Life Sciences Commons^™

Food Availability Modulates Temperature-Dependent Effects On Growth, Reproduction, And Survival In Daphnia Magna, Gustavo S. Betini, Xueqi Wang, Tal Avgar, Matthew M. Guzzo, John M. Fryxell

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Reduced body size and accelerated life cycle due to warming are considered major ecological responses to climate change with fitness costs at the individual level. Surprisingly, we know little about how relevant ecological factors can alter these life history trade‐offs and their consequences for individual fitness. Here, we show that food modulates temperature‐dependent effects on body size in the water flea Daphnia magna and interacts with temperature to affect life history parameters. We exposed 412 individuals to a factorial manipulation of food abundance and temperature, tracked each reproductive event, and took daily measurements of body size from each individual. High …

Acclimation, Long-Term Repeatability, And Phenotypic Correlations Of Aerobic Metabolic Traits In The Gulf Killifish, Fundulus Grandis, Jessica E. Reemeyer

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This research examined the effects of acclimation to lowered salinity, elevated temperature, and hypoxia on aerobic metabolism of the Gulf killifish, Fundulus grandis, a common estuarine resident of the Gulf of Mexico. Standard metabolic rate (SMR), maximum metabolic rate (MMR), absolute aerobic scope (AAS), and critical oxygen tension (P_crit) were each influenced by one or more acclimation treatments. Assessing the consistency of these traits measured in the same individuals over time, all were found to be significantly repeatable with no indication that the repeatability of any traits was affected by acclimation conditions. Significant correlations were found between …

Functional Importance Of Lipin Phosphorylation, Stephanie Elizabeth Hood

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Highly conserved throughout evolution, lipins are dual functioning proteins found from yeast to humans. Functioning in the cytoplasm as phosphatidate phosphatase enzymes (PAP), lipins produce diacylglycerol that serves as a precursor for neutral fats and membrane phospholipids. Alternatively, nuclear lipins are responsible for the regulation of metabolic genes. Interestingly, both the mammalian lipin 1 paralog and the single Drosophila Lipin ortholog are highly phosphorylated proteins. Target of rapamycin (TOR) has previously been identified as one of the kinases that controls the subcellular localization of both lipin 1 and Drosophila Lipin. However, other serine and threonine kinases are predicted to be …

Comparative Genomics Study Reveals Red Sea Bacillus With Characteristics Associated With Potential Microbial Cell Factories (Mcfs), G. Othoum, S. Prigent, A. Derouiche, L. Shi, A. Bokhari, S. Alamoudi, S. Bougouffa, X. Gao, R. Hoehndorf, S. T. Arold, T. Gojobori, H. Hirt, F. F. Lafi, J. Nielsen, V. B. Bajic, I. Mijakovic, M. Essack

All Works

© 2019, The Author(s). Recent advancements in the use of microbial cells for scalable production of industrial enzymes encourage exploring new environments for efficient microbial cell factories (MCFs). Here, through a comparison study, ten newly sequenced Bacillus species, isolated from the Rabigh Harbor Lagoon on the Red Sea shoreline, were evaluated for their potential use as MCFs. Phylogenetic analysis of 40 representative genomes with phylogenetic relevance, including the ten Red Sea species, showed that the Red Sea species come from several colonization events and are not the result of a single colonization followed by speciation. Moreover, clustering reactions in reconstruct …

In Vivo Metabolic And Vascular Response To Hypoxia In Twist Knockdown Murine Breast Cancer, Brandon Sturgill

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Twist transcription factor is often overexpressed in aggressive tumors. Although needed in early embryonic development for organogenesis, Twist is known to induce an epithelial to mesenchymal transition in cells. In cancer, epithelial to mesenchymal transitions can lead to increased motility and invasiveness. It has also been linked to metabolic reprogramming and increased metastatic risk. Furthermore, metabolic preferences can increase proliferation, enhance metastatic potential, and influence the site of metastasis. We hypothesize that Twist directly affects the metabolism of cancer cells. We expect to see in vivo what we have seen in vitro; Twist overexpression should promote a shift away from …

Xenobiotic Exposure Requires Mitochondrial Metabolism For Redox Homeostasis And Survival In Astrocytes, Jordan Rose

Department of Biochemistry: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Astrocytes are integral components of glutamatergic neurotransmission, providing essential metabolic processes for neuronal homeostasis and acting as the first line of defense against xenobiotics crossing the blood brain barrier. Arsenic is a xenobiotic with widespread natural and industrial prevalence, and has been linked to impaired neurodevelopment and neuronal death. Given the integrated metabolic nature of astrocytes and neurons, we sought to explore how arsenic impacts astrocyte metabolism in order to better understand the mechanisms of xenobiotic toxicity in the mammalian brain.

We demonstrate that astrocyte viability depends upon de novoglutathione (GSH) synthesis during arsenic exposure, and sub-lethal arsenic exposure …

Genetic Determinants Of Variation In The Gh/Igf-1 Axis And Their Relationship To Cardiometabolic Health, Rafael Luis Aguirre Guillen

Theses and Dissertations

Background: In a study of Mexican Americans, we performed analyses of GEI and pleiotropy in the axis in relation to MS. GH/IGF-1 axis components were studied. Model parameters and likelihoods were estimated by maximum likelihood.

Results: Pleiotropy was observed for IGFBP3 (p

Conclusions: IGF-I and IGFBP3 are genetically correlated with MS whereas MS influences the additive genetic variance in IGFBP1 variables mainly but also in IGF-I somewhat by virtue of the VH exhibited by IGF-I/IGFBP1.

Effects Of Intertidal Position On Metabolism And Behavior In The Acorn Barnacle, Balanus Glandula, Kali Horn

Master's Theses

The intertidal zone is characterized by persistent, tidally-driven fluctuations in both abiotic (e.g., temperature, [O₂], salinity) and biotic (e.g., food availability, predation) conditions, which makes this a very physiologically challenging habitat for resident organisms. The magnitude and degree of variability of these environmental stressors differs between intertidal zones, with the most extreme physiological stress often being experienced by organisms in the high intertidal. Given that many of the fluctuating conditions in this environment are primary drivers of metabolic rate (e.g., temperature, [O₂], food availability), we hypothesized that sessile conspecifics residing in different tidal zones would exhibit …

Closing The Oxygen Mass Balance In Shallow Coastal Ecosystems, Matthew H. Long, Jennie E. Rheuban, Daniel C. Mccorkle, David J. Burdige, Richard C. Zimmerman

OES Faculty Publications

The oxygen concentration in marine ecosystems is influenced by production and consumption in the water column and fluxes across both the atmosphere-water and benthic-water boundaries. Each of these fluxes has the potential to be significant in shallow ecosystems due to high fluxes and low water volumes. This study evaluated the contributions of these three fluxes to the oxygen budget in two contrasting ecosystems, a Zostera marina (eelgrass) meadow in Virginia, U.S.A., and a coral reef in Bermuda. Benthic oxygen fluxes were evaluated by eddy covariance. Water column oxygen production and consumption were measured using an automated water incubation system. Atmosphere-water …

Ketogenic Diets And Exercise Performance, Kristin L. Harvey, Lola Holcomb, Stephen C. Kolwicz Jr.

Health and Exercise Physiology Faculty Publications

The ketogenic diet (KD) has gained a resurgence in popularity due to its purported reputation for fighting obesity. The KD has also acquired attention as an alternative and/or supplemental method for producing energy in the form of ketone bodies. Recent scientific evidence highlights the KD as a promising strategy to treat obesity, diabetes, and cardiac dysfunction. In addition, studies support ketone body supplements as a potential method to induce ketosis and supply sustainable fuel sources to promote exercise performance. Despite the acceptance in the mainstream media, the KD remains controversial in the medical and scientific communities. Research suggests that the …

Investigation Of Therapeutic Immune Cell Metabolism, Josephine Anna Tueller

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses multiple approaches to investigating mechanisms of immune linked disease. There are four projects outlined below which describe the work of these investigations. First, educating students about techniques to study disease and therapies is an important area of research. Flow cytometry is a common technique in immunology and its versatility and high throughput abilities can be applied to many fields. While it is very useful, flow cytometry is a complex technique that requires training to operate and understand, and there are very few reports about administering effective training. This thesis outlines the first report of a full semester …

Dynamic Carbon Cycling In Muskegon Lake – A Great Lakes Estuary, Katie Lynn Knapp

Masters Theses

Ecosystem metabolism is the coupling of carbon and oxygen through photosynthesis and respiration. Gross primary production (GPP) is the carbon fixation by photosynthesis, ecosystem respiration (R) is carbon remineralization by bacterial and plankton respiration, and net ecosystem production (NEP) is the balance. Metabolism estimates determine if ecosystem is a sink or source of carbon to the atmosphere. When a lake has a positive NEP, or the GPP:R ratio is greater than 1, it is considered autotrophic and less carbon is being lost to the atmosphere than taken in, whereas if NEP is negative (GPP:R-1d^-1, respectively and the BOD …

Glycolic Acid Utilization In Two Species Of Marine Bacteria, Erik S. Timsak

STAR Program Research Presentations

Interactions between bacteria and phytoplankton are crucial for the cycling of organic matter in marine environments. Around 50% of organic carbon taken up by marine bacteria is converted into inorganic carbon. The uptake of organic carbon by marine bacteria exuded from phytoplankton is a key factor in regulating the marine carbon cycle. One such molecule that is exuded by phytoplankton and then uptaken by marine bacteria is called glycolate - the anion of glycolic acid, a two caron molecule. Glycolate is exuded by phytoplankton during photorespiration and 10-50% of dissolved organic carbon in marine environments is comprised of glycolate. Additionally, …

Antibiotic Drug Discovery Targeting Bacterial Metabolism, Miranda J. Wallace

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Over the last century, the use of antibiotics has enabled many advances in modern medicine, making life as we know it possible. In recent years, however, emerging bacterial resistance to virtually all major antibiotic classes has resulted in a worldwide increase in morbidity, mortality, and financial burden associated with drug resistant infections. The antimicrobial resistance crisis presents an urgent need for new antimicrobials with distinct mechanisms of action from existing drugs. The current pharmaceutical pipeline of new antibiotics is limited due to three obstacles: a lack of understanding of resistance mechanisms, a dearth of novel mechanisms of action among new …

The Role Of Secretory Phospholipase A2 Group Iia In Obesity And Metabolism, Michael S. Kuefner

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Secretory phospholipase A2 group IIA (PLA2G2A) is a member of a family of secretory phospholipases previously implicated in inflammation, atherogenesis, and antibacterial actions. These enzymes hydrolyze glycerophospholipids at the sn-2 position releasing lysophospholipids and fatty acids. Though studies have shown PLA2G2A is pro-inflammatory and promotes atherosclerosis, no research has analyzed the role of this enzyme in obesity and metabolism. Studies in the past 5-10 years utilizing various knock- out or over-expression mouse models have analyzed the role of different secretory phospholipase A2s (sPLA2) in metabolic diseases. From these studies, it is known that at least seven of the 11 sPLA2 …

Hdl Subclass Proteomic Analysis And Functional Implication Of Protein Dynamic Change During Hdl Maturation, Yuling Zhang, Scott M. Gordon, Hang Xi, Seungbum Choi, Merlin Abner Paz, Runlu Sun, William Yang, Jason Saredy, Mohsin Khan, Alan Thomas Remaley, Jing-Feng Wang, Xiaofeng Yang, Hong Wang

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Recent clinical trials reported that increasing high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels does not improve cardiovascular outcomes. We hypothesize that HDL proteome dynamics determine HDL cardioprotective functions. In this study, we characterized proteome profiles in HDL subclasses and established their functional connection. Mouse plasma was fractionized by fast protein liquid chromatography, examined for protein, cholesterial, phospholipid and trigliceride content. Small, medium and large (S/M/L)-HDL subclasseses were collected for proteomic analysis by mass spectrometry. Fifty-one HDL proteins (39 in S-HDL, 27 in M-HDL and 29 in L-HDL) were identified and grouped into 4 functional categories (lipid metabolism, immune response, coagulation, and others). Eleven …

Metabolism Underlies Physiological Homeostasis In Drosophila, Omera B. Matoo, Cole R. Julick, Kristi Montooth

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Organismal physiology emerges from metabolic pathways and subcellular structures like the mitochondria that can vary across development and among individuals. Here, we tested whether genetic variation at one level of physiology can be buffered at higher levels of biological organization during development by the inherent capacity for homeostasis in physiological systems. We found that the fundamental scaling relationship between mass and metabolic rate, as well as the oxidative capacity per mitochondria, changed significantly across development in the fruit fly Drosophila. However, mitochondrial respiration rate was maintained at similar levels across development. Furthermore, larvae clustered into two types—those that switched to …

Induction And Metastasis Of Cancer Stem Cells In Pancreatic Cancer, Rama Krishna Nimmakayala

Theses & Dissertations

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal of all types of cancer with an overall 5-year survival rate of less than 8%. Cancer cells in pancreatic tumor are heterogeneous, and it is poorly understood which population is most responsible for the cancer initiation, progression and metastasis. Recent studies provide evidence for the existence of a highly tumorigenic and metastatic cells within a heterogeneous tumor known as the cancer stem cells (CSCs). Studies also provided ample evidence for the existence of distinct types of CSC populations in a heterogeneous tumor with type specific genotypic, phenotypic and functional characteristics. But, it …

Does Acute Preprandial Exercise Modify Postprandial Inflammation After A High Fat Meal In Young And Older Adults?, William Wisseman

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

A single high-fat meal (HFM) can increase systemic inflammation (postprandial inflammation; PPI) and may be attenuated by recent exercise. However, the effect of preprandial exercise on PPI in older adults (OA) is not clear. Purpose: To determine if preprandial exercise attenuates PPI in YA and OA. Methods: 12 YA (23.3±3.9 years n= 5 M/7 F) and 12 OA (67.7±6 years, n= 8 M/4 F) completed two HFM challenges in a randomized order. During HFM alone, participants abstained from exercise 48 hours prior to the HFM session (except for the exercise session) and adhered to a 12 hour overnight …

Comparative Thermal Ecology Of Coastal And Inland Pacific Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Oreganus), Hayley Layne Crowell

Master's Theses

Global biodiversity is declining as a direct result of anthropogenic climate change. Ectothermic species have become focal organisms for studying the ecological effects of altered climates due to the clear relationship between environmental temperatures and ectotherms’ basic physiological functions. Historically, examinations of these effects have focused heavily on heliothermic lizards, and most others have tended to focus on single populations or sympatric species within a single community. Addressing the longterm energetic implications of environmental temperature variation will provide valuable insight into the cascading physiological effects that certain populations or species may experience as a result of altered climates.

In this …

Triglyceride Metabolism Following Oral Fat Tolerance Tests Of Varying Fat Content In Adults, Nathaniel Glen Bodell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: Investigations of lipid metabolism commonly utilize an oral fat tolerance test (OFTT) to elicit a dramatic increase in serum triglycerides (TG). Although this is common practice there does not currently exist an agreed upon formula for an OFTT. Nor has there been in investigation as to the reliability among commonly used OFTT. Furthermore, the effects of sex and activity level are mixed among the literature. The purpose of this investigation is to discover an ideal OFTT for research and clinical purposes, evaluate the effects of activity and sex on TG metabolism, and to test each OFTT concentration for reliability. …

Pyy3-36 Efficacy Is Independent Of Photoperiod But Dependent On Time Of Day, Marissa Maroni

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Approximately 70% of Americans are overweight or obese and studies have shown that poverty-dense American counties are the most prone to obesity (Levine, 2011). Along with diet, the endogenous circadian rhythms have been found to be an important piece of human metabolic health. Circadian disruption in humans, such as jet-lag and shift work, have been linked to metabolic problems such as Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolic Syndrome. Since circadian disruption affects many demographics including shift workers and routine business travelers it is imperative to understand the biological mechanism behind the relationship between circadian disruption and weight gain. One potential …

Investigating The Proteinaceous Regulome Of The Acinetobacter Baumannii, Leila G. Casella

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen that overtime has evolved into one of the most problematic pathogens due to its ability to overcome antibiotic pressures and harshly environments in the host and hospital environments. In this context, its genomic evolution due to its capacity to acquire genes that contribute to its pathogenic and antibiotic resistance nature has been the subject of research in the last decades providing with the identification of several proteins aiding in the process of pathogenicity. Although these findings have contributed to our understanding of A. baumannii pathogenic traits, the regulatory network that control their expression are …

Regulation Of Immune Cell Activation And Functionby The Nbmpp2 Protein Andthe Cd5 Co-Receptor, Claudia Mercedes Freitas

Theses and Dissertations

According to the centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) and the world healthorganization (WHO), heart disease and immune related diseases such as diabetes and cancer areamong the leading causes of death around the world. Thus, the regulation of the function ofimmune cell plays a key role in health and disease. Calcium (Ca2+) ions play a critical role inimmune cell activation, function and in a robust immune response. Defects in Ca2+ signalinginfluences the development of cardiac disease, Alzheimer disease, immune cell metabolism,muscle dysfunction, and cancer. Each immune cell is unique in its activation and function,making it relevant to understand how …

The Type Of Dietary Fat In An Isocaloric Breakfast Meal Does Not Modify Postprandial Metabolism In Overweight/Obese Pregnant Women, Mary Lesser, Kasuen Mauldin, Lisa Sawrey-Kubicek, Virginia Gildengorin, Janet King

Faculty Publications

Almonds provide a satiating, healthy source of fat and fiber. The postprandial metabolic and satiety response to 2 ounces of nuts or dairy was assessed in 18 overweight/obese women during late pregnancy. Serum glucose, triglycerides, insulin, c-peptide, leptin, ghrelin, and lipoprotein particles were measured prior to and during a 5-h postprandial period following the consumption of an isocaloric breakfast meal with equivalent amounts of fat from either nuts or dairy on two separate mornings. Satiety was assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) questionnaires and ad libitum food intake at the end of the study. At 33 weeks gestation, the women …

Metabolomics Of Sorghum Roots During Nitrogen Stress Reveals Compromised Metabolic Capacity For Salicylic Acid Biosynthesis, Amy M. Sheflin, Dawn Chiniquy, Chaohui Yuan, Emily Goren, Indrajit Kumar, Max Braud, Thomas Brutnell, Andrea L. Eveland, Susannah Tringe, Peng Liu, Stephen Kresovich, Ellen Marsh, Daniel P. Schachtman, Jessica E. Prenni

Nebraska Center for Biotechnology: Faculty and Staff Publications

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) is the fifth most productive cereal crop worldwide with some hybrids having high biomass yield traits making it promising for sustainable, economical biofuel production. To maximize biofuel feedstock yields, a more complete understanding of metabolic responses to low nitrogen (N) will be useful for incorporation in crop improvement efforts. In this study, 10 diverse sorghum entries (including inbreds and hybrids) were field-grown under low and full N conditions and roots were sampled at two time points for metabolomics and 16S amplicon sequencing. Roots of plants grown under low N showed altered metabolic profiles at …

Citrus Aurantium And Caffeine Complex Versus Placebo On Biomarkers Of Metabolism: A Double Blind Crossover Design, Brian Kliszczewicz, Emily Bechke, Cassie Williamson, Zackery Green

Faculty and Research Publications

BACKGROUOND: The purpose of this study was to examine resting the metabolic response to the ingestion of a complex containing Citrus Aurantium + Caffeine (CA + C) and if its consumption influences metabolic recovery following a high-intensity anaerobic exercise bout in habitual caffeine users. METHODS: Ten physically active males (25.1 ± 3.9 years; weight 78.71 ± 9.53 kg; height 177.2 ± 4.6 cm; body fat 15.5 ± 3.13%) participated in this study. This study was performed in a double-blind, randomized crossover fashion consisting of two exhaustive exercise protocols. On each visit the participants consumed either a CA + C (100 …

The Contribution Of Metabolism To The Regulation Of Caspase Activity And Cell Death In T Lymphocytes, Michael Anthony Secinaro

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

During an immune response, T cell activation is mirrored by a dramatic metabolic shift from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis. The upregulation of glycolysis allows the cell to generate the molecules needed to rapidly proliferate and to synthesize effector molecules. The resolution of the T cell response is characterized by equally fast death of most effector T cells. The remaining T cells shift back to oxidative phosphorylation, allowing the cell to survive as a memory T cell. The upregulation of glycolysis and proliferation during the effector phase is paralleled by an increased sensitivity to T cell receptor restimulation-induced cell death (RICD). …

Effects Of Invasive Watermilfoil And Seasonal Dynamics On Primary Production In Littoral Zones Of North-Temperate Lakes, Ryan R. Van Goethem

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Climate change and species invasion are two agents of global change altering aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Submerged aquatic macrophytes control lake ecosystem processes through their direct and indirect interactions with other primary producers, but how their interactions may be altered by species invasions or how they function over full seasonal cycles in temperate lakes is poorly understood. We first addressed whether the presence of invasive watermilfoil (IWM) altered standing crops and gross primary pro-duction (GPP) of other littoral primary producers (macrophytes, phytoplankton, attached algae or periphyton) in littoral zones of 6 Michigan lakes. We found no differences in primary producer standing …

American White Pelican (Pelecanus Erythrorhynchos) Growth, Nutrition And Immunology, Treena L. Ferguson, Brian J. Rude, D. Tommy King

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Limited information about nutrition exists on American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) from hatching to fledging. To detail immunity, metabolism and nutrition of juvenile American White Pelicans, during 22-23 July 2011, 103 samples of regurgitate matter were collected at five Chase Lake, North Dakota, USA, and three Bitter Lake, South Dakota, USA, sub-colonies. Regurgitate sample nutrient content was significantly different for organic matter (P = 0.012), crude protein (P = 0.001), neutral detergent fiber (P = 0.014), acid detergent fiber (P = 0.005) and energy (P = 0.034) between North (n = 5) …