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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Investigating Gene Functions In Mycobacteriophage Island3, Ali Almail, Samantha Blum, Lauren Pavich, Sara S. Tolsma
Investigating Gene Functions In Mycobacteriophage Island3, Ali Almail, Samantha Blum, Lauren Pavich, Sara S. Tolsma
Celebration of Research
Island3 is a temperate Cluster I1 mycobacteriophage that infects Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155. Its genome consists of 76 protein-coding genes, only 17 of which have known functions. Towards the goal of identifying additional gene functions, we amplified, cloned, and assayed 14 genes for host cytotoxicity and the ability to render the host resistant to infection by other phages (defense). We analyzed genes 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, 22, 25, 50, 51, 57, 60, and 61 and concluded that none of these genes exhibited either host cytotoxicity or defense against phage infection. We are in the process of assaying the …
Monitoring A Small Northwestern Iowa Stream Undergoing Watershed Changes, Krista Riensche, Kaarina Marttila, Cassandra Koel, Riley Chartier, Juliann Jansen, Angela Brinkman, Lindsey Craig, Sadie Sandbulte, Laurie Furlong
Monitoring A Small Northwestern Iowa Stream Undergoing Watershed Changes, Krista Riensche, Kaarina Marttila, Cassandra Koel, Riley Chartier, Juliann Jansen, Angela Brinkman, Lindsey Craig, Sadie Sandbulte, Laurie Furlong
Celebration of Research
Stream ecosystems are influenced by their watersheds. Intact watersheds support high water quality and habitat heterogeneity, while providing native allochthonous input. In Iowa, watershed degradation associated with agricultural activities and expanding residential development negatively impacts streams by increasing sedimentation, pesticide exposure, and eutrophication. Our study continued a monitoring program of a low order stream in Sioux County, Iowa. As the surrounding watershed shifts from agricultural to residential use, we are recording changes in stream biodiversity and water quality. At three study sites, we documented the stream’s physical and chemical characteristics and collected macroinvertebrate samples. We also introduced various substrata (gravel, …
Elucidating Antiproliferative Mechanisms Of Grapeseed, Guava, And Juniper Berry Extracts, Ali Almail, Noah Gritters, Colton Hage, Lauren Pavich, Dominick Pickard, Mitchell Rentschler, Ashley Van Egdom, Sara S. Tolsma
Elucidating Antiproliferative Mechanisms Of Grapeseed, Guava, And Juniper Berry Extracts, Ali Almail, Noah Gritters, Colton Hage, Lauren Pavich, Dominick Pickard, Mitchell Rentschler, Ashley Van Egdom, Sara S. Tolsma
Celebration of Research
Plant extracts are an untapped source of medicinal potential. Even today they are used as standalone treatments and applied alongside conventional therapies. The focus of our laboratory is to identify plant extracts exhibiting antiproliferative activity in vitro, to determine which chemicals are responsible for this activity, and to elucidate mechanism(s) by which growth is slowed/inhibited by plant extracts. Specifically, we exposed five cell lines/strains to twenty-two plant extracts and measured cell proliferation. Extracts from Vinca, Juniper Berry, Guava, Grapeseed, and Yew slowed the growth of all five lines/strains in a dose dependent fashion. We are working to understand the mechanism …
Stormbreaker8 And A3wally Bacteriophage Genome Annotations, Riley Chartier, Abigail M. Clarke, Lindsey Groen, Marshall Kleinhesselink, Cassandra Koel, Madison Korthals, Jordyn Kramer, Garrett Raymon, Krista Riensche, Sadie Sandbulte, Annika Stecker, Daniel Strand, Kaytlin Wojciechowski, Ali Almail, Sara S. Tolsma, Byron Noordewier
Stormbreaker8 And A3wally Bacteriophage Genome Annotations, Riley Chartier, Abigail M. Clarke, Lindsey Groen, Marshall Kleinhesselink, Cassandra Koel, Madison Korthals, Jordyn Kramer, Garrett Raymon, Krista Riensche, Sadie Sandbulte, Annika Stecker, Daniel Strand, Kaytlin Wojciechowski, Ali Almail, Sara S. Tolsma, Byron Noordewier
Celebration of Research
Stormbreaker8 and A3Wally are two novel bacteriophages isolated and purified on Microbacterium foliorum NRRL B-24224 by students in the Fall 2020 Discovery course. Stormbreaker8, an EA1 cluster lytic phage, was isolated from soil collected in Orange City, IA. Its circular permuted genome contains 41,751 base-pairs with 63.4% GC content. A3Wally, a GD cluster phage, was isolated from soil collected in Sioux Center, IA. Its genome is 60.1% GC, contains 194,724 base-pairs, and its ends are direct terminal repeats. Spring 2021 Genetics students annotated the genomes using bioinformatics software.
Genetic Annotation Of Bacteriophages Mscarn, Knocker, And Neos5, David Adair, Lindsey Craig, Keziah Knudson, Kaylee Maasdam, Kaarina Marttila, Katie Meyer, Alexa Olguin, Mitchell Rentschler, Emily Schmidt, April Van Tol, Samantha Blum, Byron Noordewier, Sara S. Tolsma
Genetic Annotation Of Bacteriophages Mscarn, Knocker, And Neos5, David Adair, Lindsey Craig, Keziah Knudson, Kaylee Maasdam, Kaarina Marttila, Katie Meyer, Alexa Olguin, Mitchell Rentschler, Emily Schmidt, April Van Tol, Samantha Blum, Byron Noordewier, Sara S. Tolsma
Celebration of Research
We annotated the genomes of three recently discovered bacteriophages to learn more about their genetic composition. MScarn is a lytic bacteriophage that infects Gordonia terrae 3612. It was discovered and purified from soil collected in Iroquois, SD. MScarn is a cluster CT phage, one of only 37 discovered to date. Its genome is 45,677 base pairs long and has 10-nucleotide 3’ sticky overhanging ends. Its GC content is 60.3% which is typical of CT cluster members. Knocker is a cluster B9 phage that was isolated on the host Mycobacterium smegmatis mc²155 from soil collected in Watertown, SD. Its circularly permuted …
European Buckthorn (Rhamnus Cathartica) Density Impact On Invertebrate Diversity In A Floodplain Forest In Sioux County, Ia, Riley Chartier, Todd Tracy, Laurie Furlong
European Buckthorn (Rhamnus Cathartica) Density Impact On Invertebrate Diversity In A Floodplain Forest In Sioux County, Ia, Riley Chartier, Todd Tracy, Laurie Furlong
Celebration of Research
This study explores the relationship between the invasive shrub European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) on invertebrate diversity in Northwestern College’s forest near Alton, IA. We performed pitfall sampling in June 2020 and found invertebrate richness and abundance to be nonsignificantly lower in high-density buckthorn plots than in treatment plots where buckthorn had been removed. We also found no relationship between buckthorn density and invertebrate diversity. Data from this study will supplement the data collected over the past 15 years to determine whether any seasonal or long-term trends in invertebrate diversity have been occurring since buckthorn were first removed from …
Exploring A Transcriptional Regulatory Region In Mycobacteriophage Jacoren57, Ali Almail, Elizabeth Heeg, Byron Noordewier, Sara S. Tolsma
Exploring A Transcriptional Regulatory Region In Mycobacteriophage Jacoren57, Ali Almail, Elizabeth Heeg, Byron Noordewier, Sara S. Tolsma
Celebration of Research
Mycobacteriophages are infectious particles that infect mycobacteria, and little is known about cis-regulatory elements that control their gene expression. In phage genomes, cis-regulatory elements commonly precede a series of genes that are expressed as an operon. JacoRen57 is a cluster AB mycobacteriophage that possesses forward and reverse genes with non-coding gaps interspersed throughout its genome. We assayed one of the gap regions of JacoRen57 (40644-40974 bps) for regulatory activity in the downstream direction when present in its host, Mycobacterium smegmatis, by cloning the region into pLO86, a vector containing the mCherry reporter gene. The putative regulatory region induced the expression …