Biology Commons^™

Tissue-Specific Thyroid Hormone Regulation Of Gene Transcripts Encoding Iodothyronine Deiodinases And Thyroid Hormone Receptors In Striped Parrotfish (Scarus Iseri), Kaitlin M. Johnson, Sean C. Lema

Biological Sciences

In fish as in other vertebrates, the diverse functions of thyroid hormones are mediated at the peripheral tissue level through iodothyronine deiodinase (dio) enzymes and thyroid hormone receptor (tr) proteins. In this study, we examined thyroid hormone regulation of mRNAs encoding the three deiodinases dio1, dio2 and dio3 – as well as three thyroid hormone receptors trαA, trαB and trβ – in initial phase striped parrotfish (Scarus iseri). Parrotfish were treated with dissolved phase T₃ (20 nM) or methimazole (3 mM) for 3 days. Treatment with exogenous T₃ elevated circulating T₃, while the …

A Preliminary Study Of The Vegetation Of Vernal Pools Of Acadia National Park, Maine, U.S.A, Brett Ciccotelli, Tanner B. Harris, Bruce Connery, Nishanta Rajakaruna

Biological Sciences

We conducted a preliminary floristic study of six vernal pools in Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island, Maine. Plant species were recorded on three sampling dates from April to October, 2008. Sixty-five vascular plant species from 26 families were recorded. Of these, 27 are considered occasional or uncommon in Acadia National Park. Thirteen species are new reports for vernal pools in the northeastern United States. This represents the first published study of the vernal pool flora of Acadia National Park.

Viral Selex Reveals Individual And Cooperative Roles Of The C-Box And G-Box In Hiv-2 Replication, Christy L. Strong, Jean-Marc Lanchy, J. Stephen Lodmell

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The 5' UTR of HIV-2 genomic RNA contains signaling motifs that regulate specific steps of the replication cycle. Two motifs of interest are the C-box and the G-box. The C-box is found in the 5' untranslated region upstream of the primer binding site, while the G-box is found downstream from the major splice donor site, encompassing the gag start codon and flanking nucleotides. Together the C-box and the G-box form a long-range base-pairing interaction called the CGI. We and others have previously shown that formation of the CGI affects RNA dimerization in vitro and the positions of the C-box and …

Structural Basis For The High-Affinity Inhibition Of Mammalian Membranous Adenylyl Cyclase By 2',3'-O-(N-Methylanthraniloyl)-Inosine 5'-Triphosphate, Melanie Hübner, Anshuman Dixit, Tung-Chung Mou, Gerald H. Lushington, Cibele Pinto, Andreas Gille, Jens Geduhn, Burkhard König, Stephen Sprang, Roland Seifert

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

2',3'-O-(N-Methylanthraniloyl)-ITP (MANT-ITP) is the most potent inhibitor of mammalian membranous adenylyl cyclase (mAC) 5 (AC5, K(i), 1 nM) yet discovered and surpasses the potency of MANT-GTP by 55-fold (J Pharmacol Exp Ther 329:1156-1165, 2009). AC5 inhibitors may be valuable drugs for treatment of heart failure. The aim of this study was to elucidate the structural basis for the high-affinity inhibition of mAC by MANT-ITP. MANT-ITP was a considerably more potent inhibitor of the purified catalytic domains VC1 and IIC2 of mAC than MANT-GTP (K(i), 0.7 versus 18 nM). Moreover, there was considerably more efficient fluorescence resonance energy transfer between Trp1020 …

Emb-1 Encodes The Apc16 Subunit Of The Caenorhabditis Elegans Anaphase-Promoting Complex, Diane Shakes, Anna Allen, Kelsey Albert, Andy Golden

Department of Biology Faculty Publications

In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, temperature-sensitive mutants of emb-1 arrest as one-cell embryos in metaphase of meiosis I in a manner that is indistinguishable from embryos that have been depleted of known subunits of the anaphase-promoting complex or cyclosome (APC/C). Here we show that the emb-1 phenotype is enhanced in double mutant combinations with known APC/C subunits and suppressed in double mutant combinations with known APC/C suppressors. In addition to its meiotic function, emb-1 is required for mitotic proliferation of the germline. These studies reveal that emb-1 encodes K10D2.4, a homolog of the small, recently discovered APC/C subunit, APC16.

Stochastic Life-History Variation In Populations Of Western Ribbon Snakes (Thamnophis Proximus) In East Texas, Jeremy Chamberlain

Biology Theses

Understanding variation in life-history strategies can be important when determining the influence of an organism's environment on its natural history. Variation in strategies can play a significant role on the overall fitness and survival of an individual. Some environmental conditions may influence this variation more than others. In particular, stochastic environments, such as a floodplain, may have large impacts on life history strategies of organisms living within them. Floodplains are known to have high rates of extrinsic mortality. Theoretically this should shift life-history traits toward a fast-type strategy, with fast growth rates, high annual fecundity, and larger mean body-sizes. To …

Loss Of Expression Of Neutrophil Proteinase-3: A Factor Contributing To Thrombotic Risk In Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria, Anna M. Jankowska, Hadrian Szpurka, Mark Calabro, Sanjay Mohan, Andrew E. Schade, Michael Clemente, Roy L. Silverstein, Jaroslaw P. Maciejewski

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: A deficiency of specific glycosylphosphatidyl inositol-anchored proteins in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria may be responsible for most of the clinical features of this disease, but some functional consequences may be indirect. For example, the absence of certain glycosylphosphatidyl inositol-anchored proteins in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria cells may influence expression of other membrane proteins. Membrane-bound proteinase 3 co-localizes with glycosylphosphatidyl inositol-linked neutrophil antigen 2a, which is absent in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Design and Methods: We compared expression of proteinase 3 and neutrophil antigen 2a by flow cytometry and western blotting in normal and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria cells and measured cytoplasmic …

Depletion Of Beclin-1 Due To Proteolytic Cleavage By Caspases In The Alzheimer's Disease Brain, Troy T. Rohn, Ellen Wirawan, Raquel J. Brown, Jordan R. Harris, Eliezer Masliah, Peter Vandenabeele

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Beclin-1 protein is essential for the initiation of autophagy and recent studies suggest this function may be compromised in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In addition, in vitro studies have supported a loss of function of Beclin-1 due to proteolytic modification by caspases. In the present study we examined whether caspase-cleavage of Beclin-1 occurs in the AD brain by designing a site-directed caspase-cleavage antibody based upon a known cleavage site within the protein at position D149. We confirmed that Beclin-1 is an excellent substrate for caspase-3 and demonstrate cleavage led to the formation of a 35 kDa C-terminal fragment labeled by …

Sunday Driver/Jip3 Binds Kinesin Heavy Chain Directly And Enhances Its Motility, Faneng Sun, Chuanmei Zhu, Ram Dixit, Valeria Cavalli

Biology Faculty Research

Neuronal development, function and repair critically depend on axonal transport of vesicles and protein complexes, which is mediated in part by the molecular motor kinesin‐1. Adaptor proteins recruit kinesin‐1 to vesicles via direct association with kinesin heavy chain (KHC), the force‐generating component, or via the accessory light chain (KLC). Binding of adaptors to the motor is believed to engage the motor for microtubule‐based transport. We report that the adaptor protein Sunday Driver (syd, also known as JIP3 or JSAP1) interacts directly with KHC, in addition to and independently of its known interaction with KLC. Using an in vitro motility assay, …

Effects Of The Herbicide Atrazine On The Behavior Of The Checkered Gartersnake (Thamnophis Marcianus), Katie Chamberlain

Biology Theses

Atrazine is one of the most commonly used herbicides in the United States and one of the most popular weed-killers worldwide, being utilized in over 80 countries. Despite the effectiveness of atrazine, there has been growing concern over the potential harmful effects this chemical may have on non-target species exposed to this chemical. Few studies, however, have been performed on the effects of this chemical on reptiles, in particular snakes. This study examined the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of atrazine on the foraging, antipredator, thermoregulatory, and courtship behaviors of the checkered gartersnake (Thamnophis marcianus). Effects of atrazine appeared negligible …

Propagule Pressure And Introduction Pathways Of Bromus Tectorum (Cheatgrass; Poaceae) In The Central United States, Temsha D. Huttanus, Richard N. Mack, Stephen J. Novak

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

An introduced species' propagule pressure strongly influences the genetic diversity and evolutionary potential of its descendants and even the likelihood of biological invasion. We examined population genetic consequences arising from introduction of the invasive annual grass Bromus tectorum into the central United States (U.S.). The origin and frequency of introductions were investigated by assembling allozyme diversity data from 60 widely spaced populations. At least five introduction events contributed to the grass’s genetic diversity in the central U.S. Populations in this region have fewer alleles (30 vs. 43) and polymorphic loci (5 vs. 13) than native populations, evidence of a genetic …

The Effects Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (Am) Fungal And Garlic Mustard Introductions On Native Am Fungal Diversity, Alexander M. Koch, Pedro M. Antunes, Kathryn Barto, Don Cipollini, Daniel L. Mummey, John N. Klironomos

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Introduced, non-native organisms are of global concern, because biological invasions can negatively affect local communities. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal communities have not been well studied in this context. AM fungi are abundant in most soils, forming symbiotic root-associations with many plant species. Commercial AM fungal inocula are increasingly spread worldwide, because of potentially beneficial effects on plant growth. In contrast, some invasive plant species, such as the non-mycorrhizal Alliaria petiolata, can negatively influence AM fungi. In a greenhouse study we examined changes in the structure of a local Canadian AM fungal community in response to inoculation by foreign AM fungi …

Sequential Assembly Of Flagellar Radial Spokes, Dennis R. Diener, Pinfen Yang, Stefan Geimer, Douglas G. Cole, Winfield S. Sale, Joel L. Rosenbaum

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The unicellular alga Chlamydomonas can assemble two 10 μm flagella in 1 h from proteins synthesized in the cell body. Targeting and transporting these proteins to the flagella are simplified by preassembly of macromolecular complexes in the cell body. Radial spokes are flagellar complexes that are partially assembled in the cell body before entering the flagella. On the axoneme, radial spokes are “T” shaped structures with a head of five proteins and a stalk of 18 proteins that sediment together at 20S. In the cell body, radial spokes are partially assembled; about half of the radial spoke proteins (RSPs) form …

Mechanical Test Methods For Assessing Porcine Carotid And Uterine Artery Burst Pressure Following Ex Vivo Ultrasonic Ligature Seal And Transection, Carissa M. Krane, Margaret Pinnell, Courtney Gardner, Mercedes Thompson, James Coleman, Robert Wilkens

Biology Faculty Publications

A test method was developed to identify those variables important for assessing the performance of ultrasonic surgical devices in ex vivo ligature sealing of porcine carotid and uterine arteries. Ruggedness testing using a small sample size in pilot experiments was conducted using a newly developed test method in an effort to assess the usefulness of this methodology and to identify test variables that might warrant further testing. The development of this test method included the use of a custom-designed prototypic tension device for load-controlled ex vivo vessel stretching during saline perfusion and subsequent seal and transection of porcine arteries with …

Mathematical Modeling And Dynamical Analysis Of The Operation Of The Hypothalamus - Pituitary - Thyroid (Hpt) Axis In Autoimmune (Hashimoto's) Thyroiditis, Balamurugan Pandiyan

Dissertations (1934 -)

This thesis is a mathematical modeling study of the operation of the negative feedback control through the hypothalamus-pituitary- thyroid (HPT) axis in autoimmune (Hashimoto's) thyroiditis. Negative feedback control through the HPT axis is a mechanism in which the high levels of thyroid hormone; free thyroxine (FT4) in the blood inhibits the secretion of the pituitary hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) into the blood. Similarly, the low levels of free thyroxine (FT4) sensed by the pituitary gland and then it secretes thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) into the blood. Autoimmune (Hashimoto's) thyroiditis is a disease in which the immune system turns against …

Relating Methanogen Community Structure To Function In Anaerobic Wastewater Digesters, Rachel Morris

Dissertations (1934 -)

Anaerobic wastewater treatment is an environmentally and economically beneficial biotechnology in which the degradation of organic compounds in industrial and municipal wastewaters results in the production of methane, an alternative energy source. The degradation of organic waste is carried out by an interdependent microbial community; and the Archaea known as the methanogens complete one of the final steps, producing methane. However, the contribution of methanogens and the community ecology of anaerobic digesters are just beginning to be understood. Specifically, links between methanogen community structure and the successful transformation of organic pollutants to methane have not been clearly defined. In order …

Controls On The Formation Of Algal Blooms In The Lower Chesapeake Bay And Its Tributaries, Ryan Eric Morse

OES Theses and Dissertations

Algal blooms occur seasonally in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, and while the consequences of algal blooms have been qualitatively and quantitatively assessed, the causes of algal blooms and mechanisms of bloom initiation are still not well understood despite decades of research. In order to understand nutrient dynamics and other factors that promote the initiation of algal blooms, the Lafayette River, a tidal sub-estuary of Chesapeake Bay that experiences seasonal algal blooms, was sampled daily in the fall of 2005. Three phytoplankton blooms (Chlorophyll a concentrations exceeding twice the average of monthly measurements from 2000-2009) occurred during this period, …

Mojave Applied Ecology Notes Summer 2011, Scott R. Abella, Charles W. Denton, David G. Brewer, Rory W. Steinke, Wayne A. Robbie, W. Wallace Covington, E. Cayenne Engel, Ross Guida

Mojave Applied Ecology Notes

Thoughts on fire possibilities on Mount Charleston, estimating historical densities of Ponderosa pine in northern AZ, over-understory changes in the Spring Mountains, seeding effectiveness in Red Rock Canyon, workshop announcements.

Comparison Of Soil Chemistry And Microbial Communities That Inhabit The Rhizosphere Of Native And Non-Native Grasses Of The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Jacqueline Valencia

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Non-native grasses can modify the soils they invade. This study investigated microbial variation among native and non-native grasses in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. We hypothesized that rhizospheres of non-native grasses would support a higher density of microorganisms; therefore microbial communities of invasive plants would exploit more carbon sources than those of native plants. A second hypothesis stated that Streptomyces bacteria from the rhizosphere of non-native grasses would be better competitors. Samples of grasses, and soil from their respective rhizospheres were obtained in Arroyo City, TX. Results indicated a higher bacterial colony density, total activity and number of substrates utilized …

Effects Of Training And Testosterone On Muscle-Fiber Types And Locomotor Performance In Male Six-Lined Racerunners (Aspidoscelis Sexlineata), Jennifer L. O'Conner, Lance D. Mcbrayer, Timothy E. Higham, Jerry F. Husak, Ignacio T. Moore, David C. Rostal

Biology: Faculty Publications

Testosterone (T) is thought to affect a variety of traits important for fitness, including coloration, the size of sexual ornaments, aggression, and locomotor performance. Here, we investigated the effects of experimentally elevated T and locomotor training on muscle physiology and running performance in a nonterritorial male lizard species (Aspidoscelis sexlineata). Additionally, several morphological attributes were quantified to examine other characters that are likely affected by T and/or a training regimen. Neither training alone nor training with T supplementation resulted in increased locomotor performance. Instead, we found that T and training resulted in a decrease in each of three …

Multistate Mark-Recapture Analysis Reveals No Effect Of Blood Sampling On Survival And Recapture Of Eastern Kingbirds (Tyrannus Tyrannus), Lucas J. Redmond, Michael T. Murphy

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The experimentally supported and prevailing opinion is that blood sampling has few to no long-term effects on survival of birds when conducted properly, and blood sampling has become a vital addition to the toolbox of many ornithologists. However, many of the studies that concluded that blood sampling had negligible effects on birds used approaches that did not account for temporary emigration and probability of capture. To date, the only study to have done so found that blood sampling had a strong negative effect on survival. We conducted a mark–recapture analysis of 8 years of banding and bleeding data on Eastern …

Substratum Interfacial Energetic Effects On The Attachment Of Marine Bacteria, Linnea Kathryn Ista

Biology ETDs

Biofilms represent an ancient, ubiquitous and influential form of life on earth. They are interesting both scientifically and because of their impacts on our environment, health and technology. Biofilm formation is initiated by attachment of bacterial cells from an aqueous suspension onto a suitable attachment substratum. While in certain, well studied cases initial attachment and subsequent biofilm formation is mediated by specific ligand-receptor pairs on the bacteria and attachment substratum, in the open environment, including the ocean, it is assumed to be non-specific and mediated by processes similar to those that drive adsorption of colloids at the water-solid interface. Colloidal …

Transcriptional Analysis Of Schistosoma Mansoni Treated With Sub-Lethal Doses Of The Anthelmintic Drug Praziquantel, Jarrett Hines-Kay

Biology ETDs

Schistosoma mansoni is one of the most common etiological agents responsible for the disease schistosomiasis. More than 200 million people suffer from this disease making it the most severe tropical disease after malaria in terms of morbidity. Praziquantel (PZQ) is the treatment of choice for schistosomiasis and has been used almost exclusively to treat the disease since the 1970s. However, while the drug is lethal for sexually mature schistosomes, it is ineffective against juveniles. Thus, while morbidity can be eased, a cure is difficult to achieve. As a result there is an urgent need to develop a new generation of …

Mammalian Diversification Across The Holarctic: Spatiotemporal Evolution In Response To Environmental Change, Andrew G. Hope

Biology ETDs

The primary focus in this dissertation is on the processes of environmental change that drive evolution. We are currently witnessing unparalleled changes in climate and associated changes in biotic communities. With a growing understanding that climate and habitat change, coupled with natural variability, will have an increased influence on biota into the future, it is our responsibility to learn how best to manage and conserve the Earths natural resources. Among other things, this will require a firmer understanding of biodiversity, life histories, evolutionary relationships among species, and community dynamics over multiple species. One method of understanding how species will respond …

Allometric Scaling And Metabolic Ecology Of Microorganisms And Major Evolutionary Transitions, Jordan G. Okie

Biology ETDs

My dissertation centers around investigating big-picture questions related to understanding the consequences of metabolism and energetics on the evolution, ecology, and physiology of life. The evolutionary transitions from prokaryotes to unicellular eukaryotes to multicellular organisms were accompanied by major innovations in metabolic design. In my first chapter, I show that the scaling of metabolic rate, population growth rate, and production efficiency with body size have changed across these transitions. Metabolic rate scales with body mass superlinearly in prokaryotes, linearly in protists, and sublinearly in metazoans, so Kleibers 3/4 power scaling law does not apply universally across organisms. This means that …

Multiplicity: An Organizing Principle For Cancers And Somatic Mutations, Lewis J. Frey, Stephen R. Piccolo, Mary E. Edgerton

Faculty Publications

Background: With the advent of whole-genome analysis for profiling tumor tissue, a pressing need has emerged for principled methods of organizing the large amounts of resulting genomic information. We propose the concept of multiplicity measures on cancer and gene networks to organize the information in a clinically meaningful manner. Multiplicity applied in this context extends Fearon and Vogelstein’s multi-hit genetic model of colorectal carcinoma across multiple cancers.

Methods: Using the Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC), we construct networks of interacting cancers and genes. Multiplicity is calculated by evaluating the number of cancers and genes linked by the measurement …

Copy Number Variants In Candidate Genes Are Genetic Modifiers Of Hirschsprung Disease, Qian Jiang, Yen Yi Ho, Li Hao, Courtney Nichols Berrios, Aravinda Chakravarti

Faculty Publications

Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) is a neurocristopathy characterized by absence of intramural ganglion cells along variable lengths of the gastrointestinal tract. The HSCR phenotype is highly variable with respect to gender, length of aganglionosis, familiality and the presence of additional anomalies. By molecular genetic analysis, a minimum of 11 neuro-developmental genes (RET, GDNF, NRTN, SOX10, EDNRB, EDN3, ECE1, ZFHX1B, PHOX2B, KIAA1279, TCF4) are known to harbor rare, high-penetrance mutations that confer a large risk to the bearer. In addition, two other genes (RET, NRG1) harbor common, low-penetrance polymorphisms that contribute only partially to risk and can act as genetic modifiers. To …

Juvenile Hormone Regulates Extreme Mandible Growth In Male Stag Beetles, Hiroki Gotoh, Richard Cornette, Shigeyuki Koshikawa, Yasukazu Okada, Laura Corley Lavine, Douglas J. Emlen, Toru Miura

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The morphological diversity of insects is one of the most striking phenomena in biology. Evolutionary modifications to the relative sizes of body parts, including the evolution of traits with exaggerated proportions, are responsible for a vast range of body forms. Remarkable examples of an insect trait with exaggerated proportions are the mandibular weapons of stag beetles. Male stag beetles possess extremely enlarged mandibles which they use in combat with rival males over females. As with other sexually selected traits, stag beetle mandibles vary widely in size among males, and this variable growth results from differential larval nutrition. However, the mechanisms …

Isopods Failed To Acclimate Their Thermal Sensitivity Of Locomotor Performance During Predictable Or Stochastic Cooling, Matthew S. Schuler, Brandon S. Cooper, Jonathan J. Storm, Michael W. Sears, Michael J. Angilletta Jr

Biology Faculty Research and Scholarship

Most organisms experience environments that vary continuously over time, yet researchers generally study phenotypic responses to abrupt and sustained changes in environmental conditions. Gradual environmental changes, whether predictable or stochastic, might affect organisms differently than do abrupt changes. To explore this possibility, we exposed terrestrial isopods (Porcellio scaber) collected from a highly seasonal environment to four thermal treatments: (1) a constant 20 degrees C; (2) a constant 10 degrees C; (3) a steady decline from 20 degrees to 10 degrees C; and (4) a stochastic decline from 20 degrees to 10 degrees C that mimicked natural conditions during autumn. After …

Predator-Induced Demographic Shifts In Coral Reef Fish Assemblages, Benjamin I. Ruttenberg, Scott L. Hamilton, Sheila M. Walsh, Mary K. Donovan, Alan Friedlander, Edward Demartini, Enric Sala, Stuart A. Sandin

Biological Sciences

In recent years, it has become apparent that human impacts have altered community structure in coastal and marine ecosystems worldwide. Of these, fishing is one of the most pervasive, and a growing body of work suggests that fishing can have strong effects on the ecology of target species, especially top predators. However, the effects of removing top predators on lower trophic groups of prey fishes are less clear, particularly in highly diverse and trophically complex coral reef ecosystems. We examined patterns of abundance, size structure, and age-based demography through surveys and collection-based studies of five fish species from a variety …