Genetics Commons^™

Phylogeography Of The Reef Fish Cephalopholis Argus(Epinephelidae) Indicates Pleistocene Isolation Across The Indo-Pacific Barrier With Contemporary Overlap In The Coral Triangle, Michelle R. Gaither, Brian W. Bowen, Tiana-Rae Bordenave, Luiz A. Rocha, Stephen J. Newman, Juan A. Gomez, Lynne Van Herwerden, Matthew T. Craig

Fisheries Research Articles

Background

The Coral Triangle (CT), bounded by the Philippines, the Malay Peninsula, and New Guinea, is the epicenter of marine biodiversity. Hypotheses that explain the source of this rich biodiversity include 1) the center of origin, 2) the center of accumulation, and 3) the region of overlap. Here we contribute to the debate with a phylogeographic survey of a widely distributed reef fish, the Peacock Grouper (Cephalopholis argus; Epinephelidae) at 21 locations (N = 550) using DNA sequence data from mtDNA cytochrome b and two nuclear introns (gonadotropin-releasing hormone and S7 ribosomal protein).

Results

Population structure was significant …

Evolutionary Patterns In Deep-Sea Mollusks, Elizabeth Ellen Boyle

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The evolution of deep-sea fauna is poorly known. We know little about the scales of population differentiation, radiation and colonization of the deep sea. This dissertation explores evolution in the deep sea at the level of population differentiation on ocean-wide scales in a gastropod species Benthonella tenella and phylogeny of a deep-sea subfamily of protobranch bivalves, Ledellinae. While working on the phylogeny of the Ledellinae the presence of mitochondrial heteroplasmy was discovered.

Genetic variation was quantified within and among populations of deep-sea gastropod Benthonella tenella to identify the extent of population differentiation and potential mechanisms that might isolate gene pools. …

Phylogeography Of The Polychaete Phragmatopoma Californica (Family Sabellarididae) In The Southern California Bight (Scb), Praneeth Kamana

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study measured the genetic differentiation among populations of Phragmatopoma californica and compared this genetic structuring with another polychaete species (Neries grubei) having a different life history. A total of 234 samples from 13 populations of the sabelleriid polychaete Phragmatapoma californica (Fewkes) from six mainland sites along the southern California coast and two Channel Islands were studied by way of inter simple sequence repeats (ISSRs) to determine genetic diversity, divergence and to estimate gene flow among populations. The results were compared to another polycheate species, Neries grubei which has a shorter larval development than P. californica, reducing potential dispersal and …

Drosophila Model For Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders: Role For The Insulin Pathway, Rachael L. French, K D. Mcclure, U Heberlein

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

Prenatal exposure to ethanol in humans results in a wide range of developmental abnormalities, including growth deficiency, developmental delay, reduced brain size, permanent neurobehavioral abnormalities and fetal death. Here we describe the use of Drosophila melanogaster as a model for exploring the effects of ethanol exposure on development and behavior. We show that developmental ethanol exposure causes reduced viability, developmental delay and reduced adult body size. We find that flies reared on ethanol-containing food have smaller brains and imaginal discs, which is due to reduced cell division rather than increased apoptosis. Additionally, we show that, as in mammals, flies reared …

Evaluation Of Delivery Conditions For Cutaneous Plasmid Electrotransfer Using A Multielectrode Array, Bernadette Ferraro, Loree C. Heller, Yolmari L. Cruz, Siqi Guo, Amy Donate, Richard Heller

Bioelectrics Publications

Electroporation (EP) is a simple in vivo method to deliver normally impermeable molecules, such as plasmid DNA, to a variety of tissues. Delivery of plasmid DNA by EP to a large surface area is not practical because the distance between the electrode pairs, and therefore the applied voltage, must be increased to effectively permeabilize the cell membrane. The design of the multielectrode array (MEA) incorporates multiple electrode pairs at a fixed distance to allow for delivery of plasmid DNA to the skin, potentially reducing the sensation associated with in vivo EP. In this report, we evaluate the effects of field …

The Basis And Implications Of Genetic Counseling In Patient Testing Choice, Yanina Tovpeko

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Perinatal genetic counseling is a health service provided to patients who carry risk factors for genetic abnormalities for their offspring. There are several non-invasive and invasive tests offered to patients in order to provide genetic information about possible disorders. The non-invasive screens calculate a percentage of risk relative to average population risk. If the non-invasive screens predict an elevated risk, a more invasive test can be offered to obtain definitive results about possible disorders in the pregnancy. The most commonly used invasive test is called amniocentesis and it carries a risk for pregnancy complications. After receiving abnormal results on the …

Analysis Of Long-Term Selection (28 Generations) For Reproduction, Growth, And Carcass Traits In Swine, Wan-Ling Hsu

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objectives were 1) to estimate responses from 28 generations of selection for increased pigs born alive (BA) with additional selection for increased 180 d weight (WT) and longissimus muscle area (LMA) and decreased backfat (BF) in the last eight generations, 2) to estimate genetic parameters for an array of traits, and 3) to investigate whether a plateau in response for BA has occurred. All lines were derived from the same Large White/Landrace composite population. Index selection for ovulation rate and embryo survival (G0-11) was initiated in L2 in 1981; L1 was selected randomly control line for L2 (G0-23). L2 …

Design Of A Factorial Experiment With Randomization Restrictions To Assess Medical Device Performance On Vascular Tissue, Wiebke Diestelkamp, Carissa M. Krane, Margaret Pinnell

Biology Faculty Publications

Background: Energy-based surgical scalpels are designed to efficiently transect and seal blood vessels using thermal energy to promote protein denaturation and coagulation. Assessment and design improvement of ultrasonic scalpel performance relies on both in vivo and ex vivo testing. The objective of this work was to design and implement a robust, experimental test matrix with randomization restrictions and predictive statistical power, which allowed for identification of those experimental variables that may affect the quality of the seal obtained ex vivo.

Methods: The design of the experiment included three factors: temperature (two levels); the type of solution used to perfuse the …

Endo-Porter–Mediated Delivery Of Phosphorodiamidate Morpholino Oligos (Pmos) In Erythrocyte Suspension Cultures From Cope's Gray Treefrog Hyla Chrysoscelis, Venkateshwar Mutyam, Matthew V. Puccetti, James Frisbie, David L. Goldstein, Carissa M. Krane

Biology Faculty Publications

Cope's gray treefrog, Hyla chrysoscelis, is a freeze-tolerant anuran that accumulates cryoprotective glycerol during cold acclimation. H. chrysoscelis erythrocytes express the aquaglyceroporin HC-3, which facilitates transmembrane glycerol and water movement. Aquaglyceroporins have no pharmacological inhibitors, and no genetic knockout tools currently exist for H. chrysoscelis. A phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligo (PMO)–mediated expression knockdown approach was therefore pursued to provide a model for testing the role of HC-3. We describe a novel procedure optimized for specific, efficient knockdown of HC-3 expression in amphibian erythrocyte suspensions cultured at nonmammalian physiological temperatures using Endo-Porter. Our protocol includes three critical components: pre-incubation at 37°C, …

Population Genetics Of The Western Bean Cutworm (Striacosta Albicosta Smith) Across The United States, Erica Lindroth

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The western bean cutworm, Striacosta albicosta (Smith), is a secondary pest of maize (Zea mays L.) and dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in the western United States. Recently, this insect has undergone a major territory expansion into the eastern US and has become a pest throughout much of the Corn Belt. This study was instigated to examine the population genetics of this pest to facilitate control and resistance management, as well as to shed light on the current habitat expansion. To this end, western bean cutworm individuals were collected from 28 different locations across the traditional and expanded …

Cocaine Dependence: The Role Of Serotonin Genes In, Lorena Maili

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Animal studies have shown that behavioral responses to cocaine-related cues are altered by serotonergic medications. The effects of pharmacological agents on serotonin receptors 2a (5-HT2A) and 2c (5-HT2C), have yielded results suggesting that selective 5-HT2A antagonists and 5-HT2C agonists promote the disruption of cocaine-associated memories. One measure of cocaine related cues in humans is attentional bias, in which cocaine dependent individuals show greater response latency for cocaine related words than neutral words. Data from our laboratory shows that cocaine dependent subjects have altered attentional bias compared to controls. The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the role of the …

Cell Polarity Regulates Organ Growth Through The Hippo Pathway, Chiao-Lin Chen

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Defects in apical-basal cell polarity and abnormal expression of cell polarity determinants are linked to human cancer. Loss of polarity is highly correlated with malignancy. In Drosophila, perturbation of apical-basal polarity, including overexpressing the apical determinant Crumbs, can lead to uncontrolled tissue growth. Cells mutant for the basolateral determinant scribble overproliferate and can form neoplastic tumors. Interestingly, scribble mutant clones that arise in wild-type tissues are eliminated and therefore do not manifest their tumorigenic potential. However, the mechanisms by which cell polarity coordinates with growth control pathways in developing organs to achieve appropriate organ size remain obscure.

To investigate …

Gene Discovery In Nonsyndromic Cleft Lip With Or Without Cleft Palate, Brett T. Chiquet

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCLP), a common, complex orofacial birth defect that affects approximately 4,000 newborns each year in the United States, is caused by both genetic and environmental factors. Orofacial clefts affect the mouth and nose, causing severe deformity of the face, which require medical, dental and speech therapies. Despite having substantial genetic liability, less than 25% of the genetic contribute to NSCLP has been identified. The studies described in this thesis were performed to identify genes that contribute to NSCLP and to demonstrate the role of these genes in normal craniofacial development. Using genome …

Prevalence Of Premature Ovarian Failure In Women With Tuberous Sclerosis, Emily Gabitzsch

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant tumor suppressor disorder characterized by hamartomas, or benign growths, in various organ systems. Inactivating mutations in either the TSC1 or the TSC2 gene cause most cases of TSC. Recently, the use of ovarian specific conditional knock-out mouse models has demonstrated a crucial role of the TSC genes in ovarian function. Mice with complete deletion of Tsc1 or Tsc2 showed accelerated ovarian follicle activation and subsequent premature follicular depletion, consistent with the human condition premature ovarian failure (POF). POF is defined in women as the cessation of menses before the age of 40 …

Generation, Cloning, And Expression Of Full-Length Human Evc Gene, Trey Polvadore

Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

A Myriad Of Misunderstanding Standing: Decoding Judicial Review For Gene Patents, Jenny L. Maxey

West Virginia Law Review

No abstract provided.

Copyright For Engineered Dna: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?, Christopher M. Holman

West Virginia Law Review

The rapidly emerging field of synthetic biology has tremendous potential to address some of the most compelling challenges facing our planet by providing clean renewable energy, nutri- tionally-enhanced and environmentally friendly agricultural products, and revolutionary new life-saving cures. However, leaders in the synthetic biology movement have voiced concern that biotechnology's current patent-centric approach to intellec- tual property is in many ways ill-suited to meet the challenge of synthetic biology, threatening to impede follow-on innovation and open access technology. For years, copyright and patent protection for computer software have existed side-by-side, the two forms of intellectual property complementing one another. Numerous …

Drafting Human Ancestry: What Does The Neanderthal Genome Tell Us About Hominid Evolution? Commentary On Green Et Al. (2010), Michael Hofreiter

Human Biology

Ten years after the first draft versions of the human genome were
announced, technical progress in both DNA sequencing and ancient DNA
analyses has allowed a research team around Ed Green and Svante Pa¨a¨bo to
complete this task from infinitely more difficult hominid samples: a few
pieces of bone originating from our closest, albeit extinct, relatives, the
Neanderthals. Pulling the Neanderthal sequences out of a sea of contaminating
environmental DNA impregnating the bones and at the same time
avoiding the problems of contamination with modern human DNA is in itself
a remarkable accomplishment. However, the crucial question in the long …

Genes Identified By Visible Mutant Phenotypes Show Increased Bias Toward One Of Two Subgenomes Of Maize, James C. Schnable, Michael Freeling

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Not all genes are created equal. Despite being supported by sequence conservation and expression data, knockout homozygotes of many genes show no visible effects, at least under laboratory conditions. We have identified a set of maize (Zea mays L.) genes which have been the subject of a disproportionate share of publications recorded at MaizeGDB. We manually anchored these ‘‘classical’’ maize genes to gene models in the B73 reference genome, and identified syntenic orthologs in other grass genomes. In addition to proofing the most recent version 2 maize gene models, we show that a subset of these genes, those that …

Dose–Sensitivity, Conserved Non-Coding Sequences, And Duplicate Gene Retention Through Multiple Tetraploidies In The Grasses, James C. Schnable, Brent S. Pedersen, Sabarinath Subramaniam, Michael Freeling

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Whole genome duplications, or tetraploidies, are an important source of increased gene content. Following whole genome duplication, duplicate copies of many genes are lost from the genome. This loss of genes is biased both in the classes of genes deleted and the subgenome from which they are lost. Many or all classes are genes preferentially retained as duplicate copies are engaged in dose sensitive protein–protein interactions, such that deletion of any one duplicate upsets the status quo of subunit concentrations, and presumably lowers fitness as a result. Transcription factors are also preferentially retained following every whole genome duplications studied. This …