Biology Commons^™

Production, Purification, And Characterization Of \Alpha-Amylase By Bacillus Subtilis And Its Mutant Derivates, Eli̇f Demi̇rkan

Turkish Journal of Biology

The effects of various carbon and nitrogen sources on production of \alpha-amylase by Bacillus subtilis and its mutant derivates were investigated. The maximum production of \alpha-amylase by all strains was obtained in the presence of mesoinositol as the carbon source. There was no more significant increase in enzyme yield in the case of the supplementation of nitrogen sources, whereas malt extract and tryptone were preferred nitrogen sources for amylase production by Bacillus subtilis and mutant U 2-6 strain, respectively. \alpha-Amylases of B. subtilis and its mutant strain (EBUE 5-3) were purified through a series of steps, and characterized. The optimum …

Utilization Of Cytochrome Oxidase I In Cephus Pygmeus (L.) (Hymenoptera: Cephidae), Ertan Mahi̇r Korkmaz, Mahi̇r Budak, Hasan Hüseyi̇n Başibüyük

Turkish Journal of Biology

The mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene region of Cephus pygmeus (L.) (Hymenoptera: Cephidae) was characterized at the nucleotide and amino acid levels. The partial sequence (687 bp) of the gene was determined and compared with other cephids and insect species at both the nucleic acid and amino acid sequence levels. The examined fragment was placed at an equal distance to both ends of the gene and consisted of 13 structural regions. The 5' end of the partial COI gene was more informative than the 3' end at the intraspecific level. Pairwise sequence divergences ranged from 0.15% to 1.17% at …

The Effects Of Leptin Hormone On Locomotor Activity In Syrian Hamsters (Mesocricetus Auratus), Bülent Gündüz, Alper Karakaş

Turkish Journal of Biology

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) generates and controls the circadian rhythms in mammals including the rhythm of locomotor activity. Leptin is a hormone secreted by adipose tissue that informs the brain about the fat stores. SCN neurons express leptin receptors. Here we investigated the effects of 3 different leptin administrations on the locomotor activity of the Syrian hamsters maintained in constant darkness. Animals were intraperitoneally (ip) injected (4 µg/kg), subcutaneously (sc) infused (4 µg/kg), or intra-SCN infused (0.4 µg/kg) with leptin for 3 days at circadian time 10 whereas the controls received saline (0.9% NaCl) at the same time in order …

A Comparative Evaluation Of Antioxidant And Anticancer Activity Of Essential Oil From Origanum Onites (Lamiaceae) And Its Two Major Phenolic Components, Aysun Özkan, Ayşe Erdoğan

Turkish Journal of Biology

The objectives of the present study were to determine the effects of essential oil from Turkish oregano (Origanum onites L.) and its 2 major phenolic components, carvacrol and thymol, on cell viability, and to investigate their cytoprotective (antioxidant) effects against hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxicity and membrane damage in hepatoma G2 (Hep G2) cells. Their antioxidant properties were also evaluated with 2 in vitro complementary test systems: DPPH radical scavenging activity and linoleic acid oxidation inhibition. The aerial parts of the essential oil were isolated using a Clevenger-type apparatus (hydrodistillation) and its components were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The essential …

Indirect Somatic Embryogenesis And Shoot Organogenesis From Cotyledonary Leaf Segments Of Digitalis Lamarckii Ivan., An Endemic Medicinal Species, Sandeep K. Verma, Bahti̇yar Buhara Yücesan, Songül Gürel, Ekrem Gürel

Turkish Journal of Biology

This study describes, for the first time, an in vitro protocol for the development of somatic embryos and shoots from a callus derived from cotyledonary leaf segments excised from 3-week-old in vitro-germinated seedlings of Digitalis lamarckii Ivan. (dwarf foxglove), an endemic medicinal species of Turkey. The embryogenic callus was induced on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 0.54 \muM \mu-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and 2.22 \muM 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). Somatic embryos developed readily when the embryogenic callus was transferred to MS medium containing BAP (4.44 or 8.87 \muM) alone or BAP combined with NAA (1.34, 2.69, or 5.37 \muM). The most …

Bioassay Studies Of 2'-O-Ethylmurrangatin Isolated From A Medicinal Plant, Murraya Paniculata, Azizuddin Shaikh, Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary

Turkish Journal of Biology

A secondary metabolite, 2^'-O-ethylmurrangatin (1), was isolated from the leaves of a medicinal plant, Murraya paniculata. The structure of compound 1 was identified with the help of spectroscopic techniques. Compound 1 was screened for its antioxidant, lipoxygenase, prolyl endopeptidase, and respiratory burst inhibitory activities. 2^'-O-Ethylmurrangatin (1) was found to have significant activity against lipoxygenase enzyme and moderate respiratory burst inhibitory activity, but no activity against either DPPH radical scavenging assay or prolyl endopeptidase enzyme.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity Of Anthemis Aciphylla Var. Aciphylla Boiss., Si̇nem Özkaynak, Hati̇ce Efsun Kolatan, Osman Yilmaz, Bi̇jen Kivçak

Turkish Journal of Biology

Ethanolic (EEAA) and sesquiterpene lactone (SEAA) extracts of the aerial parts of Anthemis aciphylla var. aciphylla Boiss. (Asteraceae) were evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity on carrageenin-induced paw edema (acute model) and cotton pellet-induced granuloma (chronic model) in rats. In carrageenin-induced paw edema, EEAA and SEAA at intraperitoneal doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg dose-dependently inhibited the paw edema. In cotton pellet-induced granuloma, the oral administration of EEAA and SEAA at 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg dosages was also found to significantly inhibit granuloma tissue formation.

The Vocal Behaviors Of North American River Otters (Lontra Canadensis) Individual Differences And Shared Repertoires, Carla Almonte

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The current information on the vocal repertoire of the North American River Otter is very limited. To date there have been no direct studies conducted on their repertories. In this study, I examined the vocal behavior of 12 captive river otters. The discriminant function analysis suggests that river otters have 4 distinct call types with 7 sub-call types and one call the whistle is unique to one group of pups. The results of the Kruskal-Wallis comparing acoustical structures shows strong evidence for the presence of individuality with some individuals showing greater differences in comparison to the others. I also examined …

Genetic, Morphological And Ecological Relationships Among Populations Of The Clam Shrimp, Caenestheriella Gynecia, Jonelle Orridge

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Little is known about the ecology of the clam shrimp, Caenestheriella gynecia. Caenestheriella gynecia was first discovered in 1939 in a single pool in Oxford, Ohio. Schmidt and Kiviat (2007) reported four new localities of C. gynecia in New York and New Jersey, three within the Hudson Valley of New York and one in northeastern New Jersey. Caenestheriella gynecia may have originated from a very small founder population due possibly to unusual dispersal vectors from its natural range to the west, in Ohio. Egg samples and hatched individuals were obtained from all study sites and specimens were raised in …

The Effects Of Omega-3 Fatty Acids On Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Inositol Pathway Mutants, Daniel Antonio Colon Hidalgo, Marlene Murray-Nseula

Honors Theses

Bipolar disease is a severe and chronic debilitating mental disorder affecting 1-3% of the population. Omega-3-fatty acids have been shown to relieve symptoms of bipolar disorder and are not associated with the negative side effects of lithium and valproate, two of the commonly used drugs for treating this condition. The mechanism of action of omega-3-fatty acids remains unknown. Therefore the purpose of this study was to determine if, like lithium and valproate, omega-3-fatty acids affect inositol metabolism. This was accomplished by investigating the effect of the omega-3-fatty acid docosahexanoic acid (DHA) on the growth of inositol pathway mutants. To measure …

Mutation Of The Hof1 Pest Domain Affects Cytokinesis In Budding Yeast, Katherine E. Stockstill

Masters Theses

"Cytokinesis is the division of a cell into two daughter cells. Cytokinesis failure results in polyploidy, which may contribute to tumorigenesis or cause cell death. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein Hof1, which is required for efficient cytokinesis, is phosphorylated during mitosis. The hypothesis that MEN (mitotic exit network) dependent phosphorylation regulates Hof1 degradation, triggering completion of cytokinesis was tested. Hof1 contains a PEST sequence, which is rich in proline, glutamic acid, serine, and threonine, and is believed to be involved in protein degradation. To test the hypothesis, we created two non-phosphorylatable mutants of the Hof1 PEST domain tagged with GFP. The …

Synthesis And Toxicity Studies Of Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids, Ninu Madria

Masters Theses

"There is a considerable recent interest in the applications of room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) as green solvents in organic synthesis and as nonvolatile electrolytes in lithium ion batteries. A variety of commercially available imidazolium based RTILs have been used for these applications, mainly due to their negligible vapor pressures, high thermal stabilities, wide liquid range, wide electrochemical windows and high anodic stability. The state of the art lithium ion batteries require the use of electrolytes that have relatively low viscosities at temperatures as low as -35°C. This thesis describes the synthesis of novel oxygenated and fluorinated imidazolium based RTILs …

Assessing The Effects Of Pollutant Exposure On Sharks: A Biomarker Approach, Christina J. Walker

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many hydrophobic environmental pollutants have been shown to bioaccumulate and biomagnify at high levels in sharks due to their high liver lipid content, high trophic level, and life history characteristics. Studies have demonstrated that the levels of pollutants present in shark tissues can not only exceed the recommended levels for human consumption, but that, in some cases, they are also greater than the threshold for physiological effect in other aquatic species. However, few studies to date have investigated the biological effect of environmental exposure to contaminants in sharks. Therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate, through the use …

Characterization Of Basigin And The Interaction Between Embigin And Monocarboxylate Transporter-1, -2, And -4 (Mct1, Mct2, Mct4) In The Mouse Brain, L Nicole Little

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Basigin and Embigin are members of the immunoglobulin superfamily that function as cell adhesion molecules. Studies of Basigin null mice revealed reproductive sterility, increased pain sensitivity, and blindness. It is thought that the mechanism causing blindness involves misexpression of monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) in the absence of Basigin. It is known that the transmembrane domain of Basigin interacts with MCT1. In the absence of Basigin, MCT1 does not localize to the plasma membrane of expressing cells and photoreceptor function is disrupted. Studies of the Basigin null mouse brain suggest that MCT1 is properly expressed, which suggests a separate mechanism causes …

Examination Of The Mitochondrial Health Of The Basigin Null Mouse Retina, Kristine Anne V. Pablo

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Basigin gene products are cell adhesion molecules that are expressed by photoreceptor cells, Müller cells and endothelial cells of the mammalian retina. Previous studies have suggested that a lactate shuttle exists between the photoreceptor cells and the Müller cells, with Basigin being an essential component in this shuttle. Deletion of the Basigin gene in mice results in blindness with an eventual retinal degeneration. It was hypothesized that the lactate shuttle between photoreceptors and Müller cells does not form in Basigin null mice and that the blindness is attributed to faulty photoreceptor metabolism. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to …

Physiology And Biochemistry Of The Tropical Seagrass Thalassia Testudinum In Response To Hypersalinity Stress And Labyrinthula Sp. Infection, Stacey Marie Trevathan-Tackett

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Seagrass meadows are essential to coastal ecosystems and have experienced declines in abundance due to a series of environmental stressors including elevated salinity and incidence of disease caused by the pathogen Labyrinthula sp. This thesis evaluated the dynamics between T. testudinum and Labyrinthula concerning the impacts of short term elevated salinity stress on the early stages of infection in Thalassia testudinum (Chapter 2) as well as the presence of anti-labyrinthulid secondary metabolites produced by the tropical seagrass (Chapter 3). The results showed that short term exposure to hypersalinity alters some cellular processes but does not necessarily lead to an immediate …

Comparison Of Measures Of Marker Informativeness For Ancestry And Admixture Mapping, Lili Ding, Howard Wiener, Tilahun Abebe, Mekbib Altaye, Rodney Cp Go, Carolyn Kercsmar, Greg Grabowski, Lisa J. Martin, Gurjit K. Khurana Hershey, Ranajit Chakorborty, Tesfaye M. Baye

Faculty Work

Background: Admixture mapping is a powerful gene mapping approach for an admixed population formed from ancestral populations with different allele frequencies. The power of this method relies on the ability of ancestry informative markers (AIMs) to infer ancestry along the chromosomes of admixed individuals. In this study, more than one million SNPs from HapMap databases and simulated data have been interrogated in admixed populations using various measures of ancestry informativeness: Fisher Information Content (FIC), Shannon Information Content (SIC), F statistics (F_ST), Informativeness for Assignment Measure (I_n), and the Absolute Allele Frequency Differences (delta, δ). …

The Effects Of Hypergravity On Xenopus Embryo Growth And Cardiac Hypertrophy, Bryce Joseph Duchman

Honors Program Theses

All life on earth has developed and evolved in a 1 G environment. Therefore, any deviation below or above unit gravity will likely have an effect on the development of organisms, including the migration of cells and the dispersion of nutrients. The purpose of this research project is to analyze the effects of hypergravity on the overall body length and cardiac growth of Xenopus laevis embryos. I predict that cardiac hypertrophy will occur in embryos subjected to hypergravity because of the increased force required from the heart to adequately circulate blood and, thus, disperse nutrients. Upon reaching early gastrulation, embryos …

A Phylogenetic Assessment Of Breeding Systems And Floral Morphology Of North American Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae), J. Andrew Mcdonald, Joshua R. Mcdill, Debra R. Hansen, Beryl B. Simpson

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

A phylogenetic investigation of 68 species and two varieties of tropical and temperate North American Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) using sequence data from the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) with parsimony and Bayesian analyses revealed multiple origins of autogamy. By assessing breeding systems and floral morphological characters in the context of this phylogeny, we estimate 16 independent origins of autogamy and 4 subsequent reversions to xenogamy. Transitions to autogamy are associated with reduced pollen-ovule ratios, decreased anther-stigma distance, and small flower size. Although the relationship between floral traits and breeding systems has been described in previous studies, this is the first investigation …

Factors Affecting Growth And Condition Of Stocked Rainbow Trout In Eastern Washington Lakes, Tamara Knudson

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"Rainbow trout growth and condition were examined in 17 ecologically diverse lakes from which physical, limnological, and biological parameters were sampled. Parameters were correlated with rainbow trout growth and condition to identify factor(s) that predict rainbow trout growth and condition across eastern Washington lakes stocked annually with rainbow trout fry. We tested the hypothesis Ho: the environmental variables examined do not predict rainbow trout growth and condition. Data were natural log transformed for better fit, and were analyzed by season. Several models were identified using stepwise multiple regression analysis and general linear modeling which significantly predicted trout growth or condition …

Linear Methods For Analysis And Quality Control Of Relative Expression Ratios From Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Experiments, Robert B. Page, A. J. Stromberg

Biology Faculty Publications (Archived)

Relative expression quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) experiments are a common means of estimating transcript abundances across biological groups and experimental treatments. One of the most frequently used expression measures that results from such experiments is the relative expression ratio (RE), which describes expression in experimental samples (i.e., RNA isolated from organisms, tissues, and/or cells that were exposed to one or more experimental or nonbaseline condition) in terms of fold change relative to calibrator samples (i.e., RNA isolated from organisms, tissues, and/or cells that were exposed to a control or baseline condition). Over the past decade, several models of …

Development Of A Semi-Field System For Contained Field Trials With Aedes Aegypti In Southern Mexico, L. Facchinelli, L. Valerio, J. G. Bond, Megan R. Wise De Valdez, L. C. Harrington, J. M. Ramsey, M. Casas-Martinez, T. W. Scott

Biology Faculty Publications (Archived)

Development of new genetic approaches to either interfere with the ability of mosquitoes to transmit dengue virus or to reduce vector population density requires progressive evaluation from the laboratory to contained field trials, before open field release. Trials in contained outdoor facilities are an important part of this process because they can be used to evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of modified strains in settings that include natural environmental variations without releasing mosquitoes into the open field. We describe a simple and cost-effective semi-field system designed to study Aedes aegypti carrying a dominant lethal gene (fsRIDL) in semi-field conditions. We …

Genetic Elimination Of Dengue Vector Mosquitoes, Megan R. Wise De Valdez, D. Nimmo, J. Betz, H.-F. Gong, A. A. James, L. Alphey, W. C. Black Iv

Biology Faculty Publications (Archived)

An approach based on mosquitoes carrying a conditional dominant lethal gene (release of insects carrying a dominant lethal, RIDL) is being developed to control the transmission of dengue viruses by vector population suppression. A transgenic strain, designated OX3604C, of the major dengue vector, Aedes aegypti, was engineered to have a repressible female-specific flightless phenotype. This strain circumvents the need for radiation-induced sterilization, allows genetic sexing resulting in male-only releases, and permits the release of eggs instead of adult mosquitoes. OX3604C males introduced weekly into large laboratory cages containing stable target mosquito populations at initial ratios of 8.5-10:1 OX3604C:target eliminated the …

Simulation Of Spatial Movement That Potentially Maximizes Assessment, Presence, And Defence In Territorial And Home-Ranging Animals, With Special Reference To Territorial Sex-Changing Fishes, Thomas R. Brown, Joshua Jowers, Marvin M.F. Lutnesky

Biology Faculty Publications (Archived)

Question: Are there territory sizes, shapes, and movement rules that animals can use to maximize their presence for territorial and reproductive purposes? Features of the model: Individual-oriented simulation model of a focal male, a female (his mate), and six other males in adjacent territories. Simulation variables were territory size and aspect (length-to-width ratio), velocity, step size, and potential movement angle. Each simulation represented 10,000 s of real time, and simulations were repeated until convergence on maximum mean encounter rates (MER) of a focal male with the female and other males was reached. Ranges of variables: Simulations consisted of three velocities …

Altered Calcium Handling In Cerebellar Purkinje Neurons With The Malignant Hyperthermia Mutation, Ryr1-Y522s/+, George C. Talbott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To investigate the etiology of malignant hyperthermia and central core disease, mouse models have recently been generated and characterized (Chelu et al., 2006). These RyRY522S/+ knock-in mutant mice provide an excellent tool to investigate calcium dysregulation, its pathological consequences, and potential therapeutic approaches. Skeletal muscle harboring this mutation exhibits calcium leak from internal stores and an increased sensitivity to activation by caffeine, voltage, and temperature (Durham et al., 2008). Although alterations in RyR1 channel function and resultant changes in cellular function have been characterized in skeletal muscle, the effects of MH mutations in RyR1 on central nervous system function have …

Quantifying Agonist Activity At G Protein-Coupled Receptors, Frederick J. Ehlert, Hinako Suga, Michael T. Griffin

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

When an agonist activates a population of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), it elicits a signaling pathway that culminates in the response of the cell or tissue. This process can be analyzed at the level of a single receptor, a population of receptors, or a downstream response. Here we describe how to analyze the downstream response to obtain an estimate of the agonist affinity constant for the active state of single receptors.

Receptors behave as quantal switches that alternate between active and inactive states (Figure 1). The active state interacts with specific G proteins or other signaling partners. In the absence …

Society For The Advancement Of Biology Education Research (Saber), Erika G. Offerdahl, Teri Balser, Clarissa Dirks, Kathryn Miller, Jennifer L. Momsen, Lisa Montplaisir, Marcy Osgood, Karen Sirum, Mary Pat Wenderoth, Brian White, William B. Wood, Michelle Withers, Robin Wright

Biology Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Magnetic Scanometric Dna Microarray Detection Of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether Degrading Bacteria For Environmental Monitoring, Mei-Lin Chan, Gerardo Jaramillo, Krassimira R. Hristova, David A. Horsley

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

A magnetoresistive biosensing platform based on a single magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) scanning probe and DNA microarrays labeled with magnetic particles has been developed to provide an inexpensive, sensitive and reliable detection of DNA. The biosensing platform was demonstrated on a DNA microarray assay for quantifying bacteria capable of degrading methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), where concentrations as low as 10 pM were detectable. Synthetic probe bacterial DNA was immobilized on a microarray glass slide surface, hybridized with the 48 base pair long biotinylated target DNA and subsequently incubated with streptavidin-coated 2.8 μm diameter magnetic particles. The biosensing platform then …

Novel Insights Into The Biotin Carboxylase Domain Reactions Of Pyruvate Carboxylase From Rhizobium Etli, Tonya N. Zeczycki, Ann L. Menefee, Abdussalam Adina-Zada, Sarawut Jitrapakdee, Kathy H. Surinya, John C. Wallace, Paul V. Attwood, Martin St. Maurice, W Wallace Cleland

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The catalytic mechanism of the MgATP-dependent carboxylation of biotin in the biotin carboxylase domain of pyruvate carboxylase from R. etli (RePC) is common to the biotin-dependent carboxylases. The current site-directed mutagenesis study has clarified the catalytic functions of several residues proposed to be pivotal in MgATP-binding and cleavage (Glu218 and Lys245), HCO3 − deprotonation (Glu305 and Arg301), and biotin enolization (Arg353). The E218A mutant was inactive for any reaction involving the BC domain and the E218Q mutant exhibited a 75-fold decrease in kcat for both pyruvate carboxylation and the full reverse reaction. The E305A mutant also showed a 75- and …

Techniques To Facilitate The Acquisition Of Accurate Spectral Measurements And Multispectral Imagery Of Plant Foliage Under Artificial Lighting Conditions, Yuridia Patricia Gandy, Ashish Mamachen, Adarsh Mamachen, Jonathan Lieman, Michael W. Persans, Jason Parsons, Elamin E. Ibrahim, James H. Everitt, Christopher R. Little, Kenneth R. Summy

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Spectral measurements obtained in the laboratory under artificial lighting sources have been used for many years to develop spectral ‘libraries’ for various soil types, rocks and minerals, and other inanimate features occurring on or near the earth’s surface. Quartz halogen lamps have been shown to emit all of the electromagnetic (EMR) wavelengths required for the acquisition of quality multispectral imagery, and various techniques have been developed to facilitate the acquisition of accurate spectral measurements using such artificial lighting sources. Our objectives in this study were to evaluate the several factors of critical importance in obtaining accurate spectral measurements for plant …