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Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

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Articles 1 - 30 of 190

Full-Text Articles in Molecular Genetics

A Genetic Analysis Of The Rare Endemic Astragalus Ripleyi Barneby, Juan Antonio Jaramillo-Chico Aug 2026

A Genetic Analysis Of The Rare Endemic Astragalus Ripleyi Barneby, Juan Antonio Jaramillo-Chico

Master's Theses

Astragalus ripleyi Barneby is a rare endemic species found in the San Luis Valley of the southern portions of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and New Mexico. Though not federally listed as endangered, the species is on the Bureau of Land Management’s Sensitive Species List, warranting protection and continued management. This study aims to provide information about the genetic health of the species to inform conservation efforts and provide updated management recommendations. A genetic health analysis was conducted investigating the levels of diversity present in the species, how genetic diversity is structured across the known range of the species and …

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Vertebrate Diversity In Cave Systems Of Colombia: An Approach Based On Environmental Dna Metabarcoding Analysis, Rita Daniela Martinelli Marín, Carlos Andres Lasso, Francesco Sauro, Susana Josefina Caballero Jul 2026

Vertebrate Diversity In Cave Systems Of Colombia: An Approach Based On Environmental Dna Metabarcoding Analysis, Rita Daniela Martinelli Marín, Carlos Andres Lasso, Francesco Sauro, Susana Josefina Caballero

International Journal of Speleology

There is currently limited knowledge of the biological communities inhabiting cave ecosystems in South America. This study examines the vertebrate community composition of 21 caves across diverse subterranean ecosystems in Colombia using environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis. Water was collected from water bodies inside caves and subterranean systems in six of the eight speleological regions of Colombia in eight departments. Water was filtered manually through a 0.8 m pore size filter and preserved with Longmire solution. A 170-base pair (bp) fragment of the 12s mitochondrial gene specific for vertebrate identification was amplified by PCR and sequenced by Illumina (metabarcoding). Data corresponding …

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Investigating Cryptic Diversity In The Hawaiian Endemic Plant, Psychotria Mariniana (Rubiaceae), Uyen Thi Hoang Nguyen May 2026

Investigating Cryptic Diversity In The Hawaiian Endemic Plant, Psychotria Mariniana (Rubiaceae), Uyen Thi Hoang Nguyen

Master's Theses

Islands, with their isolation and steep environmental gradients, serve as natural laboratories for studying speciation. Molecular phylogenetic and population genetic methods utilizing Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) have revolutionized our ability to document patterns of genetic divergence and diversity. Cryptic diversity, genetically distinct populations that were previously unrecognized as unique, and cryptic speciation, where divergent genetic populations may be deserving of status as unique species, have been observed in many taxa. The Hawaiian Islands provide an ideal setting for studying divergence and speciation due to their extreme isolation, known ages, and volcanic origin. Previous work has investigated the evolutionary relationships of the …

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The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Host: Fleas And The History Of Pikas In North America, Josh Pletcher May 2026

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Host: Fleas And The History Of Pikas In North America, Josh Pletcher

All NMU Master's Theses

Parasite phylogenetics can offer windows into the cryptic evolutionary history of hosts, often highlighting events that are not recorded by the phylogenetics of the host. Pikas (small lagomorphs) host a diverse parasite community comprising endoparasites (e.g., coccidians, nematodes, and cestodes) and ectoparasites (e.g., fleas and mites). Phylogenetic analysis of pika endoparasites has revealed pikas evolved in Asia and colonized North America in two waves, and that contact between these two pika lineages allowed parasites to be transferred from one lineage to another and to survive the extinction of their original host. To uncover these cryptic histories, understanding the biogeography of …

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Characterizing The Molecular Response Of Embryonic Zebra Finch To Acute Sound Playback, Saidat O. Adeniran-Obey Miss May 2026

Characterizing The Molecular Response Of Embryonic Zebra Finch To Acute Sound Playback, Saidat O. Adeniran-Obey Miss

All Theses

Auditory stimuli are important cues that influence developmental plasticity in animals and are important for development and adaptation to an ever-changing environment. In the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), there is evidence of adaptive developmental reprogramming in response to a prenatal ‘heat call’. Embryos exposed to this heat call exhibit changes in growth rate post-hatch, increased heat resistance, and enhanced reproductive success at maturity. However, it has long been assumed that embryonic zebra finches cannot respond to sound due to the immaturity of their auditory system. These findings raise the critical question of whether late-stage zebra finch embryos can, …

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Data From: Complete Mitochondrial Genomes Of The Spring Pygmy Sunfish (Elassoma Alabamae), Kayla M. Fast, David Lee Pounders, Mayah P. Peterson, Michael W. Sandel Jan 2026

Data From: Complete Mitochondrial Genomes Of The Spring Pygmy Sunfish (Elassoma Alabamae), Kayla M. Fast, David Lee Pounders, Mayah P. Peterson, Michael W. Sandel

Research Data

The Spring Pygmy Sunfish, Elassoma alabamae (Mayden, 1993), is a small species of sunfish (Centrarchiformes) endemic to tributaries to the middle Tennessee River in north Alabama. Elassoma alabamae is the most geographically restricted member of Elassoma and the only species found above the fall line. This species was twice considered extinct and was listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as threatened in 2013. To date, surveys for this species have been limited to traditional invasive methods using dipnets and seines. In order to reduce impacts on sensitive populations, we sequenced the mitochondrial genome with the intent of developing a …

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Cytonuclear Incompatibilities In Hybrid Systems: Oxidative Phosphorylation Capacity And Nuclear Marker Transmission Ratio Distortion In Hybrids Of An Introgressed Strain Of Parasitoid Wasp, Julie Kessler Jan 2026

Cytonuclear Incompatibilities In Hybrid Systems: Oxidative Phosphorylation Capacity And Nuclear Marker Transmission Ratio Distortion In Hybrids Of An Introgressed Strain Of Parasitoid Wasp, Julie Kessler

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Speciation is an evolutionary process resulting in the divergence of populations into reproductively isolated species, a key concept that supplies our planet with an abundance of biodiversity. Mechanisms for speciation center on obstacles to fertilization and include post-zygotic barriers, such as intrinsic deleterious interactions, that arise in hybrid systems where genetic variants are combined. Genes from separate parent lineages are often incompatible due to the co-evolution of paired genes within a singular species not matching their complement genes in another species, and the result is a reduction in fitness of the hybrid when these genes come together. The mitochondrial OXPHOS …

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Systematics Of Disk-Winged Bats (Thyroptera), Courtney L. Klumpp Jan 2026

Systematics Of Disk-Winged Bats (Thyroptera), Courtney L. Klumpp

Capstone Showcase

This thesis investigates the evolutionary relationships among disk-winged bats in the genus Thyroptera, a small group of Neotropical bats known for the adhesive suction disks on their wings and feet that allow them to roost inside tightly rolled leaves. The distinctive morphology and behavior of these bats have not been extensively documented, and their phylogenetic relationships remain only partially resolved. The goal of this research is to better understand how these species are related to one another and to determine whether the five recognized species of Thyroptera form a single monophyletic group. To address this question, morphological and genetic …

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Overview And Methods Of Molecular Paleontology: A Review, Shelby Touchstone Jan 2026

Overview And Methods Of Molecular Paleontology: A Review, Shelby Touchstone

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Molecular paleontology—the study of ancient biomolecules preserved in fossils and sediments, including ancient DNA, lipids, and proteins—has motivated researchers since the 1950s, inspiring both scientific inquiry and broader cultural imagination. Think Jurassic Park. This honors thesis presents a comprehensive review of the history, current state, and methods of the field of molecular paleontology. Drawing on peer-reviewed literature and scholarly resources accessed through databases such as EBSCO and Bierce library, this review examines key techniques such as Next Generation Sequencing and amino acid racemization and will go over limitations and controversies in the field. It will also explore potential new …

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Genetics Of Mycangial Development And Host Colonization Within The Ambrosia Symbiosis, Mckeon James Laws Jan 2026

Genetics Of Mycangial Development And Host Colonization Within The Ambrosia Symbiosis, Mckeon James Laws

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ambrosia beetles, a polyphyletic group of weevils, utilize pouch-like structures at various locations on the body to transport for their sole food source, their fungal partner. Ambrosia fungi are known to originate from multiple unrelated fungal lineages with no consensus of traits required to become a fungal cultivar. While the biology and ecology of both partners is in many cases well understood, the genetic underpinnings of this fascinating mutualism remain a mystery. The aim of this dissertation is to add to the understanding of the ambrosia symbiosis by providing insights into its molecular and genetic underpinnings through RNA sequencing data, …

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Phylogeography, Fungal Host Specificity, And Fitness In The Corallorhiza Maculata Species Complex, Hana Thixton-Nolan Jan 2026

Phylogeography, Fungal Host Specificity, And Fitness In The Corallorhiza Maculata Species Complex, Hana Thixton-Nolan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mycoheterotrophic plants exploit fungi for most or all nutritional needs, providing a compelling system to address the evolutionary consequences of genome reduction, population-level variation, and germination requirements. I am using the widespread Corallorhiza maculata species complex to address questions of genomic variation, fungal host specificity, morphological variation, and germination requirements across the broad geographic range from Mexico to northern North America. This complex contains C. bulbosa, C. macrantha, and C. mertensiana, the latter with three varieties (maculata, occidentalis, and mexicana). These taxa vary in flowering time, floral morphology, and fungal associations. However, the degree …

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Bioaccumulation Pattern Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) In Fish Tissues From Two Freshwater Systems, Margaret D. Taiwo, Husam Kafeenah, David D. Duvernell, Michael O. Eze Nov 2025

Bioaccumulation Pattern Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) In Fish Tissues From Two Freshwater Systems, Margaret D. Taiwo, Husam Kafeenah, David D. Duvernell, Michael O. Eze

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known for their persistence, ubiquity, bioaccumulation in different matrices of the environment and their detrimental effect on human health. In this study, we used EPA 1633 to examine the prevalence of ten PFAS compounds in two freshwater systems and investigated their bioaccumulation pattern across different tissues of grass carp fish (Ctenopharyngodon idella), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), and flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris). Among the PFAS compounds analyzed, PFBS exhibited the highest concentration in the freshwater sample, exceeding the U.S. EPA regulatory limit of 4 ng/L for drinking water. The total PFAS concentrations in the muscle, …

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Genetic Characterization And High-Resolution Total Mrna Sequencing Of The Millipede Cherokia Georgiana Bollman, 1889, Elena Cruz Oct 2025

Genetic Characterization And High-Resolution Total Mrna Sequencing Of The Millipede Cherokia Georgiana Bollman, 1889, Elena Cruz

Biology Theses

There are approximately 12,000 described species within the class Diplopoda. Only six species, falling within four of sixteen orders, have fully sequenced genomes. No whole genomes are available for incredibly diverse families like Xystodesmidae. Many interesting characteristics in this group are poorly defined at the genetic level, such as the production of a defensive hydrogen cyanide secretion and UV fluorescence in the order Polydesmida. Here, we present a genetic characterization of the polydesmid millipede Cherokia georgiana Bollman, 1889. We include tissue-specific sequencing metrics, alignment and assembly of mitochondrial DNA consensus sequence according to tissue type, and phylogenetic tree construction using …

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A Complicated History Of Mitogenome Introgression Among Luxilus Species (Teleostei, Family Leuciscidae) In The Ozark Highlands, David D. Duvernell, Carson Arnold, Shila Koju, Abby J. Wicks, Thomas E. Dowling Sep 2025

A Complicated History Of Mitogenome Introgression Among Luxilus Species (Teleostei, Family Leuciscidae) In The Ozark Highlands, David D. Duvernell, Carson Arnold, Shila Koju, Abby J. Wicks, Thomas E. Dowling

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Hybridization is common among minnows and shiners in the family Leuciscidae, and mitonuclear discordance can reveal evidence of historical hybridization and introgression events that have shaped extant species and populations. We have identified a notable case of serial mitogenome replacement in populations of two shiner species, Luxilus zonatus and L. chrysocephalus, which are syntopic in drainages throughout the northern and eastern Ozark Interior Highlands of North America. These mitogenome replacement events involved L. zonatus acquiring the mitogenome of L. chrysocephalus, and populations of L. chrysocephalus acquiring the mitogenome of an allopatric congeneric species, L. cornutus. The latter species has a …

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Gene Expression Of Anthocyanin Pigments In The California Native Plant Leptosiphon Parviflorus: Interactions Between Flower Color Morphology And Abiotic Stressors, Weston Gonor Sep 2025

Gene Expression Of Anthocyanin Pigments In The California Native Plant Leptosiphon Parviflorus: Interactions Between Flower Color Morphology And Abiotic Stressors, Weston Gonor

Master's Theses

For plants to survive in harsh conditions imposed by abiotic stressors, they must develop mechanisms of adaptation. One of the common types of adaptation seen in plants is the production of anthocyanin pigments, which have been shown to protect plants from UV radiation, metabolic stress, and drought. In this study, we used the flower color polymorphic species Leptosiphon parviflorus to investigate the role of anthocyanin pigments in protecting plants from abiotic stress. To accomplish this, RNA samples were taken from flower, leaf and root tissue of different flower color morphs of Leptosiphon parviflorus (Polemoniaceae) grown in high magnesium and water …

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Update To: Advancing Butterfly Systematics Through Genomic Analysis, Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Jinhui Shen, Leina Song, Nick Grishin Jul 2025

Update To: Advancing Butterfly Systematics Through Genomic Analysis, Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Jinhui Shen, Leina Song, Nick Grishin

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

In this update, we propose (type species or type localities in parentheses): Lochris Grishin, nom. nov. (Lasaia oileus Godman, 1903; Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) as a new substitute name for Locris Grishin, 2025 preoccupied by Locris Stål, 1866 (Cercopis rubra Fabricius, 1794; Hemiptera: Cercopidae), 5 new species, and 5 new subspecies: Emesis (Mandania) mandarina Grishin, sp. n. (Brazil: Santa Catarina) and Emesis (Mandania) mandela Grishin, sp. n. (Venezuela, Carabobo) in Riodinidae Grote, 1895 (1827); others in Hesperiidae Latreille, 1809: Telegonus (Rhabdoides) flavifimbro Grishin, sp. n. (Colombia), Urbanus (Urbanoides) dolus Grishin, sp. n. (Colombia: …

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Network Analysis Of Antimicrobial Resistance In Staphylococcus Aureus: Characterization Of Hub Genes And Their Functional Implications, Md Imran Hasan, Davida Smyth, Jeong Yang, Ashley Teufel May 2025

Network Analysis Of Antimicrobial Resistance In Staphylococcus Aureus: Characterization Of Hub Genes And Their Functional Implications, Md Imran Hasan, Davida Smyth, Jeong Yang, Ashley Teufel

Masters Theses (Archived)

Antimicrobial resistance is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with S. aureus infections. In this study, we analyzed genes, molecular mechanisms, and pathways driving drug resistance in S. aureus using network analysis. Using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data and systems biology approaches, we identified 229 AMR-associated genes and constructed a protein-protein interaction network among these genes. Through network topology and functional enrichment analyses, we not only confirmed their association with resistance, but also highlighted the central roles of these genes in resistance pathways, such as efflux, target replacement, and target protection, which are directly linked to multiple drug …

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Genomic Structure Among Populations Of A Regionally Rare Perennial Plant Indicates The Need For Reevaluation Of Management Units, Cheyenne Moore, Angela J. Mcdonnell, Scott Schuette, Christopher T. Martine May 2025

Genomic Structure Among Populations Of A Regionally Rare Perennial Plant Indicates The Need For Reevaluation Of Management Units, Cheyenne Moore, Angela J. Mcdonnell, Scott Schuette, Christopher T. Martine

Faculty Journal Articles

Conservation of rare species often relies on the delineation of management units and genomic tools can now be applied for this purpose. However, this is not as common on a local scale, where populations are often small and fragmented, despite the utility of informing conservation and management practice at the regional level. We use a genotyping by sequencing (GBS) approach to assess the perennial riparian plant species Baptisia australis (Fabaceae) in Pennsylvania, where the taxon is at the edge of its natural distribution and considered threatened. In this system, we investigate whether sampled subpopulations exhibit genetic structure. We find that …

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Robust Sex Determination In The Caenorhabditis Nigoni Germ Line, Jonathan P Harbin, Yongquan Shen, Shin-Yi Lin, Kevin Kemper, Eric S Haag, Erich M Schwarz, Ronald E Ellis Apr 2025

Robust Sex Determination In The Caenorhabditis Nigoni Germ Line, Jonathan P Harbin, Yongquan Shen, Shin-Yi Lin, Kevin Kemper, Eric S Haag, Erich M Schwarz, Ronald E Ellis

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Sexual characteristics and reproductive systems are dynamic traits in many taxa, but the developmental modifications that allow change and innovation are largely unknown. A leading model for this process is the evolution of self-fertile hermaphrodites from male/female ancestors. However, these studies require direct analysis of sex-determination in male/female species, as well as in the hermaphroditic species that are related to them. In Caenorhabditis nematodes this has only become possible recently, with the discovery of new species. Here, we use gene editing to characterize major sex-determination genes in C. nigoni, a sister to the widely studied hermaphroditic species C. briggsae. These …

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Life After Death: Investigating The Resistance And Recovery Of Fungal Communities To Foundation Tree Mortality, Jessie F. Marlenee Apr 2025

Life After Death: Investigating The Resistance And Recovery Of Fungal Communities To Foundation Tree Mortality, Jessie F. Marlenee

Biology ETDs

Tree mortality can have cascading effects on the composition and resilience of interacting fungal communities. Yet, little is known about the impact tree mortality, distinct from abiotic drivers (i.e., drought), has on these communities. This dissertation focuses on the resilience of fungal communities to experimental tree mortality in a piñon-juniper woodland. In chapter one, I found that piñon mortality reduced piñon fine root biomass and piñon mycorrhizal fungal diversity, whereas juniper mycorrhizal fungi were unaffected by juniper mortality. In chapter two, I revealed that piñon mortality altered the composition and spatial structure of mycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi in the soil, …

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Mitochondrial Mrna And The Small Subunit Rrna In Budding Yeasts Undergo 3'-End Processing At Conserved Species-Specific Elements, Michael Anikin, Michael F Henry, Viktoria Hodorova, Hristo B Houbaviy, Jozef Nosek, Dimitri G Pestov, Dmitriy A Markov Jan 2025

Mitochondrial Mrna And The Small Subunit Rrna In Budding Yeasts Undergo 3'-End Processing At Conserved Species-Specific Elements, Michael Anikin, Michael F Henry, Viktoria Hodorova, Hristo B Houbaviy, Jozef Nosek, Dimitri G Pestov, Dmitriy A Markov

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Respiration in eukaryotes depends on mitochondrial protein synthesis, which is performed by organelle-specific ribosomes translating organelle-encoded mRNAs. Although RNA maturation and stability are central events controlling mitochondrial gene expression, many of the molecular details in this pathway remain elusive. These include

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‘Who’S Your Daddy?’: Ddradseq Parentage In Broodstock-Offspring Pairs Of Diadema Antillarum In A Population Restoration Initiative, Bianca R. Rosendahl Jan 2025

‘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 …

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Monitoring The Seasonal Presence Of The Blue Shiner, Cyprinella Caerulea, In Little River Canyon National Preserve Using Environmental Dna, Deanna Meadows Oct 2024

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 …

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Effects Of Microplastic Biofilms On An Anthropogenically Impacted Suburban Lake, Paris M. Velasquez Sep 2024

Effects Of Microplastic Biofilms On An Anthropogenically Impacted Suburban Lake, Paris M. Velasquez

Masters Theses

Plastics have been observed in every location on the planet, and their prevalence in the environment is due in part to their strong resistance to degradation. Inland lakes are susceptible to plastic pollution by highway runoff, which contains plastic fragments of brake pads, car tires, litter, and road paint. These plastics eventually enter freshwater environments and degrade into microplastics (

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From Turf To Turf: Fungal Invasion Of Ascocoryne Turficola In A Northern Michigan Bog, Evan L. Coscarelli-Trott Sep 2024

From Turf To Turf: Fungal Invasion Of Ascocoryne Turficola In A Northern Michigan Bog, Evan L. Coscarelli-Trott

All NMU Master's Theses

This is the first paper to report Ascocoryne turficola Boud. 1905 (Helotiales: Ascomycota) within the United States. It is an obligate bog fungus native to Europe and Siberia, where it is extremely rare across most of its range. A. turficola appeared at Lily Pond Bog in Marquette, Michigan (87.47º W, 46.59º N) in 2019, almost contemporaneous with anecdotal reports in Minnesota and Ontario. Since 2019, the Lily Pond population has exploded and become the dominant fungus in this bog but has yet to spread to similar bogs nearby. This species is adapted to long distance dispersal and carries the potential …

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New Insights On Hybridization In Potamogeton Floridanus (The Florida Pondweed), Kaitlyn R. Sampson Jul 2024

New Insights On Hybridization In Potamogeton Floridanus (The Florida Pondweed), Kaitlyn R. Sampson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Freshwater ecosystems are some of the most important and highest threatened habitats in the world, and aquatic plants play an important, but often-overlooked, role in maintaining them. Potamogeton is a diverse and ecologically important aquatic plant genus well known for taxonomic difficulty and rampant hybridization. lbis study aimed to 1) test the hypothesis that Potamogeton jloridanus (Florida pondweed) is a hybrid between P. oakesianus and P. pulcher, and 2) to investigate correlations in ecological conditions for the focal species. This study revealed the discovery of a new population of P. jloridanus in Big Coldwater Creek in Santa Rosa Co., FL, …

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Rewiring The Sex-Determination Pathway During The Evolution Of Self-Fertility., Yongquan Shen, Shin-Yi Lin, Jonathan Harbin, Richa Amin, Allison Vassalotti, Joseph Romanowski, Emily Schmidt, Alexis Tierney, Ronald E Ellis Jun 2024

Rewiring The Sex-Determination Pathway During The Evolution Of Self-Fertility., Yongquan Shen, Shin-Yi Lin, Jonathan Harbin, Richa Amin, Allison Vassalotti, Joseph Romanowski, Emily Schmidt, Alexis Tierney, Ronald E Ellis

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Although evolution is driven by changes in how regulatory pathways control development, we know little about the molecular details underlying these transitions. The TRA-2 domain that mediates contact with TRA-1 is conserved in Caenorhabditis. By comparing the interaction of these proteins in two species, we identified a striking change in how sexual development is controlled. Identical mutations in this domain promote oogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans but promote spermatogenesis in Caenorhabditis briggsae. Furthermore, the effects of these mutations involve the male-promoting gene fem-3 in C. elegans but are independent of fem-3 in C. briggsae. Finally, reciprocal mutations in these genes show …

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Omani Camels From A Cultural And Genomics Perspective, Al Muatasim Al Zadjali May 2024

Omani Camels From A Cultural And Genomics Perspective, Al Muatasim Al Zadjali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Dromedarian camel, Camelus dromedarius, is native to the Arabian Peninsula, including the Sultanate of Oman. These camels are used for food, milk, as well as show and racing competitions. Despite their economic and cultural importance research on camels in Oman is limited. The goal of this study was to examine their genomic variation, relationship with camels in other parts of the Arabian Peninsula, and to determine if selective breeding has led to the establishment of distinct breeds in Oman. Information was compiled from multiple sources to produce a comprehensive review on the breeding, management, economic and cultural use, …

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Examining Population Structure Of Cismontane And Desert Populations Of Zebra-Tailed Lizards (Callisaurus Draconoides) Using Mitochondrial And Nuclear Intron Dna., Lauren Nicole Morrison May 2024

Examining Population Structure Of Cismontane And Desert Populations Of Zebra-Tailed Lizards (Callisaurus Draconoides) Using Mitochondrial And Nuclear Intron Dna., Lauren Nicole Morrison

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Callisaurus draconoides, also known as the Zebra-Tailed lizard, belongs to the family Phrynosomatidae family (Pianka, et al. 1972). C. draconoides is a widespread desert lizard found western North America. In California, this species can be found in the Mojave and Colorado Deserts. There are currently several populations that reside in the San Bernardino basin on the cismontane side of the Transverse and Peninsular ranges. These mountain ranges have the potential to have isolated the cismontane populations from their typical desert ranges. In addition, geological passes have the potential to serve as migration corridor between the Deserts and cismontane regions. The …

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Documenting The Southern Range Terminus Of The Wood Frog (Lithobates Sylvaticus) In North America, Christian Braswell Apr 2024

Documenting The Southern Range Terminus Of The Wood Frog (Lithobates Sylvaticus) In North America, Christian Braswell

Theses

The Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) holds a remarkable position in North American amphibian biology, with its range extending from the Arctic Circle down to the near sub-tropical southeastern United States. This thesis presents a novel quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis (qPCR) primer specific to L. sylvaticus and a survey effort regarding the southernmost distribution and detection of this species in Alabama through the application of environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling techniques. By investigating historical data and employing advanced genetic methodologies, this research provides insights into the contemporary status and distribution of the Wood Frog. This research is important to …

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