Genetics and Genomics Commons^™

Mongolians In The Genetic Landscape Of Central Asia: Exploring The Genetic Relations Among Mongolians And Other World Populations, Jane E. Brissenden, Judith R. Kidd, Baigalmaa Evsanaa, Ariunaa Togtokh, Andrew J. Pakstis, Françoise Friedlaender, Kenneth K. Kidd, Janet M. Roscoe

Human Biology Open Access Pre-Prints

Genetic data on North Central Asian populations are underrepresented in the literature, especially autosomal markers. In the present study we use 812 single nucleotide polymorphisms that are distributed across all the human autosomes and that have been extensively studied at Yale to examine the affinities of two recently collected, samples of populations: rural and cosmopolitan Mongolians from Ulaanbaatar and nomadic, Turkic-speaking Tsaatan from Mongolia near the Siberian border. We compare these two populations to one another and to a global set of populations and discuss their relationships to New World populations. Specifically, we analyze data on 521 autosomal loci (single …

Erika Dyck. Facing Eugenics: Reproduction, Sterilization, And The Politics Of Choice, Garland E. Allen

Biology Faculty Research

[Book review of Erika Dyck. Facing Eugenics: Reproduction, Sterilization, and the Politics of Choice. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2013.]

Genetic Changes To A Transcriptional Silencer Element Confers Phenotypic Diversity Within And Between Drosophila Species, Winslow C. Johnson, Alison J. Ordway, Masayoshi Watada, Jonathan N. Pruitt, Thomas M. Williams, Mark Rebeiz

Biology Faculty Publications

The modification of transcriptional regulation has become increasingly appreciated as a major contributor to morphological evolution. However, the role of negative-acting control elements (e.g. silencers) in generating morphological diversity has been generally overlooked relative to positive-acting “enhancer” elements. The highly variable body coloration patterns among Drosophilid insects represents a powerful model system in which the molecular alterations that underlie phenotypic diversity can be defined. In a survey of pigment phenotypes among geographically disparate Japanese populations of Drosophila auraria, we discovered a remarkable degree of variation in male-specific abdominal coloration. In testing the expression patterns of the major pigment-producing enzymes, …

Origins Of An Unmarked Georgia Cemetery Using Ancient Dna Analysis, Andrew T. Ozga, Raúl Y. Tito, Brian M. Kemp, Hugh Matternes, Alexandra Obregon-Tito, Leslie Neal, Cecil M. Lewis, Jr.

Human Biology Open Access Pre-Prints

Determining the origins of those buried within undocumented cemeteries is of incredible importance to historical archaeologists and in many cases, the nearby communities. In the case of Avondale Burial Place, a cemetery in Bibb County, Georgia, in use from 1820 to 1950, all written documentation of those interred within it has been lost. Osteological and archaeological evidence alone could not describe, with confidence, the ancestral origins of the 101 individuals buried there. In the present study, we utilize ancient DNA extraction methods to investigate the origins of Avondale Burial Place through the use of well-preserved skeletal fragments from 20 individuals …

Selfish Mitochondrial Dna Proliferates And Diversifies In Small, But Not Large, Experimental Populations Of Caenorhabditis Briggsae, Wendy S. Phillips, Anna Luella Coleman-Hulbert, Emily S. Weiss, Dana K. Howe, Sita Ping, Riana I. Wernick, Suzanne Estes, Dee R. Denver

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Evolutionary interactions across levels of biological organization contribute to a variety of fundamental processes including genome evolution, reproductive mode transitions, species diversification, and extinction. Evolutionary theory predicts that so-called “selfish” genetic elements will proliferate when the host effective population size (N_e) is small, but direct tests of this prediction remain few. We analyzed the evolutionary dynamics of deletion-containing mitochondrial DNA (ΔmtDNA) molecules, previously characterized as selfish elements, in six different natural strains of the nematode Caenorhabditis briggsae allowed to undergo experimental evolution in a range of population sizes (N = 1, 10, 100, and 1,000) for a maximum …

Isquest: Finding Insertion Sequences In Prokaryotic Sequence Fragment Data, Abhishek Biswas, David T. Gauthier, Desh Ranjan, Mohammad Zubair

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Motivation: Insertion sequences (ISs) are transposable elements present in most bacterial and archaeal genomes that play an important role in genomic evolution. The increasing availability of sequenced prokaryotic genomes offers the opportunity to study ISs comprehensively, but development of efficient and accurate tools is required for discovery and annotation. Additionally, prokaryotic genomes are frequently deposited as incomplete, or draft stage because of the substantial cost and effort required to finish genome assembly projects. Development of methods to identify IS directly from raw sequence reads or draft genomes are therefore desirable. Software tools such as Optimized Annotation System for Insertion Sequences …

The Effects Of Sustained, High-Velocity Exercise On Gene Expression In California Yellowtail (Seriola Lalandi), Kelli Hatter

Undergraduate Honors Theses

California Yellowtail muscle fibers have been observed to exhibit two drastically different development patterns resulting from the speeds at which they are exercised. When fish are exercised at a moderate rate their epaxial fast-twitch muscle fibers grow in diameter—hypertrophy; when they are exercised at a fast speed, more new epaxial fast-twitch muscle fibers are produced—hyperplasia. To determine the underlying reason for this difference in muscle development, my summer research project and honors thesis exercised fish at: fast, moderate, and control speeds for a sustained amount of time to determine what is happening on a cellular level to cause the observed …

Disease-Related Microglia Heterogeneity In The Hippocampus Of Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia With Lewy Bodies, And Hippocampal Sclerosis Of Aging, Adam D. Bachstetter, Linda J. Van Eldik, Frederick A. Schmitt, Janna H. Neltner, Eseosa T. Ighodaro, Scott J. Webster, Ela Patel, Erin L. Abner, Richard J. Kryscio, Peter T. Nelson

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Introduction: Neuropathological, genetic, and biochemical studies have provided support for the hypothesis that microglia participate in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Despite the extensive characterization of AD microglia, there are still many unanswered questions, and little is known about microglial morphology in other common forms of age-related dementia: particularly, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and hippocampal sclerosis of aging (HS-Aging). In addition, no prior studies have attempted to compare and contrast the microglia morphology in the hippocampus of various neurodegenerative conditions.

Results: Here we studied cases with pathologically-confirmed AD (n = 7), HS-Aging (n = 7), AD + HS-aging …

Environmental Stimuli And Intragenerational Epigenetics, Nicholas J. Napier

Student Scholarship

Epigenetics is the study of any change in gene expression that is not mediated by DNA sequence. The effects of environmental stimuli on epigenetic changes have been studied extensively in recent years. Multiple reviews have provided comprehensive summations of the effects of environmental stimuli on transgenerational epigenetic changes, but few reviews have focused upon environment-induced intragenerational epigenetic changes. This review will summarize current knowledge of the intragenerational epigenetic changes that are induced by two groups of well-studied environmental stimuli: nutritional deficiencies and carcinogens. This survey of intragenerational epigenetic changes will focus upon the mechanisms behind them, the disorders associated with …

Investigating The Role Of Wolbachia Endosymbionts In The Expansion Of The F Element In Drosophila Ananassae, Elizabeth J. Chen

Undergraduate Theses—Unrestricted

At 4.2 Mb overall, the Drosophila melanogaster Muller F element (dot chromosome) is an unusual autosome; it is broadly heterochromatic, but the distal 1.3 Mb has a gene density and expression pattern similar to other autosomes. More intriguing is the large expansion of the D. ananassae F element (~20 Mb). Elucidating the factors that contribute to this expansion could improve our understanding of how heterochromatic domains are maintained and amplified.

Previous analyses show that the lateral gene transfer (LGT) of Wolbachia (the most widespread intracellular bacteria in the Rickettsiales order) into the D. ananassae genome is an important contributor to …

Biological Significance Of Photoreceptor Photocycle Length: Vivid Photocycle Governs The Dynamic Vivid-White Collar Complex Pool Mediating Photo-Adaptation And Response To Changes In Light Intensity, Arko Dasgupta, Chen-Hui Chen, Changhwan Lee, Amy S. Gladfelter, Jay C. Dunlap, Jennifer J. Loros

Dartmouth Scholarship

Most organisms on earth sense light through the use of chromophore-bearing photoreceptive proteins with distinct and characteristic photocycle lengths, yet the biological significance of this adduct decay length is neither understood nor has been tested. In the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa VIVID (VVD) is a critical player in the process of photoadaptation, the attenuation of light-induced responses and the ability to maintain photosensitivity in response to changing light intensities. Detailed in vitro analysis of the photochemistry of the blue light sensing, FAD binding, LOV domain of VVD has revealed residues around the site of photo-adduct formation that influence the stability …

Draft Genome Sequences Of Six Different Staphylococcus Epidermidis Clones, Isolated Individually From Preterm Neonates Presenting With Sepsis At Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary, Paul Walsh, M. Bekaert, J. Carroll, T. Manning, B. Kelly, A. O'Driscoll, X. Lu, C. Smith, P. Dickinson, K. Templeton, P. Ghazal, Roy D. Sleator

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Herein, we report the draft genome sequences of six individual Staphylococcus epidermidis clones, cultivated from blood taken from different preterm neonatal sepsis patients at the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.

Variation In Trembling Aspen And White Spruce Wood Quality Grown In Mixed And Single Species Stands In The Boreal Mixedwood Forest, Francis De Araujo, James F. Hart, Shawn D. Mansfield

Aspen Bibliography

The Canadian boreal forest is largely represented by mixed wood forests of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) and trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx). In this study, a total of 300 trees originating from three sites composed of trembling aspen and white spruce with varying compositions were investigated for wood quality traits: one site was composed mainly of aspen, one mainly of spruce and a third was a mixed site. Four wood quality traits were examined: wood density, microfibril angle (MFA), fibre characteristics, and cell wall chemistry. Social classes were also determined for each site in an attempt …

Addressing The Black Box Phenomenon Of Genome Sequencing And Assembly, Brandon Carter

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Genomics, a study of all genetic material in an organism, is a new discipline having a great impact on medicine, agriculture, and environmental phenomena. Most undergraduate faculty members were not formally trained in genomics and must retool themselves in order to stay current with these evolving technologies. Advances in sequencing technology have resulted in an explosion of “big data” that can only be managed and analyzed using digital methods. Multiple complex computer programs are required to teach students the concepts using hands-on methods. These programs are challenging to use, especially since the same faculty members lacking genomics training were not …

Short Germ Insects Utilize Both The Ancestral And Derived Mode Of Polycomb Group-Mediated Epigenetic Silencing Of Hox Genes, Yuji Matsuoka, Tetsuya Bando, Takahito Watanabe, Yoshiyasu Ishimaru, Sumihare Noji, Aleksander Popadic, Taro Mito

Biological Sciences Faculty Research Publications

In insect species that undergo long germ segmentation, such as Drosophila, all segments are specified simultaneously at the early blastoderm stage. As embryogenesis progresses, the expression boundaries of Hox genes are established by repression of gap genes, which is subsequently replaced by Polycomb group (PcG) silencing. At present, however, it is not known whether patterning occurs this way in a more ancestral (short germ) mode of embryogenesis, where segments are added gradually during posterior elongation. In this study, two members of the PcG family, Enhancer of zeste (E(z)) and Suppressor of zeste 12 (Su(z)12), were analyzed in the …

Divergence Of Vertebrate And Insect Specific Toxin Genes Between Three Species Of Widow Spider, Shannon G. Kahn

Honors College Theses

The Brown widow spider, Latrodectus geometricus, is an introduced species to the southern United States (Brown 2008). The Brown widow is a member of the widow spider genus Latrodectus which includes the southern Black widow (L. mactans) and 29 other venomous species. All species of widow spiders produce venom which is used against both predator and prey. These venoms are composed of several different species-specific toxins, each encoded by a different gene (Graudins 2012). Previous research has shown that positive selection pressures affect the venom of snakes and snails, thus aiding in adaptive potential of the species …

Structural And Functional Interactions Between Bro1 Domain Of Human Alix Protein And Nucleocapsid Packaging Rna Complex From Hiv, Scott Gross

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

A virus is only as powerful as its ability to spread. Enveloped retroviruses, namely HIV-1, use exocytosis pathways that normal host cells use to release particles from the plasma membrane. The main pathways of interest in this study are the Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport (ESCRT) and adjacent ALIX pathways. The ESCRT pathway is especially important for degradation of receptor/cargo complexes that form Multi-Vesicular Bodies (MVBs). Currently, there is no known therapy that targets this endosomal pathway, which would prevent the spread of the virus to other cells. The virus has adapted to jump from pathway to pathway when …

Age-Dependent Breakdown Of The Blood Brain Barrier And Associated Changes In S100b Ko Mice, Eric V. Brown

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Autoantibodies play an important role in many autoimmune diseases. Recent research has shown that breakdown of the blood brain barrier (BBB) occurs concomitant to generation of brain reactive autoantibodies in many neurodegenerative diseases, which serve as biomarkers and drivers of pathology. SI00B, a calcium binding protein found most highly expressed in astrocytes which ensheathe the BBB, has many functions in neural development and signaling. Currently literature indicates that S100B KO mice develop normally, with no phenotypic abnormalities. Here, it is demonstrated that S100B KO mice seem to develop a chronic BBB breakdown similar to that seen in human neurodegenerative diseases. …

Evolution Of Sperm Activation In Nematodes, Qing Wei

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Three hermaphroditic species in the nematode genus Caenorhabditis - C. elegans, C. briggsae and C. tropicalis evolved independently from a male/female ancestor. Thus, the hermaphroditic reproductive system provides an ideal subject for studying the origin of new complex traits. Previous studies implied that this transition required two steps: a mutation that caused XY animals to make sperm, and a mutation that allowed XX spermatids to activate and fertilize oocytes. In this dissertation, I show how sperm activation is regulated in different hermaphroditic species.

First, I used TALENs to create genetic tools for C. briggsae and C. tropicalis. These tools were …

Investigation Of Sex Differences In The Expression Of Rora And Its Transcriptional Targets In The Brain As A Potential Contributor To The Sex Bias In Autism, Valerie W. Hu, Tewarit Sarachana, Rachel Sherrard, Kristen M. Kocher

Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by significant impairment in reciprocal social interactions and communication coupled with stereotyped, repetitive behaviors and restricted interests. Although genomic and functional studies are beginning to reveal some of the genetic complexity and underlying pathobiology of ASD, the consistently reported male bias of ASD remains an enigma. We have recently proposed that retinoic acid-related orphan receptor alpha (RORA), which is reduced in the brain and lymphoblastoid cell lines of multiple cohorts of individuals with ASD and oppositely regulated by male and female hormones, might contribute to the sex bias …

Fisheries Management Paper No 274 - Finfish Resources Of The Peel-Harvey Estuary - Harvest Strategy 2015-2020 (Version 1.0), Department Of Fisheries, Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

WEST COAST ESTUARINE MANAGED FISHERY (AREA 2)

Harvest strategies for aquatic resources managed by the Western Australian Department of Fisheries (the Department) are formal documents prepared to support the decision-making processes required to ensure the management of these resources are consistent with the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD). The objectives of ESD are reflected in the objects of the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (FRMA), Section 3, and the draft Aquatic Resources Management Bill 2013 (ARMB), Clause 9, which will replace the FRMA once enacted.

The publication of these strategies is intended to make the decision-making considerations and processes …

Characterization Of A Novel Clade Of Transporters In Phytophthora, Stephanie Padula, Paul F. Morris Dr, Howard Casey Cromwell Dr., Menaka Ariyaratne, Andrew Wagner

Honors Projects

The oomycete Phytophthora parasitica has a worldwide distribution and is an economically important pathogen of more than 100 species⁴. RNA-seq analysis showed that one gene, PPTG_16698 has the 5^th highest level of expression of all transport proteins in the zoospore stage, and is highly conserved throughout Phytophthora species. This project attempts to characterize the important biological role that PPTG_16698 plays in P. parasitica and other oomycetes. Three strategies have been implemented to accomplish this goal: growth analysis by heterologous expression in yeast, metabolite analysis in yeast, and construction of a GFP fusion protein to enable localization of …

An Inquiry-Infused Introductory Biology Laboratory That Integrates Mendel's Pea Phenotypes With Molecular Mechanisms, Philip Kudish, E. Schlag, Nicholas J. Kaplinsky

Biology Faculty Works

We developed a multi-week laboratory in which college-level introductory biology students investigate Mendel's stem length phenotype in peas. Students collect, analyze and interpret convergent evidence from molecular and physiological techniques. In weeks 1 and 2, students treat control and experimental plants with Gibberellic Acid (GA) to determine whether uncharacterized short mutant lines are GA responsive. These data allow students to place the mutation in the GA signal transduction pathway. During weeks 2 and 3, plants are genotyped for Mendel's "le" mutation using a derived cleaved polymorphic sequences (dCAPS) PCR assay. This laboratory allows students to make a direct connection between …

Examination Of Polymorphism In The Serine Proteinase Inhibitor Gene In The Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica., Aine Lehane

Senior Honors Projects

Oysters are a keystone species; they are filter-feeders and reef-builders. Additionally, oysters are extremely important within the shellfish aquaculture industry; they are the second most widely produced species in world aquaculture production. Eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica, are produced in aquaculture and are unfortunately susceptible to Dermo disease. Dermo is caused by a protozoan parasite, Perkinsus marinus, and infection is often fatal in oysters due to widespread tissue damage and blockage of blood vessels. Research in oyster disease is particularly needed because disease is one of the largest impediments faced by the aquaculture industry as entire oyster populations can …

Determination Of The Dermacentor Variabilis Ferritin Gene Exon And Intron Structure, Dana Sylvestre

Honors College Theses

The American dog tick Dermacentor variabilis is a hard body, 3-host tick that relies on the blood of small and large mammals to satisfy its metabolic demands. The excess iron consumed in its blood diet can cause cellular damage through oxidation. Ticks rely on the ferritin protein to metabolize iron. For this reason, it is important to further characterize the ferritin gene. After extracting DNA from D. variabilis ticks, the suspected ferritin gene was amplified through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and purified. The putative ferritin DNA fragment was inserted into plasmids and isolated in a long PCR length gene cloning. …

Overexpression And Gene Profiling Of Asparagine Synthetase In Hybrid Poplar, Kristopher Murray

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Plants with polysaccharide-rich secondary cell walls have great potential as a source of carbohydrates for bioethanol production. However, the presence of phenolic lignin inhibits the isolation of bioethanol precursors cellulose and hemicellulose from the secondary cell wall. Recent studies have linked nitrogen availability to secondary cell wall development and composition, making nitrogen metabolism genes an interesting target in the improvement of plant cell walls for biofuels production. Plants use a nitrogen assimilation pathway to convert inorganic nitrogen sources into organic sources, included amino acids, which play key roles in metabolism and cell wall development. Asparagine synthetase (AS), a key enzyme …

Tracking Plastid Gene Migration In Karenia Brevis, Kelly E. Scott

Honors Theses

Karenia brevis is a marine dinoflagellate responsible for the harmful algal blooms (also known as red tides) in the Gulf of Mexico. K. brevis expresses antisense (AS) RNAs, each of which has a complementary region to the messenger RNA (mRNA) of a variety of genes. In dinoflagellates, many plastid (and mitochondrial) genes have migrated to the nuclear genome. It is unknown whether chloroplast genes, such as photosystem – D2, have migrated in K. brevis. It is also unknown where the gene that expresses the AS RNA for photosystem D2 resides. The protein-coding gene and the AS RNA-expressing gene could …

Divergent Selection For Four-Day Relative Breast Yield And The Effect Of Thermal Manipulations On Growth Characteristics On Lines Selected For Different Processing Dates., James Grant Mason

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Genetic selections currently utilized in the poultry industry have been highly successful in promoting broiler growth rate and yield. However, these selections may have come at the expense of broiler physiology, as evidenced by an increase in physiological disorders. To address this experimentation was undergone to develop a novel method of selection to promote growth with minimal physiological impact and to assess how a new embryonic technique affects growth in broiler lines exhibiting different growth rates.

In the first experiment, a random bred control (RAN) broiler line was divergently selected for four-day relative breast yield (BY4) resulting in the high …

Drosophila Muller F Elements Maintain A Distinct Set Of Genomic Properties Over 40 Million Years Of Evolution, Wilson Leung, William Dirkes, Matthew Dothager, Paul Lee, Jeanette Wong, David Xiong, Han Yuan, James E J Bedard, Joshua F. Machone, Seantay D. Patterson, Amber L. Price, Bryce A. Turner, Srebenka Robic, Erin K. Luippold, Shannon R. Mccartha, Tezin A. Walji, Chelsea A. Walker, Kenneth Saville, Marita K. Abrams, Andrew R. Armstrong, William Armstrong, Robert J. Bailey, Chelsea R. Barberi, Lauren R. Beck, Amanda L. Blaker, Christopher E. Blunden, Jordan P. Brand, Ethan J. Brock, Dana W. Brooks, Marie Brown, Sarah C. Butzler, Eric M. Clark, Nicole B. Clark, Ashley A. Collins, Rebecca J. Cotteleer, Peterson R. Cullimore, Seth G. Dawson, Carter T. Docking, Sasha L. Dorsett, Grace A. Dougherty, Kaitlyn A. Downey, Andrew P. Drake, Erica K. Earl, Trevor G. Floyd, Joshua D. Forsyth, Jonathan D. Foust, Spencer L. Franchi, James F. Geary, Cynthia K. Hanson, Taylor S. Harding, Cameron B. Harris, Jonathan M. Heckman, Heather L. Holderness, Nicole A. Howey, Dontae A. Jacobs, Elizabeth S. Jewell, Maria Kaisler, Elizabeth A. Karaska, James L. Kehoe, Hannah C. Koaches, Jessica Koehler, Dana Koenig, Alexander J. Kujawski, Jordan E. Kus, Jennifer A. Lammers, Rachel R. Leads, Emily C. Leatherman, Rachel N. Lippert, Gregory S. Messenger, Adam T. Morrow, Victoria Newcomb, Haley J. Plasman, Stephanie J. Potocny, Michelle K. Powers, Rachel M. Reem, Jonathan P. Rennhack, Katherine R. Reynolds, Lyndsey A. Reynolds, Dong K. Rhee, Allyson B. Rivard, Adam J. Ronk, Meghan B. Rooney, Lainey S. Rubin, Luke R. Salbert, Rasleen K. Saluja, Taylor Schauder, Allison R. Schneiter, Robert W. Schulz, Karl E. Smith, Sarah Spencer, Bryant R. Swanson, Melissa A. Tache, Ashley A. Tewilliager, Amanda K. Tilot, Eve Vaneck, Matthew M. Villerot, Megan B. Vylonis, David T. Watson, Juliana A. Wurzler, Lauren M. Wysocki, Monica Yalamanchili, Matthew A. Zaborowicz, Julia A. Emerson, Carlos Ortiz, Frederic J. Deuschle, Lauren A. Dilorenzo, Katie L. Goeller, Christopher R. Macchi, Sarah E. Muller, Brittany D. Pasierb, Joseph E. Sable, Jessica M. Tucci, Marykathryn Tynon, David A. Dunbar, Levent H. Beken, Alaina C. Conturso, Benjamin L. Danner, Gabriella A. Demichele, Justin A. Gonzales, Maureen S. Hammond, Colleen V. Kelley, Elisabeth A. Kelly, Danielle Kulich, Catherine M. Mageeney, Nikie L. Mccabe, Alyssa M. Newman, Lindsay A. Spaeder, Richard A. Tumminello, Dennis Revie, Jonathon M. Benson, Michael C. Cristostomo, Paolo A. Dasilva, Katherine S. Harker, Jenifer N. Jarrell, Luis A. Jimenez, Brandon M. Katz, William R. Kennedy, Kimberly S. Kolibas, Mark T. Leblanc, Trung T. Nguyen, Daniel S. Nicolas, Melissa D. Patao, Shane M. Patao, Bryan J. Rupley, Bridget J. Sessions, Jennifer A. Weaver, Anya L. Goodman, Erica L. Alvendia, Shane M. Baldassari, Ashley S. Brown, Ian O. Chase, Maida Chen, Scott Chiang, Avery B. Cromwell, Ashley F. Custer, Tia M. Ditommaso, Jad El-Adaimi, Nora C. Goscinski, Ryan A. Grove, Nestor Gutierrez, Raechel S. Harnoto, Heather Hedeen, Emily L. Hong, Barbara L. Hopkins, Vilma F. Huerta, Colin Khoshabian, Kristin M. Laforge, Cassidy T. Lee, Benjamin M. Lewis, Anniken M. Lydon, Brian J. Maniaci, Ryan D. Mitchell, Elaine V. Morlock, William M. Morris, Priyanka Naik, Nicole C. Olson, Jeanette M. Osterloh, Marcos A. Perez, Jonathan D. Presley, Matt J. Randazzo, Melanie K. Regan, Franca G. Rossi, Melanie A. Smith, Eugenia A. Soliterman, Ciani J. Sparks, Danny L. Tran, Tiffany Wan, Anne A. Welker, Jeremy N. Wong, Aparna Sreenivasan, Jim Youngblom, Andrew Adams, Justin Alldredge, Ashley Bryant, David Carranza, Alyssa Cifelli, Kevin Coulson, Calise Debow, Noelle Delacruz, Charlene Emerson, Cassandra Farrar, Don Foret, Edgar Garibay, John Gooch, Michelle Heslop, Sukhjit Kaur, Ambreen Khan, Van Kim, Travis Lamb, Peter Lindbeck, Gabi Lucas, Elizabeth Macias, Daniela Martiniuc, Lissett Mayorga, Joseph Medina, Nelson Membreno, Shady Messiah, Lacey Neufeld, San Francisco Nguyen, Zachary Nichols, George Odisho, Daymon Peterson, Laura Rodela, Priscilla Rodriguez, Vanessa Rodriguez, Jorge Ruiz, Will Sherrill, Valeria Silva, Jeri Sparks, Geeta Statton, Ashley Townsend, Isabel Valdez, Mary Waters, Kyle Westphal, Stacey Winkler, Joannee Zumkehr, Randall J. Dejong, Arlene J. Hoogewerf, Cheri M. Ackerman, Isaac O. Armistead, Lara Baatenberg, Matthew J. Bor, Lindsay K. Brouwer, Brandon J. Burkhart, Kelsey T. Bushhouse, Lejla Cesko, Tiffany Y Y Choi, Heather Cohen, Amanda M. Damsteegt, Jess M. Darusz, Cory M. Dauphin, Yelena P. Davis, Emily J. Diekema, Melissa Drewry, Michelle E M Eisen, Hayley M. Faber, Katherine J. Faber, Elizabeth Feenstra, Isabella T. Felzer-Kim, Brandy L. Hammond, Jesse Hendricksma, Milton R. Herrold, Julia A. Hilbrands, Emily J. Howell, Sarah A. Jelgerhuis, Timothy R. Jelsema, Benjamin K. Johnson, Kelly K. Jones, Anna Kim, Ross D. Kooienga, Erika E. Menyes, Eric A. Nollet, Brittany E. Plescher, Lindsay Rios, Jenny L. Rose, Allison J. Schepers, Geoff Scott, Joshua R. Smith, Allison M. Sterling, Jenna C. Tenney, Chris Uitvlugt, Rachel E. Vandyken, Marielle Vandervennen, Samantha Vue, Nighat P. Kokan, Kwabea Agbley, Sampson K. Boham, Daniel Broomfield, Kayla Chapman, Ali Dobbe, Ian Dobbe, William Harrington, Marwan Ibrahem, Andre Kennedy, Chad A. Koplinsky, Cassandra Kubricky, Danielle Ladzekpo, Claire Pattison, Roman E. Ramirez Jr., Lucia Wande, Sarah Woehlke, Matthew Wawersik, Elizabeth Kiernan, Jeffrey S. Thompson, Roxanne Banker, Justina R. Bartling, Chinmoy I. Bhatiya, Anna L. Boudoures, Lena Christiansen, Daniel S. Fosselman, Kristin M. French, Ishwar S. Gill, Jessen T. Havill, Jaelyn L. Johnson, Lauren J. Keny, John M. Kerber, Bethany M. Klett, Christina N. Kufel, Francis J. May, Jonathan P. Mecoli, Callie R. Merry, Lauren R. Meyer, Emily G. Miller, Gregory J. Mullen, Katherine C. Palozola, Jacob J. Pfeil, Jessica G. Thomas, Evan M. Verbofsky, Eric P. Spana, Anant Agarwalla, Julia Chapman, Ben Chlebina, Insun Chong, I N. Falk, John D. Fitzgibbons, Harrison Friedman, Osagie Ighile, Andrew J. Kim, Kristin A. Knouse, Faith Kung, Danny Mammo, Chun Leung Ng, Vinyak S. Nikam, Diana Norton, Philip Pham, Jessica W. Polk, Shreya Prasad, Helen Rankin, Camille D. Ratliff, Victoria Scala, Nicholas U. Schwartz, Jessica A. Shuen, Amy Xu, Thomas Q. Xu, Yi Zhang, Anne G. Rosenwald, Martin G. Burg, Stephanie J. Adams, Morgan Baker, Bobbi Botsford, Briana Brinkley, Carter Brown, Shadie Emiah, Erica Enoch, Chad Gier, Alyson Greenwell, Lindsay Hoogenboom, Jordan E. Matthews, Mitchell Mcdonald, Amanda Mercer, Nicholaus Monsma, Kristine Ostby, Alen Ramic, Devon Shallman, Matthew Simon, Eric Spencer, Trisha Tomkins, Pete Wendland, Anna Wylie, Michael J. Wolyniak, Gregory M. Robertson, Samuel I. Smith, Justin R. Diangelo, Eric D. Sassu, Satish C. Bhalla, Karim A. Sharif, Tenzin Choeying, Jason S. Macias, Fareed Sanusi, Karvyn Torchon, April E. Bednarski, Consuelo J. Alvarez, Kristen C. Davis, Carrie A. Dunham, Alaina J. Grantham, Amber N. Hare, Jennifer Schottler, Zachary W. Scott, Gary A. Kuleck, Nicole S. Yu, Marian M. Kaehler, Jacob Jipp, Paul J. Overvoorde, Elizabeth Shoop, Olivia Cyranowski, Betsy Hoover, Matt Kusner, Devry Lin, Tijana Martinov, Jonathan Misch, Garrett Salzman, Holly Schiedermeyer, Michael Snavely, Stephanie Zarrasola, Susan Parrish, Atlee Baker, Alissa Beckett, Carissa Belella, Julie Bryant, Turner Conrad, Adam Fearnow, Carolina Gomez, Robert A. Herbstsomer, Sarah Hirsch, Cristen Johnson, Melissa Jones, Rita Kabaso, Eric Lemmon, Carolina Marques Dos Santos Vieira, Darryl Mcfarland, Christopher Mclaughlin, Abbie Morgan, Sepo Musokotwane, William Neutzling, Jana Nietmann, Christina Paluskievicz, Jessica Penn, Emily Peoples, Caitlin Pozmanter, Emily Reed, Nichole Rigby, Lasse Schmidt, Micah Shelton, Rebecca Shuford, Tiara Tirasawasdichai, Blair Undem, Damian Urick, Kayla Vondy, Bryan Yarrington, Todd T. Eckdahl, Jeffrey L. Poet, Alicia B. Allen, John E. Anderson, Jason M. Barnett, Jordan S. Baumgardner, Adam D. Brown, Jordan E. Carney, Ramiro A. Chavez, Shelbi L. Christgen, Jordan S. Christie, Andrea N. 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Peer Reviewed Articles

The Muller F element (4.2 Mb, ~80 protein-coding genes) is an unusual autosome of Drosophila melanogaster; it is mostly heterochromatic with a low recombination rate. To investigate how these properties impact the evolution of repeats and genes, we manually improved the sequence and annotated the genes on the D. erecta, D. mojavensis, and D. grimshawi F elements and euchromatic domains from the Muller D element. We find that F elements have greater transposon density (25–50%) than euchromatic reference regions (3–11%). Among the F elements, D. grimshawi has the lowest transposon density (particularly DINE-1: 2% vs. 11–27%). F …

Bioinformatic Game Theory And Its Application To Cluster Multi-Domain Proteins, Brittney Keel

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The exact evolutionary history of any set of biological sequences is unknown, and all phylogenetic reconstructions are approximations. The problem becomes harder when one must consider a mix of vertical and lateral phylogenetic signals. In this dissertation we propose a game-theoretic approach to clustering biological sequences and analyzing their evolutionary histories. In this context we use the term evolution as a broad descriptor for the entire set of mechanisms driving the inherited characteristics of a population. The key assumption in our development is that evolution tries to accommodate the competing forces of selection, of which the conservation force seeks to …