Integrative Biology Commons^™

Salty Fertile Lakes: How Salinization And Eutrophication Alter The Structure Of Freshwater Communities, Lovisa Lind, Matthew S. Schuler, William D. Hintz, Aaron B. Stoler, Devin K. Jones, Brian M. Mattes, Rick A. Relyea

Integrative Biology Faculty and Staff Publications

The quality of freshwater ecosystems is decreasing worldwide because of anthropogenic activities. For example, nutrient over‐enrichment associated with agricultural, urban, and industrial development has led to an acceleration of primary production, or eutrophication. Additionally, in northern areas, deicing salts that are an evolutionary novel stressor to freshwater ecosystems have caused chloride levels of many freshwaters to exceed thresholds established for environmental protection. Even if excess nutrients and road deicing salts often contaminate freshwaters at the same time, the combined effects of eutrophication and salinization on freshwater communities are unknown. Thus by using outdoor mesocosms, we investigated the potentially interactive effects …

The Transcriptome Of The Bermuda Fireworm Odontosyllis Enopla (Annelida: Syllidae): A Unique Luciferase Gene Family And Putative Epitoky-Related Genes, Mercer R. Brugler, M. Teresa Aguado, Michael Tessler, Mark Siddall

Publications and Research

The Bermuda fireworm Odontosyllis enopla exhibits an extremely tight circalunar circadian behavior that results in an impressive bioluminescent mating swarm, thought to be due to a conventional luciferase-mediated oxidation of a light-emitting luciferin. In addition, the four eyes become hypertrophied and heavily pigmented, and the nephridial system is modified to store and release gametes and associated secretions. In an effort to elucidate transcripts related to bioluminescence, circadian or circalunar periodicity, as well as epitoky-related changes of the eyes and nephridial system, we examined the transcriptomic profile of three female O. enopladuring a bioluminescent swarm in Ferry Reach, Bermuda. …

Unfolded Protein Response Pathways In Skeletal Muscle Homeostasis., Kyle R. Bohnert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Skeletal muscle mass, contractile properties, and metabolic function are regulated through the coordinated activation of multiple intracellular signaling pathways and genetic reprogramming. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays a pivotal role in protein folding and calcium homeostasis in many cell types, including skeletal muscle. Disruption of calcium levels or accumulation of misfolded proteins in the ER lumen leads to stress, which results in the activation of a signaling network called the unfolded protein response (UPR). Further, recent studies have suggested that in certain conditions, UPR pathways can be activated independent of ER stress. However, the role of ER stress and the …

Evolutionary History Of Plant Hosts And Fungal Symbionts Predicts The Strength Of Mycorrhizal Mutualism, Jason D. Hoeksema, James D. Bever, Sounak Chakraborty, V. Bala Chaudhary, Monique Gardes, Catherine A. Gehring, Miranda M. Hart, Elizabeth A. Housworth, Wittaya Kaonongbua, Marc J. Lajeunesse

Integrative Biology Faculty and Staff Publications

Most plants engage in symbioses with mycorrhizal fungi in soils and net consequences for plants vary widely from mutualism to parasitism. However, we lack a synthetic understanding of the evolutionary and ecological forces driving such variation for this or any other nutritional symbiosis. We used meta-analysis across 646 combinations of plants and fungi to show that evolutionary history explains substantially more variation in plant responses to mycorrhizal fungi than the ecological factors included in this study, such as nutrient fertilization and additional microbes. Evolutionary history also has a different influence on outcomes of ectomycorrhizal versus arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses; the former …

Immune Function And Metabolism Of Hibernating North American Bats With White-Nose Syndrome, Briana Nicole Anderson

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

White-nose syndrome (WNS) causes substantial mortality in certain species of hibernating North American bats. The responsible agent is Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), a fungus which causes physiological complications such as increased arousals and energy depletion during the hibernation season. Tricolored bats (Perimyotis subflavus) and northern long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis) suffer extensive WNS mortality, while gray bats (Myotis grisescens) and big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) are infected, but mortality is rarely observed. It is hypothesized that there is a difference in immune responses and/or hibernation metabolism between these bat species, resulting in this …

Microrna Functions In Uv-Induced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Tran Nguyen

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cuSCC) is the second most common skin cancer, for which long term UV exposure and chronic wounding are the dominant risk factors. Despite these clinically established connections, little is understood about the early molecular response of human skin to UV exposure and its connection to acute wounding and cuSCC. Thus, our goal is to find common and specific signatures driven by UV-exposure and wounding as a means of developing new approaches for treating and preventing cuSCC.

Here, we perform integrated analyses of RNA-seq and miR-seq on 3 datasets: (1) UV-unexposed and acute UV-exposed human skin, (2) …

Investigating The Interaction Of Monoamines And Diel Rhythmicity On Anti-Predator Behavior In An Orb-Weaving Spider, Larinioides Cornutus (Araneae: Araneae), Rebecca Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Circadian rhythms are ubiquitous among organisms, influencing a wide array of physiological processes and behaviors including aggression. While many neurophysiological mechanisms are involved in the regulation of aggressive behaviors, relatively few studies have investigated the underlying components involved in the interplay between circadian rhythms and aggression. Spiders are an ideal model system for studying circadian regulation of aggression as they are ecologically both predators and prey. Recent studies have revealed a nocturnal orb- weaving spider Larinioides cornutus exhibits a diel and circadian rhythm in anti-predator behavior (i.e. boldness) that can be manipulated by administration of octopamine (OA) and serotonin (5- …

The Role Of Cnd-1/Neurod1 In C. Elegans Nervous System Development, Wendy Aquino Nunez

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

NeuroD1 is a vertebrate helix-loop-helix transcription factor that is involved in nervous system development and pancreatic islet development. NeuroD1 -/- mice is uncoordinated, has seizures and a reduce brain size (Miyata et al. 1999). In C. elegans, the ortholog gene is cnd-1. Hallam et al. 2000, showed that cnd-1 has a role in cell fate determination of GABAergic, DD motor neurons, in addition to a role in axon morphology. cnd-1(ju29) worms, show GABAergic motor neuron defect, they have a “kinky” backward movement phenotype and their axons are branched. However, only three genes are known to be downstream targets of …

Effects Of Drift Macroalgae On Sediment Nitrogen Cycling In Thalassia Testudinum Beds Of St. Joseph Bay, Fl, Erica Strope

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) loading and eutrophication can affect valuable ecosystem services and seagrass habitats by modifying structural and functional aspects of estuarine communities including increasing and prolonging macroalgae blooms. In some contexts, macroalgae may play a key role in N cycling pathways because they can alter sediment chemistry. Previous research has associated drift macroalgae blooms with elevated dissolved inorganic N concentrations in sediments as a result of increased remineralization of organic matter, but drift macroalgae effects on microbial N transformation pathways are not well understood. This study quantified the effects of macroalgae on estuarine N cycling in Thalassia testudinum seagrass …

Modeling And Mapping Addiction In The Zebrafish, Danio Rerio, Bradley Serpa

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Driven by the communication of dopamine, the vertebrate reward system has been evolutionarily conserved to maintain survival and optimize fitness. The neural circuits governing this system integrate sensory stimuli to produce appropriate, self-preserving responses that underlie experience-based learning. In the most primitive vertebrates, dopamine release in neuronal circuits drives homeostatic behaviors, such as seeking nutrients, finding a mate, or avoiding danger. From agnathans to mammals, dopaminergic synthesis and signaling genes and molecules, along with neuronal pathways and reward system-based behaviors, remain highly conserved. Dopamine signaling proteins include two classes of metabotropic G-Protein Receptor Coupled Dopamine Receptors, D1-like (DRD1) and D2-like …

Novel Applications Of Biolayer Interferometry To Investigate Molecular Interactions, Mareena M. Pitts

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

In this study, BLI is used to explore various molecular interactions to demonstrate molecular binding and to provide quantitative characterization of binding kinetics and affinities of phage-protein and DNA-protein interactions. The results of this study demonstrate novel use of biolayer interferometry to immobilize whole Sf6 bacteriophage onto the biosensor to measure the binding to its outer membrane host receptor protein OmpA. The use of BLI also demonstrates the technology as a probe to predict and verify binding interactions at the molecular level to assign the role of protein function in both Vibrio fischeri and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Each aim of this …

Sperm-Mediated Effects Of Predation Risk On Reproduction In Male Threespined Sticklebacks, Shayne Kempfer, Erika Carlson, Jennifer Hellmann, Jason Keagy, Alison Bell

PRECS student projects

Threespined sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus, exhibit male-only parental care, but will decrease paternal care if exposed to predators while given care or if their mate has had prior experiences with predators. The offspring will experience lasting effects based on the experience of their parents (behavior-mediated transgenerational plasticity). While other studies have concluded that male exposure to predators prior to fertilization (sperm-mediated transgenerational plasticity) impacts offspring, whether sperm-mediated effects exist in sticklebacks, and for how many generations the effects persist is unknown. Courtship trials with both predator exposed and predator unexposed females with six male treatment groups shows significant impact of maternal …

The Influence Of Landscape And Environmental Factors On Ranavirus Epidemiology In A California Amphibian Assemblage, Brian J. Tornabene, Andrew R. Blausten, Cheryl J. Briggs, Dana M. Calhoun, Pieter T. J. Johnson, Travis Mcdevitt-Galles, Jason R. Rohr, Jason T. Hoverman

Integrative Biology Faculty and Staff Publications

1. A fundamental goal of disease ecology is to determine the landscape and environmental processes that drive disease dynamics at different biological levels to guide management and conservation. Although ranaviruses (family Iridoviridae) are emerging amphibian pathogens, few studies have conducted comprehensive field surveys to assess potential drivers of ranavirus disease dynamics.
2. We examined the factors underlying patterns in site‐level ranavirus presence and individual‐level ranavirus infection in 76 ponds and 1,088 individuals representing five amphibian species within the East Bay region of California.
3. Based on a competing‐model approach followed by variance partitioning, landscape and biotic variables explained the most variation in …

Selective Muscle Degeneration In A Drosophila Model Of Cachexia; A Role For The Transcriptional Regulator Cabut, Matthew Giedd

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Cachexia is a systemic metabolic syndrome characterized by progressive muscle wasting. Cachectic muscle wasting presents as a comorbidity with pathological illnesses like cancer, chronic inflammation, and type 2 diabetes. The development of cachexia complicates treatment of these diseases and worsens clinical outcomes. Thus, it has become the focus of intense investigation. While many of the upstream mechanisms that propagate cachectic muscle wasting have been brought to light, little is known of the downstream mechanisms which would be more clinically relevant. Here, we have adopted a Drosophila model of cachectic muscle wasting to elucidate a novel role of the transcriptional regulator, …

Sources And Fates Of Carbamyl Phosphate: A Labile Energy-Rich Molecule With Multiple Facets., Dashuang Shi, Ljubica Caldovic, Mendel Tuchman

Genomics and Precision Medicine Faculty Publications

Carbamyl phosphate (CP) is well-known as an essential intermediate of pyrimidine and arginine/urea biosynthesis. Chemically, CP can be easily synthesized from dihydrogen phosphate and cyanate. Enzymatically, CP can be synthesized using three different classes of enzymes: (1) ATP-grasp fold protein based carbamyl phosphate synthetase (CPS); (2) Amino-acid kinase fold carbamate kinase (CK)-like CPS (anabolic CK or aCK); and (3) Catabolic transcarbamylase. The first class of CPS can be further divided into three different types of CPS as CPS I, CPS II, and CPS III depending on the usage of ammonium or glutamine as its nitrogen source, and whether

The Influence Of Dose Of A Plant-Derived Volatile Cue On Arabidopsis Thaliana Resistance Against Insect Herbivores, Sarah Bissmeyer, Grace Freundlich, Christopher Frost

Kentucky Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Green leaf volatiles (GLVs) are plant-derived volatile organic compounds (VOCs) known to affect plant-plant communication. Specifically, GLVs can facilitate “priming”, whereby plants initiate a faster and stronger defensive response to a subsequent stress. The stress-induced GLV cis-3-hexenyl acetate (z3HAC) is a known priming cue, yet whether the concentration of the z3HAC affects plant defenses is unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis that z3HAC concentration of would influence Arabidopsis thaliana resistance against a specialist (Trichoplusia ni) and generalist (Spodoptera exigua) herbivore. Our z3HAC treatments ranged from 0-100 ng/hr, which spanned the …

Thermoregulatory Dysfunction In Multiple Sclerosis, Dustin R. Allen

Applied Physiology and Wellness Theses and Dissertations

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive neurological disease of the central nervous system (CNS) affecting an estimated 2.3 million people worldwide. Marked by lesions in the brain and spinal cord, MS leads to conduction abnormalities in the CNS. Evidence suggests ~60% of individuals with MS experience temporary worsening of their symptoms upon exposure to heat. Adding complexity, observational evidence suggests these individuals exhibit reduced thermoregulatory responses in upon increases in core temperature. Consequently, these individuals face a vicious cycle of heat sensitivity and thermoregulatory dysfunction, substantially impacting their quality of life. With this in mind, our lab is dedicated to …

Radical Social Ecology As Deep Pragmatism: A Call To The Abolition Of Systemic Dissonance And The Minimization Of Entropic Chaos, Arielle Brender

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper aims to shed light on the dissonance caused by the superimposition of Dominant Human Systems on Natural Systems. I highlight the synthetic nature of Dominant Human Systems as egoic and linguistic phenomenon manufactured by a mere portion of the human population, which renders them inherently oppressive unto peoples and landscapes whose wisdom were barred from the design process. In pursuing a radical pragmatic approach to mending the simultaneous oppression and destruction of the human being and the earth, I highlight the necessity of minimizing entropic chaos caused by excess energy expenditure, an essential feature of systems that aim …

An Integrative Approach To Evaluating Radiocesium Contamination In Fukushima Prefecture, James Thornhill

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

An earthquake in Japan led to the meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant which released radionuclides into the surrounding regions. Of these radionuclides, cesium-137 (¹³⁷Cs⁺) has been shown to be the most abundant. Research has shown that adsorption of K⁺ and Cs⁺ on 2:1 clay minerals can collapse the interlayers, causing the adsorbed ion to become non-exchangeable. This thesis takes an integrative approach to the restoration of radiocesium-contaminated soil in three parts by 1) evaluating the adsorption behavior and mechanisms of Cs⁺ in vermiculite, 2) using plants as bioindicators to elucidate …

Transcending The Cell Fate Stereotype: Cell Penetrating Peptide Technology Helps Induce Pluripotency In Multiple Cell Types, Kelsey Clearman

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are one of the most promising new technologies in the field of regenerative medicine. iPSCs can be generated directly from a patient’s own fibroblast cells then converted into any cell type, thus overcoming challenges associated with embryonic stem cells and graft-vs-host disease that result from current methods. Generation of iPSCs from fibroblasts is traditionally accomplished by ectopic expression of four key transcription factors (TFs): Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc also known as OSKM. These TFs have been shown to be involved in maintaining pluripotency and inhibiting embryonic stem (ES) cell differentiation. Reprogramming fibroblasts into iPSCs …