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A Comparative Study Of The Expression Of Line, Mys And Sine Retrotransposon Loci In Somatic And Germ-Line Tissues In Peromyscus Maniculatus, Saedeh J. Sepehri

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study was to determine if one or more loci are serving as a master gene for the amplification of LINE, ID, and mys elements, which mobilize via RNA, in Peromyscus maniculatus tissues, by the use of the RT-PCR technique. It was concluded that potentially more than one master gene is responsible for the amplification of LINE and mys in P.maniculatus. RT-PCR products of testes and brain for ID matched that of the BC1 gene, known to be the master gene for ID elements. However, none of the cloned products detected from ovary matched any gene available in the …

Nanocarriers For Biomedical Applications, Shuyi Li, Lynsa Nguyen, Hairong Xion, Meiyao Wang, Tom C.-C. Hu, Jin-Xiong She, Steven M. Serkiz, George G. Wicks, William S. Dynan

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Applications Of Biotechnology In Development Of Biomaterials: Nanotechnology And Biofilms, Robin L. Brigmon, Christopher Berry, Raj N. Singh, Roger J. Narayan

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Removal And Sequestration Of Iodide From Alkaline Solutions Using Silver-Doped Carbon Nanotubes, Adrian L. Pishko, Steven M. Serkiz, Apparao M. Rao

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Sirna-Mediated Inhibition Of The Hiv-1 Transactivator Of Transcription, Alexander Jureka, Pricilla Simon, William Jackson

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Gold Nanospheres As Inhibitors Of Amyloid- Β Protein Aggregation Involved In Alzheimer’S Disease, Mihyun Lim, Deborah Soto-Ortega, Rahina Mahtab, Melissa Moss

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Metabolic Restructuring During Energy-Limited States : Insights From Artemia Franciscana Embryos And Other Animals., Steven Hand, Michael Menze, Apu Borcar, Yuvraj Patil, Joseph Covi, Julie Reynolds, Mehmet Toner

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Many life history stages of animals that experience environmental insults enter developmental arrested states that are characterized by reduced cellular proliferation, with or without a concurrent reduction in overall metabolism. In the case of the most profound metabolic arrest reported in invertebrates, i.e., anaerobic quiescence in Artemia franciscana embryos, acidification of the intracellular milieu is a major factor governing catabolic and anabolic downregulation. Release of ion gradients from intracellular compartments is the source for approximately 50% of the proton equivalents needed for the 1.5 unit acidification that is observed. Recovery from the metabolic arrest requires re-sequestration of the protons with …

Lea Proteins During Water Stress : Not Just For Plants Anymore., Steven Hand, Michael Menze, Mehmet Toner, Leaf Boswell, Daniel Moore

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are extremely hydrophilic proteins that were first identified in land plants. Intracellular accumulation is tightly correlated with acquisition of desiccation tolerance, and data support their capacity to stabilize other proteins and membranes during drying, especially in the presence of sugars like trehalose. Exciting reports now show LEA proteins are not restricted to plants; multiple forms are expressed in desiccation-tolerant animals from at least four phyla. We evaluate here the expression, subcellular localization, biochemical properties and potential functions of LEA proteins in animal species during water stress. LEA proteins are intrinsically unstructured in aqueous solution, but …

Diets Of Three Species Of Bufonids (Amphibia, Anura) From Northern Mexico, Geoffrey R. Smith, J. A. Lemos-Espinal, A. B. Burner, K. E. Winter, C. B. Dayer

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Mosquitofish (Gambusia Affinis) Cues On Wood Frog (Lithobates Sylvaticus) Tadpole Activity, K. F. Buttermore, P. N. Litkenhaus, D. C. Torpey, Geoffrey R. Smith, Jessica E. Rettig

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Body Temperatures Of Hyla Arenicolor From Sierra De Tepozotlan, Estado De Mexico, Mexico, F. Correa-Sanchez, Geoffrey R. Smith, G. A. Woolrich-Pina, J. A. Lemos-Espinal

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Temperature And Salinity On Wood Frog (Lithobates Sylvaticus) Tadpole Growth And Survival, J. H. Clemmer, E. Z. Miller, Geoffrey R. Smith, Jessica E. Rettig

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Determining Impediments To Gene Flow In A Natural Population Of Cornus Florida L. Cornaceae, Using Integrative Landscape Genetic Techniques, Crystal Meadows

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the impact intervening environment has on gene flow in the insect pollinated understory tree, Cornus florida L., by combining GIS and landscape genetic techniques (Least Cost Path Analysis, Circuit Theory, and Conditional Genetic Distance). Traditional population genetic analysis indicated pair-wise relatedness was significantly correlated to distance (Pearson; r = -0.312, P < 0.001) suggesting a spatial component to offspring relatedness. Dispersal throughout the study site was non-random, exhibiting a high degree of pollen pool structure due to restricted gene flow (Two-Generation Analysis; Φft = 0.161, P = 0.001). Forest structure was quantified in GIS layers representing coniferous canopies, mixed hardwood canopies, C. florida canopies, open understory (roads), and open understory/canopy due to tree removal. Of these layers, landscape isolation for the roads layer provided the best-fit model for describing genetic differentiation among sampled pollen pools (Mantel; r = 0.542, P = 0.001). These data also suggest that improved biological inferences can be gained by examining a range of landscape isolation models.

Natural Variation In Life History And Aging Phenotypes Is Associated With Mitochondrial Dna Deletion Frequency In Caenorhabditis Briggsae, Suzanne Estes, Anna Luella Coleman-Hulbert, Kiley Ann Hicks, Gene De Haan, Sarah R. Martha, Jeremiah B. Knapp, Samson William Smith, Kevin C. Stein, Dee R. Denver

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Mutations that impair mitochondrial functioning are associated with a variety of metabolic and age-related disorders. A barrier to rigorous tests of the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in aging processes has been the lack of model systems with relevant, naturally occurring mitochondrial genetic variation. Toward the goal of developing such a model system, we studied natural variation in life history, metabolic, and aging phenotypes as it relates to levels of a naturally-occurring heteroplasmic mitochondrial ND5 deletion recently discovered to segregate among wild populations of the soil nematode, Caenorhabditis briggsae. The normal product of ND5 is a central component of the …

Changing The Culture Of Science Education At Research Universities, W. Anderson, U Banerjee, C Drennan, Sarah C.R. Elgin, I Epstein, J Handelsman, G Hatfull, R Losick, D O'Dowd, B Olivera, S Strobel, G Walker, I Warner

Biology Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Population Genetics Of Amphiuma Means And Siren Lacertina In Central Florida, Anna C. Deyle

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Population structure can be defined as a difference in the frequencies of alleles among populations, and it is often caused by barriers to dispersal. I used mitochondrial DNA sequences to examine the population structure of two large, aquatic salamanders, Amphiuma means (the Two-Toed Amphiuma) and Siren lacertina (the Greater Siren), at two spatial scales in peninsular Florida. Both species appear to have similar life histories, including poor dry land dispersal capabilities, and I hypothesized that they would exhibit significant population structure at both broad and fine scales. Wetland loss and landscape fragmentation are certain to have caused decreases in abundance …

Evaluating The Effects Of Beach Nourishment On Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta Caretta) Nesting In Pinellas County, Florida, Corey R. Leonard Ozan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The health of Florida's beaches are vital to the survival of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta), as nearly half of the world's loggerheads nest on the states beaches. Many of the beaches utilized by the turtles have undergone nourishment projects in hopes of combating erosion of the shoreline, protecting beachfront property, and creating more suitable beaches for tourism. Although it is argued that beach nourishment benefits sea turtles by providing more nesting habitat, the effects of the Pinellas County nourishment projects on loggerhead nesting are unknown. Beach nourishment can alter the compaction, moisture content, and temperature of the sand, all …

Gene Expression Regulators Lin-11 And Let-711, In Modulating The Rate Of Aging And Lifespan, In C. Elegans., Tseten Yeshi Jamling

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

lin-11 and let-711 are early-developmental gene expression regulators with no previously known roles in aging regulation. Yet, they show strong aging-correlated expression profiles (Lund, Tedesco et al. 2002). lin-11 is strongly upregulated in very old worm populations, and let-711 is progressively downregulated in aging worm populations. Microarray studies were performed to identify their genome-wide targets, which were then subjected to further lifespan and genetic analysis to investigate their role in C. elegans aging.

The results indicate that the target pools of both lin-11 and let-711 are enriched for aging genes, since a significant number of tested genes increased lifespan. This …

Engineering Proteins With Unique Characteristics For Diagnostics And Biosensors, Smita Joel

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Proteins possess a broad range of structural and functional properties and, therefore, can be employed in a variety of biomedical applications. While a good number of protein-based biosensing systems and biosensors for target analytes have been developed, the search for versatile, highly sensitive and selective sensors with long term stability able to provide fast detection of target analytes continues to be a challenge. To that end, we now report the design and development of modified proteins with tailored characteristics and their further utilization in the development of biosensing systems.

We take advantage of binding proteins that undergo a change in …

Myth4 And Ferm Have Overlapping And Distinct Roles In The Function Of Myo1, A Class Xiv Myosin In Tetrahymena Thermophila, Michael Gotesman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

MyTH4 and FERM are conserved tail domains in myosin classes VII, X, XII, XIV, XV and in MyoG. Myo1, a class XIV myosin in Tetrahymena thermophila, contains MyTH4 and FERM. Previous studies have shown that Myo1 localizes to phagosomes, the cytoskeleton, and the macronucleus, and that phagosome trafficking and division of the macronucleus are affected in a MYO1 knockout. To investigate the roles for MyTH4 and FERM in the function of Myo1, GFP-tagged MyTH4, FERM, and truncated FERM were separately overexpressed in Tetrahymena. Actin antibody coprecipitated tubulin, GFP-MyTH4, and GFP-FERM. GFP-MyTH4 and GFP-FERM cosedimented with either exogenous microtubules or exogenous …

Phytosociology, History And Diversity In Farmer-Managed Landscapes On The Tonle Sap Floodplain, Cambodia, Andrew S. Roberts

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Driven by the annual flood pulse of the Tonle Sap Lake, the Tonle Sap floodplain in central Cambodia is a landscape characterized by dynamism, both ecological and social. Annual floods and rainfall vary in timing, duration and intensity from year to year. Patterns of burning, grazing, and agricultural expansion and contraction all leave their imprint on the landscape. While in the social domain, the region is likewise as complex. The genocidal, Maoist regime of Pol Pot darkened the 1970s. However, this was both preceded by, and followed by, years of civil war and social unrest. In recent years, Cambodia has …

Phenolic Constituents From Garcinia Intermedia And Related Species, Ulyana Muñoz Acuña

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Antioxidants from plants scavenge free radicals and prevent reactive oxygen species from having damaging effects in common ailments such as inflammation, atherosclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease. As part of our ongoing studies of antioxidants from tropical edible fruits, we have studied Garcinia intermedia (Pittier) Hammel [synonym: Rheedia edulis (Seem.) Planch. & Triana], native to Central America. In the fruits the following compounds were identified: guttiferone A, guttiferone E, xanthochymol, fukugetin, volkensiflavone and fukugeside. A new compound was tentatively identified in the fruits of this species. The antioxidant activity of guttiferone A in the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay was IC50 = 46 μM. …

Influenza A And Flavivirus Manipulation Of Cell Death, Jeffrey E. Mclean

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Viruses employ a variety of strategies to manipulate cell fate and maximize their replication potential during infection. Interacting specifically with cell death pathways allows viruses direct control over the cellular decision to survive or die during infection.

Influenza A virus, of the family Orthomyxoviridae, encodes proteins that interact with the cell at several points along the apoptosis pathway to induce apoptosis. We demonstrate that caspase activation through pro-apoptotic Bax, a downstream target of Bcl-2, is a critical determinant of the nature of cell death induced by Influenza A infection. Influenza A virus cannot establish an apoptotic response without functional Bax, …

Nutritional Properties Of The Invasive Lionfish: A Delicious And Nutritious Approach For Controlling The Invasion, James A. Morris, Jr., Amber Thomas, Andrew L. Rhyne, Nancy Breen E. Breen, Lad Akins, Barry Nash

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Lionfish, Pterois volitans and P. miles, are native to the Indo-Pacific and have recently invaded the Western Atlantic Ocean. Strategies for control of this invasion have included limited removal programs and promotion of lionfish consumption at both local and commercial scales. We demonstrate that lionfish meat contains higher levels of healthy n-3 fatty acids than some frequently consumed native marine fish species. Mean lionfish fillet yield was 30.5% of the total body wet weight, a value that is similar to that of some grouper and porgy species. A sensory evaluation indicated that lionfish meet the acceptability threshold of most consumers.

Two Distinct, Geographically Overlapping Lineages Of The Corallimorpharian Ricordea Florida (Cnidaria: Hexacorallia: Ricordeidae), H. Torres-Pratts, T. Lado-Insua, Andrew L. Rhyne, L. Rodríguez-Matos, N. V. Schizas

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

We examined the genetic variation of the corallimorpharian Ricordea florida; it is distributed throughout the Caribbean region and is heavily harvested for the marine aquarium trade. Eighty-four distinct individuals of R. florida were sequenced from four geographically distant Caribbean locations (Curaçao, Florida, Guadeloupe, and Puerto Rico). Analysis of the ribosomal nuclear region (ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2) uncovered two geographically partially overlapping genetic lineages in R. florida, probably representing two cryptic species. Lineage 1 was found in Florida and Puerto Rico, and Lineage 2 was found in Florida, Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, and Curaçao. Because of the multi-allelic nature of the ITS …

The Jackprot Simulation Couples Mutation Rate With Natural Selection To Illustrate How Protein Evolution Is Not Random, Guillermo Paz-Y-Miño C, Avelina Espinosa, Chunyan Bai

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Protein evolution is not a random process. Views which attribute randomness to molecular change, deleterious nature to single-gene mutations, insufficient geological time, or population size for molecular improvements to occur, or invoke “design creationism” to account for complexity in molecular structures and biological processes, are unfounded. Scientific evidence suggests that natural selection tinkers with molecular improvements by retaining adaptive peptide sequence. We used slot-machine probabilities and ion channels to show biological directionality on molecular change. Because ion channels reside in the lipid bilayer of cell membranes, their residue location must be in balance with the membrane’s hydrophobic/philic nature; a selective …

On The Theory Of Evolution Versus The Concept Of Evolution: Three Observations, Guillermo Paz-Y-Miño C, Avelina Espinosa

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Here we address three misconceptions stated by Rice et al. in their observations of our article Paz-y-Miño and Espinosa (Evo Edu Outreach 2:655–675, 2009), published in this journal. The five authors titled their note “The Theory of Evolution is Not an Explanation for the Origin of Life.” First, we argue that it is fallacious to believe that because the formulation of the theory of evolution, as conceived in the 1800s, did not include an explanation for the origin of life, nor of the universe, the concept of evolution would not allow us to hypothesize the possible beginnings of …

Protein Replacement Therapy Partially Corrects The Cholesterol-Storage Phenotype In A Mouse Model Of Niemann-Pict Type C2 Disease, Gitte Krogh Nielsen, Frederik Dagnaes-Hansen, Ida Elisabeth Holm, Steve Meaney, Derek Symula, Niels Trolle Andersen, Christian Wurtz Heegaard

Articles

Niemann-Pick type C2 (NPC2) disease is a fatal autosomal recessive neurovisceral degenerative disorder characterized by late endosomal-lysosomal sequestration of low-density lipoprotein derived cholesterol. The breach in intracellular cholesterol homeostasis is caused by deficiency of functional NPC2, a soluble sterol binding protein targeted to the lysosomes by binding the mannose-6-phosphate receptor. As currently there is no effective treatment for the disorder, we have investigated the efficacy of NPC2 replacement therapy in a murine gene-trap model of NPC2-disease generated on the 129P2/OlaHsd genetic background. NPC2 was purified from bovine milk and its functional competence assured in NPC2-deficient fibroblasts using the specific cholesterol …

Quantification Of Unfractionated Heparin In Human Plasma And Whole Blood By Means Of Novel Fluorogenic Anti-Fxa Assays, Vanessa Castro-Lopez, Leanne F. Harris, James S. O'Donnell, Anthony J. Killard

Articles

Novel and sensitive plate-based fluorogenic anti-factor Xa (FXa) assays were investigated to quantify unfractionated heparin (UFH) in human plasma and whole blood within the therapeutic ranges of 0–1.6 U/mL and 0–0.8 U/mL, respectively. Two fluorogenic anti-FXa assay methods were defined for low (0–0.6 U/mL) and high (0.6–1.2 U/mL) pharmacologically relevant UFH concentration ranges in pooled human plasma. In both cases significant differences were observed at intervals of 0.2 U/mL (P < 0.05). The semi-logarithmic plots of the calibration curves in the low and high UFH range were both fitted to linear regressions with correlation coefficients of 0.96 and >0.99, respectively. The assay was also optimized for whole blood which was capable of differentiating UFH concentrations at intervals of 0.2 U/mL (P < 0.05) in the range of 0–0.4 U/mL. The statistically different results were fitted to a linear regression with a correlation coefficient of >0.99. The results obtained in this study …