Browsing Department of Biology by Title
Now showing items 67-86 of 195
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Evolution of allostery and conformational dynamics of caspases involved in the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis
(2023-04-25)Caspases are a class of cysteine proteases that play a crucial role in programmed cell death (apoptosis). We complete an evolutionary picture of folding of caspases in the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis. The folding models ... -
Evolution Of Sex Ratios And Sex Determination Mechanisms: Lessons From Nematodes With Three Genders
(Biology, 2014-12)In sexually reproducing species, the decision to allocate resources towards male and female reproductive function is called sex allocation. Although theoretical and empirical work has been largely successful, the underlying ... -
EVOLUTIONARY AND BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF EFFECTOR CASPASES
(2021-04-16)Caspases are an ancient class of cysteine-dependent aspartate-specific proteases that control apoptosis, responsible for cell differentiation, and maintain cellular homeostasis in multicellular organisms. Dysregulation of ... -
The Evolutionary History And Genomic Impact Of Mammalian Dna Transposons
(Biology, 2009-09-16)Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile repetitive sequences that make up large fractions of mammalian genomes, including at least 45% of the human genome. Class 2, or DNA intermediate transposons, which make up approximately ... -
Evolutionary Morphology Of The Speckled Rattlesnakes (viperidae: Crotalus Mitchellii Group)
(Biology, 2009-09-16)I examined various facets of morphological variation and evolution in the speckled rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii) species group. I performed three separate, but related, studies pertaining to the following topics: body ... -
Evolutionary Relationships In Some Northern Groups Of The Direct-developing Frog Genus Craugastor (Anura: Craugastoridae)
(Biology, 2012-07-25)Comparing phylogeographic patterns among vertebrates can give insight into the landscape and ecological determinants of phylogenetic diversity. However, in certain taxonomic groups (e.g., birds and mammals) natural history ... -
Explorations Of Aspects Of Mixotrophy Using Mathematical Models
(Biology, 2010-11-01)This work examined three theoretical aspects of mixotrophy, the simultaneous use of phototrophic and heterotrophic nutritional modes, and one practical application. The first study addressed the coexistence of microorganisms ... -
Feasibility For Utilization Of A Freshwater Pulmonate Snail, Physa acuta, As A Model Organism For Environmental Toxicity Testing, With Special Reference To Cadmium Ion Toxicity
(Biology, 2007-08-23)The benefits of developing the pond snail, Physa acuta, as a model species for testing acute and chronic toxicity of aquatic pollutants include its wide North American distribution, ease of field collection and laboratory ... -
The Food Habits and Feeding Behavior of New World Coral Snakes
(University of Texas at Arlington Libraries, 1973-05-01)This thesis considers the food habits and feeding behavior of New World venomous coral snakes, with emphasis on Micrurus fulvius a species that is found in the southeastern United States and northern Mexico. Literature records ... -
Functional Analysis of Nuclear-Encoded Mitochondrial Gene Duplicates with Testis-Biased Expression in Drosophila melanogaster
(2019-08-12)Most of the genes encoding proteins that function in the mitochondria are located in the nucleus and are called nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes (N-mt genes). In Drosophila melanogaster, most of the tissue-specific ... -
FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS REVEALS THE MECHANISMS AND EVOLUTION OF EXTREME PHYSIOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS IN SNAKES
(2021-04-28)Previous studies examining post-feeding organ regeneration in the Burmese python (Python molurusbivittatus) have identified thousands of genes that are significantly differentially regulated during this process. However, ... -
Gene Expression Differences in Hybrids at Beginning of Speciation Continuum
(2016-09-16)The formation of new species results from reproductive isolation, or the barrier to successful mating between organisms of divergent populations. The degree of reproductive isolation can be measured by the reduction in ... -
GENETIC BASIS OF MELANIN PIGMENTATION AND SEXUAL DICHROMATISM IN DOMESTIC PIGEONS
(2016-12-09)Deciphering the genetic basis of pigmentation in domestic pigeons (Columba livia) affords a unique opportunity to connect microevolution to macroevolution. Domestic pigeons have far greater phenotypic diversity than other ... -
Genetic Determinants Of Reproductive Isolation In Xenopus
(Biology, 2007-09-17)Haldane's rule states that in F1 interspecific hybrids the heterogametic sex (XY or ZW) suffers the most dysfunctional effects of hybridization. Frogs of the genus Xenopus have ZW sex determination yet hybrid males are ... -
GENETIC INNOVATION THROUGH GENE DUPLICATION IN DROSOPHILA
(2021-08-13)Among several mechanisms, whole gene duplication is one of the major sources for the generation of new genes. A large portion of young genes that emerged through whole gene duplication in Drosophila are specifically expressed ... -
GENOMIC STRUCTURE AND DIVERSITY IN NEOTROPICAL HERPETOFAUNA: THE ROLE OF DEMOGRAPHIC HISTORY AND GENE FLOW
(2021-08-03)The effects of genetic introgression on species boundaries and how they affect species’ integrity and persistence over evolutionary time have received increased attention. The increasing availability of genomic data has ... -
Geographic Variation In The Morphometrics Of Emydoide blandingii
(Biology, 2007-08-23)Morphometric measurements were taken from museum specimens Emydoidea blandingii. Samples were taken from Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, New York and Minnesota as well as from Ontario, Canada. Populations ... -
GLOBAL MAPPING OF PROTEIN-NUCLEIC ACID INTERACTION OF THE RLE LINE R2Bm
(2022-05-17)The R2 Long Interspersed Nucleotide Elements (LINEs) is a widely distributed site specific non-LTR retrotransposons that integrates exclusively into host genome’s 28s rRNA genes and replicate by a process called Target ... -
GLOBULAR DOMAIN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF RESTRICTION-LIKE-ENDONUCLEASE BEARING LONG INTERSPERSED NUCLEOTIDE ELEMENTS
(2017-08-09)Long Interspersed Nucleotide Elements (LINEs) are a major group of eukaryotic transposable elements that have profoundly influenced and sculpted eukaryotic genome structure and function. LINEs replicate within the host ... -
Growth and stress response mechanisms underlying post-feeding organ regenerative growth in snakes
(2017-08-24)Snakes represent an emerging model in biological research and provide a valuable system for studying multiple extreme phenotypes unparallel to those seen in mammals. Recently, snakes have become increasingly used in studies ...