Biology Commons^™

Time For T? Immunoinformatics Addresses Vaccine Design For Neglected Tropical And Emerging Infectious Diseases, Frances E. Terry, Leonard Moise, Rebecca F. Martin, Melissa Torres, Nils Pilotte, Steven A. Williams, Anne S. De Groot

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Vaccines have been invaluable for global health, saving lives and reducing healthcare costs, while also raising the quality of human life. However, newly emerging infectious diseases (EID) and more well-established tropical disease pathogens present complex challenges to vaccine developers; in particular, neglected tropical diseases, which are most prevalent among the world's poorest, include many pathogens with large sizes, multistage life cycles and a variety of nonhuman vectors. EID such as MERS-CoV and H7N9 are highly pathogenic for humans. For many of these pathogens, while their genomes are available, immune correlates of protection are currently unknown. These complexities make developing vaccines …

Cabassous Unicinctus (Cingulata: Dasypodidae), Virginia Hayssen

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Cabassous unicinctus (southern naked-tailed armadillo) is a nocturnal, solitary, fossorial myrmecophage that ranges east of the Andes across the central lowlands of South America. It occupies a wide range of habitats including grassland, rain forest, cultivated pastures, flooded grasslands, forest patches, disturbed habitats, and gallery forests. C. unicinctus is listed as "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

Cabassous Chacoensis (Cingulata: Dasypodidae), Virginia Hayssen

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Cabassous chacoensis (Chacoan naked-tailed armadillo) is a little-studied, primarily fossorial armadillo endemic to xeric parts of the Gran Chaco in western Paraguay and northern Argentina. C. chacoensis is listed as "Near Threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

Richard E. Petit, 1931-2013: A Brief Account Of His Malacological Contributions, Douglas A. Wolfe Ph.D.

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Abstract. R.E. Petit, a life member of the South Carolina Academy of Sciences, died on 31 December 2013. His remarkable scientific achievements as a self-trained malacologist are summarized, including an extensive list of named Molluscan taxa, mostly in the Cancellariidae, and a bibliography of his malacological publications

Natural Transformation Of Thermotoga Sp. Strain Rq7, Dongmei Han, Hui Xu, Rutika Puranik, Zhaohui Xu

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Thermotoga species are organisms of enormous interest from a biotechnological as well as evolutionary point of view. Genetic modifications of Thermotoga spp. are often desired in order to fully release their multifarious potentials. Effective transformation of recombinant DNA into these bacteria constitutes a critical step of such efforts. This study aims to establish natural competency in Thermotoga spp. and to provide a convenient method to transform these organisms.

Results

Foreign DNA was found to be relatively stable in the supernatant of a Thermotoga culture for up to 6 hours. Adding donor DNA to T. sp. strain RQ7 at its …

Different Meal, Same Flavor: Cospeciation And Host Switching Of Haemosporidian Parasites In Some Non-Passerine Birds, Diego Santiago-Alarcon, Adriana Rodríguez-Ferraro, Patricia Parker, Robert Ricklefs

Biology Department Faculty Works

BackgroundPrevious studies have shown that haemosporidian parasites (Haemoproteus(Parahaemoproteus) and Plasmodium) infecting passerine birds have an evolutionary history of host switching with little cospeciation, in particular at low taxonomic levels (e.g., below the family level), which is suggested as the main speciation mechanism of this group of parasites. Recent studies have characterized diverse clades of haemosporidian parasites (H. (Haemoproteus) and H. (Parahaemoproteus)) infecting non-passerine birds (e.g., Columbiformes, Pelecaniiformes). Here, we explore the cospeciation history of H. (Haemoproteus) and H. (Parahaemoproteus) parasites with their non-passerine hosts.MethodsWe sequenced the mtDNA cyt b gene of both haemosporidian parasites and their avian non-passerine hosts. We …

Position Of Premature Termination Codons Determines Susceptibility Of Herg Mutations To Nonsense-Mediated Mrna Decay In Long Qt Syndrome, Qiuming Gong, Matthew R. Stump, Zhengfeng Zhou

Faculty Publications - Department of Biological & Molecular Science

The degradation of human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG, KCNH2) transcripts containing premature termination codon (PTC)mutations by nonsense-mediatedmRNA decay (NMD) is an importantmechanismof long QT syndrome type 2 (LQT2). The mechanisms governing the recognition of PTC-containing hERG transcripts asNMD substrates have not been established. We used a minigene system to study two frameshift mutations, R1032Gfs*25 and D1037Rfs*82. R1032Gfs*25 introduces a PTC in exon 14, whereas D1037Rfs*82 causes a PTC in the last exon (exon 15). We showed that R1032Gfs*25, but not D1037Rfs*82, reduced the level of mutant mRNA compared to thewild-type minigene in an NMD-dependent manner. The deletion of intron 14 prevented …

Analysis Of The Role Of Two Autophagy Pathway Related Genes, Becn1 And Tsc1, In Murine Mammary Gland Development And Differentiation, Amber N. Hale

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

The mammary gland is a dynamic organ that undergoes the majority of its development in the postnatal period in four stages; mature virgin, pregnancy, lactation, and involution. Every stage relies on tightly regulated cellular proliferation, programmed cell death, and tissue remodeling mechanisms. Misregulation of autophagy, an intracellular catabolic process to maintain energy stores, has long been associated with mammary tumorigenesis and other pathologies. We hypothesize that appropriate regulation and execution of autophagy are necessary for proper development of the mammary ductal tree and maintenance of the secretory epithelia during late pregnancy and lactation. To test this hypothesis we examined the …

Renal Humoral, Genetic And Genomic Mechanisms Underlying Spontaneous Hypertension, Jason A. Collett

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

In spite of significant progress in our knowledge of mechanisms that control blood pressure, our understanding of the pathogenesis of hypertension, its genetics, and population efforts to control blood pressure, hypertension remains the leading risk factor for mortality worldwide. It’s estimated that 1 out of every 3 adults has hypertension. Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke, and is considered a primary or contributing cause of death to more than 2.4 million US deaths each year. Although spontaneous hypertension has been the subject of substantial research, many critical questions remain unanswered.

To investigate mechanisms underlying spontaneous …

Biomechanical Effects Of Trees And Soil Thickness In The Cumberland Plateau, Michael Shouse

Theses and Dissertations--Geography

Previous research in the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas suggests that, on relatively thin soils overlying bedrock, individual trees locally thicken the regolith by root penetration into bedrock. However, that work was conducted mainly in areas of strongly dipping and contorted rock, where joints and bedding planes susceptible to root penetration are more common and accessible. This project extended this concept to the Cumberland Plateau, Kentucky, with flat, level-bedded sedimentary rocks. Spatial variability of soil thickness was quantified at three nested spatial scales, and statistical relationships with other potential influences of thickness were examined. In addition, soil depth beneath trees was compared …

Calpain 5: A Non-Classical Calpain Highly Expressed In The Cns And Localized To Mitochondria And Nuclear Pml Bodies, Ranjana Singh

Theses and Dissertations--Neuroscience

Calpain 5 (CAPN5) is a non-classical member of the calpain family. It lacks the EF-hand motif characteristic of the classical calpains, calpain 1 and 2, but retains catalytic and Ca²⁺ binding non EF domains. Tra-3, an ortholog of CAPN5, is involved in necrotic cell death in C.elegans; although specific role of CAPN5 has not been investigated in the mammalian CNS. I compared relative mRNA levels of calpains in rat CNS, which revealed that CAPN5 is the second most highly expressed calpain. We examined relative levels of CAPN5 from late embryonic day 18 to postnatal day 90 and …

Disassembly Of Actin Structures By Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field Is A Downstream Effect Of Cell Swelling, Andrei G. Pakhomov, Shu Xiao, Olga N. Pakhomova, Iurii Semenov, Marjorie A. Kuipers, Bennett L. Ibey

Bioelectrics Publications

Disruption of the actin cytoskeleton structures was reported as one of the characteristic effects of nanosecond-duration pulsed electric field (nsPEF) in both mammalian and plant cells. We utilized CHO cells that expressed the monomeric fluorescent protein (mApple) tagged to actin to test if nsPEF modifies the cell actin directly or as a consequence of cell membrane permeabilization. A train of four 600-ns pulses at 19.2 kV/cm (2 Hz) caused immediate cell membrane poration manifested by YO-PRO-1 dye uptake, gradual cell rounding and swelling. Concurrently, bright actin features were replaced by dimmer and uniform fluorescence of diffuse actin. To block the …

Population Structure, Size, And The Thermal Ecology Of Iowa Wood Turtles (Glyptemys Insculpta): A Comparison Between Suburban And Rural Populations, Samuel Wesley Berg

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Population structure, population size, and the thermal ecology of wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) was studied in a suburban population in Black Hawk County (BHC) and compared to a rural population in Butler County (BC), Iowa. In a suburban population of 35 wood turtles, 32 (91.4%) were adults distributed in a 1:1 sex ratio [16 (45.7%) females and 16 (45.7%) males], and 3 (8.6%) were juveniles. In the rural population, 60 (98.4% of the total population) adult turtles were distributed in a 3:2 sex ratio [36 (59.0%) females and 24 (39.3%) males], and one (1.7%) juvenile was located. Population structure was …

Relative Importance Of Male Song On Female Mate Selection In The Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia Guttata), Casey Sprague

Scripps Senior Theses

In the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), song and its social context play an important role in female mate selection. The song of the zebra finch is unique in that it can only be produced by males, which makes the species ideal for analyzing the components of male song that influence female song preference and mate selection. There are three consistent features of zebra finch song that affect female mate preference: 1) the amount of time a male sings, 2) the size and complexity of his song repertoire, and 3) the structural conformation to species or population norms (reviewed …

Ventral Tegmental Area Regulation Of Stress-Induced Reinstatement Of Cocaine-Seeking Behavior, Jordan Michael Blacktop

Dissertations (1934 -)

No FDA approved medications currently exist for the prevention of drug craving, drug seeking, and relapse to cocaine use. Stress is a major factor in causing relapse in cocaine dependent individuals. Cocaine use is positively correlated with stress-induced craving and relapse outcomes. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a 41-amino acid neuropeptide that plays an important role in the stress response and in the reinstatement rodent model of stress-induced relapse. CRF is released during stress in brain regions associated with the effects of drugs of abuse, notably the ventral tegmental area (VTA). This dissertation addresses key unknown mechanisms behind drug-induced neuroplasticity and …

Mechanism Of GabaB Receptor-Activated Increases In L-Type Calcium Current In The Neonatal Mammalian Hippocampus, Andrew S. Karls

Dissertations (1934 -)

Activation of the metabotropic GABA_B receptor has most commonly been demonstrated to produce inhibitory effects on neurons, including the attenuation of voltage-dependent calcium current. However, during the early neonatal period in mammalian development, activation of GABA_B receptors leads to an enhancement of calcium current through a specific class of calcium channels, termed L-type channels, (because they conduct Long-lasting current) . This response peaks at 7 days postnatal, and is only demonstrated in a subset of cells. In the work presented here, the signal transduction pathway of GABA_B receptor-mediated increase of L-type current is described.

GABA_B receptors …

Nkx3.1 Binding To Gpx2, Qscn6, Sod1, And Sod2 Promoters Contributes To Antioxidant Response Regulation Via Transactivation, Bi̇lge Debeleç Bütüner, Kemal Sami̇ Korkmaz

Turkish Journal of Biology

NKX3.1 is a prostate-specific transcription factor that is regulated by the androgen receptor in the presence of androgens. It functions as a tumor suppressor against the development of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and primary prostate tumors. Here, a recognized approach combining in silico analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) was used to identify the genes directly regulated by NKX3.1 promoter binding in LNCaP cells. Quantitative PCR using ChIP-captured DNAs as templates verified a subset of NKX3.1 binding motifs. Thus, in the presence of androgens, significant NKX3.1 binding occurs to promoters of GPX2, QSCN6, SOD1, and SOD2 genes that contribute to oxidative stress …

The Effects Of Hypergravity On Development Of The Heart And Behavior Of Xenopus Laevis, Stacey Howes

Honors Program Theses

Every living organism on earth has developed and evolved in a 1G environment. It is likely that any deviation from Earth’s standard gravity will influence development, particularly at early stages. Previous reports from this lab showed that body length is reduced and that ventricle size is increased during development at 7G. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of hypergravity on the development of the ventricular myocardial wall and neuromuscular responsiveness of Xenopus laevis. At early gastrulation, (Nieuwkoop and Faber Stage 10) embryos were placed in a centrifuge simulating 7G, 10G, 15G or 17G until they …

Shoulder Impingement In Water Polo Players, Kelly A. Davis

Scripps Senior Theses

Water polo is a highly dynamic and physically demanding sport that has heretofore not inspired nearly as much research as other overhead sports such as baseball or swimming. As in almost all overhead sports, water polo puts its players at high risks for shoulder injuries since the motions required to perform the sport at an optimum level push the limits of normal shoulder function.

Human shoulders are inherently unstable as a tradeoff to their flexibility. Because of this instability, many structures are required to work concurrently to keep the shoulder in place. These structures include muscles, ligaments and cartilages. It …

Effects Of Phylogeny On Structural Correlations Of Vertebrate Eyes, Amanda Yl Jacobs

Scripps Senior Theses

Common ancestry prevents scientists from using traditional statistical tests in dimensional comparisons that span entire clades. Data in these cases are non-independent, so a variety of special statistical methods have been developed specifically for phylogenetic comparative analyses. A phylogenetic least squares method was used to re-examine four published datasets detailing structural correlates of eyes while factoring in the different ways the phylogeny was expected to affect the covariance in trait values. All analyses were carried out in a strict phylogenetic context, using published time-calibrated phylogenies and the statistical platform R. Specifically, Pagel’s lambda was used to determine how much of …

Grizzly Bear Monitoring By The Heiltsuk People As A Crucible For First Nation Conservation Practice, William G. Housty, Anna Noson, Gerald W. Scoville, John Boulanger, Richard M. Jeo, Chris T. Darimont, Christopher E. Filardi

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Guided by deeply held cultural values, First Nations in Canada are rapidly regaining legal authority to manage natural resources. We present a research collaboration among academics, tribal government, provincial and federal government, resource managers, conservation practitioners, and community leaders supporting First Nation resource authority and stewardship. First, we present results from a molecular genetics study of grizzly bears inhabiting an important conservation area within the territory of the Heiltsuk First Nation in coastal British Columbia. Noninvasive hair sampling occurred between 2006 and 2009 in the Koeye watershed, a stronghold for grizzly bears, salmon, and Heiltsuk people. Molecular demographic analyses revealed …

Emergence, Scale, And The Layered Model Of Biological Systems, Katie Morrow

Honors Projects

The layered model of the world—the view that the physical universe is in some important sense ontologically stratified into levels—has commonly been applied in a variety of philosophical contexts, particularly in discussions of reductionism about causation, properties, or theories in science. In this paper I question whether this model, as traditionally understood, adequately reflects a contemporary scientific understanding of the world. Utilizing the layered model, philosophers have tended to focus on composition as the salient interlevel relationship, and to describe systems at temporal instants; while biologists stress the importance of the spatiotemporal scale of description and the environment in governing …

Biology News, Winter 2014, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Biology.

Biology News

Contents:

-- Greetings from the Department of Biology
-- Biology Students and Alumni

-- Department News

-- The Department of Biology receives funding for specimens and microscopes from the Carver Charitable Trust
-- Carl Thurman's efforts extend the benefit of Carver Funding
-- Reconnect with the Department of Biology

-- Faculty and Staff News
-- Jeff Tamplin receives $60,000 grant
-- Marine Biology (new course offering)
-- Field trip to hatchery
-- Award of Faculty Excellence
-- Dean's Teaching Award
-- TriBeta Teaching Award

-- Student Club News
-- Student clubs combined to travel to Omaha zoo
-- Annual spring …

Learning And Phototaxis In Belostoma Flumineum, Kaitlin Ann Garvey

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Learning allows organisms to adjust their behavior to adapt to a changing environment. The premise of this study was to investigate the capacity for learning in the giant waterbug, Belostoma flumineum Say (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae). As part of these experiments, I was able to identify an apparent directional phototaxis and to use it as motivation in an operant conditioning study. Belostoma flumineum and has been observed to exhibit negative directional phototaxis. The first two parts of this study suggest that B. flumineum has a statistically significant preference for shadowed over illuminated areas, as well as a preference for black substrate over …

Hypothalamic Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide: Impact On Energy Homeostasis And Glutamate Signaling, Jon Resch

Dissertations (1934 -)

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a member of the secretin-glucagon superfamily of peptide hormones, with homology to vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and activity at both the VIP receptors and the PACAP specific PAC1 receptor (PAC1R). Abundantly expressed in the hypothalamus, PACAP was recently discovered to regulate energy balance when central injections produced hypophagia and increased metabolic rate. However, the neurocircuitry mediating these effects in the hypothalamus are poorly understood.

To characterize how hypothalamic PACAP signaling affects energy homeostasis we microinjected PACAP site-specifically into the hypothalamic paraventricular (PVN) and ventromedial nuclei (VMN) and examined feeding behavior and metabolism. PACAP injected …

Morphological Analysis And Soil Characterization Of Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza) Natural Hybrid Zones In Central Washington, Mariah H. Helvy

All Master's Theses

It has been hypothesized that species of Balsamroot, genus Balsamorhiza, hybridize readily in nature, but no study has quantitatively described the morphological types found in or the environmental characteristics of hybrid zones in this genus. Here, we investigate the relationship between morphological types and soil characteristics in four Balsamorhiza sagittata-hookeri putative hybrid zones in Grant County, Washington State, USA. Clustering analysis of morphological traits suggested that plants could be classified into two groups, a B. sagittata-like group and a B. hookeri-like group, although there was variation within each group. Over all sites, B. sagittata-like plants were …

The Effects Of Sugar Substitutes On The Gut Microbiota Of Mice, Katie A. Lantau

All Master's Theses

Obesity has become an ever increasing global problem. This has caused people to turn to sugar substitutes, no calorie sweeteners, to reduce their caloric intake. However, recent studies have shown that it is not just caloric intake that can affect weight, but also the diversity of the bacteria in the gut (Turnbaugh et al., 2009). It has been shown that an increased Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratio and an overall decrease in microbial diversity leads to an obesity associated gut microbiome (Turnbaugh et al., 2009; Ley et al., 2005). The purpose of this study was to determine if two of the most popular …

Origins Of The Classical Gene Concept, 1900–1950: Genetics, Mechanistic, Philosophy, And The Capitalization Of Agriculture, Garland E. Allen

Biology Faculty Research

In the period of “classical genetics” (roughly 1915–1950), the common view of the gene was mechanistic—that is, genes were seen as individual, atomistic units, as material components of the chromosomes. Although it was recognized early on that genes could interact and influence each other’s expression, they were still regarded as individually functioning units, much like the chemists’ atoms or molecules. Although geneticists in particular knew the story was more complex, the atomistic gene remained the central view for a variety of reasons. It fit the growing philosophy of mechanistic materialism in the life sciences, as biologists tried to make their …

Geographic Variation Of Physiological Responses To Freezing In The Pacific Chorus Frog, Pseudacris Regilla, Sara Dawn Healas

All Master's Theses

Pacific chorus frogs, Pseudacris regilla, have the ability to survive extensive tissue freezing during the winter months, but there has been only one study of this species' physiological responses to freezing. There is nothing known about how freeze tolerance might vary across this species' range. The goal of this study was to examine geographic variation in freeze tolerance, specifically the storage and synthesis of cryoprotectants. Survival of freezing requires that the frogs produce massive amounts of cryoprotective glucose from stored liver glycogen, leading me to hypothesize that where winters are longer and/or colder, frogs will produce more cryoprotectants and, therefore, …

The Use Of Dna Sequencing To Discover Novel Pathogens Of Aquatic Invertebrates With Focus On Mosquitoes (Culicidae), Dale Robert Jansons

All Master's Theses

The use of DNA sequencing to discover fungal pathogens of aquatic invertebrates, including mosquito larvae, was explored. Mosquito-borne diseases kill millions of people every year, mostly children. One method used to control the spread of mosquito-borne diseases has been to use mosquito-killing fungi to reduce mosquito populations. Locating and identifying pathogens of mosquitoes can be difficult, but with phylum specific primers, novel pathogens can be found, identified, and compared to known isolates without rearing mosquitoes, setting baited traps for pathogens, or culturing microbes associated with mosquito larvae. Mosquito larvae and other aquatic invertebrates were subjected to PCR and DNA sequencing …