Category: Undergraduate Research

Organization and Localization of Septins Changes After Autophagy Induction in Yeast

Posted Aggie TranscriptPosted in News, Undergraduate Research

by Bukre Coskun, Cell Biology ‘18 Authors Note: I wrote this mini journal article for my MCB 140L class. The class focused on the role and structure of septins, a group of proteins that are associated with several biological pathways, like autophagy. I chose to write about a set of experiments we did using yeast-two hybrid assays and fluorescence microscopy to understand the organization and interactions of septins.   Abstract: Autophagy is a degradation pathway in which autophagosomes, vesicular structures, deliver proteins and damaged organelles to the lysosomes for degradation. Septins are GTP-binding proteins that localize at the bud-neck and are involved in cytokinesis in budding yeast. Septins also localize at pre-autophagosomal structures and the autophagosome in the autophagy pathway. […]

Abundance Estimates And Vegetation Preferences Of The Suisun Song Sparrow In The Interior And Along Edges Of Impounded Wetlands

Posted Aggie TranscriptPosted in Environment, Undergraduate Research

By Debi Fanucchi, Oscar Garzon, Julia F. Herring, and Kevin M. Ringelman ABSTRACT The Suisun Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia maxillaris) is a subspecies of Song Sparrow that is endemic to the Suisun Marsh of California. It is listed as a state species of special concern by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife due to its restricted range, small breeding population, and susceptibility to encroaching human development. The Suisun Marsh ecosystem is highly altered, and is comprised of both natural tidal wetlands and impounded wetlands that are cut off from the natural tidal cycle. Suisun Song Sparrows are believed to prefer natural tidal wetlands, but there is a lack of information on sparrow densities and habitat associations in impounded wetlands. […]

Fecundity Decrease in Drosophila simulans in the absence of Wolbachia

Posted Aggie TranscriptPosted in Undergraduate Research

By: Jack Taylor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology ’15 Sponsor: Michael Turelli, Ph.D. Ecology and Evolution Many species of arthropods host Wolbachia, maternally transmitted bacteria that often influence host reproduction. This manipulation of host reproduction has contributed to Wolbachia becoming a normally-present infection of many Drosophila simulans. The Y36 isofemale line, a population of Drosophila simulans created from a single female collected in 2010 in Yolo County, produces flies which have an unusual phenotype when reciprocally crossed with uninfected simulans populations denoted U. The cross between Y36 male and U female produces female offspring with significantly lower fecundity than the reciprocal cross (Y36 female with U male). It is possible that this effect is a result of a paternal defect gene […]

Dissecting the signaling pathway regulating early stages in parasitic plant, host plant interactions

Posted Aggie Transcript2 CommentsPosted in Undergraduate Research

By Lee Nguyen, Biotechnology ’14 Parasitic plants pose a serious threat to the world’s agriculture and environment.  Understanding the parasitism signaling pathway will help identify methods of pest control as well as pest resistance. One gene that enters the parasitic signaling pathway early is TvQR1, a gene that encodes an enzyme that catalyzes an oxidation-reduction reaction crucial for development of a root like outgrowth called a haustorium. In parasitic plants, TvQR1 is transcriptionally activated upon host contact and my project is to study the promoter of this gene, pQR1, in a nonparasitic plant.