Biology Commons^™

Antimicrobial Properties Of An Unknown Microorganism Isolated From The Local Environment, Danielle Duryea

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Bacterial species that cause disease can usually be combatted with antibiotics; but as the years pass, more and more bacterial pathogens are becoming resistant to these treatments. In fact, the Center for Disease Control has identified eighteen classes of bacteria ranging from urgent to concerning threats due antibiotic resistance (2019), warning the advance of an antibiotic resistance crisis in which untreatable bacterial infections will become a leading cause of death (Bennadi, 2014). The Small World Initiative is a program created in 2012 at Yale University to address the antibiotic crisis through a crowdsourcing effort where undergraduate students are encouraged to …

Regenerative Medicine Therapy: Adipose Derived Extracellular Vesicles In Viral Myocarditis, David Gorelov, Damian N. Di Florio, Gary R. Salomon, Angita Jain, Nick E. Saikaili, Danielle J. Beetler, Swikriti Shrestha, Ming Tian, Joy Wolfram Phd, Delisa Fairweather Phd, Katelyn Bruno Phd, Judith D. Ochrietor Phd

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Objective: Myocarditis, inflammation of the heart muscle, is an autoimmune heart disease that can be caused by viruses, bacteria and toxins. Myocarditis can lead to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and heart failure. Currently there are no disease-specific therapies for treating myocarditis or preventing progression to DCM. Adipose Extracellular Vesicles (AEVs) are lipid bilayer nanoparticles that are released into the outside environment of adipocytes and provide promising regenerative potential for inflammatory diseases like myocarditis.

Methods: Lipoaspirate was obtained from women and men and AEVs isolated from the lipoaspirate using tangential flow filtration. We injected wild type male BALB/c mice with 250uL AEVs …

What Do Alligators Eat On Golf Courses?, Eli R. Beal, Adam E. Rosenblatt

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Urbanization is an ever-increasing threat to wildlife and their natural habitats, yet research has been limited to a small number of taxa and very few large predator species. The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is an apex predator across the southeast U.S. and has surprisingly received minimal attention within urban areas. To investigate the potential effects of land development on alligator trophic ecology, we performed gut content analysis on golf course alligators found on Jekyll Island, Georgia. We then made comparisons with alligators found in more natural areas on Sapelo Island, Georgia. In total, we collected stomach content samples from 25 …

Photosynthetic Responses To Climate Warming Differ Among Forest Plant Species In A Temperate--Subtropical Forest Ecotone, Eve Gray, Jeff Chieppa, Michael Aspinwall

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Temperatures in Florida are expected to increase ~5°C by 2100. North Florida will shift from a temperate/subtropical climate to a tropical climate within 30 years which could alter the forest composition and productivity. We conducted a field experiment using warming chambers to determine how warming impacts the physiological performance of four species in North Florida: Serenoa repens (saw palmetto), Andropogon glomeratus (bushy bluestem), Pinus palustris (longleaf pine), and Quercus laevis (turkey oak). Over one year we measured rates of leaf net photosynthesis (A) and stomatal conductance to water vapor (gs) on seedlings of each species under ambient and warmed treatments. …

The Synergistic Effect Of Radiation And Inhibition Of Spak/Osr1 In The Reduction Of Cell Proliferation And Clonogenic Potential In Patient-Derived Gbm Cells In Vitro, Matea Spahiu, Paola Suarez-Meade, Paula Schiapparelli, Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive brain tumor in adults. Cell invasion, migration and proliferation into the heathy brain parenchyma it’s one of the most important challenges in the treatment of this deadly tumor. One potential mechanism that GBM cells can utilize to enhance cell migration and evade pro-apoptotic signals is the tight regulation of cell volume by the STE20/SPS1-Related Proline-Alanine-Rich Protein Kinase (SPAK) and (Oxidative Stress Responsive Kinase 1) OSR1 kinases. Dynamic changes in cell volume can be used by GBM cells to disseminate through the narrow perivascular spaces of the brain. In addition, cancer cells could counteract pro-apoptotic …

Manipulation Of Cellular Machinery To Produce Anti-Cancer Drugs, Garrett Deletti, Sajan Green, Caleb Weber, Amy Lane

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

The nocardioazine natural products are uniquely prenylated and methylated indole alkaloid diketopiperazines (DKPs) that reverse drug resistance of cancer cell lines. We unveiled the nocardioazine biosynthetic pathway from a marine actinomycete, demonstrating that a cyclodipeptide synthase catalyzes cyclo(L-Trp-L-Trp) DKP precursor formation followed by tailoring of this DKP via a novel racemase, prenyltransferase, and methyltransferase to yield nocardioazine B. These results highlight the aptitude of bacteria for chemical synthesis and offer new enzymatic tools for crafting complex organic molecules.

Saffron (Crocus Sativus) Extract Has Anticancer Activity Through Inhibition Of Migration And Invasion Potential Of Breast Cancer Cells, Janelle Mecias, Meaghan Mcdonald, Savannah Bradley, Albina Mikhaylova, Phd, Fatima Rehman Phd

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Introduction: Saffron is a spice which has been used throughout history for various therapeutic properties. Recently, it has also been documented to have significant anticancer effect on primary tumors. However, limited studies are found studying its effect on metastatic potential of cancers. The goal of our study was to explore the effect of saffron on migration and metastatic potential of breast cancer cells.

Methods: MDA468 breast carcinoma cells were treated with varying concentrations of Saffron and examined using Q-phase holographic time-lapse microscopy to measure the movement of cells over time. The anticancer activity of Saffron was confirmed using cell viability …

Changes In Colony Morphology And Antibiotic Resistance In Response To In Vitro Exposure Of Klebsiella Pneumoniae To The Antibiotic Cephalothin, Montserrat Roberts, Fjona Dulli, Sean Dorenkott, Olivia Wright, Terry N. Ellis

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a gram-negative nosocomial pathogen and causative agent of many hospital acquired infections. K. pneumoniae infections have become increasingly of interest due to the rise of hypervirulent variants and multidrug resistant strains. Modeling how antibiotic resistance evolves in K. pneumoniae will allow us to better understand exactly how the bacterium acquires resistance to various antibiotics. A previous experiment in our lab exposed a strain of K. pneumoniae to low but increasing concentrations of the antibiotic cephalothin. As a result, the strain evolved to be mucoid with elongated cellular morphology and resistant to multiple antibiotics. This study aimed to …

Genetic Variation In Stomatal Density And Nighttime Stomatal Conductance In Switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum): Climate And Trait Associations, Presley Giresi, Michael Aspinwall

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a perennial C4 plant with a wide geographic distribution. Although switchgrass is widely distributed, deviations in morphological and physiological traits can occur as an adaptation response to the unique climate and habitat in which it is found. Variation in abaxial (lower) and adaxial (upper) stomatal density and size could result in different rates of leaf water loss and evaporative cooling. The purpose of this study was to determine genetic implications affecting nighttime stomatal conductance (gsn). We measured rates of nighttime and daytime gas-exchange, as well as stomatal size and density during early-, mid-, and late-summer. We …

Determining Glioblastoma Proteome Changes In Response To Lateral Ventricle Neural Stem Cells, Lauren Whaley, Emily S. Norton, Natanael Zarco, Hugo Guerrero-Cazares

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and malignant primary tumor in adults. When GBM tumors are located close to the lateral ventricle they display a more aggressive recurrence pattern and negatively impact patient survival. These findings suggest the involvement of the subventricular zone neurogenic niche in GBM malignancy. To define the inter-cellular communication between neural stem cells and GBM cells, we optimized a tool to determine cell-specific proteomic changes of GBM cells in response to neural stem cell proximity.

We cloned the mutated methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) gene into the lentiviral plasmid MetRS puro. MetRS allows for incorporation of azide-tagged methionine …

Dietary And Body Mass Thresholds For Reproduction In Grasshoppers, Sarah Morningstar, Victoriya Maslikova, Brooke Reams, C. A. Short, Victor Mashanov, Ali Jihan-Mihan, Daniel Hahn, John Hatle

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

An organism’s dietary protein should match its respective dietary needs to yield the most advantageous effects; an extended lifespan and increased reproductive output. The key challenge however, is how to tailor a specific diet to an organism’s individual needs. Applying the technique of Piper et. al, we can approximate the optimal diet of the lubber grasshopper, Romalea microptera, by using the AA profile of vitellogenin (Vg), the precursor to egg yolk protein. The lubber grasshopper, Romalea microptera, was selected because of its plasticity in reproductive responsiveness in response to diet quality and quantity. Each of the organisms were fed 1g …

Expanding The Known Ranges Of The Phreatic Snails (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Cochliopidae) Of Texas, Usa, Dominique Alvear, Peter H. Diaz, J. Randy Gibson, Benjamin T. Hutchins, Benjamin Schwartz, Kathryn E. Perez

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

The Edwards-Trinity Aquifer System of Texas, USA, one of the world’s most ecologically diverse groundwater systems, contains 14 species (across seven genera) of small, poorly studied freshwater snails. Their underground habitat and microscopic size make them difficult to study and identify. Most published records are from original species descriptions, and some have not been seen since they were described more than 100 years ago. Here we use ~150 new collections, including spring and hyporheic zone sampling from across the Texas portions of the Edwards-Trinity Aquifer System, to update the ranges of these species. Two species were very uncommon, if encountered …

Combined Opportunistic And Equilibrium Life-History Traits Facilitate Successful Invasions Of The Shimofuri Goby (Tridentiger Bifasciatus), Jiao Qin, Miao Xiang, Meixiang Jia, Fei Cheng, Bjorn V. Schmidt, Jian Liu, Songguang Xie

Faculty Publications

The life-history traits of a non-native population of Shimofuri goby (Tridentiger bifasciatus) were investigated in Nansi Lake, which is a storage lake on the East Route of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project, China. The results were analyzed in combination with data from other non-native populations of this species to reveal the life-history traits that caused its successful invasions. Mature gonads in April and May suggest that the species spawns in this period, and cohort tracking and age analysis revealed that individuals had a one-year lifespan. The relative fecundity was 2,825 ± 614 eggs/g. A short lifespan and high fecundity are …

Shinylearner: A Containerized Benchmarking Tool For Machine-Learning Classification Of Tabular Data, Stephen Piccolo, Terry J. Lee, Erica Suh, Kimball Hill

Faculty Publications

Background: Classification algorithms assign observations to groups based on patterns in data. The machine-learning community have developed myriad classification algorithms, which are used in diverse life science research domains. Algorithm choice can affect classification accuracy dramatically, so it is crucial that researchers optimize the choice of which algorithm(s) to apply in a given research domain on the basis of empirical evidence. In benchmark studies, multiple algorithms are applied to multiple datasets, and the researcher examines overall trends. In addition, the researcher may evaluate multiple hyperparameter combinations for each algorithm and use feature selection to reduce data dimensionality. Although software implementations …

Validation Of A Lysis Buffer Containing 4 M Guanidinium Thiocyanate (Gitc)/ Triton X-100 For Extraction Of Sars-Cov-2 Rna For Covid-19 Testing: Comparison Of Formulated Lysis Buffers Containing 4 To 6 M Gitc, Roche External Lysis Buffer And Qiagen Rtl Lysis Buffer, Martina F. Scallan, Catherine Dempsey, John Mcsharry, Isabelle O'Callaghan, Paula M. O'Connor, Conor P. Horgan, Edel Durack, Paul D. Cotter, Sarah Hudson, Humphrey A. Moynihan, Brigid Lucey

Dept. of Biological Sciences Preprints

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in increased need for diagnostic testing using reverse transcriptase real-time PCR (RT-PCR). An exponential increase in demand has resulted in a shortage of numerous reagents in particular those associated with the lysis buffer required to extract the viral RNA. Herein, we describe a rapid collective effort by hospital laboratory scientists, academic researchers and the biopharma industry to generate a validated lysis buffer. We have formulated a 4M Guanidinium thiocyanate (GITC)/ Triton X-100 Lysis buffer which provides comparable results with the recommended reagents. This buffer will ease the burden on hospital labs in their heroic efforts …

Microbial Lag Phase Can Be Indicative Of, Or Independent From, Cellular Stress, Philip G. Hamill, Andrew Stevenson, Phillip E. Mcmullan, James P. Williams, Abiann D. R. Lewis, Sudharsan S., Kath E. Stevenson, Keith D. Farnsworth, Galina Khroustalyova, Jon Y. Takemoto, John P. Quinn, Alexander Rapoport, John E. Hallsworth

Biology Faculty Publications

Measures of microbial growth, used as indicators of cellular stress, are sometimes quantified at a single time-point. In reality, these measurements are compound representations of length of lag, exponential growth-rate, and other factors. Here, we investigate whether length of lag phase can act as a proxy for stress, using a number of model systems (Aspergillus penicillioides; Bacillus subtilis; Escherichia coli; Eurotium amstelodami, E. echinulatum, E. halophilicum, and E. repens; Mrakia frigida; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Xerochrysium xerophilum; Xeromyces bisporus) exposed to mechanistically distinct types of cellular stress including low water activity, …

Applications Of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles For Conducting Mesocarnivore And Breeding Waterfowl Surveys In Southern Manitoba, Jacob Bushaw

LSU Master's Theses

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are becoming an increasingly important tool for wildlife surveys and equipping UAVs with thermal imaging cameras could make these surveys even more effective. In my thesis I examined the feasibility of using a UAV equipped with a thermal imaging camera to conduct mesocarnivore surveys, search for duck nests built over water, and conduct duck brood surveys in southern Manitoba.

For my first objective, I conducted nighttime mesocarnivore surveys with the UAV and thermal camera. I used a modified point-count survey from six waypoints and surveyed 29.5 ha in each replicate. I conducted a total of 200 …

Methylxanthines Inhibit Primary Amine Oxidase And Monoamine Oxidase Activities Of Human Adipose Tissue, Wiem Haj Ahmed, CéCile Peiro, Jessica Fontaine, Barry J. Ryan, Gemma K. Kinsella, Jeff O’Sullivan, Jean-Louis Grolleau, Gary T.M. Henehan, Christian CarpéNé

Articles

Abstract: Background: Methylxanthines including caffeine and theobromine are widely consumed compounds and were recently shown to interact with bovine copper-containing amine oxidase. To the best of our knowledge, no direct demonstration of any interplay between these phytochemicals and human primary amine oxidase (PrAO) has been reported to date. We took advantage of the coexistence of PrAO and monoamine oxidase (MAO) activities in human subcutaneous adipose tissue (hScAT) to test the interaction between several methylxanthines and these enzymes, which are involved in many key pathophysiological processes. Methods: Benzylamine, methylamine, and tyramine were used as substrates for PrAO and MAO in homogenates …

Exploring Soil Texture Effects On Mustard Seed Meal Suppression Of The Weed Velvetleaf, Daheun Danielle Harning

Honors Theses

The use of mustard seed meal (MSM) as a biofumigant in managing weeds in agricultural settings has been well documented. Previous work with MSM has shown that soils with a higher sand content were better at weed suppression than soils with lower amounts of sand. It was hypothesized that the elevated sand content created more air space for volatile inhibitory compounds to diffuse and inhibit seed germination and growth. Although initial results from bioassays systematically testing the comparison of 5 differing levels of sand showed support for this hypothesis, further testing with micron-sized glass beads showed that loss of airspace …

Organic Media Growth For Park Management Organizations, Brian Schatteman '20

Evolution, Biodiversity, and Ecology

No abstract provided.

Conservation, Rhiannon Davids '20, Allia Lin '20

Evolution, Biodiversity, and Ecology

No abstract provided.

Alternative Reproductive Tactics In Lake Michigan Populations Of Invasive Round Goby (Neogobius Melanostomus): How Fish Increase Fitness By Doing Less, Alex Florian

Student Scholars Day Posters

Understanding the reproductive biology of invasive species is an important step in managing populations. Yet little is known about the reproductive strategies of invasive round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) in Lake Michigan. Fertilization in round goby occurs externally in nests guarded by “paternal” males. However, some males pursue alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs), where males sneak into a larger male’s nest and fertilize a portion of the eggs. We investigated how the proportion of round goby ARTs varies between sites. We caught 264 fish from 4 drowned-river lakes along Lake Michigan. We measured their color, morphology, and gonad traits to …

Comparison Of Branching Allometry Between Ginkgo Biloba And Several Native Michigan Trees, Collin Fox, Noah Holkeboer

Student Scholars Day Posters

Ginkgo biloba is the only extant species of the gymnospermous order Ginkgoales. Like angiosperms, ginkgo is deciduous with broad leaves and vessel tubes. However, unlike angiosperms, ginkgo possesses a long-shoot x short-shoot branching system, the latter producing most of the leaves, and open-dichotomous leaf venation. Given that branching reflects optimization of photosynthetic capture through structural support and hydraulic efficiency, we compared the degree to which these functions were optimized for ginkgo relative to three native species. DBH, neighbor density and size were measured in field and branch dimensions were measured from photographs and analyzed per Murray’s Law for hydraulic optimization …

Love It Or List It: Enclosure Alterations Affect Behavior Of Canada Lynx At John Ball Zoo, Hailee Cederquist, Chelsea Clark

Student Scholars Day Posters

Environmental variables influence animal behavior, and routines of captive animals often alter when individuals are moved between zoos, their social group changed, or enclosure altered. In 2018, two Canada lynx were introduced to John Ball Zoo, then their exhibit subsequently modified in 2019. We used scan sampling with ZooMonitor to quantify behaviors and enclosure use of individuals every 30 sec in 30 minute bouts of sampling, comparing patterns in 2018 and 2019. Both cats used inconspicuous resting sites extensively, but the specific sites changed from 2018 to 2019. The male’s daily activities changed little, incorporating the same locomotion paths both …

Linking Co2-Flux With Tundra Vegetation, Mackenzie Lift

Student Scholars Day Posters

The Arctic climate is rapidly changing and perhaps the most impactful ecosystem change is the shifting balance between photosynthesis and respiration towards respiration. Here we correlated CO2-flux data generated from experimentally warmed and control plots established by the International Tundra Experiment (ITEX) at the dry heath tundra in Utqiaġvik, AK with several abiotic and vegetation measurements conducted on the same plots. We found significant correlations between the vegetation and CO2-flux measurements. Linking the change of CO2-flux to the changes in tundra vegetation will provide a deeper understanding of the impacts of climate change on the Arctic and allow for more …

The Effects Of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid And Imidacloprid On The Abundance And Diversity Of Eastern Hemlock Ectomycorrhizae, Jessica Avalos

Student Scholars Day Posters

Invasive insects like hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) may compromise belowground functionality of infested hosts. Studies show that HWA affects belowground functionality of hemlocks by reducing ectomycorrhizal fungal associations (ECM). ECM benefit hemlock hosts by expanding the root system and increasing resource uptake. Defoliation from HWA herbivory halts photosynthate production, reducing ECM food supplies. To combat this, forest managers treat with the insecticide imidacloprid. Limited research exists on how imidacloprid may affect ECM colonies. This study aims to determine if imidacloprid affects ECM colonies. PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing will be used to compare the ECM community structure of treated hemlock …

Using Gis To Analyze Graminoid And Shrub Composition Change From 1997 To 2017 At Atqasuk, Alaska, Rebecca Daigle

Student Scholars Day Posters

Shrubs are expanding across the Arctic due to longer growing seasons and rapidly increasing air temperatures. Likewise, graminoid height is increasing. Changes in community composition may impact critical feedback loops and result in trophic cascades. Here, we analyzed vegetation cover change at a long-term research site in Atqasuk, Alaska. We compared cover across forty-eight, one-square-meter plots between 1997 and 2017. Shrubs and graminoids increased significantly over time, while bryophytes decreased over time. Other functional groups were inconsistent or showed no trend. We mapped the shrub and graminoid vegetation change in order to examine cover trends within the context of the …

Analysis Of Dental Topography Of Early Eocene North American Tetonius Lineages In The Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, Emily Dear, Emily Elliott, Emma Miller, Jeremy Wood

Student Scholars Day Posters

Changes in the structure of ecological communities are often correlated with changes in the surrounding environment. The Bighorn Basin in Wyoming presents fossil evidence that depicts significant shifts in the community structure of North American mammalian species at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary. This diversity can be credited to marked temperature increases during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum. The association between temperature and dietary niche of omomyid euprimates, specifically the Tetonius lineage, was examined using reconstructed relief index, a dental topographic measure (N=20). A correlation analysis supported the hypothesis that abiotic changes in climate during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum were linked to variation …

Preliminary Microbiome Analysis Of Freshwater Bivalves From Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, Dechen Edwards

2020 Symposium Posters

Eukaryotic hosts and their associated microbes exhibit variable relationships. Some are driven by well-documented benefits including microbial contributions to host digestion; others are less understood. In this project, we seek to understand how a host’s microbiome is differentiated from the surrounding, free-living microbial community and whether this process is altered by the presence of pollution. Here we present a protocol developed for the extraction, isolation, and identification of the microbial population found in freshwater “fingernail” clams (Sphaeriidae) based on modified methods from the Earth Microbiome Project and studies of freshwater amphibian and marine bivalve microbiomes. We first developed …

Diversity, Function And Regulation Of Cell Surface And Intracellular Immune Receptors In Solanaceae, Jong Hum Kim, Christian Castroverde

Biology Faculty Publications

The first layer of the plant immune system comprises plasma membrane-localized receptor proteins and intracellular receptors of the nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat protein superfamily. Together, these immune receptors act as a network of surveillance machines in recognizing extracellular and intracellular pathogen invasion-derived molecules, ranging from conserved structural epitopes to virulence-promoting effectors. Successful pathogen recognition leads to physiological and molecular changes in the host plants, which are critical for counteracting and defending against biotic attack. A breadth of significant insights and conceptual advances have been derived from decades of research in various model plant species regarding the structural complexity, functional diversity and …