Biology Commons^™

2b: "Copy Of Carbon Dioxide Data Illinois Natural Gas", U.S. Energy Information Administration

Ecosystem Disruption & Climate Change

No abstract provided.

2b: "Copy Of Carbon Dioxide Data Illinois Totals", U.S. Energy Information Administration

Ecosystem Disruption & Climate Change

No abstract provided.

2b: "Copy Of Carbon Dioxide Data Illinois Petroleum Products", U.S. Energy Information Administration

Ecosystem Disruption & Climate Change

No abstract provided.

Cancer And You, Diah-Aldeen Judeh

A with Honors Projects

This project discusses ways a person can identify cancer and what to do if cancer is present.

2b: "Copy Of Carbon Dioxide Data Illinois Coal", U.S. Energy Information Administration

Ecosystem Disruption & Climate Change

No abstract provided.

Lifelines Winter 2012, Southern Adventist University

Lifelines - Biology Department Newsletter

The Winter 2012 issue of Lifelines contains articles on Southern's ancient DNA project, the Pre-dental club, and a pictorial directory of the 2012 biology and allied health graduates.

Why Wasp Foundresses Change Nests: Relatedness, Dominance, And Nest Quality, Perttu Seppä, David C. Queller, Joan E. Strassmann

Biology Faculty Research

The costs and benefits of different social options are best understood when individuals can be followed as they make different choices, something that can be difficult in social insects. In this detailed study, we follow overwintered females of the social wasp Polistes carolina through different nesting strategies in a stratified habitat where nest site quality varies with proximity to a foraging area, and genetic relatedness among females is known. Females may initiate nests, join nests temporarily or permanently, or abandon nests. Females can become helpers or egglayers, effectively workers or queens. What they actually do can be predicted by a …

Plastids And Pathogens: Mechanosensitive Channels And Survival In A Hypoosmotic World, Kira M. Veley, Elizabeth S. Haswell

Biology Faculty Research

In bacteria, MscS-type mechanosensitive channels serve to protect cells from lysis as they swell during extreme osmotic stress. We recently showed that two MscS homologs from Arabidopsis thaliana serve a similar purpose in the epidermal plastids of the leaf, indicating that the plant cell cytoplasm can present a dynamic osmotic challenge to the plastid. MscS homologs are predicted to be targeted to both plastids and mitochondrial envelopes and have been found in the genomes of intracellular pathogens. Here we discuss the implications of these observations, and propose that MS channels provide an essential mechanism for osmotic adaptation to both intracellular …

Amino Acid Repeats Cause Extraordinary Coding Sequence Variation In The Social Amoeba Dictyostelium Discoideum, Clea Scala, Xiangjun Tian, Natasha J. Mehdiabadi, Margaret H. Smith, Gerda Saxer, Katie Stephens, Prince Buzombo, Joan E. Strassmann, David C. Queller

Biology Faculty Research

Protein sequences are normally the most conserved elements of genomes owing to purifying selection to maintain their functions. We document an extraordinary amount of within-species protein sequence variation in the model eukaryote Dictyostelium discoideum stemming from triplet DNA repeats coding for long strings of single amino acids. D. discoideum has a very large number of such strings, many of which are polyglutamine repeats, the same sequence that causes various human neurological disorders in humans, like Huntington’s disease. We show here that D. discoideum coding repeat loci are highly variable among individuals, making D. discoideum a candidate for the most variable …

Mscs-Like10 Is A Stretch-Activated Ion Channel From Arabidopsis Thaliana With A Preference For Anions, Grigory Maksaev, Elizabeth S. Haswell

Biology Faculty Research

Like many other organisms, plants are capable of sensing and responding to mechanical stimuli such as touch, osmotic pressure, and gravity. One mechanism for the perception of force is the activation of mechanosensitive (or stretch-activated) ion channels, and a number of mechanosensitive channel activities have been described in plant membranes. Based on their homology to the bacterial mechanosensitive channel MscS, the 10 MscS-Like (MSL) proteins of Arabidopsis thaliana have been hypothesized to form mechanosensitive channels in plant cell and organelle membranes. However, definitive proof that MSLs form mechanosensitive channels has been lacking. Here we used single-channel patch clamp electrophysiology to …

Mechanosensitive Channels Protect Plastids From Hypoosmotic Stress During Normal Plant Growth, Kira M. Veley, Sarah Marshburn, Cara E. Clure, Elizabeth S. Haswell

Biology Faculty Research

Cellular response to osmotic stress is critical for survival and involves volume control through the regulated transport of osmolytes [1-3]. Organelles may respond similarly to abrupt changes in cytoplasmic osmolarity [4-6]. The plastids of the Arabidopsis thaliana leaf epidermis provide a model system for the study of organellar response to osmotic stress within the context of the cell. An Arabidopsis mutant lacking two plastid-localized homologs of the bacteria mechanosensitive channel MscS (MscS-like [MSL] 2 and 3) exhibits large round epidermal plastids that lack dynamic extensions known as stromules [7]. This phenotype is present under normal growth conditions and does not …

A Role For Mechanosensitive Channels In Chloroplast And Bacterial Fission., Margaret E. Wilson, Elizabeth S. Haswell

Biology Faculty Research

The division site in both chloroplasts and bacteria is established by the medial placement of the FtsZ ring, a process that is in part regulated by the evolutionarily conserved components of the Min system. We recently showed that mechanosensitive ion channels influence FtsZ ring assembly in both Arabidopsis thaliana chloroplasts and in Escherichia coli; in chloroplasts they do so through the same genetic pathway as the Min system. Here we describe the effect of heterologous expression of the Arabidopsis MS channel homolog MSL2 on FtsZ ring placement in E. coli. We also discuss possible molecular mechanisms by which MS channels …

A Pre-Embedding Immunogold Approach Reveals Localization Of Myosin Vi At The Ultrastructural Level In The Actin Cones That Mediate Drosophila Spermatid Individualization, Marta Lenartowska, Mamiko Isaji, Kathryn G. Miller

Biology Faculty Research

Stable actin structures play important roles in the development and specialization of differentiated cells. How these structures form, are organized, and are used to mediate physiological processes is not well understood in most cases. In Drosophila testis, stable actin structures, called actin cones, mediate spermatid individualization, a large-scale cellular remodeling process. These actin cones are composed of two structural domains, a front meshwork and a rear region of parallel bundles. Myosin VI is an important player in proper actin cone organization and function. Myosin VI localizes to the cones' fronts and its specific localization is required for proper actin cone …

Whole Genome Sequencing Of Mutation Accumulation Lines Reveals A Low Mutation Rate In The Social Amoeba Dictyostelium Discoideum, Gerda Saxer, Paul Havlak, Sara A. Fox, Michael A. Quance, Sharu Gupta, Yuriy Fofanov, Joan E. Strassmann, David C. Queller

Biology Faculty Research

Spontaneous mutations play a central role in evolution. Despite their importance, mutation rates are some of the most elusive parameters to measure in evolutionary biology. The combination of mutation accumulation (MA) experiments and whole-genome sequencing now makes it possible to estimate mutation rates by directly observing new mutations at the molecular level across the whole genome. We performed an MA experiment with the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum and sequenced the genomes of three randomly chosen lines using high-throughput sequencing to estimate the spontaneous mutation rate in this model organism. The mitochondrial mutation rate of 6.76×10(-9), with a Poisson confidence interval …

Structured Growth And Genetic Drift Raise Relatedness In The Social Amoeba Dictyostelium Discoideum, Neil J. Buttery, Chandra N. Jack, Boahemaa Adu-Oppong, Kate T. Snyder, Christoper R L Thompson, David C. Queller, Joan E. Strassmann

Biology Faculty Research

One condition for the evolution of altruism is genetic relatedness between altruist and beneficiary, often achieved through active kin recognition. Here, we investigate the power of a passive process resulting from genetic drift during population growth in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. We put labelled and unlabelled cells of the same clone in the centre of a plate, and allowed them to proliferate outward. Zones formed by genetic drift owing to the small population of actively growing cells at the colony edge. We also found that single cells could form zones of high relatedness. Relatedness increased at a significantly …

Mind The Gap: A Comparative Study Of Migratory Behavior In Social Amoebae, Owen M. Gilbert, Jennie J. Kuzdzal-Fick, David C. Queller, Joan E. Strassmann

Biology Faculty Research

Social amoebae aggregate to form a multicellular slug that migrates some distance. Most species produce a stalk during migration, but some do not. We show that Dictyostelium giganteum, a species that produces stalk during migration, is able to traverse small gaps and utilize bacterial resources following gap traversal by shedding live cells. In contrast, we found that Dictyostelium discoideum, a species that does not produce stalk during migration, can traverse gaps only when in the presence of other species’ stalks or other thin filaments. These findings suggest that production of stalk during migration allows traversal of gaps that commonly occurs …

Full Issue: Volume 5, Issue 2

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

No abstract provided.

Full Issue: Volume 6, Number 1

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

No abstract provided.

Quantifying The Impacts Of Oyster Reef Restoration On Oyster Coverage, Wave Attenuation And Seagrass Fragment Retention In Mosquito Lagoon, Florida, Stephanie Garvis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this project was to determine the effects of oyster reef restoration on oyster coverage, wave height dissipation and seagrass recruitment. First, to assess the current versus historical coverage of natural, dead and restored oyster reefs within Mosquito Lagoon, aerial photographs from 2009, provided by Saint Johns River Water Management District, were digitized using ArcGIS software. Live reefs, restored reefs and dead reefs were screen digitized using a reef ‘signature’ in order to estimate the area of each type of reef. The 2009 maps were used as a guide to digitizing the historical aerial photographs (1943, 1951, 1967, …

Diversity And Dynamics Of Bacterial Communities In Early Life Stages Of The Caribbean Coral Porites Astreoides, Koty H. Sharp, Dan Distel, Valerie J. Paul

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

In this study, we examine microbial communities of early developmental stages of the coral Porites astreoides by sequence analysis of cloned 16S rRNA genes, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP), and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) imaging. Bacteria are associated with the ectoderm layer in newly released planula larvae, in 4-day-old planulae, and on the newly forming mesenteries surrounding developing septa in juvenile polyps after settlement. Roseobacter clade-associated (RCA) bacteria and Marinobacter sp. are consistently detected in specimens of P. astreoides spanning three early developmental stages, two locations in the Caribbean and 3 years of collection. Multi-response permutation procedures analysis …

Functional Analysis Of Conserved Motifs In The Mechanosensitive Channel Homolog Mscs-Like2 From Arabidopsis Thaliana, Gregory S. Jensen, Elizabeth S. Haswell

Biology Faculty Research

The Mechanosensitive channel of Small conductance (MscS) of Escherichia coli has become an excellent model system for the structural, biophysical, and functional study of mechanosensitive ion channels. MscS, a complex channel with multiple states, contributes to protection against lysis upon osmotic downshock. MscS homologs are widely and abundantly dispersed among the bacterial and plant lineages, but are not found in animals. Investigation into the eukaryotic branch of the MscS family is in the beginning stages, and it remains unclear how much MscS homologs from eukaryotes resemble E. coli MscS with respect to structure, function, and regulation. Here we test the …

Hands-On Labs (Hol): Using Technology And Web-Based Resources To Transform A Traditional Lab-Based Biology Course Into A Distance Learning (Dl) Hybrid Course, Across Schools At Pace University., Erica Kipp

Cornerstone 3 Reports : Interdisciplinary Informatics

No abstract provided.

Lifelines Fall 2011, Southern Adventist University

Lifelines - Biology Department Newsletter

The Fall 2011 issue of Lifelines features articles on biology student research, the pre-professional campout, and new professors Dr. Timothy Trott and Dr. Lucinda Hill.

Mathematical Modeling And Dynamical Analysis Of The Operation Of The Hypothalamus - Pituitary - Thyroid (Hpt) Axis In Autoimmune (Hashimoto's) Thyroiditis, Balamurugan Pandiyan

Dissertations (1934 -)

This thesis is a mathematical modeling study of the operation of the negative feedback control through the hypothalamus-pituitary- thyroid (HPT) axis in autoimmune (Hashimoto's) thyroiditis. Negative feedback control through the HPT axis is a mechanism in which the high levels of thyroid hormone; free thyroxine (FT4) in the blood inhibits the secretion of the pituitary hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) into the blood. Similarly, the low levels of free thyroxine (FT4) sensed by the pituitary gland and then it secretes thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) into the blood. Autoimmune (Hashimoto's) thyroiditis is a disease in which the immune system turns against …

Transcriptional Analysis Of Schistosoma Mansoni Treated With Sub-Lethal Doses Of The Anthelmintic Drug Praziquantel, Jarrett Hines-Kay

Biology ETDs

Schistosoma mansoni is one of the most common etiological agents responsible for the disease schistosomiasis. More than 200 million people suffer from this disease making it the most severe tropical disease after malaria in terms of morbidity. Praziquantel (PZQ) is the treatment of choice for schistosomiasis and has been used almost exclusively to treat the disease since the 1970s. However, while the drug is lethal for sexually mature schistosomes, it is ineffective against juveniles. Thus, while morbidity can be eased, a cure is difficult to achieve. As a result there is an urgent need to develop a new generation of …

Yeast Bax Inhibitor, Bxi1p, Is An Er-Localized Protein That Links The Unfolded Protein Response And Programmed Cell Death In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Nicanor Austriaco, James Cebulski, Joshua Malouin, Nathan Pinches, Vincent Cascio

Biology Faculty Publications

Bax inhibitor-1 (BI-1) is an anti-apoptotic gene whose expression is upregulated in a wide range of human cancers. Studies in both mammalian and plant cells suggest that the BI-1 protein resides in the endoplasmic reticulum and is involved in the unfolded protein response (UPR) that is triggered by ER stress. It is thought to act via a mechanism involving altered calcium dynamics. In this paper, we provide evidence that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein encoded by the open reading frame, YNL305C, is a bona fide homolog for BI-1. First, we confirm that yeast cells from two different strain backgrounds lacking YNL305C, …

Eugenics And Modern Biology: Critiques Of Eugenics, 1910-1945, Garland E. Allen

Biology Faculty Research

Eugenics in most western countries in the first four decades of the twentieth century was based on the idea that genes control most human phenotypic traits, everything from physical features such as polydactyly and eye color to physiological conditions such as the A-B-O blood groups to mental and personality traits such as “feeblemindedness”, alcoholism and pauperism. It assessing the development of the eugenics movement – its rise and decline between 1900 and 1950 – it is important to recognize that its naïve assumptions and often flawed methodologies were openly criticized at the time by scientists and non-scientists alike. This paper …

Comparative Analysis Of Hepatic And Pulmonary Immune Mediators During Postnatal Development, Michelle Mack

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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A Synthesis Of Plant Invasion Effects On Biodiversity Across Spatial Scales, Kristin I. Powell, Jonathan M. Chase, Tiffany M. Knight

Biology Faculty Research

PREMISE OF THE STUDY:

Invasive plant species are typically thought to pose a large threat to native biodiversity, and local-scale studies typically confirm this view. However, plant invaders rarely cause regional extirpations or global extinctions, causing some to suggest that invasive species' influence on native biodiversity may not be so dire. We aim to synthesize the seemingly conflicting literature in plant invasion biology by evaluating the effects of invasive plant species across spatial scales.

METHODS:

We first conducted a meta-analysis on the effects of invasive plants on the species richness of invaded communities across a range of spatial extents. We …

Lifelines Winter 2011, Southern Adventist University

Lifelines - Biology Department Newsletter

The Winter 2011 issue of Lifelines includes articles on research done by the Ecology class, an alumni feature, the TriBeta National Biological Honor Society, and a pictorial directory of the 2011 biology and allied health graduates.