Molecular Biology Commons^™

Hybridization Between The Watersnakes Nerodia Sipedon And Nerodia Fasciata, In The Carolinas: A Morphological And Molecular Approach, Konrad Mebert

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

A few traditionally applied diagnostic characters of color pattern were compared with an additional set of morphological and genetic characters to evaluate differences between Nerodia sipedon and N. fasciata and to study the dynamics across their hybrid zone in the Carolinas. Many of the morphological characters exhibited significant interspecific differences, although only the number of dorsally complete crossbands (CBa) was diagnostic by itself. A discriminant function analysis of morphological characters was successful in separating both taxa. Species-specific nuclear markers, identified by the AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) technique were nearly fixed and served as diagnostic markers. They revealed extensive introgression …

The Quantitative Assessment Of Osteoinductivity Of Human Demineralized Bone Matrix And Cdna Array Analysis Of Osteogenic Differentiation In Human Periosteal Cells, Sittisak Honsawek

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Demineralized bone matrix (DBM) has been extensively utilized in orthopeadic, periodontal, and maxillofacial applications. DBM comprises bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) that are essential regulators for endochondral bone formation. The current study was undertaken to establish the quantitative in vitro assays for determining the osteoinductive potential of human DBM and the use of cDNA gene expression array technology for examining gene expression profiles during osteoblast differentiation in human periosteal cells.

BMP-4 is one of the most osteoinductive factors and has been investigated for clinical applications. For this reason, BMP-4 was designated as the osteoinductive protein for use in the quantitative in …

Hyaluronate Lyase Gene Of Streptococcus Pyogenes: Molecular Characterization And Regulation, Sheryl Lynne Walton

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Streptococcus pyogenes causes an assortment of diseases ranging from pharyngitis to necrotizing fasciitis. This bacterium has the ability to elaborate several extracellular products capable of causing tissue damage; one of which is a hyaluronate lyase. Little information is available regarding the regulation of streptococcal hyaluronidase. As such, the expression of hylA in the hyaluronate lyase-producing strain ATCC 10403 and in strains that do not produce detectable enzyme was analyzed by RT-PCR and quantitative PCR. Hyaluronate lyase transcript was detected throughout growth for all strains; however, expression of hylA in the enzymatically inactive strains, 71698 and SF370, was determined …

Genetic Variation Within And Among The Suminoe Oyster (Crassostrea Ariakensis) Populations And Stocks As Assessed By Molecular Markers, Qian Zhang

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Characterization Of The Xgat-1 Gene In Xenopus Laevis, Lisa Layne August

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

A Mycobacterium-Inducible Nramp In Striped Bass Morone Saxatilis, Erin Jeffrey Burge

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

In mammals, the natural resistance-associated macrophage protein 1 gene, Nramp1, plays a major role in resistance to mycobacterial infections. Chesapeake Bay (USA) striped bass, Morone saxatilis, are currently experiencing an epizootic of mycobacteriosis that threatens the health of this ecologically and economically important species. This dissertation characterizes an Nramp gene in this species (MsNramp ) and provide evidence for induction following Mycobacterium exposure. The striped bass MsNramp gene and 554 amino acid sequence contain all the signal features of the Nramp family, including a topology of 12 transmembrane domains (TM), the transport protein specific 'binding-protein-dependent transport system inner membrane component …

Synalpheus Shrimp From Carrie Bow Cay, Belize. Systematics, Phylogenetics And Biological Observations (Crustacea: Decapoda: ; Alpheidae), Ruben Rios Gonzalez

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Snapping shrimp in the family Alpheidae are remarkably abundant in coral reef ecosystems worldwide. The second most speciose genus, Synalpheus , includes species usually small and reclusive, and their general morphology is notably uniform, yet the number of species is staggeringly high, as is the intraspecific variability. These features have contributed to a poorly resolved taxonomic status, as evidenced both by recurring lumping and splitting of species and by lack of proper definition of several common species. I examined western Atlantic species of Synalpheus in the large and regionally dominant "Gambarelloides group of species", an informal but widely used guild …