Biology Commons^™

The Influence Of G4 Dna Structures On Stationary Phase Mutagenesis In Bacillus Subtilis, Tatiana Ermi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Until the late 1980’s it was widely understood that bacterial variance emerges randomly during growth. Research that followed has convincingly shown evidence for mutations arising in non-growing conditions, a phenomenon known as stationary-phase mutagenesis. In Bacillus subtilis, an elegant mutagenic mechanism has been elucidated in non-growing cells that biases mutations to transcribed regions of a subpopulation. One interesting possibility is that mutations can be further biased to hotspots within genes through alternate DNA structures known as non-B DNA. Non-B DNA have been linked to genomic instability and disease in humans, lesser is known about its role in bacteria. Here we …

Aboveground-Belowground Interactions: Roles Of Soil Biotic And Abiotic Factors On Switchgrass's (Panicum Virgatum) Growth, Defense Against Herbivory And Cell Wall Chemistry., Binod Basyal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Plants constantly interact with their biotic and abiotic soil environments. Most terrestrial plants form beneficial associations with soil microbes such as arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, which are widely known for their ability to transfer soil phosphorus and nitrogen to the host plants. They help plants tolerate drought stress and improve plant defense against herbivores such as plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs). This dissertation investigates the role of AM fungi on switchgrass’s (Panicum virgatum) growth, cell wall chemistry, and defense against PPNs using a combination of growth chamber and field studies. Switchgrass is a native warm-season species which is gaining traction as candidate …

Lianas Reduce Biomass Accumulation In Early Successional Tropical Forests, Sergio Estrada Villegas, Jefferson S. Hall, Michiel Van Breugel, Stefan A. Schnitzer

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Early successional tropical forests could mitigate climate change via rapid accumulation of atmospheric carbon. However, liana (woody vine) abundance and biomass has been increasing in many tropical forests over the past decades, which may slow the speed at which secondary forests accumulate biomass. Lianas decrease biomass accumulation in tropical forests, and may have a particularly strong effect on young forests by stalling tree growth. As forests mature, trees may outgrow or shed lianas, thus escaping some of the negative effects of lianas. Alternatively, lianas may have the strongest effect in older successional forests if the effect of lianas is commensurate …

Impact Of Intracellular Hemin On N-Type Inactivation Of Voltage-Gated K+ Channels, Ina Coburger, Kefan Yang, Alisa Bernert, Eric Wiesel, Nirakar Sahoo, Sandip M. Swain, Toshinori Hoshi, Roland Schönherr, Stefan H. Heinemann

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

N-type inactivation of voltage-gated K+ channels is conferred by the N-terminal “ball” domains of select pore-forming α subunits or of auxiliary β subunits, and influences electrical cellular excitability. Here, we show that hemin impairs inactivation of K+ channels formed by Kv3.4 α subunits as well as that induced by the subunits Kvβ1.1, Kvβ1.2, and Kvβ3.1 when coexpressed with α subunits of the Kv1 subfamily. In Kvβ1.1, hemin interacts with cysteine and histidine residues in the N terminus (C7 and H10) with high affinity (EC50 100 nM). Similarly, rapid inactivation of Kv4.2 channels induced by the dipeptidyl peptidase-like protein DPP6a is …

Analysis Of The Spatial Distribution, And Recruitment Of Native And Non-Native Tunicate Species On Zostera Marina In New Jersey, Sarah Hoffman

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Many tunicate species have invaded the Western North Atlantic coast in the last century. These tunicates can have negative impacts on important industries like shellfish aquaculture, but they also foul natural and anthropogenic surfaces leading to displacement of native communities. During the summer of 2017 and 2018, the spatial distribution and recruitment of tunicate species in Zostera marina (Eelgrass) beds in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey were assessed. Samples were collected during the summer by excavating all eelgrass from a 0.125m2 area. Samples were then assessed for tunicate presence, as well as percent coverage of tunicates. In 2017, Botrylloides violaceus was …

Do Chemical Cues Influence Giant Waterbug Belostoma Flumineum Say (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae) Turning Behavior?, Olivia Paradis

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Lateral biases and alternation of directional turns influence impact navigation, foraging, and predator avoidance in diverse animal species. Extended alternating turn successions are known to reflect anti-predation escape behaviors of organisms in complex environments. This study examined the effects of chemosensory cues from bluegill sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus, red-eared slider turtles Trachemys scripta elegans, American bullfrogs, Rana catesbeiana, and conspecific giant waterbugs on turning behaviors of Belostoma flumineum in a multiple T-maze.

As a study population, B. flumineum were found to perform significantly different alternating turn behaviors than those predicted, but overall were not influenced by any one specific treatment. When …

Levels Of Cyclin B In Thp-1 Cells Incubated In Hibernating And Non-Hibernating Bullfrog Plasma, Lithobates Catesbeianus, Tharuka D. Pathmaperuma

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Hibernation is a process that occurs in nature where organisms undergo dormancy for long periods of time in order to improve their survival during extreme environmental conditions. During this time, organisms undergo physiological changes such as reduction in core body temperature and metabolic rate, as well as cells being impeded from going into mitosis. Alvarado et al. (2015) discovered that genomic DNA methylation is dynamic across torpor-arousal bouts during winter hibernation in thirteen lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus), indicating that physiological changes during hibernation are the results of more than simply cold temperatures slowing down metabolism and that …

The Effect Of Truncated Complement Constructs On Biofilm Formation, Protease Production, And Pigmentation, Cara L. Cothern

Honors Theses

The msaABCR operon regulates virulence factors in Staphylococcus aureus, a Gram-positive commensal organism that colonizes healthy individuals but can also be a human pathogen. These virulence factors include biofilm development, pigmentation, and extracellular protease production. The operon consists of the msaB gene, which produces a coding transcript, the msaA gene and the msaC gene, which produce noncoding RNAs, and msaR, which produces an antisense RNA. The latter three transcript regions of the operon are referred to as untranslated regions (UTRs) and are essential for the function of the operon, but only msaB encodes a protein. The mechanism of …

A Comparison Of Egg Desiccation Tolerance And Development Under Different Temperatures For Three Common Aedes Mosquitoes, Shelby A. Hosch

Honors Theses

With the rise in global temperatures, invasive mosquito species like Aedes albopictus may be able to reach regions that were previously inhospitable to these species. Therefore, if A. albopictus were to potentially reach Puerto Rico, it would come into contact with the species of Aedes aegypti and Aedes mediovittatus in local containers, and it is unclear how the tropical temperatures and precipitation patterns would affect the co-occurrence of these three species. Egg desiccation and temperature dependent growth among the species were measured to test how these species hatched and developed during different humidity and temperature. It was hypothesized that there …

The Effects Of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles On The Growth And Development Of Sorghum Bicolor (L.) Moenech, Adam Gregory Shoemaker

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) have seen a drastic increase in their use over the past decade in various consumer products. ENPs will therefore enter terrestrial ecosystems and soils with increasing frequencies, yet research into the effects of ENPs on living organisms and crops is greatly lacking. Currently, there is only one major study reported on the effects of a single ENP, silver quantum dots, on Sorghum bicolor, the 5^th largest crop in the world. I examined the effects of a commonly used metal oxide nanoparticle, titanium dioxide (TiO₂), on the growth and development of sorghum grown in …

Investigation Of The Individual Soybean Root Nodule Microbiome, Parris Mica Mayhood

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Soybean is a valuable crop that establishes a symbiotic association with nitrogen-fixing microorganisms. Previous research suggests members of the genus Bradyrhizobium are the major nitrogen-fixing inhabitants of soybean root nodules. However, results from recent studies identified the presence of other bacteria, so called non-rhizobial endophytes (NREs), inside root nodules. All previous research has pooled nodules of different plants for bacterial community analysis, but this study investigated the presence and relative abundance of rhizobia and NREs within multiple root nodules of a single plant. Three sites were selected on Kendrick Farm in Springfield, MO, where three plants and rhizosphere soil were …

Dragonflies And Damselflies (Insecta: Odonata) As Indicators For Riparian Condition In Ozark Spring Streams, Cameron Riley Cheri

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) are often ineffectively sampled during standard stream bioassessments in North America. Subsequently, odonates are not frequently regarded as informative taxa for stream assessment, particularly when monitoring the ecological impacts of organic pollution. I hypothesized that stream-dwelling odonates should be more useful bioindicators for the assessment of riparian conditions surrounding streams because vegetation associated with streams is used for oviposition, roosting and to establish breeding territories. I selected twelve Ozark spring streams that satisfied a broad array of riparian conditions for study. I sampled each stream’s odonate and total benthic community along with both instream and …

Effect Of Silver And Cadmium Nanoparticles On Endocytosis And Protein Recycling In Yeast, Lakshmi Sravya Rallabandi

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Endocytosis is a highly regulated process crucial for recycling of plasma membrane proteins and lipids. Derailments in this trafficking pathway pose threat to normal functioning of somatic cells. Engineered nanoparticles are used extensively in industry due to unique physicochemical properties. However, these nanoparticles, at high concentrations are known to create toxic effects on biological tissues. With this recent information, I investigated the potential toxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) and cadmium selenium/zinc sulfide (CdSe/ZnS) quantum dots (QDs) on liquid phase endocytosis pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. My data provided evidence that treatment of yeast cells with AgNP and CdSe/ZnS QDs resulted …

Novel Cyanoximates As An Alternative In Cancer Chemotherapy, Kafayat Aderonke Yusuf

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Chemotherapy is one of the most effective treatment plans for several cancer types. The recurrent side effects derived from chemotherapy agents have warranted the search for novel chemical compounds with better efficacy and minimal side effects. In line with this idea, I investigated effects of a group of newly synthesized metal based chemical compounds called cyanoximates on HeLa human cancer cells. Cyanoximates used were Pt(DECO)₂, Pt(MCO)₂, and Pd(DECO)₂ along with the chemotherapy drug cisplatin as a positive control. I found that the metal cyanoximates reduced cell viability via apoptosis, and that Pt(DECO)₂ was most …

Megafaunal Extinction In The Neotropics: A Landscape Approach, Angela Rozas Davila

Theses and Dissertations

A 20 million years reign of large terrestrial mammals, known as megafauna (animals over 45 kg), came to an end during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition. Particularly apparent in the Americas, the sudden extinction of Pleistocene megafauna has no equivalent in the fossil record as it only targeted large terrestrial animals. Early hypotheses explaining this extinction focused on climatic forcing and anthropogenic interactions, which included extensive hunting and/or landscape transformation. More recently, a third plausible explanation of megafaunal extinction has been the combined effects of climate-change and human influences; commonly referred to as the ‘synergistic effect of climate-humans’ hypothesis. The study of …

Investigating The Effects Of Temperature On Lesser Celandine, Regina Bellian

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

This paper explores invasive species Ficaria verna (Lesser celandine) and the effects of temperature on its growth. Trials were completed with two treatments, 13OC cold temperature and 20OC ambient temperature. Germinated bulbils of Lesser celandine were planted on February 15, 2017 and placed in their respective growing chambers. The plants were watered weekly and monitored for growth until harvest on March 29, 2017. Upon harvest, the plants’ height, largest leaf diameter and biomass were measured after extraction from soil and the removal of the leftover soil debris. Average height was found to be 11.66cm for the cold treatment and 5.14cm …

Comparison Of Non-Prosthetic And Prosthetic Strides In A Pendulum-Based Model, Catherine T. Cronister

Student Scholarship

In this paper, we explore the differences in a non-prosthetic and prosthetic single stride. We accomplish this by developing a model based on a forced, triple pendulum. We use this model to describe a single stride and alter where the internal force comes from to simulate a prosthetic and non-prosthetic stride. We numerically solve our model with Matlab. We find that our model qualitatively represents the energy gap between a prosthetic and non-prosthetic stride. Our model also agreed qualitatively with alterations of the prosthetic designed to decrease the energy gap between the two strides.

Genetic Intelligence: Myth Busted, Carissa Brand

Academic Symposium of Undergraduate Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of The Omega-3 Fatty Acids Docosahexaenoic Acid On Inm1 Gene Expression In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Haley Kang

Honors Theses

Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder associated with abnormal inositol levels. Preliminary studies show omega-3 fatty acids alter intracellular inositol levels; however, the cellular mechanism behind this process is unknown. Therefore, the focus of this study is to determine the effects of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the expression of INM1 which encodes inositol monophosphatase. Using yeast as our model system, cells were grown in varying concentrations DHA and the expression on INM1 was determined by RT-qPCR. The results show INM1 expression increased with increasing concentrations of DHA; thus, the effects of DHA on inositol levels may …

Immune System Detection Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Persister Cells, Grace Elizabeth Himmler

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Persister cells are a subpopulation of bacterial cells known to be tolerant to antimicrobials. Their reduced susceptibility to antimicrobials allows them to be the source of recurrence of many chronic bacterial infections. As a result, it is vital to understand the mechanisms that allow these cells to be able to evade further treatment. Furthermore, it is currently unknown whether the persister cells are detected and killed by the host immune response. In this work I explored the host-pathogen interactions between Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells, both persister and regular, and human macrophages. I hypothesized that persister cells would be engulfed at a …

Investigating The Effects Of Sea-Level Rise And Increasing Salinity On Procambarus Lunzi Of Sapelo Island, Georgia, Samuel Long

Biology Theses

Barrier islands have great ecological and economical importance and face a threat from increasing sea-level due to climate change. Erosion of existing freshwater lens and ocean inundation could greatly change freshwater availability on the island. This could have significant impacts on freshwater crayfish like Procambarus lunzi, which are complexly intertwined into the trophic food web of the island. This study’s goal was to investigate the salinity tolerance of this crayfish on Sapelo Island, Georgia, in an attempt to predict the possible effects and response to sea-level rise by this crayfish. Crayfish were wild-caught from the island in March, June, and …

Determining Age-Related Visual Memory And Line Length Perception In Children And Adults, Katie Exline

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

There is little research in the field of visual memory and perceptual abilities of children as compared to adults. This thesis seeks to understand and provide new perspectives to this field with potential implications in the fields of optometry and education. Through two basic experiments, this thesis evaluates the abilities of individuals to perceive a visual stimulus and compare it other visual stimuli, while also observing their abilities to learn and remember various visual stimuli. Through experimentation using line length as the visual stimulus, the method of constant stimuli (MCS) evaluates subjects’ visual perception and the method of single stimuli …

Novel Heterocyclic Arylidene Derivatives As Anticancer Agents Against U87 Human Glioblastoma, Benjamin H. Hiramoto

Honors Theses

The primary objectives of this interdisciplinary study were the synthesis of novel heterocyclic arylidenes and the investigation of their anticancer activity against U87 glioblastoma cell viability. Recently, novel hybrid derivatives have been considered as potential candidates for treating glioblastoma, demonstrating a synergistic anticancer effect in previous studies. 12 heterocyclic arylidenes with various functional groups, including halogens and boronic acid, were produced via a Knoevenagel condensation. These compounds and their starting reagents were then administered to U87 glioblastoma cancer cells at graded concentrations within a 12-well cell viability assay to determine each compound’s lethal concentration 50 (LC50). The LC50 of each …

3d-Printed Biomimetic Bioactive Glass Scaffolds For Bone Regeneration In Rat Calvarial Defects, Krishna C. R. Kolan, Yue-Wern Huang, Julie A. Semon, Ming-Chuan Leu

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

The pore geometry of scaffold intended for the use in the bone repair or replacement is one of the most important parameters in bone tissue engineering. It affects not only the mechanical properties of the scaffold but also the amount of bone regeneration after implantation. Scaffolds with five different architectures (cubic, spherical, x, gyroid, and diamond) at different porosities were fabricated with bioactive borate glass using the selective laser sintering (SLS) process. The compressive strength of scaffolds with porosities ranging from 60% to 30% varied from 1.7 to 15.5 MPa. The scaffold's compressive strength decreased significantly (up to 90%) after …

Escherichia Coli Antimicrobial Resistance Variability In Water Runoff And Soil From A Remnant Native Prairie, And Improved Pasture, And A Cultivated Agricultural Watershed, Maitreyee Mukherjee, Terry Gentry, Heidi Mjelde, John P. Brooks, Daren Harmel, Lucas Gregory, Kevin Wagner

Faculty Publications

Although many previous studies have examined patterns of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and multidrug resistance (MDR) from domestic animals and farm environments, comparatively little is known about the environmental sources and natural reservoirs of AMR and MDR. In this study, we collected stormwater runoff and soil samples from three watersheds in Texas. Escherichia coli (E. coli) were enumerated, isolated, and analyzed for resistance patterns. E. coli from all sites, irrespective of land use, displayed the presence of AMR/MDR. Higher levels of AMR/MDR were observed in water compared to soil. More isolates were resistant to cephalothin than other antibiotics. For …

Environmental Stress Response Genes Crosstalk With The Floral Developmental Program In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Kelly Flynn

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

As climate change continues to destabilize precipitation and temperature regimes for economically significant crops that we consume daily, the global supply of agricultural products may become limited. This purpose of this study was to determine if climate change may affect developmental and stress response regulatory gene networks. By examining the crosstalk between the floral developmental program and the environmental stress response program in Arabidopsis thaliana, we were able to determine key genes that integrate the inputs of these two pathways to affect plant reproductive development. Gene expression was examined in four genotypes of plants (Col-0, cor413, erd10, and seu) grown …

The Making Of Transgenic, Mujeeb Olushola Shittu, Tessa Steenwinkel, Shigeyuki Koshikawa, Thomas Werner

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The complex color patterns on the wings and body of Drosophila guttifera (D. guttifera) are emerging as model systems for studying evolutionary and developmental processes. Studies regarding these processes depend on overexpression and downregulation of developmental genes, which ultimately rely upon an effective transgenic system. Methods describing transgenesis in Drosophila melanogaster (D. melanogaster) have been reported in several studies, but they cannot be applied to D. guttifera due to the low egg production rate and the delicacy of the eggs. In this protocol, we describe extensively a comprehensive method used for generating transgenic D. guttifera. Using the protocol described here, …

Cd11b+ Depletion Of Bone Marrow Derived Macrophages Negatively Affects Bone Fracture Healing, Sarah Hozain

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Hematoma formation and inflammation occurs during the beginning stages of fracture repair, which require the presence of innate cells such as macrophages. Macrophages are subdivided into proinflammatory, M1, or anti-inflammatory, M2, phenotypes with different functions, cytokine profiles, and surface markers. In this study, in vitro and in vivo models were used to deplete M1 macrophages, using Mac-1 Sap conjugated antibody (Mac1SAP), to determine the effects on fracture healing. In vitro study, primary macrophages isolated from mice femoral bone marrow were harvested and differentiated into M1 macrophages (+LPS), M2 macrophages (+IL-4), or undifferentiated then treated with either vehicle or 10pM Mac1SAP. …

Are Florida Manatees (Trichechus Manatus Latirostris) Wearing Their Teeth Beyond Functionality? Interspecific And Intraspecific Mesowear In Manatees, Nina Woodard

Honors Theses

Manatees (Trichechus spp.) are herbivorous aquatic mammals found in tropical and subtropical waters. At maturity, they possess only supernumerary molars (SM), with 5-8 in occlusion at each quadrant. Manatees exhibit a dental replacement system in which they shed old teeth anteriorly and erupt new teeth posteriorly. This adaptation is thought to have arisen to deal with abrasive foods. Mesowear (facet development on occlusal surfaces of teeth) increases from posterior (younger) to anterior (older) molars. Tooth functionality is linked to level of mesowear, with increased amounts resulting in decreased food-processing ability. Less functional teeth can result in an increase in feeding …

Synthesis Of An Arylidene Pyrazolone And Its Effects On Glioblastoma Cancer Cells, Joanna Deonarine

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to develop a new technique to synthesize a heterocyclic arylidene compound using fruit puree catalysis and investigate its anti-cancer activity on glioblastoma cancer cells. Recently, there has been interest in heterocycles due to their anticancer properties and they have been used in almost two-thirds of the novel molecular anticancer agents. Varying fruit purees were used to synthesize a novel hybrid arylidene pyrazolone from 3-methyl-1-phenyl-5-pyrazolone and 4-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde by modifying methodology developed by Dr. Murray. This arylidene pyrazolone was then tested for its anticancer activity on glioblastoma brain cancer cells using Dr. Smith’s 12-well cell viability …