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2015 Oklahoma Research Day Full Program, Northeastern State University

Oklahoma Research Day Abstracts

This document contains all abstracts from the 2015 Oklahoma Research Day held at Northeastern State University.

Developmental Ethanol Exposure Leads To Dysregulation Of Lipid Metabolism And Oxidative Stress In Drosophila, Theresa Logan-Garbisch, Anthony Bortolazzo, Peter Luu, Audrey Ford, David Do, Payam Khodabakhshi, Rachael French

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

Ethanol exposure during development causes an array of developmental abnormalities, both physiological and behavioral. In mammals, these abnormalities are collectively known as Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). We have established a Drosophila melanogaster model of FASD, and have previously shown that developmental ethanol exposure in flies leads to reduced expression of insulin like peptides (dILPs) and their receptor. In this work, we link that observation to dysregulation of fatty acid metabolism and lipid accumulation. Further, we show that developmental ethanol exposure in Drosophila causes oxidative stress, that this stress is a primary cause of the …

Genome Engineering To Create Dominant Alleles In Caenorhabditis Elegans Using Crispr-Cas9 Technology, Abrar Sulaimani

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Many investigators have being using CRISPR-Cas9 as a method of genome engineering because it is easy, accurate and fast. This technique has been used to modify the genomes of a wide variety of organisms, including the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). The short life cycle and ease of introducing exogenous plasmids make C. elegans an ideal system for advancing this technique. My thesis had two aims that focused on developing methods to create dominant alleles in C. elegans. Genetic modifications like precise deletion and insertions into a locus of chromosome are technically challenging. Additionally, although there are several ways of …

Subsistence Strategies In Traditional Societies Distinguish Gut Microbiomes, Alexandra J. Obregon-Tito, Raul T. Tito, Jessica Metcalf, Krithvivasa Sankaranarayanan, Jose C. Clemente, Luke K. Ursell, Zhenjiang Zech Xu, Will Van Treuren, Rob Knight, Morris Foster

Division of Research and Economic Development Faculty & Staff Publications

Recent studies suggest that gut microbiomes of urban-industrialized societies are different from those of traditional peoples. Here we examine the relationship between lifeways and gut microbiota through taxonomic and functional potential characterization of faecal samples from hunter-gatherer and traditional agriculturalist communities in Peru and an urban-industrialized community from the US. We find that in addition to taxonomic and metabolic differences between urban and traditional lifestyles, hunter-gatherers form a distinct sub-group among traditional peoples. As observed in previous studies, we find that Treponema are characteristic of traditional gut microbiomes. Moreover, through genome reconstruction (2.2-2.5 MB, coverage depth x26-513) and functional potential …

Early Initiation Of Antiretroviral Therapy Can Functionally Control Productive Hiv-1 Infection In Humanized-Blt Mice, Qingsheng Li, For Yue Tso, Guobin Kang, Wuxun Lu, Yue Li, Wenjin Fan, Zhe Yuan, Christopher J. Destache, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Background—Recent reports showed that functional control of HIV-1 infection for a prolonged time is possible by early anti-retroviral therapy (ART); however its underlying mechanism needs to be studied with a suitable animal model. Recently, humanized-BLT (bone marrow, liver and thymus) mouse (hu-BLT) was shown to be an excellent model for studying HIV-1 infection. We thus tested the feasibility of studying functional control of HIV-1 infection using hu-BLT mice.

Methods—Animals in three treatment groups (Rx-6h, Rx-24h, Rx-48h) and untreated group were infected with HIV-1, followed by ART initiation at 6, 24 or 48 hours post-infection and continued daily for two weeks. …

The Role Of Dendritic Cell Subsets And Innate Immunity In The Pathogenesis Of Type 1 Diabetes And Other Autoimmune Diseases, Jeffrey D. Price, Kristin V. Tarbell

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Dendritic cells (DCs) are key antigen-presenting cells that have an important role in autoimmune pathogenesis. DCs control both steady-state T cell tolerance and activation of pathogenic responses. The balance between these two outcomes depends on several factors, including genetic susceptibility, environmental signals that stimulate varied innate responses, and which DC subset is presenting antigen. Although the specific DC phenotype can diverge depending on the tissue location and context, there are four main subsets identified in both mouse and human: conventional cDC1 and cDC2, plasmacytoid DCs, and monocyte-derived DCs. In this review, we will discuss the role of these subsets in …

Composition, Taxonomy And Functional Diversity Of The Oropharynx Microbiome In Individuals With Schizophrenia And Controls., Eduardo Castro-Nallar, Matthew L Bendall, Marcos Pérez-Losada, Sarven Sabuncyan, Emily G Severance, Faith B Dickerson, Jennifer R Schroeder, Robert H Yolken, Keith A Crandall

Computational Biology Institute

The role of the human microbiome in schizophrenia remains largely unexplored. The microbiome has been shown to alter brain development and modulate behavior and cognition in animals through gut-brain connections, and research in humans suggests that it may be a modulating factor in many disorders. This study reports findings from a shotgun metagenomic analysis of the oropharyngeal microbiome in 16 individuals with schizophrenia and 16 controls. High-level differences were evident at both the phylum and genus levels, with Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria dominating both schizophrenia patients and controls, and Ascomycota being more abundant in schizophrenia patients than controls. Controls …

Gene Function In Schistosomes: Recent Advances Toward A Cure, Arnon D. Jurburg, Paul J. Brindley

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Further Description Of Hybridization In The Sea Stars Asterias Rubens And Asterias Forbesi Through The Application Of Species-Specific Genetic Markers, Callie Bateson

Honors Program Theses

Hybridization occurs when two separate species reproduce to form hybrid offspring. If the hybrid offspring backcross with individuals of their parental species, the subsequent offspring may have varying amounts of the parental genomes, if viable. Following the retreat of the Last Glacial Maxima 20,000 years ago, two sea star species, Asterias forbesi and A. rubens came into secondary contact in the Gulf of Maine where they began to hybridize. Previous research in our lab studied the frequency of hybridization at four locations along the east coast (Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Hampshire, and New York) using morphological identifications as well two …

A Protective Role Of Autophagy In A Drosophila Model Of Friedreich's Ataxia (Frda), Luan Wang

Wayne State University Dissertations

Friedreich’s ataxia (FRDA) is an inherited autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disease. It affects 1 in every 50,000 people in central Europe and North America. FRDA is caused by deficiency of Frataxin, an essential mitochondrial iron chaperone protein, and the associated oxidative stress damages. Autophagy, a housekeeping process responsible for the bulk degradation and turnover of long half-life proteins and organelles, is featured by the formation of double-membrane vacuoles and lysosomal degradation. Previous researches indicate that Danon’s disease, the inherited neural disorder disease that shares similar symptoms with FRDA, is due to the malfunction of autophagy. Based on this, we raise the …

Technical Note: Collection And Preparation Techniques Change Nutrient Composition Of Masticate Collected From Esophageally Fistulated Cattle, Jacqueline A. Musgrave, J. V. Judy, K. H. Jenkins, T. J. Klopfenstein, L. A. Stalker

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Two experiments determined effects of collection and preparation techniques on nutrient composition of masticate samples from esophageally fistulated cattle. In Exp. 1, 12 esophageally fistulated cattle were maintained on 2 precollection diets, high CP (24% CP; n = 6) or low CP (7.7% CP; n = 6), for 8 d. On d 9, the esophageal plug was removed, screen bottom bags were attached, and each cow was offered fresh grass. Immediately after fresh grass sample collection was complete, dry grass (hay) was offered and a sample was collected. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for serum urea nitrogen concentration. Masticate …

Establishment Of Biotrophy By The Maize Anthracnose Pathogen Colletotrichum Graminicola: Use Of Bioinformatics And Transcriptomics To Address The Potential Roles Of Secretion, Stress Response, And Secreted Proteins, Ester Alvarenga Santos Buiate

Theses and Dissertations--Plant Pathology

Colletotrichum graminicola is a hemibiotrophic pathogen of maize that causes anthracnose leaf and stalk rot diseases. The pathogen penetrates the host and initially establishes an intracellular biotrophic infection, in which the hyphae are separated from the living host cell by a membrane that is elaborated by the host, apparently in response to pathogen signals. A nonpathogenic mutant (MT) of C. graminicola was generated that germinates and penetrates the host normally, but is incapable of establishing a normal biotrophic infection. The mutated gene is Cpr1, conserved in eukaryotes and predicted to encode a component of the signal peptidase complex. How …

Genetically Based Low Oxygen Affinities Of Felid Hemoglobins: Lack Of Biochemical Adaptation To High-Altitude Hypoxia In The Snow Leopard, Jan E. Janecka, Simone S. E. Nielsen, Sidsel D. Andersen, Federico G. Hoffmann, Roy E. Weber, Trevor Anderson, Jay F. Storz, Angela Fago

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Genetically based modifications of hemoglobin (Hb) function that increase blood–O₂ affinity are hallmarks of hypoxia adaptation in vertebrates. Among mammals, felid Hbs are unusual in that they have low intrinsic O₂ affinities and reduced sensitivities to the allosteric cofactor 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG). This combination of features compromises the acclimatization capacity of blood–O2 affinity and has led to the hypothesis that felids have a restricted physiological niche breadth relative to other mammals. In seeming defiance of this conjecture, the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) has an extraordinarily broad elevational distribution and occurs at elevations above 6000 m in the Himalayas. Here, …

The Complexities Of Female Mate Choice And Male Polymorphisms: Elucidating The Role Of Genetics, Age, And Mate-Choice Copying, Kasey D. Fowler-Finn, Laura Sullivan-Beckers, Amy M. Runck, Eileen A. Hebets

Eileen Hebets Publications

Genetic, life history, and environmental factors dictate patterns of variation in sexual traits within and across populations, and thus the action and outcome of sexual selection. This study explores patterns of inheritance, diet, age, and mate-choice copying on the expression of male sexual signals and associated female mate choice in a phenotypically diverse group of Schizocosa wolf spiders. Focal spiders exhibit one of two male phenotypes: ‘ornamented’ males possess large black brushes on their forelegs, and ‘non-ornamented’ males possess no brushes. Using a quantitative genetics breeding design in a mixed population of ornamented/non-ornamented males, we found a strong genetic basis …

Octopamine Levels Relate To Male Mating Tactic Expression In The Wolf Spider Rabidosa Punctulata, Eileen A. Hebets, Matthew Hansen, Thomas C. Jones, Dustin J. Wilgers

Eileen Hebets Publications

In the wolf spider Rabidosa punctulata, upon encountering a female, males use one of two distinct strategies: (1) they court the female in an attempt to elicit a mating, or (2) they engage in a direct-mount tactic that involves extensive grappling with the female until a mating is achieved. The latter tactic appears more sexually aggressive, and both tactics come with the risk of being cannibalized. We explored the physiological mechanisms underlying this behavioral variation by assessing the relationship between circulating levels of the biogenic amine octopamine (OA), a neuromodulator suggested to play a role in “fight or flight” responses …

Functional Approach To Condition, Dustin J. Wilgers, Eileen A. Hebets

Eileen Hebets Publications

Animal signaling is commonly thought to be costly. Signaling costs can arise via a variety of avenues, including energy expenditure, predator attraction, and so on (reviews in Zuk and Kolluru, 1998; Kotiaho, 2001), and are predicted to increase with signal expression (e.g., size, amplitude, and intensity; Johnstone, 1997). Due to these costs, signaler condition, which is hypothesized to be a reflection of a signaler’s genetic quality, is expected to influence the level of signal expression one can afford (Zahavi, 1975), resulting in a positive correlation between signaler condition and signal expression – that is, condition-dependent signaling (Zahavi, 1977; West-Eberhard, 1979; …

Generation Of An Attenuated, Cross-Protective Pepino Mosaic Virus Variant Through Alignment-Guided Mutagenesis Of The Viral Capsid Protein, Godwill M. Chewachong, Sally A. Miller, Joshua J. Blakeslee, David M. Francis, Thomas Jack Morris, Feng Qu

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Mild variants of many viruses are able to protect infected plants from subsequent invasion by more severe variants of the same viruses through a process known as cross-protection. In the past, the cross-protective viral variants were commonly derived from mild field isolates that were sometimes genetically heterogeneous, providing variable levels of crossprotection. Here, we report a novel approach to rapidly generate crossprotective variants of the tomato-infecting Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) independently of the availability of mild field isolates. Our approach sought to attenuate PepMV by mutating less conserved amino acid residues of the abundantly produced capsid protein (CP). These less-conserved …

Oxygenation Properties And Isoform Diversity Of Snake Hemoglobins, Jay F. Storz, Chandrasekhar Natarajan, Hideaki Moriyama, Federico G. Hoffmann, Tobias Wang, Angela Fago, Hans Malte, Johannes Overgaard, Roy E. Weber

Jay F. Storz Publications

Available data suggest that snake hemoglobins (Hbs) are characterized by a combination of unusual structural and functional properties relative to the Hbs of other amniote vertebrates, including oxygenation-linked tetramer-dimer dissociation. However, standardized comparative data are lacking for snake Hbs, and the Hb isoform composition of snake red blood cells has not been systematically characterized. Here we present the results of an integrated analysis of snake Hbs and the underlying α- and β-type globin genes to characterize 1) Hb isoform composition of definitive erythrocytes, and 2) the oxygenation properties of isolated isoforms as well as composite hemolysates. We used species from …

Investigating The Influence Of Chd1 On Gene Expression In Drosophila Melanogaster Using Position Effect Variegation, Phuongngan Thi Bui

Scripps Senior Theses

Position Effect Variegation (PEV) is the mosaic expression of a gene that has been moved out of its optimal environment and into a different area on the chromosome. Changing a gene’s environment may have profound effects on its eligibility for proper expression, which is a complicated process regulated by many factors. The PEV phenomenon is used as an assay to study gene expression as regulated by chromatin structure. In this study, the Drosophila melanogaster white gene was used as a reporter to study the various effects of CHD1, a chromatin regulating factor, on PEV gene expression. Inspired by preliminary data …

High-Throughput Comparison, Functional Annotation, And Metabolic Modeling Of Plant Genomes Using The Plantseed Resource, Samuel M. D. Seaver, Svetlana Gerdes, Océane Frelin, Claudia Lerma-Ortiz, Louis M. T. Bradbury, Rémi Zallot, Ghulam Hasnain, Thomas D. Niehaus, Basma El Yacoubi, Shiran Pasternak, Robert Olson, Gordon Pusch, Ross Overbeek, Valérie De Crécy-Lagarde, Doreen Ware, Andrew D. Hanson, Christopher S. Henry

Publications and Research

There is a growing demand for genome-scale metabolic reconstructions for plants, fueled by the need to understand the metabolic basis of crop yield and by progress in genome and transcriptome sequencing. Methods are also required to enable the interpretation of plant transcriptome data to study how cellular metabolic activity varies under different growth conditions or even within different organs, tissues, and developmental stages. Such methods depend extensively on the accuracy with which genes have been mapped to the biochemical reactions in the plant metabolic pathways. Errors in these mappings lead to metabolic reconstructions with an inflated number of reactions and …