Genome Annotation of Novel Viruses and Discovery of Critical Sequences in Genes Via Comparative Analysis of B4 Mycobacteriophage

by

Cameron Sargent and Dr. Sandra Burnett, Microbiology and Molecular Biology Introduction Over the past few years at Brigham Young University and other colleges nationwide, members of the Phage Hunters program have endeavored to find and analyze novel mycobacteriophage in an attempt to create new treatment and research methods for the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Not only […]

Variation of Chemical Defense in the Quaking Aspen: Targeted Defense for Resource Conservation

by

Adam Olson and Dr. Sam St. Clair, Plant and Wildlife Sciences Introduction Browse damage to the quaking aspen (Populus Tremuloides) has dramatically increased in recent years due to proliferate wildlife densities, especially elk, in the central Rocky Mountains (Kaye et al. 2005). To protect itself from this, the quaking aspen produces chemical compounds called phenolic […]

Evolution of Ectoparastism in Earwigs (Insect: Dermaptera)

by

Michael Naegle and Dr. Michael Whiting, Department of Biology Introduction Dermaptera (earwigs) is a small order of insects, typically characterized by the presence of cerci on the abdomen that are modified into forceps-like appendages (Giles, 1963). Dermaptera includes approximately 2200 extant species comprising 11 families (Kocarek 2013). The majority of earwigs are free-living feeding on […]

Population-based Analysis of CETP Identifies Association between I405V and Cognitive Decline: The Cache County Study

by

Caitlin Munger and Dr. John Kauwe, Biology Introduction Late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease and is the sixth leading cause of death in the US. There are currently no successful therapies to prevent or treat LOAD, and predicting disease status remains a challenge1. Apolipoprotein E (APOE)—a gene involved in cholesterol regulation—is the […]

Comparative Genome Analysis of Novel Paenibacillus larvae Bacteriophage

by

Bryan Merrill and Dr. Sandra Burnett, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology Introduction Honey bees pollinate one third of the crops in the U.S. diet. The spore-forming bacterium Paenibacillus larvae causes American Foulbrood (AFB), a highly contagious disease that is lethal in honey bee larvae. P. larvae is the most serious pathogen affecting honey bees. […]

Cultural, Economic, and Educational Factors Related to Diabetes Melitus Type 2 in Tongans

by

April McMurray and Dr. Brown, Lora Beth; Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science Introduction DMT2 is a lifestyle-related disease where the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells are unreceptive to it, and it is now the most common form of diabetes1. DMT2 has several risk factors: obesity, poor nutrition, a lack […]

Detecting Endogenous CCL28

by

Sara Mason and Dr. Eric Wilson Microbiology and Molecular Biology Introduction: Chemokines play a well-characterized and significant role in the immune system as chemoattractants for white blood cells. Some chemokines have also been shown to have antimicrobial properties in addition to their chemoattractant functions. CCL28 is a chemokine that aids in the recruitment of antibody […]

EBI2 Expression in Different Latency Stages and Primary B Cells

by

Jillian Markham and Dr. Brian Poole, Microbiology and Molecular Biology Background Epstein-­‐Barr Virus (EBV) causes infectious mononucleosis upon primary infection, commonly known as “mono.” Less commonly known is that EBV doesn’t get eradicated from your body after you recover from mono. EBV quietly occupies a small portion of B cells in 90% of human adults […]

The Effects of Seed Coatings on Arid Grassland Species Germination

by

Karen Campbell and Dr. Bryan Hopkins, Plant and Wildlife Sciences Introduction The governments of the United States spend millions of dollars every year to reseed native species after a wildfire. However, less than 1% of all the seeds they lay actually germinate. By coating seeds in various fertilizers, we hope to increase the rate of […]

Development of a Traveler’s Vaccine against Dengue Infection

by

Arthur Lee and Dr. Bradford Berges, Ph.D. Microbiology and Molecular Biology There are currently no vaccines available against dengue virus. Each year, about 400 million people become infected and half a million of them, especially children, develop complications such as dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome. There are four serotypes of dengue virus, and […]