Life Sciences Commons^™

Assessing Lipid Composition Of Cell Membrane In Escherichia Coli Under Aerobic And Anaerobic Conditions, Isabelle Johnson

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Escherichia coli is a highly studied model organism that is tightly tied to the mammalian gastrointestinal system. This microorganism has the capability to be a beneficial gut microbe or a life-threatening pathogen. In this study, the lipid membrane of Escherichia coli was investigated using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to observe the change in its composition in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Evidence of desaturation was discovered in the spectra, though more investigation is needed to understand the metabolic processes and drives that result in this change. Elucidation of these pathways in the future could result in …

Creation Of A Digital Storage System For Genome Sequencing Metadata, Jacquelin W. Olexa

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

As the field of computational genomics continues to expand in both potential and application, it is now more imperative than ever to ensure that massive genetic sequencing datasets are properly stored in an accessible manner. This project sought to establish a practical, user-friendly, secure system for a genomics research lab (the Good Lab; thegoodlab.org) at the University of Montana. A MySQL database and connected web application was ruled the best configuration to maximize utility and accessibility for the lab’s researchers. Building the logical framework for the database, creating the server, and sourcing data occurred over several months. The dataset ranged …

Male Beetle Courtship Dance Analysis By Deeplabcut Technology, Andrea Newbrough

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

Repatriation And A Biological Profile Of Indigenous Remains Of West Texas, Haley P. Rebardi

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) was created in response to the injustice, mishandling, looting, and trafficking of Native American remains and cultural artifacts. However, even with the latest amendment in December of 2023, there are still gray areas in the context and language. Notably, an issue with NAGPRA is the act only includes institutions and organizations that receive and are supported by Federal funding. Consequently, the act does not cover private collections. The main concern in these contexts is the lack of communication, awareness, and/or permission with and from descendant tribes or potential descendants when it …

Exploring The Impact Of Invasive On Grassland Diversity: A Study In Montana, Ella Gaffney

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

For the capstone project with the University of Montana Davidson Honors College, I investigated the diversity index of grassland and rangeland plots across the state of Montana. My study, conducted from June to August 2023, includes data collected by my team. The purpose of this research project was testing the hypothesis that the diversity index decreases in plots containing invasive grass species.

During the summer of 2023, the Spatial Analysis Lab surveyed over 1000 plots in rangelands and grasslands across the state of Montana to locate an invasive grass, Ventenata dubia. Data collected includes species identification, ocular estimates of …

Estimation Of Probability Of Habitat Use Of Roosevelt Elk On The Olympic Peninsula, Vincent Michael Gugliotti

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Estimating the probability of habitat use for a particular species is crucial to the direct management and conservation of that species. Without knowledge of habitat preferences, managers cannot effectively focus efforts on vital resources or landscape types. However, modelling probability of habitat use can be done in several ways which leaves room for variation and uncertainty in the estimates produced by each method. This study is an examination of the variation between two estimates of probability of habitat use while focusing on a particular subspecies of elk that inhabits a unique ecosystem relative to other elk subspecies. I modeled elk …

A Road Map For Place Based Collaboration For Conflict Reduction, Joseph L. Zecher

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

Calcium And Proteasomal Regulation Of Er-To-Golgi Protein Transport In Neurons, Samuel A. Galindo

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Regulatory mechanisms of protein trafficking from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are critical to understand since neurodegenerative diseases involve defects in this process leading to chronic ER stress and cell death. This study aimed to better understand the calcium regulatory mechanisms of ER-to-Golgi trafficking in hybrid neuroglioblastoma cells (NG108). Specifically, we asked whether proteasomal degradation of transport machinery was involved in the previously demonstrated upregulation of ER-to-Golgi transport evoked by calcium signaling. Based upon previous literature, we believe that the calcium induced increase in transport is due to the activation of the calcium sensitive regulatory protein apoptosis linked gene 2 (ALG-2) …

The Bird Family Tree: How All The Major Bird Groups Are Related To Each Other., Eric M. Ray

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This is a video project designed to help inform those who are curious about the shape of the bird family tree. This tree (or phylogeny) covers how the major groups of birds are related to each other. Though not a deep dive into the phylogeny (individual bird families are not covered, for example), this video seeks to give people the basic overview of how groups relate to each other. The total length is just under 30 minutes. At the start the video covers the basics on how to read a phylogeny, and then gets into the discussion of how the …

The Genetic Basis Of Two Reproductive Traits In Monkeyflowers: Stigma Closure And Corolla Carotenoids, Rachel Anne Halperin

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Abstract

The interactions between pollinators and flowers have long been a driving force for the evolution of many physical floral traits. Traits such as flower shape, size, color, and smell are just some of these traits that evolve because of these interactions. This evolution does not only occur in the more obvious morphological floral traits, however, but also in more subtle traits like touch sensitive stigma closure. In hundreds of Lamiales species, the bilobed stigma, the organ that receives pollen from pollinators, closes rapidly upon touch. Theory and experiments show that this novel dynamic reproductive trait increases pollen export and …

Bloom: A Microbial Self-Portrait, Emily Lauren Mulvaney

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Quantifying Wastewater Contributions To The Upper Clark Fork River, Claire Utzman

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Though algae are at the base of food webs in many rivers, large algal blooms are increasing in frequency and can cause problems with nutrient cycling, depletion of oxygen supplies at night, and release of toxic chemicals. One leading cause of algal blooms is nutrient loading into rivers, and controlling nutrient release in wastewater is one approach that can help limit algal growth. To reduce the intensity of algal blooms in the Clark Fork River in western Montana, numeric nutrient standards were put in place that regulated the release of the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus into the river from wastewater. …

A Tale Of Two Working Landscapes, Sage C. Sutcliffe

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Cultivating Access: The Benefits And Challenges Of Using Community Land Trusts To Preserve Farmland And Support Farmers., Meghan Daly

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Agricultural land protected by community land trusts (CLTs) is more likely to remain in active production due to the CLT’s ability to enforce land use practices and select tenants committed to farming. While land tenure approaches vary among CLTs, protected agricultural lands typically utilize long-term leases with affordable rents (Ela and Rosenberg, 2020). Such leasing arrangements enable farmers to access land at prices unaffected by escalating land values (Schwartz et al., 2013). The CLT model not only safeguards farmland but also promotes active agricultural production, thereby ensuring local food supply and providing economic opportunities for farmers.

Despite the promising potential …

Regulation Of Er To Golgi Transport By Alg-2 And Peflin In Response To Calcium Signaling, And A Review Of Relevant Genetically-Encoded Fluorescent Tools, Danette M. Kowal Seiler

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The endoplasmic reticulum performs multiple functions in the eurkaryotic cell: biomolecule synthesis, protein folding, cargo sorting and secretion, and helping to maintain cellular calcium homeostasis. Though much has been discovered about these processes and the myriad proteins, enzymes, transcription factors, ions and other factors that play their own parts, much is still left to learn. To facilitate continued study of ER-to-Golgi transport, an array of genetically-encoded fluorescent tools are available to researchers. The featured review in Chapter 1 details the history of these tools and highlights some of the newest, which also incorporate information from the fields of synthetic chemistry …

Csn-5: A Tumor's Friend Or Foe In The C. Elegans Germline?, Kellie C. Kuch

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The COP9 signalosome is a highly conserved eukaryotic complex regulating protein degradation via deneddylation of Cullin-RING E3 ligases. CSN5, the COP9’s fifth component, contains the catalytically active domain for CSN deneddylation. The complex is inactive without CSN5; however, CSN5 engages in COP9-independent binding with several other proteins, typically promoting either destruction or stabilization of its partners. Many of its confirmed interaction partners are also implicated in tumorigenesis (prominent examples being p27 and p53) and a complex cancer interactome has been established for CSN5. Additionally, CSN5 overexpression has been documented in a staggering array of cancers of diverse origins. This discovery …

A Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Continuum Model To Simulate Seedling Response To Water Stress, Michael Kurt Kendree Jr.

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Most current ecohydrologic models simplify the hydraulics that are at play in plant-water relationships by assuming that the water content within the plant is static. In reality, plants have a relative water content that varies with time in response to environmental stresses. To some extent, variations in plant relative water content are regulated by changes in the osmotic potential of water within plant cells, which contributes to the resilience of plants during periods of water shortage. We present a model that simulates plant water transport and storage within the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. The model incorporates the role of osmotic regulation in …

A Sport Coach's Role In Motivating Athletes, Tarek Farouk

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Athlete motivation, sport psychology, and coaching are intricately connected through the purpose of increasing athletic performance, persistence, and overall success. As mentors, sport coaches play an integral role in affecting an athlete’s motivation by tending to their psychological needs to perform optimally. This paper explores how coaches can leverage visualization, verbal encouragement, mental imagery, and goal setting as ways to enhance athlete motivation and improve performance. By integrating these techniques, coaches can create a supportive and motivating environment that fosters both physical and psychological development in athletes. The paper also examines the principles of sport psychology, emphasizing the importance of …

Better Understanding The Barred Owl, Adam Lee Potts

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This thesis research presents an analysis of barred owl nest site selection in an understudied region of their expanded range. The barred owl has dramatically expanded its range westwards over the last 150 years, prompting multiple conflicting reinterpretations of their species account. Hypotheses of range expansion are reviewed to provide context for this study’s research. This study gathers empirical data on nest site selection in the mixed conifer forests of Montana’s Seeley-Swan and Mission Valleys. Eight barred owl nests were located following extensive territory surveys. Field measurements of tree height and diameter using USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) plot …

Understanding Cellular Dynamics: Investigating A Yeast-Two Hybrid Protein-Protein Interaction, Riok3:Cse1l; Also By Investigating Trogocytosis Of Cd4+ T Cells From Rhog-/- Mice, Brittnee N. Crane

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a negative-sense virus that was first described in 1930 when it was isolated from sheep during an outbreak. In the last 25 years there has been a spread in the geographical range into the Middle East. The most susceptible animals are cattle, goats, sheep, and camels. The most overt symptom of livestock infection is that infected pregnant animals experience spontaneous abortion. Humans are susceptible as well and symptoms range from mild febrile illness to liver necrosis, blindness, hemorrhagic fever, and death. An important player in the cellular innate response to RVFV infections is the …

Integrating Western Science And Indigenous Knowledge For Just Practices In Conservation, Cierra Lea Keith

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Testosterone Administration In Premenopausal Women, Kaeli Nichol Shockley

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Testosterone administration is a relatively uncommon practice in the United States. Women are at risk of having health issues that could be remedied by low-dose testosterone administration via transdermal patch or topical cream. This paper explores the potential health and wellness benefits of administering low-dose testosterone to premenopausal women. Low-dose Testosterone may improve depression scores as well as upregulate markers of bone formation in women with anorexia nervosa. Higher testosterone was associated with increased muscle mass and muscular strength in collegiate female athletes. Testosterone given at lower doses increases muscle mass and exercise performance in college-age women. Overall, testosterone supplementation …

Understanding The Drivers Of Body Condition In Female Elk: Implications For Nutritional Ecology On Changing Landscapes, Nicole P. Bealer

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Ungulate body condition is often understood to reflect the nutritional resources on the landscape but is ultimately influenced by more than forage because body condition integrates both energetic costs and benefits. Factors driving variation in female body condition can be classified in both individual vs. environmental and bottom-up vs. top-down frameworks. My research evaluates how individual vs. environmental and bottom-up vs. top-down frameworks explain variation in ingesta-free body fat (IFBF) in female elk (Cervus canadensis). I used seven years (2015-2021) of IFBF data from monitored and recaptured female elk (n = 139) in the Ya Ha Tinda (YHT) population in …

Out Of The Frying Pan And Into The Fire: How Hunting Affects The Diel Activity Patterns Of Ungulates In Lubrecht Experimental Forest, Shawn M. Parsons

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Predator-prey dynamics shape diel activity patterns of large mammals. The avoidance of predation risk by prey in both space and time can affect predator-prey overlap and reduce risk of mortality. Here, I examined if rifle hunting affected the diel activity patterns of ungulates and their primary predator, pumas, in Lubrecht Experimental Forest, Montana. I deployed 30 infrared wildlife remote cameras across 29 sites using a stratified random design over three months before, during, and after the Fall 2022 Montana rifle hunting season. This project was also part of the Snapshot USA 2022 initiative. Using timestamps from these photos, daily activity …

Determining Species-Specific False-Positive Rates Using Visual And Auditory Cues: A Case Study With Sagebrush Steppe Songbirds, Amelia K. Evavold

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Errors in wildlife field data threaten to bias resulting abundance and occupancy estimates if not properly accounted for or minimized. Methods to account for false-positive errors in wildlife data have not been as thoroughly developed as those for false-negative errors despite false-positives being present across diverse wildlife taxa and study systems. The calibration method to account for false-positives involves assessing the field detection method to determine how often false-positive errors occur in the field data. Rates can then be incorporated into estimations based on the field data to improve estimation accuracy. This study presents an application of the calibration approach …

Bird Articulation Guide, Kelsey Blaze Miller

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

Telomeres: A Tool To Assess The Impacts Of Mining Contaminants On Riparian Songbirds, Lillian Krach, Bridger Creel, Megan Fylling, Zac Cheviron, Creagh Breuner

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Mining has left massive environmental and physical scars across the landscape. Aquatic and riparian landscapes in particular have been significantly impacted by traditional mining practices. Waste products left over from hard-rock mining leech heavy metals onto the landscape and these metals spread from headwater streams to major waterways (Lottermoser 2010). Heavy metals have been shown to cause physiological stress and challenges to organisms depending on the metal and the concentration (Baos et al. 2019, Boyd & Rajakaruna 2013). While some mining-impaired areas have undergone restoration efforts, is it enough? Typical restoration methods replace the contaminated floodplain, but not the riverbed …

Effects Of Warming And Drying On The Survival And Performance Of Giant Salmonfly Nymphs (Pteronarcys Californica), Kailie Todd

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Rising temperatures and anthropogenic influences threaten to alter aquatic ecosystems as oxygen supply and demand is altered depending on temperature, flow, and water presence. In late November of 2021, a dam malfunction occurred on the Madison River in Montana that caused the river to dry rapidly downstream of the dam and reduced flow by 70% for 50 hours. My experiments were designed to determine the effects of this event by assessing how long giant salmonfly nymphs (Pteronarcys californica) can survive in still water and in air depending on temperature and relative humidity. In the laboratory, we exposed salmonfly …

Community Cultivation: Understanding The Value Of The Partnership Between Garden City Harvest And Missoula County Public Schools, Lyris Daker

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Serca In Neural Development And Brain Tumors, Hannah M. Christman

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Ion channels are essential for neural function, playing a variety of necessary cellular roles including excitability, maintaining ion gradients, and volume control. While the role of ion channels in neurons is well-defined, much less is known about excitability in neural progenitor cells. Recently it has emerged that these neural precursors may be affected by channelopathies, indicating a critical role of ion channels in neural development. Using the model system Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly), I investigated the role of the ion channel SERCA (sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ATPase). SERCA is a vital calcium ion pump located on the wall of the endoplasmic reticulum, …