Biology Commons^™

Appearance Of Membrane Compromised, Viable But Not Culturable And Culturable Rhizobial Cells As A Consequence Of Desiccation, Jan A.C. Vriezen, Frans J. De Bruijn

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

For agricultural purposes, drought related stresses negatively affect the Rhizobiaceae in at least three ways. Firstly, rhizobial populations are affected by desertification of agricultural soils. Secondly, the quality of dry-base inocula, also called formula, is negatively affected by a drying step, and thirdly, rhizosphere bacteria protect crop-plants against drought. Although survival of cultivatable bacteria has been studied intensively in dry-base seed inocula and in-vitro, thus far research has only marginally addressed the bacterial cell, its cellular structures and physiology. Many questions remain regarding the sensing of and physiological response of rhizobia to desiccation. This review will focus on the three …

Environmental Salinity Preference Of Rana Palustris, Stephanie Lee Zilinskis

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Amphibians face many daily challenges in their natural habitats, ranging from escaping predators to finding suitable mates. In addition, they may also find themselves facing anthropogenic challenges, such as crossing busy highways and coping with polluted water. This study focuses on the impacts that water polluted with road salt may have on roadside amphibian populations, utilizing outdoor and laboratory experiments. Both experiments tested water salinity preference for the pickerel frog (Rana palustris), and found that R. palustris did not show preference for either low or high salinity in short-term choice trials. Therefore, it is possible that R. palustris are not …

Akap150 Dynamics In Anterior Pituitary Cells, Kristen E. Dew

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cellular communication occurs as a result of changes in signaling pathways. A well-studied signaling pathway is through G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). In gonadotropes, GPCR stimulation by GnRH leads to the activation of protein kinase A (PKA). Activated PKA can phosphorylate ion channels, potentially causing an influx of calcium, depolarization and secretion of hormones. A scaffolding protein known as AKAP150 anchors PKA near L-type calcium channels. In addition, AKAP150 anchors phosphatases, which provides temporal control during signaling events. It was recently shown that AKAP150 is mobile in neuronal dendrites, providing regulation to where the signaling cascade occurs in the cell. …

Assessing The Use Of Food Waste Biochar As A Biodynamic Plant Fertilizer, Rachel Mazac

Departmental Honors Projects

Biochar is a charcoal-like substance produced from plant material such as food waste. Converting food waste into a useful product would mitigate environmental damage through reduced landfill inputs, reduced greenhouse gas production, and increased benefits to soils. I asked (1) if biochar improved plant growth and (2) if the effects of biochar varied among different samples of mixed food waste (batches) and between different biochar preparation times (treatments). Four independent batches of biochar were prepared with assorted, uncooked food waste collected from a university dining facility. Each batch was dried then placed in a covered ceramic pot at 260℃ for …

Genetic Diversity And Population Structure Of Brassica Oleracea Germplasm In Ireland Using Ssr Markers, Mohamed El-Esawi, Paula Bourke, Renee Malone, Kieran Germaine

Articles

The most economically important Brassica oleracea species is endangered in Ireland, with no prior reported genetic characterization studies. This study assesses the genetic diversity, population structure and relationships of B. oleracea germplasm in Ireland using microsatellite (SSRs) markers. A total of 118 individuals from 25 accessions of Irish B. oleracea were genotyped. The SSR loci used revealed a total of 47 alleles. The observed heterozygosity (0.699) was higher than the expected one (0.417). Moreover, the average values of fixation indices (F) were negative, indicating excess of heterozygotes in all accessions. Polymorphic information content (PIC) values of SSR loci ranged from …

Artemisinin Production By Plant Hairy Root Cultures In Gas- And Liquid-Phase Bioreactors, Nivedita Patra, Ashok K. Srivastava

Articles

Key message

Alternative biotechnological protocol for large-scale artemisinin production was established. It featured enhanced growth and artemisinin production by cultivation of hairy roots in nutrient mist bioreactor (NMB) coupled with novel cultivation strategies.

Artemisinin is used for the treatment of cerebral malaria. Presently, its main source is from seasonal plant Artemisia annua. This study featured investigation of growth and artemisinin production by A. annua hairy roots (induced by Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated genetic transformation of explants) in three bioreactor configurations—bubble column reactor, NMB and modified NMB particularly to establish their suitability for commercial production. It was observed that cultivation of …

Acceleration Of Fermentation In Brewers Yeast, Safraz Bacchus, Laura Harwell

Discovery Day (formerly Post & Beyond)

Domestication of organisms was one of the key strategies

that led to the dominance of humans on the planet. Saccharomyces

cerevisiae, Brewer’s yeast, was one of the first organisms

to be deliberately cultivated and has been used in the

production of alcohol since before written history. S. cerevisiae

can undergo anaerobic fermentation and alcohol is generated

as a byproduct. Currently, various strains of this yeast—

with varying fermentation properties—are used in the

production of beer as part of a multi-billion dollar beer industry.

The goal of this project is to generate a strain of yeast that

has an accelerated fermentation …

Evidence Of Female Sex Pheromones And Characterization Of The Cuticular Lipids Of Unfed, Adult Male Versus Female Blacklegged Ticks, Ixodes Scapularis, Ann L. Carr, Daniel E. Sonenshine, John B. Strider Jr., R. Michael Roe

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Copulation in I. scapularis involves physical contact between the male and female (on or off the host), male mounting the female, insertion/maintenance of the male chelicerae in the female genital pore (initiates spermatophore production), and the transfer of the spermatophore by the male into the female genital pore. Bioassays determined that male mounting behavior/chelicerae insertion required direct contact with the female likely requiring non-volatile chemical cues with no evidence of a female volatile sex pheromone to attract males. Unfed virgin adult females and replete mated adult females elicited the highest rates of male chelicerae insertion with part fed virgin adult …

Local Avian Density Influences Risk Of Mortality From Window Strikes, Ann M. Sabo, Natasha D.G. Hagemeyer, Ally S. Lahey, Eric L. Walters

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Up to a billion birds die per year in North America as a result of striking windows. Both transparent and reflective glass panes are a cause for concern, misleading birds by either acting as invisible, impenetrable barriers to desired resources, or reflecting those resources over a large surface area. A high number of window strikes occur during migration, but little is known about the factors of susceptibility, or whether particular avian taxa are more vulnerable than others. We report on a study of window strikes and mist-netting data at the Virginia Zoological Park (Norfolk, Virginia, USA), conducted in the autumn …

Epigenetic Response To Habitat Change: Changes Variation In Dna Methylation Frequencies And Generational Transmission Vary With Invasion Status, Aaron W. Schrey, Travis R. Robbins, Jacob D. Lee, David W. Dukes, Alexandria K. Ragsdale, Christopher J. Thawley, Tracy Langkilde

Biology: Faculty Publications

Epigenetic mechanisms may be important for a native species’ response to rapid environmental change. Red Imported Fire Ants (Solenopsis invicta Santschi, 1916) were recently introduced to areas occupied by the Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus Bosc & Daudin, 1801). Behavioral, morphological and physiological phenotypes of the Eastern Fence Lizard have changed following invasion, creating a natural biological system to investigate environmentally induced epigenetic changes. We tested for variation in DNA methylation patterns in Eastern Fence Lizard populations associated with different histories of invasion by Red Imported Fire Ants. At methylation sensitive amplified fragment length polymorphism loci, we detected a higher …

Insights From A Convocation: Integrating Discovery-Based Research Into The Undergraduate Curriculum, Sarah C.R. Elgin, Gita Bangera, Sean M. Decatur, Erin L. Dolan, Laura Guertin, Wendy C. Newstetter, Elvyra F. San Juan, Mary A. Smith, Gabriela C. Weaver, Susan R. Wessler, Kerry A. Brenner, Jay B. Labov

Biology Faculty Research

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine organized a convocation in 2015 to explore and elucidate opportunities, barriers, and realities of course-based undergraduate research experiences, known as CUREs, as a potentially integral component of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. This paper summarizes the convocation and resulting report.

Antagonistic Interactions Between Aquatic Turtles And Territorial Sunfish, Tara Jane Snyder

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

When sunfish (Lepomis spp.) breed, parents defend nest sites and are highly aggressive and territorial against conspecifics and other fish and invertebrate species. However, little is known of their possible effects on sympatric turtle species. In this study I examined the relationship between the musk turtle (Sternotherus odoratus), painted turtle (Chrysemys picta), pumpkinseed sunfish (.Lepomis gibbosus), and bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) within Lake Wapalanne, Sandyston, New Jersey. My hypotheses were: presence of musk and painted turtle individuals would diminish within the sunfish nest habitats during the breeding period and would revert back to normal numbers of captures post-sunfish breeding; musk …

Preparation Of A Transferrin-Targeted M13-Based Gene Nanocarrier And Evaluation Of Its Efficacy For Gene Delivery And Expression In Eukaryote Cells, Mohammad Khalajkondori, Mahboobeh Kavoosi, Mohammad Rahmati-Yamchi, Mehdi Kadivar

Turkish Journal of Biology

Bacteriophages are appropriate gene carriers that might be targeted toward target cells using different strategies. Here we prepared a transferrin-targeted M13-based gene nanocarrier (Tf-targeted M13-GFP) and examined its gene delivery and expression efficacy in the AGS cell line. M13 phagemid particles bearing a GFP expression cassette (M13-GFP) were obtained from a recombinant lambda phage through an in vivo excision procedure. Chemical coupling of human holotransferrin molecules (Tf) to the surface of these phagemid particles resulted in Tf-targeted M13-GFP formation, which was then characterized by Phage-ELISA and Cell-ELISA experiments. Immunocytochemistry (ICC) and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis were used for internalization …

Evaluation Of Genotoxic And Cytologic Effects Of Environmental Stressin Wheat Species With Different Ploidy Levels, Sefa Pekol, Mehmet Cengi̇z Baloğlu, Yasemi̇n Çeli̇k Altunoğlu

Turkish Journal of Biology

Drought and salinity induce biochemical, physiological, morphological, and genetic responses in plants. To understand the damage to different wheat species caused by these stresses, we investigated root-shoot growth, cell division, chromosomal aberrations, and nucleolus organizer regions (AgNORs) in root tip cells. Inhibition of root and shoot growth were observed in diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid wheat genotypes after salt and drought stresses. Both stresses had adverse effects on dividing cells in root tips of all wheat species and caused a decrease in mitotic index values. Salt and drought lead to the induction of chromosome aberrations and repression of interphase AgNOR parameters. …

Flavonoid Dynamic Responses To Different Drought Conditions: Amount, Type, And Localization Of Flavonols In Roots And Shoots Of Arabidopsis Thaliana L., Behrokh Shojaie, Akbar Mostajeran, Mustafa Ghanadian

Turkish Journal of Biology

Flavonoids accumulate in plants in response to water deficit. Changes in amount, type, and localization of flavonoids under different drought conditions in Arabidopsis thaliana have not been well investigated. Therefore, in this study flavonoid patterns were investigated under water potentials of -0.2, -0.5, and -0.9 MPa at 0, 24, 48, 120, and 192 h after drought induction. Determination of amount and type of flavonoids was performed by HPLC and spectroscopy. In addition, localization of flavonoids was detected by DPBA staining and a fluorescent microscope. Only quercetin and kaempferol were detected in hydrolyzed extracts of roots and shoots. The maximum amounts …

Modeling Of Prnd Protein From Pseudomonas Fluorescens Rajnb11 And Its Comparative Structural Analysis With Prnd Proteins Expressed In Burkholderia And Serratia, Ram Nageena Singh, Raghvendra Pratap Singh, Anjana Sharma, Anil Kumar Saxena

Turkish Journal of Biology

Pyrrolnitrin is produced by Pseudomonas fluorescens and plays an important role in control of pathogenic fungi. The prnABCD gene cluster codes for enzymes involved in biosynthesis of pyrrolnitrin. Among the four genes, prnD is very important as it codes for arylamine N-oxygenase, the only biochemically characterized oxygenase involved in oxidation of the amino group of aminopyrrolnitrin to a nitro group to form pyrrolnitrin. A strain of Pseudomonas fluorescens RajNB11 efficient for antifungal activity was found to produce pyrrolnitrin. The prnD gene product of P. fluorescens RajNB11 that catalyzes the final step of production of pyrrolnitrin was characterized in the present …

Tracking Coformulated Strains Of The Entomopathogenic Fungi Beauveria Bassiana And Metarhizium Anisopliae Using Scar Markers, Venkata Ravi Sankar Ummidi, Padmaja Vadlamani

Turkish Journal of Biology

This article examines the development of strain-specific sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) molecular markers in two strains of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae, as well as their use for tracking pathogens in coinfected insect pests. The markers were designed based on the polymorphic introns of the large subunit region of the ribosomal DNA. These markers were used to distinguish between two strains of Beauveria (B55 and B51) and two strains of Metarhizium (M20 and M48). The entomopathogenic strains demonstrated synergistic increase in mortality against Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae when infected with the coformulated M. anisopliae strain M20 + B. …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Silver Nanoparticles Integrated In Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanofibers For Bionanotechnological Applications, Gamze Tan, Semran Sağlam, Ezgi̇ Emül, Demet Erdönmez, Necdet Sağlam

Turkish Journal of Biology

Characterization and microbial growth activity of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibers (NFs) produced by an electrospinning technique containing different amounts of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was investigated. AgNPs were synthesized by chemical reduction of silver nitrate (AgNO3) (in different weight ratios) in PVA solution followed by electrospinning to produce PVA/AgNPs NFs. The properties of PVA/AgNPs NFs were studied as a function of the silver content. The morphology and distribution of NFs and AgNPs were characterized by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The size of NFs was 135-160 nm, and the size of AgNPs was 15-27 nm. TEM images clearly showed that spherical …

Cytotoxicity And Antiviral Activity Of Palladium(Ii) And Platinum(Ii) Complexes With 2-(Diphenylphosphino)Benzaldehyde 1-Adamantoylhydrazone, Vera Simic, Stoimir Kolarevic, Ilija Brceski, Dejan Jeremic, Branka Vukovic-Gacic

Turkish Journal of Biology

Metal coordination compounds have an important role in the development of novel drugs. Using the resazurin microtitration assay we assessed the cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of the ligand 2-(diphenylphosphino)benzaldehyde 1-adamantoylhydrazone and its Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes. Cytotoxicity was tested in A549 human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cells. We observed that the ligand displayed a more pronounced cytotoxic activity than the platinum-based drug, carboplatin. Morphological evaluation of A549 cells treated with the ligand by acridine orange and ethidium bromide double staining revealed the presence of signs of apoptosis. Antiviral activity against poliovirus type 1 was assessed by examination of the cytopathic effect …

The Global Transcriptional Response Of A Raw Starch-Degrading Amylolytic Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Strain To Oxygen Limitation And Genetic Modification, Ceyda Kasavi̇, Serpi̇l Eraslan, Ebru Toksoy Öner, Betül Kirdar

Turkish Journal of Biology

This study investigates the global transcriptional response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain WTPB-G, which was developed by transforming laboratory strain FY23 with the pPB-G plasmid expressing the Bacillus subtilis α-amylase and the Aspergillus awamori glucoamylase as a fusion protein. Genome-wide analysis of transcript levels revealed the cellular mechanisms and the related pathways that were affected by the genetic modification, which conferred the ability of starch utilization to wild-type cells by the introduction of a plasmid-harboring gene encoding the amylolytic activity. Fermentations were carried out in media containing glucose as the only carbon source under aerated and microaerated conditions, and the effect …

Metabolomics Of Mammalian And Cellular Models Of Aging, Nathan Gonzales Duval

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aging is often associated with impaired cognition and a progressive loss of organ function over time accompanied by an increased susceptibility for many disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), heart disease, osteoporosis, type II diabetes, and many forms of cancer. With a rapidly aging population, the negative impacts of aging and age-related disorders is a major cause of increased human suffering both for affected individuals and for families and caregivers. Metabolic changes are also apparent in normal aging, but may increase in magnitude or nature with accompanying disease states or with accelerated aging. Thus, studying aging in a …

The Impact Of Oxygen On Bacterial Enteric Pathogens, Nathan Wallace, Ashley N. Zani, Elizabeth A. Abrams, Yvonne Sun

Biology Faculty Publications

Bacterial enteric pathogens are responsible for a tremendous amount of foodborne illnesses every year through the consumption of contaminated food products. During their transit from contaminated food sources to the host gastrointestinal tract, these pathogens are exposed and must adapt to fluctuating oxygen levels to successfully colonize the host and cause diseases. However, the majority of enteric infection research has been conducted under aerobic conditions. To raise awareness of the importance in understanding the impact of oxygen, or lack of oxygen, on enteric pathogenesis, we describe in this review the metabolic and physiological responses of nine bacterial enteric pathogens exposed …

Mitochondrial Genome Of An Atlantic White Shark (Carcharodon Carcharias), Nicholas J. Marra, Minghui Wang, Qi Sun, Paulina D. Pavinski Bitar, Michael J. Stanhope, Mahmood S. Shivji

Biology Faculty Articles

Here we report the first full mitochondrial genome sequence for a white shark caught in the Atlantic Ocean. The mitochondrial genome is 16,745 bp in length and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes, and a non-coding control region. The base composition of this mtDNA lineage is A: 30.7%, C: 26.9%, G: 13.8%, and T: 28.6%. In concordance with previous population genetic studies, the Atlantic caught individual forms a separate lineage from individuals caught on either side of the Pacific Ocean.

The Effects Of Oral Probiotic Supplements On The Human Gut Microbiome, Erin Hudnall

Honors Theses

A diverse bacterial community makes up the human gut microbiome and is essential not only to digestion, but also to other physiological processes. This bacterial community is subject to change due to external factors including, but not limited to, age, diet, and lifestyle. This study observed the effects of oral probiotic supplements on this bacterial community. Fecal samples were collected from a single subject once each week during alternating two- to six-week cycles of taking and abstaining from the probiotic supplement. The samples were purified, the bacterial cells within lysed, and the enclosed DNA was collected. A portion of the …

The Effects Of Red Light On Blue-Light Phototropism In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Alison Michelle Neel

Honors Theses

Red and blue light pathways interact with one another to guide the phototropic growth and development of seedlings. Both roots and hypocotyls experience phototropism. This study aims to describe the effects of red light on blue-light phototropism and to examine the relationship between red and blue light pathways. Two wild-type ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana, germinated either under white light or in darkness, were exposed to different red and blue light conditions and used to examine these relationships. Red light exposure preceding growth under solely blue light was shown to have an inhibitory effect on root lengths, regardless of ecotype or …

The Application Of Rna Interference To Knock Out Groucho Expression In Drosophila S2 Cells, Savannah Mitchell

Honors Theses

The development of a complex nervous system requires the actions of intricate genetic mechanisms that influence and maintain the differentiation of common nervous system progenitor cells into neurons and glial cells. In Drosophila melanogaster, the gene glial cells missing (gcm) encodes the transcription factor Gcm that, when active, causes early nervous system cells to preferentially differentiate into glial cells by activating the reversed polarity (repo) gene, as well as others. However, the Gcm protein also plays a role in the differentiation of both macrophages and tendon cells. This suggests that there are other transcription factors or cofactors that interact with …

Vegetation Effects On Rhizosphere Microbial Communities In Coastal Wetlands Of South Mississippi, Sean Woo Kang

Honors Theses

The Mississippi vegetated coastal wetlands consist of many salt and brackish marshes. In those marshes, there are two plant species Spartina alterniflora and Juncus roemerianus that thrive in those environments. This would not be possible without the benefits of microbial communities that live in the portion of the plant's soil called the rhizosphere. The rhizosphere is crucial for plant nutrition, health, and quality. It supports the biomass and activity of microorganisms for carbon sequestration, ecosystem functioning, and nutrient cycling in natural ecosystems. To investigate the vegetation effects on rhizosphere microbial communities in coastal wetlands, plant samples and their rhizosphere soils …

Females Influence Brain Evolution: Dance Complexity Related To Volume Of A Sensorimotor Region In Manakins, Wilson Helmhout

Honors Theses

Manakins are a family of birds the males of which use acrobatic, non-vocal display behaviors to attract females to mate. Across the manakin family (Pipridae), species perform displays of varying complexities with variation in the number and type of display sites, acrobatics, and number of mechanical sounds. Females of at least one species, select males on the basis of 10s of ms differences in performance of certain male display elements suggesting strong sexually selection. Additionally, recent studies show a positive relationship between display complexity and relative brain weight in manakins. This overall association of complexity with brain weight could be …

Optimizing Rna Extraction From Fungal-Algal Tissues For Transcriptomic Gene Expression Analysis, Michael J. Hohl

Honors Theses

Extracting high-quality RNA is critical for downstream applications such a qRT-PCR and RNA-Seq based transcriptomics. Single-stranded RNA is readily susceptible to degradation by environmental RNases, necessitating rapid and sterile homogenization techniques; freezing at -80°C, lysis buffer addition, and short bursts of beadbeating have been shown to increase yields and quality of extracted RNA. Utilizing fungal-algal tissues from the model symbiosis between the filamentous fungi Aspergillus nidulans and the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, three different commercial homogenizers and six RNA extractions kits were assessed and an optimized extraction protocol for total RNA from fungal-algal tissues was determined. Using the protocol designed …

Hormonal And Social Factors Influencing Alternative Mating Tactic Decisions In Male Green Treefrogs, Hyla Cinerea, Brooks Pratt

Honors Theses

In many anuran species (frogs and toads), males alternate between calling and a non-calling satellite mating tactic. Satellite males characteristically associate with calling males and attempt to intercept females that are attracted to the vocalizations of the calling host male. The prevailing hypothesis is that the decision to adopt a calling or satellite mating tactic is based on relative attractiveness — males are predicted to adopt a satellite mating tactic when the vocalizations of nearby males are more attractive than their own. In support of this hypothesis, previous studies have shown that satellite males can be induced to call by …