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Lysosomal Rnaset2 Is Required For Metabolic Stress-Mediated Ros Generation And Cell Death, George Caputa

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Ectopic lipid deposition in non-adipose tissues is a hallmark of metabolic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, and associated with cell dysfunction, cell death, and organ dysfunction. However, the molecular mechanisms linking excess free fatty acid to cell death are poorly understood. In order to identify genes critical for lipotoxicity, our lab performed a genetic screen in Chinese hamster ovary cells and isolated mutants that were resistant to lipotoxic death. In one of the lines, mutant 2B1, an allele encoding RNASET2, a ribonuclease of the T2 family, was disrupted by proviral insertion. We found that RNASET2 is induced during lipotoxicity …

The Mechanism And Regulation Of Mammalian Photoreceptor Dark Adaptation, Yunlu Xue

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The visual perception of vertebrates begins in rod and cone photoreceptors. Both photoreceptors require visual pigments to detect light. At the first step of light detection, a chromophore molecule (i.e. 11-cis retinal), which is conjugated to the visual pigment in photoreceptor outer segment, absorbs a photon. Photoisomerization of the chromophore activates the visual pigment, triggers the phototransduction cascade, and produces electrical signals. After photoisomerization, the chromophore is ultimately converted to all-trans retinol, which must be recycled to regenerate the visual pigment. This visual pigment regeneration process is called the visual cycle. It is the rate-limiting step of the photoreceptor dark …

Oxidative Stress In Avian Embyros, Toshi Tsunekage

Dissertations

Oxidative stress has been implicated in mediating trade-offs in the evolution of life histories. Oxidative stress results from an imbalance in the production of free radicals and an organism’s antioxidant defenses. Higher metabolic rates associated with more rapid growth and shorter development periods may increase oxidative stress and accumulated cellular damage in embryonic tissues. In my dissertation I explored oxidative stress and antioxidant defenses in avian embryos. I measured levels of oxidative stress in tissues of different stage embryos of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica), and tested if patterns of lipid peroxidation could be explained by changes in the developing embryo’s …

Plant Toxins Influence Diet Selection And Intestinal Parasites In A Specialist Herbivore, Marcella Rene Fremgen

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Herbivores select plants and patches that generally maximize nutrient intake and minimize intake of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs). Protein is important for growth, reproduction and maintenance, but maximizing intake of protein is often limited by concentrations of PSMs that are potentially toxic to herbivores and energetically expensive to process. However, the consequences of ingesting PSM are often dose-dependent. At high doses, PSMs generally have negative physiological effects and are avoided, but some PSMs can be therapeutic against parasites at low doses and could therefore be selected. We used Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus, hereafter, sage-grouse) to test how PSMs influence …

Quantifying Temperature Sensitivity Of Soil Respiration Across A Range Of Semi-Arid Biomes, Michelle Nuanez

Biology ETDs

Soils in semi-arid regions store approximately 10% of earths soil organic carbon, the substrate which microbes oxidize, resulting in the largest source of carbon to the atmosphere from terrestrial ecosystems. Semi-arid regions are expected to experience increased temperatures and altered precipitation regimes over the next 100 years, altering soil temperature and water, the two predominant drivers in soil respiration processes. In this study we quantify the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration in five semi-arid biomes ranging from desert grassland to ponderosa pine forest along an elevational/climate gradient in central New Mexico. We measured statistically similar temperature sensitivities in 4 of …

Expression Of Insulin Responsive Genes In Insulin Resistant Conditions, And The Effect Of Selenium On Gene Expression, David L. Ruff

Masters Theses

Chronically high blood glucose levels lead to many problems, such as insulin resistance, the hallmark of Type II diabetes. Increased flux through the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway is one mechanism by which high glucose as well as glucosamine has been shown to induce insulin resistance. This study tests the effects of glucosamine induced insulin resistance on insulin regulation of the metabolic genes glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) as well as insulin responsive proteins tribbles homolog (TRIB3) and sterol regulatory element binding protein (SERBP-1c) 1c.

Selenium, a micronutrient has been shown to be an effective insulin mimetic in Type …

Impact Of Sleep And Circadian Disruption On Energy Balance And Diabetes: A Summary Of Workshop Discussions, Deanna M. Arble, Joseph Bass, Cecilia Diniz Behn, Matthew P. Butler, Etienne Challet, Charles Czeisler, Christopher M. Depner, Joel Elmquist, Paul Franken, Michael A. Grandner, Erin C. Hanlon, Alex C. Keene, Michael J. Joyner, Ilia Karatsoreos, Philip A. Kern, Samuel Klein, Christopher J. Morris, Allan I. Pack, Satchidananda Panda, Louis J. Ptacek, Naresh M. Punjabi, Paolo Sessone-Corsi, Frank A. Scheer, Richa Saxena, Elizabeth R. Seaquest, Matthew S. Thimgan, Eve Van Cauter, Kenneth P. Wright

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

A workshop was held at the National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases with a focus on the impact of sleep and circadian disruption on energy balance and diabetes. The workshop identified a number of key principles for research in this area and a number of specific opportunities. Studies in this area would be facilitated by active collaboration between investigators in sleep/circadian research and investigators in metabolism/diabetes. There is a need to translate the elegant findings from basic research into improving the metabolic health of the American public. There is also a need for investigators studying the impact …

Modeling Trade-Offs Between Plant Fiber And Toxins: A Framework For Quantifying Risks Perceived By Foraging Herbivores, Meghan J. Camp, Lisa A. Shipley, Timothy R. Johnson, Jennifer Sorenson Forbey, Janet L. Rachlow, Miranda M. Crowell

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

When selecting habitats, herbivores must weigh multiple risks, such as predation, starvation, toxicity, and thermal stress, forcing them to make fitness trade-offs. Here, we applied the method of paired comparisons (PC) to investigate how herbivores make trade-offs between habitat features that influence selection of food patches. The method of PC measures utility and the inverse of utility, relative risk, and makes trade-offs and indifferences explicit by forcing animals to make choices between two patches with different types of risks. Using a series of paired-choice experiments to titrate the equivalence curve and find the marginal rate of substitution for one risk …

Virulence Of Photorhabdus Spp.: Examining The Roles Of Environment, Evolution, And Genetics In Insect Mortality, Dana Blackburn

Theses and Dissertations

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) (genera Heterorhabditis and Steinernema) kill their invertebrate hosts with the aid of a mutualistic bacterium. The bacteria (Xenorhabdus spp. for steinernematids and Photorhabdus spp. for heterorhabditids) are primarily responsible for killing the host and providing the nematodes with nutrition and defense against secondary invaders. Photorhabdus is a Gram-negative bacterium in the Enterobacteriaceae family with high virulence towards their insect hosts. To achieve high mortality rates Photorhabdus produces a variety of virulence factors such as toxins, lipases, proteases, secretion systems, and fimbriae. EPNs are amenable to laboratory rearing and mass production for biocontrol applications against insects …

Decomposition And Nitrogen Dynamics Of Turtle Grass (Thalassia Testudinum) In A Subtropical Estuarine System, Monica Delgado

Theses and Dissertations

Seagrass beds are pivotal in the functioning of coastal ecosystems in terms of productivity, organic matter turnover and nutrient cycling. Aiming to document decay and nitrogen (N) dynamics of turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) in a subtropical estuarine system, decomposition patterns of leaves and rhizomes were characterized and compared. Nitrogen usage during decomposition of tissues, and of live tissues and epiphytes growing on live leaves, was also quantified and compared. Stable isotope ratios allowed tracing N within the seagrass bed, following N incorporation into seagrass tissues from the surrounding media (water, sediment). Leaves had a higher N content and decomposed at …

Influence Of Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Isolated From “Amabere Amaruranu” Cultured Milk On Adipogenesis, Justin E. Kotala

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was performed to test the in vitro effects of a Lactobacillus rhamnosus isolate from “amabere amaruranu”, a traditional Kenyan cultured milk, on 3T3-L1 and Caco-2 cell lines. Cultures of fully mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with bacterial isolate cell extract (CE), filtered spent broth (FSB) from overnight bacterial culture, or with a PBS control. Expression levels of PPAR³1 and 2, C/EBP±, and ATGL proteins in 3T3-L1 cells were upregulated by FSB treatment. CE treatment did not affect protein expression levels. Expression of MTTP and SREBP-1c proteins in Caco-2 cells showed no change with either treatment. Optical density measurements …

Gut Microbiota Of Migratory Passerines At Stopover, William Bagley Lewis

Master's Theses

Although the gut microbiota provides many beneficial functions to animal hosts, relatively little is known about the gut microbiota of passerines. It is likely that gut microbes are especially important during the migratory phase; however gut atrophy experienced during prolonged migratory flight may cause disruptions of the stable microbiota. Fecal samples were collected from several species of passerine after crossing the Gulf of Mexico during spring migration and before crossing during fall, and microbiota communities were analyzed using next-generation sequencing. Despite showing large inter-individual variation, a core microbiota composed largely of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria was identified in all birds. Microbiota …

Maternal Effects And Offspring Behavior: Potential Contributors To The Lack Of Recruitment In Mississippi Gopher Tortoises (Gopherus Polyphemus), Aaron L. Holbrook

Master's Theses

Federally threatened in Mississippi, gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) populations within the state have strongly variable recruitment and are generally in decline. Hatching success is significantly lower in Mississippi than in any other part of the species’ range , and most hatchlings die within the first year. There are few refuges where survival and hatching success is high. Here I compare two populations that differ in recruitment and offspring survival for differences in corticosterone. Corticosterone is a hormone that influences both energy availability and is released in elevated levels during stressful events, like living in poor quality habitat. Prolonged corticosterone elevation …

Does Gut Microbiota Affect The Diet Preference In Anurans?, Jordan A. Rice

Honors Theses

Gut microbiota is a community of bacteria that live in the digestive track of a host. These microbes assist in the breakdown of indigestible materials as food passes through the alimentary canal. Metabolites from bacteria may play a role cell to cell communication with their host and thus gut microbiota may affect the diet preference of the animal host. Southern Leopard frogs (Rana sphenocephala) and Green Tree frogs (Hyla cinerea) were used as focal species to test whether gut microbiota affect their diet preference. Three groups of tadpoles were tested. The control group was fed a …

Effects Of Multiple Species On Motility In Diatom Assemblages, Amanda L. Wolske

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Diatoms are unicellular algae that, like other phototrophs, depend on light in order to survive. Many diatoms are known to have regulated motile responses to light, giving them a competitive advantage in their complex community, often containing many other species of algae. In order for similar diatom species to coexist in the same assemblage it is thought that each species will resource partition; a behavioral response that allows closely related species to be successful and cohabitate by using slightly different resources. Many experiments have demonstrated that other organisms exhibit this behavior, although the effect of co-existing diatom species on motility …

Effects Of Control Release Fertilizers On Nutrient Leaching, Palm Growth And Production Cost, Pushpa Soti, Angie Fleurissaint, Stewart Reed, Krish Jayachandran

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

Objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different controlled release fertilizer technologies on nutrient leaching and plant growth parameters of two palm species, Chinese Fan (Livistona chinensis) and Queen (Syagrus romanzoffiana). We compared Nutri-Pak (12-4-12 controlled release packet) and Harrell’s (12-4-12 controlled release polymer coated urea) against Atlantic (8-4-12 controlled release polymer coated urea, coated sulfate of potash), the most commonly used palm fertilizer in South Florida. Plants were grown in 25 cm (11 L) pots under 70% shade, watered weekly, with pest and weed control done as required. Plant growth parameters: number of leaves, leaf length …

Changes In Intragastric Temperature Reflect Changes In Heat Stress Following Tepid Fluid Ingestion But Not Ice Slurry Ingestion, Christopher J. Stevens, Ben Dascombe

Journal of Human Performance in Extreme Environments

This study examined the effects of fluid and ice slurry ingestion on the relationship between intragastric temperature and rectal temperature in humans during physical activity. The purpose was to identify a technique to quantify changes in heat stress in situations when temperature probes are not feasible and when time constraints do not allow for a period long enough for an indigestible temperature capsule to reach the lower gastrointestinal tract. Eight moderately trained male runners inserted a rectal probe and ingested a telemetric capsule before randomized, crossover, pre-exercise ingestion of 7.5 mL x kg^-1 x BM^-1tepid fluid (22°C) …

Basal Salivary Oxytocin And Skin To Skin Contact Among Lactating Mothers Of Premature Infants, Jessica Marie Gordon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation research explored mechanisms of human milk (HM) expulsion by describing the effects of skin to skin contact (SSC) on maternal basal oxytocin (OT) secretion among 20 premature mothers with hospitalized premature infants. This one-group, repeated measures design consisted of: 1) daily SSC with covariant data via self-report diary and 2) maternal salivary OT with and without SSC at 4 time points were collected over a 7 day time frame. Results indicate that mean levels of basal OT increase over time (M 234 pg/ml, SD 108 pg/ml time point 1; M 257 pg/ml, SD 125 pg/ml time point 3). …

Dynamic Proteomic Characteristics And Network Integration Revealing Key Proteins For Two Kernel Tissue Developments In Popcorn, Yongbin Dong, Qilei Wang, Long Zhang, Chunguang Du, Wenwei Xiong, Xinjian Chen, Fei Deng, Zhiyan Ma, Dahe Qiao, Chunhui Hu, Yangliu Ren, Yuling Li

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The formation and development of maize kernel is a complex dynamic physiological and biochemical process that involves the temporal and spatial expression of many proteins and the regulation of metabolic pathways. In this study, the protein profiles of the endosperm and pericarp at three important developmental stages were analyzed by isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) labeling coupled with LC-MS/MS in popcorn inbred N04. Comparative quantitative proteomic analyses among developmental stages and between tissues were performed, and the protein networks were integrated. A total of 6,876 proteins were identified, of which 1,396 were nonredundant. Specific proteins and different …

The Downregulation Of Short Neuropeptide Receptor (Snpfr) In The Red Imported Fire Ant Solenopsis Invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) And The Tawny Crazy Ant Nylanderia Fulva (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Using Rna Interference, And The Use Of An Anthranilic Diamide As A Novel Management Technique, Megan Rudolph

Biology Theses

The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), is an invasive species endemic to South America that was inadvertently introduced into the United States. This invasive species costs over six billion dollars (USD) annually and causes substantial ecological and agricultural damage. Anthranilic diamides are novel chemical insecticides that selectively target the insect ryanodine receptor in the endoplasmic reticulum, causing calcium release and insect mortality. In this study, cyclaniliprole, an anthranilic diamide, was used to cause significant mortality in S. invicta workers. RNA interference (RNAi) is a known regulator of biological systems in insects and was also used in …

Effects Of Prenatal Environment Are Revealed By Post-Natal Challenges: Embryonic Hormone Exposure, Adrenocortical Function And Food In Seabird Chicks, Z. Morgan Benowitz-Fredericks, Jannik Schultner, Alexander S. Kitaysky

Faculty Journal Articles

The interaction between prenatal environments and postnatal environments is an important source of phenotypic variability. We examined the ability of prenatal steroid exposure and postnatal energy restriction to explain adrenocortical function and fledging age in captive seabird chicks. We proposed and tested two hypotheses: (1) the strength of prenatal effects is attenuated by challenging postnatal environments (postnatal override) and (2) the strength of prenatal effects increases with the severity of postnatal challenges (postnatal reveal). We reared common murre (Uria aalge) chicks and measured prenatal exposure to corticosterone (CORT) and testosterone (T) from allantoic waste. Adrenocortical function was assessed after 10 …

No Effect Of Host Species On Phenoloxidase Activity In A Mycophagous Beetle, Vincent A. Formica, Amanda Kar-Men Chan , '16

Biology Faculty Works

Ecological immunology is an interdisciplinary field that helps elucidate interactions between the environment and immune response. The host species individuals experience have profound effects on immune response in many species of insects. However, this conclusion comes from studies of herbivorous insects even though species of mycophagous insects also inhabit many different host species. The goal of this study was to determine if fungal host species as well as individual, sex, body size, and host patch predict one aspect of immune function, phenoloxidase activity (PO). We sampled a metapopulation of Bolitotherus cornutus, a mycophagous beetle in southwestern Virginia. B. cornutus live …

Riparian Plant Isotopes Reflect Anthropogenic Nitrogen Perturbations: Robust Patterns Across Land Use Gradients, Steven J. Hall, Rebecca L. Hale, Michelle A. Baker, David R. Bowling, James R. Ehleringer

Biology Faculty Publications

Riparian plants incorporate nitrogen (N) from aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric sources, and their stable isotope compositions (δ¹⁵ N) may reflect land use impacts on N sources and transformations over scales of sites to watersheds. We surveyed leaf δ¹⁵ N values of 11 common riparian tree, shrub, and herbaceous species from 20 streams and rivers spanning three fifth-order watersheds in northern Utah, USA (n - 255 sites and 819 leaf samples). Streams spanned undeveloped montane forests to suburban, urban, and agricultural lands. Mean species-specific differences in leaf δ¹⁵N values were relatively small within sites (1.2 ± 2.2‰), …

Naphthalene Acetic Acid And Benzylaminopurine Enhance Growth And Improve Quality Of Organic Spinach In Kitchen Gardens, Duad Ahmed Awan, Faheem Ahmad, Sharmin Ashraf

Journal of Bioresource Management

The present study was conducted at the Kitchen Gardening Training Centre, Faisalabad, Pakistan to evaluate the effect of the plant growth regulators Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA) and Benzylaminopurine (BAP), on the growth and yield of organic spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) in kitchen gardening. Different combinations and concentrations of NAA and BAP were tested to evaluate different vegetative parameters. The data were recorded at 40 and 60 days after sowing (DAS). Maximum plant height at 40 DAS was recorded for the combined effect of NAA and BAP at a concentration of 1000 μM (each), while BAP alone at 100 μM concentration …

Susceptibility Of Nppa And Il6 With Type 2 Diabetes And Hypertension In Punjab, Pakistan, Andleeb Batool, Riffat Iqbal, Maryam Mukhtar, Hong Xue

Journal of Bioresource Management

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and Hypertension are the major health issues affecting quality of life of young ages throughout the world, especially the third world countries facing more complications with diabetes due to poor disease management. The present study was conducted to explore the association of genetic polymorphism with T2D and hypertension in the Punjabi population. The case control study was conducted comprising of 288 patients (118 male, 170 female) and 170 controls (104 male, 66 female). The selected genes along SNPs were NPPA (rs5064 G>A, rs5063 C>T) and IL6 (rs1800796 C>G). DNA was amplified by Nested …

Wintering North Pacific Black-Legged Kittiwakes Balance Spatial Flexibility And Consistency, Rachael Orben, Rosana Paredes, Daniel Roby, David Irons, Scott A. Shaffer

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

Background Marine environments are inherently dynamic, yet marine predators are often long-lived and employ strategies where consistency, individual specialization, routine migrations, and spatial memory are key components to their foraging and life-history strategies. Intrinsic determinates of animal movements are linked to physiological and life-history traits (e.g. sex, colony, experience), while extrinsic influences occur as the result of an animal’s interactions with either other animals or the environment (e.g. prey availability, weather, competition). Knowledge of the factors affecting animal movements is critical to understand energetic bottlenecks and population dynamics. Here, we attempt to understand the interaction of some of these factors …

Traversing Swanton Road, 21st Ed., James A. West

Academic, Government & Associated Organizational Research Resources

Situated at the northwest end of Santa Cruz County and occupying circa 30 square miles of sharply contrasted terrain, the Scott Creek Watershed concentrates within its geomorphological boundaries, at least 10-12% of California's flora, both native and introduced. Paradoxically, the use/abuse that the watershed has sustained over the past 140+ years, has not necessarily diminished the biodiversity and perhaps parallels the naturally disruptive but biologically energizing processes (fire, flooding, landslides and erosion), which have also been historically documented for the area for +60 years. This is an early edition of an extensive document by James A. West. Please visit the …

A Tail Of Two Phages: Genomic And Functional Analysis Of Listeria Monocytogenes Phages Vb_Lmos_188 And Vb_Lmos_293 Reveal The Receptor-Binding Proteins Involved In Host Specificity, Aidan Casey, Kieran Jordan, Horst Neve, Aidan Coffey, Olivia Mcauliffe

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

The physical characteristics of bacteriophages establish them as viable candidates for downstream development of pathogen detection assays and biocontrol measures. To utilize phages for such purposes, a detailed knowledge of their host interaction mechanisms is a prerequisite. There is currently a wealth of knowledge available concerning Gram-negative phage-host interaction, but little by comparison for Gram-positive phages and Listeria phages in particular. In this research, the lytic spectrum of two recently isolated Listeria monocytogenes phages (vB_LmoS_188 and vB_LmoS_293) was determined, and the genomic basis for their observed serotype 4b/4e host-specificity was investigated using comparative genomics. The late tail genes of these …

The Examination Of Enrichment Using Space And Food For African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana) At The San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Charlotte Hacker

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Concern for elephant welfare in zoological facilities has prompted a number of exhibit and management modifications, including those involving enrichment. Knowledge of how these changes impact measures of health and wellbeing, such as elephant movement and behavior, is crucial as the effects of multiple enrichment types and their interactions are largely understudied. The present study used observations and GPS unit collected data to determine the effects of space and food on the walking distance and behavior of thirteen African elephants, whose dominance structure was ascertained by the handlers at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (SDZSP). This facility has two …

Principles Of Biology Ii (Dalton State College), Susan Burran, David Desrochers

Biological Sciences Grants Collections

This Grants Collection uses the grant-supported lab manual Principles of Biology II from Dalton State College:

http://oer.galileo.usg.edu/biology-textbooks/2

This Grants Collection for Principles of Biology II was created under a Round Two ALG Textbook Transformation Grant.

Affordable Learning Georgia Grants Collections are intended to provide faculty with the frameworks to quickly implement or revise the same materials as a Textbook Transformation Grants team, along with the aims and lessons learned from project teams during the implementation process.

Documents are in .pdf format, with a separate .docx (Word) version available for download. Each collection contains the following materials:

• Linked Syllabus
• Initial …