Biology Commons^™

The Kinematics Of Motor Planning Span, Megan Sparks

Student Research Symposium

In the Sensory Motor and Behavior Lab, we are developing a new measure of motor planning span. Motor planning is defined as preparing for movement before any movement occurs. This is a critical process that allows us to do any and all physical activity. The ability to do motor planning can be impacted after a traumatic brain injury or in the case of having a neurological disorder such as Autism Spectrum Disorder. Many studies have looked at motor planning span with discrete starting and ending positions, but our study will be analyzing continuous movements. We will collect reaction time, movement …

Compound Drug Treatment Of Yellow Fever Virus: Evaluation Of Compound X In The Enhancement Of Favipiravir Potency In A Hamster Model Of Yellow Fever Virus Infection, Hunter Stanger

Student Research Symposium

Yellow fever virus (YFV) has long been a worldwide health concern, and recent outbreaks in South America have resulted in significant mortality. Though there is an effective preventative vaccine, currently there are no antiviral compounds approved to treat those already infected. The nucleoside analog drug favipiravir is shown to significantly improve disease signs but is toxic in effective doses. Compound X has been shown to have synergistic effects with favipiravir by increasing the amounts of active favipiravir (ribosylated favipiravir triphosphate) in cell culture. In this study, we administered suboptimal doses of favipiravir with fixed doses of compound X to determine …

Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Addison Haddock, Chad Welsh

2023 Student Academic Showcase

Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a pathogenic bacterium that has developed resistance to several previously adequate treatments. This is a growing health crisis in the United States, particularly in hospitals where vulnerable individuals are at increased risk of exposure and infection. The scientists challenging this issue are investigating the processes driving the bacterium’s drug resistant nature in hopes of discovering effective treatment strategies. However, as the bacterium continues to evolve and acquire new mutations over time, it becomes increasingly difficult to combat. The emergence and persistent spread of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in healthcare settings pose a hazard to society, emphasizing the …

The Effect Of Gibberellin On Millett, Lauren Dale-Derks, Jasmine Ward, Mackenzie Wilson, Chloe Turasky, Michael Fitzgerald, Mackenzie Holmes, Maxwell Mason, Joshua Neely

2023 Student Academic Showcase

We are testing the effects of gibberellic acid on millet plants to determine if the mutation that caused them to be dwarf plants are gibberellin deficient or if the gibberellin response system is affected. In order to determine this, we will apply gibberellin solution to the millet plants and observe their growth or lack of growth. The dwarf mutant millet plants that are gibberellin would show growth like those with no mutation, and the millet plants that have a mutation in the gibberellin response system would not demonstrate any growth since they would be unable to process the gibberellin. The …

Dwarfism On Dwarf Millets, Andrew Martin, Anna Carter, Ryan Eckerman, Danian Castillo, Caleb Horton, Mellissa Magathlan, Anthony Landrigan, Joshua Neely

2023 Student Academic Showcase

Our research team studied the effect of Dwarf mutations on Millet plant growth. To study these effects a plant hormone named Gibberellin was periodically added to the plants. Gibberellin is a hormone used in plants to grow, elongate, and flower the plant stems. With the addition of Gibberellin to millet plants, we compared the elongation of Millet stem length (cm) to the Millet wild-type generations. We hypothesized the implementation of Gibberellin would boost the growth rate and size of dwarf mutated millet.

The Effect Of Gibberellic Acid Treatment On The Growth Of Dwarf Setaria Mutations, Audrianna Torrey, Mariana Gutierrez, Shelby Nolde, Agnes Adams, Andrés Acuña, Maia Busi, Hannah Edwards, Joshua Neely

2023 Student Academic Showcase

Dwarfism is a common mutation found in many organisms and Setaria (millets) is no different. In millets and other plants, a reduction or complete lack of production of necessary hormones such as Gibberellic acid (GA), auxin, or Brassinosteroid can cause a mutant’s vertical and sometimes outward growth to be significantly reduced when compared to a wild type of the same variety. A typical solution to this mutation is the application of a hormone solution to allow the plant’s cells and organs to have access to the hormones needed to continue growing at an average rate. We decided to test an …

Plant Hormone Addition On Mutant Millets, Taylor Stroup, Michael Mosier, Hannah Appleget, Kat Townsend, Delaney Lentz, Jose Vargas, Liam Bentein, Joshua Neely

2023 Student Academic Showcase

In this experiment we tested the effects of adding plant hormones to dwarf mutant millet plants that were either non-responsive to this hormone or did not make the hormone naturally. Measurements were taken on a consistent basis to determine how much growth had been affected by the addition of the plant hormone gibberellins, as well as the growth on our control plants that did not receive this hormone addition. Based on prior research, this hormone as said above is crucial in stem elongation and primary growth of plants. The results of this experiment will help to determine which type of …

The Effects Of Gibberellin On Dwarf Plants, Jacob Matschiner, Ondrej Dusa, Connor Jokerst, Sophia Hungerford, Jacob Matschiner, Taylor Duran, Joshua Neely

2023 Student Academic Showcase

In this study, conducted by the students above, gibberellic acid was added to both dwarf and wild-type Setaria Viridis seedlings. Applying gibberellic acid to the dwarf plants was testing to see if there was a direct effect on gibberellic acid to the heights (in cm) of the seedlings. The wild-type seeds were also tested in order to see if there is an effect of them also. Gibberellic acid was applied to a group of dwarf and wild-type seedling, there was an additional group of seedlings that were also just treated to normal conditions (simply just watering) as a control group. …

Gibberellin Application On Dwarf Strains Of Millets, Jadyn Collins, Sydney Rarick, Gabrielle Russina, Micah Duffield, Belle Erhardt, Joaquin Fontan, Joshua Neely

2023 Student Academic Showcase

Gibberellin is a plant hormone that stimulates cell growth. This hormone was added to three types of dwarf and normal millets, Setaria Viridis, in a 1,000-ppm gibberellic acid form. Dwarf millets are plants that grow at an abnormally shorter stature than the rest of their species. After this was added the dwarf height rate was taken and observed for any change in height. If the dwarf plants had an increase in growth, it is plausible that the dwarf mutation is due to its inability to produce gibberellin. While if there was no difference in plant growth it's plausible that the …

Coexistence Of Three Stream Dwelling Cyprinid: The Blacktail (Cyprinella Venusta), Blackspot (Notropis Atrocaudalis) And Sabine (N. Sabinae), In Urban Streams In East Texas, Eli Torrez

Undergraduate Research Conference

We examined the population structure of three sympatric shiners Blacktail shiner Cyprinella venusta Blackspot shiner Notropis atrocaudalis and Sabine shiner N sabinae in the La Nana Banita stream complex system in east Texas during three seasons of 2022 and three habitat types ( riffles, and runs) Overall, the three species occurred together in similar habitats during the spring season when habitats were connected Despite the severe 2022 summer fall drought, populations of Blacktail Shiner dominated in the stream habitats However, Sabine shiner, which showed affinity for riffles, declined in occurrence in summer and fall, when riffles were absent due to …

The Grieving Brain: Effect Of Pairmate Loss On Coyote Oxytocin Receptor Densities, Kaleb Keller

Student Research Symposium

Complicated grief is a severe mental health disorder that can have detrimental effects on individuals who have lost a loved one. Understanding the biological underpinnings of grief is essential in being able to help develop effective treatments and therapies. Oxytocin is heavily implicated in studies about grief and pairmate loss due to its importance in modulating social behavior such as pair bond formation. Previous research has primarily focused on rodents and non-human primates as model organisms of social attachment and studies have shown that monogamous prairie voles showed a decrease in oxytocin receptor (OXTR) binding in the nucleus accumbens after …

Natural Product Biosynthesis Through Biotechnological And Fermentation Approaches, Hassan Sher

Student Research Symposium

Natural products as a source of medicine have long been attractive due to the huge structural diversity and promising biological activities such as antimicrobial, anticancer, antitumor, antifungal, antiviral, antiparasitic as well as antioxidant properties. Discovery of novel and modified natural products is the need of this modern era. To expand the chemical diversity in natural products and to increase the production titers of natural products, researchers have come up with various solutions: heterologous expression, cocultivation, fermentation engineering, isolation of new species, and strain engineering/improvement. o-Coumaric acid and p-coumaric acid are phenolic antioxidants found in various plant sources. These also serve …

Glycosylation Of Anti-Tb Agent Chlorflavonin For Combating Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Jie Ren

Student Research Symposium

More than two billion people were infected by the bacterial pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in 2020. However, during the past 50 years, the first-line (isoniazid, delamanid, and rifampicin) and second-line (capreomycin, streptomycin, and cycloserine) therapies have remained unchanged with disadvantages such as long treatment periods and severe side effects. The slow development of anti-TB drugs cannot combat the fast development of drug resistant M. tuberculosis strains from multidrug-resistant (MDR) into extensively drug resistant (XDR), which further hinders the World Health Organization’s goal to end the global TB pandemic by the year 2035. Flavonoids are a type of natural product with …

Does Diet Effect The Brain?, Janna Hart

Student Research Symposium

Short-chain fatty acids are biomolecules produced from bacterial fermentation of dietary fiber in the gut. Short-chain fatty acids are used in the gut to supply energy and reduce inflammation but are also believed to have effects on the brain. While we do not know how short-chain fatty acids affect the brain and behavior, recent research has led to the idea of using dietary changes as a treatment for mental health disorders. In my research, we aimed to visualize where short-chain fatty acids act in the brain with a particular focus on neural immune cells called microglia and the neurons that …

Catchment Protections Enhance River Resilience To Water Quality Perturbations, Allyson Marrs

Student Research Symposium

Around 40% of rivers in the United States have been increasing in salinity in recent decades. This salinization is caused by natural and anthropogenic processes, such as applying salts to roads for deicing purposes. Rapid increases in salinity in freshwater streams can have negative impacts on drinking water, infrastructure, and biodiversity. However, catchment protections may offer resilience to water quality degradation. Using a weighted regression on time, discharge, and season, we analyzed long-term trends in specific conductance in the Yellowstone River at Corwin Springs. The majority of the Yellowstone River upstream of this site lies on federally protected lands with …

Specifying An Identified Lncrnas Modulation In Cellular Processes During Early Embryonic Development Of Nicotiana Tabacum Seedlings, Heather Garrett, Elena Foust, Logan Robinson

Undergraduate Research Competition

Multiple forms of RNA exist in cells. The most common forms of RNA include tRNA, rRNA, and mRNA. LncRNAs are proposed to have multiple functions during seed development including gene silencing, organogenesis, and other molecular processes. LncRNAs are unknown or poorly understood because their importance has been questioned throughout early research. However, the lncRNA NTAB_LNC014148.1 is presumed to function in seed development of Nicotiana tabacum based on global gene expression studies. Bioinformatics analyses predicted that lncRNA NTAB_LNC014148.1 binds to at least two gene regions during embryonic development (gene regions Nitab4.5_0001672g0150.1 and Nitab4.5_0001972g0020.1). These two gene regions encode an Arf GTPase …

Identification Of A Small Regulatory Rna Usps Associated With The Universal Stress Protein In Lactobacillus Species, Zarah Fowler

Undergraduate Research Competition

The gut microbiome is a complex habitat with many bacterial species. These bacteria play vital roles in regulating several physiological processes in the body. With a rise in the use of probiotics to combat human disease, it is important to understand the mechanisms by which probiotic bacteria regulate host interactions. Our exploration of the physiological functions of probiotic bacteria hopes to elucidate the role of small regulatory RNAs or non-coding RNAs in regulating gene expression within the human body. The goal of this project was to identify and explore the conservation of function and structure of the sRNA, UspS, in …

3-D Models For Chemistry Education, Elizabeth Cole

Undergraduate Research Competition

VSPER theory is a difficult concept to understand and a significant area of confusion in general chemistry classrooms. 2-D models are commonly used; however, they fail to take into consideration a molecules orientation in space, a key component in VSPER theory. The lack of clarity involving bond angles and alignment often leads to difficulty in conceptualizing the theory. The purpose of this project was to generate 3-D models of molecules from VSPER theory for classroom use with the intent to aid in the comprehension of the material. Free CAD was the computer software system used to generate a base and …

Evolutionary Analysis Of Plastic-Degrading Enzyme Petase Found In The Endophytic Microbiome Of Marine Viridiplantae For Phytoremediation, Marissa Mazariego

Undergraduate Research Competition

In 2016, a bacteria found outside a recycling facility in Japan was discovered to decompose and metabolize polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Ideonella sakaiensis exhibited catabolic activity by binding to the surface of the products and delivering PETase enzymes to degrade plastic into its original structural components. PET is a clear plastic designed for single-use packaging. Despite the claim that PET plastics are 100% recyclable, only 31% of PETs are recycled. PETs do not decompose for up to 450 years in disposal facilities, resulting in the clogging of natural landscapes with litter and phthalate toxins. It is suggested that the selective pressure …

Analyzing Post-Fledging Movements, Survival, And Space Use Of First-Year Black Vultures (Coragyps Atratus) In Kentucky, Philip Kavouriaris, Andrea Darracq

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

The time span between a fledgling’s first flight from the nest and dispersal from its natal area is known as the post-fledging dependence period. This period is a critical life stage because it affects an individual’s survival and recruitment into adult populations. In Black Vultures, young birds learn to navigate their environment but remain dependent on their parents for food during this prolonged period. We analyzed movement data from nine fledglings equipped with backpack-mounted solar-powered transmitters (GPS/GSM 20-70 PTT, 45g, Microwave Telemetry, Inc.), which included over 450,000 locations collected over a period of approximately 250 days. Home range sizes and …

Habitat Effects On Scorpion Densities And Microhabitat Use By Centruroides Vittatus And Vaejovis Waueri In South Texas, Jonathan Beltran

Theses and Dissertations

Co-existence between Centruroides vittatus and Vaejovis waueri is influenced by environmental factors that shape their habitats. Differences in surface activity frequency between the two species suggest differential microhabitat use. The observed frequency of scorpions using microhabitats in the Martinez Ranch and La Union Ranch were not significantly different from the expected frequencies. Frequency of scorpions observed using microhabitats in La Union South was significantly different from the expected frequency (P<0.001). Microhabitat use of catclaw was lower than expected and higher than expected for other vegetation. Conditional comparisons of microhabitats were significantly different among habitats (P<0.001), size classes were significantly different among microhabitats (P<0.001), and size classes were significantly different among habitats (P<0.01). Microhabitat use by scorpions on the ground was higher among all habitats. Scorpion use of ground and grass were different among size classes. Size class I-II scorpions had a higher frequency than size class III. Scorpion density for C. vittatus was significantly different among habitats (P<0.0001) and scorpion density for V. waueri was significantly different among habitats (P<0.0001). Centruroides vittatus was significantly higher in the Martinez Ranch and in La Union South. Vaejovis waueri was significantly higher in La iv Union South. Associations between plant densities and scorpion size classes were tested. Plant densities had a significant association with C. vittatus size classes I and II in the Martinez Ranch. Association between plants had a significant correlation with C. vittatus size classes I and IV in La Union Ranch. Association between plants had a significant correlation with V. waueri’s total density. These associations may suggest plant densities may have a synergistic effect on scorpion densities. Soil type composition for the different habitats was hypothesized to influence scorpion densities. Maps for each site were created to show soil type compositions. Soil type findings suggest that La Union South had the soil types with the lowest soil strength. Vaejovis waueri was shown to have a higher density in La Union South where soils are sandier. Results indicate that co-existence between C. vittatus and V. waueri is possible because competition is low through minimal overlap in microhabitat use and intraguild predation avoidance.

Evaluation Of Eastern Gamagrass As Dual-Purpose Complementary Bioenergy And Forage Feedstock To Switchgrass, Christina Kieffer, Dafeng Hui, Roser Matamala, Jianwei Li, Donald Tyler, E. Kudjo Dzantor

Biology Faculty Research

Switchgrass (SG) is considered a model bioenergy crop and a warm-season perennial grass (WSPG) that traditionally served as forage feedstock in the United States. To avoid the sole dependence on SG for bioenergy production, evaluation of other crops to diversify the pool of feedstock is needed. We conducted a 3-year field experiment evaluating eastern gamagrass (GG), another WSPG, as complementary feedstock to SG in one- and two-cut systems, with or without intercropping with crimson clover or hairy vetch, and under different nitrogen (N) application rates. Our results showed that GG generally produced lower biomass (by 29.5%), theoretical ethanol potential (TEP, …

Response Patterns Of Simulated Corn Yield And Soil Nitrous Oxide Emission To Precipitation Change, Navneet Kaur, Dafeng Hui, Daniel M. Riccuito, Melanie A. Mayes, Hanqin Tian

Biology Faculty Research

Background

Precipitation plays an important role in crop production and soil greenhouse gas emissions. However, how crop yield and soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emission respond to precipitation change, particularly with different background precipitations (dry, normal, and wet years), has not been well investigated. In this study, we examined the impacts of precipitation changes on corn yield and soil N2O emission using a long-term (1981–2020, 40 years) climate dataset as well as seven manipulated precipitation treatments with different background precipitations using the DeNitrification-DeComposition (DNDC) model.

Results

Results showed large variations of corn yield and precipitation but small variation of soil N2O …

Predicting Successful Completion Of Biology From Course Satisfaction And Curriculum Format For Nontraditional Students, Janet Elizabeth Forde

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The overall purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between the biology curriculum design with student course satisfaction and the successful completion for nontraditional adult students. The current study was important in determining course curriculum format leading to nontraditional students’ successful course completion. The selected college is a small two-year community college in the southeast United States. This quantitative, predictive correlation study surveyed 85 nontraditional students’ satisfaction with the biology course curriculum format using the Online Course Satisfaction Scale. The survey data was correlated along with the type curriculum used in the course section (Open …

A Quieter Ocean: Experimentally Derived Differences In Attentive Responses Of Tursiops Truncatus To Anthropogenic Noise Playbacks Before And During The Covid-19-Related Anthropause, Paige E. Stevens, Veda Allen, Jason N. Bruck

Faculty Publications

The effects of anthropogenic noise continue to threaten marine fauna, yet the impacts of human-produced sound on the broad aspects of cognition in marine mammals remain relatively understudied. The shutdown of non-essential activities due to the COVID-19-related anthropause created an opportunity to determine if reducing levels of oceanic anthropogenic noise on cetaceans affected processes of sensitization and habituation for common human-made sounds in an experimental setting. Dolphins at Dolphin Quest Bermuda were presented with three noises related to human activities (cruise ship, personal watercraft, and Navy low-frequency active sonar) both in 2018 and again during the anthropause in 2021 via …

Upregulation Of Cell Surface Glycoproteins In Correlation With Kshv Lana In The Kaposi Sarcoma Tumor Microenvironment, Sara R. Privatt, Owen Ngalamika, Jianshui Zhang, Qinsheng Li, Charles Wood, John T. West

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

HIV-associated epidemic Kaposi sarcoma (EpKS) remains one of the most prevalent cancers in sub-Saharan Africa despite the widespread uptake of anti-retroviral therapy and HIV-1 suppression. In an effort to define potential therapeutic targets against KS tumors, we analyzed previously published KS bulk tumor transcriptomics to identify cell surface biomarkers. In addition to upregulated gene expression (>6-fold) in the EpKS tumor microenvironment, biomarkers were selected for correlation with KSHV latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) expression. The cell surface glycoprotein genes identified were KDR, FLT4, ADAM12, UNC5A, ZP2, and OX40, as well as the endothelial lineage determinants Prox-1 and CD34. Each protein …

The Power Of Citizen Science: Overcoming The Knowledge Gap Of The Marine Mammal Diversity In The Bay Islands Of Honduras, Gloria Joo Ryung Oh

Honors Theses

Preservation of regional biological diversity requires an understanding of the inhabiting species. However, species surveys are often difficult due to a a lack of resources.  This study utilized citizen science, which involves the use of non-scientists for data collection, to summarize the marine mammal sightings  in the Bay Islands of Honduras (BIH). After data filtration, thirteen species of marine mammals were identified in the 509 observations records, of which 92% originated from citizen science sources.  These included four species that did not have a previous record in the BIH, two of which were first reports for the country of Honduras: …

Locomotor Biomechanics In Stream Gobies, Rhinogobius Sp.: Functional Performance Of Waterfall-Climbing Behavior, Ernest W. Murphy

Student Scholar Showcase

Gobiidae is the taxonomic classification of a large fish family comprising over 2,000 species. A few goby species have the unique ability of scaling waterfalls using pelvic fins that are fused into a suction disc (pelvic sucker) located on the ventral side of the body, aiding them in upstream migration to freshwater feeding and reproduction locations. This study aimed to investigate the locomotor biomechanics of Rhinogobius goby fish due to the lack of literature in the area. In particular, climbing performance variables (pressure differential, force, endurance, and kinematics of attachment), pelvic sucker fatigability, and ontogenetic patterns of physical development and …

The Application Of Microbial Source Tracking To Aid In Site Prioritization For Remediation In Lower Michigan, John J. Hart

Masters Theses

Non-point source fecal pollution is a threat to both the environment and public health. Climate change, aging infrastructure, and intensified agricultural practices are predicted to accentuate this issue. In Michigan, due to the high instance of aging infrastructure and intensified agriculture, non-point source fecal pollution has caused many waterbodies to exceed the state standards posing a risk to recreational activities and source water. Due to this threat, there is an increased effort to identify and remediate these sources. My study focused on improving the identification of non-point source fecal pollution through a combination of culture-based and molecular fecal indicator bacteria …

Reactive Chlorine Species Reversibly Inhibit Dnab Protein Splicing In Mycobacteria, Daniel Wahl

Scholars Week

Intervening proteins, or inteins, are mobile genetic elements translated within host polypeptides and removed at the protein level by splicing. In protein splicing, a selfmediated reaction removes the intein, leaving only a peptide bond in place. While protein splicing can proceed in the absence of external co-factors, several natural examples of conditional protein splicing (CPS) have emerged. In CPS, the rate and accuracy of splicing is highly-dependent on environmental conditions. As activity of the intein-containing host protein is compromised prior to splicing, and inteins are highly abundant in the microbial world, CPS represents an emerging form of …