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Determination Of Taxonomic Placement Of Falsely-Branched Taxa In Soils Of San Nicolas Island And Reassessment Of The Tolypothrichaceae, Natalie Soliman

Celebration of Scholarship 2023

No abstract provided.

Teloportwrapper: A New Tool For Understanding The Dynamic World Of Fungal Telomere Ends, Trey Stansfield

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequence motifs found at eukaryote chromosome ends. Telomeres help protect chromosome ends from DNA damage and promote chromosome stability. Chromosomes play important roles in aging, mutation, and cancer. Eukaryotic pathogens also use telomeres to mutate and manage virulence genes. In response to chromosome end breakage newly formed telomeres, called de novo telomeres, are formed to recreate the lost telomere and sub-telomeric regions.

Magnaporthe oryzae is a fungal pathogen which causes wheat blast, a deadly plant disease in wheat. Magnaporthe oryzae is also known for its highly variable sub-regions which show high amounts of induced variability due …

Evaluation Of Ionic Liquid Treatment As An Alternative To Chemical Fixation And Dehydration In The Preparation Of Biofilms For Scanning Electron Microscopy, Molly Shreve

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Scanning electron microscopes (SEM) give researchers the ability to observe very small features on biological specimens at the nanometer scale, which is a much higher resolution than what can be obtained with a light microscope. To be observed under SEM, unlike light microscopes, samples must be dry, conductive, and able to withstand electron bombardment. Preparation methods have been developed that work well for samples composed mainly of proteins and lipids, but these fail for samples that are predominantly carbohydrates, such as bacterial biofilms. When carbohydrates of these biofilms are dehydrated, they tend to shrink and collapse, and their normal hydrated …

Alcohol Consumption And Its Effects On The Liver, Eveline Weinreb

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Thousands of people die each year in the United States from alcohol related deaths. Why does the metabolism of alcohol cause severe damage to the body? Ethanol enters the body in the form of wine, and other alcoholic beverages and travels through the digestive system and then to the liver where it is metabolized. There are a series of steps involved in the breakdown of ethanol, and toxic byproducts are formed such as reactive oxygen species (ROS). These oxygen radicals can lead to damaged deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and to the formation of adducts. Chronic alcohol consumption can lead to liver …

Mate Recognition In Genetically Distinct Populations Of The Eastern Red-Backed Salamander (Plethodon Cinereus), Courtney Thomas

Masters Theses

Lineages that have undergone genetic divergence and subsequently experience secondary contact present fascinating situations related to the potential for reproductive isolation. Within species hybrid zones provide unique opportunities to test the strength of reproductive barriers through behavioral experiments when genetic relatedness between groups is established. Among the complex interactions that operate to maintain species boundaries, mate recognition and mate choice are two behaviors that serve to promote evolutionary independence across diverse taxonomic lineages. I explored mate recognition in genetically distinct populations of the Eastern Red-backed Salamander, Plethodon cinereus, a small, abundant, terrestrial salamander with a widespread distribution throughout northeastern United …

“Albertania” And “Egbenema”, Expanding Biodiversity In The Oculatellaceae (Cyanobacteria)., Mildred Akagha

Masters Theses

To conduct molecular studies of cyanobacteria of Lagos, Nigeria, a total of eight soil/subaerial samples were collected in Lagos State, Nigeria, and used to isolate cyanobacterial cultures that were characterized microscopically, sequenced, and phylogenetically analyzed. Within the resulting set of cultures, a number of Synechococcales were observed, particularly belonging to Oculatellaceae. “Egbenema” and two new putative species of the recently described genus Albertania were found. Both genera belong to a supported clade within the Oculatellaceae that includes Trichotorquatus and Komarkovaea. The two new putative species of Albertania, “A. egbensis” and “A. latericola”, were from the same sample, but phylogenetically were …

Role Of Parasitoids And Landscape Structure In Aphid Population Dynamics In Winter Canola, Norman C. Elliott, Kristopher L. Giles, Kristen A. Baum, Sarah Elzay, Georges F. Backoulou

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Three aphid species infest winter canola, Brassica napus L. fields in central Oklahoma and are serious pests: the cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae L., green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), and turnip aphid, Lipaphis pseudobrassicae (Davis). Mortality caused by parasitoids may be an important component of biological control of aphids in Oklahoma canola fields. Therefore, it is important to determine the effect of parasitoids on aphids in canola and the factors that affect it. We undertook a study during three consecutive growing seasons to: 1) estimate aphid suppression by parasitoids in each of 23 canola fields using cages that excluded natural …

Entomology Beyond Research And Education: 2022 Student Debates, Ramandeep Kaur Sandhi, Victoria Pickens, Elizabeth Bello, Sarah Elzay, Sara Salgado, Kayleigh C. Hauri, John J. Ternest, Natalie Constancio, Scott Gula, Olivia M. Gearner, Magdeline Anderson, Molly Edeburn, Brandon Hall, Jacqueline Maille, Mollie Toth, Arjun Khadka, Ethan Doherty, Tyler Musgrove, Tiago Silva, Alexia Desoto, Emily Rampone, Dowen Jocson, Mario Luppino, Kellen Pautzke, Camille Wagstaff

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The 2022 student debates of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) happened during the Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Societies of America, Canada, and British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, and addressed entomological aspects beyond research and education. The Student Debates Subcommittee of the ESA Student Affairs Committee and the participating student team members communicated for 8 months and prepared for the debates. The theme of the ESA meeting in 2022 was “Entomology as inspiration: Insects through art, science, and culture”. There were 2 unbiased speakers who introduced the debate topics as well as 4 teams who debated the following …

Tracking The Progression Of Defects At The Neuromuscular Junction In Huntington's Disease, Katherine A. Trittschuh

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a genetic disorder associated with progressive cognitive and motor decline. Recent studies in HD models suggest primary peripheral pathologies arise independent of changes in the central nervous system. Our lab found defects in skeletal muscle occurring early in the progression of disease in transgenic R6/2 HD mice, resulting in membrane hyperexcitability. Additionally, there is evidence of decreased quantal content in late-stage R6/2 mice. Here, we investigate pre-synaptic and post-synaptic function at single neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) to make direct comparisons of disease progression in the muscle membrane and motor nerve terminal. We hypothesize that muscle membrane defects …

Do Channel Catfish Consume Zebra Mussels?, Casey M. Myers

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus are a generalized opportunistic feeder with a wide range of diet compositions. In the Midwest, zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha have quickly spread, causing large effects on aquatic ecosystems structures and functions. Channel catfish are known to consume native mollusks, however, little research has been done on the potential predation of zebra mussels by channel catfish. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze channel catfish diets to determine if zebra mussels are consumed. The channel catfish were obtained from the Sauk River chain of lakes between the dates of 14 June and 28 July 2023. …

Sheep Ingestive Behavior And Tannin Selection In Pampa Grassland And Feedlot, Marina Terra Braga

Green Canyon Environmental Research Area, Logan Utah

The Pampa grassland biome has high plant biodiversity, some with significant secondary compound concentrations such as tannins. Tannin inclusion in ruminant diets may improve meat quality and productivity. However, voluntary intake of this phenolic compound can be a challenge. This dissertation includes three studies within this context. The first study documented whether sheep consume tannin-rich Desmodium incanum (DI), the most common Pampa herbaceous legume species. The second study evaluated how forage tannin and protein concentration influenced sheep feedlot feed selection and the diet affects performance parameters. The third study evaluated sheep feeding behavior in a Pampa native pasture, and how …

Histopathological Markers Of Liver Cirrhosis Correlating With Fat Pads In Cadavers, Victoria Wrobleski

Student Research Poster Presentations 2023

The liver is an organ with many functions in the body, including storage of essential nutrients, detoxification of blood, and digestion and metabolism. The major functional unit of the liver is the liver lobule, which contains the micro-anatomy of the liver, including hepatocytes, sinusoids, portal triads, and the central vein. The liver is a resilient organ that has the capability to regenerate up to two-thirds of its tissue. In cirrhosis, a condition in which collagen is produced and results in fibrotic tissue and causes normally functioning tissue to become scar tissue, the liver is no longer capable of its regenerative …

Feedback In Batesian Mimetic Systems, David Kizirian Kizirian, Jose Manuel Padial, Nicole Povlikin, Isaac Overcast, Maureen A. Donnelly, Marta Quitian, Marion Segall, Arianna Kuhn, Gwyneth Campbell, Ralph Saporito

2023 Faculty Bibliography

We propose a feedback model for Batesian mimetic trophic system dynamics that integrates evolutionary and ecological processes including those not directly related to mimicry such as nutrient transfer. The proposed feedback circuit includes a previously overlooked link, specifically: selection for predation on the mimetic phenotype, which results when predators consume palatable mimics, and which perpetuates predation on the mimetic phenotype that drives mimicry. Preservation of variation throughout the feedback loop may also explain polymorphism, suboptimal mimicry, and other aspects of mimetic trophic system evolution.

Hot Is Rich—An Enormous Diversity Of Simple Trichal Cyanobacteria From Yellowstone Hot Springs, Jan Kaštovský, Jeffrey R. Johansen, Radka Hauerová, Mildred Akagha

2023 Faculty Bibliography

In 2019, cyanobacterial samples were collected from thermal sites in Yellowstone National

Park. In this paper, we discuss the considerable richness of representatives of simple filamen- tous cyanobacteria. Using a polyphasic approach, one new genus, Copelandiella, with two species

(C. yellowstonensis and C. thermalis) and eight additional new species Albertania prattii, K. anagnostidisii, Kovacikia brockii, Leptolyngbya tildenae, L. vaporiphila, Nodosilinea calida, N. igneolacustris, and Oculatella castenholzii were described. At the same time, by analyzing our new molecular data, we concluded that other genera of trichal cyanobacteria can be merged with existing genera: species within the genus Plectolyngbya are herein transferred …

Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 Alpha Mediated Regulation Of Mitochondrial Function And Homeostasis In Normoxia, Matthew Lunkis

Celebration of Scholarship 2023

During normal levels of oxygenation, also known as normoxia, the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 1α is produced and broken down in a continuous manner. Previous studies of HIF1α function(s) in hypoxia demonstrate restricted oxygen uptake and decreased protein synthesis but data regarding this transcription factor in normoxia is limited. We determined the functional aspects of HIF1α in normoxia in differentiated myotubes and with transgenic mice. Higher expression of sirtuin 3 along with higher concentrations of many TCA cycle intermediates were identified in multiple studies. Additionally, phenotypic and morphological implications of HIF1α in normoxia were identified.

Disruption Of Minor Intron Splicing By Disease-Associated Mutations In U12 Snrna, Kyra Jancik

Celebration of Scholarship 2023

In eukaryotic gene expression, the removal of introns from pre-mRNA is an essential function carried out by spliceosomes. Human cells have two distinct spliceosomes: U2-dependent and U12-dependent. U2- dependent spliceosomes, or major spliceosomes, remove over 99% of introns, whereas U-12 dependent spliceosomes remove less than 0.5% of introns. Mutations in spliceosome machinery are a notable cause of human disease. In particular, mutations to components unique to the minor spliceosome demonstrate that it plays a vital role in human development. Mutations in the gene encoding the minor spliceosomal small nuclear RNA (snRNA) U12, RNU12, are associated with two rare developmental disorders: …

Hydroxyurea Globally Inhibits Rna Synthesis, Destabilizes Mrnas, And Triggers Mec1-Opposed Rnapii Accumulation At 3’ Ends Of Genes, Pritpal Kaur

Theses and Dissertations

My dissertation includes two projects. The first project is focused on the regulation of glycolysis and oxidative metabolism by inducing heme synthesis in cancer cells. The second project deals with the effect of hydroxyurea on RNA synthesis. Heme is an essential cofactor for enzymes of the electron transport chain (ETC) and ATP synthesis in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Heme also binds to and destabilizes Bach1, a transcription regulator that controls expression of several groups of genes important for glycolysis, ETC, and metastasis of cancer cells. Since many cancers are characterized by a high glycolytic rate regardless of oxygen availability, targeting …

Gating And Pathogenic Mechanism Of Polycystin Ion Channels, Yan Wang

Theses and Dissertations

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), one of the most common and life-threatening human genetic diseases, is caused by mutations in PKD1 or PKD2 genes. PKD1 gene encodes PKD1 (also known as polycystin-1 or PC1) protein, which are the founding members of the PKD1 proteins family; while PKD2 encodes TRPP2 (also known as polycystin-2 or PC2) protein, the founding member of the TRPP subfamily. PKD1 family consists of PKD1, PKD1L1, PKD1L2, PKD1L3, and PKDREJ. Whereas the TRPP subfamily includes: TRPP2, TRPP3, and TRPP5. Proteins in PKD1 and TRPP families are collectively called polycystins. TRPP proteins can either form homotetrameric ion …

Insight Into Eleutherodactylus Coqui Resilience And Anuran Hypoxia Tolerance Utilizing Pincho, Randy Ortiz

Theses and Dissertations

The onset of high-throughput RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) technology allowed research into transcriptomics to accelerate exponentially aided by the rapid advancement of bioinformatic pipelines. The Pincho workflow, my first research endeavor, is a transcriptomic workflow developed to create an avenue of high-quality reconstructions from RNA-seq data. High-quality reconstruction standards entail longer transcripts, more complete transcripts, and more raw data utilization. We have discovered an ideal trio of assemblers between transABySS, rnaSPAdes and TransLiG that would best reconstruct next-generation sequencing data according to these standards. We utilized Pincho to drive two distinct experiments: (1) exploring the genetic basis for the successful invasion of …

Interferon Gamma Signaling In Ovarian Cancer Cells, Bijaya Gaire

Theses and Dissertations

Interferon gamma (IFNγ) is a pleiotropic cytokine that can have, depending on the cellular and molecular context, both anti-tumor and pro-tumorigenic functions. IFNγ expression can be induced in cancer cells in response to radiation therapy or immune checkpoint blockade used in cancer treatment. We have previously shown that IFNγ induces expression of the Bcl3 proto-oncogene in ovarian cancer (OC) cells, resulting in their increased proliferation and migration, but the mechanisms are unknown. Here, I demonstrate that the IFNγ-induced Bcl3 expression is dependent on JAK1 and STAT1 signaling, and on p65 NFkB. Furthermore, my data show that the IFNγ-induced Bcl3 expression …

Role Of Integrins In Hiv Infection Of Resting Cd4+ T Cells Stimulated By Intestinal Endothelial Cells, Anding Shen, Sarah Logan, Tim Kim, Zihan Zhang

Summer Research

Eradicating HIV remains a formidable challenge due to the persistence of latent reservoirs within resting CD4+ T cells. Intestinal endothelial cells (IECs) have been shown to promote HIV infection and latent reservoir formation in resting CD4+ T cells. Our research investigates the role of integrins and their ligands, specifically ICAM, VCAM, and MAdCAM, in resting T cells and their impact on productive and latent HIV infection. Findings reveal that VCAM stimulation was the most effective in promoting productive HIV infection. MAdCAM and ICAM had minimal effect. Cytokine IL-6 consistently displayed synergy with all CAMs, amplifying effects on productive HIV infection. …

Mechanisms Of Stimulation By Intestinal Endothelial Cells During Hiv Infection Of Activated Cd4+ T Cells, Anding Shen, Timothy Kim, Sarah Logan, Zihan Zhang

Summer Research

Under antiretroviral therapy, the viral persistence of HIV is enabled by latent viral reservoirs, particularly in resting CD4+ T cells. Recent studies reveal interactions between endothelial cells and T cells allowing for latent infection of resting and activated CD4+ T cells. We focused our investigation on the stimulation of activated T cells by intestinal endothelial cells (IECs), due to the prominent gut pathology of HIV and predominance of an activated T cell phenotype in the gut. While prior research shows the involvement of soluble factors like IL-6 in stimulation of resting T cells, our results from transwell cultures suggest the …

Regulation Of P53 By Trpm6 And Trpm7, Thomas Whitbread

Theses and Dissertations

TRPM6 and TRPM7 are two divalent metal cation channels that also possess a serine/threonine kinase domain. They both play critical roles in cellular and organismal metal homeostasis, and are necessary for proper embryonic development and human health. They may function independently in homomeric units, or act together as heterotetramers that display unique characteristics compared to the homomeric channels. These channel-kinases have increasingly been linked to cancer, displaying altered expression levels in a variety of human cancers and contributing to disease progression. Prior work has shown that TRPM6 and TRPM7 can participate in cancer-related signaling pathways. Here, the potential for TRPM6 …

The Location Of Nf-Kb And Akap-95 In Lipopolysaccharide Treated Rt4-D6p2t Schwannoma Cells, Mackenzie Wilcox, Angela Asirvatham

SURF Posters 2023

No abstract provided.

Protected Areas Slow Declines Unevenly Across The Tetrapod Tree Of Life, A Justin Nowakowski, James I. Watling, Alexander Murray, Jessica L. Deichmann, Thomas S. Akre, Carlos L. Muñoz Brenes, Brian D. Todd, Louise Mcrae, Robin Freeman, Luke O. Frishkoff

2023 Faculty Bibliography

Protected areas (PAs) are the primary strategy for slowing terrestrial biodiversity loss. Although expansion of PA coverage is prioritized under the Convention on Biological Diversity, it remains unknown whether PAs mitigate declines across the tetrapod tree of life and to what extent land cover and climate change modify PA effectiveness1,2. Here we analysed rates of change in abundance of 2,239 terrestrial vertebrate populations across the globe. On average, vertebrate populations declined five times more slowly within PAs (−0.4% per year) than at similar sites lacking protection (−1.8% per year). The mitigating effects of PAs varied both within and across vertebrate …

New Terrestrial Cyanobacteria From The Azores Islands: Description Of Venetifunis Gen. Nov. And New Species Of Albertania, Kovacikia And Pegethrix, Ruben Luz, Rita Cordeiro, Jan Kastovsky, Jeffrey R. Johansen, Elisabete Dias, Amelia Fonseca, Vitor Vasconcelos, Vitor Goncalves

2023 Faculty Bibliography

The taxonomy of cyanobacteria has advanced quickly with the use of molecular methods in combination with well-defined morphological and ecological characters. Using this approach, many taxonomical changes have occurred in the Synechococcales and Oscillatoriales, with the description of new families, genera and species. Here we present the study of four cyanobacterial strains from the Bank of Algae and Cyanobacteria of the Azores (BACA) culture collection, all isolated from the Azores Archipelago. The strains were genetically characterized through the amplification of the 16S rRNA gene and 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, as well as morphologically by light and transmission …

Linking Predator Responses To Alkaloid Variability In Poison Frogs Language:, J P. Lawrence, Bibiana Rojas, Annelise Blanchett, Ralph Saporito, Johanna Mappes, Antoine Fouquet, Brice P. Noonan

2023 Faculty Bibliography

Many chemically-defended/aposematic species rely on diet for sequestering the toxins with which they defend themselves. This dietary acquisition can lead to variable chemical defenses across space, as the community composition of chemical sources is likely to vary across the range of (an aposematic) species. We characterized the alkaloid content of two populations of the Dyeing Poison Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius) in northeastern French Guiana. Additionally, we conducted unpalatability experiments with naive predators, Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), using whole-skin secretion cocktails to assess how a model predator would respond to the defense of individuals from each population. While there was some overlap …

Maternal Chemical Defenses Predict Ofspring Defenses In A Dendrobatid Poison Frog, Olivia L. Brooks, Jessie J. James, Ralph Saporito

2023 Faculty Bibliography

Within and among populations, alkaloid defenses of the strawberry poison frog (Oophaga pumilio) vary spatially, temporally, and with life history stage. Natural variation in defense has been implicated as a critical factor in determining the level of protection aforded against predators and pathogens. Oophaga pumilio tadpoles sequester alkaloids from nutritive eggs and are, thus, entirely dependent on their mothers for their defense. However, it remains unclear how tadpole alkaloid composition relates to that of its mother and how variation in maternally provisioned defenses might result in varying levels of protection against predators. Here, we demonstrate that natural variation in the …

Albertania And Egbenema Gen. Nov. From Nigeria And The United States, Expanding Biodiversity In The Oculatellaceae (Cyanobacteria), Mildred Akagha, Nicole Pietrasiak, David F. Bustos, Alžběta Vondrášková, Sandra C. Lamb, Jeffrey R. Johansen

2023 Faculty Bibliography

Knowledge of the tropical terrestrial cyanobacterial flora from the African con-tinent is still limited. Of 31 strains isolated from soil and subaerial samples col-lected in Lagos State, Nigeria, three were found to be in the Oculatellaceae,including two species in a new genus. Subsequently, isolates from micro-bial mats in White Sands National Park in New Mexico, United States, andfrom a rock near the ocean in Puerto Rico, United States, were found tobelong to the new genus as well. Cyanobacterial isolates were character-ized microscopically, sequenced for the 16S rRNA gene and associated ITSregion, and phylogenetically analyzed. Egbenema gen. nov., with three newspecies, …

A Long‐Term Obesogenic High‐Fat Diet In Mice Partially Dampens The Anti‐Frailty Benefts Of Late‐Life Intermittent Fasting, Yoko Henderson, Nazmin Bithi, Jie Yang, Christopher Link, Aili Zhang, Benjamin Baron, Eran Maina, Christopher Hine

Senior Honors Projects

The global obesity pandemic coupled with ever-growing life expectancies equates to hundreds of millions of individuals with potentially longer but not healthier lives. Aging is one of the risk factors for numerous maladies such as metabolic dis- order and frailty, which are exacerbated under obesity. Thus, therapeutic approaches that address obesity to ultimately improve afected individuals’ quality of life and extend their lifespan are needed. We previously reported that the every other day (EOD) fasting initiated late-life improved metabolic, musculoskeletal, and cognitive endpoints in standard rodent diet-fed mice. In the present study, using the same dietary intervention methodology, we tested …