Digital Commons Network^™

Microarray Analysis Of A Salamander Hopeful Monster Reveals Transcriptional Signatures Of Paedomorphic Brain Development, Robert B. Page, M. A. Borley, J. J. Smith, S. Putta, S. R. Voss

Biology Faculty Publications (Archived)

Abstract. Background. The Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is considered a hopeful monster because it exhibits an adaptive and derived mode of development - paedomorphosis - that has evolved rapidly and independently among tiger salamanders. Unlike related tiger salamanders that undergo metamorphosis, axolotls retain larval morphological traits into adulthood and thus present an adult body plan that differs dramatically from the ancestral (metamorphic) form. The basis of paedomorphic development was investigated by comparing temporal patterns of gene transcription between axolotl and tiger salamander larvae (Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum) that typically undergo a metamorphosis. Results. Transcript abundances from whole brain and pituitary were …

New Species In The Genus Monoecocesuts (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae) From Neotropical Rodents (Caviidae And Sigmodontidae), Terry R. Haverkost, Scott Lyell Gardner

Scott L. Gardner Publications

Anoplocephalid cestodes have a worldwide distribution, but relatively few species are known from South American rodents. By examining the collections of the Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology and the United States National Parasite Collection, 6 new species of Monoecocestus Beddard, 1914, are described, along with a redescription of Monoecocestus mackiewiczi Schmidt and Martin, 1978, based on the type specimens. The discussion includes commentary about uterine development, an important taxonomic character of the family, the vaginal dilation in immature segments (a character of potential taxonomic importance), and the implication of host usage to the evolutionary history and biogeography of species …

Plasticity Of Acquired Secondary Metabolites In Clathria Prolifera (Demospongia: Poecilosclerida): Putative Photoprotective Role Of Carotenoids In A Temperate Intertidal Sponge, Jonathan D. Dattelbaum, Drew Sieg, Malcolm Hill, Chris M. Manieri, Giles Thomson

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Several marine sponges sequester high concentrations of carotenoids in their tissues. The diversity of carotenoid compounds has been described in detail for a handful of species, but to date, little attention has been paid to natural variability in the concentration and constituency of carotenoid pools. Also lacking are experimental tests of some of the proposed adaptive benefits of carotenoids to the sponge. To address some of these deficits in our understanding of sponge ecology, we used a combination of analytic chemistry, field surveys, and manipulative experiments to determine what function these compounds might play. Attention was focused on the common, …

Chapter 26 – Multiple Color Single Molecule Tirf Imaging And Tracking Of Maps And Motors, Jennifer L. Ross, Ram Dixit

Biology Faculty Research

Microtubules are part of a complex mechano-chemical network inside cells. In order to understand how the components of these systems work together, careful in vitro experiments must be performed with added complexity. These experiments can ideally image all the interacting species. In order to image these molecules, multiple-color fluorescence imaging can be performed. In this chapter, we describe some methods for performing multiple-color single molecule fluorescence imaging using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. We give several specific examples of species of microtubule-associate proteins and motors that can be examined with detailed protocols for labeling, purification, and imaging.

Inhibitors Of Pyruvate Carboxylase, Tonya N. Zeczycki, Martin St. Maurice, Paul V. Attwood

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

This review aims to discuss the varied types of inhibitors of biotin-dependent carboxylases, with an emphasis on the inhibitors of pyruvate carboxylase. Some of these inhibitors are physiologically relevant, in that they provide ways of regulating the cellular activities of the enzymes e.g. aspartate and prohibitin inhibition of pyruvate carboxylase. Most of the inhibitors that will be discussed have been used to probe various aspects of the structure and function of these enzymes. They target particular parts of the structure e.g. avidin – biotin, FTP – ATP binding site, oxamate – pyruvate binding site, phosphonoacetate – binding site of the …

The Spread Of The Parthenogenetic Marbled Crayfish, Marmorkrebs (Procambarus Sp.), In The North American Pet Trade, Zen Faulkes

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

The parthenogenetic marbled crayfish Marmorkrebs was discovered in the pet trade in Europe in the 1990s. Since then, its distribution through the pet trade has spread from Europe to other continents, including North America. North American pet owners were surveyed online with the aims of trying to track when Marmorkrebs entered the North American pet trade, the ways in which it spread through the pet trade, and how widely distributed Marmorkrebs are throughout the continent. Marmorkrebs have been in the North American pet trade since at least 2004, with the number of people increasing every year. While many Marmorkrebs are …

Common Algogenic Chemicals Do Not Cause Nociceptive Responses In Louisiana Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus Clarkii), Sakshi Puri, Zen Faulkes

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

Do crustaceans feel pain? This is hard to answer, because pain is complicated. A more tractable question is whether crustaceans have nociceptors: neurons specialized to detect tissue damage.

Algogenic chemicals bind to nociceptors and cause them to fire, often causing pain without tissue damage. For example, capsaicin is the algogenic chemical that makes peppers spicy; isothiocyanate is the chemical that makes wasabi pungent. Both can cause nociceptive responses in some invertebrates (capsaicin: Pastor et al. 1996, Wittenburg & Baumeister 1999, isothiocyanate: Al-Anzi et al. 2006).

Factors Affecting The Spatial Distribution Of Black Mangrove On The Dredged-Material Or “Spoil” Islands In The Lower Laguna Madre Of Texas, Violet Yeager, Kenneth R. Summy, Frank W. Judd, Robert I. Lonard, Ruben A. Mazariegos, James H. Everitt, Michael R. Heep, Thomas Whelan

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

Research was conducted to evaluate the spatial distribution of black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) on the dredged-material or “spoil” islands of the Lower Laguna Madre of Texas. Aerial color-infrared (CIR) photographs revealed the presence of black mangrove stands on many of the islands located south of the Arroyo Colorado (a distributary of the Rio Grande which empties into the Laguna Madre), but failed to detect significant mangrove stands on islands located north of the Arroyo. Analysis of CIR photographs and supervised image classifications for individual islands suggested a concentration of black mangrove along western shorelines and relatively low interior areas of …

Detection Of Incipient Pest Infestations On Glasshouse Crops Using Multispectral Imagery And A Common Vegetation Index, Kenneth R. Summy, Christopher R. Little, James H. Everitt, Ruben A. Mazariegos, J. V. French, Mamoudou Setamou, Jesus Mata

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

Research was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of multispectral (conventional color and color infrared) imagery and a common vegetation index (simple ratio) for detecting incipient infestations of spider mites (Tetranychus spp.; Acari: Tetranychidae) and false spider mites (Brevipalpus spp.; Acari: Tenupalpidae) on selected crops under glasshouse conditions. Although damaging infestations of both mite species were associated with intense feeding injury which was readily detectable by visual inspection, subtle levels of foliar damage caused by the two mite species were difficult to detect by visual inspection and were not readily distinguishable from undamaged (healthy) foliage in conventional color (CC) or color …

A Three-Dimensional Computer Simulation Model Reveals The Mechanisms For Self-Organization Of Plant Cortical Microtubules Into Oblique Arrays, Ezgi Can Eren, Ram Dixit, Natarajan Gautam

Biology Faculty Research

The noncentrosomal cortical microtubules (CMTs) of plant cells self-organize into a parallel three-dimensional (3D) array that is oriented transverse to the cell elongation axis in wild-type plants and is oblique in some of the mutants that show twisted growth. To study the mechanisms of CMT array organization, we developed a 3D computer simulation model based on experimentally observed properties of CMTs. Our computer model accurately mimics transverse array organization and other fundamental properties of CMTs observed in rapidly elongating wild-type cells as well as the defective CMT phenotypes observed in the Arabidopsis mor1-1 and fra2 mutants. We found that CMT …

The Isolation Of Viruses Infecting Archaea, Kenneth M. Stedman, Kate Porter, Mike L. Dyall-Smith

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

A mere 50 viruses of Archaea have been reported to date; these have been investigated mostly by adapting methods used to isolate bacteriophages to the unique growth conditions of their archaeal hosts. The most numerous are viruses of thermophilic Archaea. These viruses have been discovered by screening enrichment cultures and novel isolates from environmental samples for their ability to form halos of growth inhibition, or by using electron microscopy to screen enrichment cultures for virus-like particles. Direct isolation without enrichment has not yet been successful for viruses of extreme thermophiles. On the other hand, most viruses of extreme halophiles, the …

Laryngeal Apparatus And Call Structure In North American Hylids, Barbara Ann Catherine Fears

Masters Theses

"Although the ecological implications and structure of frog calls have been the subject of much study, little is known about the association between the laryngeal apparatus morphology and call structure in North American hylids. In this study linear measurements of the laryngeal apparatus were captured and compared to the call structures of thirteen species of North American hylids. Species examined included: Pseudacris crucifer, P. triseriata, P. ocularis, Acris crepitans blanchardi, Hyla avivoca, H. cinerea, H. gratiosa, H. chrysoscelis, H. versicolor, H. squirella, H. femoralis, H. arenicolor, and H. eximia. Six homologous landmark points were identified, and the lengths between them …

Impacts Of The Spotted Spiny Lobster (Panulirus Guttatus) On The Long-Spined Sea Urchin (Diadema Antillarum) And Patch Reef Communities In The Florida Keys, Meredith D. Kintzing

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Caribbean coral reefs have undergone a phase shift from a system dominated by corals to one where algae are pervasive. This shift was precipitated by the loss of herbivores, including the mass mortality of the long spined sea urchin (Diadema antillarum), coupled with disease and the recruitment failure of hermatypic corals. Diadema populations have recovered in some areas of the Caribbean, but are still below historical levels in the Florida Keys, likely due to low larval supply coupled with predation on juveniles. Lobsters are sea urchin predators in other systems and the spotted spiny lobster (Panulirus guttatus …

The Effects Of Planting Methods And Granivory On Seedling Emergence In A Tallgrass Prairie Reconstruction, Justin Vernon Huisman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study investigates effects of various seed incorporation methods (none, cultipack, rake, rake and culti-pack) and seed predation on prairie species emergence and establishment over two growing seasons. To assess seed incorporation, seed was coated with a fluorescent orange powder and sampled with a black light the night of seeding. Powder coated seed was broadcast seeded in early November 2007. Seed was incorporated into the soil by culti-packing, raking, or a combination of raking followed by culti-packing. Seed was not incorporated into the soil in control plots. Granivore exclosures in the research plots were used to determine the effect of …

Transepithelial D-Glucose And D-Fructose Transport Across Lobster Intestine, Ijeoma Ebelechukwu Obi

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The mechanisms of transepithelial absorption of dietary D-glucose and D-fructose in the American lobster, Homarus americanus, were investigated in this study in order to determine whether sugar transport proteins have been conserved throughout evolution. Whole lobster intestine was isolated and mounted in a perfusion chamber to determine transepithelial mucosal to serosal (MS) and serosal to mucosal (SM) mechanisms of ³H-D-glucose and ³H-D-fructose transport across the intestine. Unidirectional MS and SM fluxes were measured by adding variable concentrations of ³H-D-glucose and ³H-D-fructose (2.5 to 50uM) to either the perfusate or the bath respectively and sampling the …

Arthropod Biodiversity In Response To The Restoration Of Former Pine Plantations, John Curtis Burkhalter

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The goal of ecological restoration is to return degraded or altered ecosystems to their pre-disturbed state with respect to ecosystem structure, function, and composition. In the current study the research objective was to reestablish high levels of biodiversity on two restored pine plantations as well as restore a native pine flatwoods ecosystem. Managed, even-aged pine flatwoods are now the most extensive ecosystem in North Florida, comprising approximately 70% of the forested landscape. Slash pine trees were thinned in the experimental plots to restore the natural slash pine density of native ecosystems. In addition to the thinning treatments, experimental plots have …

Seeking Generalities In Salt Stress Effects On Herbivores: A Multi-Species Approach, Christy Marie Foust

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Stress has been identified as one of the primary factors influencing the structure of food webs, but few conclusions about the effects of stress on community dynamics have emerged. This study examined generalities that exist between salt stress and insect herbivore responses. Ambient salinity was artificially increased by adding 1.3 kg/m2 of salt to six different plant species: Avicennia germinans, Baccharis halimifolia, Batis maritima, Borrichia frutescens, Iva frutescens, and Spartina alterniflora. By performing a multiple species examination, stress responses were examined to determine if consistencies within and between plant type, ambient salinity conditions, and host plant species (among other criteria) …

Temporal And Biochemical Aspects Of Sindbis Virus Dissemination In The Mosquito Host, Kristen A. Ciano

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The prototype Alphavirus, Sindbis virus (SIN), relies on cyclic transmission between the mosquito and vertebrate hosts in order to be maintained in nature. This broad host range suggests that alphaviruses use a universally expressed molecule for attachment. Heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG), a ubiquitous SIN receptor present on the cell surface of most eukaryotic cells, has been reported in the salivary glands and midguts of mosquitoes. These organs are essential for virus transmission from this hematophageous invertebrate. Variable host cell response in the mosquito following intrathoracic inoculation with SIN has been documented. In this study, per os infection of Aedine …

The Intraspecific Phylogeography Of The Blue-Spotted Salamander, Ambysotma Laterale, Jade Shawndee East

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The amphibian diversity of Iowa has been in a constant state of flux in response to several environmental forces over the past 14,000 years. Most amphibians require a moist environment in which to live, and aquatic habitats for reproduction. Ambystoma laterale is one of the few salamanders found in the state of Iowa and is one of two found on Iowa's endangered species list. Unfortunately, A. laterale has only been observed in two counties in Iowa, Blackhawk and Linn. The blue-spotted salamander (Ambystoma laterale) has the northern-most distribution of any North American salamander and primarily occurs in areas that were …

Microbial Community Characterization And Pathogen Analysis Within Constructed Wetlands Of Varying Scale Designed For Contaminant Removal, Michael R. Mitzel

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Constructed wetlands (CWs) are complex treatment environments, requiring an integrative research approach to improve our understanding of them. The goal of this thesis was to establish an understanding of the functional and structural characteristics of microbial communities within bench-, field- and industrial-scale environmental treatment systems. The impact of pathogenic and/or antibiotic contaminants on these communities based on their functional and structural profiles using community-level physiological profiling (CLPP) and denaturing-gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), respectively, was investigated. Under normal operation, bench-, field- and industrial-scale treatment systems were able to produce similarly behaving structural and functional profiles. Increased retention time was consistently associated …

Spatial Segregation Of The Sexes In A Salt Marsh Grass Distichlis Spicata (Poaceae), Charlene Ashley Mercer

Dissertations and Theses

Understanding the maintenance of sexual systems is of great interest to evolutionary and ecological biologists because plant systems are extremely varied. Plant sexual systems have evolved to include not only complete plants with both male and female reproduction occurring on one plant (i.e., monoecious and hermaphroditic) but also plants with male and female function on separate plants (dioecious). The dioecious reproductive system can be used to test theories on niche differentiation given that having separate plants potentially allows for the exploitation of a broader niche. This increase in the realized niche is due to the ability for separate sexes to …

Phylogeographic Patterns And Intervarietal Relationships Within Lupinus Lepidus: Morphological Differences, Genetic Similarities, Kevin Allen Weitemier

Dissertations and Theses

Lupinus lepidus (Fabaceae) contains many morphologically divergent varieties and was restricted in its range during the last period of glaciation. A combination of phylogenetic (with the trnDT and LEGCYC1A loci) and population genetics approaches (with microsatellites and LEGCYC1A are used here to characterize intervarietal relationships and examine hypotheses of recolonization of areas in the Pacific Northwest affected by glaciation. Sequenced loci are not found to form a clade exclusive to L. lepidus, nor are any of the varieties found to form clades. Population genetics analyses reveal only negligible genetic structure within L. lepidus, with the majority of variation …

Systematics Of The Genus Ptychadena Boulenger, 1917 (Anura: Ptychadenidae) From Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Katrina Marie Weber

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis increases the scope of previous phylogenetic analyses that revealed high levels of genetic differentiation within the anuran genus Ptychadena. Herein, I increase sampling of Central African populations of Ptychadena by over six times to examine their relationships to other African populations and to search for cryptic species. This study represents the most comprehensive molecular phylogeny of Ptychadena to date. A total of three mitochondrial (12S, 16S, and cyt b) and two nuclear (RAG1 and rhodopsin) genes were sequenced for 67 specimens of Ptychadena. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian analyses were conducted. These analyses revealed …

Fabrication Of Miniature Drug Screening Platform Using Low Cost Bioprinting Technology, Jorge Ivan Rodriguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In the pharmaceutical industry, new chemicals and substances are being tested to find appropriate compounds or mix for treating a specific disease. The demand for screening large compound collections against and increasing number of therapeutic targets has stimulated technology development in the areas of assay automation and miniaturization. Current methods for evaluating the reactions of cells use a volume in the range of microliters. We have developed a new and low-cost deposition method to fabricate miniature drug screening platform that can realistically and inexpensively evaluate biochemical reactions up to 4 substances per trial in a picoliter-scale volume. This paper describes …

Environmental Effects On Behavior And Physiology In Crayfish, Sonya M. Bierbower

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Despite dramatic morphological differences between animals from different taxa, several important features in organization and sensory system processing are similar across animals. Because of this similarity, a number of different organisms including mammals, insects, and decapod crustaceans serve as valuable model systems for understanding general principles of environmental effects. This research examines intrinsic and extrinsic factors by behaviorally and physiologically means to identify the impact of environmental conditions on two distinct crayfish species- Procambarus clarkii (surface) and Orconectes australis packardi (cave).

The research identified behavioral and physiological responses in these two morphological and genetically distinct species. The studies also examined …

Shelter Availability, Occupancy, And Residency In Size-Asymmetric Contests Between Rusty Crayfish, Orconectes Rusticus, Nathan M. Klar

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Contest outcomes are usually determined by differences in resource holding potential, the social histories of the combatants, and perceptions of resource value. One understudied aspect of gaining an advantage is the residency effect. Prior occupancy of a particular place can affect the knowledge and motivation of the resident. There could be a tactical advantage in knowing the terrain or an increased willingness to fight to maintain control of a familiar area. In this study we evaluated the importance of shelter residency effects relative to size differences between rusty crayfish (Orconectes rusticus) as potential competitors for access to shelter. …

Conservation Status And Habitat Use Of The West Virginia Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus Subterraneus) And Spring Salamander (G. Porphyriticus) In General Davis Cave, Greenbrier Co., West Virginia, Matthew L. Niemiller, Michael S. Osbourn, Dante B. Fenolio, Thomas K. Pauley, Brian T. Miller, John R. Holsinger

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The West Virginia Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus subterraneus) is one of four obligate cave-dwelling species of plethodontid salamanders found east of the Mississippi River in the United States. This species is endemic to a single cave system; General Davis Cave, in Greenbrier Co., West Virginia, where it is syntopic with the closely-related Spring Salamander (G. porphyriticus). Accordingly, the West Virginia Spring Salamander is a species of critical conservation concern. Because of it's conservation status and lack of data regarding the ecology and life history, particularly about population trends, we present data on relative abundance of and habitat …

The Acidic Domains Of The Toc159 Chloroplast Preprotein Receptor Family Are Instrinsically Disordered Protein Domains, Lynn G.L. Richardson, Masoud Jelokhani-Niaraki, Matthew D. Smith

Biology Faculty Publications

Background: The Toc159 family of proteins serve as receptors for chloroplast-destined preproteins. They directly bind to transit peptides, and exhibit preprotein substrate selectivity conferred by an unknown mechanism. The Toc159 receptors each include three domains: C-terminal membrane, central GTPase, and N-terminal acidic (A-) domains. Although the function(s) of the A-domain remains largely unknown, the amino acid sequences are most variable within these domains, suggesting they may contribute to the functional specificity of the receptors.

Results: The physicochemical properties of the A-domains are characteristic of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). Using CD spectroscopy we show that the A-domains of two Arabidopsis Toc159 …

Mir319a Targeting Of Tcp4 Is Critical For Petal Growth And Development In Arabidopsis, Anwesha Nag, Stacey King, Thomas Jack

Dartmouth Scholarship

In a genetic screen in a drnl-2 background, we isolated a loss-of-function allele in miR319a (miR319a¹²⁹). Previously, miR319a has been postulated to play a role in leaf development based on the dramatic curled-leaf phenotype of plants that ectopically express miR319a (jaw-D). miR319a¹²⁹ mutants exhibit defects in petal and stamen development; petals are narrow and short, and stamens exhibit defects in anther development. The miR319a¹²⁹ loss-of-function allele contains a single-base change in the middle of the encoded miRNA, which reduces the ability of miR319a to recognize targets. Analysis of the expression patterns of the …

Effects Of Temperature On Gene Expression In Embryos Of The Coral Montastraea Faveolata, Christian Voolstra, Julia Schnetzer, Leonid Peshkin, Carly J. Randall, Alina M. Szmant, Mónica Medina

Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Faculty Publications

Coral reefs are expected to be severely impacted by rising seawater temperatures associated with climate change. This study used cDNA microarrays to investigate transcriptional effects of thermal stress in embryos of the coral Montastraea faveolata. Embryos were exposed to 27.5°C, 29.0°C, and 31.5°C directly after fertilization. Differences in gene expression were measured after 12 and 48 hours.Results: Analysis of differentially expressed genes indicated that increased temperatures may lead to oxidative stress, apoptosis, and a structural reconfiguration of the cytoskeletal network. Metabolic processes were downregulated, and the action of histones and zinc finger-containing proteins may have played a role in the …