Biology Commons^™

The Role Of Plant-Soil Feedback In Exotic Plant Invasion: Soil Type, Biotic Or Abiotic Factors?, Kelly Dawn Schradin

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Plants alter soil characteristics in many ways causing changes in their subsequent growth resulting in either positive or negative feedback on their own fitness. Plants in their native ranges typically experience negative feedback from natural enemies, while feedback is often positive in invaded ranges where they escape enemies, experience new beneficial mutualisms, or bring with them a novel biochemical weapon. I conducted a fully factorial greenhouse experiment to examine plant-soil feedback in the invasive shrub Lonicera maackii and whether or not positive feedback may contribute to its successful invasion in southern Ohio. I also investigated whether the sign and strength …

Effects Of Conductivity And Fish Grazing On Alkaline Phosphatase Activity Of Littoral Periphyton, Samuel A. Drerup

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Littoral periphyton plays an important role in whole lake primary production and is a substantial contributor to whole lake energy budgets in moderately deep oligotrophic lakes. Under conditions of nutrient deficiency, members of the periphyton community supplement the available nutrient pool through the production of intracellular and extracellular enzymes. These enzymes are used to convert bio-unavailable forms of nitrogen and phosphorous to forms usable by the periphyton community. In this paper, I will investigate how conductivity and fish grazing affect periphyton production and phosphorus acquisition in both field and laboratory experiments.

Expression Of Inflamatory Response Genes In Ferrets Challenged With H5n1 Avian Influenza Virus, Brock M. Miniard

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Influenza A H5N1 has emerged as a potential to be the next pandemic influenza. Ferrets are a promising model of H5N1 infection because the disease progression is similar to that known in humans, however reagents to characterize infections in ferrets are few. We developed real-time PCR assays for the ferret cytokines IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-12p40, TNF-α, IFN-α, IFN-β, IFN-γ, TGFB-β1, and TGFB-β2. Forty-eight ferrets were vaccinated with either one of three vaccine formulations (Vaccine 1, Vaccine 2, or Vaccine 3), or saline (0.9% NaCl), then challenged intranasally with a lethal dose of H5N1 strain A/Vietnam/1203/04. Cytokine assays were then …

House Dust Mite Induced Gene Expression And Cytokine Secretion By Human Dermal Fibroblasts, Jananie Rockwood

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House dust mites are a group of mites that are commonly found in homes worldwide. The three most commonly found species of house dust mites in temperate environments in the United States are Dermatophagoides farinae, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Euroglyphus maynei. House dust mite allergens are strongly associated with asthma, perennial rhinitis and atopic dermatitis. Whole dust mite extracts contain both allergen and non-allergen molecules that can influence cell functions in the skin, mucous membranes of the nose and eyes, and epithelial linings of the lungs. Extracts from the three different house dust mite species contain different molecules that induce different …

Trading Resistance For Vigor: A Potential Mechanism For Invasion By The Asian Grass Microstegium Vimineum, Matthew Dickinson

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The Evolution of Increased Competitive Ability (EICA) hypothesis predicts that subsequent to introduction, non-native plants escape enemies and selection favors genotypes that invest more in growth and reproduction and less in resistance. Here, I evaluated if the invasive Asian grass Microstegium vimineum has developed decreased resistance in its introduced range of the eastern US, as predicted by the EICA hypothesis. Asian and US genotypes were evaluated for differences in enemy damage, leaf toughness, specific leaf area (SLA), and flowering in a common garden experiment. Leaf damage, SLA, and flower production were greater and leaf toughness lower in US plants. These …

Regulation Of Mitosis By Nuclear Speckle Proteins, Keshia Nicole Torres-Munoz

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Mitosis is an intricate process that is monitored by multiple cell cycle regulator proteins. Errors in mitotic regulation have been linked to many types of cancer. Recently, evidence suggests an indirect regulation of mitosis by nuclear speckle proteins. Nuclear speckles are one of the multiple compartments found in the mammalian cell nucleus. They serve as assembly compartments for premRNA processing factors. Mass spectrometry analysis of purified nuclear speckles revealed 33 novel proteins including Son and TRAP150. The aim of my study was to determine how Son and TRAP150 can directly or indirectly impact mitosis. We and others recently reported that …

Powdery Mildew (Erysiphe Cruciferarum) Affects The Allelopathic And Competitive Abilities Of Invasive Garlic Mustard (Alliaria Petiolata), Andrew Russell Officer

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Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) has been previously found to be significantly affected negatively by powdery mildew (Erysiphe cruciferarum). While we could not significantly corroborate those findings we did find evidence that E. cruciferarum does inhibit A. petiolata's allelopathic and competitive effects which benefits some target neighbor species such as Impatiens capensis and Elymus canadensis. We also found that the inhibition of A. petiolata by E. cruciferarum had negative consequences on another neighboring invasive species (Lonicera maackii) compared to those grown next to uninfected A. petiolata. Acer saccharum, a slow-growing species had no effect between neighbors. Sterilization treatments had variable effects …

Characterization Of Hiv-1 Rev Mutants, Jennifer Lynn Chang

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The HIV Rev protein has the ability to bind tubulin heterodimers and depolymerize microtubules (MTs) in vitro (Watts et al. 2000). These interactions may account for MT defects observed in HIV infected cells or cells that over-express Rev. Watts et al. hypothesized Rev interacts with MTs by a mechanism shared with Kinesin-13 (Kin13) proteins owing to the presence of a shared amino acid sequence. Kin13 proteins are potent MT depolymerizing agents affecting MT behavior during mitosis. To test this hypothesis, point mutations were introduced into Rev substituting amino acids shared with Kin13. In this study, eight mutant Rev proteins (T34A, …

Investigating The Ped Protein And Its Effect On Translational Control In Drosophila Melanogaster Spermatogenesis, David C. Keesling

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Inactive mutants of the ped gene cause two phenotypes in Drosophila melanogaster: male sterility and the early translation of DHODH within spermatogenesis. Investigation of the PED amino acid sequence revealed an OTU domain and an ubiquitin interacting motif, suggesting that it is a member of the otubain sub-family of de-ubiqutinating enzymes. To test this, the putative active cysteine residue was mutated. Results show that this single cysteine residue is required for ped to confer male fertility. Purified wild type PED was also used to carry out in vitro deubiquitinating assays. These assays failed to show any ability for PED …

When Molecules And Morphology Clash: Revisiting Species Tree Reconstruction Of Ambystomatid Salamanders Using Multiple Nuclear Loci, Joshua Steven Williams

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

The analysis of diverse data sets can yield different phylogenetic estimates that challenge systematists to explain the source of discordance. The Ambystomatidae are a classic example of this phylogenetic conflict. Previous attempts to resolve the ambystomatid species tree using allozymic, morphological, and mitochondrial sequence data have yielded different estimates, making it unclear which data source best approximates ambystomatid phylogeny. We present the first multi-locus DNA sequencebased phylogenetic study of the Ambystomatidae. Because independent loci can contain discordant gene tree histories, concatenating unlinked loci into a single data matrix can lead to strongly supported and erroneous results. Therefore, we utilized a …

The Effects Of Spatial Configuration Of Populations On The Maintenance Of The Sexes In A Clonal Organism, Christopher Stieha

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Despite the two-fold advantage to asexual reproduction and its prevalence in a variety of organisms, sexual reproduction is prevalent across all taxa. The maintenance of two sexes is required to ensure genetic diversity and to prevent “evolutionary dead ends,” especially in clonal organisms. Many mechanisms have been proposed for the maintenance of two sexes, ranging from environmental variation and stochasticity, parasites and predators, and mutation rates. Spatial configuration, the size and location of populations with respect to other populations, can allow two competitors to coexist when one would normally be lost. This is especially important when the two competitors are …

Ecosystem Impacts Of The Invasive Shrub Lonicera Maackii Are Influenced By Associations With Native Tree Species, Megan Marie Poulette

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Invasive species are significant drivers of global environmental change, altering the stability and functioning of numerous ecosystems. The exotic shrub Lonicera maackii is an aggressive invader throughout much of the eastern United States. While much is known about its population and community impacts, little is known about effects on ecosystem processes.

This dissertation documents changes in ecosystem processes associated with L. maackii growing beneath three native tree species (Fraxinus quadrangulata, Quercus muehlenbergii, Carya ovata) in a savanna in Kentucky. Like many invasive plants, L. maackii litter decomposed and lost nitrogen (N) rapidly, especially in comparison with …

Empirical And Conceptual Approaches To Life-History Trade-Offs: The Size And Number Of Offspring In Broods Of A Parasitoid Wasp, Yoriko Saeki

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Trade-offs in resource allocation underlie key life history traits of organisms. My dissertation focuses on the size-number trade-off in clonal broods of offspring using the polyembryonic wasp, Copidosoma bakeri parasitizing immature stages of the moth Agrotis ipsilon. I aim to characterize responses of wasp brood size and individual body mass by manipulating the environments in order to understand the allocation pattern in the size number trade-off. In reviewing the functional forms of trade-off relationships in relation to resource constraints, I distinguish among three main trade-off types based on graphical representations of the relationship between the trade-off variables: linear, convex …

Ecology Of Mating Patterns And Sexual Selection In Dickcissels Breeding In Managed Prairie, Bridget Frances Sousa

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Males of many species have elaborate phenotypes that are absent in females and that are thought to be the result of sexual selection. Sexual selection requires: (i) variance in male mating success, (ii) variation in male phenotype, and (iii) covariation between male mating success and male phenotype. Environmental conditions influence these factors, and management practices that alter environmental conditions have the potential to shape mating patterns and sexual selection. I investigated the hypothesis that the frequency of fire, used to manage tallgrass prairie, affects the mating patterns and process of sexual selection in the organisms breeding in managed prairies.

I …

The Ecological And Evolutionary Effects Of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds On Sexually Selected Traits In Male Guppies, Kausalya Shenoy

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Male mating signals convey important mate-quality information to females and are regulated by androgens. Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are chemicals that interfere with proper hormonal functioning in exposed animals, causing altered hormone levels and resulting in changed reproductive characteristics, including mating signals. Altered signals can have ecological implications by influencing population and community dynamics and evolutionary implications via trans-generational reduction in signal reliability leading to reduced preference and eventual loss of the signal trait. I examined the effects of exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of atrazine, a widely used herbicide and EDC, on mating signals and behaviors in male guppies, …

Examining The Relationship Between Garlic Mustard (Alliaria Petiolata) And European Earthworms, Alexandra M. Zelles

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Our goal was to characterize the interactive feedback between garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) and European earthworm species in southwest Ohio. Earthworm community composition, abundance and biomass were compared between 0.1 m² plots of garlic mustard, cut-leaved toothwort (Cardamine concatenate), wild ginger (Asarum canadense), or no plant cover. Exotic earthworms were present in the study site. Earthworm abundance and biomass did not correlate with garlic mustard percent cover. There was a greater density of earthworms in the fall than in the spring. Worm abundance differed between garlic mustard and wild ginger plots and cut-leaved …

Atx1-Generated H3k4me3 Is Required For Efficient Elongation Of Transcription, Not Initiation, At Atx1- Regulated Genes, Yong Ding, Ivan Ndamukong, Zaoshi Xu, Hanna Lapko, Michael E. Fromm, Zoya Avramova

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Tri-methylated H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3) is associated with transcriptionally active genes, but its function in the transcription process is still unclear. Point mutations in the catalytic domain of ATX1 (ARABIDOPSIS TRITHORAX1), a H3K4 methyltransferase, and RNAi knockdowns of subunits of the AtCOMPASS–like (Arabidopsis Complex Proteins Associated with Set) were used to address this question. We demonstrate that both ATX1 and AtCOMPASS–like are required for high level accumulation of TBP (TATA-binding protein) and Pol II at promoters and that this requirement is independent of the catalytic histone modifying activity. However, the catalytic function is critically required for transcription as H3K4me3 levels …

Svmtrip: A Method To Predict Antigenic Epitopes Using Support Vector Machine To Integrate Tri-Peptide Similarity And Propensity, Bo Yao, Lin Zhang, Shide Liang, Chi Zhang

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Identifying protein surface regions preferentially recognizable by antibodies (antigenic epitopes) is at the heart of new immuno-diagnostic reagent discovery and vaccine design, and computational methods for antigenic epitope prediction provide crucial means to serve this purpose. Many linear B-cell epitope prediction methods were developed, such as BepiPred, ABCPred, AAP, BCPred, BayesB, BEOracle/BROracle, and BEST, towards this goal. However, effective immunological research demands more robust performance of the prediction method than what the current algorithms could provide. In this work, a new method to predict linear antigenic epitopes is developed; Support Vector Machine has been utilized by combining the Tri-peptide similarity …

Evolution Of A Large, Conserved, And Syntenic Gene Family In Insects, Neethu Shah, Douglas R. Dorer, Etsuko N. Moriyama, Alan C. Christensen

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

The Osiris gene family, first described in Drosophila melanogaster, is clustered in the genomes of all Drosophila species sequenced to date. In D. melanogaster, it explains the enigmatic phenomenon of the triplo-lethal and haploinsufficient locus Tpl. The synteny of Osiris genes in flies is well conserved, and it is one of the largest syntenic blocks in the Drosophila group. By examining the genome sequences of other insects in a wide range of taxonomic orders, we show here that the gene family is well-conserved and syntenic not only in the diptera but across the holometabolous and hemimetabolous insects. …

A Peptide Photoaffinity Probe Specific For The Active Conformation Of The Abl Tyrosine Kinase, Yang Deng, Brian A. Couch, Anthony J. Koleske, Benjamin E. Turk

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

The design of sensors to monitor the activity state of specific protein kinases is challenging due to the complexity of eukaryotic kinomes. Here we describe a peptide-based photaffinity probe that specifically labels the active conformation of the Abl tyrosine kinase.

The Epigenetics Of Emerging And Nonmodel Organisms, Vett K. Lloyd, Jennifer A. Brisson, Kathleen A. Fitzpatrick, Lori A. Mceachern, Eveline C. Verhulst

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Genetic model organisms have gifted researchers with a breathtakingly detailed understanding of the most intimate aspects of their genomes, cells, and development. And yet there is a problem—model organisms have been selected because they have simple life histories and happily inhabit laboratories. In short, they make a virtue of being boring. But the diversity of the natural world is not fully captured by yeast, flies, or mice. To truly appreciate the variety of biological mechanisms underlying this remarkable diversity, one must study the often inconvenient but fascinating non model organism. Experimental and descriptive approaches in non model organisms have become …

An Epidemiological Model Of Rift Valley Fever With Spatial Dynamics, Tianchan Niu, Holly D. Gaff, Yiannis E. Papelis, David M. Hartley

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

As a category A agent in the Center for Disease Control bioterrorism list, Rift Valley fever (RVF) is considered a major threat to the United States (USA). Should the pathogen be intentionally or unintentionally introduced to the continental USA, there is tremendous potential for economic damages due to loss of livestock, trade restrictions, and subsequent food supply chain disruptions. We have incorporated the effects of space into a mathematical model of RVF in order to study the dynamics of the pathogen spread as affected by the movement of humans, livestock, and mosquitoes. The model accounts for the horizontal transmission of …

Patterns Of Extinction Risk And Threat For Marine Vertebrates And Habitat-Forming Species In The Tropical Eastern Pacific, Beth A. Polidoro, T. Brooks, Kent E. Carpenter, G. J. Edgar, S Henderson, J. Sanciangco, D. R. Robertson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Marine conservation activities around the globe are largely undertaken in the absence of comprehensive species-specific information. To address this gap, complete regional species assemblages of major marine taxa are being progressively assessed against the Categories and Criteria of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The present study is the first analysis of entire major components of the biota of a large marine biogeographic region conducted in the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP). It is based on recently completed IUCN Red List assessments for all known species of bony and cartilaginous shorefishes, corals, mangroves, …

In Vitro Propagation Of Candidatus Rickettsia Andeanae Isolated From Amblyomma Maculatum, Alison Luce-Fedrow, Chelsea Wright, Holly D. Gaff, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Wayne L. Hynes, Allen L. Richards

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae was identified during an investigation of a febrile outbreak in northwestern Peru (2002). DNA sequencing from two ticks (Amblyomma maculatum, Ixodes boliviensis) collected during the investigation revealed a novel Rickettsia agent with similarity to the spotted fever group rickettsiae. Since then, Candidatus R. similar to andeanae has been detected in A. maculatum ticks collected in the southeastern and southcentral United States, Argentina, and Peru. To date, Candidatus R. andeanae has not been successfully cultivated in the laboratory. We present evidence for the continuous cultivation in three cell lines of Candidatus R. similar to …

The Effects Of 17Α-Ethynylestradiol (Ee2) On Gonadal Development And Differentiation In The Estuarine Killifish, Fundulus Heteroclitus, Ibrahim Chehade

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Endocrine disrupting substances (EDSs) comprise a wide variety of chemicals that perturb normal endocrine function including developmental and reproductive processes in vertebrates. The synthetic estrogen 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE₂) is a commonly-used model EDS because of its environmental relevance and its effects on the reproductive endocrine system. Early life-stage exposure of fish to estrogenic EDSs causes effects such as intersex (ovotestes in males) and feminization. This study aims to confirm the period of gonadal differentiation in the estuarine killifish or mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) and to determine the sensitivity of gonadal development to EE₂. Artificially-regressed mummichog were spawned, and …

Evaluating Relationships Between Mercury Concentrations In Air And In Spanish Moss (Tillandsia Usneoides L.), Kathryn T. Sutton

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that is transported globally in vapor form. A major source of mercury contamination to soil, water, and biota is atmospheric deposition. Therefore, comprehensive monitoring of atmospheric concentrations is important. Limitations of conventional atmospheric measurement techniques include high cost and lack of temporal or spatial integration. Bioindicators, however, may serve as an integrative tool to add to conventional mercury measurement techniques. Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides L.) is a potential bioindicator of atmospheric mercury concentration in the southeastern United States because it is an abundant epiphyte that absorbs and accumulates atmospheric pollutants. A study was conducted in …

Purification And Properties Of An Endoglucanase From Aspergillus Niger Vtcc-F021, Thi Hoa Pham, Dinh Thi Quyen, Ngoc Minh Nghiem

Turkish Journal of Biology

An extracellular endoglucanase (EG) from Aspergillus niger VTCC-F021 was purified 2.09-fold to homogeneity with a yield of 18.4%. The enzyme had a molecular mass of 31 kDa and a specific activity of 14.122 U/mg protein. Optimum temperature was observed at 55 °C and optimum pH at 5. The enzyme was stable up to 50 °C and from pH 5 to 6 with residual activity >80% and 60%, respectively. The kinetic constants K_m and V_{max} determined for EG, with carboxyl methyl cellulose as a substrate, were 8.5815 mg CMC/mL and 20.121 U/mg protein, respectively. EDTA increased EG activity by 35% at …

A Comparison Of Major Taste- And Health-Related Compounds Of Vaccinium Berries, Jasminka Milivojevic, Vuk Maksimovic, Jelena Dragisic Maksimovic, Dragan Radivojevic, Milena Poledica, Sezai̇ Erci̇şli̇

Turkish Journal of Biology

The chemical fruit composition, phenolic profile, and corresponding total antioxidant activity of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) and 2 commercial blueberry cultivars (Vaccinium corymbosum) were analyzed. Results from this study showed that cultivar Berkeley yielded the highest glucose and fructose contents (70.8 and 88.8 mg/g FW, respectively), and the sweetness index expressed a similar trend, achieving the highest value for cultivar Berkeley (279.2). Citric acid was the major organic acid in the berries tested. V. myrtillus yielded a total organic acids value 2-fold higher (0.35 mg/g FW) as well as the highest vitamin C content (25.8 mg/100 g FW). Among the flavonols …

Evaluation Of Nested Pcr Method For Diagnosis Of Meningitis Due To Neisseria Meningitidis And Haemophilus Influenzae, Zahra Hojjati Bonab, Safar Farajnia, Reza Ghotaslou, Elhameh Nikkhah

Turkish Journal of Biology

Meningitis due to Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae is a common infectious disease among infants and children that can be fatal in the absence of rapid and proper diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, a rapid and sensitive method for diagnosis is a high priority. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of culture, conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and nested PCR methods for diagnosis of meningitis caused by N. meningitidis and H. influenzae. A total of 106 cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected from infants and children suspected of having meningitis. A portion of these samples were used for …

Evaluation Of Antiinflammatory And Antinociceptive Effects Of Some Juniperus Species Growing In Turkey, Ni̇lüfer Orhan, Esra Akkol, Fatma Ergun

Turkish Journal of Biology

Different parts and products of Juniperus species have been used as folk medicine for various infectious diseases, rheumatism, and wounds in Turkey. In order to evaluate this traditional usage, antiinflammatory and antinociceptive activities of leaf and berry extracts of 3 Juniperus species (J. excelsa, J. foetidissima, and J. sabina) were investigated. Additionally, antiinflammatory and antinociceptive activities of subextracts of J. oxycedrus subsp. oxycedrus (Joso) berries and leaves were evaluated. The p-benzoquinone-induced writhing test for antinociceptive activity and the carrageenan-induced hind paw edema model for antiinflammatory activity in mice were employed. Ethanol extract prepared from berries of J. foetidissima provided a …