A Higher Resolution Multiplexed Microsatellite Marker set for Reliable, Cost Effective Genotyping

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Robert J. Kolts, Elliott G. Richards, Sam Ashby, Will D. Brubaker, Aaron C. Ferguson, Paul Fjeldsted, Derek Hatch, with Dr. Edward R. Wilcox, Department of Integrative Biology Summary We are creating a new microsatellite marker set for public use. Because many projects involving genetic disorders in humans depend on microsatellite markers, there is an existing […]

Effects of Predator Presence on Reproductive Effort in Livebearing Fishes of the genus Brachyrhaphis

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Jason Kiene and Dr. Jerry Johnson, Integrative Biology My research experience has been quite different than anything I foresaw or expected. I will start this report by first reminding you what the experiment was supposed to be, then discuss the setbacks I had during the last two years to try to do the experiment and […]

The Effect of Row Spacing and Irrigation on Seed Production of Four Forb Species from the Uncompahgre Plateau, Colorado

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Mark Judson and Dr. Val Jo Anderson, Plant and Animal Science The Uncompahgre Plateau Project involves a series of studies to help with the production of native seeds for large-scale restoration of this Colorado Plateau Region. Studies are being conducted at various research centers throughout the United States. The present study at Brigham Young University […]

Spatial Heterogeneity of Alkaline Phosphatase Activity Associated with Sediment Types in Great Salt Lake

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Matthew Johnson and Dr. Donald P Breakwell, Microbiology & Molecular Biology Great Salt Lake supports a vast quantity of halophiles in the domains of Bacteria and Archaea that have not been studied extensively. Rozel Point, located on the north arm of Great Salt Lake, is a prime hyper saline environment for halophiles to exploit for […]

Nuclear Localization of GDF5 is Mediated by a Bipartite Nuclear Localization Signal

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J. Daniel Jensen and Dr. Laura Bridgewater, Microbiology and Molecular Biology GDF5, also known as cartilage-derived morphogenetic protein-1 (CDMP1), is a member of the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) protein superfamily. TGFβ proteins play an integral role in cell proliferation and differentiation, matrix synthesis, and apoptosis. First identified in 1981, highly-conserved TGFβ protein homologues have […]

HORMONAL EFFECTS ON ANTIBODY-SECRETING CELL MIGRATION

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Brad Hyatt and Dr. Eric Wilson, Microbiology and Molecular Biology I started by following the injection protocol established by Weisz-Carrington , et al., administering 5 mg of progesterone and 4 µg of estrogen daily for 21 days, followed by 7 days of 2 mg of prolactin. Since progesterone and estrogen are lipid-soluble, olive oil was […]

Watering Snakes

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Samuel Hirt and Professor Kent Hatch, Integrative Biology Stable isotope research is a relatively new and innovative tool in ecology. Studies have been done with stable isotopes to determine migration patterns, diet, and evidence for nutritional stress and much more. Little has been done with stable isotopes and reptiles. We conducted a stable isotope, pilot study […]

Transgenic Rescue of Disproportionate Micromelia (Dmm) Mice

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Lisa Higgenbotham and Dr. Robert Seegmiller, Physiology and Developmental Biology Microinjection is a technique used to introduce DNA into the genome of an animal at the embryo stage. It is an effective way to insert replacement, or rescue, copies of a gene that the embryo may be lacking. In this study, I prepared purified copies […]

Characterization of a DNA Helicase Gene that Targets Sub-cellular Organelles in Arabidopsis thaliana

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Logan Hazard and Dr. Brent Nielsen, Microbiology and Molecular Biology DNA helicases are essential to the development of all living organisms. The function of these proteins is to temporarily separate duplex DNA, allowing for transcription, replication, recombination, and repair to take place. The Pif1p subfamily of helicases found in yeast specifically targets sub-cellular organelles, notably […]

Phylogeography and Species Boundaries in the Lesser Treefrog Hyla minuta in the Guiana Shield

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Monty A. Hawkins and Drs. Jack W. Sites Jr. and Brice P. Noonan, Biology The lesser tree frog (Hyla minuta) is found in abundance throughout most of South America. Earlier studies have suggested that this taxon includes populations which differ significantly in ecological (Cardoso & Haddad, 1994) and morphological (Kaplan, 1994) characteristics (fig 1), and […]