Life Sciences Commons^™

Spatial Ecology And Habitat Selection Of Eastern Pinesnakes: Case Study On The Importance Of Scale In Conservation Biology, Matthew Grisnik, Alan Jones, Rachel Brubaker, Andrew M. Grosse, Scott L. Parker

Biology

Species are in decline world-wide, driven by multiple factors including habitat fragmentation. Understanding the habitat selection processes of species in these fragmented landscapes has become a focus of ecological studies and is a major component of conservation plan development. However, understanding how landscape level processes influence patterns of habitat selection is often ignored. Here we assessed the influence of landscape level processes in the habitat selection of Eastern Pinesnakes, a species in decline, within a protected area in South Carolina, USA. Over the course of a year, we tracked 8 Eastern Pinesnakes within a small protected area. Snakes exhibited seasonal …

Exploring Immune System Through Computational Modeling: A Comprehensive Study Of Lymph Nodes And Immune Response Scaling, Vaccine Efficacy, And Large-Scale Extreme First Passage Time, Jannatul Ferdous

Computer Science ETDs

The adaptive immune response is a complex defense mechanism that develops over time to recognize and eliminate pathogens with remarkable precision and durability. This dissertation investigates the dynamics, scaling, and efficiency of the adaptive immune response through a synthesis of computational modeling, mathematical analysis, and agent-based simulations. First, we analyze the topology of the lymphatic network and investigate the T cell search time to find the lymph node that is containing the matching dendritic cell. Second we show how the scaling of lymph node number and volume with body mass, leads to scale-invariant search times for T cells locating antigen-bearing …

Gallic, Aconitic, And Crocetin Acids As Potential Tnf Modulators: An Integrated Study Combining Molecular Docking, Dynamics Simulations, Admet Profiling, And Gene Expression Analysis, Adolat Manakbayeva, Ahdrey P. Bogoyavlenskiy, Timur Kerimov, Igor Yershov, Pavel Alexyuk, Madina Alexyuk, Vladimir Berezin, Vyacheslav Dushenkov

Publications and Research

Organic acids, as natural metabolites, play crucial roles in human metabolism and health. Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF), a pivotal mediator in immune regulation and inflammation, is a key therapeutic target. We evaluated ten organic acids as TNF modulators using in silico molecular docking, followed by detailed ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity) profiling and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for three lead candidates: gallic, aconitic, and crocetin acids. Their effects on TNF gene expression were then assessed in vivo using a mouse leukocyte model. The in silico results indicated that crocetin had the highest TNF binding affinity (−5.6 to −4.6 …

Targeted Delivery Of Rapamycin Via Epidermal Growth Factor Receptors In Pancreatic Cancer Cells Inhibits Cell Proliferation And Induces Apoptosis, Adeolu S. Oluremi, Christofer Baldwin, Nickolas L. Gustavision, Mujeebat Bashiru, Adeniyi Nsiah Oyebade, Noureen Siraj, Raj Raghavendra Rao, N. Ali

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is aggressive and deadly; most PC cells overexpress an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). EGFR-targeting peptide (GE11) was conjugated to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for delivering rapamycin (Rap), an mTOR inhibitor that reduces proliferation and induces apoptosis. Biophysical techniques confirmed the conjugation. Rap loading efficiency was 41.5%, with sustained release at a lower pH. Conjugates showed higher uptake in PANC-1 cells than unmodified AuNPs. It also inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis via pathways involving reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial damage, and caspase activation. This approach represents a promising nanoparticle-based therapeutic strategy targeting PC cells, utilizing GE11-EGFR interactions to minimize …

A Phase I Trial Of Evorpacept, Lenalidomide And Rituximab For Patients With B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Paolo Strati, Lei Feng, Andrey Tyshevich, Darya Shavronskaya, Julia Alesse, Noel English, Elizabeth Sheehan, Nikita Syzrantsev, Alexander Nesmelov, Tony Z Zhuang, Dai Chihara, Jason R Westin, Sairah Ahmed, Luis E Fayad, Jared Henderson, Kylie Dent, Elizabeth Mcchesney, Sattva S Neelapu, Christopher R Flowers

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: SIRPα+ macrophages can mediate resistance to lenalidomide and rituximab (R2) in patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). Evorpacept (ALX148) is a novel CD47 blocker that abrogates interactions between lymphoma cells and SIRPα+ macrophages.

Methods: Adult patients with B-NHL who had received at least 2 prior lines of systemic therapy were included in this single arm phase I study (NCT05025800). Evorpacept was administered intravenously (IV), in a 28-day cycle, until progression, at two dose levels (DL): 30 mg/Kg on day (D) 1 and D15 (DL1), or 60 mg/Kg on day 1 (DL2); rituximab 375 mg/m2 IV was given …

Assessing The Ecological Drivers And Consequences Of Partial Migration In Hudson River Striped Bass Over Three Decades, Caitlin Egan Zimmer

Biology ETDs

Climate change and shifts in human land use have caused extensive impacts to the connectivity, structure, and resilience of aquatic populations. Partial migration (PM), where only some individuals from a population migrate while the rest remain resident, can mitigate population-level responses to environmental stressors. However, little is known of the underlying mechanisms promoting variation in migration and whether these shift over time. In the Hudson River Estuary, striped bass (Morone saxatilis) are known to exhibit anadromous PM behavior. Here, I measured carbon isotopes (δ¹³C) of essential amino acids in striped bass scales to determine variation in …

The Island Biogeography Of Mangrove-Dwelling Vertebrates: Isolation, Specialisation, And Extinction, Jian Xiong David Tan

Biology ETDs

Mangroves are highly dynamic ecosystems that are widely distributed across the coastlines of the tropics and subtropics. Despite their low plant diversity, mangroves host a disproportionately high number of terrestrial vertebrate taxa. However, mangrove specialists — taxa that only occur in mangrove habitats — exhibit a global distribution that is incongruous with the broader background distribution patterns of mangrove-associated fauna, exhibiting higher diversity in Australia and Southeast Asia. This dissertation therefore aims to assess how the diversity and distribution of mangrove specialist fauna may have been shaped by the historical biogeography of mangroves, and the effects of mangrove specialisation on …

Plant Reproductive Strategies Shift In Response To Restoration Using Beaver Dam Analogs, Laurel F. Martinez

Biology ETDs

As riparian communities become increasingly degraded, restoration treatments are being implemented in streams to recover ecosystem functions. In the Jemez Mountains, beaver dam analogs (BDAs) are used to restore degraded streams by connecting the floodplain and increasing the extent of anoxic soil conditions. These environmental disturbances are expected to alter how riparian plants recruit, particularly their allocation to seed-based and vegetative regeneration strategies. We investigated whether BDAs and associated changes in soil water filled pore space (WFPS) affected riparian plant recruitment. We investigated the number of flowering stems as a proxy for seed-based regeneration and rhizome length and mass as …

Ecoimmunology Of Dirty Physella Acuta Snails, Kevin Arthur Mcquirk

Biology ETDs

Research on Physella acuta, an invasive freshwater snail, reveals insights into its parasitology, fitness, and molecular biology. Morphological and molecular analyses revealed two distinct mitogenomic lineages, local (B) and invasive (A) strains of native P. acuta, both having comparable trematode infection rates, suggesting that the low infection rates observed from A in invaded regions result from "enemy release" rather than immune incompatibility. Fitness assessments showed that while lineages A and B performed similarly under laboratory conditions, rewilding experiments revealed significantly higher fitness in lineage A. Transcriptomic profiling supported these differences, with A snails showing greater immune-related gene expression and …

Elevated Nr2f1 Underlies The Persistence Of Invasive Disease After Treatment Of Braf-Mutant Melanoma, Manoela Tiago, Timothy J. Purwin, Casey D. Stefanski, Renaira Oliveira Da Silva, Mitchell E. Fane, Yash Chhabra, Jelan I. Haj, Jessica L. F. Teh, Rama Kadamb, Weijia Cai, Sheera Rosenbaum, Vivian Chua, Nir Hacohen, Michael A. Davies, Jessie Villanueva, Inna Chervoneva, Ashani T. Weeraratna, Dan A. Erkes, Claudia Capparelli, Julio A. Aguirre-Ghiso, Andrew E. Aplin

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Despite the success of targeted inhibitors in cutaneous melanoma, therapeutic responses are limited by the aged tumor microenvironment and drug-tolerant residual cells. Given the similarities between drug tolerance and cellular dormancy, we studied the dormancy marker, nuclear receptor subfamily 2 group F member 1 (NR2F1), in response to BRAF-V600E inhibitors (BRAFi) plus MEK inhibitors (MEKi) in BRAF-mutant melanoma models. Transcriptomic analysis of melanoma patient samples treated with BRAFi + MEKi showed increased NR2F1. NR2F1 was highly expressed in the drug-tolerant invasive cell state of minimal residual disease in patient-derived and mouse-derived xenografts on BRAFi + MEKi. NR2F1 over-expression was sufficient …

Using Triple Oxygen Isotopes To Investigate Water Usage In Desert Ecosystems, Cloe V. Knutson

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

In arid environments, maintaining water balance can be more critical for survival than obtaining food. As droughts intensify, understanding how animals manage body water is essential. Triple oxygen isotope analysis provides a novel way to trace water sources in animals, distinguishing contributions from free water, food-derived oxygen, and atmospheric O₂. We developed an equilibration method using CO₂–H₂O oxygen exchange and measured δ^’18O and Δ^’17O values via tunable infrared laser direct spectroscopy (TILDAS). Validated against traditional fluorination methods, this technique enables streamlined analysis of whole blood and plant samples. Applied to …

Addressing Head Injuries In High School Football: An Assessment Of Best Practices And Challenges In The Area Of Concussions As Held By New Mexico Activities Association High School Varsity Football Head Coaches And Athletic Directors, Alonzo Maestas

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Youth sports participation in the United States offers children and adolescents opportunities for physical activity, skill development, social interaction, and personal achievement. However, with sports comes the risk of injury, including concussions. Concussions can have serious long-term consequences such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). In response to the risks of concussions, New Mexico enacted a concussion law, NM Stat 22-13-31. In addition to this law, the New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) and National Federation of High School Associations (NFHS) have also given guidance on how to manage concussions.

However, there is a gap in the literature concerning concussion education, best …

Immune Regulation In Fungal Airway Inflammation And Host Defense, Ruoning Wang

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs characterized by complex pathophysiological mechanisms and diverse endotypes, primarily categorized as T helper type 2 cell (Th2)-high and Th2-low asthma. Despite significant advances in understanding asthma pathogenesis, the mechanisms governing the pulmonary immune system’s response to external challenges have not been fully understood. To address these gaps, this comprehensive project was designed to investigate the interplay between fungal infections and specific CD4⁺ T cell populations in asthma. Our findings suggest that fungal infections can contribute to neutrophilic asthma by promoting the migration of platelet-myeloid aggregates into the lungs. We also …

Exploration, Expansion, And Optimization Of Bacteriophage Virus-Like Particle Vaccines, Andzoa N. Jamus

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Bacteriophage virus-like particles are highly immunogenic, self-assembling platforms used for various vaccines. This work shows efforts to explore new vaccine candidates against Chlamydia trachomatis, targeting proteins that play critical roles in attachment and entry into the host cell, as well as in pathogenesis and bacteria proliferation. This work also shows the optimization of previously identified candidates, by investigating how altering routes of immunization can change the antibody profiles elicited, both systemically and locally. Finally, this work shows the establishment of various Chlamydia infection models in an effort to expand the ways in which vaccine efficacy can be investigated, particularly …

Self-Initiated Action Rescues Visual Targets From Backwards Masking, Amber R. Hopkins, Tian Lan, Aaron Schurger

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

When a visual target is followed by a visual mask stimulus, the target sometimes goes unseen. This is visual masking. In an experiment treating a masked visual stimulus as the sensory outcome of self-initiated action, we demonstrate that self-initiated action can rescue visual targets from backwards masks. Specifically, participants were correct about a visual target more often when the target-mask sequence appeared after their self-initiated action than when its onset was triggered externally. While self-initiated action sometimes induces sensory attenuation, whereby the perception of sensory events that follow actions is dampened, we observed that self-initiated action promotes the perception of …

Non-Mutated Human Tau Stimulates Alzheimer’S Disease-Relevant Neurodegeneration In A Microglia-Dependent Manner, Ethan R Roy, Qiang Wang, Kexin Huang, Sanming Li, Yuanyuan Fan, Estrella Escobar, Constance L Atkins, Shuning Huang, Juan J Herrera, Wenbo Li, Clare Pridans, Xiaobo Zhou, Cynthia Ju, Wei Cao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The accumulation of abnormal, non-mutated tau protein is a key pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Despite its strong association with disease progression, the mechanisms by which tau drives neurodegeneration in the brain remain poorly understood. Here, we selectively expressed non-mutated or mutated human microtubule-associated protein tau (hMAPT) in neurons across the mouse brain and observed neurodegeneration in the hippocampus, especially associated with non-mutated human tau. Single-nuclei RNA sequencing confirmed a selective loss of hippocampal excitatory neurons by the wild-type tau and revealed the upregulation of neurodegeneration-related pathways in the affected populations. The accumulation of phosphorylated tau was accompanied by …

Glucose Metabolism And Its Direct Action In Cancer And Immune Regulation: Opportunities And Challenges For Metabolic Targeting, Bo-Syong Pan, Che-Chia Hsu, Hsin-En Wu, Yuan-Ru Chen, Xiaobo Zhou, Shu-Chi Wang, Chia-Yang Li, Hui-Kuan Lin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Glucose metabolism is a pivotal hub for cellular energy production and the generation of building blocks that support cell growth, survival, and differentiation. Cancer cells undergo metabolic reprogramming to sustain rapid proliferation, survive in harsh microenvironments, and resist therapies. Beyond producing energy and building blocks to meet cancer cell demands, glucose metabolism generates numerous metabolites that serve as signaling molecules, orchestrating signaling pathways and epigenetic modifications that regulate cancer cell phenotypes and immunity. In this review, we discuss how glucose, through its metabolism and direct actions, influences diverse biological processes driving cancer progression and therapeutic resistance, while also exploring metabolic …

A Data Assimilation Framework For Predicting The Spatiotemporal Response Of High-Grade Gliomas To Chemoradiation, Hugo J M Miniere, David A Hormuth, Ernesto A B F Lima, Maguy Farhat, Bikash Panthi, Holly Langshaw, Mihir D Shanker, Wasif Talpur, Sara Thrower, Jodi Goldman, Sophia Ty, Caroline Chung, Thomas E Yankeelov

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: High-grade gliomas are highly invasive and respond variably to chemoradiation. Accurate, patient-specific predictions of tumor response could enhance treatment planning. We present a novel computational platform that assimilates MRI data to continually predict spatiotemporal tumor changes during chemoradiotherapy.

Methods: Tumor growth and response to chemoradiation was described using a two-species reaction-diffusion model of enhancing and non-enhancing regions of the tumor. Two evaluation scenarios were used to test the predictive accuracy of this model. In scenario 1, the model was calibrated on a patient-specific basis (n = 21) to weekly MRI data during the course of chemoradiotherapy. A data assimilation …

Nitrogen Addition Additively Boosts Climate-Driven Salsola Tragus (Russian Thistle) Invasion Into Southwestern Usa Grasslands, Melissa A. Bacigalupa

Biology ETDs

Effective management of invasive, non-native plants requires understanding key drivers of invasion, including nitrogen enrichment from atmospheric deposition and agriculture. Long-term studies are essential for capturing complex invasion dynamics yet remain uncommon. We used 22 years of observations and 14 years of nitrogen experiments to examine invasion by Salsola tragus (Russian thistle) into three semi-arid grasslands of central New Mexico. Invasion patterns varied, with rapid expansion in Chihuahuan Desert grassland and the Desert-Plains ecotone but stability in Plains grassland. Under ambient nitrogen, precipitation most strongly correlated with Russian thistle biomass and high native grass biomass was associated with Russian thistle …

Miniature Carnation Cut Flower Production In Utah, Kellie Webb, Melanie Stock, Benjamin Scow, Cheyenne Reid, Victoria Xiong, Claudia Nischwitz, Nick Volesky

All Current Publications

Carnation is one of the most popular cut flowers worldwide and has been grown for centuries. The delicate, fringed petals of miniature carnation have a spicy, clove-like scent and are often used commercially in potpourri and perfume. Florists value the scent, versatility in both large and small design work, long vase life, and broad range of colors, which include yellow, orange, pink, white, red, and purple. While traditionally grown under cover in regions like Colombia and Ecuador, carnation may be a viable cut flower for U.S. Intermountain West growers, as plants tolerate frost and grow well in both cool and …

Creating Sustainable School And Home Gardens: Companion Planting, Ruby Mohr, Kathy Cabe Trundle, Rita Hagevik

All Current Publications

Companion planting is an agricultural practice in which two or more plants are intentionally grown together to enhance mutual productivity. The special relationships that plants have with other organisms help create balanced ecosystems. Companion planting can be used to reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, increase yields, and attract beneficial insects such as pollinators.

Effects Of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (Pfoa) And Elevated Salinity On Growth, Reproduction, And Movement Of Physa Acuta, Juana Baudrix, Andrea Rizzo, Samuel Richardson, Jason Doll, Daniel Elias

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Freshwater ecosystems face increasing threats from pollutants such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and elevated salinity. This study examined the effects of PFOA (1.69 µg/L) and elevated salinity (2.5 g/L) on Physa acuta growth, reproduction, and movement over a 21-day exposure. Movement increased across treatments, and reproductive output also increased with salinity and salinity + PFOA, with increased egg sac production in the combined treatment (p < 0.05), while PFOA alone reduced total egg production. Growth was higher with PFOA but decreased in the salinity and salinity + PFOA treatments. Our results suggest that P. acuta increases reproductive output when exposed to combined stressors, prioritizing egg sac production at the cost of movement and growth. These trade-offs may influence P. acuta population dynamics and freshwater ecosystem processes. While this study provides insights into the effects of PFOA and salinity, further research is necessary to understand the long-term ecological consequences in field conditions.

07.28.2025 Ored Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

On-demand training courses released

• Mentoring
• My Project Was Funded, Now What?

Notice of Funding Opportunity SMART Act Accelerate Initiative

Memo Regarding Contact from Federal Agencies

Selenium Nanoparticles Synthesized By Pulsed Laser Ablation In Liquids For Antimicrobial Applications, Tina Hesabizadeh

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to synthesize selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) by Pulsed Laser Ablation in Liquids (PLAL) and investigate their antibacterial and biological effects, particularly their impact on cell viability and related biological responses. Spherical amorphous Se NPs were produced by irradiating a selenium target using a combination of bottom- and top-ablation protocols. After autoclaving, the amorphous Se NPs were converted into trigonal Se NPs. Se NPs were characterized by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The biological effects of Se NPs were quantitatively assessed through evaluations of cell viability and associated …

Characterization Of The Role Of Rsd-6, A Tudor Domain Protein, In Antiviral Rnai Pathway In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Krishna Prasad Dahal

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

RNA interference (RNAi) triggered by virus produced dsRNA intermediate offers robust innate immunity against invading viruses in plants, insects and animals. Caenorhabditis elegans has been extensively used as a model organism to study host virus interaction. Recently, a forward genetic screen identified RNAi spreading deficient-6 (RSD-6), a Tudor domain protein, as a key component in antiviral RNAi pathway against Orsay virus in C. elegans but its contribution in the pathway remained unclear. Here, we generated a rsd-6 null allele using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, crossed it with other known RNAi mutants and analyzed Orsay virus replication in them and in combination …

Distributional Records Of Blanding’S Turtles (Emydoidea Blandingii) In Nebraska, Sam Thede, Dan Fogell, Keith Geluso

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) is a species of concern in North America as many populations have declined across its distribution. Environmental factors associated with alteration of natural ecosystems have played a role in declines leading to many isolated populations. Most populations exist in the Great Lakes region with a number of outlying populations, such as Nebraska. Understanding the current distribution of the species will facilitate regional management strategies to protect this species into the future. In Nebraska, Blanding’s Turtles were known from 23 counties prior to this study. Herein, we report on eight new county records, five (Blaine, …

Simulated Walleye Responses To Various Harvest Regulations In A Nebraska Reservoir, Mikael Ranta, Melissa Wuellner, Keith D. Koupal

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Recreational fishing provides sociological and economic benefits, and fish populations are managed by state agencies to meet angler expectations. One of the most popular species in Midwest reservoirs are walleye (Sander vitreus), and most of these fisheries have established restrictions on the number and sizes of fish harvested. Regulations are set based on population structure and dynamics and management goals, but often agencies have incomplete information needed to establish regulations. Predictive models can provide insight on population responses and inform managers of the tradeoffs between angler restrictions and population sustainability. Lake McConaughy, Nebraska, supports a popular walleye fishery. …

Cultural Worldview And Rural Consumer Preferences For Genetically Modified Foods, Nathan P. Kemper

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

The consumer acceptance of genetically modified (GM) foods varies widely based on personal values and social context. This study investigates how cultural worldviews—measured through the Individualism–Communitarianism and Hierarchical–Egalitarianism dimensions—affect willingness to pay (WTP) for food labeling attributes related to GM content. We surveyed 932 U.S. primary grocery shoppers and conducted a discrete choice experiment (DCE) with poultry product options. Using a Mixed Logit model and supplemental cognitive data from Query Theory, we find that rural individualists are more accepting of GM-labeled products. At the same time, urban communitarians show a stronger preference for non-GM labels. These results offer insight into …

Immunocytochemistry Evaluation Of Fibroblast Response To Garlic (Allium Sativum) Extract Targeting Mmp9: In Vitro And In Silico Approaches, Sri Suciati Ningsih, Endah Zuraidah, Supri Irianti Handayani, Ahmad Ali Irfan Ardiansyah, Ningrum Wahyuni

Indonesian Journal of Medical Chemistry and Bioinformatics

Background: Fibrosis involves excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, with matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) playing a critical role. Natural compounds targeting MMP-9 may offer therapeutic potential. Objective: This study evaluated the antifibrotic effect of Allium sativum extract on fibroblast cells through in vitro and in silico approaches targeting MMP-9. Methods: Human dermal fibroblasts were treated with A. sativum extract (25, 50, and 100 µg/mL) for 24 and 48 hours. Cell viability was assessed using MTT assay. MMP-9 expression was analyzed via quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunocytochemistry (ICC). Major garlic compounds were docked to MMP-9 using AutoDock Vina. Results: The 50 µg/mL …

Effects Of Mating System And Adaptedness On The Evolution Of Fitness And Mtdna Copy Number In Mitonuclear Mismatched C. Elegans, Zachary P. Dietz, Devshuvam Banerji, Jennifer A. Sullins, Brent W. Bever, Stephen F. Christy, Ulfar Bergthorsson, Vaishali Katju, Suzanne Estes

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Metabolic functioning in nearly all eukaryotes relies on molecular machinery dual-encoded by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA (nDNA) genomes. The two genomes have sustained an extraordinary degree of cooperation across evolutionary time, preserving the capacity for indispensable processes including oxidative phosphorylation and ATP production, which in turn influence many fitness-related traits. How this cooperation is maintained when one member of the pair is debilitated by deleterious mutation is poorly understood, as is the influence of mutation location (mtDNA or nDNA), mating system, or the potentially compensatory effects of mtDNA copy number changes on the process. We asked whether and …