Biology Commons^™

The Complete Plastid Genome Sequence Of Welwitschia Mirabilis: An Unusually Compact Plastome With Accelerated Divergence Rates, Skip R. Mccoy, Jennifer V. Kuehl, Jeffrey L. Boore, Linda A. Raubeson

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Background

Welwitschia mirabilis is the only extant member of the family Welwitschiaceae, one of three lineages of gnetophytes, an enigmatic group of gymnosperms variously allied with flowering plants or conifers. Limited sequence data and rapid divergence rates have precluded consensus on the evolutionary placement of gnetophytes based on molecular characters. Here we report on the first complete gnetophyte chloroplast genome sequence, from Welwitschia mirabilis, as well as analyses on divergence rates of protein-coding genes, comparisons of gene content and order, and phylogenetic implications.

Results

The chloroplast genome of Welwitschia mirabilis [GenBank: EU342371] is comprised of 119,726 base pairs and exhibits …

Carbon, Nitrogen And Phosphorus Stoichiometry Of A Mixotrophic Protist, Natalie C. Lukomski

Biology Theses - Archive

The microbial loop is one of two major pathways in aquatic systems in which nutrient and energy flow from dissolved nutrients to higher trophic levels. Protozoan-bacteria predator-prey relationships lie at the base of this food web. It is through this interaction that dissolved nutrients sequestered in the bacterial biomass become available to higher trophic levels. Heterotrophic nanoflagellates are the main consumers of bacteria in aquatic systems (Porter et al.1985). Consequently, limitation of dissolved nutrients in the bacterial biomass could effect protozoan stoichiometry and the amounts of excreted waste products. These excreted waste products are a valuable resource to bacteria; therefore …

A Bbp-Mud2p Heterodimer Mediates Branchpoint Recognition And Influences Splicing Substrate Abundance In Budding Yeast, Qiang Wang, Li Zhang, Bert C. Lynn, Brian C. Rymond

Biology Faculty Publications

The 3′ end of mammalian introns is marked by the branchpoint binding protein, SF1, and the U2AF65-U2AF35 heterodimer bound at an adjacent sequence. Baker's yeast has equivalent proteins, branchpoint binding protein (BBP) (SF1) and Mud2p (U2AF65), but lacks an obvious U2AF35 homolog, leaving open the question of whether another protein substitutes during spliceosome assembly. Gel filtration, affinity selection and mass spectrometry were used to show that rather than a U2AF65/U2AF35-like heterodimer, Mud2p forms a complex with BBP without a third (U2AF35-like) factor. Using mutants of MUD2 and BBP, we show that the BBP–Mud2p complex bridges partner-specific Prp39p, Mer1p, Clf1p …

Xylose-Fermenting Yeast Species Found In The Wood Of Southeast Louisiana, Claire Reuter

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Ethanol Exposure In Rats And Its Effect On Genetic Markers, Ceena Philipose

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Alcoholism is believed to affect an estimated 18 million people each year. The number of people abusing alcohol is three times the number of people abusing all other substances combined. (Institute for Health Policy, 2001) An estimated $276 billion per year(Institute for Health Policy, 2001)is spent to combat the influence of alcoholism in this country alone; more than cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, combined.

A full understanding of the effects of alcohol on the developing nervous system and other organ systems, and knowing when and where that central or internal organ damage has occurred after a certain period of abuse …

The Effects Of Anthropogenic Ambient Noise And Habitat Vegetation On Common Yellowthroat Song, Edith Dooley

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Urbanization not only decreases habitat availability for natural populations, but has also been shown to affect the behavior of animals. This study focuses on how anthropogenic, urban noise and habitat vegetation can affect the structure of common yellowthroat warbler (Geothlypis trichas) song. Ambient noise is concentrated in the low frequencies of noise and can mask the low song frequencies rendering them inaudible to the receiver. I predicted that yellowthroats will change the pitch and overall structure of their songs to avoid overlap with urban ambient noise. To test this possibility, I recorded yellowthroats songs and corresponding ambient noise, …

A Behavioral Assay To Quantify Retinal Degeneration In X. Laevis, Jacob Fleming

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Currently, 3.5 million Americans over the age of 40 are blind or visually impaired. Cases of visual impairment can be attributed to a number of causes. Retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, and macular degeneration all involve some form of damage to the retina. While medical advances continue to aid those with vision loss, there is currently no cure for visual impairment due to cell death. In the age of stem cells however, there is hope for those with retinal damage.

Seven eye field transcription factors play specific roles in eye development. When injected into developing Xenopus laevis, these transcription factors induce …

Asymmetric Jaw Morphology In An Herbivorous Cichlid From Lake Malawi, Bianca Williams

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Cichlid fish exhibit a high frequency of variation across species. This study focused on a particular asymmetry in the jaws of fish in the genus Tropheops. An asymmetry towards the left side was observed and then tested. Each side of the jaw was measured in a number of individuals from different Tropheops species. These measurements were then analyzed to see if the left side was indeed longer than the right. Statistical analysis was utilized to test the significance of sided differences. It was found that Tropheops species exhibit a left sided bias, some species having a significant bias, and others …

Ankle Sprain Injuries In The Ed: Assessing Quality Of Discharge Instructions And Compliance Of Physicians With Ottawa Ankle Rules, Sama A. Bég

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Annually a large number of patients seen in the emergency department are diagnosed with an ankle sprain. If not treated properly, these injuries can result in long term complications such as pain, swelling and instability. Appropriate patient discharge instructions using evidence based treatment principles can be utilized to avoid these complications. Many patients seen in the emergency department with a final diagnosis of ankle sprain receive x-rays to rule out a fracture, despite the development of the Ottawa Ankle Rules (OAR) to determine when x-rays are necessary. Use of the Ottawa Ankle Rules has been shown to decrease the number …

Characterizing The Interaction Between Subunit C Of V-Atpase And Actin Of The Cytoskeleton In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Amanda Blackley

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Little is understood about the major functions subunit C of vacuolar proton-translocating ATPase (V-ATPase), a membrane-bound enzyme found in many eukaryotic cells that is responsible for pumping protons across its membrane in order to acidify either organelles or extracellular compartments. Subunit C is a known stator subunit and is required for assembly of the functional holoenzyme. In addition, it has been shown that subunit C interacts with actin of the cytoskeleton in the plasma membrane V-ATPases of Manduca sexta. However, the universality of this interaction—specifically its presence in organelle membrane V-ATPases—has yet to be determined. Consequently, the interaction between …

An Invader Differentially Affects Leaf Physiology Of Two Natives Across A Gradient In Diversity, Pamela Kittelson, John L. Maron, Marilyn Marler

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Little is known about how exotics influence the ecophysiology of co-occurring native plants or how invader impact on plant physiology may be mediated by community diversity or resource levels. We measured the effect of the widespread invasive forb spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa) on leaf traits (leaf dry matter content, specific leaf area, leaf nitrogen percentage, leaf C:N ratios, and δ¹³C as a proxy for water use efficiency) of two co-occurring native perennial grassland species, Monarda fistulosa (bee balm) and Koeleria macrantha (Junegrass). The impact of spotted knapweed was assessed across plots that varied in functional diversity …

Chimpanzees Do Not Take Advantage Of Very Low Cost Opportunities To Deliver Food To Unrelated Group Members, Jennifer Vonk, Sarah F. Brosnan, Joan B. Silk, Joseph Heinrich, Amanda S. Richardson, Susan P. Lambeth, Steven J. Schapiro, Daniel J. Povinelli

Faculty Publications

We conducted experiments on two populations of chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes, to determine whether they would take advantage of opportunities to provide food rewards to familiar group members at little cost to themselves. In both of the experiments described here, chimpanzees were able to deliver identical rewards to themselves and to other members of their social groups. We compared the chimpanzees' behaviour when they were paired with another chimpanzee and when they were alone. If chimpanzees are motivated to provide benefits to others, they are expected to consistently deliver rewards to others and to distinguish between the partner-present and partner-absent …

In Vitro And In Vivo Techniques For Screening New Natural Product-Based Fungicides For Control Of Strawberry Anthracnose, Maritza Abril

Dissertations

Seven plant pathogenic fungi (Botrytis cinerea, Colletotrichum acutatum, C. fragariae, C. gloeosporioides, Fusarium oxysporum, Phomopsis obscurans, and P. viticola) valuable in screening fungicide efficacy were tested. Optimal and reproducible conditions for germination of these selected fungi were established by incorporating Roswell Park Memorial Institute 1640 (RPMI) as a medium of known composition and washing conidia to remove innate germination inhibitors. This step reduced average fungal germination times between 3.5 h and 21.2 h. The natural product-based fungicide, sampangine, seven sampangine analogs (4-bromo-sampangine, 4-methoxysampangine, benzo[4,5]sampangine, liriodenine Mel AMC-XIII-103, onychine, cryptolepine, and liriodenine CDH-II-37), plus seven conventional fungicides (benomyl, captan, cyprodinil, fenbuconazole, …

Tasting Phenylthiocarbamide (Ptc): A New Integrative Genetics Lab With An Old Flavor, Robert B. Merritt, Lou Ann Bierwert, Barton Slatko, Michael P. Weiner, Jessica Ingram, Kristianna Sciarra, Evan Weiner

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

First reported in the early 1930s, variation in the ability to taste phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) has since become one of the most widely studied of all human genetic traits. Guo and Reed (2001) provide an excellent review of work on this polymorphism prior to the identification and sequencing of the PTC gene by Kim et al. (2003), and Wooding (2006) provides a stimulating historical review of the role various scientists have played in the study of PTC taste sensitivity and the importance of these studies in relation to natural selection. Identification of the PTC gene and a number of subsequent …

Characterization Of The Interaction Between The Fanconi Anemia (Fa) D2 Protein And Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (Pcna), Carolyn Schmiedel

Senior Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Fibroblast Growth Factor 20a In The Craniofacial Development Of Zebrafish, Julie Adams

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Fibroblast growth factors are a family of intercellular signaling molecules that participate in the normal growth of the craniofacial skeleton. Advances in molecular genetics have revealed that fibroblast growth factors are involved in the regulation of bone growth by maintaining a balance between the differentiation of osteoblasts and the proliferation of mesenchyme (Morriss-Kay and Wilkie, 2005). The focus of my research is fibroblast growth factor 20a because it seems to play a significant role in the normal development of the skull. At birth, the skull is made up of bony elements, that meet at fibrous membranes called sutures. Throughout development, …

Reverse Recruitment: Activation Of Yeast Genes At The Nuclear Periphery, Terry Marvin Haley

Dissertations

The regulation of genes at the nuclear periphery is an evolutionarily conserved phenomenon in eukaryotes. The reverse-recruitment model of transcriptional activation postulates that genes are activated by moving to and contacting transcription machinery located at subnuclear structures. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae it has been reported that this platform for gene regulation may reside at the nuclear periphery. To test this hypothesis, I utilized a GFP-gene tagging technique, which uses LacI-GFP to visualize a tandem array of its DNA-binding sequence, to monitor localization ofSUC2 and GALL I found that both genes preferentially localized to the nuclear periphery when transcriptionally active. By developing …

Use Of Monoclonal ∆-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Antibodies Chemically Bound To A Polystyrene Surface Using Glutaraldehyde For The Purpose Of Extracting ∆-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol And ∆-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid From Postmortem Whole Blood Samples For Analysis By Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry, Thomas Sidney Pittman

Dissertations

Quantitations of drugs and their respective metabolites in postmortem blood samples using gas chromatographic instrumentation is a primary analytical practice used to determine if drugs played a role in or were the cause of a victim's death. Postmortem blood samples often prove difficult to work with due to interfering substances formed during the putrefaction process. Attempts to eliminate interfering substances with present day extraction methods can be time-consuming, costly and often ineffective when dealing with drugs that exhibit toxicity or impairment at very low concentrations. This study was conducted using monoclonal antibodies chemically bound to a polystyrene surface to extract …

Roosting Ecology Of Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bat, Corynorhinus Rafinesquii, In Southeastern Mississippi, Austin Webb Trousdale Iii

Dissertations

Rafinesque's big-eared bat, Corynorhinus rafinesquii, is considered rare and/or declining throughout its range. Concrete bridges are potentially important roosts for C. rafinesquii, especially in the Gulf Coastal Plain where the species' natural roosts (caves and large hollow trees) are inherently scarce. Successful efforts to monitor and conserve this species must account for its movements among multiple roosts and determine the duration of its roost use (including bridges) at different temporal scales. Therefore, I investigated roosting ecology of C. rafinesquii from 2000-2005 within a mixed hardwood-pine (Pinus spp.) system in southeastern Mississippi. I conducted surveys of concrete bridges to determine phenological …

Reproductive Biology Of The Coyote (Canis Latrans): Integration Of Behavior And Physiology, Debra Anne Carlson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wild Canis species possess a unique suite of reproductive traits including social monogamy, copulatory lock/tie, and biparental care. Females are seasonally monestrous and experience an obligatory pseudopregnancy after spontaneous ovulation. While these characteristics have been ascribed to coyotes, an integrated profile of behavior and physiology has not yet been described. In this study, temporal correlations between steroid hormone levels and socio-sexual mating behaviors were documented, as were changes in vaginal epithelium. Pseudopregnancy was compared to pregnancy by contrasting hormone (progesterone, estradiol, prolactin and relaxin) profiles of unmated females to patterns obtained in alternate years when they bred. Meanwhile, social interactions …

Life On The Edge: Morphological And Behavioral Adaptations For Survival On Wave-Swept Shores, Luke P. Miller

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

Wave-swept rocky shores serve as a home to a great diversity of organisms and are some of the most biologically productive habitats on earth. This burgeoning community exists in spite of the fact that the zone between the high and low tide marks can be one of the most physically harsh environments on earth. Large forces imposed by breaking waves and wide swings in temperature require the organisms living on rocky shores to adapt to a constantly changing environment or risk extirpation by physical forces. I have explored a number of hypothesized adaptations for survival on rocky shores and discuss …

Detritus Type Alters The Outcome Of Interspecific Competition Between Aedes Aegypti And Aedes Albopictus (Diptera : Culicidae), Ebony G. Murrell, Steven A. Juliano

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Many studies of interspecific competition between Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae show that Ae. albopictus are superior resource competitors to Ae. aegypti. Single-species studies indicate that growth and survival of Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti larvae are affected by the type of detritus present in containers, which presumably affects the amount and quality of microorganisms that the mosquito larvae consume. We tested whether different detritus types alter the intensity of larval competition by raising 10 different density/species combinations of Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti larvae under standard laboratory conditions, with one of four detritus types …

Response Of The Salt Gland Of The Insectivorous Lizard Novoeumeces Schneideri To Ionic And Osmotic Challenges, Claudia Lechuga

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The reptilian kidney can only produce isoosmotic waste. To supplement renal ion excretion and maintain ionic and osmoregulation, some reptile species rely on extrarenal salt glands that can secrete a hyperosmotic solution. Extrarenal glands among reptile taxa include the cranial gland in lizards, lacrimal gland of marine turtles, and sublingual gland of the estuarine crocodile and sea snakes. Secretion composition varies among these taxa, depending on diet, osmotic load and phylogeny. The salt glands of lizards are unique among reptiles in their ability to vary composition of the secreted fluid, secreting cations (potassium and/or sodium) and anions (chloride and/or bicarbonate). …

Intracellular Levels Of Centrin2, Xpc, & Hhr23b Increase After Dna Damage, Nicholas A. Rowland

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduate requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

The Effect Of Resveratrol On The Microbiota Of Mice, Esther Chan

Whittier Scholars Program

This project focuses on the study of obesity by regarding the relationship of Bacteroides and Firmicutes within mice that have been linked to caloric intake. Resveratrol a natural compound found in grape extracts has been shown to closely mimic benefits of caloric restriction. This project is focused on how Resveratrol might influence the concentrations of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes populations in the intestinal gut as measured with quantitative PCR. This study includes an introduction to certain terms and scientific contextual information to further explain this research as well as includes a section on microbial bacteria and caloric restriction for further clarification.

The Effect Of Nacl On Akinete Differentiation In The Cyanobacterium Nostoc Punctiforme, Jonathan Heekin

Theses and Dissertations

Nostoc punctiforme is a nitrogen-fixing, symbiotic/free-living cyanobacterium. There has been a great deal of research conducted on the genomic nature of N. punctiforme as it pertains to its ecologically important role in the nitrogen cycle in varied environments around the world. My study concentrated on the dormant cell type known as the akinete. Increasing concentrations of NaCl were used to follow the growth phases from germination to akinete formation (lag phase-logarithmic growth phase-stationary phase). I found that increased salt concentrations caused N. punctiforme to form akinetes faster when compared to the control. Germination rates were not greatly increased or shortened …

Bat Community Dynamics And Foraging Activity Patterns In Young Regenerating Southern Pine Plantations And Mixed Hardwood Forests, Kathryn Marie Womack

Theses & Honors Papers

Forests of the southeastern U.S. are changing rapidly in species composition and extent of forest cover due to increasing conversion to pine (Pinus sp.) plantations , intensifying management practices, and expanding urbanization and sprawl. Questions related to the impacts of these changes on wild life species are of great conservation interest and management relevance. Highly mobile species with large home ranges and complex habitat requirements , such as bats, may be especially vulnerable to increasing human modification of landscapes. However, the impacts of such modifications on bat species are poorly understood . I sought to evaluate bat community structure and …

The Ecology Of Fear: Oviposition And Colonization In Aquatic Systems, Leeanna Pletcher

Theses and Dissertations

Amphibians and aquatic invertebrates have complex life histories that link aquatic and terrestrial food webs. It has been suggested that amphibian reproduction is an important source of carbon to some aquatic systems. This process of energy flow may be shaped by shifts in habitat selection in response to predators. We hypothesized that predators decrease colonization and oviposition of prey, reducing active inputs. Thus predation risk is expected to shift the relative amounts of active and passive subsidies. We manipulated the presence of fish predators in aquatic mesocosms. Results suggest hylid treefrog eggs and hydrophilid beetles were less abundant in predator …

Human Cardiac-Specific Cdna Array For Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Sex-Related Differences, Georges E. Haddad, Lori J. Saunders, Seth D. Crosby, Maria Carles, Federica Del Monte, Kindra King, Michael R. Bristow, Francis G. Spinale, Thomas E. Macgillivray, Marc J. Semigran, G. William Dec, Steven A. Williams, Roger J. Hajjar, Judith K. Gwathmey

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM) constitutes a large portion of patients with heart failure of unknown etiology. Up to 50% of all transplant recipients carry this clinical diagnosis. Female-specific gene expression in IDCM has not been explored. We report sex-related differences in the gene expression profile of ventricular myocardium from patients undergoing cardiac transplantation. We produced and sequenced subtractive cDNA libraries, using human left ventricular myocardium obtained from male transplant recipients with IDCM and nonfailing human heart donors. With the resulting sequence data, we generated a custom human heart failure microarray for IDCM containing 1,145 cardiac-specific oligonucleotide probes. This array was …

Population Dynamics Of Freshwater Invertebrates In Beltrami County, Amanda Johnson

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduate requirement for the BSU Honors Program.