Biology Commons^™

Evaluation Of Human Fecal Pollution In Mississippi Coastal And Creek Waters Using Library Independent Markers, Christopher John Flood

Dissertations

The objective of this study was to determine whether statistically valid correlations could be elucidated between standard indicator bacteria (enterococci and fecal coliforms) from coastal creek and marine samples and the presence of four library independent molecular markers that are human or sewage specific. Eight hundred and nineteen samples were collected between August 2007 and July 2010 to determine enterococcal and fecal coliform counts and the presence of genetic markers for sewage indicator organisms Methanobrevibacter smithii, human specific Bacteroides sp., Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, and Fecalibacterium sp. During the course of this study environmental parameters were measured and statistically analyzed to determine …

Section Abstracts: Biology With Microbiology And Molecular Biology

Virginia Journal of Science

Abstracts of the Biology with Microbiology and Molecular Biology Section for the 91st Annual Virginia Journal of Science Meeting, May 2013

Section Abstracts: Natural History And Biodiversity

Virginia Journal of Science

Abstracts of the Natural History and Biodiversity Section for the 91st Annual Virginia Journal of Science Meeting, May 2013

Variations In Phenotypic Plasticity And Fluctuating Asymmetry Of Leaf Morphology Of Three Quercus (Oak) Species In Response To Environmental Factors, Joseph Kusi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Leaf morphology of Quercus (oak) species is highly variable and complicated confounded with phenotypic plasticity and fluctuating asymmetry (FA). However, the study of variation is mostly limited to leaf morphology. This study was extended to plasticity and FA variations in Q. alba (white oak), Q. palustris (pin oak), and Q. velutina (black oak). It was hypothesized that light exposure, individual trees, leaf position, and other leaf traits will influence variation in these species. Leaves were sampled from trees of these species and their morphological traits were measured. Absolute asymmetry of leaf width and area were determined and plasticity of each …

Fossil Trachemys (Testudines: Emydidae) From The Late Hemphillian Of Eastern Tennessee And Its Implications For The Evolution Of The Emydidae, Steven E. Jasinski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Trachemys (Testudines: Emydidae) represents one of the most well-known turtles today. The evolution of Trachemys, while being heavily documented with various fossil representatives, is not well understood. Numerous fossils from the Gray Fossil Site in northeastern Tennessee are helping to elucidate the taxon’s evolution. The fossil Trachemys at the Gray Fossil Site represent a new species. A review of previously named Trachemys taxa reveals that a huge majority of them are not valid or have been previously misinterpreted. A phylogenetic analysis preformed on modern emydids and supposed fossil representatives of those genera also shows the evolution of a portion …

Analysis Of Macrophage-­‐Derived Inflammatory Response In The Presence Of Glycosaminoglycans: A Possible Clue On The Role Of Inflammation In The Pathogenesis Of Morquio A, Heather Drew

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Mucopolysaccharidoses is a family of metabolic disorders caused by the absence or irregular functioning of lysosomal enzymes required to degrade glycosaminoglycans. Mucopolysaccharidosis IVA (MPS IVA or Morquio A syndrome) is characterized by the functional loss of the enzyme N-­‐acetylgalactosamine-­‐6-­‐ sulfatase (GALNS). The absence of GALNS leads to the chronic accumulation of the glycosaminoglycans keratan sulfate (KS) and possibly chondroitin-­‐6 sulfate (C6S). KS accumulation occurs in the lysosomes of KS-­‐rich tissues such as cartilage, cornea, and heart valve as well as some specific cell types such as macrophages. This suggests that MPS IVA is a systemic disease that may disrupt cellular …

Genetic Mechanisms Responsible For Dietary Restriction Dependent Lifespan Extension In Drosophila Melanogaster: A Role For Muscle Tissue, Jennika Krisa

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Dietary Restriction (DR) is a robust intervention that is known to extend lifespan and increase spontaneous activity in multiple species. Whether activity increase plays a causal role in mediating the health protective benefits of DR remains unknown. To investigate this relationship, nutritional manipulations and laboratory selection for lifespan were simultaneously applied. Three physiological outputs were used for the screening and characterization of genes that may mediate the effects of DR: starvation resistance, spontaneous activity levels, and lifespan. The physiologic changes that occur are partially mediated by the nutrient sensing TOR pathway and its downstream signaling components, specifically the translational repressor, …

Knox1 Genes Regulate Lignin Deposition And Composition In Monocots And Dicots, Brad T. Townsley, Neelima R. Sinha, Julie Kang

Faculty Work

Plant secondary cell walls are deposited mostly in vascular tissues such as xylem vessels, tracheids, and fibers. These cell walls are composed of a complex matrix of compounds including cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Lignin functions primarily to maintain the structural and mechanical integrity of both the transport vessel and the entire plant itself. Since lignin has been identified as a major source of biomass for biofuels, regulation of secondary cell wall biosynthesis has been a topic of much recent investigation. Biosynthesis and patterning of lignin involves many developmental and environmental cues including evolutionarily conserved transcriptional regulatory modules and hormonal signals. …

The Effects Of Chromium On Cellular Viability And Chromium Tolerant Gene Expression Within Synechococcus Sp. Iu 625, Richard Garrett

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Heavy metal contamination in the environment is always a big concern. Many microorganisms have developed metal tolerant /resistant mechanisms to survive in such environment. Cyanobacteria Synechococcus sp. IU 625 (S IU 625) formerly known as Anacystis nidulans have been used an indicator for studying many EPA targeted heavy metals such as Zn+2, Cu+2, Hg+2. This microorganism has been reported to have resistant mechanisms to mercury and zinc. In this study, in silico analysis was used to determine the pANL plasmid-mediated chromium resistant genes of Synechococcus sp. IU 625. DOOR and STRING were used to determine the operons and identity potential …

Characterization Of A Marr Homolog In Vibrio Vulnificus, Tiffany Lemon

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Study Of Natural And Modified Green Tea Polyphenols; Gtp, Ltp, Egcg, And Egcg-Stearate On Spore Germination, Biofilm Formation And Synergistic Effect On Antibiotics, Umme Habiba

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In a world where microorganisms outnumber humans, the need for novel antimicrobial agents is crucial to human health. Multi-drug resistant strains of microorganisms have caused a worldwide crisis. Recent research studies on antimicrobials are centered on natural compounds. Natural resources such as green tea have been studied for the past several decades for their antimicrobial, anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory and numerous other beneficial properties. This particular study focuses on the effects of green tea polyphenols (GTP) and their derivatives, Lipophilic Tea Polyphenol (LTP), Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and Epigallocatechin gallate Stearate (EGCG-Stearate) as antimicrobial agents, antibiotic synergism agents, inhibitors of spore formation and …

Examining Mitochondrial Genetic Diversity In A Population Of Eastern Hognose Snakes (Heterodon Platirhinos) In Cape Cod, Ma, Stephanie R. Parelli

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The Eastern Hognose snake (Heterodon platirhinos) is a relatively poorly studied species found in the eastern half of the United States from southern New England and Ontario south along the Atlantic coast to Florida and west to Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota. In the Northeastern part of their range they are considered to be a species of regional conservation concern by the Northeast Endangered Species and Wildlife Diversity Technical Committee. They are protected by conservation measures in the states of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, and are listed as endangered by the state of New Hampshire. The purpose of …

Qpcr Detection Of Early Life History Stage Chrysaora Quinquecirrha (Sea Nettles) In Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, Dena Restaino

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The sea nettle, Chrysaora quinquecirrha, has become abundant in estuaries of Mid- Atlantic States and frequently blooms in warm summer months. Various factors have been attributed to the increasing localized appearance of sea nettles and other jellyfish including eutrophication, overfishing, global warming, construction and species introduction. Despite its abundance and frequent distribution within estuarine systems, very little work has been done to detect and quantify the early life history stages of this organism. Larval stages of C. quinquecirrha can now be detected and quantified using a qPCR assay specific for the 16S rDNA locus of the mtDNA of C. quinquecirrha. …

Analysis Of Arp 2/3complex Dependent Actin Assembly In Live Fission Yeast Cells, Hannah Bellinger

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

In yeast and other organisms, endocytosis is dependent upon Arp2/3 complex-mediated actin assembly into endocytic actin patches, a highly organized process involving signaling molecules and regulatory proteins. The goal of this study is to determine the roles of three Arp2/3 complex activators Pan1, Myo1, and Wsp1, which bind Arp2/3 complex via their Central-Acidic (CA) domains, in stimulating actin patch assembly in fission yeast. To assess the contribution of these proteins to actin assembly, we performed quantitative image analysis of actin patch dynamics by tracking the GFP-tagged actin binding protein fimbrin Fim1 in Pan1, Myo1 and Wsp1 mutants with deleted CA …

The Use Of P53-Derived Stapled Peptides As Affinity Isolation Reagents, Kathryn Margaret Headley

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The transcription factor p53 can induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in response to cellular distress. Cancer cells often display increased cell survival. In most cases, this is due to a p53-related defect, such as mutation, deletion, degradation, or sequestration. HDM2 and HDMX are homologous proteins that regulate the function of p53, and their over-expression can lead to an ineffective p53 response. Various inhibitors, including hydrocarbon stabilized alpha-helices of p53 (SAH-p53s), have been developed to target HDM2 and HDMX and restore functionality to the p53 pathway. It has been recently found that SAH-p53 factors also elicit cell death responses in …

Characterization Of Dap2 (Defense-­‐Associated Aspartic Protease-­‐2) In Arabidopsis Thaliana And Determining Its Role In Plant Defense Responses, Kemardo Kitaro Henry

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Plants defend themselves from invading pathogens by coordinating activity of several plant defense-­‐associated genes. Defense-­‐Associated Aspartic Protease-­‐1 (DAP1) gene of Arabidopsis encodes for an atypical aspartic protease with a putative proteolytic activity. The DAP1 is a negative regulator of plant immunity and the transgenic plants ectopically expressing this genes support pathogen growth and pathogenicity. The Arabidopsis genome has another putative protese that has ~75% homology to DAP1 present in close proximity and therefore was named DAP2. Here, I describe the role of the DAP2 gene in plant defense responses. Two independent knockout dap2 mutants are found to be more susceptible …

Vitamin B12-Based Bioconjugate Probes For In Vitro And In Vivo Imaging, Anna Kahkoska

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. This year, an estimated 577,190 Americans will die as a result of this family of diseases. Finding cancer at its most treatable stage gives patients the greatest chance of recovery; novel imaging agents that target primary and metastasized tumors offer hope for improved prognoses in the future. Based on the hypothesis that vitamin B12 (B12) and its association with specific transport proteins could offer selective access to cancer cell lines, a series of B12-based imaging agents were synthesized, characterized, and assayed for both in vitro and in vivo …

Investigation Of Sin-3 Histone Deacetylase Complex In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Maria Kontos

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Chromatin is the combination of DNA and the proteins binding to DNA in the cell nucleus. The primary proteins associated with chromatin are histones, which compact the DNA. The DNA strand wraps around the histone octamer core complex forming a structure called the nucleosome. Posttranslational modifications of histones alter chromatin structure. Generally speaking, acetylated histones are associated with active gene expression whereas deacetylated histones are associated with repressed gene expression. Histone deacetylases, which function as a multi protein complex, remove acetyl groups resulting in altered DNA-histone binding affinities. One major histone deacetylase (HDAC) complex is the SIN-3 HDAC complex. SIN-3 …

Controlling Bacterial Persister Cells With Low Level Electric Currents, Henry Lars Peterson

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Bacterial persister cells present a growing concern as they inherit the ability to tolerate high concentrations of antibiotics and repopulate after an antibiotic treatment leading to chronic diseases. Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes many human infections including skin infections and those associated with burn injuries, and implanted medical devices, and are associated with Cystic Fibrosis. Recently, the Ren Lab developed a novel approach to eliminate persister cells of P. aeruginosa, including those in biofilms, using low level electric currents. To evaluate the safety of this method and to better understand how the underlying elements, this study focused on the cytotoxicity of …

Developing An Experimental System For Studying Early Events In Speciation In Drosophila, Maria Poplawska

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Speciation occurs when two populations of a species can no longer reproduce, either because of (1) pre-mating reproductive isolation, for example, populations having non-overlapping habitats, or evolving different courtship behaviors, or (2) post-mating pre-zygotic (PMPZ) isolation, where mechanical (e.g., incompatible differences in genitalia), or gametic (e.g., sperm and egg become incompatible) differences renders the strains unable to produce offspring. Previous work has suggested that when incipient species begin to experience reproductive isolation, a phenomenon called “reinforcement” can accelerate the process, by the rapid evolution of new pre- mating or PMPZ barriers. While the occurrence of reinforcement has been studied for …

Metal-Citrate Transport In The Gram-Positive Bacterium Kineococcus Radiotolerans, Eleanor Robertson

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Little is known about metal-citrate transport in Gram-positive bacteria. Previously, all such transporters identified have belonged to the citrate-metal hydrogen symport (CitMHS) family. Presented herein is our research on the predicted metal-citrate transport system in the Gram-positive bacteria Kineococcus radiotolerans. Given the high alkaline natural environment of this organism, it was hypothesized such a metal-citrate transporter may utilize an antiport mechanism, which to date has not been observed. Herein it is shown that K. radiotolerans has a calcium-citrate transporter. Preliminary results also support the hypothesis that this transporter operates through hydroxide antiport, rather than hydrogen symport, making this the …

The Role Of Cell Adhesion Molecules In Cyst Breakdown And Follicle Formation In The Mouse Neonatal Ovary, Dana Senderoff

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The total number of oocytes that an individual will have available for reproduction is defined at birth. This established oocyte pool is essential to fertility, as a female loses oocytes throughout her life and never makes more. In the mouse, germ cells form in the fetus and migrate to the gonad, where they undergo mitosis and are referred to as oogonia. These cells are in germ line cysts, which are clusters of germ cells connected by intercellular bridges that form by incomplete cytokinesis. Germ cells in the human also develop in clusters with characteristics of cysts. The cells within the …

Structural And Functional Studies On The Role Of The Retinoblastoma Binding Protein Five (Rbbp5) In The Histone Methyltransferase Activity Of The Mixed Lineage Leukemia (Mll1) Core Complex, Melody Sanders

Biology - Theses

Cells employ elaborate mechanisms to introduce structural and chemical variation into chromatin in the form of covalent post-translational modifications. Covalent modifications of histones contribute to the dynamic states of chromatin structure that govern nearly all of DNA-coupled processes such as transcription, replication, and repair. The mechanism by which covalent modifications of histones contribute to these activities remains a central question to understanding genome regulation and its dysfunction in human disease. Although there is extensive literature documenting the identification of many of the enzymes that place histone modifications, far less is known about how the enzymes are targeted and how their …

Increasing Liana Abundance And Basal Area In A Tropical Forest: The Contribution Of Long‐Distance Clonal Colonization, Suzanne R. Yorke, Stefan A. Schnitzer, Joseph Mascaro, Susan G. Letcher, Walter P. Carson

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Recent evidence suggests that liana abundance and biomass are increasing in Neotropical forests, representing a major structural change to tropical ecosystems. Explanations for these increases, however, remain largely untested. Over an 8‐yr period (1999–2007), we censused lianas in nine, 24 × 36 m permanent plots in old‐growth and selectively logged forest at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica to test whether: (1) liana abundance and basal area are increasing in this forest; (2) the increase is being driven by increased recruitment, decreased mortality, or both; and (3) long‐distance clonal colonization explains the increase in liana abundance and basal area. We …

Analysis Of Contributing Factors To Obesity In Children And Adolescents In Southwest Georgia, Sydney Leigh Worthy

Theses and Dissertations

Today more than 23 million U.S. children and adolescents are either obese or overweight. Hospital costs from obesity-related diseases in youth have increased from $35 million (0.43% of total hospital costs) during 1979 to 1981 to $127 million (1.79% of total costs) during 1997 to 1999. During the Pathway to Med School program, I collaborated with three other students to develop a research project on childhood and adolescent obesity. We conducted surveys at nine different primary care clinics in the southwest Georgia area. Approval was sought by the Institutional Review Board of Phoebe Putney Memorial Health System and Albany Area …

Characterization Of Whole Pine Tree Substrates For Adventitious Rooting Of Cuttings And Initial Growth Of Seedlings, Anthony Lynn Witcher

Dissertations

Processed whole pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees have been extensively evaluated to supplement peatmoss and pine bark usage in container substrates for greenhouse and nursery crop production. The suitability of whole pine tree (WPT) substrates for crop propagation has not been investigated. Demonstrating the versatility of WPT substrates is essential to expanding their commercial availability and use.

The objective of this work was to evaluate WPT substrates for stem cutting and seed propagation of ornamental crops, and to identify factors affecting root development. Stem cutting and seedling root development was evaluated in WPT and traditional (peatmoss and pine bark) …

The Effects Of Aging And Injury On The Murine Ependymal Barrier And Subventricular Zone, John J. Peters

Honors Scholar Theses

Previous research has shown that numerous age-related changes occur in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and diminish the neurogenic output of the region. Here, various age-related changes in the structure of the lateral ventricle, the ependymal barrier, and the SVZ were examined. It was found that the walls of the lateral ventricles move together, adhere, and eventually fuse. This results in a degradation of the SVZ. Other changes associated with aging were found, including ependymal cell stretching, heightened, ependymal repair, changes in CSF flow velocity and dynamics, and altered ependymal cell polarity. These changes may be related to the process of …

A Field Experiment Demonstrating Plant Life-History Evolution And Its Eco-Evolutionary Feedback To Seed Predator Populations, Anurag A. Agrawal, Marc T. J. Johnson, Amy P. Hastings, John L. Maron

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The extent to which evolutionary change occurs in a predictable manner under field conditions and how evolutionary changes feed back to influence ecological dynamics are fundamental, yet unresolved, questions. To address these issues, we established eight replicate populations of native common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis). Each population was planted with 18 genotypes in identical frequency. By tracking genotype frequencies with microsatellite DNA markers over the subsequent three years (up to three generations, approximate to 5,000 genotyped plants), we show rapid and consistent evolution of two heritable plant life-history traits (shorter life span and later flowering time). This rapid evolution was …

Stable Isotope Analysis Of Two Mephitidae Species Reflects Population Trends And Landscape Structure, Amanda E. Cheeseman

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

The eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius) is a small omnivorous Carnivora similar in much of its natural history to the commonly found striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis). Spilogale putorius has experienced drastic population declines over a large portion of its geographic range. Many hypotheses for the decline of S. putorius have been proposed. δ13C and δ15N isotope analysis provides a unique opportunity to examine diet over an expanded time span. Thus was used on hair sampled from natural history collections, teaching collections, and road kills to examine dietary change for both S. putorius and M. mephitis from 1852 to 2012. Because …

Effects Of Long-Term Exposure To Kanamycin And/Or Ampicillin On Resistance Genes On An E. Coli Plasmid, Justin W.R. Kerby Ii

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Multi-drug-resistant bacteria are a major cause of hospital-acquired infections and antibiotic resistance in these organisms is often plasmid mediated, which has become a growing concern. Plasmids conferring resistance to multiple antibiotics are increasingly becoming a common source of antibiotic resistance. The behavior of these plasmids under and in the absence of selective pressure is not yet fully understood. Therefore, to determine the behavior of a multiple-resistance plasmid under selective pressure pCR 2.1-TOPO, a commercial plasmid, was inserted into an Escherichia coli host and grown in a continuous culture under four conditions: broth with 1) kanamycin alone, 2) ampicillin alone, 3) …