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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Red Light Green Light: A Novel Approach To Studying The Interaction Between Enhancers And Gene Promoters, Jordan E. Vellky
Red Light Green Light: A Novel Approach To Studying The Interaction Between Enhancers And Gene Promoters, Jordan E. Vellky
Honors Theses
The human genome consists of over 3 billion base pairs, but only about 2% of this extensive supply of genetic information is recognized as a functional protein coding sequence. The remaining 98% was once considered to be “junk DNA” that lacked functional elements. Recently, this assumption has been replaced by an understanding that the non-coding genome contains many functional elements involved in gene regulation. These elements include promoters, or the region where gene expression is initiated, and enhancers, which communicate to promoters information about the cells in a body and when a specific gene’s expression should be ON or OFF. …
Determining The Transcription Factor Genes Populating A Fruit Fly Pigmentation Gene Network And Their Regulatory Connections, Samantha Stringer
Determining The Transcription Factor Genes Populating A Fruit Fly Pigmentation Gene Network And Their Regulatory Connections, Samantha Stringer
Honors Theses
Morphological traits for organisms result from the concerted action of numerous genes that are interconnected into a gene network at the level of transcriptional regulation. In each network, transcription factors control the spatial, temporal, and even sex-specific patterns of gene transcription. To better understand how a gene network operates during development, I investigated the network controlling a male-specific pattern of Drosophila melanogaster abdominal pigmentation. Using RNA interference, I reduced the expression of 558 transcription factor genes to identify those needed for normal pigmentation by the occurrence of aberrant pigmentation patterns. From this, I identified 28 genes, which include several that …
Epinephrine Regulates Aquaglyceroporin Hc-3 Expression And Subcellular Localization In Cultured Erythrocytes From The Freeze-Tolerant Treefrog, Hyla Chrysoscelis, Connor J. Ratycz
Epinephrine Regulates Aquaglyceroporin Hc-3 Expression And Subcellular Localization In Cultured Erythrocytes From The Freeze-Tolerant Treefrog, Hyla Chrysoscelis, Connor J. Ratycz
Honors Theses
Cope’s gray treefrog Hyla chrysoscelis, accumulates and distributes glycerol as a cryoprotectant in anticipation of freezing. Transmembrane glycerol and water flux in H. chysoscelis erythrocytes likely occurs through HC-3, an ortholog of mammalian aquaporin 3. HC-3 protein is in higher abundance and is preferentially localized to the plasma membrane in RBCs from cold-acclimated treefrogs as compared to warmacclimated animals. It is hypothesized that neuroendocrine agonists via receptor mediated second messenger pathways integrate signals derived from fasting, dehydration, diurnal, and/or temperature changes during cold-acclimation to regulate HC-3 expression as part of the mechanism of freeze tolerance. In this study, cultured …
The Role Of The Arista On Lucilia Sericata In Sensing Wind And Airflow, Relative Humidity And Volatile Compounds, Alexandra Elaine Jacob
The Role Of The Arista On Lucilia Sericata In Sensing Wind And Airflow, Relative Humidity And Volatile Compounds, Alexandra Elaine Jacob
Honors Theses
Lucilia sericata is a species of blow fly that has important applications in the fields of forensic entomology and medicine. L. sericata is one of the first organisms that arrives at decaying carrion in response to decay odors released by the carrion. The attraction stimuli are presumably the decay volatiles, but wind flow, and humidity may also influence the blow fly resource-oriented behavior. This fly species has feather-like structures known as arista that project from the antenna. The function of these structures is not completely understood, however they may play a role in sensing airflow and wind, humidity, and volatile …
Sex-Dependent Electrophysiological Responses Of Lucilia Sericata To Concentration Gradient Of Indole, Erin T. Filbrandt
Sex-Dependent Electrophysiological Responses Of Lucilia Sericata To Concentration Gradient Of Indole, Erin T. Filbrandt
Honors Theses
I investigated the responses to specific concentrations of indole in the adult stage of Lucilia sericata, the common green bottle fly. Indole is a commonly used attractant at concentrations between 0 and .04% that has a floral scent at low concentrations and a fecal odor at high concentrations (Cragg, 1950). There were three treatment cages: one all male, one all female, and one mixed male and female. The purpose of these conditions was to observe the difference between sensory responses of males, non-mated females, and mated females. All cages were placed in an incubator to maintain uniform temperatures and …
Novel Neuroprotective Function Of Apical-Basal Polarity Gene Crumbs In Amyloid Beta 42 (Aβ42) Mediated Neurodegeneration, Andrew Steffensmeier
Novel Neuroprotective Function Of Apical-Basal Polarity Gene Crumbs In Amyloid Beta 42 (Aβ42) Mediated Neurodegeneration, Andrew Steffensmeier
Honors Theses
Alzheimer’s disease (AD, OMIM: 104300), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with no cure to date, is caused by the generation of amyloid-beta-42 (Aβ42) aggregates that trigger neuronal cell death by unknown mechanism(s). We have developed a transgenic Drosophila eye model where misexpression of human Aβ42 results in AD like neuropathology in the neural retina. We have identified an apical-basal polarity gene crumbs (crb) as a genetic modifier of Aβ42-mediated-neuropathology. Misexpression of Aβ42 caused upregulation of Crb expression, whereas, downregulation of Crb either by RNAi or null allele approach rescued the Aβ42-mediated-neurodegeneration. Co-expression of full length Crb with Aβ42 increased severity …
Identifying The Dna Sequence Requirements For A Synergistic Interaction Between Two Cis-Regulatory Elements, Kaitlyn R. Francis
Identifying The Dna Sequence Requirements For A Synergistic Interaction Between Two Cis-Regulatory Elements, Kaitlyn R. Francis
Honors Theses
My thesis research studies the genetic material that is the blue print to make animal life. In animals, a key type of genetic material is sequences collectively referred to as cis-regulatory elements (CREs). These sequences control the expression of genes; more specifically they instruct when to turn “ON” or “OFF” the production of a gene’s functional product. My research investigates the interaction between the two CREs, the Anterior Element and the Dimorphic Element of the fruit fly species Drosophila melanogaster. These two CREs act synergistically to produce a pattern of expression for the bab1 and bab2 genes that differs …
Impact Of Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera Maackii) Leachate On Culex Pipiens Life History Attributes, Lauren Shewhart
Impact Of Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera Maackii) Leachate On Culex Pipiens Life History Attributes, Lauren Shewhart
Honors Theses
The purpose of this study was to look at the impact of a highly invasive plant, Lonicera maackii, on the primary vector of West Nile Virus in the Eastern United States, Culex pipiens. Three different assays using two different microcosms experiments were conducted to determine the rate of survivorship, pupation, emergence, and larval growth of mosquito larvae in native (Platanus occidentalis and Acer saccharum) and invasive (L. maackii leaf and flower) leachates. It was found that L. maackii has the potential to increase mosquito populations due to the fast decaying nature of its leaves and …
Examination Of Host Range Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Phages Ut1, Sn-T, And Pev2 For Treatment Of Bacterial Biofilms In Fuels, Kathleen M. Sellick
Examination Of Host Range Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Phages Ut1, Sn-T, And Pev2 For Treatment Of Bacterial Biofilms In Fuels, Kathleen M. Sellick
Honors Theses
Biofilms are slimy substances made up of bacteria that attach to surfaces. Biofilms can be found in humans (lung of Cystic Fibrosis patients), natural settings (rocks in streams) and man-made environments (medical devices, pipelines). Biofilms are also found in aviation fuel tanks, causing physical issues such as clogging in fuel lines and changing the chemical makeup of the fuel via bacterial metabolism. Bacterial viruses, known as bacteriophage, show potential for reducing biofilms through phage therapy. The goal is to find a phage or combination of phage with a broad host range that would be most effective in reducing the biofilms …