Genetics and Genomics Commons^™

Improving Rnai In The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug: Identification Of Target Genes And Reference Genes For Rt-Qpcr, Kanakachari Mogilicherla, Jeffrey L. Howell, Subba Reddy Palli

Entomology Faculty Publications

The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is native to Asia and recently invaded the USA. RNA interference (RNAi) is a gene silencing mechanism in which the introduction of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) inhibits gene function by degrading target mRNA. In dsRNA stability assays, the dsRNases present in the hemolymph and salivary gland secretions of BMSB showed lower activity than those in the hemolymph of Heliothis virescens. We evaluated six housekeeping genes (18S rRNA, EF1-α, Actin, Ubiquitin, 60S RP and β-Tubulin) across dsRNA treatments (injection and feeding) in nymphs and adults of BMSB and identified …

Gene Flow Between Divergent Cereal- And Grass-Specific Lineages Of The Rice Blast Fungus Magnaporthe Oryzae, Pierre Gladieux, Bradford Condon, Sebastien Ravel, Darren Soanes, Joao Leodato Nunes Maciel, Antonio Nhani, Li Chen, Ryohei Terauchi, Marc-Henri Lebrun, Didier Tharreau, Thomas Mitchell, Kerry F Pedley, Barbara Valent, Nicholas J. Talbot, Mark L. Farman, Elisabeth Fournier

Plant Pathology Faculty Publications

Delineating species and epidemic lineages in fungal plant pathogens is critical to our understanding of disease emergence and the structure of fungal biodiversity and also informs international regulatory decisions. Pyricularia oryzae (syn. Magnaporthe oryzae) is a multihost pathogen that infects multiple grasses and cereals, is responsible for the most damaging rice disease (rice blast), and is of growing concern due to the recent introduction of wheat blast to Bangladesh from South America. However, the genetic structure and evolutionary history of M. oryzae, including the possible existence of cryptic phylogenetic species, remain poorly defined. Here, we use whole-genome sequence …

Developing Pennycress ( Thlaspi Arvense ) As A Biodiesel Feedstock Crop And Plant Model System, Michaela Mcginn

Theses and Dissertations

Thlapsi arvense L. (pennycress) is currently being developed as a profitable oilseed-producing winter annual cover crop with extreme cold tolerance and a rapid life cycle that can be grown on fallow farmland throughout the U.S. Midwest Corn Belt, controlling soil erosion and nutrient runoff while serving as an additional source of income for the American farmer without displacing food crops. The research comprising this dissertation demonstrates that pennycress can serve as a user-friendly model system highly similar to Arabidopsis thaliana, and is well-suited for both laboratory and field experimentation, being readily employable in existing growth facilities. After 10 generations of …

An Exome-Wide Sequencing Study Of Lipid Response To High-Fat Meal And Fenofibrate In Caucasians From The Goldn Cohort, Xin Geng, Marguerite R. Irvin, Bertha Hidalgo, Stella Aslibekyan, Vinodh Srinivasasainagendra, Ping An, Alexis C. Frazier-Wood, Hemant K. Tiwari, Tushar Dave, Kathleen Ryan, Jose M. Ordovas, Robert J. Straka, Mary F. Feitosa, Paul N. Hopkins, Ingrid Borecki, Michael A. Province, Braxton D. Mitchell, Donna K. Arnett, Degui Zhi

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Our understanding of genetic influences on the response of lipids to specific interventions is limited. In this study, we sought to elucidate effects of rare genetic variants on lipid response to a high-fat meal challenge and fenofibrate (FFB) therapy in the Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN) cohort using an exome-wide sequencing-based association study. Our results showed that the rare coding variants in ITGA7, SIPA1L2, and CEP72 are significantly associated with fasting LDL cholesterol response to FFB (P = 1.24E-07), triglyceride postprandial area under the increase (AUI) (P = 2.31E-06), and triglyceride postprandial …

Downregulation Of Srebp Inhibits Tumor Growth And Initiation By Altering Cellular Metabolism In Colon Cancer, Yang-An Wen, Xiaopeng Xiong, Yekaterina Y. Zaytseva, Dana L. Napier, Emma Vallee, Austin T. Li, Chi Wang, Heidi L. Weiss, B. Mark Evers, Tianyan Gao

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) belong to a family of transcription factors that regulate the expression of genes required for the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol. Three SREBP isoforms, SREBP1a, SREBP1c, and SREBP2, have been identified in mammalian cells. SREBP1a and SREBP1c are derived from a single gene through the use of alternative transcription start sites. Here we investigated the role of SREBP-mediated lipogenesis in regulating tumor growth and initiation in colon cancer. Knockdown of either SREBP1 or SREBP2 decreased levels of fatty acids as a result of decreased expression of SREBP target genes required for lipid biosynthesis in …

Maternal High-Fat Diet Associated With Altered Gene Expression, Dna Methylation, And Obesity Risk In Mouse Offspring, Madeline Rose Keleher, Rabab Zaidi, Shyam Shah, M. Elsa Oakley, Cassondra Pavlatos, Samir El Idrissi, Xiaoyun Xing, Daofeng Li, Ting Wang, James M. Cheverud

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

We investigated maternal obesity in inbred SM/J mice by assigning females to a high-fat diet or a low-fat diet at weaning, mating them to low-fat-fed males, cross-fostering the offspring to low-fat-fed SM/J nurses at birth, and weaning the offspring onto a high-fat or low-fat diet. A maternal high-fat diet exacerbated obesity in the high-fat-fed daughters, causing them to weigh more, have more fat, and have higher serum levels of leptin as adults, accompanied by dozens of gene expression changes and thousands of DNA methylation changes in their livers and hearts. Maternal diet particularly affected genes involved in RNA processing, immune …

Repeat-Associated Non-Aug (Ran) Translation And Other Molecular Mechanisms In Fragile X Tremor Ataxia Syndrome, M. Rebecca Glineburg, Peter K. Todd, Nicolas Charlet-Berguerand, Chantal Sellier

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is a late-onset inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive intention tremor, gait ataxia and dementia associated with mild brain atrophy. The cause of FXTAS is a premutation expansion, of 55 to 200 CGG repeats localized within the 5′UTR of FMR1. These repeats are transcribed in the sense and antisense directions into mutants RNAs, which have increased expression in FXTAS. Furthermore, CGG sense and CCG antisense expanded repeats are translated into novel proteins despite their localization in putatively non-coding regions of the transcript. Here we focus on two proposed disease mechanisms for FXTAS: 1) RNA …

Advancing Behavioural Genomics By Considering Timescale, Clare C. Rittschof, Kimberly A. Hughes

Entomology Faculty Publications

Animal behavioural traits often covary with gene expression, pointing towards a genomic constraint on organismal responses to environmental cues. This pattern highlights a gap in our understanding of the time course of environmentally responsive gene expression, and moreover, how these dynamics are regulated. Advances in behavioural genomics explore how gene expression dynamics are correlated with behavioural traits that range from stable to highly labile. We consider the idea that certain genomic regulatory mechanisms may predict the timescale of an environmental effect on behaviour. This temporally minded approach could inform both organismal and evolutionary questions ranging from the remediation of early …

Reference Gene Selection For Rt-Qpcr Analysis In Harmonia Axyridis, A Global Invasive Lady Beetle, Xiaowei Yang, Huipeng Pan, Ling Yuan, Xuguo Zhou

Entomology Faculty Publications

Harmonia axyridis is a voracious predator, a biological control agent, and one of the world most invasive insect species. The advent of next-generation sequencing platforms has propelled entomological research into the genomics and post-genomics era. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), a primary tool for gene expression analysis, is a core technique governs the genomic research. The selection of internal reference genes, however, can significantly impact the interpretation of RT-qPCR results. The overall goal of this study is to identify the reference genes in the highly invasive H. axyridis. Our central hypothesis is that the suitable reference genes for RT-qPCR analysis …

Dna Sequences Of The Mitochondrial Cytochrome C Oxidase I (Coi) Genes From Deep Sea Fishes, Cruises Dp03 And Dp04 From May 2016 - August 2016, Max Weber, Kimberly A. Finnegan, Andrea Bernard, Ron Eytan, Mahmood S. Shivji

DEEPEND Datasets

The deep sea ecosystem is believed to contain the highest biomass of fish in the oceans. However, the taxonomic diversity in this ecosystem is incompletely described and likely to be vastly underestimated. DNA sequence data (barcodes) have become a key tool to discover hidden biodiversity. We generated mitochondrial DNA barcode datasets based on the Cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene from deep sea fishes. These data were analyzed using phylogenetic and statistical methods to reveal cryptic species and make taxonomic linkages between adult fishes and their early life stages. These datasets were generated from fishes collected in the northern Gulf …

Genome-Wide Interactions With Dairy Intake For Body Mass Index In Adults Of European Descent, Caren E. Smith, Jack L. Follis, Hassan S. Dashti, Toshiko Tanaka, Mariaelisa Graff, Amanda M. Fretts, Tuomas O. Kilpeläinen, Mary K. Wojczynski, Kris Richardson, Mike A. Nalls, Christina-Alexandra Schulz, Yongmei Liu, Alexis C. Frazier-Wood, Esther Van Eekelen, Carol Wang, Paul S. De Vries, Vera Mikkilä, Rebecca Rohde, Bruce M. Psaty, Torben Hansen, Mary F. Feitosa, Chao-Qiang Lai, Denise K. Houston, Luigi Ferruci, Ulrika Ericson, Zhe Wang, Renée De Mutsert, Wendy H. Oddy, Ester A. L. De Jonge, Ilkka Seppälä, Donna K. Arnett

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Scope: Body weight responds variably to the intake of dairy foods. Genetic variation may contribute to inter‐individual variability in associations between body weight and dairy consumption.

Methods and results: A genome‐wide interaction study to discover genetic variants that account for variation in BMI in the context of low‐fat, high‐fat and total dairy intake in cross‐sectional analysis was conducted. Data from nine discovery studies (up to 25 513 European descent individuals) were meta‐analyzed. Twenty‐six genetic variants reached the selected significance threshold (p‐interaction <10⁻⁷⁾, and six independent variants (LINC01512‐rs7751666, PALM2/AKAP2‐rs914359, ACTA2‐rs1388, PPP1R12A‐rs7961195, LINC00333‐rs9635058, …

The Candida Albicans Stress Response Gene Stomatin-Like Protein 3 Is Implicated In Ros-Induced Apoptotic-Like Death Of Yeast Phase Cells, Karen A. Conrad, Ronald Rodriguez, Eugenia C. Salcedo, Jason M. Rauceo

Publications and Research

The ubiquitous presence of SPFH (Stomatin, Prohibitin, Flotillin, HflK/HflC) proteins in all domains of life suggests that their function would be conserved. However, SPFH functions are diverse with organism-specific attributes. SPFH proteins play critical roles in physiological processes such as mechanosensation and respiration. Here, we characterize the stomatin ORF19.7296/SLP3 in the opportunistic human pathogen Candida albicans. Consistent with the localization of stomatin proteins, a Slp3p-Yfp fusion protein formed visible puncta along the plasma membrane. We also visualized Slp3p within the vacuolar lumen. Slp3p primary sequence analyses identified four putative S-palmitoylation sites, which may facilitate membrane localization and are conserved features …

Convergent Evolution Of Biochemical Innovations In Polychaetes: Characterizing The Molecular Basis Of Bioluminescence And Venom Production, Aida E. Verdes Gorín

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The convergent evolution of phenotypic traits is a widespread phenomenon across the tree of life and is explained as the outcome of different taxa facing similar selective forces or environmental conditions. A longstanding question in evolutionary biology is whether the evolution of convergent phenotypes in unrelated lineages is driven by similar or different molecular processes. The research presented here investigates this question by characterizing the molecular basis of two biochemical innovations, bioluminescence and venom production, that have evolved independently in different lineages of polychaetes worms (Annelida). We use an integrative approach, combining next-generation sequencing, phylogenetics and computational tools to evaluate …

Investigation Of Cry3bb1 Resistance And Intoxication In Western Corn Rootworm By Rna Sequencing, Leslie Catherine Rault, Blair D. Siegfried, Aaron J. Gassmann, Haichuan Wang, Gary J. Brewer, Nicholas J. Miller

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The western corn rootworm (WCR) Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte is a major pest of corn that has evolved resistance to transgenic maize that produces insecticidal Cry toxins. The specific mode of action of Cry3Bb1 and mechanism of resistance in WCR are unknown. This study compared gene expression between Cry3Bb1-susceptible and Cry3Bb1-resistant WCR neonates, in the presence and absence of Cry3Bb1. RNA-Seq data were analyzed to identify differentially expressed transcripts between strains of WCR, providing candidate transcripts for resistance to Cry3Bb1. Constitutive and Cry3Bb1-induced differences between strains caused the differential expression of 608 transcripts after 8 hr. Differentially expressed transcripts between …

Eight-Legged Encounters—Arachnids, Volunteers, And Art Help To Bridge The Gap Between Informal And Formal Science Learning, Eileen Hebets, Melissa Welch-Lazoritz, Pawl Tisdale, Patricia Wonch Hill

Eileen Hebets Publications

Increased integration and synergy between formal and informal learning environments is proposed to provide multiple benefits to science learners. In an effort to better bridge these two learning contexts, we developed an educational model that employs the charismatic nature of arachnids to engage the public of all ages in science learning; learning that aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas associated with Biodiversity and Evolution). We created, implemented, and evaluated a family-focused, interactive science event—Eight-Legged Encounters (ELE)—which encompasses more than twenty modular activities. Volunteers facilitated participant involvement at each activity station and original …

New Classification Of The Dictyostelids, Sanea Sheikh, Mats Thulin, James C. Cavender, Ricardo Escalante, Shin-Ichi Kawakami, Carlos Lado, John C. Landolt, Vidyanand Nanjundiah, David C. Queller, Joan E. Strassmann, Frederick W. Spiegel, Steven L. Stephenson, Eduardo M. Vadell, Sandra L. Baldauf

Biology Faculty Research

Traditional morphology-based taxonomy of dictyostelids is rejected by molecular phylogeny. A new classification is presented based on monophyletic entities with consistent and strong molecular phylogenetic support and that are, as far as possible, morphologically recognizable. All newly named clades are diagnosed with small subunit ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) sequence signatures plus morphological synapomorphies where possible. The two major molecular clades are given the rank of order, as Acytosteliales ord. nov. and Dictyosteliales. The two major clades within each of these orders are recognized and given the rank of family as, respectively, Acytosteliaceae and Cavenderiaceae fam. nov. in Acytosteliales, and Dictyosteliaceae …

A Model Species For Agricultural Pest Genomics: The Genome Of The Colorado Potato Beetle, Leptinotarsa Decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Sean D. Schoville, Yolanda H. Chen, Martin N. Andersson, Joshua B. Benoit, Anita Bhandari, Julia H. Bowsher, Kristian Brevik, Kaat Cappelle, Mei-Ju M. Chen, Anna K. Childers, Christopher Childers, Olivier Christiaens, Justin Clements, Elise M. Didion, Elena N. Elpidina, Patamarerk Engsontia, Markus Friedrich, Inmaculada García-Robles, Richard A. Gibbs, Chandan Goswami, Alessandro Grapputo, Kristina Gruden, Marcin Grynberg, Bernard Henrissat, Emily C. Jennings, Jeffery W. Jones, Megha Kalsi, Sher A. Khan, Abhishek Kumar, Fei Li, Vincent Lombard, Subba Reddy Palli, June-Sun Yoon

Entomology Faculty Publications

The Colorado potato beetle is one of the most challenging agricultural pests to manage. It has shown a spectacular ability to adapt to a variety of solanaceaeous plants and variable climates during its global invasion, and, notably, to rapidly evolve insecticide resistance. To examine evidence of rapid evolutionary change, and to understand the genetic basis of herbivory and insecticide resistance, we tested for structural and functional genomic changes relative to other arthropod species using genome sequencing, transcriptomics, and community annotation. Two factors that might facilitate rapid evolutionary change include transposable elements, which comprise at least 17% of the genome and …

Analysis Of The Repair Of Topoisomerase Ii Dna Damage, Eric Goldstein

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

A large number of anti-cancer chemotherapeutics target DNA topoisomerases. Etoposide is a specific topoisomerase II poison that causes reversible double strand DNA breaks. This project analyses the repair of DNA damage induced by etoposide, a common anti-cancer chemotherapeutic. Through the comparison of two known DNA repair pathways, anti-cancer chemotherapy may become more cytotoxic. Double strand DNA break repair is mediated by either non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or homologous recombination (HR). NHEJ repairs through direct ligation of a double stranded break, whereas HR utilizes a homologous template to recover the wild type sequence. Reporter cassettes involving the expression of green fluorescent …

Gene-Based Association Study For Lipid Traits In Diverse Cohorts Implicates Bace1 And Sidt2 Regulation In Triglyceride Levels, Angela Andaleon, Lauren S. Mogil, Heather Wheeler

Bioinformatics Faculty Publications

Plasma lipid levels are risk factors for cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death worldwide. While many studies have been conducted on lipid genetics, they mainly focus on Europeans and thus their transferability to diverse populations is unclear. We performed SNP- and gene-level genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of four lipid traits in cohorts from Nigeria and the Philippines and compared them to the results of larger, predominantly European meta-analyses. Two previously implicated loci met genome-wide significance in our SNP-level GWAS in the Nigerian cohort, rs34065661 in CETP associated with HDL cholesterol (P = 9.0 × 10⁻¹⁰) and …

Computational Analysis Of Broad Complex Zinc-Finger Transcription Factors, Barbara Mascareno-Shaw

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

Studies of transcription factors have provided important contributions toward understanding the cell morphology and developmental regulation of fruit flies based on sequence analysis of amino acid substitutions. In this report we describe the construction of four protein-DNA models based on two experimentally determined X-ray crystal structures (2DRP and 1A1H) using computational simulations of Z1, Z2, Z3, and Z4 zinc-finger DNA binding proteins. Once these models were constructed, 3 mutants were generated for the Z1/Z3 proteins. We evaluated the construction of the models and mutants against the templates using molecular mechanics (MM3) calculations in an attempt to determine the effect of …

Kruppel-Like Factor 4-Dependent Staufen1-Mediated Mrna Decay Regulates Cortical Neurogenesis, Byoung-San Moon, Jinlun Bai, Mingyang Cai, Chunming Liu, Jiandang Shi, Wange Lu

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Kruppel-like factor 4 (Klf4) is a zinc-finger-containing protein that plays a critical role in diverse cellular physiology. While most of these functions attribute to its role as a transcription factor, it is postulated that Klf4 may play a role other than transcriptional regulation. Here we demonstrate that Klf4 loss in neural progenitor cells (NPCs) leads to increased neurogenesis and reduced self-renewal in mice. In addition, Klf4 interacts with RNA-binding protein Staufen1 (Stau1) and RNA helicase Ddx5/17. They function together as a complex to maintain NPC self-renewal. We report that Klf4 promotes Stau1 recruitment to the 3′-untranslated region of neurogenesis-associated mRNAs, …

First Record Of The Non-Native Pacu, Piaractus Brachypomus, In Lago Petén-Itzá, Guatemala, Central America, Diego J. Elias, Susan F. Mochel, Prosanta Chakrabarty, Caleb D. Mcmahan

Occasional Papers of the Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University

We documented the first record of the non-native species Piaractus brachypomus (Characiformes: Serrasalmidae) in Lago Petén-Itzá, Petén, Guatemala. One brined specimen was donated by a local fisherman in San Benito, El Petén. The captured specimen was reportedly collected in the southern basin of the lake. We used the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase I (COI) to validate identity of the specimen. We hypothesize that the local aquarium trade is the most likely source of introduction of the non-native Pacu in Lago Petén-Itzá.

Documentamos el primer registro de la especie no nativa Piaractus brachypomus (Characiformes: Serrasalmidae) en el lago Petén Itzá, Petén, …

Creb-Binding Protein Plays Key Roles In Juvenile Hormone Action In The Red Flour Beetle, Tribolium Castaneum, Jingjing Xu, Amit Roy, Subba Reddy Palli

Entomology Faculty Publications

Juvenile hormones (JH) and ecdysteroids regulate many biological and metabolic processes. CREB-binding protein (CBP) is a transcriptional co-regulator with histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity. Therefore, CBP is involved in activation of many transcription factors that regulate expression of genes associated with postembryonic development in insects. However, the function of CBP in JH action in insects is not well understood. Hence, we studied the role of CBP in JH action in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum and the Tribolium cell line. CBP knockdown caused a decrease in JH induction of genes, Kr-h1, 4EBP and G13402 in T. castaneum larvae, adults and …

The Invasive Med/Q Bemisia Tabaci Genome: A Tale Of Gene Loss And Gene Gain, Wen Xie, Xin Yang, Chunhai Chen, Zezhong Yang, Litao Guo, Dan Wang, Jinqun Huang, Hailin Zhang, Yanan Wen, Jinyang Zhao, Qingjun Wu, Shaoli Wang, Brad S. Coates, Xuguo Zhou, Youjun Zhang

Entomology Faculty Publications

Background: Sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci MED/Q and MEAM1/B, are two economically important invasive species that cause considerable damages to agriculture crops through direct feeding and indirect vectoring of plant pathogens. Recently, a draft genome of B. tabaci MED/Q has been assembled. In this study, we focus on the genomic comparison between MED/Q and MEAM1/B, with a special interest in MED/Q’s genomic signatures that may contribute to the highly invasive nature of this emerging insect pest.

Results: The genomes of both species share similarity in syntenic blocks, but have significant divergence in the gene coding sequence. Expansion of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases …

Mitochondrial Dna Sequence Alignments And Raw Fastq Files For The Population Genetic Analysis Of The Deep Sea Isopod, Bathynomus Giganteus, Laura Timm, Barbara Moahamed

DEEPEND Datasets

This data set includes three alignments (12S, 16S, COI) of mitochondrial DNA sequences, as well as two raw fastq files generated through the next-generation sequencing (NGS) method ddRADseq. This data was collected from Bathynomus giganteus specimens collected from throughout the northeastern Gulf of Mexico.

Highly Conserved Molecular Pathways, Including Wnt Signaling, Promote Functional Recovery From Spinal Cord Injury In Lampreys, Paige E. Herman, Angelos Papatheodorou, Stephanie A. Bryant, Courtney K. M. Waterbury, Joseph R. Herdy, Anthony A. Arcese, Joseph D. Buxbaum, Jeramiah J. Smith, Jennifer R. Morgan, Ona Bloom

Biology Faculty Publications

In mammals, spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to dramatic losses in neurons and synaptic connections, and consequently function. Unlike mammals, lampreys are vertebrates that undergo spontaneous regeneration and achieve functional recovery after SCI. Therefore our goal was to determine the complete transcriptional responses that occur after SCI in lampreys and to identify deeply conserved pathways that promote regeneration. We performed RNA-Seq on lamprey spinal cord and brain throughout the course of functional recovery. We describe complex transcriptional responses in the injured spinal cord, and somewhat surprisingly, also in the brain. Transcriptional responses to SCI in lampreys included transcription factor networks …

Determining Bioindicators For Coastal Tidal Marsh Health Using The Food Web Of Larvae Of The Greenhead Horse Fly (Tabanus Nigrovittatus), Devika Rajeev Bhalerao

LSU Master's Theses

The greenhead horse fly Tabanus nigrovittatus Macquart is native to coastal marshlands from Texas to Nova Scotia. The larvae are apex invertebrate predators and their development is dependent on the food web in the soil. Surveillance of T. nigrovittatus after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico showed population crashes of adults in the coastal marshes of East Louisiana near places where oil made landfall, but not in West Louisiana where the oil did not reach. Sediment collection in 2011 from West and East Louisiana revealed larval population crashes in the Eastern coastal region. We hypothesized …

Analysis For Science Librarians Of The 2017 Nobel Prize In Physiology Or Medicine: The Life And Work Of Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, And Michael W. Young, Neyda V. Gilman

Library Scholarship

Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young are the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Laureates, having earned the award for their “discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm.” They identified the genes involved in the circadian rhythm mechanism and explained how all of the different pieces of the mechanism work together. These discoveries explain how the biological cycles of Earth’s organisms correspond to the rotation of the planet, acting as an inner clock. Their research also provides further opportunities to continue learning about the role of circadian rhythm and its relationship to human health (Nobelprize.org …

Landscape Genomics: Natural Selection Drives The Evolution Of Mitogenome In Penguins, Barbara Ramos, Daniel González-Acuña, David Loyola, Warren Johnson, Patricia Parker, Melanie Massaro, Gisele Dantas, Marcelo Miranda, Juliana Vianna

Biology Department Faculty Works

BackgroundMitochondria play a key role in the balance of energy and heat production, and therefore the mitochondrial genome is under natural selection by environmental temperature and food availability, since starvation can generate more efficient coupling of energy production. However, selection over mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genes has usually been evaluated at the population level. We sequenced by NGS 12 mitogenomes and with four published genomes, assessed genetic variation in ten penguin species distributed from the equator to Antarctica. Signatures of selection of 13 mitochondrial protein-coding genes were evaluated by comparing among species within and among genera (Spheniscus, Pygoscelis, Eudyptula, Eudyptes and …

Selection Of Housekeeping Genes And Demonstration Of Rnai In Cotton Leafhopper, Amrasca Biguttula Biguttula (Ishida), Satnam Singh, Mridula Gupta, Suneet Pandher, Gurmeet Kaur, Pankaj Rathore, Subba Reddy Palli

Entomology Faculty Publications

Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida) commonly known as cotton leafhopper is a severe pest of cotton and okra. Not much is known on this insect at molecular level due to lack of genomic and transcriptomic data. To prepare for functional genomic studies in this insect, we evaluated 15 common housekeeping genes (Tub, B-Tub, EF alpha, GADPH, UbiCF, RP13, Ubiq, G3PD, VATPase, Actin, 18s, 28s, TATA, ETF, SOD and Cytolytic actin) during different developmental stages and under starvation stress. We selected early (1^st and 2 …