Digital Commons Network^™

The Reactive Genome, Scott F. Gilbert

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Comparative Serological And Molecular Analysis Of Group Viii Spiroplasma From Australia And North America, April Carmita Murphy

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations (1964–2006)

Spiroplasma bacteria (Mollicutes: Spiroplasmataceae) are characterized by motility, helical morphology and are most frequently found in insect guts and phloem tubes of plants. Traditionally, Spiroplasma have been classified by serology. Recent work has generated 16S rDNA sequences that generally correlate with the serological findings. Although the serology and the 16S rDNA sequence analysis clearly classifies strains to the group level, they do not distinguish between strains within the same group. The goal of this project was to investigate the utility of the 16S-23S rDNA intergenic spacer region sequence as a means to distinguish these closely related strains.

We chose Group …

Plasticity And Genetic Diversity May Allow Saltcedar To Invade Cold Climates In North America, Jason P. Sexton, J. K. Mckay, Anna Sala

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Two major mechanisms have been proposed to explain the ability of introduced populations to colonize over large habitat gradients, despite significant population bottlenecks during introduction: (1) Broad environmental tolerance-successful invaders possess life history traits that confer superior colonizing ability and/or phenotypic plasticity, allowing acclimation to a wide range of habitats. (2) Local adaptation-successful invaders rapidly adapt to local selective pressures. However, even with bottlenecks, many introduced species exhibit surprisingly high levels of genetic variation and thus the potential for evolutionary increases in invasive traits and plasticity. Here we assess the invasive potential of Tamarix ramosissima, by examining the degree of …

Nonadditive Genetic Effects In Animal Behavior, Lisa M. Meffert, Sara K. Hicks, Jennifer L. Regan

Faculty Publications

Heritabilities, commonly used to predict evolutionary potential, are notoriously low for behaviors. Apart from strong contributions of environmental variance in reducing heritabilities, the additive genetic components can be very low, especially when they are camouflaged by nonadditive genetic effects. We first report the heritabilities of courtship traits in founder‐flush and control populations of the housefly (Musca domestica L.). We estimated the heritability of each male and female display through the regression of the courtships involving daughters and sons (with randomly selected mates) onto the “midparental” courtship values of their parents. Overall, the average heritability was significantly higher for the …

Culture-Independent Microbial Community Analysis Reveals That Inulin In The Diet Primarily Affects Previously Unknown Bacteria In The Mouse Cecum, Juha H. A. Apajalahti, Hannele Kettunen, Anu Kettunen, William E. Holben, Päivi H. Nurminen, Nina Rautonen, Marja Mutanen

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Inulin is a well-known fructose-based prebiotic which has been shown to stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria, a bacterial group generally considered beneficial for intestinal health. In the present study, we analyzed inulin-associated shifts in the total bacterial community of wild-type mice and mice carrying a genetically inactivated adenomatous polyposis coli tumor suppressor gene by using DNA-based approaches independent of bacterial culturability. Mice were fed a high-fat, nonfiber diet with or without inulin inclusion at a 10% (wt/wt) concentration. Cecal contents were analyzed after 0, 3, and 9 weeks on the experimental diets. Inulin inclusion significantly affected the total bacterial community …

Discovering Lactic Acid Bacteria By Genomics, Todd Klaenhammer, Eric Altermann, Fabrizio Arigoni, Alexander Bolotin, Fred Breidt, Jeffrey Broadbent, Raul J. Cano, Stephane Chaillou, Josef Deutscher, Mike Gasson, Maarten Van De Guchte, Jean Guzzo, Axel Hartke, Trevor Hawkins, Pascal Hols, Robert Hutkins, Michiel Kleerebezem, Jan Kok, Oscar Kuipers, Mark Lubbers, Emmanuelle Maguin, Larry Mckay, David Mills, Arjen Nauta, Ross Overbeek, Herman Pel, David Pridmore, Milton Saier, Douwe Van Sinderen, Alexei Sorokin, James Steele, Daniel O'Sullivan, Willem De Vos, Bart Weimer, Monique Zagorec, Roland Siezen

Biological Sciences

This review summarizes a collection of lactic acid bacteria that are now undergoing genomic sequencing and analysis. Summaries are presented on twenty different species, with each overview discussing the organisms fundamental and practical significance, environmental habitat, and its role in fermentation, bioprocessing, or probiotics. For those projects where genome sequence data were available by March 2002, summaries include a listing of key statistics and interesting genomic features. These efforts will revolutionize our molecular view of Gram-positive bacteria, as up to 15 genomes from the low GC content lactic acid bacteria are expected to be available in the public domain by …

Effects Of Ethanol On The Toxicity And Metabolism Of Acetonitrile And Acrylonitrile, Nancy Ochoa-Garza

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study examined the effects of ethanol on the toxicities and metabolism of two aliphatic nitriles: acetonitrile and acrylonitrile (one unsaturated and one saturated aliphatic nitrile, respectively) in male Sprague-Dawley rats at four different time intervals. Toxicity signs were apparent in all animals given the nitrile dosage, but those treated with ethanol dosages showed signs of toxicity earlier than those treated with glucose dosages. Both of the nitrites were metabolized to cyanide and thiocyanate. The concentration levels of each metabolite was apparent at 2 and 3 g/kg ethanol dosage for acetonitrile and 3 and 4.5 g/kg ethanol dosage for acrylonitrile …

Tolerance, Performance, And Aerobic Metabolism Of Redband Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss Ssp.) During Acute Exposure To Elevated Temperature, Karen Reed Lizars

Dissertations and Theses

The objective of this thesis was to determine whether the redband trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss ssp.) of Oregon's inland desert basins are negatively affected by the high peak temperatures (> 20 °C) often observed in their native streams. Small (40 - 140 g) redband trout from three streams (Bridge, Rock, and Twelve-mile creeks) were collected and tested on-site for aspects of thermal physiology, including: critical swimming velocity (Ucrit), maximum metabolic rate (MO₂), metabolic power, and total cost of transport (TCT) at 24 °C; routine MO₂ at 14 to 2: 28 °C: and critical thermal maximum (CTM). At …

Seasonal Niche Strategy Of The Bloom-Forming Dinoflagellate Heterocapsa Triquetra, R. W. Litaker, P. A. Tester, C. S. Duke, B. E. Kenney, James L. Pinckney, J. Ramus

Faculty Publications

Heterocapsa triquetra is one of the most common bloom-forming dinoflagellates found in estuaries and near shore regions around the world. This work examined the environmental factors associated with 3 separate wintertime H. triquetra blooms in the shallow tidally mixed Newport River estuary, North Carolina, USA. During 2 of the blooms in 1982 and 1983, the estuary was sampled from a fixed, single location every hour for 14 d. During the third study, the estuary was sampled at 9 fixed locations over its entire length each week from late December 1997 through March 1998. This time period included the formation and …

The Role Of Injury And Rain In The Infection Of Leaves By Erwinia Amylovora, Scott C. Ockey

Biology

Erwinia amylovora dissemination was studied by sampling apple and pear leaves before and after a precipitation event. All pear and apple experiments revealed similar trends for the temporal and spatial nature of E. amylovora. Rain dispersed the bacteria to leaves only a short distance from the infection and survived less than 24 hours on the leaf. An experiment was designed to determine leaf age susceptibility to inoculation by E. amylovora when leaves were subjected to injury types that simulated hail, wind-blown rain, and rain dispersal. Succulent leaves in the hail and rain dispersal treatments were more susceptible to infection …

Threshold Evolution In Exotic Populations Of A Polyphenic Beetle, Armin P. Moczek, John Hunt, Douglas J. Emlen, Leigh W. Simmons

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Polyphenic development is thought to play an important role in the evolution of phenotypic diversity and morphological novelties, yet the evolution of polyphenisms has rarely been documented in natural populations. Here we compare the morphologies of male dung beetles (Onthophagus taurus; Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from populations introduced to Australia and the eastern United States. Males in this species express two alternative morphologies in response to larval feeding conditions. Males encountering favourable conditions grow larger than a threshold body size and develop a pair of horns on their heads, whereas males that encounter poor conditions do not reach this threshold size and …

Enrichments And Isolations Of Mesophilic And Thermophilic Iron-Reducing Microbes From Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents And The Deep Subsurface, Melissa Mary Kendall

Dissertations and Theses

Microbes inhabiting the deep subsurface play an important role in geochemical processes and may be of practical value in bioremediation and biotechnology. Hydrothermal vents and the deep gold mines of South Africa have be likened to "windows" into the subsurface biosphere. The aim of this research was to isolate and characterize microbes involved in iron-cycling from deep-sea hydrothermal vents and from the deep gold mines of the Witwatersrand Basin. Three mesophilic bacteria, strains BB4, W3, and A6 were isolated from sulfide chimneys at 13°N and a thermophilic bacterium, strain GB21 was isolated from Guaymas Basin on the East Pacific Rise. …

Iron, Folate And Vitamin B12 Status Of Apparently Healthy Irish Adult Women Attending General Practitioners In Inner-City Dublin, Helen R. Casey

Doctoral

There is substantial related morbidity and mortality among men and women in developed countries. Certain events during the course of a woman’s life such as menstruation, pregnancy, lactation and the menopause may compromise haematinic nutrient status. The purpose of this study was to investigate iron, folate and vitamin B12 status among a sample of apparently healthy, non-pregnant Irish adult women attending general practitioners in inner-city Dublin. Dietary, socio-economic, medical and lifestyle factors contributing to status of these haematinic nutrients were extensively examined. The initial part of the work validated the methods in a representative sample of inner city Dublin women …

Glass Capillary Tube Feeding: A Method For Infecting Nymphal Ixodes Scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) With The Lyme Disease Spirochete Borrelia Burgdorferi, Anne H. Broadwater, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Wayne L. Hynes, Shane Ceraul, Aravinda M. De Silva

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

We evaluated an artificial capillary feeding method to infect nymphal Ixodes scapularis (Say) ticks with Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Thirty to 70% of the nymphs were infected after feeding for 2.5 h from glass capillary tubes filled with a solution of spirochetes. Capillary infection was stable and persisted in the nymphs for at least 10 d after feeding. Capillary feeding also maintained natural vector competence patterns because I. scapularis ticks acquired infection unlike Dermacentor variablis (Say), which did not become infected. Capillary infected I. scapularis nymphs were capable of transmitting the infection to naive mice …

Cold Acclimation Strategy Is Highly Variable Among The Sunfishes (Centrarchidae), Deidra R. Tschantz, Elizabeth L. Crockett, Peter H. Niewiarowski, Richard L. Londraville

Biology Faculty Research

We tested the hypothesis that the physiological strategy for acclimating to low body temperature is similar among closely related fish. Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus), bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus), black crappie (Pomonix nigromaculatus), and white crappie (Pomonix annularis), all members of the family Centrarchidae, were acclimated to 5degrees and 25degreesC. Morphometric variables (total mass, total length, organ masses) and enzyme activities (hexokinase; lactate dehydrogenase; and cytochrome oxidase in heart, liver, and muscle) were measured in 5degreesC- and 25degreesC- acclimated fish at 5degrees and 25degreesC assay temperatures. Each species displayed a distinct physiological response to cold acclimation that …

Testing For Toxic Effects Of Prey On Zooplankton Using Sole Versus Mixed Diets, Sean Colin, Hans G. Dam

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Prey Resource Utilization By Coexistent Hydromedusae From Friday Harbor, Washington, Usa, John H. Costello, Sean Colin

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Prey selection patterns were quantified for a sympatric group of hydromedusae from Friday Harbor, WA. Selection patterns varied between species, but were largely replicable between sample dates and resembled dietary patterns found in similar studies from neighboring regions. Ambush-foraging medusae (Aglantha digitale, Sarsia tubulosa, and Proboscidactyla flavicirrata) fed primarily on crustacean and ciliated prey but the dietary niches of these hydromedusan species centered on different fractions of the available plankton. Consequently, little dietary overlap occurred between the ambush foraging hydromedusae. In contrast, the dietary niches of cruising predators (Aequorea victoria, Mitrocoma cellularia, and …

Behavioral And Reproductive Aspects Of Captive Maxwell's Duiker (Cephalophus Mawellii) Husbandry, Janet Mcneill Mackinnon

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations (1964–2006)

Female Maxwell's duikers (Cephalophus maxwellii) were studied at the Wildlife Survival Center on St. Catherine's Island, Georgia. The objectives were to quantify the effects of housing on activity budgets and progesterone cycling. Four animals were studied across two housing situations: housed individually versus housed in a grouped setting. Behavioral observations revealed no significant change in access to resources, rumination, or repetitive behaviors, once animals were housed together. Fecal samples were collected in order to determine levels of progesterone through radioimmunoassay (RIA). Fluctuations in progesterone levels revealed no clear estrous cycles. Animals showed less variability in progesterone levels and …

Percent G+C Profiling Accurately Reveals Diet-Related Differences In The Gastrointestinal Microbial Community Of Broiler Chickens, Juha H. A. Apajalahti, Anu Kettunen, Michael R. Bedford, William E. Holben

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Broiler chickens from eight commercial farms in Southern Finland were analyzed for the structure of their gastrointestinal microbial community by a nonselective DNA-based method, percent G+C-based profiling. The bacteriological impact of the feed source and in-farm whole-wheat amendment of the diet was assessed by percent G+C profiling. Also, a phylogenetic 16S rRNA gene (rDNA)-based study was carried out to aid in interpretation of the percent G+C profiles. This survey showed that most of the 16S rDNA sequences found could not be assigned to any previously known bacterial genus or they represented an unknown species of one of the taxonomically heterogeneous …

New Vistas For Developmental Biology, Scott F. Gilbert, R. Tuan

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Genomes, Gould, And Emergence, Ursula Goodenough

Biology Faculty Research

The publication of the human genome has elicited commentary to the effect that, since fewer genes were identified than anticipated, it follows that genes are less important to human biology than anticipated. The flaws in this syllogism are explained in the context of a treatise on how genomes operate and evolve and how genes function to produce embryos and brains. Most of our most cherished human traits are the result of the emergence of new properties from preexisting genetically scripted ideas, offering countless opportunities to celebrate the evolutionary process.

Avian And Mammalian Use Of Three Small Urban Wetlands Invaded By A Pest Species, Reed Canarygrass (Phalaris Arundinacea L.), Laurie Dizney

Dissertations and Theses

Small urban wetlands are being destroyed and degraded at an alarming rate. One result of degradation is invasion by pest species, such as reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L. ). Reed canarygrass forms virtual monocultures in a wide range of wetland types. Wetlands normally have high plant species richness and abundance, which is widely believed to lead to faunal diversity. The purpose of the present study was to determine to what extent birds and mammals use a wetland dominated by reed canarygrass. The research was conducted at Tualatin Hills Nature Park in Beaverton, Washington County, Oregon. I examined three sites …

Comparison Of A Space Shuttle Flight (Sts-78) And Bed Rest On Human Muscle Function, Scott W. Trappe, Todd A. Trappe, Gary A. Lee, Jeffrey J. Widrick, David L. Costill, Robert H. Fitts

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this investigation was to assess muscle fiber size, composition, and in vivo contractile characteristics of the calf muscle of four male crew members during a 17-day spaceflight (SF; Life and Microgravity Sciences Spacelab Shuttle Transport System-78 mission) and eight men during a 17-day bed rest (BR). The protocols and timelines of these two investigations were identical, therefore allowing for direct comparisons between SF and the BR. The subjects’ age, height, and weight were 43 +/- 2 yr, 183 +/- 4 cm, and 86 +/- 3 kg for SF and 43 +/- 2 yr, 182 +/- 3 cm, …

Temperature Effects On The Dynamics Of Aedes Albopictus (Diptera : Culicidae) Populations In The Laboratory, Barry W. Alto, Steven A. Juliano

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

We investigated how constant temperatures of 22, 24, and 26 degreesC experienced across the full life cycle affected the dynamics of caged populations of Aedes albopictus (Skuse). All cages were equipped with plastic beakers that served as sites for oviposition and larval development. We measured the per capita daily mortality and emergence rates of the adults and size of adult females, and estimated the intrinsic rate of increase (r) and asymptotic density (K) for each adult population. populations at 26 degreesC had greater intrinsic rates of increase and lower asymptotic densities than populations at 22 and 24 degreesC. Populations at …

Combined, Functional Genomic-Biochemical Approach To Intermediary Metabolism: Interaction Of Acivicin, A Glutamine Amidotransferase Inhibitor, With Escherichia Coli K-12, D. R. Smulski, L. L. Huang, M. P. Mccluskey, M. J. Gladnick Reeve, Amy Cheng Vollmer, T. K. Van Dyk, R. A. Larossa

Biology Faculty Works

Acivicin, a modified amino acid natural product, is a glutamine analog. Thus, it might interfere with metabolism by hindering glutamine transport, formation, or usage in processes such as transamidation and translation. This molecule prevented the growth of Escherichia coli in minimal medium unless the medium was supplemented with a purine or histidine, suggesting that the HisHF enzyme, a glutamine amidotransferase, was the target of acivicin action. This enzyme, purified from E. coli, was inhibited by low concentrations of acivicin. Acivicin inhibition was overcome by the presence of three distinct genetic regions when harbored on multicopy plasmids. Comprehensive transcript profiling using …

Comparison Of The Quantification Of Caffeine In Human Plasma By Gas Chromatography And Elisa, A. B. Carregaro, W. E. Woods, Thomas Tobin, A. Queiroz-Neto

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

In the present study we evaluated the precision of the ELISA method to quantify caffeine in human plasma and compared the results with those obtained by gas chromatography. A total of 58 samples were analyzed by gas chromatography using a nitrogen-phosphorus detector and routine techniques. For the ELISA test, the samples were diluted to obtain a concentration corresponding to 50% of the absorbance of the standard curve. To determine whether the proximity between the I₅₀ of the standard curve and that of the sample would bring about a more precise result, the samples were divided into three blocks according …

Ecology Of The Endangered Sandy Cay Rock Iguana, Cyclura Rileyi Cristata, In The Bahamas, Shawn Kendall Fry

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

In this thesis I present the results of a study on the population demographics and home range size of Cyclura rileyi cristata. There are eight species of West Indian rock iguanas, genus Cyclura. All are endangered, including C. rileyiwhich is endemic to the Bahamas. One of three recognized subspecies, C. r. cristatalives on a single cay in the Exumas chain and is among the most endangered lizards in the world. Various size measurements indicate that this taxon is among the smallest within the genus. Distance surveys and a Lincoln-Petersen estimate based on resightings of marked iguanas …

The Effects Of Parental Age And Housing Type On The Reproductive Success Of The Purple Martin (Progne Subis Subis), Jessica A. Eads

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The reproductive success of the Purple Martin is dependent upon many factors. This study measured reproductive success of the Purple Martin (Progne subis subis) based on parental age and type of housing used. Reproductive parental ages consist of adults (experienced breeders) and subadults (first time breeders). Housing types included in this study were aluminum housing, wooden housing, plastic gourds, natural gourds, SuperGourds, and mailbox housing. The reproductive success was defined as the percentage of the original clutch that fledged. Study sites were located in Alabama, Indiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Virginia. Pairs mating nonassortatively by age group …

Lipid Biochemistry Of House Wren Egg Yolk And Possible Effects On Incubation Period, Brian J. Payne '01

Honors Projects

House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon) are distributed throughout North and South America. As has been observed in many avian species, populations of House Wrens in the tropics have longer egg incubation periods than populations in temperate regions. The purpose of this study was to characterize incubation periods of a temperate population of House Wrens and to conduct a preliminary chemical analysis of the yellow and white yolk layers of House Wren eggs. The eggs were collected from a breeding population in Central Illinois from June-August 2000. Avian yolk is composed of yellow and white components, which are laid down in alternating …

In Vivo Titration Of Mitomycin C Action By The Presence Of Four Escherichia Coli Genomic Regions On Multicopy Plasmid, Y. Wei, Amy Cheng Vollmer, R. A. Larossa

Biology Faculty Works

Mitomycin C (MMC), a DNA-damaging agent, is a potent inducer of the bacterial SOS response; surprisingly, it has not been used to select resistant mutants from wild-type Escherichia coli. MMC resistance is caused by the presence of any of four distinct E. coli genes (mdfA, gyrl, rob, and sdiA) on high-copy-number vectors. mdfA encodes a membrane efflux pump whose overexpression results in broad-spectrum chemical resistance. The gyrI (also called sbmC) gene product inhibits DNA gyrase activity in vitro, while the rob protein appears to function in transcriptional activation of efflux pumps. SdiA is a transcriptional activator of ftsQAZ genes involved …