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Rna Virus-Mediated Changes In Organismal Oxygen Consumption Rate In Young And Old Drosophila Melanogaster Males, Eli Hagedorn, Dean Bunnell, Beate Henschel, Daniel Smith Jr, Stephanie Dickinson, Andrew Brown, Maria De Luca, Ashley Turner, Stanislava Chtarbanova

Research, Publications & Creative Work

Aging is accompanied by increased susceptibility to infections including with viral pathogens resulting in higher morbidity and mortality among the elderly. Significant changes in host metabolism can take place following virus infection. Efficient immune responses are energetically costly, and viruses divert host molecular resources to promote their own replication. Virus-induced metabolic reprogramming could impact infection outcomes, however, how this is affected by aging and impacts organismal survival remains poorly understood. RNA virus infection of Drosophila melanogaster with Flock House virus (FHV) is an effective model to study antiviral responses with age, where older flies die faster than younger flies due …

Diatom Diversity And Functional Groups In 72 Florida Lakes: Assessing Ecological Changes For Improved Protection And Management, Francesca M. Lauterman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Florida lakes are diverse ecosystems and are an important part of the state's biodiversity and ecosystem services. As human population and development increase across the state, many lakes have been documented as nutrient impaired and are unable to maintain essential ecological functions. In this study, diatom diversity and functional groups in 72 Florida lakes were assessed for their relationships with associated water-quality data. Common alpha diversity indices, including Shannon-Weiner Index, the Gini-Simpson Index, and Hill’s numbers were utilized to measure trends in diatom communities, while the relationships between diatom lifeform characteristics and environmental data were explored using multivariate methods and …

Predicting The Impact Of Climate Change On The Distribution Of Rhipicephalus Sanguineus In The Americas, Marcos Sánchez Pérez, Teresa Patricia Feria-Arroyo, Crystian Sadiel Venegas Barrera, Carolina Sosa-Gutiérrez, Javier Torres, Katherine A. Brown, Guadalupe Gordillo Pérez

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

Climate change may influence the incidence of infectious diseases including those transmitted by ticks. Rhipicephalus sanguineus complex has a worldwide distribution and transmits Rickettsial infections that could cause high mortality rates if untreated. We assessed the potential effects of climate change on the distribution of R. sanguineus in the Americas in 2050 and 2070 using the general circulation model CanESM5 and two shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs), SSP2-4.5 (moderate emissions) and SSP2-8.5 (high emissions). A total of 355 occurrence points of R. sanguineus and eight uncorrelated bioclimatic variables were entered into a maximum entropy algorithm (MaxEnt) to produce 50 replicates per …

Molecular Peptide Grafting As A Tool To Create Novel Protein Therapeutics, Anton A. Komar

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

The study of peptides (synthetic or corresponding to discrete regions of proteins) has facilitated the understanding of protein structure-activity relationships. Short peptides can also be used as powerful therapeutic agents. However, the functional activity of many short peptides is usually substantially lower than that of their parental proteins. This is (as a rule) due to their diminished structural organization, stability, and solubility often leading to an enhanced propensity for aggregation. Several approaches have emerged to overcome these limitations, which are aimed at imposing structural constraints into the backbone and/or sidechains of the therapeutic peptides (such as molecular stapling, peptide backbone …

Batf2 Promotes Hsc Myeloid Differentiation By Amplifying Ifn Response Mediators During Chronic Infection, Duy T Le, Marcus A Florez, Pawel Kus, Brandon T Tran, Bailee Kain, Yingmin Zhu, Kurt Christensen, Antrix Jain, Anna Malovannaya, Katherine Y King

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Basic leucine zipper ATF-like transcription factor 2 (BATF2), an interferon-activated immune response regulator, is a key factor responsible for myeloid differentiation and depletion of HSC during chronic infection. To delineate the mechanism of BATF2 function in HSCs, we assessed Batf2 KO mice during chronic infection and found that they produced less pro-inflammatory cytokines, less immune cell recruitment to the spleen, and impaired myeloid differentiation with better preservation of HSC capacity compared to WT. Co-IP analysis revealed that BATF2 forms a complex with JUN to amplify pro-inflammatory signaling pathways including CCL5 during infection. Blockade of CCL5 receptors phenocopied Batf2 KO differentiation …

Directed Carbapenemase Testing Is No Longer Just For Enterobacterales: Cost, Labor, And Workflow Assessment Of Expanding Carbapenemase Testing To Carbapenem-Resistant P. Aeruginosa, Fred C. Tenover, Christian M. Gill, Poonam Rajkotia, Amity L. Roberts, David P. Nicolau

Biology Faculty Publications

Molecular carbapenem-resistance testing, such as for the presence of carbapenemases genes, is commonly implemented for the detection of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales. Carbapenemase-producing P. aeruginosa is also associated with significant morbidity and mortality, although; prevalence may be underappreciated in the United States due to a lack of carbapenemase testing. The present study sought to compare hands-on time, cost and workflow implementation of carbapenemase gene testing in Enterobacterales and P. aeruginosa isolates versus sending out isolates to a public health laboratory (PHL) for testing to assess if in-house can provide actionable results. The time to carbapenemase gene results were compared. Differences in cost …

Shell Shocked: The Effects Of Stress And Bacterial Challenges On The Chelonian Innate Immune Response, Alyssa Hartzheim

Student Theses and Dissertations

In the realm of immunology, the use of reptilian models remains low in comparison to their mammalian counterparts. Consequently, much of the inner workings of reptilian immunity remain to be elucidated. Specifically, chelonian species are vastly understudied. In the past decade, research focusing on reptilian immunology has increased. This thesis seeks to contribute to the growing body of work concerning immune trade-offs. I studied reptilian innate immune ability in both captive and free-living populations with consideration of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. In the zoo-housed Indian star tortoises (Geochelone elegans) and northern spider tortoises (Pyxis arachnoides brygooi), I demonstrated species-specific …

Long-Term Exposure To An Invasive Fungal Pathogen Decreases Eptesicus Fuscus Body Mass With Increasing Latitude, Molly C. Simonis, Lynn K. Hartzler, Gregory G. Turner, Michael R. Scafini, Joseph S. Johnson, Megan A. Rúa

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Abstract Invasive pathogens threaten wildlife health and biodiversity. Physiological responses of species highly susceptible to pathogen infections following invasion are well described. However, the responses of less susceptible species (relative to highly susceptible species) are not well known. Latitudinal gradients, which can influence body condition via Bergmann's rule and/or reflect the time it takes for an introduced pathogen to spread geographically, add an additional layer for how mammalian species respond to pathogen exposure. Our goal was to understand how hosts less susceptible to pathogen infections respond to long‐term pathogen exposure across a broad latitudinal gradient. We examined changes in body …

Tgf-B Signaling Mechanisms In Caenorhabditis Elegans Response To Bacterial Pathogens, Emma J. Ciccarelli

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

When exposed to infection, the nematode C. elegans mounts an innate immune response through secretion of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Different signaling pathways in the worm regulate release of these AMPs. One highly conserved pathway is the C. elegans BMP like pathway – regulated by the ligand DBL-1. The DBL-1 pathway is noted for its significant role in development but has also been shown to regulate many post-developmental processes within the worm, including the immune response. We are interested in determining how DBL-1 signaling can mediate a response specific to immunity, separate from its other functions in the worm. Through survival …

Diel Activity Patterns Of Vector Mosquito Species In The Urban Environment: Implications For Vector Control Strategies, André Barretto B. Wilke, Adequate Mhlanga, Allisandra G. Kummer, Chalmers Vasquez, Maday Moreno, William D. Petrie, Art Rodriguez, Christopher Vitek, Gabriel L. Hamer, John-Paul Mutebi, Marco Ajelli

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

Mathematical models have been widely used to study the population dynamics of mosquitoes as well as to test and validate the effectiveness of arbovirus outbreak responses and mosquito control strategies. The objective of this study is to assess the diel activity of mosquitoes in Miami-Dade, Florida, and Brownsville, Texas, the most affected areas during the Zika outbreak in 2016–2017, and to evaluate the effectiveness of simulated adulticide treatments on local mosquito populations. To assess variations in the diel activity patterns, mosquitoes were collected hourly for 96 hours once a month from May through November 2019 in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and …

Beyond The Usual Suspects: Emerging Uropathogens In The Microbiome Age, Robert B. Moreland, Brian I. Choi, Wilson Geaman, Caroline Gonzalez, Baylie R. Hochstedler-Kramer, Jerrin John, Jacob Kaindl, Nikita Kesav, Jyoti Lamichhane, Luke Lucio, Malika Saxena, Aditi Sharma, Lana Tinawi, Michael E. Vanek, Catherine Putonti, Linda Brubaker, Alan J. Wolfe

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The advent of sensitive enhanced culture (metaculturomic) and culture-independent DNA-based (metagenomic) methods has revealed a rich collection of microbial species that inhabit the human urinary tract. Known as the urinary microbiome, this community of microbes consists of hundreds of distinct species that range across the entire phylogenetic spectrum. This new knowledge clashes with standard clinical microbiology laboratory methods, established more than 60 years ago, that focus attention on a relatively small subset of universally acknowledged uropathogens. Increasing reports support the hypothesis that this focus is too narrow. Single uropathogen reports are common in women with recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI), …

The Impacts Of Immune Challenges On Fish Behavior And Physiology, Teisha King

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

For species living in dominance hierarchies, social rank dictates access to resources and often contributes to reproductive success. To ensure survival, individuals constantly evaluate trade- offs between crucial biological systems, like the reproductive and immune systems, depending on their social rank and physiological state. Little is known about how social species balance interactions between immune system function, fluctuations in social status and reproductive fitness, and the performance of behaviors necessary for maintaining social status when sick, particularly in fishes, the largest and most diverse group of vertebrates. My dissertation research uses a whole animal approach to examine how physiological profiles …

Depletion Of Hiv Reservoir By Activation Of Isr Signaling In Resting Cd4+T Cells, Dajiang Li, Lilly M. Wong, Yuyang Tang, Brigitte Allard, Katherine S. James, George R. Thompson, Satya Dandekar, Edward P. Browne, Qingsheng Li, Jeremy M. Simon, Nancie M. Archin, David M. Margolis, Guochun Jiang

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

HIV reservoirs are extremely stable and pose a tremendous challenge to clear HIV infection. Here, we demonstrate that activation of ISR/ATF4 signaling reverses HIV latency, which also selectively eliminates HIV+ cells in primary CD4⁺T cell model of latency without effect on HIV-negative CD⁴⁺T cells. The reduction of HIV+ cells is associated with apoptosis enhancement, but surprisingly is largely seen in HIV-infected cells in which gag-pol RNA transcripts are detected in HIV RNA-induced ATF4/IFIT signaling. In resting CD4⁺ (rCD4⁺) T cells isolated from people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy, induction of ISR/ATF4 signaling …

Traditional Plants That Are Utilized To Treat Urinary Tract Infections: A Review, Rasha Hadi Saleh, Aseel Mohammad Omran, Rafah S. Almuttairi Alhilla

Maaen Journal for Medical Sciences

Among the most serious problems affecting public health is urinary tract infection (UTI). There are several parts of the urinary tract affected by this type of inflammation and affects women more frequently than men. As the antibacterial resistance problem is growing in urological medicine, there is a increasing and a continuing requirement to add antimicrobial medication which could be from medicinal herbs in regulatory UTIs. Since the beginning of civilization, medicinal plants have been an integral element of human society in the fight against diseases. For the aim of reducing costs, increasing the effectiveness of treatment and eliminating the side …

Molecular Regulation Of The Salicylic Acid Hormone Pathway In Plants Under Changing Environmental Conditions, Christina A. M. Rossi, Eric J. R. Marchetta, Jong Hum Kim, Christian Castroverde

Biology Faculty Publications

Salicylic acid (SA) is a central plant hormone mediating immunity, growth, and development. Recently, studies have highlighted the sensitivity of the SA pathway to changing climatic factors and the plant microbiome. Here we summarize organizing principles and themes in the regulation of SA biosynthesis, signaling, and metabolism by changing abiotic/biotic environments, focusing on molecular nodes governing SA pathway vulnerability or resilience. We especially highlight advances in the thermosensitive mechanisms underpinning SA-mediated immunity, including differential regulation of key transcription factors (e.g., CAMTAs, CBP60g, SARD1, bHLH059), selective protein–protein interactions of the SA receptor NPR1, and dynamic phase separation of the recently identified …

Alcohol Consumption And Its Effects On The Liver, Eveline Weinreb

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Thousands of people die each year in the United States from alcohol related deaths. Why does the metabolism of alcohol cause severe damage to the body? Ethanol enters the body in the form of wine, and other alcoholic beverages and travels through the digestive system and then to the liver where it is metabolized. There are a series of steps involved in the breakdown of ethanol, and toxic byproducts are formed such as reactive oxygen species (ROS). These oxygen radicals can lead to damaged deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and to the formation of adducts. Chronic alcohol consumption can lead to liver …

Tissue And Sex-Dependent Regulation Of Innate Immunity And Rna Editing In Mice, Kelsey R. Kendrick

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Inflammation occurs as a result of insult or infection within the body. Individual cells respond to inflammation by upregulating genes that help mediate the immune response, such as ADAR1. ADAR1 helps regulate the immune response but also catalyzes a process called RNA editing. RNA editing alters the sequence of select mRNAs to alter the encoded proteins. The result is altered function of the encoded protein, which is often beneficial for the cell. Our goal was to determine how inflammation affects the function of ADAR1. Since we know that the effects of inflammation vary between different organs and sexes, we examined …

Cul3 Negatively Regulates Nlrp12-Mediated Inhibition Of The Canonical Nf-Κb Signaling Pathway, Inyeong Lee

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Nod-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing protein 12 (NLRP12) is mainly known for its inhibitory function on NF-κB signaling in innate immune cells, and more recently, for its ability to regulate chemokine signaling and ubiquitination of the immune receptor RIG-I. Through a yeast 2-hybrid screen, the Lupfer lab previously discovered that NLRP12 interacts with other ubiquitin-associated proteins including Cullin 3 (CUL3) and RING finger protein 2 (RNF2). This research was conducted to mainly investigate the interaction between NLRP12 and CUL3 in human cells and examine the role in regulating NF-κB signaling. Previously, co-immunoprecipitation, followed by western blot analysis, and confocal microscopy …

Molecular Investigation Of Minor Genomic Populations And Biological Exposures In Human Health, Brandon Ned Johnson

Dissertations and Theses

The study of genetics has contributed to countless discoveries related to human health and disease. However, the complexities of human biology reside not only in the genome but also in the contributions from environmental exposures, as measured via the classical twin design. To understand the influence of biological exposures, I implemented study designs to explore both the health associations and propagation of foreign genetic material. Microchimerism has been studied for association with several clinical conditions, and I further investigated if male microchimerism could elucidate the etiology of Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome. Prevalence of male microchimerism in women with no history of pregnancy …

Figure Set Update: An Inquiry-Based Module Aligned With The 4dee Framework For Teaching About Functional Responses And Biological Control, Rosny Jean, Linda Auker, Suann Yang, Jeremy Hsu

Open Educational Resources

THE ISSUE

Biological control agents are used in a wide range of contexts to limit damage from pests. However, the broader ecological consequences of such agents often are unclear before ecological risk assessments are performed. This Figure Set guides students to think through potential consequences of using biological control agents, and then uses a specific study to challenge students to interpret results from laboratory and caged field experiments. This Figure Set also introduces the concept of functional responses to students.

FOUR DIMENSIONAL ECOLOGY EDUCATION (4DEE) FRAMEWORK

• Core Ecological Concepts:
• Organisms
• Resources and regulators
• Communities
• Predation
• Ecology Practices:
• Quantitative reasoning and …

Can Host Traits And Environmental Conditions Predict Helminth Fecundity And Length?, Finley Melnikoff

Pitzer Senior Theses

Helminths are some of the most common parasites in the world, infecting anything from humans to plants to mice. These parasites can play a massive role in determining a host's fitness and ultimately can have consequences on their body condition, reproductive ability, and infection transmission potential. Many factors influence the potential burden helminths have on their hosts–from host traits to environmental conditions–yet helminth fecundity and length have been studied very little in relation to these factors. Helminth fecundity–or how many eggs each female worm has in its ovaries–determines the transmission of the parasite, and helminth length is correlated with fecundity, …

Assessing The Relationship Between Binding Kinetics And Subcellular Protection Of Ribosomes By Single-Domain Antibodies, Mara Bureau

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Assessing the ability of VHHs to protect ribosomes from the depurination activity of Ricin toxin’s(RT) enzymatic subunit, RTA, can provide insights regarding binding placement, epitopes of interest and role of affinity in neutralization is critical for the development of anti-toxin countermeasures. Determining the level of correlation between binding strength, binding location and elicited protection can be useful for future and ongoing research. Ricin is easily manufactured and considered one of the most toxic biological agents known. Without an approved vaccine, continued research to design and optimize therapeutic countermeasures is essential. Over the past decade single-domain antibodies (VHHs) have been recognized …

Diversity Of Antimicrobial Peptides In Silkworm, Pooja Makwana, Kamidi Rahul, Katsuhiko Ito, Bindu Subhadra

Faculty Publications - Biological Sciences

Antimicrobial resistance is a phenomenon that the present-day world is witnessing that poses a serious threat to global health. The decline in the development of novel therapeutics over the last couple of decades has exacerbated the situation further. In this scenario, the pursuit of new alternative therapeutics to commonly used antibiotics has gained predominance amongst researchers across the world. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from natural sources have drawn significant interest in the recent years as promising pharmacological substitutes over the conventional antibiotics. The most notable advantage of AMPs is that microorganisms cannot develop resistance to them. Insects represent one of the …

The Effects Of Nausea And Vomiting On Mother And Child, Mayane Bensoussan

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Nausea and vomiting are common side effects that can occur during pregnancy. On one hand, it can lead to its severe form called hyperemesis gravidarum, which can lead to hospitalization for electrolyte imbalances, dehydration, muscle weakness, or arrhythmias. On the other hand, nausea and vomiting may be an indication of a statistically healthier fetus. Benefits of maternal nausea and emesis to the developing fetus include improved neural development, decreased risk for congenital heart defects, and decreased incidence of miscarriages. Additionally, benefits to the mother include decreased risk for lung, cervical, and rectal cancer. The mothers also had an overall decreased …

Redescription Of Adults And First Description Of The Larva Of Haemaphysalis (Rhipistoma) Adleri Feldman-Muhsam, 1951 (Acari: Ixodidae), Parasite Of Carnivorans In Western Asia, Cole Anderson

Honors College Theses

The adult ticks of Haemaphysalis (Rhipistoma) adleri Feldman-Muhsam, 1951 (Acari: Ixodidae) are redescribed and the larva of this species is described for the first time here. The adults of H. adleri that we studied were collected from various canid, felid and hyaenid carnivorans (Carnivora: Canidae, Felidae, Hyaenidae) as well as a hedgehog (Erinaceomorpha: Erinaceidae) in Iraq, Israel and West Bank. The males, females and larvae of H. adleri can be differentiated from Haemaphysalis (Rhipistoma) species occurring in the Palearctic portion of West Asia and Egypt as well those in the H. asiatica subgroup by the length of idiosomal …

Pharmaceuticals From Natural Products: The Utility Of The Phylogeny, Shaimaa Magdy Saad

Selected Full-Text Master Theses 2021-

About 60% of approved drugs during the last 30 years are either directly or indirectly from natural products. Previous studies have shown that the phylogeny has predictive utility in drug discovery. In this study the pharmacological applications of various naturally-derived drugs were mapped on the phylogeny reconstructed from DNA sequences of the source organisms to decipher phylogenetic patterns that may facilitate drug discovery. A multi-step approach was employed starting with a literature search to compile a comprehensive list of pharmaceutical drugs derived from natural sources. A phylogeny was reconstructed from the source organisms and their pharmacological uses mapped on the …

Corrigendum: Characterization Of A Novel Transitional Group Rickettsia Species (Rickettsia Tillamookensis Sp. Nov.) From The Western Black-Legged Tick, Ixodes Pacificus, David T. Gauthier, Sandor E. Karpathy, Stephanie L. Grizzard, Dhwani Batra, Lori A. Rowe, Christopher D. Paddock

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Examining The Immune Regulation Of Nlrp12 Through Novel Protein Interactions, Catherine Rippe

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

NOD-like receptors (NLRs) are intracellular proteins that play an important role in the regulation of the innate immune response to pathogens. Since being identified, various functions for NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 12 (NLRP12) have been suggested. It has been shown to negatively regulate the inflammatory response through canonical and noncanonical NF-kB signaling pathways, control tumorigenesis and gut homeostasis and exacerbate inflammation through the formation of a multi-protein complex called an inflammasome. Due to the varying roles established for NLRP12, the mechanisms by which it functions remain poorly understood. In this study, I sought to confirm a novel protein-protein interaction …

Excess Dietary Sugar Alters Colonocyte Metabolism And Impairs The Proliferative Response To Damage, Ansen H.P. Burr, Junyi Ji, Kadir Ozler, Heather L. Mentrup, Onur Eskiocak, Brian Yueh, Rachel Cumberland, Ashley V. Menk, Natalie Rittenhouse, Christopher Marshall, Pailin Chiaranunt, Xiaoyi Zhang, Lauren Mullinax, Abigail Overacre-Delgoffe, Vaughn S. Cooper, Amanda C. Poholek, Greg M. Delgoffe, Kevin P. Mollen, Semir Beyaz, Timothy W. Hand

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Background & Aims

The colonic epithelium requires continuous renewal by crypt resident intestinal stem cells (ISCs) and transit-amplifying (TA) cells to maintain barrier integrity, especially after inflammatory damage. The diet of high-income countries contains increasing amounts of sugar, such as sucrose. ISCs and TA cells are sensitive to dietary metabolites, but whether excess sugar affects their function directly is unknown.

Methods

Here, we used a combination of 3-dimensional colonoids and a mouse model of colon damage/repair (dextran sodium sulfate colitis) to show the direct effect of sugar on the transcriptional, metabolic, and regenerative functions of crypt ISCs and TA cells. …

Effects Of Bacillus Thuringiensis Israelensis (Bti) And Mosquito Larvae On Invasive Mosquito Egg-Laying Behavior, Zachary Runkle

Capstone Showcase

Invasive Aedes mosquitoes, including Asian tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus) and Asian bush mosquitoes (Aedes japonicus), oviposit eggs in natural and artificial sites containing stagnant water. Aedes species exhibit versatility in novel ecological environments, including flexibility in oviposition site selection and overall habitat conditions, demonstrating their continued pertinence in human society. I examined the effects of the biopesticide BTI and Aedes larvae on oviposition habitat selection in Aedes albopictus and Aedes japonicus mosquitoes by observing the number of eggs oviposited. A total of 6552 and 1362 eggs were collected in experiments one and two, respectively. Females consistently …