Life Sciences Commons^™

Connection To Nature: A Student Perspective, Jessica Duke, Emily Holt

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Connection to nature has been linked to increased physical and mental health and increased performance of sustainable behaviors for individuals more connected to nature. Understanding why humans, especially younger generations, are connected to nature is an important tool for both public and environmental health. Our work used a qualitative, phenomenological study design to examine university biology students' descriptions of others' connection to nature, the frequency with which students predict their own connection to nature, and students' descriptions of the discrepancies between their prediction of their own connection to nature and their score on the Environmental Identity Scale. We found that …

Role Of Accelerated Segment Switch In Exons To Alter Targeting (Asset) In The Molecular Evolution Of Snake Venom Proteins, Robin Doley, Stephen P. Mackessy, R. Manjunatha Kini

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Snake venom toxins evolve more rapidly than other proteins through accelerated changes in the protein coding regions. Previously we have shown that accelerated segment switch in exons to alter targeting (ASSET) might play an important role in its functional evolution of viperid three-finger toxins. In this phenomenon, short sequences in exons are radically changed to unrelated sequences and hence affect the folding and functional properties of the toxins.

RESULTS: Here we analyzed other snake venom protein families to elucidate the role of ASSET in their functional evolution. ASSET appears to be involved in the functional evolution of three-finger toxins …

Accelerated Exchange Of Exon Segments In Viperid Three-Finger Toxin Genes (Sistrurus Catenatus Edwardsii; Desert Massasauga), Robin Doley, Susanta Pahari, Stephen P. Mackessy, Manjunatha Kini

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Snake venoms consist primarily of proteins and peptides showing a myriad of potent biological activities which have been shaped by both adaptive and neutral selective forces. Venom proteins are encoded by multigene families that have evolved through a process of gene duplication followed by accelerated evolution in the protein coding region. RESULTS: Here we report five gene structures of three-finger toxins from a viperid snake, Sistrurus catenatus edwardsii. These toxin genes are structured similarly to elapid and hydrophiid three-finger toxin genes, with two introns and three exons. Both introns and exons show distinct patterns of segmentation, and the insertion/deletion …

Genomic Organization And Phylogenetic Utility Of Deer Mouse (Peromyscus Maniculatus) Lymphotoxin-Alpha And Lymphotoxin-Beta, Tiffany Richens, Aparna D.N. Palmer, Joseph Prescott, Tony Schountz

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) are among the most common mammals in North America and are important reservoirs of several human pathogens, including Sin Nombre hantavirus (SNV). SNV can establish a life-long apathogenic infection in deer mice, which can shed virus in excrement for transmission to humans. Patients that die from hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) have been found to express several proinflammatory cytokines, including lymphotoxin (LT), in the lungs. It is thought that these cytokines contribute to the pathogenesis of HCPS. LT is not expressed by virus-specific CD4+ T cells from infected deer mice, suggesting a limited role for this …

Plant Terpenoids: Applications And Future Potentials, Sam Zwenger, Chhandak Basu

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The importance of terpenes in both nature and human application is difficult to overstate. Basic knowledge of terpene and isoprene biosynthesis and chemistry has accelerated the pace at which scientists have come to understand many plant biochemical and metabolic processes. The abundance and diversity of terpene compounds in nature can have ecosystem-wide influences. Although terpenes have permeated human civilization since the Egyptians, terpene synthesis pathways are only now being understood in great detail. The use of bioinformatics and molecular databases has largely contributed to analyzing exactly how and when terpenes are synthesized. Additionally, terpene synthesis is beginning to be understood …

In Silico Analysis Of Terpene Synthase Genes In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Sam Zwenger, Chhandak Basu

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Terpenes are defense chemicals found in wide groups of plants. Terpenoids play a large role in plant development and stress response. The terpene synthase family comprises a diverse set of genes, all which contribute to production of terpenoids. We have used tools of bioinformatics and performed an in silico analysis of developmental and tissue specific terpene synthase gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana, as well as those expressed due to biotic and abiotic environmental stimuli. Using software tools from Genevestigator, a powerful microarray analyzer, we used multiple tool sets to better understand terpene synthase expression in Arabidopsis, which will hopefully open …

Rapid Field Immunoassay For Detecting Antibody To Sin Nombre Virus In Deer Mice, Tony Schountz, Charles H. Calisher, Tiffany R. Richens, Audrey A. Rich, Jeffrey B. Doty, Mark T. Hughes, Barry J. Beaty

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

We developed a 1-hour field enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for detecting antibody to Sin Nombre virus in deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). The assay specificity and sensitivity were comparable to those of a standard EIA. This test will permit identification of rodents with antibody to this and perhaps other hantaviruses.

The Venom Gland Transcriptome Of The Desert Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus Catenatus Edwardsii): Towards An Understanding Of Venom Composition Among Advanced Snakes (Superfamily Colubroidea), Susanta Pahari, Stephen P. Mackessy, R. Manjunatha Kini

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Snake venoms are complex mixtures of pharmacologically active proteins and peptides which belong to a small number of superfamilies. Global cataloguing of the venom transcriptome facilitates the identification of new families of toxins as well as helps in understanding the evolution of venom proteomes.

RESULTS: We have constructed a cDNA library of the venom gland of a threatened rattlesnake (a pitviper), Sistrurus catenatus edwardsii (Desert Massasauga), and sequenced 576 ESTs. Our results demonstrate a high abundance of serine proteinase and metalloproteinase transcripts, indicating that the disruption of hemostasis is a principle mechanism of action of the venom. In addition …

Profiling Helper T Cell Subset Gene Expression In Deer Mice, Lauren Oko, Bethany Aduddell-Swope, Derall Willis, Robyn Hamor, Teresa A. Coons, Brian Hjelle

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) are the most common mammals in North America and are reservoirs for several zoonotic agents, including Sin Nombre virus (SNV), the principal etiologic agent of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in North America. Unlike human HCPS patients, SNV-infected deer mice show no overt pathological symptoms, despite the presence of virus in the lungs. A neutralizing IgG antibody response occurs, but the virus establishes a persistent infection. Limitations of detailed analysis of deer mouse immune responses to SNV are the lack of reagents and methods for evaluating such responses.

RESULTS: We developed real-time PCR-based detection assays for …