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Full-Text Articles in Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology
Diversity Of The Major Histocompatibility Complex In African Penguins (Spheniscus Demersus) In Situ, Athena Schalk
Diversity Of The Major Histocompatibility Complex In African Penguins (Spheniscus Demersus) In Situ, Athena Schalk
Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects
The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) is responsible for the immune response in all jawed vertebrates and protects individuals against a variety of pathogens and diseases. Maintaining genetic diversity within the MHC exons is critical to protecting endangered species. African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) are in danger of losing their MHC diversity in isolated populations due to reductions in population size associated with environmental changes and human activity. This study analyzes the diversity within the exons in the DNA encoding the MHC by amplifying the exons through polymerase chain reaction and identifying alleles through denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Wild populations of …
Iron Metabolism Genes In Browsing And Grazing Rhinoceroses: Implications For Iron Overload Disorder, Lorien Salyer
Iron Metabolism Genes In Browsing And Grazing Rhinoceroses: Implications For Iron Overload Disorder, Lorien Salyer
Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects
Iron overload disorder is a serious condition that affects many animals of conservation interest, including rhinoceroses. Iron overload disorder is only found in browsing rhinos (African black, Diceros bicornis, and Sumatran, Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) but not in grazing species (African white, Ceratotherium simum, and greater one-horned, Rhinoceros unicornis). Iron overload is connected with many of the other health issues seen in captive browsing rhinoceroses, so it is vitally important that the iron metabolism process is studied to improve the existing husbandry procedures of these critically endangered animals. The objective of this study was to characterize genes related to …