Biology Commons^™

Regulation Of Arabidopsis Floral Organ Development By The Transcription Factor Aintegumenta-Like6, Jorman Heflin

Theses and Dissertations

Flowers, and the fruits and seeds they produce, are of great agricultural and economic importance. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that mediate the identity, size and arrangement of floral organs within the flower may allow us to tune these elements for increased crop productivity. I examine several potential regulatory targets of the Arabidopsis AINTEGUMENTA-LIKE6 (AIL6) transcription factor that is involved in these processes and I identify protein-protein interactions that may mediate its activity in flowers. As described by the ABCE model, unique floral organ identities are specified in each whorl of the flower by different combinations of homeotic gene activities. Two …

The Persistent Maladaptation Of Pieris Macdunnoughii: Constraints On Adaptation To An Evolutionary Trap, Rachel A. Steward

Theses and Dissertations

Evolutionary traps arise when organisms use novel, low-quality or even lethal resources based on previously reliable cues. Persistence of such maladaptive interactions depends not only on how individuals locate important resources, such as host plants, but also the mechanisms underlying poor performance. Pieris macdunnoughii (Remington) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) lays eggs on a non-native mustard, Thlaspi arvense (L.) (Brassicaceae), which is lethal to its larvae. However, in the 150 years since T. arvense invaded this butterfly continues to recognize and oviposit on the invasive mustard.

I evaluated two possible constraints on the evolution of decreased preference within an invaded population. First, an …

Adversarial Deep Neural Networks Effectively Remove Nonlinear Batch Effects From Gene-Expression Data, Jonathan Bryan Dayton

Theses and Dissertations

Gene-expression profiling enables researchers to quantify transcription levels in cells, thus providing insight into functional mechanisms of diseases and other biological processes. However, because of the high dimensionality of these data and the sensitivity of measuring equipment, expression data often contains unwanted confounding effects that can skew analysis. For example, collecting data in multiple runs causes nontrivial differences in the data (known as batch effects), known covariates that are not of interest to the study may have strong effects, and there may be large systemic effects when integrating multiple expression datasets. Additionally, many of these confounding effects represent higher-order interactions …

How To Make A Weed: The Saga Of The Slender False Brome Invasion In The North American West And Lessons For The Future, Mitchell B. Cruzan

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Historical herbarium collections and genetic analyses indicate that slender false brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum) was first introduced in test gardens in Oregon in the early 1900 s as part of the USDA’s plant introduction program. A small number of naturalized populations were established, but it was not until several decades later that this alien species became an aggressive invader. The Oregon invasive strains of false brome were generated as a consequence of mating among genetically divergent lineages. The resulting hybrid populations contained high levels of genetic variation that fueled the evolution of specific adaptations to the Pacific Northwest climate and ultimately …

Complex History Of Codiversification And Host Switching Of A Newfound Soricid-Borne Orthohantavirus In North America, Schuyler W. Liphardt, Hae Ji Kang, Laurie J. Dizney, Luis A. Ruedas, Joseph A. Cook, Richard Yanagihara

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Orthohantaviruses are tightly linked to the ecology and evolutionary history of their mammalian hosts. We hypothesized that in regions with dramatic climate shifts throughout the Quaternary, orthohantavirus diversity and evolution are shaped by dynamic host responses to environmental change through processes such as host isolation, host switching, and reassortment. Jemez Springs virus (JMSV), an orthohantavirus harbored by the dusky shrew (Sorex monticola) and five close relatives distributed widely in western North America, was used to test this hypothesis. Total RNAs, extracted from liver or lung tissue from 164 shrews collected from western North America during 1983–2007, were analyzed for orthohantavirus …

Duplications In Corneous Beta Protein Genes And The Evolution Of Gecko Adhesion, Tony Gamble

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Corneous proteins are an important component of the tetrapod integument. Duplication and diversification of keratins and associated proteins are linked with the origin of most novel integumentary structures like mammalian hair, avian feathers, and scutes covering turtle shells. Accordingly, the loss of integumentary structures often coincides with the loss of genes encoding keratin and associated proteins. For example, many hair keratins in dolphins and whales have become pseudogenes. The adhesive setae of geckos and anoles are composed of both intermediate filament keratins (IF-keratins, formerly known as alpha-keratins) and corneous beta‐proteins (CBPs, formerly known as beta-keratins) and recent whole genome assemblies …

Evolution Of The Gekkotan Adhesive System: Does Digit Anatomy Point To One Or More Origins?, Anthony P. Russell, Tony Gamble

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Recently-developed, molecularly-based phylogenies of geckos have provided the basis for reassessing the number of times adhesive toe-pads have arisen within the Gekkota. At present both a single origin and multiple origin hypotheses prevail, each of which has consequences that relate to explanations about digit form and evolutionary transitions underlying the enormous variation in adhesive toe pad structure among extant, limbed geckos (pygopods lack pertinent features). These competing hypotheses result from mapping the distribution of toe pads onto a phylogenetic framework employing the simple binary expedient of whether such toe pads are present or absent. It is evident, however, that adhesive …

Effects Of Dry‐Season Irrigation On Leaf Physiology And Biomass Allocation In Tropical Lianas And Trees, Chris M. Smith-Martin, Carolina L. Bastos

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Lianas are more abundant in seasonal forests than in wetter forests and are thought to perform better than trees when light is abundant and water is limited. We tested the hypothesis that lianas perform better than trees during seasonal drought using a common garden experiment with 12 taxonomically diverse species (six liana and six tree species) in 12 replicated plots. We irrigated six of the plots during the dry season for four years, while the remaining six control plots received only ambient rainfall. In year 5, we measured stem diameters for all individuals and harvested above‐ and belowground biomass for …

Moving Beyond Noninformative Priors: Why And How To Choose Weakly Informative Priors In Bayesian Analyses, Nathan P. Lemoine

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Throughout the last two decades, Bayesian statistical methods have proliferated throughout ecology and evolution. Numerous previous references established both philosophical and computational guidelines for implementing Bayesian methods. However, protocols for incorporating prior information, the defining characteristic of Bayesian philosophy, are nearly nonexistent in the ecological literature. Here, I hope to encourage the use of weakly informative priors in ecology and evolution by providing a ‘consumer's guide’ to weakly informative priors. The first section outlines three reasons why ecologists should abandon noninformative priors: 1) common flat priors are not always noninformative, 2) noninformative priors provide the same result as simpler frequentist …

School Of Biological Sciences News, 2019, School Of Biological Sciences

School of Biological Sciences News

Alumni newsletter of Illinois State University's School of Biological Sciences.

Foundations Of Biology Lab Manual (Georgia Highlands College), Jacqueline Belwood, Brandy Rogers, Jason Christian

Biological Sciences Open Textbooks

This revision of the Georgia Highlands College Laboratory Manual for Foundations of Biology was made possible through a Round Twelve ALG Mini-Grant for Ancillary Materials and Revisions. Lab exercises include:

• The Scientific Method
• Organic Molecules
• Microscopy
• Cell Structure & Function
• Enzyme Function
• Cellular Respiration and Exercise
• Isolation of Photosynthetic Pigments
• DNA Extraction from Strawberries
• Gel Electrophoresis, Restriction Enzymes Fingerprinting
• Mitosis & Meiosis

Species Composition Influences Soil Nutrient Depletion And Plantphysiology In Prairie Agroenergy Feedstocks, Mark E. Sherrard, Kenneth Elgersma, Jordan M.A. Koos, Catherine M. Kokemuller, Hannah E. Dietz, Alec J. Glidden, Christina M. Carr, Cynthia A. Cambardella

Faculty Work

High-diversity mixtures of perennial tallgrass prairie vegetation could be useful biomass feed-stocks for marginal farmland in the Midwestern United States. These agroenergy crops can help meet cel-lulosic agrofuel targets while also enhancing other ecosystem services on the landscape. One proposedadvantage of high-diversity prairie biomass feedstocks is that they should become nutrient limited at aslower rate than monoculture feedstocks. In this study, we examine rates of soil nutrient depletion and thephysiology and performance of a focal species (switchgrass,Panicum virgatumL.) in four prairie agroen-ergy feedstocks with different species composition and diversity. The feedstocks in this study were a1-species switchgrass monoculture, a 5-species …

Getting To The Root Of Selenium Hyperaccumulation—Localization And Speciation Of Root Selenium And Its Effects On Nematodes, Christine N. Prins, Laura J. Hantzis, Jose R. Valdez Barillas, Jennifer J. Cappa, Sirine C. Fakra, Cecilia Milano De Tomasel, Diana H. Wall, Elizabeth A. H. Pilon-Smits

Biology Faculty Publications (Archived)

Elemental hyperaccumulation protects plants from many aboveground herbivores. Little is known about effects of hyperaccumulation on belowground herbivores or their ecological interactions. To examine effects of plant selenium (Se) hyperaccumulation on nematode root herbivory, we investigated spatial distribution and speciation of Se in hyperaccumulator roots using X-ray microprobe analysis, and effects of root Se concentration on root-associated nematode communities. Perennial hyperaccumulators Stanleya pinnata and Astragalus bisulcatus, collected from a natural seleniferous grassland contained 100–1500 mg Se kg−1 root dry weight (DW). Selenium was concentrated in the cortex and epidermis of hyperaccumulator roots, with lower levels in the stele. The …

Inbreeding Alters Context‐Dependent Reproductive Effort And Immunity In Male Crickets, Kristin R. Duffield, Kylie J. Hampton, Thomas M. Houslay, John Hunt, Ben Sadd, Scott K. Sakaluk

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Infection can cause hosts to drastically alter their investment in key life‐history traits of reproduction and defence. Infected individuals are expected to increase investment in defence (e.g., by increasing immune function) and, due to trade‐offs, investment in other traits (e.g., current reproduction) should decrease. However, the terminal investment hypothesis postulates that decreased lifespan due to infection and the associated reduction in the expectation for future offspring will favour increased investment towards current reproduction. Variation in intrinsic condition will likely influence shifts in reproductive investment post‐infection, but this is often not considered in such assessments. For example, the extent of inbreeding …

In Hot Water: Thermal Acclimation Is Insufficient To Save Corals In The Anthropocene, Harmony Alise Martell

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Scleractinian corals are animal partners in exquisite symbioses with a suite of algal, microbial, fungal and viral associates comprising miniature ecosystems collectively referred to as a holobiont. In recent decades, ocean warming has jeopardized the delicate balance of the very symbioses that have enabled coral survival. Thermal stress causes a reduction of algal symbionts, a phenomenon referred to as ‘coral bleaching’ that represents dysbiosis in the holobiont and often leads to mortality. Current thermal acclimation theory states variation and gradual increases in temperature can ameliorate thermal stress. Indeed, there is evidence some coral species have some capacity to acclimatize to …

Persistence Of A Geographically-Stable Hybrid Zone In Puerto Rican Dwarf Geckos, Brendan J. Pinto, James Titus-Mcquillan, Juan D. Daza, Tony Gamble

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Determining the mechanisms that create and maintain biodiversity is a central question in ecology and evolution. Speciation is the process that creates biodiversity. Speciation is mediated by incompatibilities that lead to reproductive isolation between divergent populations and these incompatibilities can be observed in hybrid zones. Gecko lizards are a speciose clade possessing an impressive diversity of behavioral and morphological traits. In geckos, however, our understanding of the speciation process is negligible. To address this gap, we used genetic sequence data (both mitochondrial and nuclear markers) to revisit a putative hybrid zone between Sphaerodactylus nicholsi and Sphaerodactylus townsendi in Puerto Rico, …

Targeting The Pin Domain Of Type Ii Toxins Is A Novel Approach To Treat Infections Caused By Nontypeable Haemophilus Influenzae, Ashley Lynne Molinaro

Biomedical Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) gene pairs have been identified in nearly all bacterial genomes sequenced to date and are thought to facilitate persistence and antibiotic tolerance. TA loci are classified into various types based upon the characteristics of their antitoxins, with those in type II expressing proteic antitoxins. Many toxins from type II modules are ribonucleases that maintain a PilT N-terminus (PIN) domain containing conserved amino acids considered essential for activity. The vapBC (virulence associated protein) TA system is the largest subfamily in this class and has been linked to pathogenesis of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi). This dissertation presents three studies investigating …

Why Nature Matters: Seventh-Day Adventist Education In The Anthropocene, Daniel Gonzalez-Socoloske

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Variability And Average Parameters Of Fiber Output In Plants Of F1 Flottings And Parental Forms Against The Background Of Artificial Infection Of Aps, А.А. Аzimov, A.A. Narimanov

Bulletin of Gulistan State University

The article presents the results of assessing the occupancy rate of aphids of unstable cotton varieties and relatively stable introgressive lines obtained by interspecific hybridization. It was revealed that the occupancy of aphids did not have a noticeable negative effect on the range of variability and average fiber yield of parental forms, reciprocal hybrids of the first generation.

Different Cryptophites Of The Ahangaran Basin And Their Modern Environmental Condition, I.T. Azimov, F. Saydamatov, H. Toshpulatova

Bulletin of Gulistan State University

This article is devoted to a brief description of the vegetation cover of the Akhangaran river basin and provides information on the widespread types of cryptophytes. The article gives the species composition and phytocenology of cryptophytes, the laws of distribution, the ecological state and the factors influencing them.

Comparative Analysis Of Phytoparositic Nematode Of Grain Crops And Wild-Growing Certains In The Conditions Of Uzbekistan, A.Sh. Xurramov

Bulletin of Gulistan State University

The article comparatively analyzes the complexes of phytoparasitic nematodes of wheat and wild-growing cereals. As a result of the study, 20 species were found on wheat agrocenoses, and 14 species of phytoparasitic nematodes were found on wild plants. Common to the studied cultures were 13 species of phytoparasitic nematodes.

Some Bioecological Characteristics Of Inula Helenium L., T.U. Rakhimova, N.U. Kuchkarov

Bulletin of Gulistan State University

The article provides data on the study of the biological features of the species Inula helenium L. (Asteraceae). The same data on the water regime - water holding capacity, moisture content, osmotic pressure of plants. Which characterize their resistance to drought. The scientific material on the cultivation of this culture is given.

Unraveling The Neurogenin/Ngn-1 Gene Regulatory Network Of C. Elegans Using Classical Genetics And Comparative Transcriptomics, Elyse Christensen

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Proper nervous system development is required for an organism’s survival and function. Defects in neurogenesis have been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders. Understanding the gene regulatory networks that orchestrate neural development, specifically cascades of proneural transcription factors, can better elucidate which genes are most essential in governing early neurogenesis. Neurogenins are a family of such factors that are both sufficient and necessary for the development of neural sub-types in mice, primarily through the regulation of other factors, particularly NeuroD. The objective of this study was to evaluate previously established regulatory targets of neurogenin(ngn-1 …

Neural Development To Neurodegeneration Through The Mind Of A Worm, Miranda Arnold

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Defects in the nervous system can impact the normal function of an organism. By examining mutations during neuronal development, we can better understand the significance of specific pathways. The EphR/ephrin pathway is crucial for axonal guidance during development. The simple organism, C. elegans, allow us to study the impact of EphR/ephrin genes on neuronal morphology, synapse connections, and basic behavior. In specific EphR/ephrin mutants, we see change in morphology and loss of synapses in a thermosensory and also a chemosensory circuit. These mutations can also lead to defects in food searching behaviors. These observations lead us to conclude that …

Molecular Detection Of Pathogenic Leptospira Throughout The Caribbean, Zamara R. Garcia Truitt

Biology Theses

Leptospirosis is a common widespread zoonotic disease found throughout the Caribbean. The infection is produced by a pathogenic Leptospira species found in tropical and subtropical regions. The severity of the disease ranges from a mild asymptomatic infection to death. Leptospirosis is a neglected tropical disease due to the lack of public awareness and health approaches. Therefore, misdiagnosis is common because the symptoms are similar to that of other tropical endemic diseases. The aim of the study was to determine the presence of pathogenic Leptospira in water samples collected from Puerto Rico and Trinidad. Sixty-four environmental water samples were collected throughout …

Development And Formation Of Phytoplankton Akdarya Reservoir (Zarafshan River Basin, Uzbekistan), Sh. Shernazarov, Y. Tashpulatov

Scientific Journal of Samarkand University

The development, distribution and formation of phytoplankton in reservoirs depends on the complex effects of environmental factors. In the phytoplankton of the Akdarya reservoir, 71 species and species are identified, which belong to 4 divisions (Cyanophyta, Bacillariophyta, Xantophyta, Chlorophyta). Phytoplankton is very abundant in the autumn period of the year, at this time there are 32 species and varieties, they are 42.25%. In the winter period of the year, the smallest indicator was 2 types (2.81%). In the remaining periods of the year, intermediate indicators were observed (in the spring of 23 species, 32.39%, in the summer of 25 species, …

Medical Plants Of Uzbekistan: Their Past, Present And Future, I. Michiho, О. Khojimatov

Scientific Journal of Samarkand University

This article briefly provides information on the flora of Uzbekistan and its potential in terms of the presence of wild medicinal plants that are of interest both from a scientific and practical point of view. The role of specialists of the Institute of Botany of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which conducted their studies under the guidance of Professor Khojimatov K.Kh., who contributed to the development of botanical resource research, as well as the creation and introduction of natural medicines, food colors, non-alcoholic soft and alcoholic beverages on the basis of essential oil and medicinal wild …

A Comparison Of Driving Versus Walking Roadkill Surveys On A Section Of Highway 212 In Baldwin County, Georgia, Kori Ogletree

Biology Theses

Due to wildlife mortality along roadways, wildlife managers need an efficient and effective way of surveying and identifying roadkill hotspots—locations that have high wildlife mortality rates. The number of roadkill in hotspots is influenced by animal movements in response to seasonal temperature changes, daily activity, surrounding habitat, road topography and physical road features. Due to ease of implementation and time constraints, driving surveys are more common because walking surveys are more labor intensive and time consuming. From February 2018 to February 2019, two survey methods, driving and walking, were used to monitor a 1.16 km section of Highway 212 in …

The Distribution And Biogeochemistry Of Subtropical Intertidal Microbial Mats, Bert D. Anderson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Microbial mats have played an important role in the carbon (C) and nutrient cycles since the Archean Eon and modern mats are important contributors to the biogeochemistry of intertidal wetlands. Microbial mats are flat assemblages of microbes that are currently found in many unvegetated habitats globally. Intertidal salt pans are a common habitat for microbial mats, however little is known about the distribution of microbial mats within the intertidal landscape. Understanding the spatial distribution of microbial mats is critical to developing quantitative estimates of the impacts of microbial mats on their ecosystems. We photographically measured the presence and density of …

Coral Reef Change Detection In Remote Pacific Islands Using Support Vector Machine Classifiers, Justin J. Gapper, Hesham El-Askary, Erik Linstead, Thomas Piechota

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Despite the abundance of research on coral reef change detection, few studies have been conducted to assess the spatial generalization principles of a live coral cover classifier trained using remote sensing data from multiple locations. The aim of this study is to develop a machine learning classifier for coral dominated benthic cover-type class (CDBCTC) based on ground truth observations and Landsat images, evaluate the performance of this classifier when tested against new data, then deploy the classifier to perform CDBCTC change analysis of multiple locations. The proposed framework includes image calibration, support vector machine (SVM) training and tuning, statistical assessment …