Digital Commons Network^™

Reverse Engineering Of Gene Regulatory Networks For Discovery Of Novel Interactions In Pathways Using Gene Expression Data, Tanwir Habib

Dissertations

A variety of chemicals in the environment have the potential to adversely affect the biological systems. We examined the responses of Rat (Rattus norvegicus) to the RDX exposure and female fathead minnows (FHM, Pimephales promelas) to a model aromatase inhibitor, fadrozole, using a transcriptional network inference approach. Rats were exposed to RDX and fish were exposed to 0 or 30mg/L fadrozole for 8 days. We analyzed gene expression changes using 8000 probes microarrays for rat experiment and 15,000 probe microarrays for fish. We used these changes to infer a transcriptional network. The central nervous system is remarkably plastic in its …

Assessing Threat Of Introduction Of The Parthenogenetic Marbled Crayfish Marmorkrebs Into North American Waters, Stephanie A. Jimenez, Zen Faulkes

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Background/Question/Methods

Marmorkrebs are parthogenetic crayfish in the genus Procambarus. Their provenance is unknown, but they were discovered in hobbyists' aquaria in Germany in the mid 1990s, and have since been introduced into the North American pet trade. Marmorkrebs are a potential invasive pest species. For example, they have already been introduced into Madagascar, where they may threaten endemic crayfish species. We are trying to estimate the risk, and possible consequences, of any accidental introduction of Marmorkrebs into North American waters. First, we conducted an online survey of hobbyists who keep Marmorkrebs as pets to estimate how widely, and how …

Fecal-Sac Ingestion By Spotted Towhees, Jenny E. Mckay, Michael T. Murphy, Sarah Bartos Smith, Jennifer K. Richardson

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Altricial nestlings encase excrement in fecal sacs that parents remove by either ingesting them or transporting them away from the nest. Ingestion may allow energetically or nutritionally deprived parents to recapture energy or nutrients that might be lost because of nestlings' inefficient digestion (the "parental-nutrition hypothesis"), but ingestion may also permit parents to avoid flights from the nest that interfere with parental care (e.g., brooding young; the "economic-disposal hypothesis"). We used a hypothetico-deductive approach to test the two hypotheses' ability to account for fecal-sac ingestion by the Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus). We confirmed the parental-nutrition hypothesis' predictions that …

Serotonin Immunoreactive Cells And Nerve Fibers In The Mucosa Of The Rat Stomach, A P Gesase

Tanzania Journal of Science

The current study has showed the morphological features of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) immunoreactivity in the pyloric mucosa of the rat stomach. The immunoreactive elements included the endocrine cells, mast cells and mucosal nerve fibers in the lamina propria. The immunopositive endocrine cells were oval in shape and located mostly in the basal part of the gastric glands. The cell contained a central non-staining area and the peripheral staining zone. The mast cells stained homogenously and appeared to be oval-round in shape. They were located in the upper, middle and basal parts of the mucosa. Serotonin immunoreactive nerve fibers with varicosities were …

Morphological Features Of Tyrosine Hydroxylase Immunoreactive Cells In The Mouse Islets Of Langerhans, A P Gesase, Y -I Satoh

Tanzania Journal of Science

The current immunohistochemical study used the antibody against tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) to observe the immunoreactive elements in the mouse pancreas. The results indicated the presence of immunoreactive nerve fibers and endocrine cells. The immunopositive nerve fibers appeared as thick and thin bundles; thick bundles were seen to run along the blood vessels giving out fine fibers to the wall. Varicose nerve fibers were seen in the islets of Langerhans and also in close association with the exocrine endpieces. The TH immunoreactive cells were oval-round in shape and some showed the central non-staining area and the dense staining peripheral zone. More …

Genetic Differentiation Of The Parasitoid, Cotesia Congregata (Say), Based On Host-Plant Complex, Georgia Karns

Theses and Dissertations

Endoparasitoids of herbivorous lepidopterans have intimate relationships with their host species as well as the plant on which their host develops. Characteristics of both hosts and plants can affect parasitoid success in tri-trophic systems and thus, drive diversification. Genetic differentiation was estimated for Cotesia congregata (Say) collected from two distinct host-plant complexes, Manduca sexta L. on tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) and Ceratomia catalpae, (Haworth) on catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides Walker), in the mid-Atlantic region of North America using seven microsatellite loci and the mitochondrial COI locus. Microsatellite allele frequencies were differentiated based on host-plant complex, and COI haplotypes from individuals on …

Assessment Of Pre-Pcr Whole Genome Amplification Of Single Pollen Grains Using Flowering Dogwood (Cornus Florida), Candace Dillon

Theses and Dissertations

Studies of gene flow in natural plant populations often focus on either historical or abiotic dispersal methods (e.g. wind, water, gravity), but there is little information available on contemporary, animal-mediated pollen dispersal patterns. Emerging molecular laboratory techniques allow unprecedented insights into spatial patterns of pollen-mediated gene flow. However, to date, technical challenges have limited their widespread application. The genome of a pollen grain can be amplified via whole genome amplification (WGA) prior to traditional amplification via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to prevent the stochastic effects associated with low copy number amplification. Even still, WGA can suffer from low success rates …

Sexual Selection In A Species With Exploded Leks: The White-Crowned Manakin (Pipra Pipra), Wendy P. Tori

Dissertations

Understanding what determines male reproductive success is central to sexual selection theory. The main goal of this dissertation was to examine the processes that shape female mate choice and male reproductive success in an exploded lek species: the White-crowned Manakin (Pipra pipra). The first chapter examined if females select males with certain genetic characteristics to gain indirect fitness benefits. Specifically, it tested whether females preferentially mate with unrelated males or males with high overall heterozygosity to increase the genetic diversity of their offspring. The second chapter examined if food resources within territories affect male mating success of territory …

Evolution And Maintenance Of Plumage Polymorphism: The Case Of The Red-Footed Booby (Sula Sula), Patricia Carvalho Baiao

Dissertations

The red-footed booby (Sula sula) is considered one of the most polymorphic seabirds, with three recognized major adult plumage types: (1) white; (2) white-tailed brown; and (3) brown, and several degrees of intermediates. The ratio of these color morphs varies among populations, with the white morph typically predominating. However, there are a few populations that present an inversed ratio of color morphs, such as Isla Europa in the Indian Ocean and the Galapagos archipelago, with the white-tailed brown or brown morphs predominating. I studied natural populations of red-footed boobies from three geographic locations, namely, the Galapagos archipelago, Johnston Atoll in …

Selective Herbivory By The Desert Woodrat (Neotoma Lepida) On Joshua Trees (Yucca Brevifolia), Monte P. Sanford, Nancy Huntly

Biology Faculty Publications

We studied herbivory by the desert woodrat (Neotoma lepida) on Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) in the Mojave Desert to determine whether N. lepida fed selectively based on leaf nitrogen content. We measured leaf nitrogen content and the location and amount of herbivory by woodrats on Y. brevifolia trees in southwestern Utah, USA. Neotoma lepida removed the outer tips of leaves (1/3 to 2/3 of total leaf length) but left leaf bases, which had lower nitrogen content, uneaten. Herbivory by N. lepida also was concentrated on rosettes that were oriented south, and these had significantly higher nitrogen …

Co-Occurrence With A Congeneric Species Predicts Life History And Morphological Diversification In The Mexican Livebearing Fish Poelicopsis Baenschi, Laura E. Scott

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding why some species coexist and others do not remains one of the fundamental challenges of ecology. While several lines of evidence suggest that closely related species are unlikely to occupy the same habitat because of competitive exclusion, there are many cases where closely related species do co-occur. Research comparing sympatric and allopatric populations of co-occurring species provides a framework to understand the role of phenotypic diversification in species coexistence. In this study I focus on the livebearing fish Poeciliopsis baenschi and ask if differences in phenotypic traits among populations can be explained by the presence or absence of the …

A Bac-Based Physical Map Of The Hessian Fly Genome Anchored To Polytene Chromosomes, Rajat Aggarwal, Thiago R. Benatti, Navdeep Gill, Chaoyang Zhao, Ming-Shun Chen, John P. Fellers, Brandon J. Schemerhorn, Jeff J. Stuart

Biology Faculty Articles

Background: The Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor) is an important insect pest of wheat. It has tractable genetics, polytene chromosomes, and a small genome (158 Mb). Investigation of the Hessian fly presents excellent opportunities to study plant-insect interactions and the molecular mechanisms underlying genome imprinting and chromosome elimination. A physical map is needed to improve the ability to perform both positional cloning and comparative genomic analyses with the fully sequenced genomes of other dipteran species. Results: An FPC-based genome wide physical map of the Hessian fly was constructed and anchored to the insect's polytene chromosomes. Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones corresponding …

Presence Of Haemosporidia And Flaviviruses In Breeding Prothonotary Warblers (Protonotaria Citrea): An Analysis Of Spatial And Temporal Trends In Infection Prevalence And Associations With Reproductive Success, Elena Grillo

Theses and Dissertations

As Neotropical migratory birds, Prothonotary Warblers are exposed to parasites in both tropical and temperate regions and may act as dispersal agents between geographic areas. This study identifies the prevalence of Haemosporidia, West Nile Virus (WNV), and St. Louis Encephalitis virus (SLEV) in this species. A total of 71.6% of captured Prothonotary Warblers were infected with Haemosporidia during the 2008 breeding season, and infection prevalence increased throughout the season. This temporal change in prevalence is likely due to infection relapse and transmission of new infections. No correlations between reproductive effort and infection status were observed, nor were any associations between …

Heterosternuta Sulphuria (Coloptera: Dytiscidae) Occurence In The Sulphur Springs Headwater System And In Buffalo National River Tributaries (Arkansas, Usa): Current Distribution, Habitat Conditions, And Biomonitoring Framework, S.D. Longing, B.E. Haggard

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

Heterosternuta sulphuria is an endemic aquatic species of concern in Arkansas, with a priority score of 80 out of 100 and a conservation rank of S1and G1. A need of the Arkansas Wildlife Action Plan (AWAP) was to obtain baseline information on distribution and population status of H. sulphuria. Here, we report new H. sulphuria records for 39 sites across 10 counties in the Ozark Highlands and Boston Mountain ecoregions and a determined habitat type of shallow margins and small bedrock pools of perennial streams and spring seeps. Few habitat patches were observed per site because detection was typically rapid …

A Continent-Wide Clone: Population Genetic Variation Of The Invasive Plant Hieracium Aurantiacum (Orange Hawkweed; Asteraceae) In North America, Eli S. Loomis, Lila Fishman

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

We investigated the population genetic structure of the invasive plant Hieracium aurantiacum (Asteraceae), a facultative apomict. We generated amplified fragment length polymorphism fingerprints for H. aurantiacum samples from across its invasive range in North America (N = 226) and from six other North American native and invasive Hieracium species (N = 60). Almost no genetic variability was found in the North American H. aurantiacum across locations from Alaska and Oregon to Pennsylvania and Ontario (clonal diversity = 0.035). In contrast, other Hieracium species showed a range of clonal diversities (range = 0.154-1.0). The single H. aurantiacum genotype that dominated the …

Bar-Coded Pyrosequencing Reveals Shared Bacterial Community Properties Along The Temperature Gradients Of Two Alkaline Hot Springs In Yellowstone National Park, Scott R. Miller, Aaron L. Strong, Kenneter L. Jones, Mark C. Ungerer

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

An understanding of how communities are organized is a fundamental goal of ecology but one which has historically been elusive for microbial systems. We used a bar-coded pyrosequencing approach targeting the V3 region of the bacterial small-subunit rRNA gene to address the factors that structure communities along the thermal gradients of two alkaline hot springs in the Lower Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. The filtered data set included a total of nearly 34,000 sequences from 39 environmental samples. Each was assigned to one of 391 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) identified by their unique V3 sequence signatures. Although the two …

Description Of Thermonectus Nigrofasciatus And Rhantus Binotatus (Coleoptera:-Dytiscidae) Mating Behavior, Lauren M. Cleavall

Biology ETDs

Models of sexual conflict predict that diving beetles should respond morphologically and behaviorally during mating events to overcome the opposing sex. Morphological and behavioral adaptations may result from pressures by one sex to overcome resistance to mating attempts of the opposite sex. Morphological data supports an evolutionary arms race in diving beetles (Dytiscidae) exhibited in a series of adaptations attributable to sexual conflict between males and females. Males of certain Dytiscinae have sucker shaped adhesion setae on their front and mid tarsi to improve attachment to the females elytra prior to and during mating, whereas females have evolved grooves, ridges, …

American Kestrel Reproduction: Evidence For The Selection Hypothesis And The Role Of Dispersal, Karen Steenhof, Julie A. Heath

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Many hypotheses attempt to explain why younger, less experienced birds have relatively low reproductive output. We evaluated reproductive patterns of marked American Kestrels Falco sparverius nesting in boxes in southwestern Idaho from 1992 to 2006 to test predictions of these hypotheses. Results were consistent with the selection (differential mortality) hypothesis and did not support the constraint, restraint or recruitment hypotheses. Most known-age Kestrels nested in their first year of life, and there was no apparent short-term or long-term reproductive advantage to delayed breeding. The number of years that Kestrels nested in study area boxes ranged from 1 to 6 years, …

Section Abstracts: Biology And Microbiology & Molecular Biology

Virginia Journal of Science

Abstracts of the Biology Section and Microbiology & Molecular Biology for the 87th Annual Meeting of the Virginia Academy of Science, May 27th-29th, 2009, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.

Ontogeny And Individual Variation In The Adrenocortical Response Of Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia Guttata) Nestlings, Haruka Wada, Katrina G. Salvante, Emily Wagner, Tony D. Williams, Creagh W. Breuner

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Numerous studies indicate interspecies variation in the ontogeny of the adrenocortical response in birds; however, little is known about the extent of interindividual variation in avian young. Toward this end, we examined the ontogeny and interindividual variation in the adrenocortical response in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) nestlings. We measured baseline and stress-induced total (bound and free) corticosterone, corticosteroid binding globulin capacity, and resulting estimated free corticosterone levels in nestlings of four different ages ( days 5, 10, 16, and 21). In addition, we investigated the potential correlates of interindividual variation (brood size and mass). Nestlings at days 5 and 10 …

Bushmeat Poaching Reduces The Seed Dispersal And Population Growth Rate Of A Mammal-Dispersed Tree, Jedidiah F. Brodie, Olga E. Helmy, Warren Y. Brockelman, John L. Maron

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Myriad tropical vertebrates are threatened by overharvest. Whether this harvest has indirect effects on nonhunted organisms that interact with the game species is a critical question. Many tropical birds and mammals disperse seeds. Their overhunting in forests can cause zoochorous trees to suffer from reduced seed dispersal. Yet how these reductions in seed dispersal influence tree abundance and population dynamics remains unclear. Reproductive parameters in long-lived organisms often have very low elasticities; indeed the demographic importance of seed dispersal is an open question. We asked how variation in hunting pressure across four national parks with seasonal forest in northern Thailand …

No Evolutionary Response To Four Generations Of Laboratory Selection On Antipredator Behavior Of Aedes Albopictus: Potential Implications For Biotic Resistance To Invasion, Banugopan Kesavaraju, Steven A. Juliano

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Aedes albopictus (Skuse) is an invasive container-dwelling mosquito and an important disease vector that co-occurs with the native mosquito, Aedes triseriatus (Say), and the predatory midge, Corethrella appandiculata (Grabham). Larval Ae. triseriatus show significantly greater antipredatory responses when compared to larval Ae. albopictus in the presence of predation cues from C. appendiculata. The potential for evolution of antipredatory behavioral responses to C. appendiculata in Ae. albopictus is unknown. We used a controlled laboratory selection experiment to test whether Ae. albopictus could evolve antipredatory behavioral responses to C. appendiculata predation. We subjected replicate Ae. albopictus populations to four generations of predation …

Biotic And Abiotic Characteristics Influencing Nest Location And Trophic Relationships Of The Fungus-Growing Ant Trachymyrmex Septentrionalis (Formicidae: Attini), Jonathan Paul Howell

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Trachymyrmex septentrionalis represents the only species of fungus-growing ant in the southeastern United States. T. septentrionalis cultivates a symbiotic fungus on which the ants feed. Worker ants collect plant and animal debris to feed the fungus. These ants are common in Florida, but increasingly scarce as they near the northern extent of their range in New Jersey. Colonies of T. septentrionalis occur in patches throughout Blackwater Ecological Preserve, a longleaf pine forest in southeastern Virginia. Blackwater Ecologic Preserve is a 129 hectare tract of land, located in Isle of Wight county, that is undergoing a regimen of controlled burning to …

The Influence Of Environmental Factors On The Activity And Movement Of Bufo Nebulifer (Coastal Plain Toad) In A Disturbed Area, Crystal Salinas

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Toads in the family Bufonidae are poorly studied in southern Texas. Bufo nebulifir, a native bufonid, has been studied in its northern and southern range limits (east Texas and northern Mexico). South Texas' sub-tropical climate could impact the length of the activity period for B. nebulifer in yet unrecorded ways. This study resolves whether environmental factors correlate to Bufo nebulifer's activity, presence, and movement, using a mark-recapture method. The study was conducted for one year during February 2008 to March 2009. Environmental factors, especially rainfall and temperature were significantly correlated (PB. nebulifer . The active period of B. …

Modulation Of Lps-Induced Activation Of Hepatic Map Kinases, Oliver Surriga

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a potent inflammagen that has been found to be primarily responsible for many symptoms caused by gram-negative bacterial infections. The LPS-initiated signal transduction pathways involve several terminal kinases, mainly p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), p38 MAPK and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), ultimately leading to increased expression of genes encoding such inflammatory cytokines as interleukin (IL )-1 �. IL-6 and tumor necrosis factors (TNF)-u. In this study, the effects of age on LPS-induced activation of MAPKs in the liver of rats were examined. Results show that the basal level of phosphorylated p42/44 MAPK was increased in postnatal day …

Liana Communities In Three Tropical Forest Types In Xishuangbanna, South-West China, Zhi-Quan Cai, Stefan A. Schnitzer, Yu-Long Zheng, Frans Bongers

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Lianas are an important growth form in tropical forests around the world. However, they are relatively unknown in south-east Asia. We identified, measured and determined the climbing and dispersal modes for lianas in five 0.1-ha plots in three common forest types at the tropical-temperate transitional zone in Xishuangbanna, SW China, namely, montane forest, evergreen broad-leaved forest and seasonally wet forest. Liana diversity in the three forests combined was high; we found a total of 147 liana species, representing 48 families and 75 genera. The mean density of lianas was 3407 ha-1 and varied significantly between the three forests, with 445, …

Rational Design Of Improved Pharmabiotics, Roy D. Sleator, Colin Hill

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Herein we review the most recent advances in probiotic research and applications with particular emphasis on the novel concept of patho-biotechnology: the application of pathogen-derived (ex vivo and in vivo) stress survival strategies for the design of more technologically robust and effective probiotic cultures with improved biotechnological and clinical applications.

Allometry Of The Duration Of Flight Feather Molt In Birds, Sievert Rohwer, Robert Ricklefs, Vanya Rohwer, Michelle Copple

Biology Department Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Role Of Inn1 And Its Interactions With Hof1 And Cyk3 In Promoting Cleavage Furrow And Septum Formation In S. Cerevisiae, R. Nishihama, J. H. Schreiter, M. Onishi, Elizabeth A. Vallen, J. Hanna, K. Moravcevic, Margaret Flynn Lippincott , '01, Haesun Han , '08, M. A. Lemmon, J. R. Pringle, E. Bi

Biology Faculty Works

Cytokinesis requires coordination of actomyosin ring (AMR) contraction with rearrangements of the plasma membrane and extracellular matrix. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, new membrane, the chitin synthase Chs2 (which forms the primary septum [PS]), and the protein Inn1 are all delivered to the division site upon mitotic exit even when the AMR is absent. Inn1 is essential for PS formation but not for Chs2 localization. The Inn1 C-terminal region is necessary for localization, and distinct PXXP motifs in this region mediate functionally important interactions with SH3 domains in the cytokinesis proteins Hof1 (an F-BAR protein) and Cyk3 (whose overexpression can restore PS …

A New Brevicipitid Species (Brevicipitidae: Callulina) From The Fragmented Forests Of The Taita Hills, Kenya, Simon P. Loader, G. John Measey, Rafael O. De Sá, Patrick K. Malonza

Biology Faculty Publications

A new species Callulina dawida is described from the Taita Hills, Kenya. It is distinguished from other members of the genus on the basis of the degree of digital expansion. The species further differs from other members of the genus based on molecular sequence comparisons and on its call. The morphological variation in the new species is described, including a comparison of internal and external characters and sexual dimorphism with other species of Callulina. The conservation status of the species, on the basis of its restricted distribution and land use changes in the area, is considered to be of …