Copepod T. Californicus When Exposed To Environmental Stressors, Carly Tward

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In addition to the typical electron transport system in animal mitochondria responsible for oxidative phosphorylation, some species possess an alternative oxidase (AOX) pathway, which causes electrons to bypass proton pumping complexes. Although AOX appears to be energetically wasteful, studies have revealed its wide taxonomic distribution, and indicate it plays a role in environmental stress tolerance. AOX discovery in animals is recent, and further research into its expression, regulation, and physiological role has been impeded by the lack of an experimental model organism. DNA database searches using bioinformatics revealed an AOX sequence present in the arthropod Tigriopus californicus. Multiple sequence …

The Genomic Landscape Of Molecular Responses To Natural Drought Stress In Panicum Hallii., John T. Lovell, Jerry Jenkins, David B. Lowry, Sujan Mamidi, Avinash Sreedasyam, Xiaoyu Weng, Kerrie Barry, Jason Bonnette, Brandon Campitelli, Chris Daum, Sean P. Gordon, Billie A. Gould, Albina Khasanova, Anna Lipzen, Alice Macqueen, Juan Diego Palacio-Mejía, Christopher Plott, Eugene V. Shakirov, Shengqiang Shu, Yuko Yoshinaga, Matt Zane, Dave Kudrna, Jason D. Talag, Daniel Rokhsar, Jane Grimwood, Jeremy Schmutz, Thomas E. Juenger

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

Environmental stress is a major driver of ecological community dynamics and agricultural productivity. This is especially true for soil water availability, because drought is the greatest abiotic inhibitor of worldwide crop yields. Here, we test the genetic basis of drought responses in the genetic model for C4 perennial grasses, Panicum hallii, through population genomics, field-scale gene-expression (eQTL) analysis, and comparison of two complete genomes. While gene expression networks are dominated by local cis-regulatory elements, we observe three genomic hotspots of unlinked trans-regulatory loci. These regulatory hubs are four times more drought responsive than the genome-wide average. Additionally, cis- and trans-regulatory …

Characterization Of Type Ii Toxin Anti-Toxin Systems In Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans., Blair W. Schneider

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microbes express many protective mechanisms in response to environmental stress. Toxin/anti-toxin systems encode a biologically active toxin and a labile anti-toxin that inhibits the toxin’s activity. These systems are known to contribute to persister cell and biofilm formation. A. actinomycetemcomitans thrives in the complex oral microbial community and is subjected to continual environmental flux. Little is known regarding the presence and function of TA systems in this organism or their contribution survival in the oral environment. Using BLAST searches and other informatics tools, we identified 11 intact TA systems that are conserved across all seven serotypes of A. actinomycetemcomitans and …

Genome-Wide Association Study For The Relationship Between Temperature And Feed Intake In Beef Cattle, Robel Ghebrewold

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The interaction of livestock with the environment they live in is complex and plays a significant role in their production performance, which also depends on location and management practices. Climate change is projected to increase temperature globally. As a result, climate change will most likely aggravate the pressure from different sources of stressors on the current agricultural production system in general and in livestock specifically. Environmental conditions, such as changes in ambient temperature, can cause changes in animal behavior and performance. In general, it is believed that as ambient temperature increases, dry matter intake (DMI) of beef cattle decreases. However, …

Persistence Of The Larval Environment On Post-Metamorphic Performance And Population Dynamics In Amphibians, Julie Charbonnier

Theses and Dissertations

Organisms with complex life cycles may experience diverse stressors during their development. Stressors experienced in early life stages may influence the quantity and quality of individuals in later life stages. However, it is unclear if these effects persist later in life and how they may influence population dynamics. This dissertation uses two amphibian species, the Western spadefoot toad (Pelobates cultripes) and the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) to explore how biotic and abiotic factors experienced in aquatic and terrestrial environments influence phenotype and survival. We use a combination of field mesoscosm studies, laboratory studies and modeling to …

Fluctuating Asymmetry In Two Common Freshwater Fishes As A Biological Indicator Of Urbanization And Environmental Stress Within The Middle Chattahoochee Watershed, William I. Lutterschmidt, Samantha L. Martin, Jacob F. Schaefer

Faculty Publications

Deviations in bilateral symmetry or fluctuating asymmetry of an organism may result under environmental stressors that reduce developmental homeostasis and stability. Anthropogenic stressors such as increased urbanization can negatively impact environmental quality of aquatic ecosystems. Researchers have stressed the value in finding easy, accurate and inexpensive methods for assessing potential stress within ecosystems. Here we use fluctuating asymmetry (FA) as a useful quantitative tool in assessing the environmental quality and potential urban-based stressors within eight creeks of the Bull and Upatoi Creeks Watershed within the larger watershed of the Middle Chattahoochee. Using Geographic Information System (GIS), we characterize land-use patterns …

Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance Via Environmental Stress In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Monica A. Arroliga

Graduate Master's Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

No abstract available

Weighing The Relative Potential Impacts Of Climate Change And Land-Use Change On An Endangered Bird, Betsy A. Bancroft, Joshua J. Lawler, Nathan H. Schumaker

Biology Faculty Scholarship

Climate change and land-use change are projected to be the two greatest drivers of biodiversity loss over the coming century. Land-use change has resulted in extensive habitat loss for many species. Likewise, climate change has affected many species resulting in range shifts, changes in phenology, and altered interactions. We used a spatially explicit, individual-based model to explore the effects of land-use change and climate change on a population of the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW; Picoides borealis). We modeled the effects of land-use change using multiple scenarios representing different spatial arrangements of new training areas for troops across Fort Benning. …

Physiological Variation Of Garry Oak (Quercus Garryana) Seedlings To Drought Stress, Matthew A. Merz

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine physiological differences in drought response among Garry oak (Quercus garryana Douglas ex Hook. [Fagaceae]) seedlings that grow in distinct populations in Washington state, in order to aid in restoration efforts by informing growers of the potential differences between the acorn collection sites. Acorns from six Washington populations east of the Cascades, as well as one population from Whidbey Island, were collected and grown in containers under controlled conditions. The plants were assessed with and without moderate and severe drought stress induced by withholding water. The most extreme differences in photosynthetic characteristics …

Effect Of High Light Intensity On Photoinhibition, Oxyradicals And Artemisinin Content In Artemisia Annua L., Mary E. Poulson, T. Thai

Biology Faculty Scholarship

Artemisia annua L. produces a compound called artemisinin that is a potent anti-malarial compound. However concentration of artemisinin within the plant is typically low (less than 0.8% of dry mass) and currently supply of the drug by the plant does not meet world demand. This investigation was carried out to determine whether high intensity light treatment would increase production of artemisinin in leaves of A. annua. Photoinhibition (14%) was induced in leaves of A. annua when they were subjected to 6 h of high-intensity light [2,000 μmol (photon) m^–2 s^–1]. Maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII showed …

Environmentally Induced Post-Spin Property Changes In Spider Silks: Influences Of Web Type, Spidroin Composition And Ecology, Todd Blackledge, Sean Blamires, Chun-Lin Wu, I-Min Tso

Todd A. Blackledge

Many spiders use silk to construct webs that must function for days at a time, whereas many other species renew their webs daily. The mechanical properties of spider silk can change after spinning under environmental stress, which could influence web function. We hypothesize that spiders spinning longer-lasting webs produce silks composed of proteins that are more resistant to environmental stresses. The major ampullate (MA) silks of orb web spiders are principally composed of a combination of two proteins (spidroins) called MaSp1 and MaSp2. We expected spider MA silks dominated by MaSp1 to have the greatest resistance to post-spin property change …

Regulation Of Mor By Different Abiotic Stresses In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Luke Stepan, Rucha Karve, Anjali Iyer-Pascuzzi

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

The climate is changing and as a consequence the environment is becoming hotter and drier. How different plants will react to these changes is unknown. Identification of genes involved in stress tolerance can help predict plant-environment interactions and lead to stress tolerant plants. The MOR gene (Modulator Of Root ROS, ROS = Reactive Oxygen Species) in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana encodes a transcription factor that may regulate stress responses, as mor mutants are drought tolerant. We hypothesized that MOR expression changes in response to different abiotic stress stimuli. We tested MOR expression in response to salt (NaCl), abscisic acid …

Insects As Indicators Of Environmental Stress, De Anna Estella Beasley

Theses and Dissertations

In the face of climate change-related events and anthropogenic disturbances, understanding the impacts of these events on species richness, abundance and distribution is important for us to mitigate biodiversity loss and better predict consequences for the environment and for human life. Insects are excellent models for understanding the consequences of environmental stress due to the sensitivity of their development and behavior. The overall focus of my dissertation research is the investigation of fluctuating asymmetry and oviposition behavior as indicators of environmental stress. My research includes a meta-analysis of published literature, and empirical research that was part of a collaborative initiative …

Inbreeding-Stress Interactions: Evolutionary And Conservation Consequences, David H. Reed, Charles W. Fox, Laramy S. Enders, Torsten N. Kristensen

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The effect of environmental stress on the magnitude of inbreeding depression has a long history of intensive study. Inbreeding-stress interactions are of great importance to the viability of populations of conservation concern and have numerous evolutionary ramifications. However, such interactions are controversial. Several meta-analyses over the last decade, combined with omic studies, have provided considerable insight into the generality of inbreeding-stress interactions, its physiological basis, and have provided the foundation for future studies. In this review, we examine the genetic and physiological mechanisms proposed to explain why inbreeding-stress interactions occur. We specifically examine whether the increase in inbreeding depression with …

Ecotypic Variation And Plasticity Of Morphological And Physiological Traits Of Eucalyptus Loxophleba Ssp. Lissophloia Along A Climate Gradient In South-West Australia, Vanessa Stylianou

Theses : Honours

The adaptive capacity of plant species will be important for increasing their resilience in a changing climate. By 2070, a change in rainfall of +10 to -40 % of current mean annual rainfall and warming of between +2 to +5 ˚C in south-west Western Australia, is predicted. Plant species may cope with changing climatic characteristics through natural selection or phenotypic plasticity responses. Greater ecotypic variation in traits between stands of a single species may reduce its vulnerability in a changing climate as there is a greater selection of traits to increase fitness. Phenotypic plasticity has been highlighted as a mechanism …

The Role Of Adaptive Trans-Generational Plasticity In Biological Invasions Of Plants, Andrew R. Dyer, Cynthia S. Brown, Erin K. Espeland, John K. Mckay, Harald Meimberg, Kevin J. Rice

Faculty Publications

High-impact biological invasions often involve establishment and spread in disturbed, high-resource patches followed by establishment and spread in biotically or abiotically stressful areas. Evolutionary change may be required for the second phase of invasion (establishment and spread in stressful areas) to occur. When species have low genetic diversity and short selection history, within-generation phenotypic plasticity is often cited as the mechanism through which spread across multiple habitat types can occur. We show that trans-generational plasticity (TGP) can result in pre-adapted progeny that exhibit traits associated with increased fitness both in high-resource patches and in stressful conditions. In the invasive sedge, …

The Wheat Bzip Factor, Taabf1, Mediates Aba-Induced Gene Expression In Bombarded Barley Aleurone Layers, Benjamin R. Keyser

Honors Theses

The plant hormone Abscisic acid (ABA) plays a central role in maturation and germination in seeds, as well as mediating adaptive responses to abiotic environmental stresses. ABA induces the expression of many genes, including late-embryogenesis-abundant genes such as HVA1. To elucidate the ABA signaling pathway leading to HVA1 expression, we focus on the bZIP factor TaABF1. Analysis of the interplay between ABA and TaABF1 in the aleurone cells of imbibing cereal grains indicated that the two are not additive in their induction of the HVA1 promoter. A synthetic ABA analog, PBI-51, did not specifically inhibit the effect of exogenous ABA …