Biology Commons^™

Studying The Behavioral Role Of The Kcnn2 Gene In Zebrafish Embryos, Gina Dragonette

Honors Theses

Introduction: Mutations in the KCNN2 gene have been linked to phenotypes of movement disorders and autism. The goal of this experiment was to use the CIUSPR-Cas9 system to create a deletion within the KCNN2 gene and to observe the effect on the expression of movement in zebra fish embryos.

Methods: Linearized Cas9 DNA and guide DNA underwent in vitm transcription (IVT) reactions to produce RNA to be injected into zebrafish embryos at the one cell stage. KCNN guide RNAs were produced for the KCNN2 and KCNN3 genes (to prevent KCNN3 protein function from compensating for loss ofKCNN2's protein function), and …

An Investigation Of Chronic Pain As A Much-Neglected Symptom Of Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Sydney Collins

Honors Theses

Ehlers Danlos Syndrome is a group of heritable loose connective tissue disorders with 13 distinguished subtypes. The hypermobile type of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) is the most common subtype and is caused by a genetic mutation that leads to defective collagen fibrils. This leads to joint instability and hypermobility, skin elasticity, widespread pain, fatigue, and generalized tissue fragility. Chronic pain is reported to be a symptom in as high as 92% of the hEDS population (Voermans et al., 2010); despite this prevalence, there is a significant lack of research, awareness, and treatment standardization regarding pain in hEDS. This literature review …

Literature Review Of Human Hdr Syndrome With Gata3 Haplo Insufficiency, Olivia Ambursley-Gries

Honors Theses

This literature mining project is regarding mutations that cause hearing loss in patients with human hypo parathyroid, deafness, and renal dysplasia (HDR) syndrome caused by a mutation in the GATA3 gene. The disease is unique; not all diagnosed individuals present with all symptoms of the triad. Van Esh et al. found that the haploinsufficiency of the GATA3 is found on chromosome 10p14-p15 (ref.1). The focus of this work is to condense the literature on GATA3 haploinsufficiency correlating to human HDR syndrome. Due to the lack of global healthcare access, it can be assumed that many cases remain undiagnosed; 180 have …

Evaluation Of The Effect Of The Humic Acid Inhibitor On Forensic Genetic Investigations Of Human Skeletal Remains, Madeline King

Honors Theses

Postmortem survival of DNA in human skeletal remains occurs due to the compact microstructure of the skeleton and its ability to provide a strong, protective physical barrier to environmental insults. On a molecular level, DNA preservation in bones/teeth involves electrostatic interactions between the negatively-charged DNA backbone and positively charged calcium residues in hydroxyapatite, the latter of which is one of the main components of bone microstructure. Despite these protections, over time endogenous DNA becomes damaged, limiting our ability to detect it and affecting its utility in making a positive identification. Hence, forensic genetic investigations of unidentified human remains (UHRs) are …

Research Towards Understanding Hox Regulation By Cdx, Joshua M. Fisher

Honors Theses

In this project, we aim to functionally test the contribution that individual Cdx binding sites have in hox gene regulation. We will achieve this by individually blocking Cdx binding sites using CRISPR/dCas9 in the zebrafish and then analyzing changes in the time, distribution, and levels of hox gene transcription.

We will focus our analysis in only one of the seven zebrafish hox clusters, the hoxca cluster. We are focusing on the hoxca gene cluster because it has lost the least number of genes relative to other clusters and is involved in specifying the axial identity of cells in …

Investigating The Effects Of A P53 Mutation And Various Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors On Glioma Progression And Therapy Resistance In Drosophila, Kaitlyn M. Alleman

Honors Theses

Gliomas, which are brain tumors that arise from glial cells, are some of the most aggressive and lethal types of tumors. These brain tumors are difficult to treat because not enough information regarding the mutations present in these tumors exists. This project studies effects of a p53 mutation on Drosophila glioma progression and then will test to see if this results in resistance to current chemotherapy. The main goal of this endeavor is to investigate the numerous defects occurring at the cellular and biochemical level in gliomas, which will give insight into why these types of tumors are so difficult …

Determine The Effects Of Propionate On The Activation Of Macrophages Against The Intracellular Pathogen Listeria Monocytogenes, Leah O. Allen

Honors Theses

The main goal of this research is to see how propionate, a common food preservative and an important metabolite in humans, alters the activation of our immune system. The effects of propionate on macrophage activation will be determined by using nitrite and LDH assays. For these assays, different concentrations of propionate will be tested to determine how macrophages respond to the activation by LPS and interferon gamma. Another goal of this project is to determine the effects of propionate and macrophage activation on intracellular survival of L. monocytogenes. A gentamicin protection assay will be used to better establish the role …

Leaf Phenology And Freeze Tolerance Of The Invasive Tree Pyrus Calleryana (Rosaceae) And Potential Native Competitors, Abby E. Hay

Honors Theses

Pyrus calleryana is quickly becoming one of the most problematic invasive species in the Eastern and Central part of the United States. Pyrus calleryana is an early successional species that quickly proliferates in highly disturbed soils such as old fields and younger prairies. Currently, this species poses a large threat to land managers as it changes the successional trajectories of forest and prairie systems, creating new novel ecosystems. Pyrus calleryana outcompetes most native early successional species and is relatively understudied. The mechanism in which Pyrus calleryana utilizes to dominate ecosystems are not fully understood, but one theory is Pyrus calleryana …

Determine The Effects Of Propionate On The Interactions Between Macrophages And Listeria Monocytogenes, Stephanie M. Johnson

Honors Theses

Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic and intracellular foodborne pathogen that can be deadly in high risk populations. During infection in the human body, L. monocytogenes may encounter macrophages, a type of white blood cell that is critical in innate immune response both by directly targeting invading pathogens and by eliciting adaptive immune responses. During intestinal as well as peripheral infections, both L. monocytogenes and macrophages may encounter propionate, a common gut microbiome metabolite. Although propionate is shown to have various regulatory and nutritional functions, its effects on infection outcome is not well understood. Therefore, the goal of this research is …

An Exploration Of The Widely Observed Mechanisms Permitting Freeze Tolerance & The Potential Of Cope’S Gray Treefrog, Dryophytes Chrysoscelis, Samuel A. Ripley

Honors Theses

Over 80% of the Earth’s surface is exposed to seasonal cold temperatures less than 5.0oC. Ectotherms implement a variety of strategies to survive seasonal, or permanent, cold exposure. Some of the most common overwintering strategies are migration, hibernation, and freeze avoiding behavior. However, freeze tolerance is a minority choice among ectotherms. This strategy permits organisms to survive between 50.0 to 70.0% of their total body water volumes frozen primarily in extracellular spaces for up to several months at a time. Freeze tolerant organisms undergo minimal supercooling of their body fluids to ensure ice formation is slow and produce a wide …

Examining The Role Of The Drosophila Melanogaster Unc13 Protein In Open Field Activity Using Rnai, Islam Orabi

Honors Theses

Unc13 are proteins in the presynaptic neurons essential in controlling synaptic vesicle fusion and synaptic transmission. Recently, the reduction of Drosophila melanogaster Unc13 proteins (Dunc13), were found to result in a resistance to alcohol, highly reminiscent of tolerance formation. I investigated whether genetically reducing Dunc13 activity in Drosophila brain regions leads to different forms of behavioral plasticity using an open field activity paradigm. In my approach, a Dunc13 RNAi transgene was expressed in the Drosophila brain within the mushroom body, the ellipsoid body, and in all neurons. The activities of the flies were examined in the open field paradigm to …

Effectiveness Of Visual Representations In Undergraduate Human Anatomy And Physiology I & Ii, Mary Agnes Mestayer

Honors Theses

The objective of this project was to explore intersections between student preferences and student performance on anatomical visual representations in Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II. Visual representations are a critical resource for the formation of relationships between function and structure furthermore; students interpret these representations uniquely based on specific factors (learning objective, prior knowledge, the diagram studied, etc.). Phase I of this project gathered undergraduate responses to ten Likert-style questions on their opinions on diagrams and their use in the A&P classroom. Phase II of this project presented participants with twelve manipulated diagrams sourced from three diagram with …

The Importance Of A Multidisciplinary Approach To Public Health: Addressing Food Insecurity Through A Biological And Sociological Lens, Chloe Grant

Honors Theses

Plants can sense the change of 1 ^oC in their growth environment and thus global climate change has a great impact on plant growth and development. The phenomenon that warm non-stress temperatures promote stem and petiole elongation, as well as leaf hyponastic growth, is collectively known as thermomorphogenesis. While it is known that the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor PIF4 is highly inducible by temperature elevations and controls thermomorphogenesis in dicots (e.g., Arabidopsis thaliana), the molecular mechanism underlying thermomorphogenetic growth in monocots is not clear. In this study, I identify PIF4 orthologs in several economically important monocotyledonous species and …

Mitochondrial Replacement And Mitonuclear Interactions In The Broadstripe Topminnow (Fundulus Euryzonus), Auburn Ansley

Honors Theses

When species hybridize, mitochondrial and nuclear introgression can take place. This is commonly observed in freshwater fish species, such as the Fundulus notatus complex, which is composed of F. notatus, F. olivaceus, and F. euryzonus. The broadstripe topminnow, F. euryzonus, is only found in the Amite and Tangipahoa Rivers in the Lake Pontchartrain drainage, where it overlaps in distribution with F. olivaceus. Previous studies determined that F. euryzonus in the Tangipahoa River system possesses mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from F. olivaceus as a result of hybridization between the two species. The goal of this thesis was …

Investigation Of The Effects Of Curcumin On Woodsmoke-Induced Inflammation, Melissa Lewis

Honors Theses

Inflammatory diseases caused by biomass smoke exposure and indoor air pollution affect millions of people worldwide. These diseases can be caused by the burning of biomass (plastic, wood, rubber, tobacco, etc.) for light or heat. Acrolein is a common indoor and outdoor pollutant from tobacco smoke or organic combustion. Wood smoke is hypothesized to cause inflammation since it contains high concentrations of particulate matter and gaseous compounds and are similar in size to other well-known damaging particles. Natural remedies, like curcumin, are hypothesized to be a natural remedy for combating inflammation. The goal of this research was to investigate the …

Congenital Heart Defects And The Expression Of Ccdc141, Savanna Tillman

Honors Theses

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are one of the most prevalent types of birth defects in the United States. Both environmental and genetic components are known to contribute to the development of CHDs. One of the ways toxins present in the environment cause CHDs is by disrupting the expression of genes known to be vital in normal cardiac morphogenesis. Thus, the identification of both toxins that cause birth defects in cardiac development and genes expressed during heart development is crucial in order to fully understand the relationship between environment and genetics as they relate to CHD. Due to their external development, …

An Examination Of Mimetic Precision And The Selective Advantages Of Imprecise Mimics, Matt Hendricks

Honors Theses

First proposed by Henry Walter Bates in 1862, Batesian mimicry refers to the scenario in which an undefended species (the mimic) gains protection from predation due to its phenotypic resemblance to a noxious species (the model). Often, the model species possess a conspicuous phenotype which serves to warn predators of the species’ danger. A great deal of research spanning many decades has been devoted to this phenomenon as it applies to coral snakes. Coral snakes are quite noxious and are distinguished from other species of snakes by their banded patterns of bright colors such as red, yellow, and black. It …

The Role Of The Dal Neurons In Modulating Circadian Rhythms In Olfactory Short-Term Memory In Drosophila Melanogaster, Cooper Ruwe

Honors Theses

Depressed short-term memory (STM) abilities during non-adaptive times of the day can significantly impact those who work occupations that require peak levels of cognitive functioning around the clock. While much work has gone into understanding the endogenous clock and circadian rhythms, there is still much to learn about the neural circuity that underlies the daily rhythms that define these regular oscillations in STM performance. The DAL neurons in the Drosophila brain are part of the circadian network and innervate the mushroom bodies (MBs), the species’ olfactory learning center, making them compelling candidates to be involved in circadian circuitry for olfactory …

A Baseline Documentation Report For The Delta Wind Birds Sky Lake Nature Reserve, James Dubberly

Honors Theses

The purpose of this baseline documentation is to conduct a report on our subject property and discuss the findings. A conservation easement is established by upholding a certain standard of a property’s current condition which makes a baseline documentation necessary for an easement to be enacted. Baseline documentation reports are used as a resource to monitor and enforce the legal agreements of the conservation easement. The subject property is currently owned by the Delta Wind Birds organization. In our scenario, this documentation report will serve to aid in the conversion of our subject property into a conservation easement in which …

The Effect Of Color Morph On Behavior Interactions In Red-Backed Salamanders (Plethodon Cinereus), Taylor M. Aliferis

Honors Theses

Studies in behavioral ecology provide critical information regarding a species’ territoriality, predator-prey interactions, and reproduction. Red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) are a polymorphic terrestrial amphibian whose behavioral interactions have long been studied to provide insights on the processes that structure salamander populations, which are often cryptic and difficult to study. However, research regarding the effect of coloration on these interactions is more limited, but potentially extremely important for studies of population dynamics and speciation in terrestrial salamanders. In this study, aggressive and submissive behaviors of adult male red-backed salamanders in five different color morph treatment pairings were observed to …

How Gata3 Affects Neuronal Survival In The Inner Ear, Hiba Ahmad

Honors Theses

Broadly speaking, Gata3 is a transcription factor involved in neurosensory specification and hair cell differentiation. Previous studies have shown that Gata3 null mutants do not develop neurons, so Gata3 appears to be necessary for neuronal survival. To better understand the role of Gata3 in spiral ganglion neurons of the inner ear, a Neurod1-cre model was used to conditionally knock out Gata3 at E9-E9.5, the timepoint when neuroblasts first begin to delaminate from the otic placode. The mutants used in this study were Nd1-cre: Gata3 f/f mutants. In situ was performed to determine gene expression within the cochlea, and immunohistochemistry was …

Crayfish And Climate Change: How The Growing Acidity Of Freshwater Lakes, Streams, And Ponds Negatively Impact The Nervous System Of Crayfish, Lauren Irmen

Honors Theses

The nervous system of crayfish, a freshwater crustacean, is largely regulated by the flow of calcium (Ca²⁺) ions in a cell across a concentration gradient that produces electrical impulses and controls movement (Krause et al., 1998). Crayfish obtain Ca²⁺ from their external aquatic environment. Therefore, rapid changes in the concentration of Ca²⁺ in freshwater environments may cause negative impacts to the neural system of crayfish and subsequently the freshwater food chain. These impact of altered Ca²⁺ levels may create hyperactive or hypoactive movement due to over-, under-stimulation, respectfully in the skeletal muscle of the crayfish, …

Density Dependent Growth Of Pseudomonas Fluorescens In The Presence And Absence Of C. Elegans Predation In Liquid Media, Jack Landmann

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to understand the predator-prey relationship between C. elegans worms and P. fluorescens bacteria in liquid media. We were aiming to create a predation model of the relationship between these two species.

This study was performed through three experiments. Using 96-well plates, we were able to measure the change in optical density (OD) of these wells and calculate the growth rate. This growth rate was then graphed and analyzed. The first experiment contained P. fluorescens and KB liquid media, this study demonstrated that the bacterial population has a carrying capacity. We were also able to …

A Baseline Documentation Report For The Delta Wind Birds Sky Lake Nature Reserve, Preston T. Perkins, J Hays Dubberly, Michael J. Thomas, Jensine Coggin

Honors Theses

The purpose of this baseline documentation is to conduct a report on our subject property and discuss the findings. A conservation easement is established by upholding a certain standard of a property’s current condition which makes a baseline documentation necessary for an easement to be enacted. Baseline documentation reports are used as a resource to monitor and enforce the legal agreements of the conservation easement. The subject property is currently owned by the Delta Wind Birds organization. In our scenario, this documentation report will serve to aid in the conversion of our subject property into a conservation easement in which …

Enamel Corrosion Levels On Squirrel Teeth From The Fox Canyon Locality, Pliocene Of Kansas, Emma Tennyson

Honors Theses

The enamel of teeth may be corroded after death, especially if the teeth pass through the digestive tract of a predator with low gastric pH. This study characterized enamel corrosion of fossil squirrel teeth from two species (Otospermophilus rexroadensis and Ictidomys meadensis) obtained from the Fox Canyon locality of Kansas. Using microscopic imaging, I categorized teeth based on corrosion level. Overall, 45% of specimens exhibited heavy to extreme corrosion. There were no significant differences in the distribution of corrosion categories between both upper and lower teeth of either species (O. rexroadensis: X2 (3, N = 140) = .562, p= .905; …

Evaluation Of Phonotactic Behavior In Male-Exposed Female Cricket Acheta Domesticus, Janelle An

Honors Theses

Phonotaxis is defined as the movement of organisms in response to an auditory stimulus. It plays an important role in helping animals find a potential mate, and thus it is worthwhile to understand what factors may influence phonotaxis. Phonotactic behavior in virgin female cricket Acheta domesticus has been the focus of multiple studies, which have reported a degree of variability among individuals. Several factors that have been reported to influence such variability include age, environmental temperature, and the presence of certain neuromodulators. This study investigated possible changes in the behavioral responses of young females when raised with males but not …

Modulation Of Apoptosis In Breast Cancer Cells Mda-Mb-157, 93a And 93b By Aqueous Extract Of Chinese Medical Herb Scutellaria Barbata, Nathaly Manrique

Honors Theses

Scutellaria barbata (S. barbata), a Chinese herb used in Traditional Chinese Medicine has been known to contain anti-cancer properties. SB has been investigated as a potential treatment for multiple types of cancer including colon cancer, glioblastoma, and ovarian cancer. Breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-157 and its APC-mutants 93A and 93B are more resistant to treatment due to genetic modifications. In this study, the effectiveness of S. barbata in apoptotic modulation of breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-157, 93A, and 93B was investigated. Assessments were performed using green/red/blue fluorescent Apoptosis/Necrosis Detection Kit and the Human Apoptosis Antibody Array - Membrane (43 Targets) …

Comparison Of Enamel Microstructure Of Ictidomys Tridecemlineatus Formed During Hibernation Versus The Active Season, Amanda Cho

Honors Theses

Ground squirrel incisors grow continuously, preserving a record of their most recent weeks of life. Previous research demonstrated that an abnormality in the surface of incisor enamel and dentin of thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) corresponded with hibernation. Using scanning electron microscopy, we compared internal microstructure of incisor enamel deposited during and outside of hibernation to determine if surface disruptions corresponded to differences in internal microstructure. For one specimen, hibernation enamel displayed irregularities in microstructure that were not present in non-hibernation enamel, but this difference was not observed in other specimens. Given these inconclusive results, further research is warranted.

Use Of Small Molecule Fanconi Anemia Pathway Inhibitors As Sensitizing Agents To Laromustine., Sam W. Marchant

Honors Theses

Laromustine is an experimental chemotherapeutic sulfonyl hydrazine prodrug shown in clinical trials to be effective against acute myeloid leukemia. The mechanism of action of laromustine involves interstrand crosslinking, via chloroethylation, and enzyme inhibition, caused by carbamoylation. The work described herein aims to investigate whether inhibition of the replication-dependent interstrand crosslink repair Fanconi Anemia pathway further sensitizes cells to laromustine. By measuring metabolic activity immediately after drug exposure, we find laromustine to be equally as cytotoxic towards Fanconi Anemia deficient and wild type cells. However, through clonogenic assays we show Fanconi Anemia mutations sensitize cells to laromustine’s anti-proliferative effect. Furthermore, we …

The Functionally Relevant Role Of Sdrna-19b And Sdrna-24 In Prostate Cancer, Addison A. Barchie

Honors Theses

In recent studies small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNA) have been shown to be processed into smaller microRNA-like fragments known as sno-derived RNA (sdRNA). We recently identified 9 snoRNAs that contribute to prostate malignancy using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) patient prostate tumor next-generation sequencing datasets. These snoRNA were found to be processed into sdRNAs, heavily misexpressed in prostate cancer cell types 8140 and 8550, and shown to function by binding Ago proteins in order to impact mRNA translation. SdRNA-19b and sdRNA-24 in particular stood out as having significant differential expression in prostate cancer vs. control tissue. Interestingly, the targets for sdRNA-19b …