Biology Commons^™

Creating A Microcosm To Examine Salinity Tolerance Of Escherichia Coli In Beach Sand, Leigha Stahl

Summer Research Experience Poster Presentations

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a bacteria species that thrives in a variety of environments. Due to its widespread prevalence, it is commonly used as an indicator for pollution and other pathogens. One place where it is not often looked for is oceanic beaches because E. coli is inhibited by salt. However, recent research has shown that E. coli often thrives in sand at beaches. To determine how it persists in sand, we created a microcosm simulating the intertidal zone of a beach. Using this microcosm, we are testing how varying salinity levels affect persistence of E. coli in sand. …

The Effect Of Hairstyle On The Perceptions Of Black Women’S Personality And Earning Potential, Malyn Pope

Summer Research Experience Poster Presentations

The current study addressed a gap in the literature by examining if a black woman’s hairstyle impacted perceptions of her personality and earning potential. Participants were presented with an image of a black woman with one of four hairstyles and asked to assess aspects of her personality and career. Results revealed that regardless of hairstyle, participants had similar perceptions of the woman’s warmth, attractiveness and professionalism. There were no gender differences; however, black participants found the afro condition to reflect the highest competence levels, while white participants preferred the curly condition.

My Liberation Through Science, Mary Poffenroth

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

My liberation through science has brought me joy, frustration, excitement, and adventure.

Dephosphorylation Of Iqg1 By Cdc14 Regulates Cytokinesis In Budding Yeast, Daniel P. Miller, Hana Kenton Hall, Ryan Chaparian, Madison Mara, Alison Mueller, Mark C. Hall, Katie Shannon

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Cytokinesis separates cells by contraction of a ring composed of filamentous actin (F-actin) and type II myosin. Iqg1, an IQGAP family member, is an essential protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae required for assembly and contraction of the actomyosin ring. Localization of F-actin to the ring occurs only after anaphase and is mediated by the calponin homology domain (CHD) of Iqg1, but the regulatory mechanisms that temporally restrict actin ring assembly are not well defined. We tested the hypothesis that dephosphorylation of four perfect cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) sites flanking the CHD promotes actin ring formation, using site-specific alanine mutants. Cells expressing the …

Excessive Daytime Sleepiness Is Associated With Changes In Salivary Inflammatory Genes Transcripts, Matthew S. Thimgan, Cristina Toedebusch, Jennifer Mcleland, Stephen P. Duntley, Paul J. Shaw

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is a ubiquitous problem that affects public health and safety. A test that can reliably identify individuals that suffer from EDS is needed. In contrast to other methods, salivary biomarkers are an objective, inexpensive, and noninvasive method to identify individuals with inadequate sleep. Although we have previously shown that inflammatory genes are elevated in saliva samples taken from sleep deprived individuals, it is unclear if inflammatory genes will be elevated in clinical populations with EDS. In this study, salivary samples from individuals with sleep apnea were evaluated using the Taqman low density inflammation array. Transcript levels …

Engaging Students In Current Topics: Ecosystem Disruption, Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll

Faculty Publications & Research

One of the most compelling aspects of studying biology is that it has immediate relevance to the world around us. It is the study of life, which can give us amazing insight into how we as organisms work as well as our place in Earth’s ecosystem. This second point is especially crucial for our students to understand, as the Earth is in many ways in a state of ecological crisis. Ecosystems across the globe are changing, often as the result of human influence, and an understanding of the causes and effects of these changes is essential for our students, especially …

Brain-Penetrating Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor Rg2833 Reduces The Viability Of Human Malignant Melanoma Cell Lines Sk-Mel-5 And Sk-Mel-28 In Vitro, Lauren Green

Summer Research Experience Poster Presentations

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) play an important role in the epigenetic control of gene expression in both normal and cancer cells. Previous studies have demonstrated that pharmaceutical inhibition of HDACs can kill and/or suppress the growth of cancer cells. RG2833 is a HDAC inhibitor that targets specific HDACs known to be active in cancer cells. Melanoma cells have previously been shown to respond to HDAC inhibitors that are structurally similar to RG2833. We hypothesized that the inhibition of HDAC activity by RG2833 would result in the reduced growth and/or death of cells from the malignant melanoma cell lines SK-MEL-5 and SK-MEL-28. …

The Allosteric Regulatory Mechanism Of The Escherichia Coli Metni Methionine Atp Binding Cassette (Abc) Transporter, Janet G. Yang, D. C. Rees

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The MetNI methionine importer of Escherichia coli, an ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter, uses the energy of ATP binding and hydrolysis to catalyze the high affinity uptake of d- and l-methionine. Early in vivo studies showed that the uptake of external methionine is repressed by the level of the internal methionine pool, a phenomenon termed transinhibition. Our understanding of the MetNI mechanism has thus far been limited to a series of crystal structures in an inward-facing conformation. To understand the molecular mechanism of transinhibition, we studied the kinetics of ATP hydrolysis using detergent-solubilized MetNI. We find that transinhibition is …

Increased High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels In Mice With Xx Versus Xy Sex Chromosomes, Jenny C. Link, Xuqi Chen, Christopher Prien, Mark S. Borja, Bradley Hammerson, Michael N. Oda, Arthur P. Arnold, Karen Reue

Biology

Objective—

The molecular mechanisms underlying sex differences in dyslipidemia are poorly understood. We aimed to distinguish genetic and hormonal regulators of sex differences in plasma lipid levels.

Approach and Results—

We assessed the role of gonadal hormones and sex chromosome complement on lipid levels using the four core genotypes mouse model (XX females, XX males, XY females, and XY males). In gonadally intact mice fed a chow diet, lipid levels were influenced by both male–female gonadal sex and XX–XY chromosome complement. Gonadectomy of adult mice revealed that the male–female differences are dependent on acute effects of gonadal hormones. In both …

Grunt Variation In The Oyster Toadfish Opsanus Tau: Effect Of Size And Sex, Michael L. Fine, Tyler D. Waybright

Biology Publications

As in insects, frogs and birds, vocal activity in fishes tends to be more developed in males than in females, and sonic swimbladder muscles may be sexually dimorphic, i.e., either larger in males or present only in males. Male oyster toadfish Opsanus tau L produce a long duration, tonal boatwhistle advertisement call, and both sexes grunt, a short duration more pulsatile agonistic call. Sonic muscles are present in both sexes but larger in males. We tested the hypothesis that males would call more than females by inducing grunts in toadfish of various sizes held in a net and determined incidence …

Consequences Of Life History Switch Point Plasticity For Juvenile Morphology And Locomotion In The Túngara Frog, Julie Charbonnier, James R. Vonesh

Biology Publications

Many animals with complex life cycles can cope with environmental uncertainty by altering the timing of life history switch points through plasticity. Pond hydroperiod has important consequences for the fitness of aquatic organisms and many taxa alter the timing of life history switch points in response to habitat desiccation. For example, larval amphibians can metamorphose early to escape drying ponds. Such plasticity may induce variation in size and morphology of juveniles which can result in carry-over effects on jumping performance. To investigate the carry-over effects of metamorphic plasticity to pond drying, we studied the Túngara frog, Physalaemus pustulosus, a …

Identification Of Eastern United States Reticulitermes Termite Species Via Pcr-Rflp, Assessed Using Training And Test Data, Ryan C. Garrick, Benjamin D. Collins, Rachel N. Yi, Rodney J. Dyer, Chaz Hyseni

Biology Publications

Reticulitermes termites play key roles in dead wood decomposition and nutrient cycling in forests. They also damage man-made structures, resulting in considerable economic loss. In the eastern United States, five species (R. flavipes, R. virginicus, R. nelsonae, R. hageni and R. malletei) have overlapping ranges and are difficult to distinguish morphologically. Here we present a molecular tool for species identification. It is based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of a section of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit II gene, followed by a three-enzyme restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay, with banding patterns resolved via agarose gel electrophoresis. The assay …

Pectoral Sound Generation In The Blue Catfish Ictalurus Furcatus, Yasha Mohajer, Zachary Ghahramani, Michael L. Fine

Forensic Science Publications

Catfishes produce pectoral stridulatory sounds by “jerk” movements that rub ridges on the dorsal process against the cleithrum. We recorded sound synchronized with high-speed video to investigate the hypothesis that blue catfish Ictalurus furcatus produce sounds by a slip–stick mechanism, previously described only in invertebrates. Blue catfish produce a variably paced series of sound pulses during abduction sweeps (pulsers) although some individuals (sliders) form longer duration sound units (slides) interspersed with pulses. Typical pulser sounds are evoked by short 1–2 ms movements with a rotation of 2°–3°. Jerks excite sounds that increase in amplitude after motion stops, suggesting constructive interference, …

Mercury Speciation, Retention, And Abundance Of Genes Involved With Mercury Methylation In Fertilized Salt Marsh Sediments, Caroline Collins

Biology Honors Papers

Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant which exists in both aquatic and terrestrial systems in three main forms including elemental Hg, ionic mercury, and methyl mercury, (MeHg), and Hg cycling plays an important role in ecosystems. Great Sippewisset Marsh, (GSM) in Falmouth MA has been chronically treated with fertilizer that contains heavy metals such as Hg in varying concentrations since the early 1970s and provides for an excellent location to study Hg contamination. The overall goal of this study is to analyze the key geochemical and microbial conditions that lead to MeHg production in the presence of the applied fertilizer. …

Changes In Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Startle Responses Due To Stressors Related To Marine Bycatch, Margot Wilsterman

Biology Honors Papers

Marine bycatch is one of the most pressing issues that result from modern industrialized fishing. Scientists do not have good estimates of rates of cryptic mortality, which is the mortality of individuals that are not landed but die from interactions with fishing gear below the water surface. One of the main causes of cryptic mortality is depredation, which occurs after individuals have escaped through fishing equipment and are eaten by predators waiting close behind for an effortless meal. In this study the effects of scale loss, slime loss, and exhaustion on the startle response of zebrafish were examined. These stressors …

2015 Oklahoma Research Day Full Program, Northeastern State University

Oklahoma Research Day Abstracts

This document contains all abstracts from the 2015 Oklahoma Research Day held at Northeastern State University.

A Small Intron Of Drosophila Gamma Carboxylase, Not Predictable In Silico For Mammalian Splicing Machinery, Is Spliced Improperly In Human Cells, Solmaz Moniri Javadhesari, Alireza Zomorodipour, Spideh Valimehr

Turkish Journal of Biology

The splicing of two small introns of 58 and 67 nucleotides (nts) of the Drosophila gamma carboxylase (DγC) in cultured human cells was examined. The two introns are below the minimum size, which was proposed as a requirement for an intron to be spliced in human cells. None of the well-known software examined was able to provide a proper prediction for the DγC intron 1 in a mammalian host. Our in vivo experiments recognized only donor splice sites (not the acceptor site) of the DγC intron 1 by the mammalian cell, which, together with a new splicing acceptor site, generated …

Immunohistochemical Identification Of Aquaporin 2 In The Kidneys Of Wild Boars (Sus Scrofa), Katarzyna Michalek, Ewa Czerniawska-Piatkowska, Marta Grabowska, Maria Laszczynska

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Machilus Thunbergii Extract Inhibits Inflammatory Response Inlipopolysaccharide-Induced Raw264.7 Murine Macrophages Viasuppression Of Nf-$\Kappa$B And P38 Mapk Activation, Shu-Ju Wu, Wen-Bin Len, Chien-Yi Huang, Chian-Jiun Liou, Wen-Chung Huang, Chwan-Fwu Lin

Turkish Journal of Biology

Machilus thunbergii Sieb. and Zucc. (Lauraceae) is a medicinal plant used to treat edema and pain in China and Taiwan. The anti-inflammatory effects of M. thunbergii were not clear. In this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of M. thunbergii extract in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The cells were pretreated with various doses (12.5 μg/mL-100 μg/mL) of M. thunbergii extract and activated with LPS. We found that 25 μg/mL M. thunbergii extract inhibited nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), inducible nitric oxide synthetase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, as well as levels of proinflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor …

Epigallocatechin 3-Gallate Applications On Ht-29 And Mcf-7 Cell Lines Andevaluation Of Tumor Suppressor Gene Methylation, Yunus Kasim Terzi̇, Özge Özer Kaya, Özlem Darcansoy İşeri̇, Zerri̇n Çeli̇k, Feri̇de İffet Şahi̇n

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Redox Gene Expression Of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells In Response To Soft Hydrogel, Fahsai Kantawong, Thasaneeya Kuboki, Satoru Kidoaki

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Eukaryotic Expression, Purification, Identification, And Tissuedistribution Of Porcine Pid1, Xiaoling Chen, Huan Wang, Bo Zhou, Zhiqing Huang, Gang Jia, Guangmang Liu, Hua Zhao

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Mart Gene On Biofilm Production Of Salmonella Typhimurium, Burcu Yener İlçe, Nefi̇se Akçeli̇k

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Improvement Of Seed Germination And In Vitro Propagation Of Bupleurum Latissimum Nakai Through Embryogenesis, Kee Hwa Bae

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Cdk Inhibitors-Induced Ssat Expression Requires Nf?B And Ppar? Inmcf-7 Breast Cancer Cells, Pinar Obakan, Şeyma Yildirim, Mert Burak Öztürk, Özge Berrak, Ajda Çoker Gürkan, Eli̇f Damla Arisan, Zeynep Narçi̇n Ünsal

Turkish Journal of Biology

The cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors purvalanol and roscovitine are therapeutic agents that control cell proliferation through regulating cell-cycle machinery. They also affect polyamine (PA) metabolism, which is activated in malignant tissues. Therefore, PA catabolism became a remarkable target in cancer therapies. Induction of the PA catabolic enzyme spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) is under the control of transcription factors such as NF?B and PPARγ. The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic potential of CDK inhibitors in combination with PAs in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. In order to understand the involvement of PA catabolic enzyme SSAT in this process we …

Identification And Evolutionary Genomics Of Novel Ltr Retrotransposons In Brassica, Faisal Nouroz, Shumaila Noreen, John Seymour Heslop-Harrison

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Discovery Of Dhn3 Variants In Wild Barley (Hordeum Spontaneum) Byhigh-Resolution Melting (Hrm) Technology, Cüneyt Uçarli, Nazaret Poyraz, Ayşe Fi̇li̇z Gürel

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Effects Of A Western-Style Diet High In Cholesterol And Saturated Faton The Rabbit Exocrine Pancreas, María Alba Martínez Burgos, Maria Dolores Yago Torregrosa, Maria Dolores Mesa García, Maria Belen López Millán, Jesús Alcalá Bejarano Carrillo, Ana Rivas Velasco, Ángel Gil Hernández, Mariano Mañas Almendros, Emilio Martínez De Victoria Muñoz

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Squirting Cucumber (Ecballium Elaterium) Fruit Juice Onagrobacterium Tumefaciens-Mediated Transformation Of Plants, Sancar Fati̇h Özcan, Mustafa Yildiz, Hussein Abdullah Ahmed Ahmed, Muhammad Aasim

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Development Of Therapeutic Proteins: Advances And Challenges, Muhammad Sajid Hamid Akash, Kanwal Rehman, Muhammad Tariq, Shuqing Chen

Turkish Journal of Biology

Therapeutic proteins have shown to be effective against a variety of diseases. Pharmaceutical companies are progressively focusing on research using proteins in search of novel effective therapeutics. The significant attention by researchers has resulted in considerable advances in the production and usage of therapeutic proteins in recent years. In the current study we focused on the understanding of therapeutic proteins and their impact on the human health care system. Advancements in the field of biotechnology have increased and facilitated the production of therapeutically significant proteins to combat various fatal diseases. Although protein-based therapeutics have taken center stage in drug discovery …