Biology Commons^™

Evaluating The Success And Monitoring The Usage Of Wildlife Crossing Structures In Bedminster, Nj, Nicole Heather Bergen

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Expanding road networks are detrimental to the populations of many reptile and amphibian species. The fragmenting of the landscape creates barriers, separating the populations of native organisms from the necessary resources. Wildlife crossing structures can be beneficial in aiding the movement of amphibians and reptiles across previously installed wildlife crossing culvert in Bedminster, New Jersey. The wildlife crossing culverts are located underneath River Road, which forms a barrier between the woods on one side of the road and the ponds on the other side. We used a combination of wildlife cameras and pitfall traps to determine the usage and success …

Impacts Of Drainage Basin Characteristics On Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Communities In The Upper Passaic River, Michael J. Levinson

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Increase in development throughout the Northern Piedmont region of New Jersey since the 1970’s has greatly degraded much of the natural environment throughout the state. Certain regulations are currently in place to reduce this development’s impact on New Jersey’s streams at a local (riparian) scale, however it may also be important to examine these impacts at a regional (drainage basin) scale. We examined the aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages at seven sites along the Upper Passaic River of New Jersey to assess their ecological health and compare to the corresponding drainage basin characteristics at each site. The sites ranged in location from …

Integrated Regulatory Network Reveals The Early Salt Tolerance Mechanism Of Populus Euphratica, Jiafei Chen, Jin Zhang, Jianjun Hu, Wenwei Xiong, Chunguang Du, Mengzhu Lu

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Salinization is one of the major factors that threaten the existence of plants worldwide. Populus euphratica has been deemed to be a promising candidate for stress response research because of its high capacity to tolerate extreme salt stress. We carried out a genome-wide transcriptome analysis to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) response to salt shock and elucidate the early salt tolerance mechanisms in P. euphratica. Both hierarchical clustering and DEG analysis demonstrated a predominant variation from time-course rather than NaCl intensity within 24 hours salt shock. Among the identified 1,678 salt-responsive DEGs, 74.1% (1,244) have not been reported before. …

Itraq-Based Proteomics Analysis And Network Integration For Kernel Tissue Development In Maize, Long Zhang, Yongbin Dong, Qilei Wang, Chunguang Du, Wenwei Xiong, Xinyu Li, Sailan Zhu, Yuling Li

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Grain weight is one of the most important yield components and a developmentally complex structure comprised of two major compartments (endosperm and pericarp) in maize (Zea mays L.), however, very little is known concerning the coordinated accumulation of the numerous proteins involved. Herein, we used isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based comparative proteomic method to analyze the characteristics of dynamic proteomics for endosperm and pericarp during grain development. Totally, 9539 proteins were identified for both components at four development stages, among which 1401 proteins were non-redundant, 232 proteins were specific in pericarp and 153 proteins were specific in …

Molecular Cloning And Characterization Of A Hemolytic Lectin From Venom Of The Stinging Sea Nettle, Chrysaora Quinquecirrha, Anup Khanal

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

I have identified a novel pore-forming toxin (PFT) in the venom of the Sea Nettle (Chrysaora quinquicherra), a protein I have named Chrysaoralin. This protein is discharged from specialized organelles called cnidocysts (nematocysts) found primarily in the tentacles of this jellyfish. Chrysaoralin was first identified by Nextgen sequencing (RNA-Seq) of libraries made from mRNA isolated from tentacles of mature medusa collected from Barnegat Bay, NJ. The full-length of the Chrysaoralin gene is 1365 bp, encoding a protein of 454 AA (50.695 kD; pI = 6.58). The SignalP 4.1 algorithm (http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/SignalP/) predicts a signal peptide of 22 AA. The mature protein …

In Vitro Antiviral Activity Of Black Tea Polyphenols On Sindbis Virus In Vero Cells, Jose Villagomez

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Black tea, derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, is a natural product that is rich in polyphenols. The major polyphenols found in black tea are known as theaflavins. Previous research demonstrated that theaflavins contain antiviral activity against Herpes simplex virus 1 & 2 (HSV-1 & HSV-2), both enveloped DNA viruses. The goal of this research was to investigate the antiviral activity of theaflavins on the Sindbis virus (SINV). SINV is an enveloped RNA virus, and the prototype species of alphaviruses. SINV was treated with various concentrations of a theaflavin rich Black Tea Extract (BTE) before infection of Vero Cells. Antiviral …

Mitochondrial D-Loop Markers And Size Variation Of Sorex Species, Joseph Andrew Osei

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Sorex hoyi share similar morphologies with various other shrew species, ranging from nose size to tail length, which makes identification between species difficult. Current species identification relies on specific morphological traits (including dentition), however due to hybridization, these techniques may be inaccurate in certain shrews. Dentition also requires lethal sampling of shrews, which would best be avoided to not impact the populations.

To remedy this problem, a procedure for identifying the species using the mitochondrial D-loop sequences of Sorex hoyi, Sorex cinereus, Sorexfumeus, Cryptotis parva. and Blarina brevicauda was designed. This procedure would look for speciesspecific differences in the shrews' …

The Antiviral Effect Of Epigallocatechin Gallate-Stearate On Enterovirus-69, Hager Mohamed

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Enteroviruses are single stranded RNA viruses responsible for diseases from respiratory illness to hand-foot-and-mouth disease. As a rapidly evolving group, enteroviruses often gain genetic variability which leads to emergence of additional types, one of which is Enterovirus 69 (EV-69). EV-69 has been associated with respiratory illness, possibly causing symptoms similar to those caused by EV-68. To challenge the ability of the virus to infect cells, this study examined the result of infection in lung cell lines A549 and MRC-5 in response to Epigallocatechin gallate-stearate (EGCG-S) treatment of the virus before infection. EGCG-S, a modified green tea polyphenol, was assessed for …

Starch Analysis Of Betula Populifolia And Populus Spp. In An Abandoned Urban Brownfield, Ariel Valverde

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In order to cope with a variety of environmental stresses, trees use starch storage as a buffering system to compensate for energy needs. Starch allocation into different tissues throughout the year can determine the health of deciduous trees. Natural environmental stresses including seasonal changes, water and nitrogen availability and defoliation are known to have direct effects on starch storage. Anthropogenic stresses such as heavy metal and other toxic contaminants in soils have not been investigated as factors that alter the normal starch trends in the different tissues of trees. This study assesses how starch storage in different tissues in B. …

A Small Molecule Egcg-S, A Modified Green Tea Polyphenol, As A Synergistic Agent To Enhance Antibacterial Activity Of Antibiotics On Bacterial Biofilms, Shrameeta Shinde

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The rapidly emerging phenomenon of antibiotic resistance is continually becoming uncontrollable. Over recent years there have been an alarming increase in untreatable multi-drug resistant (MDR) infections that need earnest attention. The mechanisms by which antibiotic resistance is achieved in pathogenic bacteria have been extensively researched and various alternate treatment or intervention strategies have been designed. However, a recently established means of antibiotic resistance observed in bacteria is the formation of a physiological state known as Biofilm. Biofilm are complex adhesive microbial communities known to habitat animate and fomite surfaces. High mortality clinically infectious cases have been associated to the biofilms …

Preliminary Investigation And Sequence Of The Hyaluronidase Gene In The Venom Of The Atlantic Sea Nettle (Chrysaora Quinquecirrha), Zachary A. Cropley

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Jellyfish cnidocysts contain many different venom proteins, each with unique functions that combine synergistically to achieve a more robust and toxic fluid. One of these proteins is hyaluronidase (EC 3.2.1.35), an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid, which is commonly found in the extracellular matrix of many multicellular organisms. Due to its wide application, this enzyme is also found in the venom of many arthropod and reptile families. Putatively, hyaluronidase aids in the dispersion of the other venom proteins as it perforates the matrix in the target tissue. This activity has been detected in Chrysaora quinquecirrha cnidocysts, but the gene …

Zebrafish As A Model Organism For Ovarian Specific Expression Of Transgenes, Paula Hernandez

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Infertility is a public health issue that affects a large portion of the human population. According to epidemiological studies, 20% of couples worldwide were infertile in 2015 (Turchi, 2015). To understand how to treat infertility and other reproductive disorders in humans, first the mechanism in which vertebrate reproduction occurs must be investigated in a model organism. The zebrafish, Danio reiro is a popular model for reproductive studies (Hill, 2005). For this reason, a transgenic zebrafish was generated with a plasmid that carried 1823 bp of the aromatase (CYP19a) promoter and the Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein (EGFP) gene. The EGFP gene …

Establishing A Method Of Microrna Profiling In Addition To Comprehensive Chromosome Screening In The Same Trophectoderm Biopsy, Jessica Rajchel

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Early embryo development in humans is a complex process. Due to recent advances in research, many improvements have been made in in vitro-fertilization (IVF) outcomes. Success has been credited to the application of comprehensive chromosome screening (CCS) however, not every euploid embryo will always implant due to various outside factors (1). More reproductive markers would need to be evaluated to optimize the success of implantation of euploid embryos.

MiRNAs are emerging as important regulators of cellular differentiation and may be involved in the human pre-implantation process. Any dysregulation of microRNA expression may play an important role in the progression or …

Green Tea Polyphenols As Potential Anti-Endospore Agents In Targeting Bacillus Spp., Giselle Lalata

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Endospores are dormant structures of endospore-forming bacteria, such as Bacilli and Clostridia, which enable them to become resistant to any harsh environmental conditions such as heat, chemicals, and UV radiation, thus surviving for many years. When the environment is favored for growth, the spores undergo the germination process which enables them to become vegetative cells again. This becomes a threat to the food and medical industry as they can cause food spoilage, food poisoning, and contamination.

Green tea, made from the plant, Camellia sinensis, has become the second most consumed beverage in the world due to its medicinal benefits. It …

The Origin And Biogeographic Diversification Of Fishes In The Family Poeciliidae, David N. Reznick, Andrew I. Furness, Robert Meredith, Mark S. Springer

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The fish subfamily Poeciliinae (sensu Parenti, 1981) is widely distributed across the Western Hemisphere and a dominant component of the fish communities of Central America. Poeciliids have figured prominently in previous studies on the roles of dispersal and vicariance in shaping current geographic distributions. Most recently, Hrbek et al. combined a DNA-based phylogeny of the family with geological models to provide a biogeographic perspective that emphasized the role of both vicariance and dispersal. Here we expand on that effort with a database enlarged in the quantity of sequence represented per species, in the number of species included, and in an …

The Effect Of Post-Translational Modifications On Icer's Function And Localization, Dina H. Edani

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER) is an endogenous repressor of cAMPresponsive element (CRE) with antiproliferative properties that acts as a potential suppresser for tumors especially melanoma. ICER activity and cellular localization are orchestrated by the performance of the post-translational modifications (PTMs). Ubiquitination and sumoylation are two of the most important types of PTMs that control diverse groups of biological processes for ICER protein. The goal of this project is to study how post-translational modifications alter the function of the transcriptional repressor Inducible cAMP Early Repressor (ICER) in melanoma cells. Since ICER ubiquitination and sumoylation processes take place on the interaction …

The Isolation And Characterization Of The First Auxin Conjugate Amido-Hydrolase From Physcomitrella Patens, Richard Sylvester Skibitski

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Auxin is arguably the most important phytohormone found in the plant kingdom. The hormone is required for a multitude of growth control functions, including gravitropism and phototropism. Auxin homeostatic control is achieved in plants by a process of conjugation in which auxin is inactivated by being bound to another molecule, such as an amino acid or sugar. Auxin can be kept in a large, inactive pool by this method of chemical '‘conjugation” and the amide or ester bonds hydrolyzed as needed to provide “free” active hormone to the plant. The IAR3 gene family is highly conserved in Plantae and function …

The Transcriptional Repressor Icer Binds To Multiple Loci Throughout The Genome, Carlos A. Molina, Luis C. Muñiz

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The events culminating in ovulation are controlled by the cyclical actions of hormones such as Follical Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH). The secondary messenger, cyclic AMP (cAMP) conveys the intracellular activity of these hormones. It is well established that a family of transcription factors facilitate cAMP mediated gene expression, yet it remains unknown how these factors directly affect ovulation. One of these factors, Inducible cAMP Early Repressor (ICER) has been implicated in the transcriptional regulation of cAMP inducible genes during folliculogenesis and ovulation. In order to better determine the role of ICER in ovarian function we have identified …

Macroinvertebrate Assemblages In Selected New Jersey Springs, Yaritza R. Acosta Caraballo

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The springs included as part of this study are lotic systems where groundwater discharges to the surface. Spring water quality is influenced by the discharge and geologic origins of a spring. Biological indicators, such as aquatic macroinvertebrates, are used to assess the health of spring ecosystems due to their sensitivity to pollution. Currently, there are no published studies on the aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages in New Jersey springs. The objective of this study was to examine macroinvertebrate assemblages of New Jersey springs and to investigate the effects of geologic and hydrologic variables on macroinvertebrate community assemblages. We hypothesized that springs with …

Love That Dirty Water : A Preliminary Investigation Of Microbial Diversity In On-Street Hot Dog Water, Nelson S. Casanova

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Standard microbiological methods were utilized to assess the microbial diversity and abundance in the hot dog water found in mobile food carts. Since we could not directly assay the water, we devised a method of washing hot dogs with sterile water to indirectly assess the presence of microorganisms both growing in the water and on the hot dogs. Plating on LB-agar and LB-agar supplemented with antibiotics was used to isolate microbes from hot dog water from randomly selected vendors in twenty-six Manhattan neighborhoods and the Bronx. In addition, five major hot dog brands were similarly tested as store-bought controls. As …

Green Tea Polyphenols Inhibit The Growth Of The Dental Cavity Causing Bacteria Streptococcus Mutans, Amy Lynn Melok

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

An often overlooked disease, dental caries, or cavities, is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases across the globe. Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is the main etiological bacteria present in the oral cavity that leads to dental caries. All of the S. mutans in the oral cavity try to pool together to form an intelligent biofilm that adheres to the surfaces of teeth. S. mutans thrive on the sugary foods we eat and release acid by products that aid in the wearing away of the teeth’s enamel. As this enamel begins to wear away, the decaying process begins and cavities …

Experimental Assessment Of Floating Seagrass Wrack As Potential Habitat For Benthic Organisms, Joseph R. Mcginnis

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

During the summer, seagrass blades are frequently released into the water column as a method to reduce respiration demands of the plant and through physical disruption of the bed (e.g., crab foraging, boat propellers). This wrack has the potential to serve as both food and habitat for organisms dislodged or actively moving within the system. The purpose of this research was to determine how benthic organisms may use floating wrack as a food resource and shelter. Three experimental floating wrack bag treatments were assembled containing using artificial Zoster a marina (i.e., poly-ribbon), Z. marina blades, and a wrack bag control …

Habitat Patch Size Alters The Importance Of Dispersal For Species Diversity In An Experimental Freshwater Community, Matthew Schuler, Jonathan M. Chase

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Increased dispersal of individuals among discrete habitat patches should increase the average number of species present in each local habitat patch. However, experimental studies have found variable effects of dispersal on local species richness. Priority effects, predators, and habitat heterogeneity have been proposed as mechanisms that limit the effect of dispersal on species richness. However, the size of a habitat patch could affect how dispersal regulates the number of species able to persist. We investigated whether habitat size interacted with dispersal rate to affect the number of species present in local habitats. We hypothesized that increased dispersal rates would positively …

Linking Trophic Interactions In Above- And Below-Ground Systems, Savannah Bennett

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study explored trophic interactions among herbivores, plants, and soil communities. Two experiments were conducted such that the below-ground effects of an above-ground herbivore, as well as the above-ground impacts of soil biota could be examined. The first project investigated the effects of gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.) herbivory on soil communities associated with oak trees (Quercus rubra L.). The goal of this study was to compare soil biota from defoliated oak trees with soil communities from undefoliated trees. The abundances of bacteria, bactivorous nematodes, and herbivorous nematodes were compared between a defoliated sampling site and an undefoliated site in …

Characterization Of The Ubiquitination Of Icer, A Potential Anti-Cancer Protein, In Human Melanoma Cells, Joseph J. Bulatowicz Iii

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Inducible cAMP Early Repressor (ICER) is a transcriptional repressor that regulates the expression of cAMP inducible genes. ICER has recently garnered attention because of cAMP’s implication in oncogenesis. ICER is shown to be downregulated in melanomas by the means of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. It is marked for degradation by ubiquitination on its lysine residues. By rescuing ICER levels in cancer cells, it is hypothesized that it may be possible to reverse the adverse progression of melanoma tumor growth. One possible way of rescuing ICER is by making it unavailable for ubiquitination by altering its ubiquitination sites. Special mutant ICERs that …

A Novel Solution To Targeting Prosthetic Joint Infection, Christopher Chen

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Prosthetic arthroplasty may be a life changing event for better or worse. The integrity of bone cartilages such as the lateral and medial meniscus found between the femur and tibia may degrade over time due to natural causes which may eventually result in bone on bone exposure causing excruciating pain. Prosthetics are used to replace the cartilage and bone damage using femoral and tibial component and a plastic spacer. A small percentage of all orthopedic replacement surgeries may lead to infections. These infections are caused by biofilm forming bacteria which allows bacteria to attach to abiotic surfaces and mature as …

Warmer Temperatures On American Kestrel (Falco Sparverius) Breeding Grounds Associated With Earlier Laying And Successful Reproduction, Marisa Del Corso

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) recently has been discovered to be in decline and the reason is still unknown. Many studies have shown climate’s effect on migratory birds, but the relationship between climate and kestrel ecology has received little attention. This study sought to determine whether the climate in northwestern New Jersey and kestrel reproductive efforts have changed over the course of 20 years as well as determining whether these two factors are related. Monthly temperature, rainfall, and snowfall data were obtained from online databases. Breeding variables, including percentage of nest boxes used, clutch and brood size, percentage of successful …

Settling Patterns Of Chrysaora Quinquecirrha Polyps On Common Vinyl Construction Material : Potential Implications For Jellyfish Blooms And Coastal Development In Barnegat Bay New Jersey, Alexander Lawrence Soranno

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Coastal development in estuaries is altering abiotic and biotic factors that encourage the propagation of populations of Chrysaora quinquecirrha. Extensive coastal development results in the proliferation of vinyl bulkheads and plastic floating docks in the Barnegat Bay estuary system. The purpose of this study was to determine if the increase in artificial vinyl substrate can affect density of C. quinquecirrha polyp recruitment. Oyster shell and vinyl settling plates were submerged at ten sites in Barnegat Bay for six, two-week periods during the summer of 2014. Polyps showed a greater affinity for settling on vinyl plates (0.337 polyps/cm2) than oyster shell …

Interaction Of Asic And Bk Channels In Human Glioma And Its Role In Cell Migration And Proliferation, Carola M. Springer

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Acid sensing ion channels (ASICs) and large conductance calcium and voltage-activated potassium (BK) channels are expressed through out the nervous system. Studies have showed that ASICs can act as endogenous regulators of BK channels in a pH dependent manner. At physiological pH 7.4 ASIC blocks BK channels, when pH is reduced, ASIC channels are activated and the inhibition of BK is relieved (Petroff et ah, 2008). Our previous studies suggest that pH-dependent relieve of BK inhibition by ASICs increases cell proliferation in glial cells. Extracellular acidosis has been associated with cerebral trauma and brain cancer known as glioma (Andersen et …

A Study Of Small Mammal Populations In The Rockaway River Wildlife Management Area, Jefferson Township, Nj, Alexis Rose Levorse

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Small mammal populations within the state of New Jersey have not been as thoroughly studied as avian, amphibian and reptile populations. The state list of species of special conservation concern includes very few mammals proportionally, and of those mammals that are listed only a handful are ground dwelling small mammals. This study sampled the small mammal population at the Rockaway River Wildlife Management Area in Jefferson Township, New Jersey and compared the sample to a similar study in Stokes State Forest. Pitfall traps were installed in four different kinds of habitats within the management area and the captures collected and …