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The Serotonin Transporter Gene Linked Polymorphic Region Is Associated With The Behavioral Response To Repeated Stress Exposure In Infant Rhesus Macaques, Simona Spinelli, Melanie L. Schwandt, Stephen G. Lindell, Markus Heilig, Stephen J. Suomi, James Dee Higley, David Goldman, Christina S. Barr Nov 2012

The Serotonin Transporter Gene Linked Polymorphic Region Is Associated With The Behavioral Response To Repeated Stress Exposure In Infant Rhesus Macaques, Simona Spinelli, Melanie L. Schwandt, Stephen G. Lindell, Markus Heilig, Stephen J. Suomi, James Dee Higley, David Goldman, Christina S. Barr

Faculty Publications

The short allele of the serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) moderates the effects of stress on vulnerability to mood and anxiety disorders. The mechanism by which this occurs may relate to differential sensitivity to stressful life events. Here we explored whether 5- HTTLPR and sex affected behavioral responses to repeated maternal separation in infant rhesus macaques. Behaviors were collected during the acute (Day 1) and the chronic (Days 2–4) phases of the separation, and the effects of duration of separation (acute vs. chronic), genotype (long/long vs. short allele), and sex (male vs. female) on behavioral responses were analyzed across …

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Ethread: A Highly Optimized Machine Learning-Based Approach To Meta-Threading And The Modeling Of Protein Tertiary Structures, Michal Brylinski, Daswanth Lingam Nov 2012

Ethread: A Highly Optimized Machine Learning-Based Approach To Meta-Threading And The Modeling Of Protein Tertiary Structures, Michal Brylinski, Daswanth Lingam

Faculty Publications

Template-based modeling that employs various meta-threading techniques is currently the most accurate, and consequently the most commonly used, approach for protein structure prediction. Despite the evident progress in this field, accurate structure models cannot be constructed for a significant fraction of gene products, thus the development of new algorithms is required. Here, we describe the development, optimization and large-scale benchmarking of eThread, a highly accurate meta-threading procedure for the identification of structural templates and the construction of corresponding target-to-template alignments. eThread integrates ten state-of-the-art threading/fold recognition algorithms in a local environment and extensively uses various machine learning techniques to carry …

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Complex Of Myoglobin With Phenol Bound In A Proximal Cavity, Xiao Huang, Chunxue Wang, Lesa R. Celeste, Leslie L. Lovelace, Shengfang Sun, John H. Dawson, Lukasz Lebioda Nov 2012

Complex Of Myoglobin With Phenol Bound In A Proximal Cavity, Xiao Huang, Chunxue Wang, Lesa R. Celeste, Leslie L. Lovelace, Shengfang Sun, John H. Dawson, Lukasz Lebioda

Faculty Publications

Sperm whale myoglobin (Mb) has weak dehaloperoxidase activity and catalyzes the peroxidative dehalogenation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) to 2,6-dichloroquinone. Crystals of Mb and of its more active G65T variant were used to study the binding of TCP, 4-iodophenol (4-IP) and phenol. The structures of crystals soaked overnight in a 10 mM solution of phenol revealed that a phenol molecule binds in the proximal cavity, forming a hydrogen bond to the hydroxyl of Tyr146 and hydrophobic contacts which include interactions with C and C of the proximal histidine His93. The phenol position corresponds to the strongest xenon binding site, Xe1. It …

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Random Coil To Globular Thermal Response Of A Protein (H3.1) With Three Knowledge-Based Coarse-Grained Potentials, Ras B. Pandey, Barry L. Farmer Nov 2012

Random Coil To Globular Thermal Response Of A Protein (H3.1) With Three Knowledge-Based Coarse-Grained Potentials, Ras B. Pandey, Barry L. Farmer

Faculty Publications

The effect of temperature on the conformation of a histone (H3.1) is studied by a coarse-grained Monte Carlo simulation based on three knowledge-based contact potentials (MJ, BT, BFKV). Despite unique energy and mobility profiles of its residues, the histone H3.1 undergoes a systematic (possibly continuous) structural transition from a random coil to a globular conformation on reducing the temperature. The range over which such a systematic response in variation of the radius of gyration (Rg) with the temperature (T) occurs, however, depends on the potential, i.e. ΔTMJ ≈ 0.013–0.020, ΔTBT ≈ 0.018–0.026 …

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Beyond Gel Electrophoresis: Microfluidic Separations, Fluorescence Burst Analysis, And Dna Stretching, Kevin D. Dorfman, Scott B. King, Daniel W. Olson, Joel D. P. Thomas, Douglas R. Tree Nov 2012

Beyond Gel Electrophoresis: Microfluidic Separations, Fluorescence Burst Analysis, And Dna Stretching, Kevin D. Dorfman, Scott B. King, Daniel W. Olson, Joel D. P. Thomas, Douglas R. Tree

Faculty Publications

This review addresses methods for obtaining sequence information directly from unamplified genomic length DNA. Our generic starting point is a large piece of DNA that contains many thousands of base pairs (kilobase pairs, kbp) or even millions of base pairs (megabase pairs, Mbp). We would like to determine the genomic distance between two repeats of a given sequence, indicated by the red dots on the coiled DNA molecule in Figure 1. Let us consider the case where these sequences are restriction sites, which can be selectively cut using proteins known as restriction enzymes. For decades, gel electrophoresis served as the …

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Risk Of Radiogenic Second Cancers Following Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy And Proton Arc Therapy For Prostate Cancer, Laura A. Rechner, Rebecca M. Howell, Rui Zhang, Carol Etzel, Andrew K. Lee, Wayne D. Newhauser Nov 2012

Risk Of Radiogenic Second Cancers Following Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy And Proton Arc Therapy For Prostate Cancer, Laura A. Rechner, Rebecca M. Howell, Rui Zhang, Carol Etzel, Andrew K. Lee, Wayne D. Newhauser

Faculty Publications

Prostate cancer patients who undergo radiotherapy are at an increased risk to develop a radiogenic second cancer. Proton therapy has been shown to reduce the predicted risk of second cancer when compared to intensity modulated radiotherapy. However, it is unknown if this is also true for the rotational therapies proton arc therapy and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). The objective of this study was to compare the predicted risk of cancer following proton arc therapy and VMAT for prostate cancer. Proton arc therapy and VMAT plans were created for three patients. Various risk models were combined with the dosimetric data …

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A Phylogenomic Approach To Vertebrate Phylogeny Supports A Turtle-Archosaur Affinity And A Possible Paraphyletic Lissamphibia, Jonathan J. Fong, Jeremy M. Brown, Matthew K. Fujita, Bastien Boussau Nov 2012

A Phylogenomic Approach To Vertebrate Phylogeny Supports A Turtle-Archosaur Affinity And A Possible Paraphyletic Lissamphibia, Jonathan J. Fong, Jeremy M. Brown, Matthew K. Fujita, Bastien Boussau

Faculty Publications

In resolving the vertebrate tree of life, two fundamental questions remain: 1) what is the phylogenetic position of turtles within amniotes, and 2) what are the relationships between the three major lissamphibian (extant amphibian) groups? These relationships have historically been difficult to resolve, with five different hypotheses proposed for turtle placement, and four proposed branching patterns within Lissamphibia. We compiled a large cDNA/EST dataset for vertebrates (75 genes for 129 taxa) to address these outstanding questions. Gene-specific phylogenetic analyses revealed a great deal of variation in preferred topology, resulting in topologically ambiguous conclusions from the combined dataset. Due to consistent …

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Thermal Fluctuations Of Haemoglobin From Different Species: Adaptation To Temperature Via Conformational Dynamics, A. M. Stadler, C. J. Garvey, A. Bocahut, S. Sacquin-Mora, I. Digel, G. J. Schneider, F. Natali, G. M. Artmann, G. Zaccai Nov 2012

Thermal Fluctuations Of Haemoglobin From Different Species: Adaptation To Temperature Via Conformational Dynamics, A. M. Stadler, C. J. Garvey, A. Bocahut, S. Sacquin-Mora, I. Digel, G. J. Schneider, F. Natali, G. M. Artmann, G. Zaccai

Faculty Publications

Thermodynamic stability, configurational motions and internal forces of haemoglobin (Hb) of three endotherms (platypus, Ornithorhynchus anatinus; domestic chicken, Gallus gallus domesticus and human, Homo sapiens) and an ectotherm (salt water crocodile, Crocodylus porosus) were investigated using circular dichroism, incoherent elastic neutron scattering and coarse-grained Brownian dynamics simulations. The experimental results from Hb solutions revealed a direct correlation between protein resilience, melting temperature and average body temperature of the different species on the 0.1 ns time scale. Molecular forces appeared to be adapted to permit conformational fluctuations with a root mean square displacement close to 1.2 Å at the corresponding average …

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ΑVΒ3 Integrin Crystal Structures And Their Functional Implications, Xianchi Dong, Li Zhi Mi, Jianghai Zhu, Wei Wang, Ping Hu, Bing Hao Luo, Timothy A. Springer Nov 2012

ΑVΒ3 Integrin Crystal Structures And Their Functional Implications, Xianchi Dong, Li Zhi Mi, Jianghai Zhu, Wei Wang, Ping Hu, Bing Hao Luo, Timothy A. Springer

Faculty Publications

Many questions about the significance of structural features of integrin αVβ3 with respect to its mechanism of activation remain. We have determined and re-refined crystal structures of the αVβ3 ectodomain linked to C-terminal coiled coils (αVβ3-AB) and four transmembrane (TM) residues in each subunit (αVβ3-1TM), respectively. The αV and β3 subunits with four and eight extracellular domains, respectively, are bent at knees between the integrin headpiece and lower legs, and the headpiece has the closed, low-affinity conformation. The structures differ in the occupancy of three metal-binding sites in the βI domain. Occupancy appears to be related to the pH of …

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Connective Tissue, Critical Ties: Academic Collaboration As A Form And Ethics Of Kinship, Kathleen F. Mcconnell Nov 2012

Connective Tissue, Critical Ties: Academic Collaboration As A Form And Ethics Of Kinship, Kathleen F. Mcconnell

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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Meeting In The Middle: Fred L. Casmir's Contributions To The Field Of Intercultural Communication, Mark C. Hopson, Tabitha B. Hart, Gina Castle Bell Nov 2012

Meeting In The Middle: Fred L. Casmir's Contributions To The Field Of Intercultural Communication, Mark C. Hopson, Tabitha B. Hart, Gina Castle Bell

Faculty Publications

Fred Casmir's third culture building (TCB) framework made a major theoretical contribution to communication studies. Casmir conceptualized the framework as an active process whereby different cultural groups come together to form a third culture between them. The third culture then becomes a common ground for all participants; a cognitive space that incorporates elements of both cultures and yet remains separate and distinct. Third culture building is a departure from adoption (the process of taking on the cultural mores of another) or adaptation (modifying one's cultural mores to better fit those of another), and achieved through deliberate development in an extended …

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Silencing Of Host Genes Directed By Virus-Derived Short Interfering Rnas In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Xunyang Guo, Wan Xiang Li, Rui Lu Nov 2012

Silencing Of Host Genes Directed By Virus-Derived Short Interfering Rnas In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Xunyang Guo, Wan Xiang Li, Rui Lu

Faculty Publications

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) processed from viral replication intermediates by RNase III-like enzyme Dicer guidesequence-specific antiviral silencing in fungi, plants, and invertebrates. In plants, virus-derived siRNAs (viRNAs) can target and silence cellular transcripts and, in some cases, are responsible for the induction of plant diseases. Currently it remains unclear whether viRNAs are also capable of modulating the expression of cellular genes in the animal kingdom, although animal virus-encoded microRNAs (miRNAs) are known to guide efficient silencing of host genes, thereby facilitating virus replication. In this report, we showed that viRNAs derived from a modified nodavirus triggered potent silencing of homologous …

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The Fat Controller: Adipocyte Development, Jacqueline M. Stephens Nov 2012

The Fat Controller: Adipocyte Development, Jacqueline M. Stephens

Faculty Publications

Obesity is a condition characterized by excess adipose tissue that results from positive energy balance and is the most common metabolic disorder in the industrialized world. The obesity epidemic shows no sign of slowing, and it is increasingly a global problem. Serious clinical problems associated with obesity include an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, and cancer. Hence, understanding the origin and development of adipocytes and adipose tissue will be critical to the analysis and treatment of metabolic diseases. Historically, albeit incorrectly, adipocytes were thought to be inert cells whose singular function was lipid storage. It is now known …

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An Alu-Based Phylogeny Of Gibbons (Hylobatidae), Thomas J. Meyer, Adam T. Mclain, J. Michael Oldenburg, Christopher Faulk, Matthew G. Bourgeois, Erin M. Conlin, Alan R. Mootnick, Pieter J. De Jong, Christian Roos, Lucia Carbone, Mark A. Batzer Nov 2012

An Alu-Based Phylogeny Of Gibbons (Hylobatidae), Thomas J. Meyer, Adam T. Mclain, J. Michael Oldenburg, Christopher Faulk, Matthew G. Bourgeois, Erin M. Conlin, Alan R. Mootnick, Pieter J. De Jong, Christian Roos, Lucia Carbone, Mark A. Batzer

Faculty Publications

Gibbons (Hylobatidae) are small, arboreal apes indigenous to Southeast Asia that diverged from other apes ∼15-18 Ma. Extant lineages radiated rapidly 6-10 Ma and are organized into four genera (Hylobates, Hoolock, Symphalangus, and Nomascus) consisting of 12-19 species. The use of short interspersed elements (SINEs) as phylogenetic markers has seen recent popularity due to several desirable characteristics: the ancestral state of a locus is known to be the absence of an element, rare potentially homoplasious events are relatively easy to resolve, and samples can be quickly and inexpensively genotyped. During radiation of primates, one particular family of SINEs, the Alu …

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An Integrated Map Of Genetic Variation From 1,092 Human Genomes, David M. Altshuler, Richard M. Durbin, Gonçalo R. Abecasis, David R. Bentley, Aravinda Chakravarti, Andrew G. Clark, Peter Donnelly, Evan E. Eichler, Paul Flicek, Stacey B. Gabriel, Richard A. Gibbs, Eric D. Green, Matthew E. Hurles, Bartha M. Knoppers, Jan O. Korbel, Eric S. Lander, Charles Lee, Hans Lehrach, Elaine R. Mardis, Gabor T. Marth, Gil A. Mcvean, Deborah A. Nickerson, Jeanette P. Schmidt, Stephen T. Sherry, Jun Wang, Richard K. Wilson, Huyen Dinh, Christie Kovar, Sandra Lee, Lora Lewis, Donna Muzny, Jeff Reid, Min Wang, Xiaodong Fang Nov 2012

An Integrated Map Of Genetic Variation From 1,092 Human Genomes, David M. Altshuler, Richard M. Durbin, Gonçalo R. Abecasis, David R. Bentley, Aravinda Chakravarti, Andrew G. Clark, Peter Donnelly, Evan E. Eichler, Paul Flicek, Stacey B. Gabriel, Richard A. Gibbs, Eric D. Green, Matthew E. Hurles, Bartha M. Knoppers, Jan O. Korbel, Eric S. Lander, Charles Lee, Hans Lehrach, Elaine R. Mardis, Gabor T. Marth, Gil A. Mcvean, Deborah A. Nickerson, Jeanette P. Schmidt, Stephen T. Sherry, Jun Wang, Richard K. Wilson, Huyen Dinh, Christie Kovar, Sandra Lee, Lora Lewis, Donna Muzny, Jeff Reid, Min Wang, Xiaodong Fang

Faculty Publications

By characterizing the geographic and functional spectrum of human genetic variation, the 1000 Genomes Project aims to build a resource to help to understand the genetic contribution to disease. Here we describe the genomes of 1,092 individuals from 14 populations, constructed using a combination of low-coverage whole-genome and exome sequencing. By developing methods to integrate information across several algorithms and diverse data sources, we provide a validated haplotype map of 38 million single nucleotide polymorphisms, 1.4 million short insertions and deletions, and more than 14,000 larger deletions. We show that individuals from different populations carry different profiles of rare and …

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Silicon Reduces Brown Spot Severity And Grain Discoloration On Several Rice Genotypes, Anne S. Prabhu, Morel P. Barbosa Filho, Lawrence E. Datnoff, George H. Snyder, Rodrigo F. Berni, Fabricio A. Rodrigues, Leandro J. Dallagnol Nov 2012

Silicon Reduces Brown Spot Severity And Grain Discoloration On Several Rice Genotypes, Anne S. Prabhu, Morel P. Barbosa Filho, Lawrence E. Datnoff, George H. Snyder, Rodrigo F. Berni, Fabricio A. Rodrigues, Leandro J. Dallagnol

Faculty Publications

This study aimed to investigate the effect of silicon (Si) on the reduction of brown spot severity (BSS), caused by Bipolaris oryzae, and grain discoloration in several rice genotypes. An experiment was conducted in a greenhouse where eight genotypes were evaluated for their response to Si rates and decrease on BSS. The relationship between Si rates and BSS was linear negative. Additionally, a field experiment was conducted including forty-eight genotypes which were grown in upland conditions and evaluated for their response to Si rates and reduction on grain discoloration. The relationship between Si rates and grain discoloration was quadratic negative. …

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Aqueous Synthesis Of 1-H-2-Substituted Benzimidazoles Via Transition-Metal-Free Intramolecular Amination Of Aryl Iodides, Chunxia Chen, Chen Chen, Bin Li, Jingwei Tao, Jinsong Peng Nov 2012

Aqueous Synthesis Of 1-H-2-Substituted Benzimidazoles Via Transition-Metal-Free Intramolecular Amination Of Aryl Iodides, Chunxia Chen, Chen Chen, Bin Li, Jingwei Tao, Jinsong Peng

Faculty Publications

A straightforward method has been developed for the synthesis of the benzimidazole ring system through a carbon-nitrogen cross-coupling reaction. In the presence of 2.0 equiv. of K 2CO 3 in water at 100 °C for 30 h, the intramolecular cyclization of N-(2-iodoaryl)benzamidine provides benzimidazole derivatives in moderate to high yields. Remarkably, the procedure occurs exclusively in water and doesn't require the use of any additional reagent/catalyst, rendering the methodology highly valuable from both environmental and economical points of view. © 2012 by the authors.

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Oxidized Quinones Signal Onset Of Darkness Directly To The Cyanobacterial Circadian Oscillator, Yong Ick Kim, David J. Vinyard, Gennady M. Ananyev, G. Charles Dismukes, Susan S. Golden Oct 2012

Oxidized Quinones Signal Onset Of Darkness Directly To The Cyanobacterial Circadian Oscillator, Yong Ick Kim, David J. Vinyard, Gennady M. Ananyev, G. Charles Dismukes, Susan S. Golden

Faculty Publications

Synchronization of the circadian clock in cyanobacteria with the day/night cycle proceeds without an obvious photoreceptor, leaving open the question of its specific mechanism. The circadian oscillator can be reconstituted in vitro,where the activities of two of its proteins, KaiA and KaiC, are affected by metabolites that reflect photosynthetic activity: KaiC phosphorylation is directly influenced by the ATP/ADP ratio, and KaiA stimulation of KaiC phosphorylation is blocked by oxidized, but not reduced, quinones. Manipulation of the ATP/ADP ratio can reset the timing of KaiC phosphorylation peaks in the reconstituted in vitro oscillator. Here, we show that pulses of oxidized quinones …

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Intercalibration Studies Of Short-Lived Thorium-234 In The Water Column And Marine Particles, Kanchan Maiti, Ken O. Buesseler, Steven M. Pike, Claudia Benitez-Nelson, Pinghe Cai, Weifang Chen, Kirk Cochran, Minhan Dai, Frank Dehairs, Beat Gasser, Roger P. Kelly, Pere Masque, Lisa A. Miller, Juan Carlos Miquel, Bradley B. Moran, Paul J. Morris, Florian Peine, Frederic Planchon, Alisha A. Renfro, Michiel Rutgers Van Der Loeff, Peter H. Santschi, Robert Turnewitsch, James T. Waples, Chen Xu Oct 2012

Intercalibration Studies Of Short-Lived Thorium-234 In The Water Column And Marine Particles, Kanchan Maiti, Ken O. Buesseler, Steven M. Pike, Claudia Benitez-Nelson, Pinghe Cai, Weifang Chen, Kirk Cochran, Minhan Dai, Frank Dehairs, Beat Gasser, Roger P. Kelly, Pere Masque, Lisa A. Miller, Juan Carlos Miquel, Bradley B. Moran, Paul J. Morris, Florian Peine, Frederic Planchon, Alisha A. Renfro, Michiel Rutgers Van Der Loeff, Peter H. Santschi, Robert Turnewitsch, James T. Waples, Chen Xu

Faculty Publications

Intercomparision of 234Th measurements in both water and particulate samples was carried out between 15 laboratories worldwide, as a part of GEOTRACES inter-calibration program. Particulate samples from four different stations namely BATS (both shallow and deep) and shelf station (shallow) in Atlantic and SAFE (both shallow and deep) and Santa Barbara station (shallow) in Pacific were used in the effort. Particulate intercalibration results indicate good agreement between all the participating labs with data from all labs falling within the 95% confidence interval around the mean for most instances. Filter type experiments indicate no significant differences in 234Th activities …

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Profundulus Kreiseri, A New Species Of Profundulidae (Teleostei, Cyprinodontiformes) From Northwestern Honduras, Wilfredo A. Matamoros, Jacob F. Schaefer, Carmen L. Hernández, Prosanta Chakrabarty Oct 2012

Profundulus Kreiseri, A New Species Of Profundulidae (Teleostei, Cyprinodontiformes) From Northwestern Honduras, Wilfredo A. Matamoros, Jacob F. Schaefer, Carmen L. Hernández, Prosanta Chakrabarty

Faculty Publications

A new species of Profundulus, P. kreiseri (Cyprinodontiformes: Profundulidae), is described from the Chamelecón and Ulúa Rivers in the northwestern Honduran highlands. Based on a phylogenetic analysis using cytochrome b and the presence of synapomorphic characters (dark humeral spot, a scaled preorbital region and between 32-34 vertebrae), this new species is placed in the subgenus Profundulus, which also includes P. (P.) oaxacae, P. (P.) punctatus and P. (P.) guatemalensis. Profundulus kreiseri can be distinguished from other members of the subgenus Profundulus by having less than half of its caudal fin densely scaled. Profundulus kreiseri can further be differentiated from P. …

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Phylogenomics And A Posteriori Data Partitioning Resolve The Cretaceous Angiosperm Radiation Malpighiales, Zhenxiang Xi, Brad R. Ruhfel, Hanno Schaefer, André M. Amorim, M. Sugumaran, Kenneth J. Wurdack, Peter K. Endress, Merran L. Matthews, Peter F. Stevens, Sarah Mathews, Charles C. Davis Oct 2012

Phylogenomics And A Posteriori Data Partitioning Resolve The Cretaceous Angiosperm Radiation Malpighiales, Zhenxiang Xi, Brad R. Ruhfel, Hanno Schaefer, André M. Amorim, M. Sugumaran, Kenneth J. Wurdack, Peter K. Endress, Merran L. Matthews, Peter F. Stevens, Sarah Mathews, Charles C. Davis

Faculty Publications

The angiosperm order Malpighiales includes ∼16,000 species and constitutes up to 40% of the understory tree diversity in tropical rain forests. Despite remarkable progress in angiospermsystematics during the last 20 y, relationships within Malpighiales remain poorly resolved, possibly owing to its rapid rise during the mid-Cretaceous. Using phylogenomic approaches, including analyses of 82 plastid genes from 58 species, we identified 12 additional clades in Malpighiales and substantially increased resolution along the backbone. This greatly improved phylogeny revealed a dynamic history of shifts in net diversification rates across Malpighiales, with bursts of diversification noted in the Barbados cherries(Malpighiaceae), cocas (Erythroxylaceae), and …

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More Than 1000 Ultraconserved Elements Provide Evidence That Turtles Are The Sister Group Of Archosaurs, Nicholas G. Crawford, Brant C. Faircloth, John E. Mccormack, Robb T. Brumfield, Kevin Winker, Travis C. Glenn Oct 2012

More Than 1000 Ultraconserved Elements Provide Evidence That Turtles Are The Sister Group Of Archosaurs, Nicholas G. Crawford, Brant C. Faircloth, John E. Mccormack, Robb T. Brumfield, Kevin Winker, Travis C. Glenn

Faculty Publications

We present the first genomic-scale analysis addressing the phylogenetic position of turtles, using over 1000 loci from representatives of all major reptile lineages including tuatara. Previously, studies of morphological traits positioned turtles either at the base of the reptile tree or with lizards, snakes and tuatara (lepidosaurs), whereas molecular analyses typically allied turtles with crocodiles and birds (archosaurs). A recent analysis of shared microRNA families found that turtles are more closely related to lepidosaurs. To test this hypothesis with data frommany single-copy nuclear loci dispersed throughout the genome, we used sequence capture, high-throughput sequencing and published genomes to obtain sequences …

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Social Information Changes The Brain, Russell D. Fernald, Karen P. Maruska Oct 2012

Social Information Changes The Brain, Russell D. Fernald, Karen P. Maruska

Faculty Publications

Social animals live in complex physical and social environments requiring them to attend and rapidly respond to social and environmental information by changing their behavior. A key social influence is rank or status, a ubiquitous element in animal societies. Rank typically regulates access to reproduction and other resources, among other consequences for individuals. Because reproduction is arguably the most important event in any animals' life, understanding howreproduction is regulated by social status and related physiological factors can instruct our understanding of evolutionary change. This article reviews evidence from a model social system in which reproduction is tightly controlled by social …

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Maternal Pre‐Pregnancy Body Mass Index Is Not Associated With Infant And Young Child Feeding In Low‐Income Mexican Children 1–24 Months Old, Eva C. Monterrosa, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Lynnette M. Neufeld, Kelsey A. Egan, Usha Ramakrishnan, Kathleen M. Rasmussen Oct 2012

Maternal Pre‐Pregnancy Body Mass Index Is Not Associated With Infant And Young Child Feeding In Low‐Income Mexican Children 1–24 Months Old, Eva C. Monterrosa, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Lynnette M. Neufeld, Kelsey A. Egan, Usha Ramakrishnan, Kathleen M. Rasmussen

Faculty Publications

Pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity is associated with shorter breastfeeding (BF) duration. Whether pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity is associated with other aspects of infant and young child feeding (IYCF) hasnot been investigated. We used data from 370 children born January 1999–September 2001 in a semi-urbancommunity in Morelos, Mexico, where information on how they were fed was available at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24months of age. We modified the World Health Organization’s dietary diversity indicator to assess the quality ofthe complementary foods. An index that included BF, quality of complementary foods and other behaviours wasconstructed to measure IYCF. We …

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Characterization Of Cell Proliferation Throughout The Brain Of The African Cichlid Fish Astatotilapia Burtoni And Its Regulation By Social Status, Karen P. Maruska, Russ E. Carpenter, Russell D. Fernald Oct 2012

Characterization Of Cell Proliferation Throughout The Brain Of The African Cichlid Fish Astatotilapia Burtoni And Its Regulation By Social Status, Karen P. Maruska, Russ E. Carpenter, Russell D. Fernald

Faculty Publications

New cells are added in the brains of all adult vertebrates, but fishes have some of the greatest potential for neurogenesis and gliogenesis among all taxa, partly due to their indeterminate growth. Little is known, however, about how social interactions influence cell proliferation in the brain of these fishes that comprise the largest group of vertebrates. We used 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) to identify and localize proliferation zones in the telencephalon, diencephalon, mesencephalon, and rhombencephalon that were primarily associated with ventricular surfaces in the brain of the African cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni. Cell migration was evident in some regions by 1 day …

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Amp-Activated Protein Kinase Stimulates Myostatin Expression In C2c12 Cells, Arun K. Das, Qi Yuan Yang, Xing Fu, Jun Fang Liang, Marcio S. Duarte, Mei Jun Zhu, Grant D. Trobridge, Min Du Oct 2012

Amp-Activated Protein Kinase Stimulates Myostatin Expression In C2c12 Cells, Arun K. Das, Qi Yuan Yang, Xing Fu, Jun Fang Liang, Marcio S. Duarte, Mei Jun Zhu, Grant D. Trobridge, Min Du

Faculty Publications

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a master regulator of energy metabolism in skeletal muscle; AMPK induces muscle protein degradation but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Myostatin is a powerful negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass and growth in mammalian species. We hypothesized that AMPK stimulates myostatin expression, which provides an explanation for the negative role of AMPK in muscle growth. The objective of this study is to demonstrate that AMPK stimulates myostatin expression using C2C12 cells as a model. Activation of AMPK by 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β- d-riboruranoside (AICAR.) dramatically increased the mRNA expression and protein content of myostatin in C2C12 myotubes, and …

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A Stress Inducible Sumo Conjugating Enzyme Gene (Sasce9) From A Grass Halophyte Spartina Alterniflora Enhances Salinity And Drought Stress Tolerance In Arabidopsis, Ratna Karan, Prasanta K. Subudhi Oct 2012

A Stress Inducible Sumo Conjugating Enzyme Gene (Sasce9) From A Grass Halophyte Spartina Alterniflora Enhances Salinity And Drought Stress Tolerance In Arabidopsis, Ratna Karan, Prasanta K. Subudhi

Faculty Publications

Background: SUMO (Small Ubiquitin related Modifier) conjugation is a post translational regulatory process found in all eukaryotes, mediated by SUMO activating enzyme, SUMO conjugating enzyme, and SUMO ligase for the attachment of SUMO to its target protein. Although the mechanism for regulation of SUMO conjugation pathway genes under abiotic stress has been studied to certain extent, the role of SUMO conjugating enzyme in improving abiotic stress tolerance to plant is largely unexplored. Here, we have characterized a SUMO conjugating enzyme gene 'SaSce9' from a halophytic grass Spartina alterniflora and investigated its role in imparting abiotic stress tolerance.Results: SaSce9 gene encodes …

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Aqueous-Based Initiator Attachment And Atrp Grafting Of Polymer Brushes From Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) Substrates, Sreelatha S. Balamurugan, Balamurugan Subramanian, Jowell G. Bolivar, Robin L. Mccarley Oct 2012

Aqueous-Based Initiator Attachment And Atrp Grafting Of Polymer Brushes From Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) Substrates, Sreelatha S. Balamurugan, Balamurugan Subramanian, Jowell G. Bolivar, Robin L. Mccarley

Faculty Publications

Many polymers, such as PMMA, are very susceptible to swelling or dissolution by organic solvents. Growing covalently attached polymer brushes from these surfaces by atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) is challenging because of the typical requirement of organic solvent for initiator immobilization. We report an unprecedented, aqueous-based route to graft poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), PNIPAAm, from poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA, surfaces by ATRP, wherein the underlying PMMA is unaffected. Successful attachment of the ATRP initiator, N-hydroxysuccinimidyl-2-bromo-2- methylpropionate, on amine-bearing PMMA surfaces was confirmed by XPS. From this surface-immobilized initiator, thermoresponsive PNIPAAm brushes were grown by aqueous ATRP to yield optically transparent PNIPAAm-grafted PMMA surfaces. This …

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Visual And Electronic Evaluations Of Detached Strawberry Leaves Inoculated With Colletotrichum Species, M. A. Miller-Butler, K. J. Curry, B. R. Kreiser, B. J. Smith Oct 2012

Visual And Electronic Evaluations Of Detached Strawberry Leaves Inoculated With Colletotrichum Species, M. A. Miller-Butler, K. J. Curry, B. R. Kreiser, B. J. Smith

Faculty Publications

Inoculation of detached strawberry leaves with Colletotrichum species may provide an accurate, rapid, non-destructive method of identifying anthracnose resistant germplasm. Two assessments of anthracnose disease severity were compared on detached strawberry leaves inoculated with Colletotrichum fragariae and C. gloeosporioides: a quantitative assessment made via computer-based image analysis and a visual assessment made by two independent raters. The image analysis provided a precise measurement of percent lesion area of infected leaves. There was a strong positive correlation between percent lesion area and the visual disease scores of the raters.

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Hemisphere-Scale Differences In Conifer Evolutionary Dynamics, Andrew B. Leslie, Jeremy M. Beaulieu, Hardeep S. Rai, Peter R. Crane, Michael J. Donoghue, Sarah Mathews Oct 2012

Hemisphere-Scale Differences In Conifer Evolutionary Dynamics, Andrew B. Leslie, Jeremy M. Beaulieu, Hardeep S. Rai, Peter R. Crane, Michael J. Donoghue, Sarah Mathews

Faculty Publications

Fundamental differences in the distribution of oceans and landmasses in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres potentially impact patterns of biological diversity in the two areas. The evolutionary history of conifers provides an opportunity to explore these dynamics, because the majority of extant conifer species belong to lineages that have been broadly confined to the Northern or Southern Hemisphere during the Cenozoic. Incorporating genetic information with a critical review of fossil evidence, we developed an age-calibrated phylogeny sampling ∼80% of living conifer species. Most extant conifer species diverged recently during the Neogene within clades that generally were established during the later …

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