Biology Commons^™

Effect Of Black Tea Extract On Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Propagation, Anthony Cantatore

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if flavanol compounds, called theaflavins, found only in black tea and black tea extract (BTE) could inhibit herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection in cultured A549 human epithelial cells. The effect of BTE both on A549 cultured cells and HSV-1 was assessed by using phase contrast and fluorescent microscopy, as well as trypan blue and WST-1 assays and gel electrophoresis; the effect of infectivity was quantified by plaque assays and compared using a spectrophotometer to examine the extracted DNA and PCR products. Results indicated that HSV-1 did not cause cytopathic effects …

Combining Bioinformatics And Chemical Biological Approaches To The Study Of Signaling Pathways In Parasitic Nematodes, William R. De Martini

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Lymphatic filariasis (elephantitis) is a disfiguring disease caused by thread-like nematodes. This disease affects the lives of over 120 million people and over one billion people are at risk for infection in endemic regions. Drugs used to treat this disease suffer from toxicity and emerging resistance and new therapies need to be identified. Our laboratory has been studying the filarial parasite, Brugia malayi (B. malayi), one of the causative agents of this disease. The laboratory is focused on the study of critical protein kinase signaling pathways, necessary for parasite protective anti-oxidative responses, as potential therapeutic targets. We have previously determined, …

Modified Green Tea Polyphenol, Egcg-Ester, As A Novel Approach To Inhibit Herpes Simplex Virus Infections, Aline Moraes De Oliveira

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

HSV-1 DNA with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) introduced into the UL46 gene was used to investigate the effects of green tea polyphenols on the virus. Two different green tea extracts have been isolated and modified, EGCG and EGCG-ester. These extracts with concentration of 12.5, 25, 50, 75 and 100uM were used to determine its effects on cell morphology, cell proliferation and cell viability. The results indicated that the maximum non-toxic concentration is 75uM for both polyphenols. GFP expression, DAPI DNA stain and Lysosome activation stain were also used to observe the morphological, and cellular changes in the infected cells. …

Ectoparasites Of American Kestrel Nestlings In Northern New Jersey And Their Relationship To Nestling Growth And Breeding Success, Mark Joseph Lesko

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

American kestrel (Falco sparverius) populations throughout much of the United States have exhibited a substantial decline during recent years. Prompted by this decline, I designed this study to determine if removing arthropod parasites from nestlings was an effective strategy in increasing the breeding success of American kestrels, as well as to identify and quantify the ectoparasites found on nestlings. I conducted the study in Sussex and Warren counties in northwestern New Jersey in conjunction with a nest box program established and monitored by J. A. Smallwood and his students (hereafter referred to as we). I removed parasites periodically from all …

Comparison Of Wild Type And Mutant Forms Of Ret Down-Regulation, Shani Yevgeniya Maslovski

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The ret proto-oncogene encodes a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase that plays a key role in neural differentiation as well as development of the enteric nervous system and kidneys. RET is activated through interaction with members of the ligand-binding co-receptors GFRa 1-4 and its corresponding neurotrophic factors consisting of Glial Cell Line Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF), neurturin (NTN), artemm (ART), or persephin (PSP) forming a heterodimer structure. Upon activation, RET undergoes autophosphorylation at select tyrosine residues in the intercellular catalytic domain, creating docking sites for proteins involved in signal transduction. While several laboratories have studied the activation of RET, little is …

Behavioral Aversion Of Two Ranid Frogs To Road Deicers : Does Terrestriality Influence Sensitivity?, Erika Koelmel

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Amphibian decline has been a global phenomenon in recent decades due in part to negative human effects on the environment. Sensitivity of amphibians to environmental degradation makes them good indicators of environmental change, attesting to the importance of amphibian inventory and population monitorings De-icing salts, such as sodium chloride, are applied to roads during the winter months and may accumulate in aquatic and terrestrial habitats. The exposure of amphibians to high salt concentrations can impair their physiological functioning due to their highly permeable skin. The purpose of this investigation is to examine the behavioral tolerance threshold for road salt (NaCl) …

A Molecular Ecological Survey Of Tick (Ixodes Scapularis) Population Density And Their Infection Rates With Borrelia Burgdorferi At The New Jersey School Of Conservation, Nathaly M. Salazar-Vasquez

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Studying vector populations of the Ixodes scapularis tick is of major importance in New Jersey, an endemic area of Lyme disease. This species of tick is a vector for various disease pathogens including the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi. This study focused on Ixodes scapularis tick surveillance at the New Jersey School of Conservation, in Sussex County, New Jersey. Collection of host-seeking ticks began in July 2009 and has continued until December of 2010, by drag-cloth sampling in order to monitor tick abundances of all life-cycle stages.

In 2010 relative abundances for larvae and nymphal stages declined as …

Comparison Genomics Of Oryza Rufipogon Chromosome Eight Centromere With Other Species Centromeres, Kalyani Ginjupalli

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Centromeres are playing a key role in proper segregation of sister chromatids during mitosis and meiosis. At the centromere region in the chromosome, spindle microtubules attached to the kinetochores that direct the chromosome segregation during mitosis and meiosis. Although centromeric function is conserved among different organisms, there is no conservation of centromeric DNA sequences ranging from budding yeast which has a consensus sequence of approximately 125 base pairs (bp) on each chromosome to Caenorhabditis elegans species which has a holocentric centromere that spans the entire chromosome. However, there are some common proteins that form the kinetochore, such as CENH3 and …

Comparison Of Pcr And Rt-Pcr In The First Report Of Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis In Amphibians In New Jersey, Usa, Kirsten Monsen, Lisa Hazard, Rakesh Dussa

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Rapid Method For Detection Of Bloom-Forming Cyanobacteria And Algae In Selected New Jersey Waterbodies, Ben Nyabwari Ondimu

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Harmful algal blooms have been reported in many parts of the world affecting water quality, human and animal health. Timely intervention depends on early detection of bloom-forming algae and cyanobacteria. Water samples were collected from 15 northern New Jersey freshwater bodies and each processed through coarse (3.0um) and fine (0.45um) pore filters which were dried then frozen at -20°C. Five small discs punched from the filters were resuspended in 500ul water for microscopic observation. Many microorganisms-cyanobacteria and algae were detected, whose distinction and identification based on morphology was not conclusive. Two genes of interest (The cyanobacterial phycocyanin and the 16S …

Heavy Metals Zinc And Cadmium Resistance And Metal Effects Within Synechococcus Sp. Iu 625, Jose Leovigildo Perez

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Heavy metal resistance within cyanobacteria is often observed because cyanobacteria are good indicators of pollutants in the environment. Their ability to recognize the presence of many heavy metals makes cyanobacteria an important source of study. Cadmium is one of the most toxic heavy metals. Cadmium inhibits spontaneous protein folding, binds to sulphydryl groups (found in nucleic acids, proteins, and enzymes), and outcompetes essential metals for important binding sites. The effects of cadmium (CdCl₂) on the growth and coupled permeability of Synechococcus sp. IU 625 was shown to inhibit Syn. sp. IU 625 cells at CdCl₂ concentration 30 …

Hnrnp A1 Interacts With The Genomic And Subgenomic Rna Promoters Of Sindbis Virus And Is Required For The Synthesis Of G And Sg Rna, Hongxing Gui, Chi Wei Lu, Sandra Adams, Victor Stollar, Mei Ling Li

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Background. Sindbis virus (SV) is the prototype of alphaviruses which are a group of widely distributed human and animal pathogens. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A1 is an RNA-binding protein that shuttles between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Our recent studies found that hnRNP A1 relocates from nucleus to cytoplasm in Sindbis virus (SV)-infected cells. hnRNP A1 binds to the 5' UTR of SV RNA and facilitates the viral RNA replication and translation. Methods. Making use of standard molecular techniques, virology methods and an in vitro system developed by our lab to assess the role of hnRNP A1 in SV positive …

Initial Analysis O F The 3' Spliced Region Of The Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Ret, Ananya Sengupta

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The RET proto-oncogene is expressed in the developing kidney and enteric nervous system during vertebrate embryogenesis. It has two major splicing variants; RET9 and RET51. The expression pattern of the two variants appears to vary among the developing organisms. RET9 plays a major role in development of kidney and excretory system whereas the role of RET 51 seems to be of maintenance of these systems after development. The protein RET is a transmembrane receptor which expresses itself in the cell surface and initiates the signal transduction pathways for cellular differentiation and proliferation of the cell. The different expression patterns shown …

The Effects Of Triptolide On Cancer Cells, Michael E. Messina Jr.

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, and with the rates of breast cancer increasing steadily over time there is a need to develop new anticancer treatments. This research seeks to investigate how triptolide, an extract from the Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F, induces apoptosis in human breast cancer cells. Studies have shown that triptolide can act as an anti-proliferative, antiinflammatory, and anti-cancer agent in many different clinical applications. It has been used for over two centuries in Chinese medicine and is now used to treat certain autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. With …

Observation Of Growth Characteristics And Identification Of Mercuric Resistance Genes In Synechococcus Elongatus Sp. 625, Chiedozie Okafor

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Due to high levels of heavy metal pollution in the environment, there has always been a high interest in organisms that have developed resistance to certain heavy metals of interest. Microorganisms such as Pseudomonas, E. coli, and Ralstonia, have been identified as being resistant to one or more heavy metals. Extensive work has been done with respect to mechanisms of resistance to heavy metals in a wide array of microorganisms. However, mechanisms of resistance are yet to be fully explored in some other microorganisms. One such example is the Cyanobacteria, Synechococcus sp. 625 (SIU 625), formerly classified under Anastycis nidulans. …

Analysis Of Potential Mutagenic Effects Of World Trade Center Dust On In Vitro Systems, Barbara Domingos Soares

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Ever since the 1950s, air pollution has been linked to decreased lung function and increased cancer risk. Air pollution can consist of natural or artificial materials that range in chemical as well as physical properties. Inhaled pollutants can have a variety of effects on organisms ranging from minor irritation, to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and even cancer or death. Historically, it has been noted that increased levels of air pollution are associated with decreases in human health and increases in mortality.

Following the World Trade Center tragedy, rescue workers as well as New York City residents were exposed to thousands …

A Phylogeny And Timescale For The Evolution Of Pseudocheiridae (Marsupialia Diprotodontia) In Australia And New Guinea, Robert Meredith, Miguel A. Mendoza, Karen K. Roberts, Michael Westerman, Mark S. Springer

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Pseudocheiridae (Marsupialia: Diprotodontia) is a family of endemic Australasian arboreal folivores, more commonly known as ringtail possums. Seventeen extant species are grouped into six genera (Pseudocheirus, Pseudochirulus, Hemibelideus, Petauroides, Pseudochirops, Petropseudes). Pseudochirops and Pseudochirulus are the only genera with representatives on New Guinea and surrounding western islands. Here, we examine phylogenetic relationships among 13 of the 17 extant pseudocheirid species based on protein-coding portions of the ApoB, BRCA1, ENAM, IRBP, Rag1, and vWF genes. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian methods were used to estimate phylogenetic relationships. Two different relaxed molecular clock methods were used to estimate divergence times. Bayesian …

Range Extension Parameters Of The Opportunistic Bivalve Corbicula Fluminea (Müller, 1774) In New Jersey, Katie Elizabeth Vazquez

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The invasive freshwater bivalve Corbicula fluminea has gained notoriety as a macro-fouler of industrial waterways across the United States. Little is known about the specific habitat requirements that contribute to its successful colonization of riverine systems. Small, often immature clams (shell length <14 mm) passively drift downstream. Settlement in unsuitable habitat can limit burrowing, growth and reproduction, and lead to juvenile mortality. Settlement in suitable habitat however can result in population densities in excess of 10,000 ind./m . Sampling was conducted in diverse Northern New Jersey waterways between May and mid-October 2008 to assess the habitat conditions conducive to establishment of new populations. Within these sites there was a significant correlation between clam density and both dissolved oxygen level and Ambient Biological Monitoring Network EPT scores. There was no correlation between clam density and dominant grain size, substratum organic content or turbidity. It appears stochastic events largely governed the dispersal and settlement of juvenile and small mature Asian clams while microhabitat conditions can be associated with population density. Live specimens of C. fluminea were collected at 8 sites half of which appear to house stable reproducing populations of C. fluminea. The remaining sites could represent interim “stops” likely containing specimens that entered as a result of downstream drift. Anthropogenic disturbance regimes in New Jersey waterways may contribute to the successful invasion by the Asian clam. An understanding of the habitat and physicochemical characteristics associated with the spread of juvenile C. fluminea is crucial to predictive modeling of dispersal patterns.

A Spectrographic Analysis Of American Kestrel (Falco Sparverius) Vocalizations : Do Broodmates Sound More Like Each Other Than Non-Related Broods?, Erica Gloria Mueller

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Using spectrographic analysis, I studied the vocalizations of American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) chicks to determine if siblings sounded more like each other than nonrelated chicks. I also performed a feasibility study on obtaining and analyzing vocalizations of wild adult kestrels. A total of 144 vocal recordings was obtained from 67 female and 77 male kestrel chicks in the 2005 and 2006 kestrel breeding seasons. Sixteen adult kestrel vocal samples were also obtained from eleven females and five males, each a parent to one of the broods that were audio-recorded.

Fifteen vocal parameters were analyzed through spectrographic analysis for each individual …

Purification And Characterization Of A Leishmania Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase : A Potentially New Anti-Parasitic Drug Target, Sailaja Sankabathula

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Synthetic inhibitors of the human mitogen activated protein kinase, p38 MAPK may represent a new class of anti-parasitic agents. p38 MAPK inhibitors have been shown to inhibit replication of Toxoplasma gondii (T.gondii), the causative agent of taxoplasmosis, in vitro and in vivo. Inhibition of parasite replication was due to the inhibition of a T.gondii p38 MAPK homolog called tgmapk-1. Other parasites have MAPKs homologous to tgmapk-1 and these MAPKs may represent novel drug targets for new therapeutics in treating parasitic diseases. We have focused on a MAPK from, Leishmania mexicana (L.mexicana), the causative agent for one form of leishmaniasis. The …

Indications Of Potential Toxic/Mutagenic Effects Of World Trade Center Dust On Human Lung Cell Cultures, Constantino G. Lambroussis, Barbara D. Soares, Sergio Perez, David Gaipa, Anise L. Elie, Caitlin M. Ament, Fahad T. Rouf, Lotfi M. Bassa, Ann Marie Dilorenzo

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Problem statement: Respiratory complications have been linked with exposure to dust particulates after the tragedy of September 11th, 2001 at the World Trade Center (WTC) site. Approach: The purpose of these experiments was to investigate the extent of cellular damage resulting from WTC dust exposure. Results: This research project was conducted with human lung fibroblast cells exposed to WTC dust. To determine if cell proliferation levels were affected, cultured cells were exposed to WTC dust at various concentrations in simulated physiological stress environments via decreased serum levels. Results indicated that cell proliferation levels decreased as WTC dust concentrations increased. This …

The Multipurpose 15-Protofilament Microtubules In C. Elegans Have Specific Roles In Mechanosensation, Alexander Bounoutas, Robert O'Hagan, Martin Chalfie

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Because microtubules perform many essential functions in neurons, delineating unique roles attributable to these organelles presents a formidable challenge. Microtubules endow neurons with shape and structure and are required for developmental processes including neurite outgrowth [1], intracellular transport [2], and synapse formation and plasticity [3, 4]; microtubules in sensory neurons may be required for the above processes in addition to a specific sensory function. In Caenorhabditis elegans, six touch receptor neurons (TRNs) sense gentle touch [5] and uniquely contain 15-protofilament microtubules [6]. Disruption of these microtubules by loss of either the MEC-7 β-tubulin [7] or MEC-12 α-tubulin [8] or by …

Assessment Of Invasive Plants Along The Upper Passaic River, Susan Marie Jankovic

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The distribution of invasive plants was determined along the floodplain of the Passaic River in three protected park regions. Specifically, Lord Stirling Park, Hatfield Swamp, and Great Piece Meadows were assessed to determine whether or not the top 29 invasive plants as identified by Snyder and Kaufman (2004) were present. Two of the three areas are strongly affected by urbanization which may be a contributing factor to the increase of invasive plants within them. Eleven out of the top twenty nine invasive plants in New Jersey were recorded: Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), Lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria), Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum), …

Binding Of Icer To Its Own Promoter As A Mode Of Cooperative Regulation, Craig Stephen Queenan

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Inducible cAMP Early Repressor (ICER) is a regulator of cAMP signaling in the cell. ICER can be found in normal cells, but it is not present in tumor cells. The growth of these tumor cells is hampered when ICER protein is artificially reintroduced in these cells. Therefore, it is hypothesized that ICER manipulation could potentially be used as a new therapy for the treatment of cancer. Although much is known about the physiological role of ICER, little is known about the regulation of the gene. In this study, the negative autoregulation of ICER by binding to its own regulatory sequences, …

Down Regulation Patterns Of The Mutated Ret Receptor Tyrosine Kinase, Mai A. Soliman

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

REarranged during Transfection (RET) is a mammalian tyrosine kinase receptor involved in the signal transduction pathways during early embryonic kidney and enteric nervous system development. Activation of RET is mediated by one of the membrane associated co-receptors GFRal-4 and one of the four GFL family ligands. Following ligand binding, RET undergoes autophosphorylation followed by downstream activation of additional cell signaling proteins. However, less is understood about the down- regulation patterns of RET and of naturally occurring RET mutants and laboratory modified forms of RET. In this study, the role of the cytoplasmic domain in receptor processing and protein degradation was …

Generation Of An Fsh Inducible Inh-[Alpha]-Flag-Gg-Icer I[Gamma] Ovarian Specific Gene Construct, Goce Bogdanoski

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Avian animal models have led to many essential discoveries in molecular biology and biochemistry, including the discovery of vitamins, the chemistry behind vision and the development of transgenic hens as natural bioreactors for pharmaceutically relevant proteins. Hyperovulation in domesticated hens is considered a highly desirable genetic trait, a feature that has been explored in multiple studies and remains the focus of many biotech companies. Unlocking the molecular mechanism that controls ovulation may provide a basis for development in new reproductive technologies.

Previous research done on rodents provided data and identified a single transcription factor, the Inducible cAMP Early Repressor (ICER), …

A Study On The Mechanisms Of Mercury Tolerance In The Cyanobacterium, Synechococcus Sp. Iu 625, Winder Bienvenido Perez

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Synechococcus sp. IU 625 (Anacystis nidulans) is a freshwater unicellular cyanobacterium and an obligate photoautotroph that readily harbors plasmids. This organism has been used in many studies to assess the effect of heavy metal toxicity as an environmental pollutant. In one of the few studies for strain IU 625, Simon isolated 4.7- MDa and 37-MDa plasmids in 1978. The relationship between these plasmids and the 7.6-kb and 46.6-kb plasmids of strain PCC 7942 is unknown. Primers designed based on the sequence of 46.6-kb plasmid pANL of PCC 7942 exhibited positive priming with isolated plasmid DNA from Syn. …

Molecular Decay Of The Tooth Gene Enamelin (Enam) Mirrors The Loss Of Enamel In The Fossil Record Of Placental Mammals, Robert Meredith, John Gatesy, William J. Murphy, Oliver A. Ryder, Mark S. Springer

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Vestigial structures occur at both the anatomical and molecular levels, but studies documenting the co-occurrence of morphological degeneration in the fossil record and molecular decay in the genome are rare. Here, we use morphology, the fossil record, and phylogenetics to predict the occurrence of "molecular fossils" of the enamelin (ENAM) gene in four different orders of placental mammals (Tubulidentata, Pholidota, Cetacea, Xenarthra) with toothless and/or enamelless taxa. Our results support the "molecular fossil" hypothesis and demonstrate the occurrence of frameshift mutations and/or stop codons in all toothless and enamelless taxa. We then use a novel method based on selection intensity …

Bioactive Sphingolipids Mediate Apoptosis And Senescence In Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells, Evelyn I. Leon

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Ceramide is a second messenger involved in apoptosis, cell differentiation, and growth arrest. We hypothesize that in tumor cells, insufficient sphingomyelin (SM) limits the amount of ceramide which can be generated for the probagation of the apoptotic signal resulting from treatment with chemotherapy. As a result, we postulated that exogenous SM will facilitate apoptosis and synergize with chemotherapeutic agents.

The current studies examined the response of the Panel human pancreatic cancer cell line to gemcitabine, a nucleoside analog, in the presence and absence of sub-toxic doses of SM. Cytotoxic dose response relationships demonstrated an increased chemosensitivity to gemcitabine with SM …

Effects Of Mek5/Erk5 Association On Small Ubiquitin-Related Modification Of Erk5implications For Diabetic Ventricular Dysfunction After Myocardial Infarction, Tetsuro Shishido, Chang Hoon Woo, Bo Ding, Carolyn Mcclain, Carlos Molina, Chen Yan, Jay Yang, Jun Ichi Abe

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Diabetes mellitus (DM) contributes to the exacerbation of left ventricle (LV) dysfunction after myocardial infarction (MI). Activation of ERK5, an atypical mitogen activated protein kinase with transcriptional activity, inhibits apoptosis and LV dysfunction after doxorubicin treatment. SUMOylation has been proposed as a negative regulator of various transcription factors. In the current study, we investigated the role of ERK5-SUMOylation in ERK5 transcriptional activity as well as on DM-mediated exacerbation of LV dysfunction and apoptosis after MI. ERK5 wild-type transcriptional activity was inhibited by Ubc9 (SUMO E2 conjugase) or PIAS1 (E3 ligase), but not in the ERK5-SUMOylation-site defective mutant (K6R/K22R). H2O2 and …