Biology Commons^™

Lack Of Fire Has Limited Physiological Impact On Old-Growth Ponderosa Pine In Dry Montane Forests Of North-Central Idaho, Eric Keeling, Anna Sala, Thomas H. Deluca

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Reduced frequency of fire in historically fire-adapted ecosystems may have adverse effects on ecosystem structure, function, and resilience. Lack of fire increases stand density and promotes successional replacement of seral dominant trees by late-successional, more shade-tolerant species. These changes are thought to increase competition for limited resources among trees and to increase physiological stress of dominant, fire-adapted species. However, there has been little effort to directly investigate effects of lack of fire on the physiological status of old trees, especially in unlogged, protected forests. At four remote sites in the Selway-Bitterroot region of Idaho, we tested whether the physiological status …

Evolution Of Coordinated Mutagenesis And Somatic Hypermutation In Vh5, Barbara E. Wright, Karen H. Schmidt, Aaron T. Hunt, Dennis K. Reschke, Michael F. Minnick

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The VH5 human antibody gene was analyzed using a computer program (mfg) which simulates transcription, to better understand transcription-driven mutagenesis events that occur during "phase 1" of somatic hypermutation. Results show that the great majority of mutations in the non-transcribed strand occur within loops of two predicted high-stability stem-loop structures, termed SLSs 14.9 and 13.9. In fact, 89% of the 2505 mutations reported are within the encoded complementarity-determining region (CDR) and occur in loops of these high-stability structures. In vitro studies were also done and verified the existence of SLS 14.9. Following the formation of SLSs 14.9 and 13.9, a …

Antitrypanosomal Activities And Cytotoxicity Of Some Novel Imido-Substituted 1,4-Naphthoquinone Derivatives, Clarence Lee

Department of Biology Faculty Publications

The antitrypanosomal activities, cytotoxicity, and selectivity indices of eleven imido-substituted 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives and nifurtimox have been studied. Compared to nifurtimox (IC(50) = 10.67 μM), all the imido-naphthoquinone analogs (IMDNQ1-IMDNQ11) are more potent on Trypanosoma cruzi with IC50 values ranging from 0.7 μM to 6.1 μM (p < 0.05). Studies of the cytotoxic activities of these compounds on a Balb/C 3T3 mouse fibroblast cell line revealed that four of these compounds, IMDNQ1, IMDNQ2, IMDNQ3, and IMDNQ10 displayed selectivity indices of 60.25, 53.97, 31.83, and 275.3, respectively, rendering them significantly (p < 0.05) more selective in inhibiting the parasite growth than nifurtimox (selectivity index = 10.86).

Antitrypanosomal Activities And Cytotoxicity Of Some Novel Imido-Substituted 1,4-Naphthoquinone Derivatives, Franklin Ampy

Department of Biology Faculty Publications

The antitrypanosomal activities, cytotoxicity, and selectivity indices of eleven imido-substituted 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives and nifurtimox have been studied. Compared to nifurtimox (IC(50) = 10.67 μM), all the imido-naphthoquinone analogs (IMDNQ1-IMDNQ11) are more potent on Trypanosoma cruzi with IC50 values ranging from 0.7 μM to 6.1 μM (p < 0.05). Studies of the cytotoxic activities of these compounds on a Balb/C 3T3 mouse fibroblast cell line revealed that four of these compounds, IMDNQ1, IMDNQ2, IMDNQ3, and IMDNQ10 displayed selectivity indices of 60.25, 53.97, 31.83, and 275.3, respectively, rendering them significantly (p < 0.05) more selective in inhibiting the parasite growth than nifurtimox (selectivity index = 10.86).

Worldwide Distribution Of Allelic Variation At The Progesterone Receptor Locus And The Incidence Of Female Reproductive Cancers, Fatimah Linda Collier Jackson

Department of Biology Faculty Publications

Global patterns of the incidence of cancer are often attributed to environmental and lifestyle differences between regions. Less attention has been given to global patterns of allelic variation of genes that may contribute to the risk of developing cancer.We genotyped samples from 21 populations for four variants of the progesterone receptor (PR) gene. One is an Alu insertion in intron 7 which defines the PROGINS haplotype. The others include a promoter region SNP 331+ G/A (rs10895068), a haplotype defining T/C substitution in intron 6 (rs561650), and an A/T substitution (rs608995) in the 3' untranslated region of the gene. All variants …

Hands-On Labs (Hol): Using Technology And Web-Based Resources To Transform A Traditional Lab-Based Biology Course Into A Distance Learning (Dl) Hybrid Course, Across Schools At Pace University., Erica Kipp

Cornerstone 3 Reports : Interdisciplinary Informatics

No abstract provided.

Expanding The Temporal Dimensions Of Developmental Biology: The Role Of Environmental Agents In Establishing Adult-Onset Phenotypes, Scott F. Gilbert

Biology Faculty Works

Developmental biology is expanding into several new areas. One new area of study concerns the production of adult-onset phenotypes by exposure of the fetus or neonate to environmental agents. These agents include maternal nutrients, developmental modulators (endocrine disruptors), and maternal care. In all three cases, a major mechanism for the generation of the altered phenotype is chromatin modification. Nutrient conditions, developmental modulators, and even maternal care appear to alter DNA methylation and other associated changes in chromatin that regulate gene expression. This brings a new, under-appreciated, dimension of gene regulation into developmental biology, and it also demonstrates the poverty of …

The Biogeography Of Marbled Godwit (Limosa Fedoa) Populations In North America, Bridget E. Olson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Toward fulfillment of that mission, a priority of the USFWS is conservation and management of migratory birds. Effective conservation actions to ensure the continued existence of a species on the landscape cannot be designed without first understanding basic life history characteristics of a species. It is common in the case of migratory birds, that we lack understanding of some of their elemental biological traits.

The Marbled Godwit, …

Effect Of Voluntary Exercise And Diet On The Unfolded Protein Response In The Brain Of Mice, Yu Ho Kim

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The medical costs for many chronic diseases are increasing dramatically and placing a major financial burden on nations and individuals in both developed and developing countries. A number of chronic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and some neurodegenerative diseases are all attenuated by a history of physical activity suggesting that they may be interconnected in some way. It has been suggested that cellular stress is a major factor promoting these chronic diseases.

Cellular stress occurs in a specific compartment within the cell, the endoplasmic reticulum, whose normal function is in the synthesis and folding of proteins into the …

Heterogeneous Rates Of Molecular Evolution Among Cryptic Species Of The Ciliate Morphospecies Chilodonella Uncinata, Laura A. Katz, Jennifer Deberardinis, Meaghan S. Hall, Alexandra M. Kovner, Micah Dunthorn, Spencer V. Muse

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

While molecular analyses have provided insight into the phylogeny of ciliates, the few studies assessing intraspecific variation have largely relied on just a single locus [e.g., nuclear small subunit rDNA (nSSUrDNA) or mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I]. In this study, we characterize the diversity of several nuclear protein-coding genes plus both nSSU-rDNA and mitochondrial small subunit rDNA (mtSSU-rDNA) of five isolates of the ciliate morphospecies Chilodonella uncinata. Although these isolates have nearly identical nSSU-rDNA sequences, they differ by up to 8.0% in mtSSU-rDNA. Comparative analyses of all loci, including b-tubulin paralogs, indicate a lack of recombination between strains, demonstrating that the …

The Complete Ac/Ds Transposon Family Of Maize, Chunguang Du, Andrew Hoffman, Limei He, Jason Caronna, Hugo K. Dooner

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Background: The nonautonomous maize Ds transposons can only move in the presence of the autonomous element Ac. They comprise a heterogeneous group that share 11-bp terminal inverted repeats (TIRs) and some subterminal repeats, but vary greatly in size and composition. Three classes of Ds elements can cause mutations: Ds-del, internal deletions of the 4.6-kb Ac element; Ds1, ~400-bp in size and sharing little homology with Ac, and Ds2, variably-sized elements containing about 0.5 kb from the Ac termini and unrelated internal sequences. Here, we analyze the entire complement of Ds-related sequences in the genome of the inbred B73 and ask …

Prey Selection By The Northern Watersnake, Nerodia Sipedon, Kyle O' Connell

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Prey selection and composition of the northern waternake, Nerodia sipedon was investigated between 8/2010 and 3/2011 by palpation of stomach contents in the field and conducting laboratory trials. 41 snakes were captured, five yielded prey contents. Fish parts, freshwater mussels, and an insect exoskeleton were found. No amphibians were found despite availability at study sites. Snakes in the laboratory underwent 22 trials, feeding on 11 occasions. Snakes fed on an equal number of both fish species, revealing no selection. Further research is needed to determine the rate of digestion of N. sipedon.

A New Genus Of Miniaturized And Pug-Nosed Gecko From South America (Sphaerodactylidae: Gekkota), Tony Gamble, Juan D. Daza, Guarino R. Colli, Laurie J. Vitt, Aaron M. Bauer

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Sphaerodactyl geckos comprise five genera distributed across Central and South America and the Caribbean. We estimated phylogenetic relationships among sphaerodactyl genera using both separate and combined analyses of seven nuclear genes. Relationships among genera were incongruent at different loci and phylogenies were characterized by short, in some cases zero-length, internal branches and poor phylogenetic support at most nodes. We recovered a polyphyletic Coleodactylus, with Coleodactylus amazonicus being deeply divergent from the remaining Coleodactylus species sampled. The C. amazonicus lineage possessed unique codon deletions in the genes PTPN₁₂ and RBMX while the remaining Coleodactylus species had unique codon …

The Y-Str Genetic Diversity Of An Idaho Basque Population, With Comparison To European Basques And Us Caucasians, Josu Zubizarreta, Michael C. Davis, Greg Hampikian

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Fifty unrelated Basque males from southwest Idaho were typed for the 17 Y-STR loci in the Yfiler multiplex kit (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS437, DYS438, DYS439, DYS448, DYS456, DYS458, DYS635, YGATA_H4.1 and DYS385a/b). A total of 42 haplotypes were identified, with no more than two individuals sharing a single haplotype. The haplotype diversity (HD) was 0.9935, and gene diversity (D) over loci was 0.457 ± 0.137. The Idaho Basque population was compared to the source population from the Basque autonomous region of Northern Spain and Southern France, as well as a US Caucasian population. The haplotype diversity …

Escape From Competition: Neighbors Reduce Centaurea Stoebe Performance At Home But Not Away, Ragan M. Callaway, Lauren P. Waller, Alecu Diaconu, Robert Pal, Alexandra R. Collins, Heingz Mueller-Schaerer, John L. Maron

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The greater abundance of some exotic plants in their nonnative ranges might be explained in part by biogeographic differences in the strength of competition, but these competitive effects have not been experimentally examined in the field. We compared the effects of neighbors on the growth and reproduction of spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe) in Europe, where it is native, and in Montana, where it is invasive. There were strong negative competitive effects of neighboring vegetation on C. stoebe growth and reproduction in Europe. In contrast, identical experiments in Montana resulted in insignificant impacts on C. stoebe. Although the …

Abiotic Stress Responses In Photosynthetic Organisms, Joseph Msanne

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Cellular and molecular aspects of abiotic stress responses in Arabidopsis thaliana subjected to cold, drought, and high salinity and in two photosynthetic green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Coccomyxa sp. C-169, subjected to nitrogen deprivation were investigated. Cold, drought, and high salinity can negatively affect plant growth and crop production. The first research aimed at determining the physiological functions of the stress-responsive Arabidopsis thaliana RD29A and RD29B genes. Cold, drought, and salt induced both genes; the promoter of RD29Awas found to be more responsive to drought and cold stresses, whereas the promoter of RD29B was highly responsive to salt stress. …

Protein Trap Lines Of Drosophila To Demonstrate Spatio-Temporal Localization Of Proteins In An Undergraduate Lab, Oorvashi Roy Puli, Amit Singh

Biology Faculty Publications

The objective of this teaching note is to generate a laboratory exercise, which allows students to get a hands-on experience of a cell biology technique. The short duration of the laboratory classes is the biggest challenge with the development of a cell biology lab for an undergraduate curriculum. Therefore, it is necessary to design a laboratory exercise that enables the students to carry out cell biological assays in the desired time. This laboratory exercise focuses on tracking protein expression levels along a spatial (space) and temporal (time) axis in developing Drosophila melanogaster organ primordium. Here we use the protein trap …

The Role Of Atpase In The Development Of Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension In Broilers, Jessica Worley

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The goal of this study was to assess the ATPase activity in the vascular walls of the pulmonary artery, 1A arteriole, and 2A arteriole of the lung of broilers susceptible to idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. This was achieved through the modification of tryptophan in the diet and through the examination of the ATPase activity in the different pulmonary vessels. A QuantiChrom ATPase assay quantified the amount of phosphate ion correlating to the amount of ATPase activity, which was normalized for vessel size using the Coomassie and MicroBCA Protein Assays (giving ?M of phosphate/?g of protein per mL). One way repeated …

Environmental Regulation Of Dormancy Loss In Seeds Of Lomatium Dissectum, Melissa Dawn Scholten

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Lomatium dissectum (Nutt.) Mathias & Constance is a perennial plant found across much of western North America. For disturbed lands within this range, there is interest in using L. dissectum in restoration. A problem in the propagation of L. dissectum is that at the time of dispersal the seeds are dormant. Thus, prior to usage in restoration projects the type of dormancy and the procedures necessary to release dormancy in these seeds must be determined. Determining the type of dormancy and the treatments necessary to break dormancy in L. dissectum seeds was the primary focus of this study. To approach …

Modeling Spread Of Polio With The Role Of Vaccination, Manju Agarwal, Archana S. Bhadauria

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

In this paper, we have proposed and analyzed a nonlinear mathematical model for the spread of Polio in a population with variable size structure including the role of vaccination. A threshold parameter, R , is found that completely determines the stability dynamics and outcome of the disease. It is found that if R 1, the disease free equilibrium is stable and the disease dies out. However, if R >1, there exists a unique endemic equilibrium that is locally asymptotically stable. Conditions for the persistence of the disease are determined by means of Fonda’s theorem. Moreover, numerical simulation of the proposed …

The Principle Of Linearized Stability For Size-Structured Population Models, M. El-Doma

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

The principle of linearized stability for size-structured population dynamics models is proved giving validity to previous stability results reported in, for example, El-Doma (2008-1). In particular, we show that if all the roots of the characteristic equation lie to the left of the imaginary axis then the steady state is locally exponentially stable, and on the other hand, if there is at least one root that lies to the right of the imaginary axis then the steady state is unstable. We also point out cases when there is resonance

First Records Of Paralaoma Servilis (Shuttleworth, 1852) (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Punctidae) In The Hawaiian Islands, Carl Christensen, Norine Yeung, Kenneth Hayes

Department of Biology Faculty Publications

We report the establishment of another globally invasive land snail species in the Hawaiian islands. Punctidae Paralaoma servilis (Shuttleworth, 1852) New state record Cowie et al. (1995) and Cowie (1997) reported the occurrence on the island of Hawai'i of an unidentified land snail tentatively assigned to the genus Striatura (Family Zonitidae). We now identify this species as Paralaoma servilis (Shuttleworth, 1852) (Family Punctidae) and report its occurrence also on the island of O'ahu (Fig. 1). 

Multiple Paths To Encephalization And Technical Civilizations, David Schwartzman, George Middendorf

Department of Biology Faculty Publications

We propose consideration of at least two possible evolutionary paths for the emergence of intelligent life with the potential for technical civilization. The first is the path via encephalization of homeothermic animals; the second is the path to swarm intelligence of so-called superorganisms, in particular the social insects. The path to each appears to be facilitated by environmental change: homeothermic animals by decreased climatic temperature and for swarm intelligence by increased oxygen levels.

Exploring The Effects Of Hypoxia On Sulfate Reducing Anaerobes, Annaliese K. Jones

Senior Honors Projects

Exploring the Effects of Hypoxia on Sulfate Reducing Anaerobes

Annaliese K. Jones

Sponsor: Bethany Jenkins, Cell and Molecular Biology

As a student about to graduate with a degree in Biological Sciences, I find myself faced with the need to find my own independent research interests and scientific voice. As a result of my interests in the fields of both microbiology and ecology, I am drawn to questions surrounding the role and behavior of microorganisms in the environment. With climate change being an issue capturing the attention of a large portion of the scientific community, I have chosen to focus my …

Quantitative Comparison Of Cis-Regulatory Element (Cre) Activities In Transgenic Drosophila Melanogaster, William A. Rogers, Thomas M. Williams

Biology Faculty Publications

Gene expression patterns are specified by cis-regulatory element (CRE) sequences, which are also called enhancers or cis-regulatory modules. A typical CRE possesses an arrangement of binding sites for several transcription factor proteins that confer a regulatory logic specifying when, where, and at what level the regulated gene(s) is expressed. The full set of CREs within an animal genome encodes the organism′s program for development¹, and empirical as well as theoretical studies indicate that mutations in CREs played a prominent role in morphological evolution^2-4. Moreover, human genome wide association studies indicate that genetic variation in CREs …

Influence Of Detritus Levels And Organic Pollution On Interspecific Resource Competition, Oviposition Behavior, And Larval Survival Of Two Tire-Inhabiting Mosquito Species (Diptera: Culicidae), David Wayne Allgood

Master's Theses

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are vectors of disease in the adult stage, but understanding the factors affecting distributions of the immature stages is important to the understanding and control of adult populations. Discarded automobile tires comprise important larval mosquito habitats. The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) and the southern house mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus) are two medically important species commonly found in tires, but factors affecting their larval distributions in tires have not been studied, nor have their interspecific interactions. I investigated the effects of chemicals associated with organic pollution on oviposition preferences and larval survival of both …

Tick Infestations And Their Consequences For Migratory Songbirds During Spring Stopover, Johnny Michael Sellers Jr.

Master's Theses

Migratory birds face a number of challenges during their seasonal movement from tropical/sub-tropical Central and South America to more temperate North America. Maintaining health during migration is of particular concern. This study seeks to understand how haematophageous ectoparasites, such as ticks (Ixodida), impact host body condition as they feed on passerines during migration. We hypothesized that foraging location would impact tick acquisition by migrants and that tick burdens during migration would negatively impact body condition. We surveyed 2,064 birds during spring 2009 and 2010 and found that 2.4% of the surveyed birds were infested with one or more …

Thermal Tolerance Of Age-0 Gulf Of Mexico Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis): Ontogenetic And Genetic Effects, Corey Robert Anderson

Master's Theses

Striped bass, Morone saxatilis, were historically abundant in the Gulf of Mexico region but were largely extirpated from most Gulf rivers by the early 1960s. Since 1967 hatchery stocking has supported populations in Mississippi rivers and to date there is no evidence of natural reproduction. Intolerance of striped bass to high water temperature is a potential factor negatively impacting Gulf striped bass survival and reproductive fitness, and may be a limiting factor to reintroduction of the species in Mississippi. This work contributed to restoration efforts by establishing molecular tools necessary for genetic monitoring of striped bass restoration, and evaluating …

Drosophila Piwi Functions Downstream Of Pirna Production Mediating A Chromatin-Based Transposon Silencing Mechanism In Female Germ Line, Sidney Wang, Sarah C.R. Elgin

Biology Faculty Research

Transposon control is a critical process during reproduction. The PIWI family proteins can play a key role, using a piRNA-mediated slicing mechanism to suppress transposon activity posttranscriptionally. In Drosophila melanogaster, Piwi is predominantly localized in the nucleus and has been implicated in heterochromatin formation. Here, we use female germ-line-specific depletion to study Piwi function. This depletion of Piwi leads to infertility and to axis specification defects in the developing egg chambers; correspondingly, widespread loss of transposon silencing is observed. Germ-line Piwi does not appear to be required for piRNA production. Instead, Piwi requires Aubergine (and presumably secondary piRNA) for proper …

Mathematical Modeling Of Peristaltic Flow Of Chyme In Small Intestine, Daniel N. Riahi, Ranadhir Roy

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

Mathematical models based on axisymmetric Newtonian incompressible fluid flow are studied for the peristaltic flow of chyme in the small intestines, which is an axisymmetric cylindrical tube. The flow is modeled more realistically modeled by assuming that the peristaltic rush wave is a non-periodic mode composed of two sinusoidal waves of different wavelengths, which propagate at the same speed along the outer boundary of the tube. Both cases of flow in a tube and in an annulus that are modeled and investigated in the present paper correspond respectively to the cases of flow of chyme in the small intestine in …