Genetics Commons^™

Life History Inhibits Deleterious Effects Of Dams On Genetic Health And Structure Of A Headwater Stream Fish, Riley Phelps

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Habitat loss, fragmentation, and land use changes in river networks are common globally. The resulting fragmentation of landscapes and riverscapes threatens biodiversity and can affect dispersal and subsequently, gene flow and genetic health of species. Headwater streams are an integral part of river networks and contribute to biodiversity by providing habitat for temporary and permanent residents, yet they are easily altered and fragmented. The sandhills chub (Semotilus lumbee) is an endemic headwater leuciscid that lives in highly fragmented streams of the sandhills ecoregion in North and South Carolina, USA. New knowledge on the population genetics of the sandhills chub is …

A Genetic And Spatial Analysis Of The Last Megafaunal Species (Tapirus Terrestris) In The Paraguayan Dry Chaco Forest, Emily Bowers

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Effects Of Sod1 Knockout On Oxidative Stress And Stress Coping Styles In Zebrafish Using Crispr Technology, Tai Prauner, Ryan Wong

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Reactive oxygen species are byproducts of cellular metabolism that, when not efficiently neutralized, can damage DNA, proteins, and lipids. Superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) is an antioxidant enzyme that converts superoxide radicals into less harmful molecules. While its molecular function is well documented, the role of SOD1 in shaping stress-related behavior remains underexplored. This project aimed to establish foundational tools for studying the behavioral impact of SOD1 knockout across proactive and reactive stress-coping styles in zebrafish.

To support future gene-editing experiments, microinjection and breeding protocols were refined across wildtype AB, proactive, and reactive zebrafish lines. No embryos were injected with CRISPR-Cas9 …

Gonadal Absence Of Ceh-22: Degradation Of Ceh-22 In The Gonads Of Caenorhabditis Elegans, Andreya C. White

Undergraduate Theses

The reproductive system of hermaphrodite Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) comprises two gonadal arms, each with a terminating distal tip cell (DTC), connected by a common uterus. The DTC has two functions: leader and niche. In C. elegans, ceh-22/nkx2,5 has been found to work together with Wnt signaling to determine the fates of the DTC (Lam et al., 2006). This is an indication that ceh-22 aids in the specification of DTCs. Our research aims to determine the specific function of ceh-22 in the gonad of both male and hermaphrodite C. elegans. This will be accomplished by observing …

The Role And Expression Of Pros-1 In The C. Elegans Gonad, Brandon W. Thomas, Mary B. Kroetz, Roberta Challener

Undergraduate Theses

The nematode, formally known as Caenorhabditis elegans, has served as an excellent model organism in understanding fundamental biological processes, including those governed by conserved genes like pros-1. pros-1 is partially responsible for the formation of tubular structures within the organism. Glial cells and excretory canals are both examples of tubular structures governed by pros-1. pros-1 orchestrates the embryonic development of these cell types by modulating cell proliferation and differentiation, thus ensuring proper morphogenesis and organogenesis. Its regulatory influence likely extends beyond embryogenesis, potentially affecting reproductive processes as well. Furthermore, the evolutionary conservation of pros-1 underscores its significance …

Missense Mutation Of Msh6 Leucine 696 Has No Apparent Effect On The Dna Mismatch Repair Process, Razan H. Hammad, Rafia Rashid, Essence Tarrence, Christopher Bolden, Joanna E. Haye-Bertolozzi

XULAneXUS

Lynch Syndrome and Constitutional Mismatch Repair Deficiency are human diseases implicated in mutations of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes. This experiment tested a mutation of an MMR gene, MSH6, and evaluated how the mutation affected overall MMR effectiveness. Using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we performed the CAN1 forward mutation assay to study msh6-L696F and its implications in the MMR process. We hypothesized that there would be a significant change in molecular function in the Msh6 protein in the presence of this mutation. Bioinformatic tools predicted that this amino acid change would have deleterious effects on MMR function. However, …

Fisheries Management Paper No.286: Western Australian Octopus Resource Harvest Strategy, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

Harvest strategies for Western Australia’s (WA) aquatic resources are formal documents developed to support decision-making processes that ensure the outcomes are consistent with the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD; Fletcher 2002a) and Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM; Fletcher et al. 2012). Harvest strategies are a key component of all contemporary fishery management systems and a requirement for certification under the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). The objectives of ESD are reflected in the objectives of the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (FRMA).

This Octopus Resource Harvest Strategy (Harvest Strategy) has been developed and revised in line with the Harvest Strategy …

Crispr-Induced Mutagenesis Of Arabidopsis Thaliana Gene Apetala3, Hazel Frans, Tara Phelps-Durr

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This project aims to create CRISPR-CAS9 mutations in the APETELA3 (AP3) gene of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. AP3 is a class B gene critical to the petal and stamen development of Arabidopsis flowers. AP3 is defined in a MADS domain, which binds directly to DNA and may be responsible for the expression of the CaRG-box genes. AP3 works in conjunction with PISTILLATA (PI), AGAMOUS (AG), APETALA1 (AP1), and SEPALLATA (SEP) genes to specify the development in the second and third whorls of the flower. While several alleles of AP3 already exist, these alleles are strong alleles that knockout gene …

Variation In Thermal Tolerance Plasticity And The Costs Of Heat Exposure In The Estuarine Sea Hare, Phyllaplysia Taylori, Richelle L. Tanner, Rauri C. K. Bowie, Cynthia Y. Wang-Claypool, Jonathan H. Stillman

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Climate change is increasing average temperatures and the frequency and intensity of thermal extremes in coastal marine environments. Organisms in coastal marine habitats are accustomed to environmental fluctuations and possess physiological plasticity that may be advantageous in response to increased occurrence of extremes. To examine whether such plasticity is locally adapted to environmental conditions, we investigated the relationship between genetic diversity and thermal tolerance plasticity in 11 populations of the direct-developing intertidal sea hare, Phyllaplysia taylori, on the western coast of the United States. Using whole-organism metrics of muscle function and metabolic rate and a ddRADseq genomic approach, we …

The Role Of Secondary And Tertiary Structure In The Cap-Independent Translation Of Fgf-9 And Hif-1-Alpha, Amanda Michelle Whittaker

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Under normoxic conditions, eukaryotes initiate translation of RNA through eIF4E recognition of the 5’ cap. However, under cellular stress, eukaryotic translation must be initiated through a 4E-independent, or “cap-independent” mechanism, involving eukaryotic initiation factor 4G (eIF4G) binding directly to the 5’ untranslated regions (5’ UTR) of the RNA. eIF4G binding then recruits the ribosome to the transcript. While this mechanism is useful for translation of apoptotic transcripts and transcripts involved in cell survival, cap-independent translation is also utilized by oncogenic RNA for tumorigenesis. Previous work by our lab and others has categorized this recruitment and initiation mechanism as either internal-ribosome-entry-site …

Measuring Spatial And Temporal Variation In Species Composition Of Ephemeral Pond Amphibian Assemblages Using Metabarcoding, Elizabeth Strasko

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Amphibian populations worldwide face severe threats, heightening the need for reliable monitoring methods. In this thesis, I explored and tested environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding protocols to survey amphibian assemblages in ephemeral ponds of the the Green River Preserve in central Kentucky, USA. First, I evaluated whether the commonly used mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene could effectively capture species-level variation in local amphibians for eDNA metabarcoding. Extensive primer design and testing revealed significant challenges in amplifying fragmented eDNA from water samples. In a second study, I applied a metabarcoding approach using the mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA (12S) gene …

Noncoding Rnas In Nuclear Organization, Thembalami Dube , '24, Dawn M. Carone

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Microsatellites Reveal The Population Genetic Structure Of Yellow Perch In Minnesota, Megan Boche

Journal of Earth and Life Science

When analyzing a population’s genetic makeup, looking at variation of individuals and populations is a crucial factor. The management of yellow perch will be aided by this information particularly in regard to stocking or relocation. Microsatellite loci were used to analyze the genetic population structure of yellow perch Perca flavescens within and among 29 sampling areas throughout Minnesota’s basins. Seven microsatellite DNA loci were evaluated, with heterozygosities ranging from 0.41 to 0.78. The Lower Mississippi basin samples showed higher numbers of alleles per locus and greater expected heterozygosities compared to other basins, with Lake Pepin (PEP) exhibiting the highest average …

Marine Heatwave Response Plan For Western Australia’S Wild Capture Fisheries And Aquaculture, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

The purpose of the Western Australian wild capture fisheries and aquaculture marine heatwave response plan (the Plan) is to document the Department’s approach for identifying and responding to the hazard of a marine heatwave on wild catch fisheries (commercial, recreational, charter and customary) and aquaculture resources within the geographic boundaries of WA. It provides risk reduction strategies and establishes best-practice processes for each stage of the hazard management and response continuum, ensuring that DPIRD is able to adequately prepare for, respond to, and recover from marine heatwave events. This Plan operates in conjunction with WA’s existing aquatic resource management framework, …

Periconceptual Nutrition And The Preimplantation Embryo: Approaches For Intervention And Generational Health, Abigail Klein

Dissertations and Theses

The typical American diet exceeds dietary fat recommendations, contributing to the rising rates of obesity. This negatively impacts fertility, pregnancy and fetal growth, and lifelong offspring health. During pregnancy, this also increases risk of co-morbidities like gestational diabetes. Despite this, lipids are not screened during pregnancy and limited research exists evaluating these co-exposures on offspring health. Our lab used a rat model of maternal high fat (HF) diet with late-gestation diabetes (DM) to demonstrate that mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress incite lifelong cardiometabolic disease risk in offspring. To determine the timing of damage, we hypothesized that maternal overnutrition incites mitochondrial …

‘Who’S Your Daddy?’: Ddradseq Parentage In Broodstock-Offspring Pairs Of Diadema Antillarum In A Population Restoration Initiative, Bianca R. Rosendahl

Undergraduate Scholarship and Creative Works

In the early 1980s Diadema antillarum, or the long-spined urchin, was hit by a catastrophic mass mortality event across the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, inclusive of the Florida Keys. The cause of this die-off event was likely triggered by a pathogen or environmental stressor that decimated native populations by up to 98%. The species has not yet fully recovered and is struggling with recruitment success which is why it may benefit from an ex-situ recovery program. In this study, I used single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to identify genetic variation and analyze parentage in a captive population of …

What Are The Genetic Influences Of Alcohol Sensitivity And Alcohol Metabolism? A Narrative Review Of Human Studies, Erwin Murray, Karen G. Chartier Phd, Msw

Undergraduate Research Posters

Background: Alcohol sensitivity and alcohol metabolism are two phenotypes associated with alcohol use disorder (AUD) influenced by genetics. This narrative review aims to answer “What are the genetic influences of alcohol sensitivity and alcohol metabolism?” to gain a better understanding of the genetic aspects of AUD.

Methods: A database search was performed in PubMed. Empirical human genetic studies published between 2009 and 2025 that focused on alcohol sensitivity (measured by the Self-Rating of the Effects of Alcohol scale) or alcohol-metabolizing genes were eligible for review. Studies were screened to determine inclusion for the current review.

Findings: Fifteen …

Tricolored Bat (Perimyotis Subflavus) Population Genetic Structure In The Southeastern United States, Laura Henderson

Master's Theses

Tricolored bats (Perimyotis subflavus) have experienced substantial population losses from white-nose syndrome (WNS), a disease caused by the pathogenic fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) which infects hibernating bats. Determining population genetic structure helps assess genetic diversity and the impacts of wildlife threats to populations. Pre-WNS data shows weak-to-negligible structure and panmictic P. subflavus populations at core portions of their range. However, current genetic data from their southeastern U.S. range is lacking. I sought to determine whether recent genetic data help resolve genetic structure among southeastern populations and assess genetic differences at two stages of impact: post-WNS and …

Assessing Genetic Diversity And Population Structure In The Imperiled Aconitum Reclinatum (White Monkshood), An Endemic Wildflower Of Central Appalachia, Diamanda A. Zizis

Master’s Theses

Aconitum reclinatum, white monkshood (Ranunculaceae), is a Pennsylvania critically imperiled plant species found in five states of the Appalachian region of the United States: Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. This plant is adapted to cool, moist environments but faces threats from increasing habitat loss, deer browse, logging, and changes in rainfall and temperature associated with climate change. Comprehensive knowledge of A. reclinatum genetic population structure remains limited. To address this, we collaborated with Natural Heritage programs within the range of A. reclinatum to sample populations across the species distribution and generate a genotyping-by-sequencing data set of …

Impacts Of Multiple Coastal Stressors Across Life-History Stages In The Eastern Oyster, Amaelia Zyck

Open Access Dissertations

Urbanized estuaries are characterized as a complex of biotic and abiotic stressors, which currently challenge marine life and are expected to intensify and become increasingly unpredictable under the ongoing impacts of climate change. The persistence of coastal species that inhabit these stressful environments will ultimately depend on their ability to adapt. Many of these species have complex life cycles, featuring distinct morphological and physiological developmental stages that can exhibit unique responses to environmental pressures. However, since all stages share the same genome, selective pressures acting on one stage can have cascading effects throughout the life cycle. The larval stage, being …

Functional Characterization Of The Hdt5 Gene In Aspergillus Flavus Morphogenesis, Mycotoxin Production, And Fungal Phytopathogenicity, Brenda Omburo

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The present study aimed at elucidating the role of hdt5 in fungal morphology, mycotoxin production and in plant virulence in Aspergillus flavus. Currently, methodologies to prevent the negative impact of A. flavus are insufficient. It is known that expression of the hdt5 gene is dependent on hbx1, a master regulatory gene that affects expression of hundreds of genes in the A. flavus genome, controlling both development and secondary metabolism. However, while the aflatoxin gene cluster has been elucidated, the genetic regulatory mechanisms controlled by hdt5 are not fully understood. For this study, therefore, a complete strain set composed of a …

Symbiodiniaceae Shifts Over The Last Decade On The Hottest Coral Reefs On Earth, Anna Fiesinger, Rachel Alderdice, Luigi Colin, Hannah Manns, Gabriela Perna, Kathryn H. Stankiewicz, Jacob J. Valenzuela, Line K. Bay, Daniel J. Barshis, Nitin S. Baliga, Iliana B. Baums, John A. Burt, Christian R. Voolstra

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Corals in the Persian/Arabian Gulf (PAG) are resilient to various stressors, whose levels exceed those of coral reefs globally. These corals thereby offer insight into mechanisms underlying thermal resilience, e.g., regarding the role of endosymbiotic microalgae in the family Symbiodiniaceae. Previous studies have identified the thermotolerant species Cladocopium thermophilum as broadly associated with corals in the southern PAG. However, algal-host specificity at the within-species level and the temporal stability of these associations are not well understood. Here we sampled two dominant stony corals (Porites harrisoni, n = 119 and Platygyra daedalea, n = 79) at three sites …

The Effects Of Ewing Sarcoma Through The Overexpression And Knockdown Of Transcription Factors Sox18 And Stat1, Victoria Castillo, Melany Cervantes, Nicole Robles, Terry Jo Shackleford

Cell and Molecular Methods

SOX18, a transcription factor with a DNA-binding HMG domain, plays a critical role in regulatory processes linked to cancer progression. Exhibiting oncogenic properties, SOX18 has been linked to various cancers, where it promotes tumor growth by enhancing cell invasion, uncontrolled proliferation, and resistance to apoptosis through dysregulated signaling pathways. STAT1, a protein crucial for immune system regulation, is prominently expressed in immune-associated tissues like the lymph nodes, and bone marrow, suggesting it could play a role in tumor growth. Ewing Sarcoma (EWS), an aggressive cancer that targets bone and soft tissue, carries a high mortality rate of 90% without treatment …

Size Matters: The Characterization Of Telomere Function In Germ Cell Development In Danio Rerio, Jessica Macneil

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Infertility is a growing problem worldwide. According to the WHO, 48 million couples across the globe suffer from infertility and many couples turn to Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) to become pregnant. One readout of gamete quality and successful ART is telomere integrity because telomeres are necessary for chromosome movements during meiosis so that the segregation of chromosomes happens correctly. Telomeres are well known for their role in aging; however, they play an important and understudied role during meiosis. In meiosis, telomeres attach to the nuclear envelope (NE) via a protein chain spanning the NE that interacts with cytoplasmic motor proteins, …

The Anti-Diabetic Drug Metformin Disrupts Feeding And Sleeping Behaviors In Drosophila Melanogaster, Lucas Fitzgerald

The Cardinal Edge

Dimethylbiguanide, also known as metformin, is the single most prescribed oral treatment for non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, or type 2 diabetes, in western countries. The primary mechanism of action that metformin acts through is the activation of AMP kinase, an important regulator of energy homeostasis. While the anti-diabetic effects of metformin are well documented, its effects on feeding and sleeping behaviors are not well characterized. Using the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, the mean daily quantity of food consumed was measured and compared between groups treated with several dosages of metformin. Feeding interactions such as meal frequency and length were …

The Short Allele Of The Serotonin Transporter Gene (Slc6a4) Increases Predisposition To Anxiety And Negative Emotional States, Gabriella Hitti

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Mental disorders, such as anxiety and mood disorders, have long been a focus of psychological research, and increasing evidence points to a genetic basis for their occurrence. Polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene (SLC6A4) may predispose an individual to anxiety-related symptoms. SLC6A4 has two common alleles: the short (s) allele, which results in less 5-HTT protein production, and the long (l) allele, which results in more 5-HTT. Integrated findings from psychometric evaluations, behavioral animal models, and biological assessments establish a link between the s allele of SLC6A4 and heightened anxiety phenotypes. The allele’s influence on serotonin levels and brain …

Monitoring The Seasonal Presence Of The Blue Shiner, Cyprinella Caerulea, In Little River Canyon National Preserve Using Environmental Dna, Deanna Meadows

Theses

The study of environmental DNA (eDNA) has provided researchers with a more accessible and sensitive way to identify the presence of specific species compared to traditional monitoring methods. eDNA enables species detection by analyzing environmental samples such as water or soil, which contain genetic material shed by organisms in a given area. Research indicates that eDNA techniques have become a valuable method for monitoring threatened and invasive species, proving particularly reliable for detecting aquatic species compared to traditional techniques. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) has been used in numerous eDNA studies, as it provides for greater accuracy than conventional PCR. Cyprinella …

Pilbara Demersal Scalefish Resource Recovery Plan 2023- 2043 (Phase 1), Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

The Pilbara Demersal Scalefish Resource (PDSR) includes over 60 demersal scalefish species. The resource is accessed by the Pilbara Trap Managed Fishery, Pilbara Fish Trawl (Interim) Managed Fishery, and the Pilbara Line Fishery (PTMF, PFTIMF & PLF respectively) as well as the recreational and charter fisheries.

The PDSR is managed in accordance with the North Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource Harvest Strategy (Harvest Strategy). The sustainability objectives of the PDSR are set out in the Harvest Strategy and monitored via the use of an indicator species approach, whereby the status of key species is considered representative of the status of the …

Autophagy And Meiotic Fidelity In C. Elegans, Kaitlin E. Kosinski

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved multi-step recycling process in which cellular material is enclosed in the double membrane-bound autophagosome, which fuses with the lysosome to degrade its contents. Autophagy is essential for development and cellular adaptation to environmental or intracellular stress and is an important regulator of germline stem cell homeostasis in the model nematode C. elegans. We sought to determine if autophagy is important for genome stability during meiosis and found that the core adult C. elegans autophagy genes bec-1, atg-7, unc-51, and atg-18 were all required for proper meiotic development of oocytes. Loss of these …

The Influence Of Environmental Change On Genetic Diversity Across Spatial And Taxonomic Scales, Connor M. French

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The spatial distribution of genetic diversity is of interest to biodiversity scientists and conservationists and is a fundamental metric of biodiversity. Genetic diversity patterns across spatial and taxonomic scales contain information about population and assemblage dynamics that can convey their resilience to environmental change. Ectotherms are especially linked to their environments and may be especially sensitive to fluctuations in the environment over time. Herein, I investigate global and regional patterns of genetic diversity in two groups of ectotherms, insects and lizards, to understand the relationship between environmental change and genetic diversity, from populations to assemblages. Overall, my research aims to …