Genetics and Genomics Commons^™

Comparative Efficacy Of Novel Endolysins In Queso Fresco, Daniella Smith, Maxwell J. Holle, Dr. Michael Miller

PRECS student projects

Listeria monocytogenes is problematic for the manufacturing, storage, and consumption of ready-to-eat foods. This bacterium may cause listeriosis upon consumption often with deadly complications. Queso Fresco (QF), a pasteurized Hispanic-style fresh cheese (HSFC), has been shown to support the growth of L. monocytogenes. QF is the most widely produced and implicated HSFC in the U.S., representing a significant health hazard to at risk populations such as infants, pregnant women, elderly, and the immunocompromised. The objective of this research project is to evaluate the efficacy of ten novel antimicrobial endolysins in combatting L. monocytogenes contamination in a miniaturized lab-scale queso fresco …

Stress Induced Remodeling In The Nematode C. Elegans, Becky Rose, Rebecca Androwski, Nathan E. Schroeder

PRECS student projects

Caenorhabditis elegans is a model organism for studying genetics and neuroscience C. elegans is frequently studied to understand how genes and the environment interact to produce new phenotypes. We take advantage of an organism-wide stress response and genetic tools that provide an excellent model for studying how phenotypes are impacted by stress.

Verification Of Successful Kainic Acid Injections In A Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Mouse Model, Adrian J. Garcia, Robbie J. Ingram, Catherine A. Christian

PRECS student projects

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most prominent form of partial epilepsy in adults. Reproductive endocrine comorbidities appear in patients with TLE at significantly higher rates than in the general population. These comorbidities include polycystic ovary syndrome, hypothalamic amenorrhea, hyperandrogenism, irregular menstrual cycle, lower testosterone levels, hypogonadism, erectile dysfunction, and decreased semen motility. It is believed that gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons in the hypothalamus play an important role in the development of these comorbidities. The kainic acid (KA) mouse model is used to study epilepsy-associated changes in GnRH neurophysiology. Our lab recently observed that the activity of GnRH neurons is …

Fungal Endophytes Interact With Endophytic Yeast Isolated From Soybean Leaves, Baldemar Basurto, Natalie Christian, Katy Heath

PRECS student projects

Endophytes (endo = inside and phyte=plant) are microscopic fungi that live inside of the leaves of all species of plants and can have beneficial effects on their hosts. Previous work in our lab has shown a significant decrease of Sporobolomyces sp., an endophytic yeast, within soybean hosts exposed to elevated levels of CO₂. Sporobolomyces sp. has certain properties to enable them to act as natural biocontrol agents. This pink yeast may have untapped potential to protect crops from pathogenic organisms. If Sporobolomyces sp. interacts with fungal pathogens, it may have strong effects on other fungal endophytes in the community. The …

Direct Impacts Of Heat Stress On Illinois Soybeans, Jessica O'Connor, Charles Burroughs, Lisa Ainsworth

PRECS student projects

Rising global temperatures are challenging agricultural productivity and can affect soybean yield through many physiological and metabolic processes. Recent regression analyses indicate that soybean yield is depressed in warmer years. This research aims to help determine which processes are affected by heat stress, such as photosynthesis, plant development, leaf area index and yield. The experiment consists of two different varieties of commercial Illinois soybeans, which will be continually heated throughout the growing season in order to compare the physiological characteristics of the soybeans in the heated arrays to those growing in ambient conditions. Data collected on photosynthesis, plant development, leaf …

Effects Of Mycorrhizae On Struvite Dissolution Can Plant-Fungus Mutualism Increase The Viability Of A Sustainable Phosphorus Fertilizer?, Isako Battista Di Tomassi, Erinn Dady, Neha Chatterjee, Andrew Margenot

PRECS student projects

Phosphorus (P) is essential for all organisms. In agriculture, P, nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) are applied in large amounts as fertilizer. Monoammonium phosphate (MAP), a conventional fertilizer, is highly water soluble, causing high P and N concentrations in agricultural runoff, harming aquatic life. Struvite (NH4MgPO4 ·6H2O), a waste-water derived product with potential for use as a P fertilizer; has low water solubility, and phosphorus in struvite is not as accessible to plants as it is in MAP. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form mutualisms in which they receive carbon from plants in exchange for other nutrients, and assist in P …

Plasticity Or Local Adaptation?: Survival Of L. Parva Larvae In Varying Salinity, Kaitlyn Cortez, Lauren Mcdaniel, Becky Fuller

PRECS student projects

As environmental stressors continue to amplify, Lucania parva, or Rainwater Killifish, are expected to outlast other species in unpredictably fast changing environments, as they are unique in their ability to tolerate multiple salinities. The objective of this research is to understand what affects L. parva’s ability to tolerate salinity and discover the limitations the species might have to tolerating it. Understanding this fish’s biology will help with the conservation of aquatic ecosystems in Florida. Preliminary data and early trends suggest that during early larval stages, L. parva are plastic but the extent of their plasticity is limited as they cannot …

Construction Of A Tn5 Mutant Library In Xanthomonas Cucurbitae, Keirsten Kline, Rikky Rai, Sarah R. Hind

PRECS student projects

The health and yield of important crop plants around the world is a significant concern when faced with food scarcity in the generations to come. The Xanthomonas bacterial genus can infect more than 400 different plant species including economically important crops such as rice and soy. In Illinois, Xanthomonas cucurbitae can infect pumpkin and winter squash and cause bacterial spot disease (Figure 1) resulting in up to 100% yield loss of pumpkin crops. The disease caused by this pathogen has become one of the most significant threats to production of pumpkins in Illinois, the U.S. and the world.

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