Life Sciences Commons^™

Progress Toward The Total Synthesis Of Lyconadin A, Yu Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Lyconadin A is a pentacyclic Lycopodium alkaloid isolated from the club moss Lycopodium complanatum with antitumor properties. We have developed a novel 7-exo/6-exo acyl radical cascade cyclization as a method of making the bicyclo[5.4.0]undecane ring system of lyconadin A. The model products are trans-fused ring systems, while a cis-fused ring system is needed in lyconadin A. We have discovered a method to convert the trans-fused model cascade cyclization product into the desired cis isomer. Based on Donohoe's pyridone synthesis, we developed a method for the construction of 5-alkyl and 3,5-dialkyl-6-carbomethoxy-2-pyridones, the former of which …

Environmental Dna Sequencing Primers For Eutardigrades And Bdelloid Rotifers, Byron J. Adams, Jeremy Whiting, Elizabeth K. Costello, Kristen R. Freeman, Andrew P. Martin, Michael S. Robeson, Steve K. Schmidt

Faculty Publications

Background: The time it takes to isolate individuals from environmental samples and then extract DNA from each individual is one of the problems with generating molecular data from meiofauna such as eutardigrades and bdelloid rotifers. The lack of consistent morphological information and the extreme abundance of these classes makes morphological identification of rare, or even common cryptic taxa a large and unwieldy task. This limits the ability to perform large-scale surveys of the diversity of these organisms. Here we demonstrate a culture-independent molecular survey approach that enables the generation of large amounts of eutardigrade and bdelloid rotifer sequence data directly …

The Gaas Metagenomic Tool And Its Estimations Of Viral And Microbial Average Genome Size In Four Major Biomes, Florent E. Angly, Dana Willner, Alejandra Prieto-Davo, Robert A. Edwards, Robert Schmieder, Rebecca Vega-Thurber, Dionsios A. Antonopoulos, Katie Barott, Matthew T. Cottrell, Christelle Desnues, Elizabeth A. Dinsdale, Mike Furlan, Matthew Haynes, Matthew R. Henn, Yongfei Hu, David L. Kirchman, Tracey Mcdole, John D. Mcpherson, Folker Meyer, R. Michael Miller, Egbert Mundt, Robert K. Naviaux, Beltran Rodriguez-Mueller, Rick Stevens, Linda Wegley, Lixin Zhang, Baoli Zhu, Forest Rohwer

Department of Biological Sciences

Metagenomic studies characterize both the composition and diversity of uncultured viral and microbial communities. BLAST-based comparisons have typically been used for such analyses; however, sampling biases, high percentages of unknown sequences, and the use of arbitrary thresholds to find significant similarities can decrease the accuracy and validity of estimates. Here, we present Genome relative Abundance and Average Size (GAAS), a complete software package that provides improved estimates of community composition and average genome length for metagenomes in both textual and graphical formats. GAAS implements a novel methodology to control for sampling bias via length normalization, to adjust for multiple BLAST …

Nucleotide And Phospholipid-Dependent Control Of Ppxd And C-Domain Association For Seca Atpase, Don Oliver

Don Oliver

The SecA ATPase motor is a central component of the eubacterial protein translocation machinery. It is comprised of N- and C-domain substructures, where the N-domain is comprised of two nucleotide-binding domains that flank a preprotein-binding domain (PPXD), while the C-domain binds phospholipids as well as SecB chaperone. Our recent crystal structure of Bacillus subtilis SecA protomer [Hunt, J. F., Weinkauf, S., Henry, L., Fak, J. J., McNicholas, P., Oliver, D. B., and Deisenhofer, J. (2002) Science 297, 2018-2026] along with experimental support for the correct dimer structure [Ding, H., Hunt, J. F., Mukerji, I., and Oliver, D. (2003) Biochemistry 42, …

Role Of A Conserved Glutamate Residue In The Escherichia Coli Seca Atpase Mechanism, Don Oliver

Don Oliver

Escherichia coli SecA uses ATP to drive the transport of proteins across cell membranes. Glutamate 210 in the "DEVD" Walker B motif of the SecA ATP-binding site has been proposed as the catalytic base for ATP hydrolysis (Hunt, J. F., Weinkauf, S., Henry, L., Fak, J. J., McNicholas, P., Oliver, D. B., and Deisenhofer, J. (2002) Science 297, 2018-2026). Consistent with this hypothesis, we find that mutation of glutamate 210 to aspartate results in a 90-fold reduction of the ATP hydrolysis rate compared with wild type SecA, 0.3 s(-1) versus 27 s(-1), respectively. SecA-E210D also releases ADP at a slower …

Dimeric Seca Is Essential For Protein Translocation, Don Oliver

Don Oliver

SecA facilitates bacterial protein translocation by its association with presecretory or membrane proteins and the SecYEG translocon channel. Once assembled, SecA ATPase undergoes cycles of membrane insertion and retraction at SecYEG that drive protein translocation in a stepwise fashion. SecA exists in equilibrium between a monomer and dimer, and association with its translocation ligands shifts this equilibrium dramatically. Here, we examined the proposal that protein translocation can occur by means of a SecA monomer. We produced a mutant SecA protein lacking residues 2-11, which was found to exist mostly as a monomer, and it was unable to complement a conditional-lethal …

Research In Semantic Web And Information Retrieval: Trust, Sensors, And Search, Krishnaprasad Thirunarayan

Kno.e.sis Publications

No abstract provided.

Cocaine And Mefloquine-Induced Acute Effects In Ventral Tegmental Area Dopamine And Gaba Neurons, David Wilbanks Allison

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the two studies presented here was to evaluate the effects of cocaine and mefloquine (MFQ) on γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Cocaine: In vivo, lower doses of intravenous cocaine (0.25-0.5 mg/kg), or methamphetamine (METH), enhanced VTA GABA neuron firing rate via D2/D5 receptor activation. Higher cocaine doses (1.0-2.0 mg/kg) inhibited their firing rate. Cocaine and lidocaine inhibited the firing rate and spike discharges induced by stimulation of the internal capsule (ICPSDs) at dose levels 0.25-2 mg/kg (IC50 1.2 mg/kg), but neither DA nor METH reduced ICPSDs. In VTA …

Influence Of Cardiac Output On Oxygen Uptake Kinetics, Crystelle Kiyoko Grant

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate increased cardiac output (Q) on oxygen kinetics at exercise intensities above and below the lactate threshold (LT). We hypothesized the increase in Q using head-out water immersion (HOI) while treadmill running would reduce the rate constant of the fast component and reduce the amplitude of the slow component of oxygen kinetics compared with land treadmill running. Subjects (n=10) performed two 6 min exercise bouts at a 15% below and above the LT on a land and underwater treadmill following rest. A single exponential equation [VO2(t) = VO2(b) + A1•(1-e-t/TC1] was used to …

Varriation Of Growth Rates In Yellow-Bellied Marmots, Carmen M. Salsbury, K. B. Armitage

Carmen M. Salsbury

Growth rates of yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) populations over a 32-year period (1965 -1996) varied Significantly with sex, age, location, and year. Overall, males had higher growth rates than females and young and yearlings generally had higher growth rates compared to adults at all locations. The locations varied with respect to elevation and the relationship between elevation and growth rate was complex and likely weather dependent. Low rainfall in late summer was often associated with low growth rates at high elevations where the active season is constrained and delayed by late spring snowmelt compared to low elevations. Growth rates and …

Varriation Of Growth Rates In Yellow-Bellied Marmots, Carmen M. Salsbury, K. B. Armitage

Carmen M. Salsbury

Growth rates of yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) populations over a 32-year period (1965 -1996) varied Significantly with sex, age, location, and year. Overall, males had higher growth rates than females and young and yearlings generally had higher growth rates compared to adults at all locations. The locations varied with respect to elevation and the relationship between elevation and growth rate was complex and likely weather dependent. Low rainfall in late summer was often associated with low growth rates at high elevations where the active season is constrained and delayed by late spring snowmelt compared to low elevations. Growth rates and …

Manifest Greatness... Panahon Ng Mga Filipino Ang 21st Century: Ang Asian Century (Ang Pagpapanumbalik Sa Likas Na Karangalan Ng Lahat Ng Filipino Sa Buong Mundo), Emmanuel Mario B. Santos Aka Marc Guerrero

Emmanuel Mario B Santos aka Marc Guerrero

MANIFEST GREATNESS Panahon ng mga Filipino ang 21st century: Ang Asian Century (Ang pagpapanumbalik sa likas na Karangalan ng lahat ng Filipino sa buong mundo) Manifest Greatness is a work-in-progress Manifesto of, for and by Filipino citizens of the world in synergy with foreign national friends of the Filipino people worldwide in pursuit of genuine entrepreneurial wisdom

Vectors And Methods For Enhanced Cell Longevity And Protein Expression, Bruce A. Webb, Jeremy Kroemer

Entomology Faculty Patents

It is the object of the current invention to provide methods and compositions relating to the expression of vankyrin proteins in cell lines to increase their viability, longevity and capacity for protein production. The inventors have discovered that the expression of P-ank-1 and I²-ank-3 proteins in cell culture has increased the cells' longevity and capacity for endogenous and/or heterologous target protein production. Specifically, the present invention relates to the enhanced expression of endogenous and/or heterologous target proteins/polypeptides in recombinant cells that are also expressing P-ank-1 and/or I²-ank-3 protein compared to expression host cells that are not …

Laterality Enhances Cognition In Australian Parrots, Maria Magat, Culum Brown

Sentience Collection

Cerebral lateralization refers to the division of information processing in either hemisphere of the brain and is a ubiquitous trait among vertebrates and invertebrates. Given its widespread occurrence, it is likely that cerebral lateralization confers a fitness advantage. It has been hypothesized that this advantage takes the form of enhanced cognitive function, potentially via a dual processing mechanism whereby each hemisphere can be used to process specific types of information without contralateral interference. Here, we examined the influence of lateralization on problem solving by Australian parrots. The first task, a pebble-seed discrimination test, was designed for small parrot species that …

Small Grains And Field Peas: 2009 Variety Recommendations (2008 Crop Performance Results), Cooperative Extension Service, South Dakota State University

SDSU Extension Circulars

Variety selection is a fundamental element in a sound crop production program. This report contains variety recommendations, descriptions, and yield data for the spring-seeded small grains – hard red spring wheat, oat, and barley, along with the fall-seeded small grain –hard red winter wheat. Key factors in variety selection include yield, yield stability, maturity, straw strength, height, test weight, quality, and disease resistance. Yield is an important factor; however, a variety with good disease resistance, straw strength, and high grain quality may be more profitable in some cases than the highest yielding variety. Disease resistance information is based on reactions …

Smokejumper Obituary: Fessler, Loren W. (Missoula 1946), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

Smokejumper Obituary: Marshall, Thomas Wiaotte (Missoula 1949), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

Porter, Eugene A., 1841-1922 (Mss 294), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 294. Two letter press books containing outgoing letters from the firm, E. A. Porter & Bros. of Bowling Green, Kentucky. These letters deal almost exclusively with the manufacture and marketing of a piece of agricultural equipment called the "corn cob crusher." A small amount of correspondence also documents Mr. Porter's personal agricultural pursuits.

Muc4/Muc4 Functions And Regulation In Cancer., Goldi Kozloski

Goldi A Kozloski

Emerging Role Of Micrornas In Liver Diseases, Shashi Bala, Miguel Marcos, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

MicroRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNAs that are found in plants, animals, and some viruses. They modulate the gene function at the post-transcriptional level and act as a fine tuner of various processes, such as development, proliferation, cell signaling, and apoptosis. They are associated with different types and stages of cancer. Recent studies have shown the involvement of microRNAs in liver diseases caused by various factors, such as Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, metabolic disorders, and by drug abuse. This review highlights the role of microRNAs in liver diseases and their potential use as therapeutic molecules.

Nest And Brood Survival And Habitat Selection Of Ring-Necked Pheasants And Greater Prairie-Chickens In Nebraska, Ty Matthews

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Ring-Necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) and Greater Prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus) populations have declined in the Midwest since the 1960’s. Research has suggested decreased nest and brood survival are the major causes of this decline due to the lack of suitable habitat. Habitat degradation has been attributed to the shift to larger crop fields, lower diversity of crops, and more intensive pesticide and herbicide use. A primary goal of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is to mitigate the loss of wildlife habitat. Early research found that CRP increased the amount of suitable nesting and brood rearing cover …

Remote Sensing To Detect The Movement Of Wheat Curl Mites Through The Spatial Spread Of Virus Symptoms, And Identification Of Thrips As Predators Of Wheat Curl Mites, Abby R. Stilwell

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The wheat curl mite (WCM), Aceria tosichella Keifer, transmits three viruses to winter wheat: wheat streak mosaic virus, High Plains virus, and Triticum mosaic virus. This virus complex causes yellowing of the foliage and stunting of plants. WCMs disperse by wind, and an increased understanding of mite movement and subsequent virus spread is necessary in determining the risk of serious virus infections in winter wheat. These risk parameters will help growers make better decisions regarding WCM management. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the capabilities of remote sensing to identify virus infected plants and to establish the potential …

Analyzing Spatial Patterns In Reefscape Ecology Via Remote Sensing, Benthic Habitat Mapping, And Morphometrics, Shanna K. Dunn

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

A growing number of scientists are investigating applications of landscape ecology principles to marine studies, yet few coral reef scientists have examined spatial patterns across entire reefscapes with a holistic ecosystem-based view. This study was an effort to better understand reefscape ecology by quantitatively assessing spatial structures and habitat arrangements using remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS).

Quantifying recurring patterns in reef systems has implications for improving the efficiency of mapping efforts and lowering costs associated with collecting field data and acquiring satellite imagery. If a representative example of a reef is mapped with high accuracy, the data derived …

Zooplankton Abundance, Community Composition And Grazing In The James River Estuary (Virginia, Usa), Laura E. Barry

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the extent to which zooplankton in the James River Estuary (Virginia, USA) exploit the available algal-food resources. Zooplankton abundance, community composition and grazing rates were assessed at three locations which included a site with high algal production (near the VCU Rice Center) and two sites where algal production was lower. Grazing rates were measured by determining the rate of phytoplankton decline (as chlorophyll a) during 48-hour incubation experiments in the presence and absence of zooplankton. Significant differences in zooplankton abundance were observed among the three sites, with the greatest average zooplankton density (434 ± 69 ind/L) occurring …

Transcription Analysis Of The Chlorovirus Paramecium Bursaria Chlorella Virus-1, Giane M. Yanai

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Paramecium bursaria chlorella virus (PBCV-1), a member of the family Phycodnaviridae, is a large dsDNA, plaque-forming virus that infects the unicellular green alga Chlorella NC64A. The 331 kb PBCV-1 genome is predicted to encode 365 proteins and 11 tRNAs. To follow global transcription during PBCV-1 replication, a microarray containing 50-mer probes to the PBCV-1 365 protein-encoding genes (CDS) was constructed. Competitive hybridization experiments were conducted employing cDNAs from poly A-containing RNAs obtained from cells at seven time points after virus infection. The results led to the following conclusions: i) the PBCV-1 replication cycle is temporally programmed and regulated; ii) 360 …

Reexamination Of The Role Of The Amino Terminus Of Seca In Promoting Its Dimerization And Functional State, Don Oliver

Don Oliver

No abstract provided.

Seca Dimer Cross-Linked At Its Subunit Interface Is Functional For Protein Translocation, Don Oliver

Don Oliver

SecA facilitates protein transport across the eubacterial plasma membrane by its association with cargo proteins and the SecYEG translocon, followed by ATP-driven conformational changes that promote protein translocation in a stepwise manner. Whether SecA functions as a monomer or a dimer during this process has been the subject of considerable controversy. Here we utilize cysteine-directed mutagenesis along with the crystal structure of the SecA dimer to create a cross-linked dimer at its subunit interface, which was normally active for in vitro protein translocation.

In Vivo Membrane Topology Of Escherichia Coli Seca Atpase Reveals Extensive Periplasmic Exposure Of Multiple Functionally Important Domains Clustering On One Face Of Seca, Don Oliver

Don Oliver

No abstract provided.

Identification Of Eurycea Using Cytochrome B, Karis A. Myers

Senior Honors Theses

Genomic sequencing is a powerful tool that has many applications for research, one of which is in the field of taxonomy and the identification of species. This thesis discusses the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b and its utility in population genetics and identification of larval amphibians. The development of the Polymerase Chain Reaction and primers are an integral part of the modern DNA sequencing process. The Polymerase Chain Reaction is used to amplify a target DNA sequence, and the protocol for this procedure must be optimized for the specific sequence of target DNA. Primers must also be designed and modified for …

Biological Sequence Simulation For Testing Complex Evolutionary Hypotheses: Indel-Seq-Gen Version 2.0, Cory L. Strope

Department of Computer Science and Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Reconstructing the evolutionary history of biological sequences will provide a better understanding of mechanisms of sequence divergence and functional evolution. Long-term sequence evolution includes not only substitutions of residues but also more dynamic changes such as insertion, deletion, and long-range rearrangements. Such dynamic changes make reconstructing sequence evolution history difficult and affect the accuracy of molecular evolutionary methods, such as multiple sequence alignments (MSAs) and phylogenetic methods. In order to test the accuracy of these methods, benchmark datasets are required. However, currently available benchmark datasets have limitations in their sizes and evolutionary histories of the included sequences are unknown. These …