Digital Commons Network^™

Improved Whole-Mount Immunofluorescence Protocol For Consistent And Robust Labeling Of Adult Drosophilamelanogaster Adipose Tissue, Rachael K. Ott, Isaiah H. Williams, Alissa R. Armstrong

Faculty Publications

Energy storage and endocrine functions of the Drosophila fat body make it an excellent model for elucidating mechanisms that underlie physiological and pathophysiological organismal metabolism. Combined with Drosophila's robust genetic and immunofluorescence microscopy toolkits, studies of Drosophila fat body function are ripe for cell biological analysis. Unlike the larval fat body, which is easily removed as a single, cohesive sheet of tissue, isolating intact adult fat body proves to be more challenging, thus hindering consistent immunofluorescence labeling even within a single piece of adipose tissue. Here, we describe an improved approach to handling Drosophila abdomens that ensures full access of …

Sexually Antagonistic Coevolution Of The Male Nuptial Gift And Female Feeding Behaviour In Decorated Crickets, Samuel Burns-Dunn, Tassie Mortys, Clarissa M. House, Christopher Mitchell, Kristin R. Duffield, Bert Foquet, Ben M. Sadd, Scott K. Sakaluk, John Hunt

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

The evolution of nuptial gifts has traditionally been considered a harmonious affair, providing benefits to both mating partners. There is growing evidence, however, that receiving a nuptial gift can be actively detrimental to the female. In decorated crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus), males produce a gelatinous spermatophylax that enhances sperm transfer but provides little nutritional benefit and hinders female post-copulatory mate choice. Here, we examine the sexually antagonistic coevolution of the spermatophylax and the female feeding response to this gift in G. sigillatus maintained in experimental populations with either a male-biased or female-biased adult sex ratio. After 25 generations, males …

High Sugar Diet Alters Immune Function And The Gut Microbiome In Juvenile Green Iguanas (Iguana Iguana), Kwanho C. Ki, Erin L. Lewis, Elizabeth Wu, Francis J. Oliaro, Lise M. Aubry, Charles R. Knapp, Karen M. Kapheim, Dale Denardo, Susannah S. French

Biology Faculty Publications

The present work aimed to study whether a high sugar diet can alter immune responses and the gut microbiome in green iguanas. Thirty-six iguanas were split into four treatment groups using a 2x2 design. Iguanas received either a sugar-supplemented diet or a control diet, and either a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection or a phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) injection. Iguanas were given their respective diet treatment through the entire study (~3 months) and received a primary immune challenge 1 and 2 months into the experiment. Blood samples and cloacal swabs were taken at various points in the experiment and used to measure changes …

Ocular Gene Transfer In The Spotlight: Implications Of Newspaper Content For Clinical Communications, Shelly Benjaminy, Tania M. Bubela

Office of the Provost

Background: Ocular gene transfer clinical trials are raising hopes for blindness treatments and attracting media attention. News media provide an accessible health information source for patients and the public, but are often criticized for overemphasizing benefits and underplaying risks of novel biomedical interventions. Overly optimistic portrayals of unproven interventions may influence public and patient expectations; the latter may cause patients to downplay risks and over-emphasize benefits, with implications for informed consent for clinical trials. We analyze the news media communications landscape about ocular gene transfer and make recommendations for improving communications between clinicians and potential trial participants in light of …

Effects Of Vitis Vinifera L. Seed Extract On Short-Term Memory Of Amyloid-Beta-Mediated Neurodegeneration In Transgenic Caenorhabditis Elegans, Elise Patrick

Theses

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition that is a common cause of dementia and a growing concern worldwide with no effective treatment or cure. Two pathological AD hallmarks include buildup of amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. Recent attention has turned to exploring natural products and compounds for AD symptom relief and treatment. Vitis vinifera grape seed extract (GSE) contains many beneficial substances. GSE has been tested in several animal models and has shown to improve memory and is even being examined in an AD treatment human clinical trial. In this study, the aim was …

Development Of Anti-Fibrotic Agents For Potential Use In Glaucoma Filtration Surgery To Prevent Scar Formation, Nikhala Shree S

Theses and Dissertations

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness with irreversible vision loss. It is marked by the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells, which results in optic nerve head damage. Intraocular pressure (IOP) is a prime risk factor of glaucoma controlled by various treatment regimens i.e., medication, laser, and/ or surgery. It is reported that longterm exposure to anti-glaucoma medications (AGM) may subtle the surgical success rate leading to postoperative fibrosis. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is a growth factor that plays an important role in the development of glaucoma and promotes fibrosis.

This study is aimed at developing peptides to …

Elucidation Of Potential Antimicrobial Properties Of Chalcones, Caleb Howell

Theses

The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a growing concern for the medical and biological community. Increased use of antibiotics has led to increased development of bacterial tolerances. This phenomenon, driven by the principles of evolution, has been exacerbated by the improper antibiotic use of these antibiotics. Often, individuals stop taking antibiotics once symptoms subside, mistakenly believing the infection is cured. This practice allows bacteria or fungi to develop resistance.

These antibiotics have been developed from secondary metabolites. While we have many effective antibiotics we are facing new threats. Chalcones are being looked at for their potential in addressing this issue. …

Characterizing The Quorum Sensing (Qs) System In The Model Eukaryote Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii, Kirstin Donnette Cutshaw

Theses and Dissertations

Group behaviors in microorganisms are often regulated by low-molecular weight molecules that enable them to sense population density, a signaling system known as quorum sensing (QS). QS in prokaryotes has provided insight into the role ‘social’ behaviors play in the bacterial world and refined our models of virulence, bacterial motility, and more. While less common, similar behaviors are observed in certain fungi, primarily yeasts, in which QS controls cell morphology, biofilm production, and other phenotypes. We have recently pursued the potential for QS to be more broadly distributed among unicellular eukaryotes, which could significantly alter our understanding of social behaviors …

Investigating Microbe-Plant Symbioses In Space, David Handy

Theses and Dissertations

As life has evolved on Earth, gravity has been a constant around which biological processes have developed, rather than a pressure that has been adapted to. As humanity ventures into space, we remove this constant and can observe a variety of changes in biological systems, such as bone loss in humans, stunted plant growth, or increased virulence in pathogens. The growing body of data shows that life adapts to spaceflight and microgravity in unique ways that, due to our limited understanding, can be difficult to predict. A particularly under-studied area is that of host-microbe interactions. Despite efforts to limit their …

Dietary Saturated Fatty Acids Modulate Host Innate Immunity, Amy Lorraine Seufert

Dissertations and Theses

Nutrition, cellular metabolism, and inflammatory regulation of the immune system are interconnected, and advancing our understanding of this will greatly improve treatment of metabolic and inflammatory disease. Specifically, dietary saturated fats are becoming increasingly appreciated for their ability to modify innate immune cell function in mammals following absorption into the blood and lymphatic circulation systems. The work herein focuses on the capacity for lipids in the diet to modulate innate immune memory. My thesis first broadly outlines fundamental background, including: the evolution of human nutrition, the discovery of innate immune memory, and key topics that reoccur throughout the text surrounding …

Feather Mites Through Genomic And Ecological Lenses: Host Specificity And Symbiosis At Multiple Levels Of Organization, Alix Elizabeth Matthews

Student Theses and Dissertations

Symbionts, or organisms that form close and persistent associations with hosts, are ubiquitous across the tree of life, and symbioses are among the most common interspecific interactions in the natural world. Symbionts play a fundamental ecological and evolutionary role across multiple levels of biological organization – from individuals to ecosystems – and can have strong effects on global biodiversity. However, many aspects of these relationships are poorly understood including symbiont genetic diversity (inter- and intraspecific), host specificity, and the mechanisms underlying their functional nature or any context-dependent patterns. This dissertation uses a model symbiosis between permanent, obligate, ectosymbiotic vane-dwelling feather …

Metagenomic Analysis Of Antarctic Microbial Communities, David Michael Robinson

Biology ETDs

The research presented in this dissertation focuses on microbial roles in biogeochemical cycling in Antarctic aquatic environments. The major objective of my research was to examine the impact of biotic and abiotic pressures on nutrient cycling in microbially dominated systems. I used three perennially ice covered lakes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) along with subglacial lakes Whillans and Mercer as natural case studies. The MDVs are located in Victoria Land, East Antarctica and have been studied since 1993 as part of the McMurdo Long Term Ecological Research Project. Viruses in the MDVs were shown to be seasonally abundant and …

The Apoptotic Effect Of Garlic (Allium Sativum) Derived Sevs On Different Types Of Cancer Cell Lines In Vitro, Naz Ünsal, Polen Koçak Deni̇zci̇, Hazal Yilmaz, Fi̇kretti̇n Şahi̇n, Merve Yildirim Canpolat

Turkish Journal of Biology

Small extracellular vesicles (SEVs) are known to have an impact on the physiological circumstances of the target cells, are a critical component of cell-to-cell communication and have been implicated in a variety of diseases. Although it has been proposed that edible plant-derived nanoparticles have effect on communication with mammalian cells, the influence of these nanoparticles on cancer cell development has yet to be explored. In order to characterize small extracellular vesicles obtained from garlic, specific SEV surface markers and antibodies and size detections were performed by using scanning electron microscopy and nanoparticle tracking analysis. Human hepatoma, Hep3B, human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y, …

Knockdown Of Microrna390 Enhances Maize Brace Root Growth, Juan Meng, Weiya Li, Feiyan Qi, Tianxiao Yang, Na Li, Jiong Wan, Xiaoqi Li, Yajuan Jiang, Chenhui Wang, Meilian Huang, Yuanyuan Zhang, Yongqiang Chen, Sachin Teotia, Guiliang Tang, Zhanhui Zhang, Jihua Tang

Michigan Tech Publications

Brace root architecture is a critical determinant of maize's stalk anchorage and nutrition uptake, influencing root lodging resistance, stress tolerance, and plant growth. To identify the key microRNAs (miRNAs) in control of maize brace root growth, we performed small RNA sequencing using brace root samples at emergence and growth stages. We focused on the genetic modulation of brace root development in maize through manipulation of miR390 and its downstream regulated (). In the present study, miR167, miR166, miR172, and miR390 were identified to be involved in maize brace root growth in inbred line B73. Utilizing short tandem target mimic (STTM) …

Mitigating Toxic Metal Exposure Through Leafy Greens: A Comprehensive Review Contrasting Cadmium And Lead In Spinach, Angelia L. Seyfferth, Matthew A. Limmer, Benjamin R. Runkle, Rufus L. Chaney

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Metals and metalloids (hereafter, metal(loid)s) in plant-based foods are a source of exposure to humans, but not all metal(loid)-food interactions are the same. Differences exist between metal(loid)s in terms of their behavior in soils and in how they are taken up by plants and stored in the edible plant tissue/food. Thus, there cannot be one consistent solution to reducing toxic metal(loid)s exposure to humans from foods. In addition, how metal(loid)s are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted by the human body differs based on both the metal(loid), other elements and nutrients in the food, and the nutritional status of the human. …

Removal As A Control Method For Trachemys Scripta Elegans And The Response Of Chrysemys Picta Bellii, Jacob Swanson

University Honors Theses

The red-eared slider is considered one of the most ubiquitous freshwater turtles globally. Several key ecological advantages and life history traits of this species jointly impact growth rates and survivorship of native freshwater turtles where sympatry occurs. Evaluation of current management actions for red-eared slider turtles is limited, resulting in a paucity of information to guide management for the species and conservation of declining native freshwater turtles. We used previously collected mark-recapture and removal sampling data from sites with sympatric populations of red-eared slider and western painted turtles. We examined the effects of control (trapping and removal) of red-eared sliders …

Folate As A Potential Treatment For Lethal Ventricular Arrhythmias In Tango2-Deficiency Disorder, Weiyi Xu, Yingqiong Cao, Sara B Stephens, Maria Jose Arredondo, Yifan Chen, William Perez, Liang Sun, Andy C Yu, Jean J Kim, Seema R Lalani, Na Li, Frank T Horrigan, Francisco Altamirano, Xander Ht Wehrens, Christina Y Miyake, Lilei Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

TANGO2-deficiency disorder (TDD) is an autosomal-recessive genetic disease caused by biallelic loss-of-function variants in the TANGO2 gene. TDD-associated cardiac arrhythmias are recalcitrant to standard antiarrhythmic medications and constitute the leading cause of death. Disease modeling for TDD has been primarily carried out using human dermal fibroblast and, more recently, in Drosophila by multiple research groups. No human cardiomyocyte system has been reported, which greatly hinders the investigation and understanding of TDD-associated arrhythmias. Here, we established potentially novel patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell differentiated cardiomyocyte (iPSC-CM) models that recapitulate key electrophysiological abnormalities in TDD. These electrophysiological abnormalities were rescued in iPSC-CMs …

Slime Molds (Myxomycetes) Causing A “Disease” In Crop Plants And Cultivated Mushrooms, Zhaojuan Zhang, Chao Zhi, Yu Li, Steven L. Stephenson, Pu Liu

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Myxomycetes (plasmodial slime molds) are eukaryotic protist predators that are associated with wood, leaf litter, and soil in forests, where they feed on bacteria, protozoans, and (to a more limited extent) fungi. The health of crop plants is essential because they represent a primary food source for humans. However, when myxomycetes produce numerous fruiting bodies on the stems and leaves of crop plants, which is herein referred to as a myxomycete colonization, this has the potential of interfering with plant photosynthesis, transpiration and respiration by blocking out light and covering stomata. Myxomycetes are not pathogens, but their occurrence on plants …

Cyp3a Mediates An Unusual C(Sp2)-C(Sp3) Bond Cleavage Via Ipso-Addition Of Oxygen In Drug Metabolism, Xuan Qin, Yong Wang, Qiuji Ye, John M Hakenjos, Jin Wang, Mingxing Teng, Lei Guo, Zhi Tan, Damian W Young, Kevin R Mackenzie, Feng Li

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Mammalian cytochrome P450 drug-metabolizing enzymes rarely cleave carbon–carbon (C-C) bonds and the mechanisms of such cleavages are largely unknown. We identified two unusual cleavages of non-polar, unstrained C(sp2)-C(sp3) bonds in the FDA-approved tyrosine kinase inhibitor pexidartinib that are mediated by CYP3A4/5, the major human phase I drug metabolizing enzymes. Using a synthetic ketone, we rule out the Baeyer-Villiger oxidation mechanism that is commonly invoked to address P450-mediated C-C bond cleavages. Our studies in 18O2 and H218O enriched systems reveal two unusual distinct mechanisms of C-C bond cleavage: one bond is cleaved by CYP3A-mediated ipso-addition of oxygen to a C(sp2) …

Fisheries Occasional Publication No.147 - Aquaculture Development Zones – Policy Position Relating To Permitted Alternative Species, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Occasional Publications

The purpose of this policy is to set out considerations relevant to the assessment of aquaculture proposals within Aquaculture Development Zones (ADZ) for species distinct from the group of species for which the ADZ was initially established (Alternative Species).

Functional Characterization Of Potato Arp1 Gene Encoding Auxin-Repressed Protein, Sara Ali Alneyadi

Theses

Auxin-repressed proteins (ARPs) are conserved in higher plants and are involved in plant growth and development by controlling gene expression. ARP1 has been studied for its role in biotic stress response, but its role in abiotic stress response remains unclear. In this study, transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing potato (S. tuberosum) ARP1 were evaluated for their salinity stress response. By gradually increasing NaCl concentrations from 0 to 200mM, plants were subjected to high salinity stress. As compared to wild-type (WT) control plants under stressed conditions, the ARP1 transgenic plants demonstrated improved height and root length and higher chlorophyll content. Under …

Root Nodules Of Red Alder (Alnus Rubra) And Sitka Alder (Alnus Viridis Ssp. Sinuata) Are Inhabited By Taxonomically Diverse Cultivable Microbial Endophytes, Robyn Dove, Emily R. Wolfe, Nathan U. Stewart, Abigail Coleman, Sara Herrejon Chavez, Daniel J. Ballhorn

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The root nodules of actinorhizal plants are home to nitrogen-fixing bacterial symbionts, known as Frankia, along with a small percentage of other microorganisms. These include fungal endophytes and non-Frankia bacteria. The taxonomic and functional diversity of the microbial consortia within these root nodules is not well understood. In this study, we surveyed and analyzed the cultivable, non-Frankia fungal and bacterial endophytes of root nodules from red and Sitka alder trees that grow together. We examined their taxonomic diversity, co-occurrence, differences between hosts, and potential functional roles. For the first time, we are reporting numerous fungal endophytes of alder root nodules. …

Synthetic Biology Enablement: From Academic Development To Industrial Transformation, Yan Xiong, Xueqing Ma, Daming Chen, Xiao Liu, Guoping Zhao

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Synthetic biology revolutionizes the comprehension of life systems from an engineering perspective, employing a “bottomup” approach in life science research. It adopts an iterative research paradigm of “design-build-test-learn” in life science research and creates engineered new life systems grounded in genomics and systems biology. This provides a new pathway of “from creation to understanding” for life sciences, departing from the traditional reductionist research strategy of “study the whole to understand the parts” and opening up a new culture of “building to understand” the essence of life. Additionally, synthetic biology elevates existing biotechnologies previously based on “simulating natural processes” and “genetic …

Potential Enhancement Of Microbial Disinfection Using Oxygen Enriched Cold Atmospheric-Pressure Argon (Ar/O2) Plasma Jet, Waleed O. Younis, Mahmoud M. Berekaa, Mostafa A. Ellbban, Abdel-Sattar S. Gadallah, Jamal Q. Almarashi, Abdel-Aleam H. Mohamed

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Oxygen activated cold-atmospheric-pressure-argon plasma jet (APPJ) has gained prominence over the regular argon plasma especially in disinfection and decontamination. As an objective of the current research, an oxygen-enriched argon system was built, where plasma produced through a vessel metallic tube that is introduced into alumina one. A sinusoidal high voltage signal of 25 kHz was used to generate plasma jet. Potential impact of oxygen enriched APP jet (Ar/O₂) in decontamination of different microbial cells was observed. For examination, suspension of each tested microbe was placed in contact with plasma jet nearly 10 mm away from the jet nozzle …

Downregulation Of Dax-1 Expression Via Mirna Overexpression As A Mechanism To Potentiate Breast Cancer, Nicholas C. Devito

Master's Theses

The orphan nuclear receptor DAX-1 (Dosage Sensitive Sex Reversal, Adrenal Hypoplasia Congenita, critical region on the X chromosome, gene 1) plays a key role in mammalian sex determination and steroidogenesis. In addition to these canonical examples, DAX-1 has been shown to play a contradictory role in cancer development. While DAX-1 is overexpressed in lung and prostate cancer, it is downregulated in breast cancer. One of the explanations for the paradoxical role of DAX-1 in cancer development could be microRNA (miRNA) dysregulation. After broadly surveying over 96 miRNAs historically upregulated in MCF7 breast cancer cells, we compared the expression of DAX-1 …

Intraguild Competition Is More Severe In Obligate Mutualisms Than In Facultative Mutualisms, Thomas Johnson

Theses - ALL

Mutualism, or the beneficial interaction of species, is an important and widespread interaction type in nature. Mutualist species exchange goods or services that benefit the species involved. These benefits can include protection from predators, parasites, and disease, dispersal of individuals, offspring, or gametes, and provisioning of various nutrients. Well-known mutualisms include the pollination of flowering plants by insects, birds, and other animals and the interaction between clownfish and sea anemones. Many mutualistic associations are less visible than these examples, as organisms often form beneficial relationships with microorganisms, like the many beneficial bacteria that live in the human gut, or the …

Omani Camels From A Cultural And Genomics Perspective, Al Muatasim Al Zadjali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Dromedarian camel, Camelus dromedarius, is native to the Arabian Peninsula, including the Sultanate of Oman. These camels are used for food, milk, as well as show and racing competitions. Despite their economic and cultural importance research on camels in Oman is limited. The goal of this study was to examine their genomic variation, relationship with camels in other parts of the Arabian Peninsula, and to determine if selective breeding has led to the establishment of distinct breeds in Oman. Information was compiled from multiple sources to produce a comprehensive review on the breeding, management, economic and cultural use, …