Biology Commons^™

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 …

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 …

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. …

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 …

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 …

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 …