Biology Commons^™

Cis-Acting Super-Enhancer Lncrnas As Biomarkers To Early-Stage Breast Cancer, Ali Salman Ropri

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Abstract

Functional Facets Of Intergenic Hairpin Structures In Genus Caulobacter, Geetha Saarunya Clarke

Theses and Dissertations

DNA replication, recombination and repairs maintain bacterial genome stability. But these processes may also induce genome rearrangements leading to inter andintra chromosomal structural variations. Genus Caulobacter undergoes extensive genome rearrangements. Genomic studies in bacteria usually focus on the codingregions, but there is important information present in the intergenic DNA spaces inaddition to the regulatory elements involved in transcription. Recently, Ely published a new model for recombination in genus Caulobacter with simultaneousloss and gain of genes resulting from preferential recombination at non- homologous regions flanked by regions of homology. In my dissertation, I observedand catalogued hairpin structures at known sites of …

Winter Torpor Expression Varies In Four Bat Species With Differential Susceptibility To White-Nose Syndrome, Reilly T. Jackson, Emma V. Willcox, Riley F. Bernard

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Studies examining the overwintering behaviors of North American hibernating bats are limited to a handful of species. We deployed temperature-sensitive transmitters on four species of bat that exhibit differences in their susceptibility to white nose syndrome (WNS; Myotis grisescens, M. leibii, M. sodalis, and Perimyotis subflavus) to determine if these differences are correlated with behavior exhibited during hibernation (i.e., torpor expression and arousal frequency). Mean torpor skin temperature (Tsk) and torpor bout duration varied significantly among species (P ≤ 0.024), but arousal Tsk and duration did not (P ≥ 0.057). One of the species with …

Cryptic Hybridization In The Temperate Bamboos: Is Pleioblastus Simonii A Species Of Hybrid Origin?, Morgan Brown

Theses

Japanese river bamboo (Pleioblastus simonii, ‘medake,’‘kawadake’) is an ecologically important species of temperate bamboo native to Japan. This species is widely known and historically important in Japanese rural farm life. Based on morphological data, Japanese river bamboo is classified in Pleioblastus section Medakea (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) along with five other Japanese species, which are collectively considered to represent a phylogenetically distinct lineage. However, recent studies suggest that Japanese river bamboo may have arisen as a result of previously undetected hybridization (i.e., cryptic hybridization), while also calling into question the diversity of section Medakea. The role of hybridization in natural plant populations …

Spatial Sequestration Of Misfolded Proteins In Neurodegenerative Diseases, Sarah Rolli, Emily M. Sontag

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Properly folded, functional proteins are essential for cell health. Cells sustain protein homeostasis, or proteostasis, via protein quality control (PQC) mechanisms. It is currently hypothesized that a breakdown in proteostasis during ageing leads to the accumulation of protein aggregates in the cell and disease. Sequestration of misfolded proteins into PQC compartments represents one branch of the PQC network. In neurodegenerative diseases, certain proteins form abnormal protein deposits. Which PQC compartments house misfolded proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases is still being investigated. It remains unclear if sequestration of these misfolded proteins is toxic or protective to the cell. Here, we review …

An Assessment Of Burbot Life History In Minnesota With A Focus On Movement Dynamics And Spawning Vulnerability, Tyler Robinson

Biology Graduate Theses

Burbot have a circumpolar range spanning from rivers of Alaska to lentic systems in Minnesota. Although Burbot population dynamics have been studied, their movement dynamics have been rarely investigated. Our objectives were to assess seasonal home range changes of Burbot in a closed-lentic system and quantify the scale of spawning aggregations. Sixty-six Burbot were implanted with acoustic transmitters in Bad Medicine Lake, Minnesota, with 32 surviving the length of the study period between 10 April 2019 to 11 June 2020. The peak spawning date for Burbot in Bad Medicine Lake was estimated to be mid-March, when home range estimates were …

Life Line Spring 2022, Otterbein Biology And Earth Science Department

Life Line - The Biology Department Newsletter

In this Issue:

A CURE for the Typical STEM Classroom; Attracting Cardinals; Svitana Provides Training to IHS; The Cardinal Science Scholar Program; Mornings with Manatees; Viewing the Department from a New Perspective; Science Lecture Series Features Dr. Tyrone Hayes; Internship with Beinhower Brothers Drilling Company; New Student Chapter: The Botanical Society of America; STEM Art Show 2021; Got Bones?; The Robert and Ann Harting Endowed Award; Grossology Returns; Class Flocks to National Aviary

A Starling In A Pear Tree: Assessing The Influence Of Bird Dispersal On Callery Pear (Pyrus Calleryana), Olivia Clark

Honors Theses

Invasive species can disrupt ecosystems and negatively affect other species. Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) is an invasive ornamental tree that is spreading quickly throughout the United States. It is possible that birds are responsible for spreading Callery pear by eating the fruit and depositing seeds in new areas. European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and American robins (Turdus migratorius) are mentioned in most studies as responsible for the dispersal of Callery pear. However, there is also evidence that Cedar waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) also feed on the tree. Invasive plants can impact avian health, reproduction, and migration. Additionally, there are many aspects of …

Leaf Phenology Of Callery Pear: Fall, Margaret E. Maloney, Abby Hay, Eric B. Borth, Ryan W. Mcewan

Five Rivers MetroParks Collaboration Data Archive

This dataset is one of three affiliated with the paper "Leaf phenology and freeze tolerance of the invasive tree Pyrus calleryana Roseaceae) and potential native competitors."

The other two datasets are:

• Leaf Phenology of Callery Pear: Spring
• Leaf Phenology of Callery Pear: Frost Damage

Determining The Role Of Gata3 In A Sub-Population Of Vestibular Hair Cells, Sydney Sheltz-Kempf

Dissertations

The inner ear can be divided based on two functions: hearing and balance. The hearing organ is called the cochlea, while the organs responsible for balance are called the vestibular system. One of these vestibular organs, the utricle, is positioned horizontally in the body and relatively parallel to the ground, resulting in sensitive detection of both sideways, and forward and backward acceleration. One major question in the field of otolaryngology focuses on the unique differences between these organs and the evolutionary importance of their similarities. One particular gene of interest called Gata3 is initially expressed highly in the cochlea and …

Forming Connections: The Cell-Autonomous Roles Of Gata3 And Neurod1 In Developing Auditory Neurons, Elizabeth Madison Ketchum

Dissertations

Hearing loss is the most prevalent sensory disorder, yet current treatment options are restricted to hearing aids and cochlear implants. Both treatment options require the presence and proper formation of inner ear auditory afferent neurons, known as spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). In many patients with hearing loss, these neurons are either not present or are improperly organized, making current therapeutic options nonviable. Although it would be ideal to preserve functioning SGNs or to regenerate them, we are still learning how SGNs develop and form their projections to their peripheral and central targets. Therefore, a better understanding of the genes involved …

Ain't No Sunshine When They're Gone: Pollinators In A Solar Prarie, Brigid M. Morgan

Honors Theses

Around the world, pollinator populations are decreasing due to climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species, pesticide use, and disease. A solar prairie can provide that habitat space with native plants to attract and promote the growth of native pollinator populations. In this study at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio, I sought to find out if native pollinators were using the habitats inside and around the solar panels at Curran Place. By using pan traps weekly throughout the summer months to collect the insects, I found that native pollinators are using the habitats between the rows of …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, March & April 2022, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 3, Issue 3

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2-3 Awards and Recognition
Page 4 2022 URSCAD - CNS Snaps
Page 5 Geography Convention Recap
Page 6 Attention Students!
Page 7-8 Media Coverage of CNS
Page 9 Spring Break Outreach, Adopt the Pantry,
Page 10 Discovery on Tap Event
Page 11 CNS Students Visit State Capital
Page 12 Celebrating 50 Years of Sally
Page 13 Open PRAIRIE Data
Page 14 Grants Awarded and Bio-Micro Day of Scholars
Page 15 -17 2022 Geography Convention Snaps
Page 18 Sally Krueger's 50th Work Anniversary

Prevalence Of Bacillus Licheniformis On Northern Saw-Whet Owls (Aegolius Acadicus), Lauren Benedict

Senior Honors Theses

Birds are hosts to a variety of bacteria and fungi including some that are keratinolytic. These feather degrading bacteria, including Bacillus licheniformis, are capable of degrading β-keratin which is a major component of feathers. While there is little evidence to indicate that feather degrading bacteria are capable of degrading feathers on live birds, there is ample evidence to indicate that many bird species experience altered feather coloration. There is significant variation in the reported prevalence of B. licheniformis on birds with percentages ranging from 6.7% to 99%. This study sought to provide further support for an overall prevalence of …

Associations Between Toxoplasma Gondii Infection And Steroid Hormone Levels In Spotted Hyenas, Zachary M. Laubach, Eben Gering, Erik Yang, Tracy M. Montgomery, Thomas Getty, Kay E. Holekamp

Biology Faculty Articles

Toxoplasma gondii is a common parasite that infects warm-blooded animals and influences host physiology. T. gondii is known to target the host's central nervous system, affecting circulating levels of steroid hormones, fear-related behaviors, and health, although these effects appear to vary among host taxa. Here, we investigated the relationship between T. gondii infection and levels of plasma testosterone and cortisol within a wild population of spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta, n = 109). In our analyses, we accounted for age and sex via stratified regression analyses. We detected a negative association between circulating plasma testosterone and T. gondii …

Pituitary Adenylate Cylase-Activating Polypeptide Receptor: Multiple Signaling Pathways Involved In Energy Homeostasis, Brian Maunze

Dissertations (1934 -)

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) exerts pleiotropic effects on ventromedial nuclei (VMN) of the hypothalamus and its control of feeding and energy expenditure through the Type I PAC1 receptor (PAC1R). However, the endogenous role of PAC1R’s in the VMN and the downstream signaling responsible for PACAP’s effects are unknown.To determine the endogenous role of PAC1Rs and signaling that may explain PACAP’s pleiotropic effects, we knocked down VMN PAC1Rs and pharmacologically inhibited PKA, PKC and PAC1R trafficking. Knocking down PAC1Rs increased meal sizes, reduced total number of meals, and induced body weight gain. Inhibition of either PKA or PKC alone …

Seagrasses Under Times Of Change - Editorial, Gidon Winters, Mirta Teichberg, Hauke Reuter, Inés G. Viana, Demian A. Willette

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Defining Molecular And Morphological Phenotypes In Ash1l-Deficient Human Neurons, Foster D. Ritchie

Theses and Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by social and verbal impairments as well as repetitive behaviors. Large human genetic studies showed that genes encoding chromatin and transcriptional regulatory proteins are among the most commonly mutated genes in ASD. Absent, Small, or Homeotic 1-like (ASH1L) is a histone methyltransferase that has previously been identified as a major genetic risk factor for ASD. ASH1L di-methylates Histone H3 on Lysine 36 (H3K36me2) and tri-methylates Histone H3 on Lysine 4 (H3K4me3), which mainly coincides with transcriptional activation. ASH1L is a Trithorax protein that is proposed to counteract the activity of …

Cryptic Cryptophytes: The Plasticity In How Cryptophytes Respond To Changes In Resource Availability, Rachel Ann-Marie Schomaker

Theses and Dissertations

Resource variability and availability often drives competition within ecosystems, which can lead to the diversification of organismal niches and physiological capabilities. In aquatic systems, common resources that photosynthetic organisms, such as algae, compete for are light and carbon. Both the spectral characteristics (color) and carbon concentrations of an aquatic system vary with time and space, which means that algae need to be able to respond to changes in resource availability to survive. Using a group of ubiquitous unicellular eukaryotes known as cryptophytes, we investigated both how cryptophytes respond to changes in the available light spectrum at a physiological and genetic …

The Comparative Neuroethology Of Distributed Visual Systems: Visual Neuroanatomy And Visually-Mediated Behaviors Of The Chiton Acanthopleura Granulata And The Bay Scallop Argopecten Irradians, Daniel Ritter Chappell

Theses and Dissertations

Vision is usually thought to be inextricably linked to cephalization; however, certain species of invertebrates deviate from this canonical association by having noncephalized visual systems that are composed of numerous photoreceptive organs distributed across their body paired with centralized, decentralized, or distributed neural architectures. In contrast to cephalized visual systems, we know comparatively little about the visual processing and visually-mediated behaviors of animals with distributed visual systems which are crucial towards understanding how and why these animals see with so many eyes. In this dissertation, we investigate the visual neuroanatomy and visually-mediated behaviors of two different marine molluscs with distributed …

Understanding The Genomic Influence And Virulence Capabilities Of Environmentally Isolated Vibrios, Shannon Elizabeth Pipes

Theses and Dissertations

The genus Vibrio consists of Gram-negative bacteria that possess a curved rod shape and are routinely isolated from estuarine and coastal salt water. Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio vulnificus are the major three species that contribute to human disease worldwide, and a variety of other Vibrio species contribute to persistent problems in the aquaculture and fishing industries. The CDC estimates that vibrios cause 80,000 cases of disease each year in the United States alone, however, this number is thought to be underestimated, since some disease is only self-limiting, meaning patients may not seek medical treatment and have …

From Gene Expression To Physiology: A Study Of Chronic Thermal Tolerance In The Mytilus Edulis Species Complex, Lindsey Cate Schwartz

Theses and Dissertations

Rising ocean temperatures are a severe and ever-present threat to marine life. With environmental temperature having such a large impact on organismal performance, understanding the mechanisms which contribute to the ability to survive at higher temperatures is a crucial research focus. Significant progress has been made in discovering these mechanisms on the cellular, biochemical, and physiological levels, but is it much less common for those to be examined together. Using the Mytilus edulisspecies complex as a model system, this dissertation takes a closer look at how prolonged exposure to sub-lethal high temperatures impacts marine organisms on multiple levels of …

Saving The Sea Turtles Of Anguilla: Combining Scientific Data With Community Perspectives To Inform Policy Decisions, L. M. Soanes, J. Johnson, K. Eckert, K. Gumbs, L. G. Halsey, G. Hughes, K. Levasseur, Joe Quattro, R. Richardson, J. P. Skinner, S. Wynee, F. Mukhida

Faculty Publications

Historic over-exploitation and the more recent threats caused by fisheries by-catch, disease and climate change have left sea turtle populations in the Wider Caribbean at risk of extinction. In 1995, following regional declines in nesting and foraging populations, the island of Anguilla implemented a moratorium on the hunting of turtles. At the request of the Government of Anguilla for scientific data to either support or remove the moratorium, comprehensive population estimates were obtained, and foraging, nesting and migratory movements were examined. In addition, community perspectives on turtles and their protection were assessed. Between 2015 and 18 surveys of 30 nesting …

Evaluating Methods Of Preserving Aquatic Invertebrates For Microbiome Analysis, Stephanie N. Vaughn, Colin R. Jackson

Faculty and Student Publications

Research on the microbiomes of animals has increased substantially within the past decades. More recently, microbial analyses of aquatic invertebrates have become of increased interest. The storage method used while collecting aquatic invertebrates has not been standardized throughout the scientific community, and the effects of common storage methods on the microbial composition of the organism is unknown. Using crayfish and dragonfly nymphs collected from a natural pond and crayfish maintained in an aquarium, the effects of two common storage methods, preserving in 95% ethanol and freezing at −20◦C, on the invertebrate bacterial microbiome was evaluated. We found that the bacterial …

Group And Individual Social Network Metrics Are Robust To Changes In Resource Distribution In Experimental Populations Of Forked Fungus Beetles, R. A. Costello, P. A. Cook, Vincent A. Formica, E. D. Brodie Iii

Biology Faculty Works

1. Social interactions drive many important ecological and evolutionary processes. It is therefore essential to understand the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that underlie social patterns. A central tenet of the field of behavioural ecology is the expectation that the distribution of resources shapes patterns of social interactions. 2. We combined experimental manipulations with social network analyses to ask how patterns of resource distribution influence complex social interactions. 3. We experimentally manipulated the distribution of an essential food and reproductive resource in semi-natural populations of forked fungus beetles Bolitotherus cornutus. We aggregated resources into discrete clumps in half of the populations …

Characterization Of Hemocytes In Amblyomma Americanum And Investigation Of Traf6’S Role In Proliferation Of Hemocytes In Response To Infection, Jacquelyn T. May

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Amblyomma americanum is a medically important vector in the southeast United States. Cellular and molecular aspects of the immune system of this species were examined. To investigate cellular processes, hemocytes produced in response to gram-negative infection were characterized according to their ultrastructure. Four hemocyte types were identified: prohemocytes, plasmatocytes, type-I granulocytes, and type-II granulocytes. To elucidate molecular processes, we investigated AamTRAF as an immune-related gene by silencing the gene using RNAi then quantifying the hemocytes after inoculation with gram-negative and positive bacteria. It was found that silencing AamTRAF caused a decrease in hemocyte proliferation in response to gram-positive but not …

Functional Analysis Of Stn1 Winged-Helix (Wh) Domains, Anna Bazell

Senior Theses

CST (CTC1-STN1-TEN1) is a heterotrimeric RPA-like protein complex that preferentially binds to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). CST is conserved from yeast to humans and has been found to play a role in telomere maintenance, DNA replication, and DNA repair. Mutations in CST, specifically in the subunits of CTC1 and STN1, have been implicated in the development of the genetic diseases Coats plus and dyskeratosis congenita. Despite the known functions of CST, the mechanistic relationship between its structure and function has yet to be characterized, particularly with respect to its protein-protein interactions and DNA binding. An X-ray crystallography structure of CST revealed …

Accelerating Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Using Electrical Stimulation Of Selected Power Spectral Densities, Wei-Ming Yu, Madelyn Mccullen, Vincent Chiun-Fan Chen

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Peripheral nerve injuries are common consequences of extremity trauma or chronic compression with a prevalence of 43.8 per 1 million people (on average) reported in the United States annually, accompanied by a yearly increase in cost of care. Patients suffering from these injuries require surgical procedures and rehabilitative strategies to reinforce their extensive recovery. Several studies have found that the application of electrical stimulation can accelerate peripheral nerve regeneration, thus shortening the time of peripheral nerve growth and reducing the cost of care (Willand et al., 2016). The electrical stimulation paradigms that effectively enhanced functional recovery in most studies employed …

Pharmacological Extension Of Lifespan Via Mitochondrial Uncoupling In Drosophila Melanogaster, Analisa Taylor

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Temperature And Plant And Animal Diets On Metabolic Rate In The Juvenile Red Eared Slider (Trachemys Scripta Elegans), Taylor Macdonald, Sarah Bouchard

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Specific dynamic action (SDA) is the energy expended during ingestion, digestion, absorption, and assimilation of a meal, and is influenced by meal (type, size, composition, and temperature) and environmental temperature. Understanding the effect of meal type and environmental temperature on SDA in turtles is important in describing how T. s. elegans may acclimate with changing environmental temperatures. In this study, we conducted feeding trials in which we fed juvenile T. s. elegans duckweed and mealworm diets at 25°C and 30°C. We measured the rate of oxygen consumption as a proxy for metabolic rate after feeding for four 30 minute consecutive …