Genetics and Genomics Commons^™

Creation Of A Digital Storage System For Genome Sequencing Metadata, Jacquelin W. Olexa

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

As the field of computational genomics continues to expand in both potential and application, it is now more imperative than ever to ensure that massive genetic sequencing datasets are properly stored in an accessible manner. This project sought to establish a practical, user-friendly, secure system for a genomics research lab (the Good Lab; thegoodlab.org) at the University of Montana. A MySQL database and connected web application was ruled the best configuration to maximize utility and accessibility for the lab’s researchers. Building the logical framework for the database, creating the server, and sourcing data occurred over several months. The dataset ranged …

The Genetic Basis Of Two Reproductive Traits In Monkeyflowers: Stigma Closure And Corolla Carotenoids, Rachel Anne Halperin

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Abstract

The interactions between pollinators and flowers have long been a driving force for the evolution of many physical floral traits. Traits such as flower shape, size, color, and smell are just some of these traits that evolve because of these interactions. This evolution does not only occur in the more obvious morphological floral traits, however, but also in more subtle traits like touch sensitive stigma closure. In hundreds of Lamiales species, the bilobed stigma, the organ that receives pollen from pollinators, closes rapidly upon touch. Theory and experiments show that this novel dynamic reproductive trait increases pollen export and …

Advancing Methods Of Diet Analysis: A Case Study Using Degraded Merlin (Falco Columbarius) Prey Remains, Taylor A. Coon

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Prey remains have long been used as a mechanism to approach diet analyses. As understanding diet is key to comprehending ecosystem dynamics, prey remains identification requires a unique methodological approach to determine diversity within a sample. With the advancement of technology, molecular protocols designed for species-specific identification have improved to incredible accuracy and precision. Yet, the visual identification method has remained a predominant technique within diet studies. With entry-level observers, we matched visual identifications with molecular-based methods to quantify the accuracy of the visual identification method. This study determined what fraction of visually identified prey remains could be correctly identified …

A Comparison Of Divergence In Non-Introgressing Genes Across A Chickadee Hybrid Zone, Eliana K. Lowe

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Hybridization between species plays a very important role in the overall evolutionary history of many taxa. The study of hybrid zones can also provide insight into how species are responding to environmental factors such as climate change and changes in species interactions. The hybrid zone between the northern black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) and the southern Carolina chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) provides an insight into how hybridization is affecting two distinct species. Black-capped and Carolina hybrids have reduced fitness in the wild. Hybrids tend to have higher basal metabolic rates, less muscle growth, and less neuron growth to …

Responding To Soil Fungal Communities: A Look At Interactions Between Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi And The Common Yellow Monkeyflower, Mariah Mcintosh

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The obligate fungal mutualists arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonize the roots approximately 80% of vascular plants, generally thought to provide mineral nutrition, pathogen protection, or drought resistance to plants in exchange for photosynthetic carbon. Because of the ecological and evolutionary significance of these interactions, much work has been done to understand this symbiosis at the community level. However, much remains to be understood about how AMF affect plant fitness on an individual level. In this study, we took advantage of the tractability of the emerging model species Mimulus guttatus, the common yellow monkeyflower, to identify genetic differences in how …

Ancient Dna Extraction From Stone Tools, Clare Super

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Proteins and DNA can be trapped in the microcracks on the surface of stone tools, which can then be extracted and analyzed to aid in inferring the use of the tool (Shanks et al. 2001; 2005). This nondestructive method involves the use of sonication to release DNA from the microcracks, then amplification of regions of mitochondrial DNA that are species specific. This technique was applied to stone tools from the Bridge River site in British Columbia by researchers at UMT’s Ancient and Modern Molecular Anthropology labs. Bridge River archaeologists have designated the tools as used in “food processing or tool …

Phenotypic And Genetic Analyses Of Adaptation To Geothermal Soils In Yellow Monkeyflowers Of Yellowstone National Park, Peter Breigenzer

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Microgeographic adaptation, which occurs on a spatial scale smaller than the dispersal distance of the evolving organisms, provides a fertile context for understanding the genetic processes that shape natural variation and contribute to biological diversity. In plants, mosaics of distinct soil conditions can select for microgeographic divergence in the face of gene flow, leading to major life history transitions and novel trait evolution. Mimulus (monkeyflowers) is an emerging model genus for ecological genomics, due to tremendous diversity, experimental tractability, and a wealth of genomic resources. In Yellowstone National Park, Mimulus guttatus occurs in both geothermal soils and nearby nonthermal bogs …

Developing Microbial Biomarkers To Non-Invasively Assess Health In Wild Elk (Cervus Canadensis) Populations, Samuel B. Pannoni

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The composition of the intestinal bacterial community (intestinal microbiome) of mammals is associated with changes in diet, stress, disease and physical condition of the animal. The relationship between health and the microbiome has been extensively demonstrated in studies of humans and mice; this provides strong support for its potential utility in wildlife. When managing elk (Cervus canadensis), federal and state agencies currently must rely on invasive sampling and coarse demographic data on which to base their decisions. By developing microbiome-based biomarkers that vary as a function of elk body condition and disease (i.e. microbial biomarkers), we hope to …