Life Sciences Commons^™

Response Of Soil Respiration To Precipitation Variation In Alfalfa Grassland On The Western Loess Plateau: Hysteresis And Diel Q10, H. K. Chu, H. Ni, J. Y. Ma, Yuying Shen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Soil respiration (Rs) plays an important role in the terrestrial carbon cycle, but how precipitation variation affects Rs in alfalfa grassland is poorly understood. To explore the effects of precipitation variation on Rs, this experiment was conducted by using rainfall shelters to simulate 30% precipitation reduction (P-30), normal precipitation (CK) and 30% precipitation increase (P+30) for an alfalfa (Medicago sativa) grassland in the Qingyang city, Gansu province, China. Rs was measured continuously using an automated soil respiration system (model LI-8100A with an LI-8150 multiplexer, LI-COR, Nebraska, USA) during the overwintering preparation period of alfalfa. The results showed that …

Soil Carbon Accumulation Under Perennial Forage Grasses In The Southern Highlands Of Tanzania, S. S. Nyawira, P. Birthe, M. J. Korir, B. Nzogela, A. O. Notenbaert

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Land degradation caused by the loss of SOC in continuously cultivated agricultural systems is a major problem in many sub-Saharan Africa countries. The integration on perennial forage grasses in cropping systems has the potential to enhance SOC sequestration. The main objective of this study is to compare soil organic carbon (SOC) under perennial forages with SOC under annual food crops, specifically maize (Zea mays). A survey was conducted in Njombe district in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania to identity farmers with planted forages that are more than five years old and with neighbouring maize plots. Survey results identified …

Perennial Forage Grasses Response To Deficit Irrigation As An Alternative For Water-Limited Conditions Of Southern Chile, Rafael López-Olivari, Fernando Ortega-Klose

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Perennial grasses are an important pasture forage source for the animal production industry around the world. However, the lack of available water limits the use and efficiency of the water resource for maximizing the forage yield. Furthermore, the highest perennial grasses production is obtained in southern Chile, where the frequency and intensity of the rainfalls has been significantly diminished in the main growing period. Thus, the purpose of this research was to evaluate the responses of forage yield (FY) and irrigation water use efficiency (I_WUE) under different levels of water stress on perennial grasses sown …

Quantification Of Methane Emissions From Indoor-Fed Fogera Dairy Cows Using Laser Methane Detector, N. Kobayashi, F. Hou, A. Tsunekawa, Tianhai Yan, F. Tegegne, A. Tassew, Y. Mekuriaw, S. Mekuriaw, B. Hunegnaw, W. Mekonnen, T. Ichinohe

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Portable laser methane detectors (LMDs) may be an economical means of estimating CH₄ emissions from ruminants. Here, we validated an LMD-based approach and then used that approach to evaluate CH₄ emissions from indigenous dairy cows in a dryland area of Ethiopia. First, we validated our LMD-based approach in Simmental crossbred beef cattle (n = 2) housed in respiration chambers and fed either a high- or low-concentrate diet. We found that the exhaled air CH₄ concentrations measured by LMD were linearly correlated with the CH₄ emissions determined by infrared-absorption-based gas analyzer (r² = 0.55). …

P53-Mediated Neurodegeneration In The Absence Of The Nuclear Protein Akirin2., Stacey L Peek, Peter J Bosch, Ethan Bahl, Brianna J Iverson, Mrutyunjaya Parida, Preeti Bais, J Robert Manak, Jacob J Michaelson, Robert W. Burgess, Joshua A Weiner

Faculty Research 2022

Proper gene regulation is critical for both neuronal development and maintenance as the brain matures. We previously demonstrated that Akirin2, an essential nuclear protein that interacts with transcription factors and chromatin remodeling complexes, is required for the embryonic formation of the cerebral cortex. Here we show that Akirin2 plays a mechanistically distinct role in maintaining healthy neurons during cortical maturation. Restricting Akirin2 loss to excitatory cortical neurons resulted in progressive neurodegeneration via necroptosis and severe cortical atrophy with age. Comparing transcriptomes from Akirin2-null postnatal neurons and cortical progenitors revealed that targets of the tumor suppressor p53, a regulator of both …

Smokejumper Obituary: Palmer, Christopher Richard “Chris” (Redding 1975), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

Tissue Losses And Metabolic Adaptations Both Contribute To The Reduction In Resting Metabolic Rate Following Weight Loss, Alexandra Martin, Darius Fox, Chaise A. Murphy, Hande Hofmann, Karsten Koehler

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the contributions of the loss of energy-expending tissues and metabolic adaptations to the reduction in resting metabolic rate (RMR) following weight loss.

METHODS: A secondary analysis was conducted on data from the Comprehensive Assessment of Long-term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy study. Changes in RMR, body composition, and metabolic hormones were examined over 12 months of calorie restriction in 109 individuals. The contribution of tissue losses to the decline in RMR was determined by weighing changes in the size of energy-expending tissues and organs (skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, bone, brain, inner organs, residual mass) …

Amorphization Of Pseudocapacitive T−Nb2O5 Accelerates Lithium Diffusivity As Revealed Using Tunable Isomorphic Architectures, Wessel Van Den Bergh, Sean Wechsler, Hasala Nadeesini Lokupitiya, Lauren Jarocha, Kwangnam Kim, James Chapman, Kyoung E. Kweon, Brandon C. Wood, Steve Heald, Morgan Stefik Phd

Faculty Publications

Intercalationpseudocapacitancecan combinecapacitor-likepower densitieswith battery-likeenergy densities.Such surface-limitedbehaviorrequiresrapid diffusionwhere amorphizationcan increasesolid-statediffusivity.Here intercalationpseudoca-pacitivematerialswith tailoredextentsof amorphizationin T-Nb2O5are first reported.Amorphizationwas characterizedwithWAXS, XPS, XAFS, and EPR which suggesteda peroxide-rich(O22) surface that was consistentwith DFT predictions.A seriesof tunableisomorphicarchitecturesenabledcomparisonswhileindependentlyvaryingtransportparameters.Throughprocessof elimination,solid-statelithium diffusionwas identifiedas thedominantdiffusive-constraintdictatingthe maximumvoltagesweep rate for surface-limitedkinetics(vSLT), termed the Surface-LimitedThreshold(SLT). ThevSLTincreasedwith amorphizationhoweverstable cycling requiredcrystallineT-Nb2O5. A current-responsemodel using series-impedanceswell-matchedtheseobservations.This perspectiverevealedthat amorphizationof T-Nb2O5enhancedsolid-statediffusionby 12.2% and increasedsurface-limitationsby 17.0% (stablesamples).This approachenabledretaining95% lithiationcapacityat ~800mVs1(1,600C-rate equivalent).

A Review Of The Impacts Of Invasive Wild Pigs On Native Vertebrates, Matthew T. Mcdonough, Stephen S. Ditchkoff, Mark D. Smith, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The wild pig (Sus scrofa) is a successful invasive species that has become well established outside of its native range in Eurasia. The invasive wild pig is the result of released or escaped domesticated livestock becoming feral, or Eurasian boar introduced for hunting purposes. The global spread of wild pigs has recently been exacerbated in some areas, such as the USA, by anthropogenically assisted dispersal. Once established in novel ecosystems, wild pigs have the potential to have significant negative impacts on the ecosystem, and the scientific literature is replete with examples. It is generally accepted that wild pigs …

Mobility Of Phosphine-Susceptible And -Resistant Rhyzopertha Dominica (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) And Tribolium Castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) After Exposure To Controlled Release Materials With Existing And Novel Active Ingredients, Sabita Ranabhat, Kun Yan Zhu, Georgina Bingham, William R., Morrison Iii

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

There is interest in developing controlled release materials (CRMs) with novel modes of action to improve resistance management. Long-lasting insecticide-incorporated netting (LLIN) with deltamethrin has been effectively used against stored-product pests. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of different CRMs (LLIN or packaging) with each of four active ingredients (AI) (deltamethrin, permethrin, indoxacarb, and dinotefuran) and compared them to control CRMs in reducing movement and increasing mortality of phosphine-susceptible and -resistant Rhyzopertha dominica and Tribolium castaneum. Adults were exposed for 0.5, 2, or 60 min, and movement was assessed immediately or after 24, or 168 h using video-tracking and Ethovision …

Syndecan-2 Regulates Pad2 To Exert Antifibrotic Effects On Ra-Ild Fibroblasts, Konstantin Tsoyi, Anthony J Esposito, Bo Sun, Ryan G Bowen, Kevin Xiong, Fernando Poli, Rafael Cardenas, Sarah G Chu, Xiaoliang Liang, Stefan W Ryter, Christine Beeton, Tracy J Doyle, Matthew J Robertson, Lindsay J Celada, Freddy Romero, Souheil Y El-Chemaly, Mark A Perrella, I-Cheng Ho, Ivan O Rosas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) is the most common pulmonary complication of RA, increasing morbidity and mortality. Anti-citrullinated protein antibodies have been associated with the development and progression of both RA and fibrotic lung disease; however, the role of protein citrullination in RA-ILD remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the expression of peptidylarginine deiminase 2 (PAD2), an enzyme that catalyzes protein citrullination, is increased in lung homogenates from subjects with RA-ILD and their lung fibroblasts. Chemical inhibition or genetic knockdown of PAD2 in RA-ILD fibroblasts attenuated their activation, marked by decreased myofibroblast differentiation, gel contraction, and extracellular matrix …

Adrenergic Modulation Of Precursor Cells Of Ovarian Cancer, Sweta Dash

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ovarian cancer remains one of the most lethal gynecological cancer and ranks eighth in cancer-related mortality among women. The high mortality rate can be attributed to majority of the cases being diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease when the survival rate and overall prognosis are poor. There is lack of effective screening modalities to detect ovarian cancer at early stages. Hence, a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms leading to ovarian cancer initiation is required.

Epidemiological studies have reported that conditions which cause chronic behavioral stress are associated with a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer. The activation of …

Reducing Adverse Impacts Of Amazon Hydropower Expansion, Alexander S. Flecker, Qinru Shi, Rafael M. Almeida, Héctor Angarita, Jonathan M. Gomes-Selman, Roosevelt García-Villacorta, Suresh A. Sethi, Steven A. Thomas, N Leroy Poff, Bruce R. Forsberg

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Proposed hydropower dams at more than 350 sites throughout the Amazon require strategic evaluation of trade-offs between the numerous ecosystem services provided by Earth's largest and most biodiverse river basin. These services are spatially variable, hence collective impacts of newly built dams depend strongly on their configuration. We use multiobjective optimization to identify portfolios of sites that simultaneously minimize impacts on river flow, river connectivity, sediment transport, fish diversity, and greenhouse gas emissions while achieving energy production goals. We find that uncoordinated, dam-by-dam hydropower expansion has resulted in forgone ecosystem service benefits. Minimizing further damage from hydropower development requires considering …

Seizure Prediction In Epilepsy Patients, Gary Dean Cravens

NSU REACH and IPE Day

Purpose/Objective: Characterize rigorously the preictal period in epilepsy patients to improve the development of seizure prediction techniques. Background/Rationale: 30% of epilepsy patients are not well-controlled on medications and would benefit immensely from reliable seizure prediction. Methods/Methodology: Computational model consisting of in-silico Hodgkin-Huxley neurons arranged in a small-world topology using the Watts-Strogatz algorithm is used to generate synthetic electrocorticographic (ECoG) signals. ECoG data from 18 epilepsy patients is used to validate the model. Unsupervised machine learning is used with both patient and synthetic data to identify potential electrophysiologic biomarkers of the preictal period. Results/Findings: The model has shown states corresponding to …

A Systematic Review To Propose An Evidence-Based Nutrition Protocol In Depression, Camilla A. Mirkin, Nicole Koci

NSU REACH and IPE Day

Background: Rates of depression have been rising steadily over the last several decades with more than 264 million people affected, making it one of the top three burdens globally. The pandemic has brought on a greater risk of depression. Forty-two percent of individuals surveyed in December 2020 by the US Census Bureau reported depressive symptoms. Many factors, including poor diet quality, play a role in the development of depression during traumatic events like the pandemic. A low-quality dietary pattern has been associated with obesity, low-grade chronic inflammation, dysbiosis, increased cortisol levels and monoamine neurotransmitter deficiency. Among others, these factors have …

An Ecophisiological Proposal To Manage Natural Grasslands: A Long Term Trial, F. L. F. De Quadros, D. Roberti, L. Marin, B. Kuinchtner, P. L. Nascimento

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Natural grasslands on Southern Brazil comprise the so called “Rio de La Plata Grasslands” in South America. They are an important fodder source for ruminant pastoral systems and contribute to regional ecosystem services. Strength of these grasslands is its floristic diversity that poses a dilemma to farmers: how to choose management protocols that could be applied for hundreds of species. We propose to use a functional ecophysiological approach based on groups of grasses, the most abundant on aerial biomass of this natural grasslands. We clustered the most frequent grasses in two groups based on its leaf traits (leaf dry matter …

When The Natural Toxin Concentration In Crotalaria Increase In Japan?, M. Kaneko, N. Kato, I. Hattori

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A green manure crop, sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), legumes, has a nematode-suppressive effect. It is also used as feed in India. However, it is not used as feed in Japan because it contains natural toxins: Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). PAs has the negative effects for not only livestock but also human health. The PAs, which are abundant in sunn hemp seeds and which are contained only slightly in leaves and stems. Therefore, if sunn hemp harvested before flowering, then no poison problem is posed by PAs. However, if it is harvested at the podding stage, a poisonous concentration of …

Accelerate Scaling Up Forage Intensification Using Novel Digital Extension Approach In Kenya, Donald M. G. Njarui, Mwangi Gatheru, Jessica M. Ndubi, Alice W. Murage, Anne W. Gichangi, Elias M. Gichangi, Udaya S. Nogothu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Wide scale adoption of diverse forages improves livestock productivity and farmers welfare. However, limited access to information and knowledge on forage production results in slow adoption in Kenya. There is need to enhance information and knowledge exchange among farming communities for efficient and effective adoption and decision-making. An inter-institutional pilot project was initiated in 2017 to scale-up forages in Kenya using a novel extension approach - the village knowledge centre (VKC). A VKC is an information and communication technology (ICT) digital platform-based linking farmers through smart phones and social media as a conduit for faster and effective information and knowledge. …

Evaluation Of Annual Companion Crops For The Establishment Of Perennial Forage Crops In Eastern Canada, Philippe Seguin, Sandrine St-Pierre-Lepage, Céline Georlette, Caroline Halde, Gaëtan F. Tremblay, Huguette Martel, Ayitre Akpakouma

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The use of companion crops when establishing perennial forages is desirable as it often reduces weed growth and increases forage biomass in the seeding year. In eastern Canada, oat (Avena sativa L.) is the main species used as companion crop; although other species are used, they have not been systematically evaluated. A field study was established in 2019 at three sites in Québec, Canada, to contrast the use of six annual species as companion crops for the establishment of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.)-timothy (Phleum pratense L.) mixtures. Species evaluated include berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.), annual …

Variation Of Pollen Viability In Brachiaria Species And Opportunity In Increased Filled Seed Percentage, Weenaporn Juntasin, Sarayut Thaikua, Rattikan Poungkaew, Pichet Chanpeng, Sompon Waipanya, Yasuhiro Kawamoto

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

On pseudogamy process, pollen fertility affects endosperm development in Brachiaria apomictic hybrids. Also, it was well-known that self-incompatibility could affect the fertilization in cross pollination species. Evaluation of pollen viability and percentage of filled seed, and the demonstration of pollen induction technique for increasing filled seed percentage in Brachiaria spp. are presented in this paper. In the first experiment, 8 cultivars/breeding lines of Brachiaria, including 2 open-pollinated cultivars, an apomictic cultivar and 5 hybrids, were planted in randomized completely block design, with 3 replications at northeast Thailand. Each experimental unit consisted of 20 plants, 6 central plants were evaluated. …

Pollution — Bring The Field Into The Lab, Anna Von Mikecz, Andrea Scharf

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Letter to the Editor

A Splicing Mutation In Slc4a5 Results In Retinal Detachment And Retinal Pigment Epithelium Dysfunction, Gayle B. Collin, Lanying Shi, Minzhong Yu, Nurten Akturk, Jeremy R. Charette, Lillian F Hyde, Sonia M Weatherly, Martin Pera, Juergen K. Naggert, Neal S Peachey, Patsy M. Nishina, Mark P. Krebs

Faculty Research 2022

Fluid and solute transporters of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) are core components of the outer blood-retinal barrier. Characterizing these transporters and their role in retinal homeostasis may provide insights into ocular function and disease. Here, we describe RPE defects in tvrm77 mice, which exhibit hypopigmented patches in the central retina. Mapping and nucleotide sequencing of tvrm77 mice revealed a disrupted 5' splice donor sequence in Slc4a5, a sodium bicarbonate cotransporter gene. Slc4a5 expression was reduced 19.7-fold in tvrm77 RPE relative to controls, and alternative splice variants were detected. SLC4A5 was localized to the Golgi apparatus of cultured human …

Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Clonal Selection And Diversification In Normal Endometrial Epithelium., Manako Yamaguchi, Hirofumi Nakaoka, Kazuaki Suda, Kosuke Yoshihara, Tatsuya Ishiguro, Nozomi Yachida, Kyota Saito, Haruka Ueda, Kentaro Sugino, Yutaro Mori, Kaoru Yamawaki, Ryo Tamura, Sundaramoorthy Revathidevi, Teiichi Motoyama, Kazuki Tainaka, Roel G W Verhaak, Ituro Inoue, Takayuki Enomoto

Faculty Research 2022

It has become evident that somatic mutations in cancer-associated genes accumulate in the normal endometrium, but spatiotemporal understanding of the evolution and expansion of mutant clones is limited. To elucidate the timing and mechanism of the clonal expansion of somatic mutations in cancer-associated genes in the normal endometrium, we sequence 1311 endometrial glands from 37 women. By collecting endometrial glands from different parts of the endometrium, we show that multiple glands with the same somatic mutations occupy substantial areas of the endometrium. We demonstrate that "rhizome structures", in which the basal glands run horizontally along the muscular layer and multiple …

Murine Model For Measuring Effects Of Humanized-Dosing Of Antibiotics On The Gut Microbiome., Shana Leopold, Kamilia Abdelraouf, David P Nicolau, Hanako Agresta, Jethro Johnson, Kathleen Teter, Wm Michael Dunne, David Broadwell, Alex Van Belkum, Lisa M Schechter, Erica J Sodergren, George M. Weinstock

Faculty Research 2022

There is a current need for enhancing our insight in the effects of antimicrobial treatment on the composition of human microbiota. Also, the spontaneous restoration of the microbiota after antimicrobial treatment requires better understanding. This is best addressed in well-defined animal models. We here present a model in which immune-competent or neutropenic mice were administered piperacillin-tazobactam (TZP) according to human treatment schedules. Before, during and after the TZP treatment, fecal specimens were longitudinally collected at established intervals over several weeks. Gut microbial taxonomic distribution and abundance were assessed through culture and molecular means during all periods. Non-targeted metabolomics analyses of …

Role Of Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediators In Reducing Neuroinflammation In Neurodegenerative Disorders, Jana Ponce, Arzu Ulu, Corrine Hanson, Erin Cameron-Smith, Jenna Wuebker, John Bertoni, Alfred Fisher, Ka-Chun Siu, Vivien Marmelat, Jiri Adamec, Danish Bhatti

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) are neurodegenerative disorders that affect millions of individuals worldwide. As incidence of these conditions increases with age, there will undoubtedly be an increased prevalence of cases in the near future. Neuroinflammation is a hallmark in the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases and prevention or resolution of chronic neuroinflammation may represent a novel approach to treatment. The present review highlights the potential of the anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving effects of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)- derived mediators (Specialized Pro-resolving Mediators—SPM) in neurodegenerative disorders. PUFA-derived SPM are biosynthesized in response to chemicals produced from acute inflammatory …

Draft Genome Sequencing Of Three Glutaraldehyde-Tolerant Bacteria From Produced Water From Hydraulic Fracturing, Stephen Techtmann, Andrew L. Baldwin, Dotun Aluko, Justin Andersen, Cole Becker, Grace Chandler, Steve Forgrave, Madelyn Jones, Ina Klasner, Jared Martini, Noah Mason, Ryleigh Parsons, Nick Peterson, Erik Reynolds, Lydia Schroeder

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Here, we report the draft genome sequence of three glutaraldehyde-resistant isolates from produced water from hydraulic fracturing operations. The three strains were identified as sp. strain G11, sp. strain G15, and sp. strain G16. The genome sequences of these isolates will provide insights into biocide resistance in hydraulic fracturing operations.

Improving Taxonomic Delimitation Of Fungal Species In The Age Of Genomics And Phenomics, Asjley Stengel, Kimberly M. Stanke, Amanda C. Quattrone, Joshua Herr

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Species concepts have long provided a source of debate among biologists. These lively debates have been important for reaching consensus on how to communicate across scientific disciplines and for advancing innovative strategies to study evolution, population biology, ecology, natural history, and disease epidemiology. Species concepts are also important for evaluating variability and diversity among communities, understanding biogeographical distributions, and identifying causal agents of disease across animal and plant hosts. While there have been many attempts to address the concept of species in the fungi, there are several concepts that have made taxonomic delimitation especially challenging. In this review we discuss …

Novel Role Of Ghrelin Receptor In Gut Dysbiosis And Experimental Colitis In Aging, Ji Yeon Noh, Chia-Shan Wu, Jennifer A A Deluca, Sridevi Devaraj, Arul Jayaraman, Robert C Alaniz, Xiao-Di Tan, Clinton D Allred, Yuxiang Sun

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Chronic low-grade inflammation is a hallmark of aging, which is now coined as inflamm-aging. Inflamm-aging contributes to many age-associated diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We have shown that gut hormone ghrelin, via its receptor growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R), regulates energy metabolism and inflammation in aging. Emerging evidence suggests that gut microbiome has a critical role in intestinal immunity of the host. To determine whether microbiome is an integral driving force of GHS-R mediated immune-metabolic homeostasis in aging, we assessed the gut microbiome profiles of young and old GHS-R global knockout …

Repair-Assisted Damage Detection Reveals Biological Disparities In Prostate Cancer Between African Americans And European Americans, Kimiko L Krieger, Jie H Gohlke, Kevin J Lee, Danthasinghe Waduge Badrajee Piyarathna, Patricia D Castro, Jeffrey A Jones, Michael M Ittmann, Natalie R Gassman, Arun Sreekumar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

African Americans (AA) are two times more likely to be diagnosed with and succumb to prostate cancer (PCa) compared to European Americans (EA). There is mounting evidence that biological differences in these tumors contribute to disparities in patient outcomes. Our goal was to examine the differences in DNA damage in AA and EA prostate tissues. Tissue microarrays with matched tumor-benign adjacent pairs from 77 AA and EA PCa patients were analyzed for abasic sites, oxidative lesions, crosslinks, and uracil content using the Repair Assisted Damage Detection (RADD) assay. Our analysis revealed that AA PCa, overall, have more DNA damage than …

The Antarctic Weddell Seal Genome Reveals Evidence Of Selection On Cardiovascular Phenotype And Lipid Handling, Hyun Ji Noh, Jason Turner-Maier, S. Anne Schulberg, Michael L. Fitzgerald, Jeremy Johnson, Kaitlin N. Allen, Luis A. Huckstadt, Annabelle J. Batten, Jessica Alfoldi, Daniel P. Costa, Elinor K. Karlsson, Warren M. Zapol, Emmanuel S. Buys, Kerstin Lindbald-Toh, Allyson G. Hindle

Life Sciences Faculty Research

The Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) thrives in its extreme Antarctic environment. We generated the Weddell seal genome assembly and a high-quality annotation to investigate genome-wide evolutionary pressures that underlie its phenotype and to study genes implicated in hypoxia tolerance and a lipid-based metabolism. Genome-wide analyses included gene family expansion/contraction, positive selection, and diverged sequence (acceleration) compared to other placental mammals, identifying selection in coding and non-coding sequence in five pathways that may shape cardiovascular phenotype. Lipid metabolism as well as hypoxia genes contained more accelerated regions in the Weddell seal compared to genomic background. Top-significant genes were SUMO2 and EP300; …