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An Insight Into The Functional Role Of Thioredoxin Reductase, A Selenoprotein, In Maintaining Normal Native Microbiota In The Gulf Coast Tick (Ambylomma Maculatum), Khemraj Budachetri, Shahid Karim

Faculty Publications

Tick selenoproteins have been associated with antioxidant activity in ticks. Thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), also a selenoprotein, belongs to the pyridine nucleotide‐disulphide oxidoreductase family of proteins and is an important antioxidant. Molecular interactions between native microbiota and tick hosts have barely been investigated to date. In this study, we determined the functional role of TrxR in tick feeding and in maintenance of the native microbial community. TrxR transcript levels remained high and microbial load was reduced throughout tick attachment to the vertebrate host. RNA interference (RNAi) showed that depletion of TrxR activity did not interfere with tick haematophagy or phenotype but …

Serving The Worldwide Community, Melodie Roschman

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Into The Biological Responses Induced Following Oral Exposure To Silver Nanoparticles, Anna Murphy

Doctoral

This study aims to investigate the biological responses induced by silver nanoparticles (AgNP) following oral exposure. The commonality of AgNP in consumer goods highlights the need for a thorough investigation into the interaction with and subsequent responses evoked in living systems following exposure. Firstly, the potential interaction with and effect of biofluid components, namely cholic acid (CA), deoxycholic acid (DCA) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), on AgNP toxicity was investigated. Two cell lines corresponding to organs related to the biofluid components, HepG-2 a hepatocellular carcinoma derived from liver tissue and Hep2 an epithelial cell line, were employed. Physicochemical and cytotoxic screening …

Pseudomonas Bacteriophage Phi6 As A Model For Virus Emergence, Brian Elwood Ford

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The Pseudomonas bacteriophage Φ6 has a long and well-established history as a model organism. Here we describe a set of experiments to extend this model system to concepts previously unclaimed. Chapter 1 presents a brief background of the ecology of viruses that infect microorganisms. Chapter 2 examines genetic mutations allowing for host range expansion. Chapter 3 presents a novel paired strain assay to study how a non genetic host-acquired factor affects fitness of these enveloped viruses on subsequent hosts. Chapter 4 is an extension of this system to include how the bacteria host is affected in virus-host coevolution.

Book Reviews, Robert D. Aldridge, Michael B. Thompson, Malorie M. Hayes, Rafael O. De Sá, Christopher G. Lowe

Biology Faculty Publications

Reproductive Biology and Phylogeny of Lizards and Tuatara. J. L. Rheubert, D. S. Siegel, and S. E. Trauth (Eds.). 2014. CRC Press. ISBN 9781466579866. 760 p. $143.96 (hardcover).—

According to the authors, this book was intended to summarize the current knowledge of phylo- geny and reproduction of the Lepidosauria. I believe the authors have achieved their goal. Many of the chapters in this book are derived from presentations that took place at the Symposium on Reproductive Biology of Lizards at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists held in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 2014. Although the majority of the authors are …

Alternative Strategies In Response To Saline Stress In Two Varieties Of Portulaca Oleracea (Purslane), Dana A. Dudle, Kristina R. Mulry, Bryan A. Hanson

Biology Faculty publications

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is a globally-distributed plant with a long history of use in folk medicine and cooking. We have developed purslane as a model system for exploring plant responses to stress. We exposed two varieties of purslane to saline stress with the objective of identifying differences between the varieties in the plasticity of morphological and physiological traits. The varieties responded to saline stress with significantly different changes in the measured traits, which included inter alia biomass, flower counts, proline concentrations and betalain pigment concentrations. The alternative responses of the two varieties consisted of complex, simultaneous changes in …

A Forward Genetic Screen Identifies Factors Associated With Fever Pathogenesis In Plasmodium Falciparum, Phaedra J. Thomas

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Infectious diseases that spread from person-to-person and continent-to-continent are a cause for concern for any health entity. One such disease is malaria, a mosquito-borne infection instigated by the protozoan parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. Hundreds of millions of people are affected annually and it is responsible for nearly 1 million deaths. It is the most fatal species causing malaria and proliferates in human red blood cells with a life cycle occurring every 48 hours. At this time, the parasite’s late stage form or schizont bursts from the erythrocyte releasing immune-inducing particles and infective forms (merozoites) into the bloodstream. The merozoites go …

Transcriptomic Variation Of Hepatopancreas Reveals The Energy Metabolism And Biological Processes Associated With Molting In Chinese Mitten Crab, Eriocheir Sinensis, Shu Huang, Jun Wang, Wucheng Yue, Jiao Chen, Sarah Gaughan, Weiqun Lu, Guoqing Lu, Chenghui Wang

Biology Faculty Publications

Molting is a critical developmental process for crustaceans, yet the underlying molecular mechanism is unknown. In this study, we used RNA-Seq to investigate transcriptomic profiles of the hepatopancreas and identified differentially expressed genes at four molting stages of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis). A total of 97,398 transcripts were assembled, with 31,900 transcripts annotated. Transcriptomic comparison revealed 1,189 genes differentially expressed amongst different molting stages. We observed a pattern associated with energy metabolism and physiological responses during a molting cycle. In specific, differentially expressed genes enriched in postmolt were linked to energy consumption whereas genes enriched in intermolt were related …

Temperatures Experienced By Fresh-Cut Leafy Greens During Retail Storage And Display, W. Brown, E. Ryser, L. Gorman, Scott J. Steinmaus, Keith Vorst

Biological Sciences

There has been limited published work in the United States on temperature profiling of fresh-cut, bagged leafy greens during their transport, retail storage, and retail display. This study utilized temperature monitors placed in backrooms and display cases at nine supermarkets located in southern California: the Central Coast (Santa Barbara to Los Osos), Greater Los Angeles (Burbank area), and Greater Palm Desert. Sensors were installed midway along each 8-foot display case section containing fresh-cut leafy greens. Monitors were placed at the front and back of shelves and in the lower bin. In storage rooms, sensors were placed 4 feet from the …

Spatio-Temporal Distribution Of Stored-Product Insects With Emphasis On Red Flour Beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) In Rice Mills And On-Farm Storage Facilities, Martine Patiance Bowombe Toko

Student Theses and Dissertations

Many stored-product insects were found associated in rice commercial mills and on-farm facilities. To better understand the seasonal and temporal distributions of stored-product insect at these facilities, I conducted two studies. A study over a three-year period (2012-2014) was conducted to examine red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) distributions at four rice mills. Beetles were captured using baited Dome traps placed inside and outside of mills. The second study was conducted over a two-year period (2013-1014) to estimate the abundance of red flour beetles and four other stored-product insects [cigarette beetle (Lasioderma serricorne), warehouse beetle (Trogoderma variabile), lesser grain borer (Rhyzopertha …

Delivery Of Nucleic Acids And Nanomaterials By Cell-Penetrating Peptides: Opportunities And Challenges, Yue-Wern Huang, Han-Jung Lee, Larry Tolliver, Robert Aronstam

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Many viral and nonviral systems have been developed to aid delivery of biologically active molecules into cells. Among these, cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) have received increasing attention in the past two decades for biomedical applications. In this review, we focus on opportunities and challenges associated with CPP delivery of nucleic acids and nanomaterials. We first describe the nature of versatile CPPs and their interactions with various types of cargoes. We then discuss in vivo and in vitro delivery of nucleic acids and nanomaterials by CPPs. Studies on the mechanisms of cellular entry and limitations in the methods used are detailed.

The Conserved G-Protein Coupled Receptor Fshr-1 Regulates Protective Host Responses To Infection And Oxidative Stress, Elizabeth V. Miller, Leah N. Grandi, Jennifer A. Giannini, Joseph D. Robinson, Jennifer R. Powell

Biology Faculty Publications

The innate immune system’s ability to sense an infection is critical so that it can rapidly respond if pathogenic microorganisms threaten the host, but otherwise maintain a quiescent baseline state to avoid causing damage to the host or to commensal microorganisms. One important mechanism for discriminating between pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria is the recognition of cellular damage caused by a pathogen during the course of infection. InCaenorhabditis elegans, the conserved G-protein coupled receptor FSHR-1 is an important constituent of the innate immune response. FSHR-1 activates the expression of antimicrobial infection response genes in infected worms and delays accumulation …

Maintenance Of Brucellosis In Yellowstone Bison: Linking Seasonal Food Resources, Host-Pathogen Interaction, And Life-History Trade-Offs, John J. Treanor, Chris Geremia, Michael A. Ballou, Duane H. Keisler, Patrick J. White, John J. Cox, Phillip H. Crowley

Biology Faculty Publications

The seasonal availability of food resources is an important factor shaping the life-history strategies of organisms. During times of nutritional restriction, physiological trade-offs can induce periods of immune suppression, thereby increasing susceptibility to infectious disease. Our goal was to provide a conceptual framework describing how the endemic level bovine brucellosis (Brucella abortus) may be maintained in Yellowstone bison based on the seasonality of food resources and the life-history strategies of the host and pathogen. Our analysis was based on active B. abortus infection (measured via bacterial culture), nutritional indicators (measured as metabolites and hormones in plasma), and carcass …

Attraction And Risk In Urban Bird Habitats, Megan E. Litwhiler

Dissertations

Urban expansion is an increasing threat to native bird populations. Consequently, maintaining and developing safe urban habitat space is necessary for conservation. Birds living in, or migrating through, urban areas utilize a variety of managed green-spaces such as parks, gardens, college campuses, and cemeteries. In addition to managed habitats, birds may use abandoned property that has been reclaimed by vegetation and associated spontaneous, biological communities. Such urban habitats may provide valuable resources for birds and other wildlife; however, these sites often contain high densities of non-native plants and can be polluted, potentially imparting a greater risk than benefit to the …

Oil Biosynthesis In A Basal Angiosperm: Transcriptome Analysis Of Persea Americana Mesocarp, Aruna Kilaru, Xia Cao, Parker B. Dabbs, Ha-Jung Sung, Mahbubur Rahman, Nicholas Thrower, Greg Zynda, Ram Podicheti, Enrique Ibarra-Laclette, Luis Herrera-Estrella, Keithanne Mockaitis, John B. Ohlrogge

ETSU Faculty Works

The mechanism by which plants synthesize and store high amounts of triacylglycerols (TAG) in tissues other than seeds is not well understood. The comprehension of controls for carbon partitioning and oil accumulation in nonseed tissues is essential to generate oil-rich biomass in perennial bioenergy crops. Persea americana (avocado), a basal angiosperm with unique features that are ancestral to most flowering plants, stores ~ 70 % TAG per dry weight in its mesocarp, a nonseed tissue. Transcriptome analyses of select pathways, from generation of pyruvate and leading up to TAG accumulation, in mesocarp tissues of avocado was conducted and compared with …

Escherichia Coli Iron Acquisition Paradigms And Host Responses In The Human Urinary Milieu, Robin Reid Shields-Cutler

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are some of the most common bacterial infections worldwide and are increasingly complicated by high antibiotic resistance and recurrence rates. Explanations for the marked individual differences in UTI susceptibility remain incomplete. In this thesis we show that urinary colonization by uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) is influenced by urine composition and the activity of an important innate immune protein, siderocalin (SCN; also called lipocalin 2 or neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin/NGAL). During UTI, host factors limit the availability of iron, an essential nutrient for the invading pathogen. In response, UPEC modify the urinary environment with metal binding siderophores, some …

Adaptive Mechanisms Of Niche Remodeling In Streptococcus Pyogenes, Elyse Paluscio

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The Gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes is a remarkably successful pathogen, capable of infecting numerous tissue sites within its human host. The ability of S. pyogenes to invade these different niches is, in part, due to the species’ ability to monitor various physical and chemical signals in its environment and alter its transcriptional profile in response to these differential conditions. As a member of the lactic acid bacteria, S. pyogenes has a simple fermentative metabolism and relies exclusively on a combination of homo-lactic and mixed acid fermentation as a means of generating energy in the cell. As a consequence of its …

A Gnotobiotic Mouse Model For Studying The Effect Of Human Gut Community Ecology On A Pathobiont, Bacteroides Fragilis, Vitas Wagner

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATIONA Gnotobiotic Mouse Model for Studying the Effect of Human Gut Community Ecology on a Pathobiont, Bacteroides fragilisbyVitas WagnerDoctor of Philosophy in Biology and Biomedical SciencesEvolution, Ecology, and Population BiologyWashington University in St. Louis, 2015Professor Jeffrey I. Gordon, ChairChildhood undernutrition represents a pressing global health challenge. Epidemiologic studies have shown that undernutrition is not due to food insecurity alone, but rather represents a complex set of interactions between intra- and intergenerational factors. The gut microbiota has been implicated as one such factor. This thesis tested the hypothesis that enteropathogen burden affects the structure and expressed functions of …

Evolutionary Developmental Leaf Morphology Of The Plant Family Araceae, Claudia Liliana Henriquez

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Studying the evolutionary developmental morphology of leaves using next-generation phylogenetics, a candidate gene approach and comparative developmental studies in the plant family Araceae is the overarching theme of the dissertation.The plant family Araceae is an ancient lineage from the Early Cretaceous and belongs to the monocotyledons. Members of Araceae display striking variation in leaf development; such variation contradicts traditional models of monocot leaf development. Additionally, dissected leaves, which are rare in monocots, seem to have evolved independently multiple times in Araceae by various developmental mechanisms.Despite extensive efforts to elucidate the evolutionary history of Araceae, phylogenetic ambiguity in the backbone of …

Deep Sequencing Of The Mexican Avocado Transcriptome, An Ancient Angiosperm With A High Content Of Fatty Acids, Enrique Ibarra-Laclette, Alfonso Méndez-Bravo, Claudia Anahí Pérez-Torres, Victor A. Albert, Keithanne Mockaitis, Aruna Kilaru, Rodolfo López-Gómez, Jacob Israel Cervantes-Luevano, Luis Herrera-Estrella

ETSU Faculty Works

Background: Avocado (Persea americana) is an economically important tropical fruit considered to be a good source of fatty acids. Despite its importance, the molecular and cellular characterization of biochemical and developmental processes in avocado is limited due to the lack of transcriptome and genomic information.

Results: The transcriptomes of seeds, roots, stems, leaves, aerial buds and flowers were determined using different sequencing platforms. Additionally, the transcriptomes of three different stages of fruit ripening (pre-climacteric, climacteric and post-climacteric) were also analyzed. The analysis of the RNAseqatlas presented here reveals strong differences in gene expression patterns between different organs, …

Role Of Ime4 Protein In Pho Regulon Of S.Cerevisiae., Jenisha Ghimire

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the IME4 methyltransferase, interacts genetically with methyl binding protein, Pho92, to affect the expression of PHO regulon target genes. Cells mutant in IME4 or PHO92 show increases in the RNA abundance of PHO regulon target genes. The increase in the RNA abundance of the PHO regulon target genes is not additive in the cells double mutant in IME4 and PHO92. Hence, Ime4 and Pho92 interact in a single pathway in PHO regulon. Surprisingly, cells overexpressing IME4 and MUM2 shows increase in some PHO regulon target genes, indicating that IME4 affects the PHO regulon target …

Chasin’ Tail In Southern Alabama: Delineating Programmed And Stimulus-Driven Grooming In Odocoileus Virginianus, Kyle Heine

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study examined variation in ectoparasite density and grooming behavior of naturally occurring white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in southwest Alabama. Stimulus-driven grooming as well as the intraspecific body size and vigilance principles of programmed grooming were tested. During the rut, males had a higher average tick (Ixodidae) density than females and exhibited complete separation of tick parasitism between non-rutting and rutting periods, supporting the vigilance principle. Stimulus-driven grooming was supported, as both fawns and yearlings had significantly higher fly (Hippoboscidae) and combined fly/tick densities than adults, and fawns oral groomed at a significantly higher rate than adults, even …

How Diverse Detrital Environments Influence Nutrient Stoichiometry Between Males And Females Of The Co-Occurring Container Mosquitoes Aedes Albopictus, Ae. Aegypti, And Culex Quinquefasciatus, Donald A. Yee, Michael G. Kaufman, Nnaemeka F. Ezeakacha

Faculty Publications

Allocation patterns of carbon and nitrogen in animals are influenced by food quality and quantity, as well as by inherent metabolic and physiological constraints within organisms. Whole body stoichiometry also may vary between the sexes who differ in development rates and reproductive allocation patterns. In aquatic containers, such as tree holes and tires, detrital inputs, which vary in amounts of carbon and nitrogen, form the basis of the mosquito-dominated food web. Differences in development times and mass between male and female mosquitoes may be the result of different reproductive constraints, which could also influence patterns of nutrient allocation. We examined …

Overexpression Of Patatin‐Related Phospholipase Aiiiδ Altered Plant Growth And Increased Seed Oil Content In Camelina, Xuemin Wang, Maoyin Li, Fang Wei, Amanda Tawfall, Michelle Tang, Allison Saettele

Biology Department Faculty Works

Camelina sativa is a Brassicaceae oilseed species being explored as a biofuel and industrial oil crop. A growing number of studies have indicated that the turnover of phosphatidylcholine plays an important role in the synthesis and modification of triacylglycerols. This study manipulated the expression of a patatin‐related phospholipase AIIIδ (pPLAIIIδ) in camelina to determine its effect on seed oil content and plant growth. Constitutive overexpression of pPLAIIIδ under the control of the constitutive cauliflower mosaic 35S promoter resulted in a significant increase in seed oil content and a decrease in cellulose content. In addition, the content of major membrane phospholipids, …

The Non-Native Plant Rosa Multifl Ora Expresses Shade Avoidance Traits Under Low Light Availability, Rebecca E. Drenovsky, Daniel M. Dlugos, Hillary Collins, Elise M. Bartelme

Biology

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Shade tolerance is a key trait promoting invasive plant performance in forest interiors. Rosa multifl ora is a problematic invasive shrub in the northeastern United States, occurring in edge habitats and encroaching into forests. Our objective was to evaluate the shade tolerance of R. multifl ora to assess how ecophysiological traits may facilitate its spread into forest interiors. METHODS: In the fi eld, we documented shrub and seed bank density, fecundity, phenology, and seasonal photosynthetic rates of R. multifl ora in contrasting light environments. In the greenhouse, we exposed seedlings to simulated canopy treatments by altering …

Bioregulatory Systems Medicine: An Innovative Approach To Integrating The Science Of Molecular Networks, Inflammation, And Systems Biology With The Patient's Autoregulatory Capacity?, Alyssa W Goldman, Yvonne Burmeister, Konstantin Cesnulevicius, Martha Herbert, Mary Kane, David Lescheid, Timothy Mccaffrey, Myron Schultz, Bernd Seilheimer, Alta Smit, Georges St Laurent, Brian Berman

Medicine Faculty Publications

Bioregulatory systems medicine (BrSM) is a paradigm that aims to advance current medical practices. The basic scientific and clinical tenets of this approach embrace an interconnected picture of human health, supported largely by recent advances in systems biology and genomics, and focus on the implications of multi-scale interconnectivity for improving therapeutic approaches to disease. This article introduces the formal incorporation of these scientific and clinical elements into a cohesive theoretical model of the BrSM approach. The authors review this integrated body of knowledge and discuss how the emergent conceptual model offers the medical field a new avenue for extending the …

A Dual Function Of White Coloration In A Nocturnal Spider Dolomedes Raptor (Araneae: Pisauridae), Tai-Shen Lin, Shichang Zhang, Chen-Pan Liao, Eileen A. Hebets, I-Min Tso

Eileen Hebets Publications

Nocturnal animals frequently possess seemingly conspicuous color patterns that can function in a variety of ways (e.g. prey attraction, camouflage, predator avoidance, etc.). The use of color patterns in intraspecific signaling, especially reproductive activities, in nocturnal animals has received relatively little attention. This study tested for a dual function of color in the nocturnal fishing spider, Dolomedes raptor (Araneae: Pisauridae), whose males develop dimorphic white stripes at sexual maturation. We tested for a role in foraging as well as mate assessment. First, quantifications of the natural variation of male stripes indicated a correlation between stripe area and male body size …

An Investigation Of The Effect Of Malathion On Adaptive Plasticity Of Pseudacris Sierra, Michael Jonathan Maples

Master's Theses

This thesis is composed of two chapters. Chapter one reviews what is known about adaptive plasticity in response to predators, describes the physiological systems involved in such plasticity, and outlines the evolutionary consequences of adaptive plasticity. Chapter two describes a scientific experiment that investigates how malathion may impact adaptive plasticity in the Sierran Treefrog, Pseudacris sierra. Anuran tadpoles suffer high mortality rates due to predation. In response to strong selective forces relating to these high predation rates, tadpoles evolved the ability to adaptively respond to predators through morphological and behavioral plasticity. The morphological and behavioral responses are varied and depend …

A Search For Parent-Of-Origin Effects On Honey Bee Gene Expression, Sarah D. Kocher, Jennifer M. Tsuruda, Joshua D. Gibson, Christine M. Emore, Miguel E. Arechavaleta-Velasco, David C. Queller, Joan E. Strassmann, Christina M. Grozinger, Michael R. Gribskov, Phillip San Miguel, Rick Westerman, Greg J. Hunt

Biology Faculty Research

Parent-specific gene expression (PSGE) is little known outside of mammals and plants. PSGE occurs when the expression level of a gene depends on whether an allele was inherited from the mother or the father. Kin selection theory predicts that there should be extensive PSGE in social insects because social insect parents can gain inclusive fitness benefits by silencing parental alleles in female offspring. We searched for evidence of PSGE in honey bees using transcriptomes from reciprocal crosses between European and Africanized strains. We found 46 transcripts with significant parent-of-origin effects on gene expression, many of which overexpressed the maternal allele. …

Ecology And Morphology Of The Late Miocene Musk Deer, Longirostromeryx Wellsi (Artiodactyla: Moschidae: Blastomerycinae), Katheryn Y. C. Chen

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Longirostromeryx wellsi, one of the latest surviving members of the extinct clade Blastomerycinae (Artiodactyla: Moschidae), possesses highly derived craniodental morphology that deviates from typical musk deer form. Previous work suggests that the unique anatomy of L. wellsi represents adaptations for occupying open savannas. To test this hypothesis I conduct principal components analysis on five postcranial bones of L. wellsi, comparing them to that of several extant ruminant artiodactyls, which are divided among seven habitat categories. These elements are also compared with the postcrania of other blastomerycines. These analyses indicate that L. wellsi anatomy is most similar to that of other …