1
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Merkle JA, Devergne O, Kelly SM, Croonquist PA, Evans CJ, Hwalek MA, Straub VL, Hamill DR, Peister A, Puthoff DP, Saville KJ, Siders JL, Villanueva Gonzalez ZJ, Wittke-Thompson JK, Bieser KL, Stamm J, Vrailas-Mortimer AD, Kagey JD. Fly-CURE, a multi-institutional CURE using Drosophila, increases students' confidence, sense of belonging, and persistence in research. J Microbiol Biol Educ 2023; 24:e00245-22. [PMID: 38107988 PMCID: PMC10720528 DOI: 10.1128/jmbe.00245-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The Fly-CURE is a genetics-focused multi-institutional Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) that provides undergraduate students with hands-on research experiences within a course. Through the Fly-CURE, undergraduate students at diverse types of higher education institutions across the United States map and characterize novel mutants isolated from a genetic screen in Drosophila melanogaster. To date, more than 20 mutants have been studied across 20 institutions, and our scientific data have led to eleven publications with more than 500 students as authors. To evaluate the impact of the Fly-CURE experience on students, we developed and validated assessment tools to identify students' perceived research self-efficacy, sense of belonging in science, and intent to pursue additional research opportunities. Our data, collected over three academic years and involving 14 institutions and 480 students, show gains in these metrics after completion of the Fly-CURE across all student subgroups analyzed, including comparisons of gender, academic status, racial and ethnic groups, and parents' educational background. Importantly, our data also show differential gains in the areas of self-efficacy and interest in seeking additional research opportunities between Fly-CURE students with and without prior research experience, illustrating the positive impact of research exposure (dosage) on student outcomes. Altogether, our data indicate that the Fly-CURE experience has a significant impact on students' efficacy with research methods, sense of belonging to the scientific research community, and interest in pursuing additional research experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Cory J. Evans
- Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Joyce Stamm
- University of Evansville, Evansville, Indiana, USA
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2
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Merkle JA, Devergne O, Kelly SM, Croonquist PA, Evans CJ, Hwalek MA, Straub VL, Hamill DR, Puthoff DP, Saville KJ, Siders JL, Gonzalez ZJV, Wittke-Thompson JK, Bieser KL, Stamm J, Vrailas-Mortimer AD, Kagey JD. Fly-CURE, a Multi-institutional CURE using Drosophila, Increases Students' Confidence, Sense of Belonging, and Persistence in Research. bioRxiv 2023:2023.01.16.524319. [PMID: 36712137 PMCID: PMC9882189 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.16.524319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The Fly-CURE is a genetics-focused multi-institutional Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) that provides undergraduate students with hands-on research experiences within a course. Through the Fly-CURE, undergraduate students at diverse types of higher education institutions across the United States map and characterize novel mutants isolated from a genetic screen in Drosophila melanogaster. To evaluate the impact of the Fly-CURE experience on students, we developed and validated assessment tools to identify students' perceived research self-efficacy, sense of belonging in science, and intent to pursue additional research opportunities. Our data show gains in these metrics after completion of the Fly-CURE across all student subgroups analyzed, including comparisons of gender, academic status, racial and ethnic groups, and parents' educational background. Importantly, our data also show differential gains in the areas of self-efficacy and interest in seeking additional research opportunities between Fly-CURE students with and without prior research experience, illustrating the positive impact of research exposure (dosage) on student outcomes. Altogether, our data indicate that the Fly-CURE experience has a significant impact on students' efficacy with research methods, sense of belonging to the scientific community, and interest in pursuing additional research experiences.
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3
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Mast E, Bieser KL, Abraham-Villa M, Adams V, Akinlehin AJ, Aquino LZ, Austin JL, Austin AK, Beckham CN, Bengson EJ, Bieszk A, Bogard BL, Brennan RC, Brnot RM, Cirone NJ, Clark MR, Cooper BN, Cruz D, Daprizio KA, DeBoe J, Dencker MM, Donnelly LL, Driscoll L, DuBeau RJ, Durso SW, Ejub A, Elgosbi W, Estrada M, Evins K, Fox PD, France JM, Franco Hernandez MG, Garcia LA, Garl O, Gorsuch MR, Gorzeman-mohr MA, Grothouse ME, Gubbels ME, Hakemiamjad R, Harvey CV, Hoeppner MA, Ivanov JL, Johnson VM, Johnson JL, Johnson A, Johnston K, Keller KR, Kennedy BT, Killian LR, Klumb M, Koehn OL, Koym AS, Kress KJ, Landis RE, Lewis KN, Lim E, Lopez IK, Lowe D, Luengo Carretero P, Lunaburg G, Mallinder SL, Marshall NA, Mathew J, Mathew J, Mcmanaway HS, Meegan EN, Meyst JD, Miller MJ, Minogue CK, Mohr AA, Moran CI, Moran A, Morris MD, Morrison MD, Moses EA, Mullins CJ, Neri CI, Nichols JM, Nickels BR, Okai AM, Okonmah C, Paramo M, Paramo M, Parker SL, Parmar NK, Paschal J, Patel P, Patel D, Perkins EB, Perry MM, Perry Z, Pollock AA, Portalatin O, Proffitt KS, Queen JT, Quemeneur AC, Richardson AG, Rosenberger K, Rutherford AM, Santos-Perez IX, Sarti CY, Schouweiler LJ, Sessing LM, Setaro SO, Silvestri CF, Smith OA, Smith MJ, Sumner JC, Sutton RR, Sweckard L, Talbott NB, Traxler PA, Truesdell J, Valenti AF, Verace L, Vijayakumar P, Wadley WL, Walter KE, Williams AR, Wilson TJ, Witbeck MA, Wobler TM, Wright LJ, Zuczkowska KA, Devergne O, Hamill DR, Shah HP, Siders J, Taylor EE, Vrailas-Mortimer AD, Kagey JD. Genetic mapping of Uba3 O.2.2 , a pupal lethal mutation in Drosophila melanogaster. MicroPubl Biol 2022; 2022:10.17912/micropub.biology.000542. [PMID: 35622528 PMCID: PMC9012533 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
An EMS mutagenesis screen was conducted in
Drosophila melanogaster
to identify growth control mutants. The multi-institution Fly-CURE consortium phenotypically characterized the
O.2.2
mutant using the
FLP/FRT
system which displayed a mutant lethal phenotype with reduced head development, and darkened ocular tissue. Complementation mapping was conducted to identify the affected gene. A failure to complement was identified in
Uba3
, resulting in the identification of the novel allele,
Uba3
O.2.2
.
Uba3
is a known disruptor of the cell cycle and our data are consistent with early larval/embryonic lethality displayed in numerous species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kayla L Bieser
- Nevada State College
,
Correspondence to: Kayla L Bieser (
)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jacob D Kagey
- University of Detroit Mercy
,
Correspondence to: Jacob D Kagey (
)
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4
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Thompson CF, Hodges KE, Mortimer NT, Vrailas-Mortimer AD, Sakaluk SK, Hauber ME. Avian eggshell coloration predicts shell-matrix protoporphyrin content. CAN J ZOOL 2022; 100:77-81. [PMID: 35185156 PMCID: PMC8855982 DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Avian eggshell pigmentation may provide information about a female's physiological condition, in particular her state of oxidative balance. Previously we found that female house wrens (Troglodytes aedon Vieillot, 1809) with lighter, less-maculated, and redder ground-colored shells were older and produced heavier offspring than females laying darker, browner eggs. The strong pro-oxidant protoporphyrin is responsible for this species' eggshell pigmentation, so differences in pigmentary coloration may be related to eggshell protoporphyrin content and reflect female oxidative balance and condition during egg-formation. Therefore, we tested the assumption that egg-surface coloration is related to the amount of protoporphyrin in the shell matrix. We analyzed digital photographs of eggs to determine maculation coverage as a measure of the overall ground coloration of the egg and its red-, green-, and blue-channel pixel values. Pigments were then extracted from these same eggs and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. There was a strong, positive relationship between eggshell redness and protoporphyrin content of eggshells, but no relationship between percent maculation and protoporphyrin content. Thus, when older, larger females deposit more protoporphyrin in their eggshells, this may reflect a tolerance for high levels of circulating protoporphyrin or an effective mechanism for off-loading protoporphyrin into the eggshell matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles F Thompson
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA
| | - Kara E Hodges
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA
| | - Nathan T Mortimer
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Scott K Sakaluk
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA
| | - Mark E Hauber
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
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5
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Mortimer NT, Fischer ML, Waring AL, Kr P, Kacsoh BZ, Brantley SE, Keebaugh ES, Hill J, Lark C, Martin J, Bains P, Lee J, Vrailas-Mortimer AD, Schlenke TA. Extracellular matrix protein N-glycosylation mediates immune self-tolerance in Drosophila melanogaster. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2017460118. [PMID: 34544850 PMCID: PMC8488588 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2017460118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to respond to infection, hosts must distinguish pathogens from their own tissues. This allows for the precise targeting of immune responses against pathogens and also ensures self-tolerance, the ability of the host to protect self tissues from immune damage. One way to maintain self-tolerance is to evolve a self signal and suppress any immune response directed at tissues that carry this signal. Here, we characterize the Drosophila tuSz1 mutant strain, which mounts an aberrant immune response against its own fat body. We demonstrate that this autoimmunity is the result of two mutations: 1) a mutation in the GCS1 gene that disrupts N-glycosylation of extracellular matrix proteins covering the fat body, and 2) a mutation in the Drosophila Janus Kinase ortholog that causes precocious activation of hemocytes. Our data indicate that N-glycans attached to extracellular matrix proteins serve as a self signal and that activated hemocytes attack tissues lacking this signal. The simplicity of this invertebrate self-recognition system and the ubiquity of its constituent parts suggests it may have functional homologs across animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan T Mortimer
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790;
| | - Mary L Fischer
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790
| | - Ashley L Waring
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790
| | - Pooja Kr
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790
| | - Balint Z Kacsoh
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Susanna E Brantley
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | | | - Joshua Hill
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790
| | - Chris Lark
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790
| | - Julia Martin
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790
| | - Pravleen Bains
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790
| | - Jonathan Lee
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790
| | | | - Todd A Schlenke
- Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719
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6
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Talley EM, Watts CT, Aboyer S, Adamson MG, Akoto HA, Altemus H, Avella PJ, Bailey R, Bell ER, Bell KL, Breneman K, Burkhart JS, Chanley LJ, Cook SS, DesLaurier MT, Dorsey TR, Doyle CJ, Egloff ME, Fasawe AS, Garcia KK, Graves NP, Gray TK, Gustafson EM, Hall MJ, Hayes JD, Holic LJ, Jarvis BA, Klos PS, Kritzmire S, Kuzovko L, Lainez E, McCoy S, Mierendorf JC, Neri NA, Neville CR, Osborn K, Parker K, Parks ME, Peck K, Pitt R, Platta ME, Powell B, Rodriguez K, Ruiz C, Schaefer MN, Shields AB, Smiley JB, Stauffer B, Straub D, Sweeney JL, Termine KM, Thomas B, Toth SD, Veile TR, Walker KS, Webster PN, Woodard BJ, Yoder QL, Young MK, Zeedyk ML, Ziegler LN, Bieser KL, Puthoff DP, Stamm J, Vrailas-Mortimer AD, Kagey JD, Merkle JA. Genetic mapping and phenotypic analysis of shotH.3.2 in Drosophila melanogaster. MicroPubl Biol 2021; 2021. [PMID: 34278244 PMCID: PMC8278230 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Genetic screens are used to identify genes involved in specific biological processes. An EMS mutagenesis screen in Drosophila melanogaster identified growth control phenotypes in the developing eye. One mutant line from this screen, H.3.2, was phenotypically characterized using the FLP/FRT system and genetically mapped by complementation analysis and genomic sequencing by undergraduate students participating in the multi-institution Fly-CURE consortium. H.3.2 was found to have a nonsense mutation in short stop (shot), anortholog of the mammalian spectraplakin dystonin (DST). shot and DST are involved in cytoskeletal organization and play roles during cell growth and proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Kylee Peck
- University of Evansville, Evansville, IN USA
| | - Robyn Pitt
- Illinois State University, Normal, IL USA
| | | | | | | | - Clara Ruiz
- Illinois State University, Normal, IL USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Joyce Stamm
- University of Evansville, Evansville, IN USA
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7
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Vrailas-Mortimer AD, Aggarwal N, Ahmed NN, Alberts IM, Alhawasli M, Aljerdi IA, Allen BM, Alnajar AM, Anderson MA, Armstong R, Avery CC, Avila EJ, Baker TN, Basardeh S, Bates NA, Beidas FN, Bosler AC, Brewer DM, Buenaventura RS, Burrell NJ, Cabrera-Lopez AP, Cervantes-Gonzalez AB, Cezar RP, Coronel J, Croslyn C, Damery KR, Diaz-Alavez L, Dixit NP, Duarte DL, Emke AR, English K, Eshun AA, Esterly SR, Estrada AJ, Feng M, Freund MM, Garcia N, Ghotra CS, Ghyasi H, Hale CS, Hulsman L, Jamerson L, Jones AK, Kuczynski M, Lacey-Kennedy TN, Lee MJ, Mahjoub T, Mersinger MC, Muckerheide AD, Myers DW, Nielsen K, Nosowicz PJ, Nunez JA, Ortiz AC, Patel TT, Perry NN, Poser WSA, Puga DM, Quam C, Quintana-Lopez P, Rennerfeldt P, Reyes NM, Rines IG, Roberts C, Robinson DB, Rossa KM, Ruhlmann GJ, Schmidt J, Sherwood JR, Shonoda DH, Soellner H, Torrez JC, Velide M, Weinzapfel Z, Ward AC, Bieser KL, Merkle JA, Stamm JC, Tillett RL, Kagey JD. B.2.16 is a non-lethal modifier of the Dark82 mosaic eye phenotype in Drosophila melanogaster. MicroPubl Biol 2021; 2021. [PMID: 33474526 PMCID: PMC7812380 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Genetic screens have been used to identify genes involved in the regulation of different biological processes. We identified growth mutants in a Flp/FRT screen using the Drosophila melanogaster eye to identify conditional regulators of cell growth and cell division. One mutant identified from this screen, B.2.16, was mapped and characterized by researchers in undergraduate genetics labs as part of the Fly-CURE. We find that B.2.16 is a non-lethal genetic modifier of the Dark82 mosaic eye phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Brooke M Allen
- University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, MI USA.,Illinois State University, Normal, IL USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Mark Feng
- Nevada State College, Henderson, NV USA
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8
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Ryan SM, Wildman K, Oceguera-Perez B, Barbee S, Mortimer NT, Vrailas-Mortimer AD. Evolutionarily conserved transcription factors drive the oxidative stress response in Drosophila. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb221622. [PMID: 32532866 PMCID: PMC7391405 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.221622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
As organisms are constantly exposed to the damaging effects of oxidative stress through both environmental exposure and internal metabolic processes, they have evolved a variety of mechanisms to cope with this stress. One such mechanism is the highly conserved p38 MAPK (p38K) pathway, which is known to be post-translationally activated in response to oxidative stress, resulting in the activation of downstream antioxidant targets. However, little is known about the role of p38K transcriptional regulation in response to oxidative stress. Therefore, we analyzed the p38K gene family across the genus Drosophila to identify conserved regulatory elements. We found that oxidative stress exposure results in increased p38K protein levels in multiple Drosophila species and is associated with increased oxidative stress resistance. We also found that the p38Kb genomic locus includes conserved AP-1 and lola-PT transcription factor consensus binding sites. Accordingly, over-expression of these transcription factors in D. melanogaster is sufficient to induce transcription of p38Kb and enhances resistance to oxidative stress. We further found that the presence of a putative lola-PT binding site in the p38Kb locus of a given species is predictive of the species' survival in response to oxidative stress. Through our comparative genomics approach, we have identified biologically relevant putative transcription factor binding sites that regulate the expression of p38Kb and are associated with resistance to oxidative stress. These findings reveal a novel mode of regulation for p38K genes and suggest that transcription may play as important a role in p38K-mediated stress responses as post-translational modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Ryan
- University of Denver, Department of Biological Sciences, Denver, CO 80210, USA
| | - Kaitie Wildman
- Illinois State University, School of Biological Sciences, Normal, IL 61790-4120, USA
| | | | - Scott Barbee
- University of Denver, Department of Biological Sciences, Denver, CO 80210, USA
| | - Nathan T Mortimer
- Illinois State University, School of Biological Sciences, Normal, IL 61790-4120, USA
| | - Alysia D Vrailas-Mortimer
- University of Denver, Department of Biological Sciences, Denver, CO 80210, USA
- Illinois State University, School of Biological Sciences, Normal, IL 61790-4120, USA
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9
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Hodges KE, Mortimer NT, Vrailas-Mortimer AD, Sakaluk SK, Thompson CF. Connecting the dots: avian eggshell pigmentation, female condition and paternal provisioning effort. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020; 130:114-127. [PMID: 32394988 DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Differences in avian eggshell pigmentation could be an honest signal of female quality that males use to inform their nestling provisioning effort. We investigated whether among-individual variation in protoporphyrin-based eggshell pigmentation in house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) reflects female fitness-associated traits and whether males use that information. Females laying lighter clutches were older and larger than females laying darker clutches. Nestlings hatching from lighter clutches had greater size-corrected mass on post-hatch day 11, a measure that strongly predicts survival and recruitment to the breeding population. To test whether male provisioning effort responds to clutch pigmentation, we used a reciprocal clutch cross-fostering design, swapping dark with light clutches and light with dark; in controls, we swapped light with light clutches and dark with dark. Shortly before hatching, clutches were returned to their original nest to avoid confounding effects of nestling quality on male provisioning. Contrary to the sexual selection hypothesis, clutch pigmentation had no effect on male provisioning. Males were probably able to observe eggshell pigmentation and thus had information about female quality, but they did not use this information to modulate their nestling provisioning. This may be because of constraints on species-specific reproductive opportunities, or because variation in eggshell protoporphyrin serves other functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara E Hodges
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University,Normal,IL,USA
| | - Nathan T Mortimer
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University,Normal,IL,USA
| | | | - Scott K Sakaluk
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University,Normal,IL,USA
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10
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Shields MC, Bowers MR, Fulcer MM, Bollig MK, Rock PJ, Sutton BR, Vrailas-Mortimer AD, Lochmüller H, Whittaker RG, Horvath R, Reist NE. Drosophila studies support a role for a presynaptic synaptotagmin mutation in a human congenital myasthenic syndrome. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184817. [PMID: 28953919 PMCID: PMC5617158 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
During chemical transmission, the function of synaptic proteins must be coordinated to efficiently release neurotransmitter. Synaptotagmin 2, the Ca2+ sensor for fast, synchronized neurotransmitter release at the human neuromuscular junction, has recently been implicated in a dominantly inherited congenital myasthenic syndrome associated with a non-progressive motor neuropathy. In one family, a proline residue within the C2B Ca2+-binding pocket of synaptotagmin is replaced by a leucine. The functional significance of this residue has not been investigated previously. Here we show that in silico modeling predicts disruption of the C2B Ca2+-binding pocket, and we examine the in vivo effects of the homologous mutation in Drosophila. When expressed in the absence of native synaptotagmin, this mutation is lethal, demonstrating for the first time that this residue plays a critical role in synaptotagmin function. To achieve expression similar to human patients, the mutation is expressed in flies carrying one copy of the wild type synaptotagmin gene. We now show that Drosophila carrying this mutation developed neurological and behavioral manifestations similar to those of human patients and provide insight into the mechanisms underlying these deficits. Our Drosophila studies support a role for this synaptotagmin point mutation in disease etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallory C. Shields
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Matthew R. Bowers
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - McKenzie M. Fulcer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Madelyn K. Bollig
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Patrick J. Rock
- School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, United States of America
| | - Bryan R. Sutton
- Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, Center for Membrane Protein Research, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, United States of America
| | - Alysia D. Vrailas-Mortimer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States of America
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, United States of America
| | - Hanns Lochmüller
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ, United Kingdom
| | - Roger G. Whittaker
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, United Kingdom
| | - Rita Horvath
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ, United Kingdom
| | - Noreen E. Reist
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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11
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Abstract
The large repertoire of circadian rhythms in diverse organisms depends on oscillating central clock genes, input pathways for entrainment, and output pathways for controlling rhythmic behaviors. Stress-activated p38 MAP Kinases (p38K), although sparsely investigated in this context, show circadian rhythmicity in mammalian brains and are considered part of the circadian output machinery in Neurospora. We find that Drosophila p38Kb is expressed in clock neurons, and mutants in p38Kb either are arrhythmic or have a longer free-running periodicity, especially as they age. Paradoxically, similar phenotypes are observed through either transgenic inhibition or activation of p38Kb in clock neurons, suggesting a requirement for optimal p38Kb function for normal free-running circadian rhythms. We also find that p38Kb genetically interacts with multiple downstream targets to regulate circadian locomotor rhythms. More specifically, p38Kb interacts with the period gene to regulate period length and the strength of rhythmicity. In addition, we show that p38Kb suppresses the arrhythmic behavior associated with inhibition of a second p38Kb target, the transcription factor Mef2. Finally, we find that manipulating p38K signaling in free-running conditions alters the expression of another downstream target, MNK/Lk6, which has been shown to cycle with the clock and to play a role in regulating circadian rhythms. These data suggest that p38Kb may affect circadian locomotor rhythms through the regulation of multiple downstream pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alysia D Vrailas-Mortimer
- Cell Biology Department, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado
| | - Sarah M Ryan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado
| | - Matthew J Avey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado
| | - Nathan T Mortimer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado
| | - Harold Dowse
- School of Biology and Ecology and Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Maine, Orono, Maine
| | - Subhabrata Sanyal
- Cell Biology Department, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia Department of Neurology Research, BiogenIdec, Cambridge, Massachusetts
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12
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Vrailas-Mortimer AD, Majumdar N, Middleton G, Cooke EM, Marenda DR. Delta and Egfr expression are regulated by Importin-7/Moleskin in Drosophila wing development. Dev Biol 2007; 308:534-46. [PMID: 17628519 PMCID: PMC1994573 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2007.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2007] [Revised: 06/08/2007] [Accepted: 06/15/2007] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila DIM-7 (encoded by the moleskin gene, msk) is the orthologue of vertebrate Importin-7. Both Importin-7 and Msk/DIM-7 function as nuclear import cofactors, and have been implicated in the control of multiple signal transduction pathways, including the direct nuclear import of the activated (phosphorylated) form of MAP kinase. We performed two genetic deficiency screens to identify deficiencies that similarly modified Msk overexpression phenotypes in both eyes and wings. We identified 11 total deficiencies, one of which removes the Delta locus. In this report, we show that Delta loss-of-function alleles dominantly suppress Msk gain-of-function phenotypes in the developing wing. We find that Msk overexpression increases both Delta protein expression and Delta transcription, though Msk expression alone is not sufficient to activate Delta protein function. We also find that Msk overexpression increases Egfr protein levels, and that msk gene function is required for proper Egfr expression in both developing wings and eyes. These results indicate a novel function for Msk in Egfr expression. We discuss the implications of these data with respect to the integration of Egfr and Delta/Notch signaling, specifically through the control of MAP kinase subcellular localization.
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