Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology Commons^™

The Application Of Microbial Source Tracking To Aid In Site Prioritization For Remediation In Lower Michigan, John J. Hart

Masters Theses

Non-point source fecal pollution is a threat to both the environment and public health. Climate change, aging infrastructure, and intensified agricultural practices are predicted to accentuate this issue. In Michigan, due to the high instance of aging infrastructure and intensified agriculture, non-point source fecal pollution has caused many waterbodies to exceed the state standards posing a risk to recreational activities and source water. Due to this threat, there is an increased effort to identify and remediate these sources. My study focused on improving the identification of non-point source fecal pollution through a combination of culture-based and molecular fecal indicator bacteria …

The Impact Of Microbial Experience On The Murine Innate Immune Response, Cody Thomas Morrison

Masters Theses

The hygiene hypothesis predicts that certain environmental factors shape overall immune system function in animals and humans. While current specific pathogen free (SPF) mouse models are invaluable for studying the immune system, they have limitations for comparison with humans who have microbial exposures throughout their lifetimes. Several studies have shown that the composition of the immune system of SPF mice more closely resembles that of newborns, whereas the immune system from mice exposed to microbial pathogens more closely reflect adult immunity. In this study we have established a model using traditional SPF mice (“clean mice”) and SPF mice that were …

The Unmasking Of Aggressive Chemosignaling Via The Crayfish Model: An In-Depth Urinalysis Using Hplc, Kristi Ruvina

Masters Theses

It is well established in the scientific community that decapod crustaceans secrete molecules via nephropores to communicate with each other. These molecules have been shown by numerous conducted studies to affect the animal behavior, especially aggression. However, studies in decapods crustaceans have yet to elucidate the chemical nature of aggressive chemosignals during agonistic interactions. The main goal of this study was to identify the chemical profile of crayfish urine via HPLC during two conditions: when stressed and while fighting. The urine analysis of stressed crayfish showed that uric acid, guanosine, L-tryptophan, and N-acetylserotonin were present in the samples, minutes after …

Enhancement Of Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry Detection Of Dopamine With Tryptophan, Sarah E. Thompson

Masters Theses

Dysregulation of dopamine release is a pathological effect of common neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) has been used as an analytical tool to investigate the role of dopamine in these diseases, and in relation to drug addiction and reward behavior. Methods to improve the sensitivity of FSCV have involved modifying the surface of the carbon electrodes used for dopamine detection, altering the potential waveform, and changing the structure of the carbon sensor. Here, the amino acid tryptophan was investigated as a potential surface modification for increased dopamine detection. This study serves as …

Identification Of Deletions In The Hdc Gene Of Drosophila Melanogaster Generated Through Transposon-Excision Mutagenesis, Gregory A. Wesseling

Masters Theses

Histamine is a biogenic amine that functions as a neurotransmitter in a number of vertebrate and invertebrate systems and is synthesized from its precursor histidine by the enzyme histidine decarboxylase (HDC). In Drosophila, histamine has been shown to have function in photoreceptors, mechanoreceptor cells, as well as centrally located neurons. Mutations of the Hdc gene, such as Hdc^JK910, exhibit defects in histamine synthesis and display altered behaviors such as blindness, inability to groom, impaired thermal tolerance, and altered sleep rhythms. However, all Hdc mutants obtained thus far demonstrate some transcriptional activity.

In order to remove Hdc expression …

Ancient Mitochondrial Dna From Pre-Historic Southeastern Europe: The Presence Of East Eurasian Haplogroups Provides Evidence Of Interactions With South Siberians Across The Central Asian Steppe Belt, Jeremy R. Newton

Masters Theses

Studies of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymorphism have provided valuable insights for understanding patterns of human migration and interaction. The ability to recover ancient mtDNA sequence data from post-mortem bone and tissue samples allows us to view snapshots of historic gene pools firsthand, provided that great care is taken to prevent sample contamination. In this study, we analyzed the DNA sequence of the first hypervariable segment (HVSI) of the mtDNA control region, as well as a portion of the coding region, in 14 individuals from three collective burials from the Neolithic Dnieper-Donetz culture and three individuals from Bronze Age Kurgan burials, …