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Articles 1 - 30 of 620
Full-Text Articles in Biology
Methods To Improve The Remediation Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (Pahs) In Aerobic And Anaerobic Environments, Brian Wartell
Methods To Improve The Remediation Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (Pahs) In Aerobic And Anaerobic Environments, Brian Wartell
Dissertations
Oil spills occur regularly in terrestrial environments and crude oil can contain many compounds that are highly resistant to degradation. Among these compounds are high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are not only toxic but can also be carcinogenic and/or mutagenic. The first chapter of this dissertation includes an extensive review chapter on the variables affecting the anaerobic degradation of hydrocarbons, with a particular focus on PAHs. Electron acceptors, electron donors, temperature, salinity, pH all play key roles in determining the possibility effective of effective degradation occurring. Thus, by addressing solutions, such as biostimulation, improving environmental variables for …
Evaluation Of Fermentation At 40°C And 30°C For Cost Effective Lignocellulose To Lipid Conversion, Kyle M. Macewen
Evaluation Of Fermentation At 40°C And 30°C For Cost Effective Lignocellulose To Lipid Conversion, Kyle M. Macewen
Graduate Masters Theses
As the world population continues to grow, the demand for energy will continue to rise. Biofuels have become an attractive alternative to replace fossil fuels as a clean and renewable source of energy. The six- and five-carbon sugars contained in lignocellulosic plant biomass is the largest carbohydrate source in the world, and a key feedstock for sustainable biofuel production. The conversion of lignocellulose to lipids is done by using oleaginous yeast as a biocatalyst. Recently, Arxula adeninivorans has become a yeast of interest because of its unique properties. These include its unusual metabolic flexibility which allows it to utilize a …
An Acoustic Monitoring Method For Assessing River Dolphin Presence And Changes In The Context Of Anthropogenic Development, Charles A. Muirhead
An Acoustic Monitoring Method For Assessing River Dolphin Presence And Changes In The Context Of Anthropogenic Development, Charles A. Muirhead
Graduate Masters Theses
Populations of river dolphins throughout Asia are in decline as a direct result of intensified anthropogenic activity along river systems. Water development projects, land use change, contamination, and intensified fishing practices are known factors contributing to the probable extinction of the Yangtze river dolphin (Lipotes vexillifer) and declining populations of the South Asian river dolphin (Platanista gangetica spp.), Irrawady dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris), and finless porpoise (Neophocaena a. asiaeorientalis). Although not yet as extensive, river system development in South America is following a similar path as that of Asia, with impacts on dolphin species likely to follow. Currently, the Amazon river …
Small Rna Mgrr Regulates Sensitivity Of Escherichia Fergusonii To Oxidative Stress, Austin Paul Wright
Small Rna Mgrr Regulates Sensitivity Of Escherichia Fergusonii To Oxidative Stress, Austin Paul Wright
Dissertations and Theses
Non-coding small RNAs (sRNAs) are integral to post-transcriptional gene regulation in bacteria. The function of an sRNA is dependent on both secondary structure and the sequence of its unstructured seed region. The sRNA seed region typically base-pairs with target mRNAs to down-regulate the expression of target genes by blocking the ribosome-binding site or by promoting RNase-mediated degradation of the sRNA-mRNA complex. sRNAs have also been shown to increase expression of target genes by releasing RNA secondary structures that block ribosome-binding sites. Selective pressure to maintain sRNA function conserves the sequence of the sRNA seed region, but mutations in mRNA sequences …
Phenotypic And Transcriptomic Characterization Of Colonial Phase Variation In The Cholera Pathogen Reveals A Novel Smooth Biofilm-Defective Form, Bliss Nicole Lambert
Phenotypic And Transcriptomic Characterization Of Colonial Phase Variation In The Cholera Pathogen Reveals A Novel Smooth Biofilm-Defective Form, Bliss Nicole Lambert
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
Biofilm formation, through the production of Vibrio polysaccharide (VPS), greatly enhances the environmental fitness and pathogenic success of Vibrio cholerae. As a result of phase variation, V. cholerae can switch from a smooth form to rugose, whose cells produce excess VPS, resulting in highly structured biofilms and greater resistance to stress. To further characterize the reversible process of phase variation, we isolated three colonial lineages. Each lineage began with a smooth parent, N16961, and contained a rugose variant derived from the parent, N16961R, as well as a smooth revertant of the rugose, N16961SD. We found clear phenotypic and transcriptomic …
Legacy Habitat Suitability Of Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea Virginica) In Louisiana: A Prelude To Mississippi River Delta Freshwater Diversions, Tasia Mv Denapolis
Legacy Habitat Suitability Of Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea Virginica) In Louisiana: A Prelude To Mississippi River Delta Freshwater Diversions, Tasia Mv Denapolis
University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations
The Louisiana oyster industry is greatly impacted by freshwater and sediment diversions that are part of the effort to restore the state’s coastline. A habitat suitability index (HSI) proposes species-habitat relationships that can be instrumental in creating impact assessments and suitability predictions for management as new diversions are implemented. An oyster (Crassostrea virginica) HSI was developed using three variables crucial to oyster sustainability: average annual salinity, minimum monthly salinity, and average salinity during the spawning season. These Legacy HSI visualizations show annual fluctuations in the distribution of zones suitable for oyster cultivation prior to proposed diversions in Pontchartrain …
Understanding The Impacts Of Current And Future Environmental Variation On Central African Amphibian Biodiversity, Courtney A. Miller
Understanding The Impacts Of Current And Future Environmental Variation On Central African Amphibian Biodiversity, Courtney A. Miller
University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations
Global climate change is projected to impact multiple levels of biodiversity by imposing strong selection pressures on existing populations, triggering shifts in species distributions, and reorganizing entire communities. The Lower Guineo-Congolian region in central Africa, a reservoir for amphibian diversity, is predicted to be severely affected by future climate change through rising temperatures and greater variability in rainfall. Geospatial modelling can be used to assess how environmental variation shapes patterns of biological variation – from the genomic to the community level – and use these associations to predict patterns of biological change across space and time. The overall goal of …
The Evolution Of Diet Breadth In Melissodes Bees (Apidae: Eucerini), Karen W. Wright
The Evolution Of Diet Breadth In Melissodes Bees (Apidae: Eucerini), Karen W. Wright
Biology ETDs
The relationship between phytophagous insects and their host plants has interested scientists since Darwinian times. Using modern phylogenetic inference, we are able to investigate these patterns using, not only the phylogenies of the insects, but the evolutionary relationships among the plants they feed on as well. The relationships between bees and the plants they pollinate were traditionally seen as mutualistic and were treated separately from the research investigating the antagonistic relationships between phytophagous insects and their host plants. However, recent phylogenetic studies have made great progress including bee-host relationships in with the larger body of work on phytophagous insects.
The …
The Role Of Apolipoprotein E In Regulating Tau Pathogenesis And Neurodegeneration In A Tauopathy Mouse Model, Yang Shi
Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations
APOE4 is the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). APOE4 increases brain amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology relative to other APOE isoforms. However, whether APOE independently influences tau pathology, the other pathological hallmark of AD and other tauopathies, or tau-mediated neurodegeneration, is not clear. By generating P301S tau transgenic mice on either a human APOE knock in (KI) or APOE knockout (KO) background, we show that the presence of human APOE, regardless of APOE isoforms, leads to various degrees of brain atrophy in 9-month old P301S mice, whereas APOE ablation strongly protects against neurodegeneration. In particular, P301S/E4 mice develop …
The Splice Is Not Right: Splice-Site-Creating Mutations In Cancer Genomes, Reyka Glencora Jayasinghe
The Splice Is Not Right: Splice-Site-Creating Mutations In Cancer Genomes, Reyka Glencora Jayasinghe
Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Accurate interpretation of cancer mutations in individual tumors is a prerequisite for precision medicine. Large-scale sequencing studies, such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project, have worked to address the functional consequences of genomic mutations, with the larger goal of determining the underlying mechanisms of cancer initiation and progression. Many studies have focused on characterizing non-synonymous somatic mutations that alter amino acid sequence, as well as splice disrupting mutations at splice donors and acceptors. Current annotation methods typically classify mutations as disruptors of splicing if they fall on the consensus intronic dinucleotide splice donor, GT, the splice acceptor, AG. Splice …
Prokaryotic Diversity And Aqueous Geochemistry Of Subsurface Environments Of The Death Valley Regional Flow System, Joshua David Sackett
Prokaryotic Diversity And Aqueous Geochemistry Of Subsurface Environments Of The Death Valley Regional Flow System, Joshua David Sackett
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
This dissertation summarizes over four years of effort towards the completion of a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences. The work presented in this document covers a broad range of topics, but a central unifying theme is prokaryotic life in the continental subsurface. The work presented in each chapter relied heavily on cultivation-independent methods for assessing prokaryotic communities, including prokaryotic community structure reconstruction from high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene libraries and single-cell genome analysis of novel uncultivated bacteria.
Chapter 2 examines the aqueous geochemistry and prokaryotic diversity of Devils Hole, a cavernous limnocrene and sole natural habitat for the critically endangered …
Regulation Of Canonical And Non-Canonical Hippo Pathway Components In Mitosis And Cancer, Seth Stauffer
Regulation Of Canonical And Non-Canonical Hippo Pathway Components In Mitosis And Cancer, Seth Stauffer
Theses & Dissertations
The Hippo pathway is conserved regulator of organ size through control of proliferation, apoptosis, and stem-cell self-renewal. In addition to this important function, many of the canonical signaling members have also been shown to be regulated during mitosis. Importantly, Hippo pathway components are frequently dysregulated in cancers and have attracted attention as possible targets for improved cancer therapeutics. Further exploration of Hippo-YAP (yes-associated protein) signaling has revealed new regulators and effectors outside the canonical signaling network and has revealed a larger non-canonical network of signaling proteins in which canonical Hippo pathway components crosstalk with important cellular homeostasis and apoptosis signaling …
Employing Natural History Collections In The Aid Of Conservation: Streamlining An Approach To Model Species Distributions En Masse For The Preservation Of Biodiversity, Alice Fornari
Master's Projects and Capstones
Using species distribution models (SDMs) in Natural History Collections (NHCs) can influence how humans implement conservation changes in flora and fauna communities and ecosystems. Through the use of legacy data (old NHCs and their associated locality/collection information), data correction (background data or pseudo absences added to presence-only data), and the SDM software, Maxent (and its associated geographic information systems or GIS projected models), it has been shown that it is feasible to create a low budget protocol/setup to project the past, present and future of species population changes. This has been done in the past few decades as more collections …
Physella Acuta, Comparative Immunology And Evolutionary Aspects Of Gastropod Immune Function, Jonathan H. Schultz
Physella Acuta, Comparative Immunology And Evolutionary Aspects Of Gastropod Immune Function, Jonathan H. Schultz
Biology ETDs
Gastropod immunobiology has benefitted from investigations focused on the planorbid snail Biomphalaria glabrata, intermediate host for the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni. Though such concentrated efforts have elucidated fascinating aspects of invertebrate immunity, they have not provided full knowledge regarding the evolution of immune function among other gastropod species. This dissertation presents the importance of making strategic choices regarding which organisms to select for comparative immunology. Herein, the choice was made to investigate the immunobiology of Physella acuta, a freshwater snail species of the Physidae, a sister family to Planorbidae to which B. glabrata belongs. Benefiting greatly from …
Shedding Light On The Role Of Opaque1 In Asymmetric Cell Division In Maize, Janette Y. Mendoza
Shedding Light On The Role Of Opaque1 In Asymmetric Cell Division In Maize, Janette Y. Mendoza
Biology ETDs
Asymmetric cell division (ACD) is important for cell fate and tissue patterning. Many aspects of ACD in plants, however, are still unclear. The process of ACD can be broadly broken down into three phases: (1) cell polarization, (2) division plane establishment and maintenance, and (3) cell division and cytokinesis. Stomatal development in maize has proven to be a useful model for understanding the ACD mechanism. Previous studies have identified several proteins important for all three phases of ACD. Actin is important in each of the phases of ACD, suggesting an actin motor such as myosin may also be important for …
Accumulation And Transmission Dynamics Of A Naturally-Occurring Mtdna Deletion In Caenorhabditis Briggsae, Jennifer Anne Sullins
Accumulation And Transmission Dynamics Of A Naturally-Occurring Mtdna Deletion In Caenorhabditis Briggsae, Jennifer Anne Sullins
Dissertations and Theses
Maintaining mitochondrial genome sequence integrity is essential for preserving normal mitochondrial function. Several human diseases have been associated with heteroplasmic mitochondrial genome mutations, but few genetic systems can simultaneously represent pathogenic mitochondrial genome evolution and inheritance. The nematode Caenorhabditis briggsae is one such model. Natural C. briggsae isolates are globally-distributed and phylogenetically grouped into three distinct clades, with isolates exhibiting varying levels of a large-scale mtDNA deletion, nad5∆. Furthermore, a small subset of clade II isolates exhibits putative compensatory mutations that may reduce the risk of deletion formation and accumulation in those populations. In this thesis, the author characterizes the …
Reproductive Life History And Shell Shape Variation Of Three Species Of Elimia (Pleuroceridae) In The Lower Etowah River Basin, Ellen Winant
Reproductive Life History And Shell Shape Variation Of Three Species Of Elimia (Pleuroceridae) In The Lower Etowah River Basin, Ellen Winant
Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses
Pleurocerid snail diversity in the Southeastern United States is thought to be high, but estimates of overall diversity are compromised by uncertain taxonomy. This is particularly true for the genus Elimia, where reliance on conchological characters described by early naturalists for species designation failed to recognize significant variability in shell morphology. In this study we examine three putative species of Elimia to determine if quantifiable conchological characters are associated with differences in life history characteristics. Individuals of E. modesta, E. carinocostata, and E. cariniferawere collected from nine sites in three streams in the lower Etowah River …
The Effects Of Feliway On The Stress Of Cats During Veterinary Examination, Colleen Doonan
The Effects Of Feliway On The Stress Of Cats During Veterinary Examination, Colleen Doonan
Honors Theses
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Feliway® during veterinary examination. Feliway® contains a synthetic version of the F3 pheromone, secreted from the cheeks of Felis sylvestris catus when rubbing against objects in the environment. It is presumed to allow cats to establish a home range to feel secure. A double-blind study was conducted to address the limitations of another study that concluded Feliway® is useful for reducing stress experienced by cats during veterinary examination. The current study found that Feliway® is not useful by itself for adequate stress reduction during feline examinations. It was concluded …
Direct And Indirect Effects Of Invasive Cirsium Arvense On Pollination In Southern Appalachian Floral Communities, Jesse Daniels
Direct And Indirect Effects Of Invasive Cirsium Arvense On Pollination In Southern Appalachian Floral Communities, Jesse Daniels
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Invasive plants can alter pollination dynamics in invaded communities by disrupting patterns of pollinator visitation, pollen transfer dynamics (conspecific [CP] and heterospecific [HP]), and reproductive success. The direction of invasive effects (competitive, neutral, and facilitative) may be partially determined by spatial scale and species’ floral traits. Here, we investigated pollinator visitation, CP and HP receipt, and pollen tube growth for species in a C. arvense present community and non-present community at two scales. At the community-level, the effect of C. arvense on pollinator visitation varied among species. Floral symmetry seemed to explain this variation. At the floral neighborhood-level, we found …
The Effect Of The Zika Virus On Rna Stress Granule Components, Nina Williams
The Effect Of The Zika Virus On Rna Stress Granule Components, Nina Williams
Biological Sciences
In recent years, Zika virus (ZIKV) has taken over mainstream media. It captivated the world with the images of microcephaly babies born to infected mothers and the appearance of Guillain-Barré syndrome emerging from infected adults. ZIKV is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito. This virus is composed of a single-stranded positive-sense RNA genome that belongs to the Flaviviridae family. Our long-term goal is to understand the mechanisms in which the virus subverts the host organism’s translation machinery by modulation of RNA stress granules (SGs). Stress granules are RNA-protein complexes found in the cytoplasm that form when the cell is exposed to …
Determinants Of Social Behavior In Captive North American River Otters (Lontra Canadensis), Olivia R. Beasley
Determinants Of Social Behavior In Captive North American River Otters (Lontra Canadensis), Olivia R. Beasley
Graduate Theses
Field Studies of North American River Otters (Lontra canadensis), documented social behavior atypical among its mustelid relatives. In the wild, river otters are most active during crepuscular hours and males have been shown to be more social than females, as they cooperatively forage within bachelor groups (Blundell et al. 2002). Most social behavior occurs at latrine sites, where feces act as a means of communication between conspecifics (Blundell et al. 2005). While scientists have conducted some behavioral research on wild river otters, detailed studies of interactions are difficult for a species that ranges widely. A full understanding of river otter …
Sip-428, A Sir2 Deacetylase Enzyme And Its Role In Biotic Stress Signaling Pathway, Bal Krishna Chand Thakuri
Sip-428, A Sir2 Deacetylase Enzyme And Its Role In Biotic Stress Signaling Pathway, Bal Krishna Chand Thakuri
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
SABP2 (Salicylic Acid Binding Protein 2) plays a vital role in the salicylic acid signaling pathway of plants both regarding basal resistance and systemic acquired resistance against pathogen infection. SIP-428 (SABP2 Interacting Protein-428) is a Silent information regulator 2 (SIR2) like deacetylase enzyme that physically interacts with SABP2 in a yeast two-hybrid interaction and confirmed independently by a GST pull-down assay. We demonstrated that SIP- 428 is an NAD+ dependent SIR2 deacetylase enzyme. Transgenic tobacco plants silenced in SIP- 428 expression via RNAi showed enhanced basal resistance to microbial pathogens. Moreover, these SIP-428-silenced lines also exhibited a robust induction of …
The Study Of Alcoholic Liver Diseases, Seun Emmanuel Owoseni
The Study Of Alcoholic Liver Diseases, Seun Emmanuel Owoseni
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Excessive alcohol consumption is the primary contributing factor in the development of alcoholic liver diseases (ALD). Nicotine contained in tobacco is a major addictive alkaloid, which enhances the effects of ALDs. The major enzyme involved in nicotine metabolism is cytochrome P450 2A5 (CYP2A5) which is produced in the liver. Alcohol can stimulate the CYP2A5 enzyme. We utilized cyp2a5-/- knockout mice in this research to examine the effects of CYP2A5.
The cyp2a5-/- mice and wild-type (WT) mice were fed liquid ethanol diet with or without nicotine to induce ALD. Nicotine enhancing effects on ALD were observed in WT mice but not …
Patterns Of Genetic Structure In The American Kestrel (Falco Sparverius): Influence Of Distance And Migration And Implications For Monitoring And Management, Michaela Brinkmeyer
Patterns Of Genetic Structure In The American Kestrel (Falco Sparverius): Influence Of Distance And Migration And Implications For Monitoring And Management, Michaela Brinkmeyer
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
Genetic structure is useful for inferring patterns of selection, gene flow and connectivity, and can define management units that aid in interpretation of spatially-specific trends and species management. American kestrels (Falco sparverius) are a widespread, generalist species with fully migratory, partial migrant, and resident populations. In many parts of their range, kestrels show evidence of declining population trends; however, it has been difficult to identify threats to kestrels because of differences in regional trends. We used a genome-wide sequencing approach to investigate the genetic structure of American kestrels, test hypotheses about the processes that influence genetic structuring of …
Mastering Mycological Mysteries With Explorations Of Harpellales Associated With Culicidae And Other Dipterans In Idaho, Michael Mccormick
Mastering Mycological Mysteries With Explorations Of Harpellales Associated With Culicidae And Other Dipterans In Idaho, Michael Mccormick
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
Presented is the first field survey and laboratory-based study focused on Harpellales gut fungi found in Culicidae (mosquito) larvae collected from various parts of Idaho. Overall, 34 sites were sampled ranging from urban storm drains and irrigation puddles to pristine stream-side puddles. These sites yielded 17 different species of mosquitoes and three previously described species of gut fungi. Three species of mosquitoes were the first recorded observations as hosts of the following gut fungi: Culiseta alaskaensis was infested with Zancudomyces culisetae (from Renwyck Creek), Culex tarsalis with Smittium culicis (from Cottonwood Creek), and Ochleratus sp. with Smittium minutisporum (from Bear …
Diversification Across A Dynamic Landscape: Phylogeography And Riverscape Genetics Of Speckled Dace (Rhinichthys Osculus) In Western North America, Steven Michael Mussmann
Diversification Across A Dynamic Landscape: Phylogeography And Riverscape Genetics Of Speckled Dace (Rhinichthys Osculus) In Western North America, Steven Michael Mussmann
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Evolution occurs at various spatial and temporal scales. For example, speciation may occur in historic time, whereas localized adaptation is more contemporary. Each is required to identify and manage biodiversity. However, the relative abundance of Speckled Dace (Rhinichthys osculus), a small cyprinid fish in western North America (WNA) and the study species for this dissertation, establishes it an atypical conservation target, particularly when contrasted with the profusion of narrowly endemic forms it displays. Yet, the juxtaposition of ubiquity versus endemism provides an ideal model against which to test hypotheses regarding the geomorphic evolution of WNA. More specifically, it also allows …
Bryophyte Assemblages On American Hornbeam (Carpinus Caroliniana) And The Surrounding Arboreal Communities Within The Forest Of East Texas, Cassey Edwards
Bryophyte Assemblages On American Hornbeam (Carpinus Caroliniana) And The Surrounding Arboreal Communities Within The Forest Of East Texas, Cassey Edwards
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The bryophytes, the non-vascular plants, include the mosses (Bryophyta with approximately 13,000 species), the liverworts (Marchantiophyta with approximately 5,000 species), and the hornworts (Anthocerotophyta with approximately 150 species). Initial observations indicated that the midstory tree Carpinus caroliniana Walter (American hornbeam) has a bryophyte composition with an unusually high diversity of leafy liverworts. Voucher samples were taken from the four intercardinal directions (Northeast, Northwest, Southwest, and Southeast) from six Carpinus trees and their nearest neighbor that was neither Pinus nor another Carpinus at each of six sites across East Texas. Percent coverage, species richness, Shannon’s diversity and Pielou’s evenness were computed. …
Lead Poisoning In Maine's Common Loons: Examining Biological And Social Dimensions, Brooke S. Macdonald
Lead Poisoning In Maine's Common Loons: Examining Biological And Social Dimensions, Brooke S. Macdonald
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Lead poisoning from ingested fishing tackle is a well-documented conservation concern for adult common loons in the Northeastern United States. To mitigate this issue, the state of Maine began implementing restrictions on lead tackle use in 2002, with new legislation added in 2016 and 2017. In addition to legislative action there have been various non-regulatory strategies employed in Maine to help raise awareness, such as the Fish Lead Free campaign. Human behavior is the root cause of lead fishing tackle in aquatic environments, and also can determine the success of legislative and educational efforts. Measuring underlying factors that influence behaviors, …
Blue And Red Light Effects On Stomatal Oscillations, Trevor R. Ballard
Blue And Red Light Effects On Stomatal Oscillations, Trevor R. Ballard
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023
Plants absorb CO2 through pores in their leaves called stomata, which are known to open and close in response to myriad environmental and physiological triggers. We demonstrate that blue light inhibits stomatal aperture oscillations in both the guard cells and surrounding tissue layers, whereas these oscillations continue under the influence of red light. This observation of blue light behavior agrees with recent research and suggests another physiological pathway for oscillations.
Methanogens, Plausible Extraterrestrial Life Forms On Mars, And Their Tolerance To Increasing Concentrations Of Illite Clay, Chandler Kern
Methanogens, Plausible Extraterrestrial Life Forms On Mars, And Their Tolerance To Increasing Concentrations Of Illite Clay, Chandler Kern
Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses
Methanogens, some of Earth’s most primitive prokaryotic organisms, are candidates for possible life forms capable of inhabiting Mars. Specifically, four different species (Methanobacterium formicicum, Methanococcus maripaludis, Methanosarcina barkeri, Methanothermobacter wolfeii) were analyzed for their tolerance to the presence of illite clay. Illite is a crystalline mineral that has been identified from regions of Mars’s surface. Results indicated that all four species grew with some success in the illite at different concentrations. This experimentation with methanogens’ abilities to survive and reproduce in the presence of illite allows for a more accurate understanding of the potential capability of microbial …