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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Translation Control Tunes Drosophila Oogenesis, Elliot T. Martin
Translation Control Tunes Drosophila Oogenesis, Elliot T. Martin
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
The decision of a stem cell to either self-renew or differentiate is controlled by specific cellularpathways that can act at the level of transcription, translation, or post-translation. To study the regulation of these pathways in-vivo, I have used the female Drosophila germline as a model system. Each of the steps from germline stem cell (GSC) to egg require changes in cellular pathways. These changes can occur at the level of transcription, post-transciption, translation, or post-translation . Decades of research has elucidated many of the changes to gene that occur during oogenesis, however, many players in this process still remain mysterious. …
Rna Modification Landscape And Its Contribution To Egg Production, Ian Thomas Rapisarda
Rna Modification Landscape And Its Contribution To Egg Production, Ian Thomas Rapisarda
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Germline stem cells differentiate into mature egg or sperm cells that go through the process of fertilization which gives rise to all sexually reproducing organisms. During this process of differentiation, germ cells undergo a switch from mitosis to meiosis that allows for proper development and specification of the future gamete. The mechanisms that facilitate this shift from mitosis to meiosis, however, are not well understood. To gain insight into this process, we used Drosophila oogenesis as our model. To identify what RNA modifications are present during oogenesis we genetically enriched for each stage of development and performed mass spectrometry. We …
Role Of Rna Helicases In The Drosophila Germline, Patrick Blatt
Role Of Rna Helicases In The Drosophila Germline, Patrick Blatt
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Gametogenesis, the process of creating egg or sperm, is required for launching successive generations of sexually reproducing organisms. The developmental milestones that occur during gamete production have been studied for decades and are of critical interest to gain insight to conserved features of human fertility. Drosophila has been used for over a century as an efficient research model and remains pivotal in uncovering fundamental biological paradigms. During Drosophila egg production, or oogenesis, several developmental transitions must be traversed to ensure completion of oogenesis including: Germline Stem Cell (GSC) maintenance and differentiation, mitotic and meiotic cell divisions, and production of maternally …
Direct Evidence Of Missing Mepsps Using Ca2-Sensor Imaging, Petar Gajic
Direct Evidence Of Missing Mepsps Using Ca2-Sensor Imaging, Petar Gajic
Biological Sciences
Following an action potential in the presynaptic neuron there is evoked release of neurotransmitter into the synapse which activates ionotropic transmembrane receptors on the postsynaptic membrane that cause depolarizations in voltage that get recorded as excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs). In the absence of an action potential there is spontaneous release of neurotransmitter that postsynaptically gets recorded as miniature excitatory postsynaptic potentials (mEPSPs). According to the quantal hypothesis, postulated by Bernard Katz, the mEPSPs are allor- none changes in potential caused by a single quantum of neurotransmitter, which when added up create EPSPs. Following studies have found that these two modes …
Launching The Next Generation : Transcriptional Regulation During Oogenesis, Alicia K. Mccarthy
Launching The Next Generation : Transcriptional Regulation During Oogenesis, Alicia K. Mccarthy
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Germ cells give rise to gametes and link generations by passing genetic information from parent to offspring. Gametes arise from, in many sexually reproducing organisms, germline stem cells (GSCs) which are set aside early during development. GSCs have an amazing capacity to undergo self-renewal to give rise to a pool of undifferentiated cells, while also differentiating to generate specialized germ cells such as haploid gametes. Upon female GSC differentiation, mitotically dividing germ cells can initiate meiosis, and mature within a follicle. During maturation, the specified oocyte is provided with a trust fund of RNAs and proteins for the next generation …
Synaptic Homeostasis At The Drosophila Neuromuscular Junction, Andrew Powers
Synaptic Homeostasis At The Drosophila Neuromuscular Junction, Andrew Powers
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Synaptic homeostasis is a specialized form of synaptic plasticity that maintains synaptic strength within normal parameters. The synapse must regulate its activity both during growth and in response to repeated stimulation. Much of the study of synaptic homeostasis has focused on presynaptic modifications to the quantal content. There is, however, evidence of postsynaptic regulation as an important form of synaptic homeostasis. To further investigate the ability of the synapse to make homeostatic modifications to its function we utilized the Drosophila neuromuscular junction (NMJ) as our model system. To examine the regulation of excitation at the NMJ during growth we observed …
Regulated Transcriptional Silencing Promotes Germline Stem Cell Differentiation In Drosophila Melanogaster, Pooja Flora
Regulated Transcriptional Silencing Promotes Germline Stem Cell Differentiation In Drosophila Melanogaster, Pooja Flora
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Germ cells are the only cell in an organism that have the capacity to give rise to a new organism and are passed from one generation to the next. Therefore, to maintain this unique ability of totipotency and immortality, germ cells execute specific functions, such as, repression of a somatic program and contour a germ line-specific pre- and post-transcriptional gene regulatory landscape. In many sexually reproducing organisms, germ cells are formed during the earliest stages of embryogenesis and undergoes several stages of development to eventually get encapsulated by the somatic cells of the gonad. Once, in the gonad, the germ …
Chromatin-Signaling Axis Orchestrates The Formation Of Germline Stem Cell Differentiation Niche In Drosophila, Maitreyi Upadhyay
Chromatin-Signaling Axis Orchestrates The Formation Of Germline Stem Cell Differentiation Niche In Drosophila, Maitreyi Upadhyay
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Stem cells have the unique capability of self-renewing into stem cells and differentiating into several terminal cell types. Loss of either of these processes can lead to aging, progression towards degenerative diseases and cancers. Insight into how self-renewal and differentiation are regulated will have tremendous therapeutic impact. Drosophila is an excellent model system for stem cell study due to the availability of various mutants, markers and RNAi technology. In order to study stem cell biology, we use female Drosophila gonads, whose stem cell population – the germline stem cells (GSCs) gives rise to gametes.
The Essential Oil Of Lippia Alba Affects Drosophila Behavior And Physiology, Jibin Manimala
The Essential Oil Of Lippia Alba Affects Drosophila Behavior And Physiology, Jibin Manimala
Biological Sciences
Lippia alba (LA) is a flowering shrub native to Central and South America. Its essential oil has been used in herbal medicine as an anti-anxiety drug and in aquaculture; it is used to sedate fish during transport (Daniel 2014. Essential oils are derived from plants usually through steam distillation. They are labeled as “essential” because it contains the odor of the plant. Its physiological action is unknown. We use the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster to further define its behavioral actions and determine its underlying physiological effects. We first tested whether Lippia alba produced had an anesthetic effect on the fruitfly. We …
Consequences Of Developmental Lead (Pb2+) Exposure On Reproductive Strategies In Drosophila, Elizabeth Kathleen Peterson
Consequences Of Developmental Lead (Pb2+) Exposure On Reproductive Strategies In Drosophila, Elizabeth Kathleen Peterson
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Anthropogenic lead (Pb) pollution is ubiquitous in the environment and a risk factor for both human and wildlife health. Pb exposure has the potential to alter reproductive strategies with respect to mate choice and reproductive output. This could be especially deleterious if these changes disrupt adaptive behavioral and reproductive life history strategies. Therefore, the overall aim of this body of work was to examine the consequences of developmental Pb exposure on reproductive strategies, using Drosophila melanogaster as a model system. In all experiments, D. melanogaster were reared from egg stage to adulthood in either control or leaded medium and were …
The Postsynaptic Regulation Of Synaptic Strength In Drosophila, Daniel Michael Gertner
The Postsynaptic Regulation Of Synaptic Strength In Drosophila, Daniel Michael Gertner
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Postsynaptic Ca2+ plays an important role in synaptic homeostasis and synaptic plasticity. Postsynaptic Ca2+ signals have been shown to regulate synaptic transmission at the Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ), however, these signals have not been well characterized. This will explore how these signals regulate synaptic strength and what channels are involved. In previous lab experiments Ca2+ transients were observed during evoked and spontaneous release (Desai and Lnenicka, 2011). It was further demonstrated that a reduction in synaptic strength occurs following synaptic stimulation. It was hypothesized that the increase in postsynaptic Ca2+ following synaptic stimulation activates the gCS and causes a …
Characterization Of Postsynaptic Calcium(Ii) Signals And Their Role In Synaptic Regulation At The Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junction, Sunil Ashok Desai
Characterization Of Postsynaptic Calcium(Ii) Signals And Their Role In Synaptic Regulation At The Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junction, Sunil Ashok Desai
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Postsynaptic [Ca2+]i has been proposed to play an important role in both synaptic plasticity and synaptic homeostasis. Postsynaptic Ca2+ signals appear to regulate synaptic transmission at the Drosophila larval NMJ; however, they have not been characterized at a NMJ. We were interested in examining the postsynaptic Ca2+ signals in this system and determining its influence on synaptic strength. The muscle Ca2+ transients were recorded by injecting the muscle fibers with Ca2+ indicators; discrete postsynaptic Ca2+ transients were observed along the NMJ during evoked and spontaneous transmitter release. The magnitude of the Ca2+ signals was correlated with synaptic efficacy, terminals producing …
Calcium Regulation And Transmitter Release At Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junction, Tao He
Calcium Regulation And Transmitter Release At Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junction, Tao He
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Calcium ions act as the most versatile 2nd messenger and are involved in an incredibly broad spectrum of biological processes. Proper cellular Ca2+ homeostasis is paramount in maintaining normal cell growth, functions, survival and programmed death. Hence, understanding Ca2+ regulation has been a goal of and a hot topic in cutting-edge biological research for decades. Recently, the advent of a new generation of Ca2+ indicators has made a major contribution to advances in understanding Ca2+ regulation (Grynkiewicz et al., 1985). Likewise, the application of Drosophila melanogaster as an animal model has provided tantalizing clues and fueled the progress of research …