ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.
In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.
Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at gradformat@asu.edu.
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- All Subjects: Biology
- Creators: Roberson, Robert
Description
The cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 performs oxygenic photosynthesis. Light energy conversion in photosynthesis takes place in photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII) that contain chlorophyll, which absorbs light energy that is utilized as a driving force for photosynthesis. However, excess light energy may lead to formation of reactive oxygen species that cause damage to photosynthetic complexes, which subsequently need repair or replacement. To gain insight in the degradation/biogenesis dynamics of the photosystems, the lifetimes of photosynthetic proteins and chlorophyll were determined by a combined stable-isotope (15N) and mass spectrometry method. The lifetimes of PSII and PSI proteins ranged from 1-33 and 30-75 hours, respectively. Interestingly, chlorophyll had longer lifetimes than the chlorophyll-binding proteins in these photosystems. Therefore, photosynthetic proteins turn over and are replaced independently from each other, and chlorophyll is recycled from the damaged chlorophyll-binding proteins. In Synechocystis, there are five small Cab-like proteins (SCPs: ScpA-E) that share chlorophyll a/b-binding motifs with LHC proteins in plants. SCPs appear to transiently bind chlorophyll and to regulate chlorophyll biosynthesis. In this study, the association of ScpB, ScpC, and ScpD with damaged and repaired PSII was demonstrated. Moreover, in a mutant lacking SCPs, most PSII protein lifetimes were unaffected but the lifetime of chlorophyll was decreased, and one of the nascent PSII complexes was missing. SCPs appear to bind PSII chlorophyll while PSII is repaired, and SCPs stabilize nascent PSII complexes. Furthermore, aminolevulinic acid biosynthesis, an early step of chlorophyll biosynthesis, was impaired in the absence of SCPs, so that the amount of chlorophyll in the cells was reduced. Finally, a deletion mutation was introduced into the sll1906 gene, encoding a member of the putative bacteriochlorophyll delivery (BCD) protein family. The Sll1906 sequence contains possible chlorophyll-binding sites, and its homolog in purple bacteria functions in proper assembly of light-harvesting complexes. However, the sll1906 deletion did not affect chlorophyll degradation/biosynthesis and photosystem assembly. Other (parallel) pathways may exist that may fully compensate for the lack of Sll1906. This study has highlighted the dynamics of photosynthetic complexes in their biogenesis and turnover and the coordination between synthesis of chlorophyll and photosynthetic proteins.
ContributorsYao, Cheng I Daniel (Author) / Vermaas, Wim (Thesis advisor) / Fromme, Petra (Committee member) / Roberson, Robert (Committee member) / Webber, Andrew (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
Body size plays a pervasive role in determining physiological and behavioral performance across animals. It is generally thought that smaller animals are limited in performance measures compared to larger animals; yet, the vast majority of animals on earth are small and evolutionary trends like miniaturization occur in every animal clade. Therefore, there must be some evolutionary advantages to being small and/or compensatory mechanisms that allow small animals to compete with larger species. In this dissertation I specifically explore the scaling of flight performance (flight metabolic rate, wing beat frequency, load-carrying capacity) and learning behaviors (visual differentiation visual Y-maze learning) across stingless bee species that vary by three orders of magnitude in body size. I also test whether eye morphology and calculated visual acuity match visual differentiation and learning abilities using honeybees and stingless bees. In order to determine what morphological and physiological factors contribute to scaling of these performance parameters I measure the scaling of head, thorax, and abdomen mass, wing size, brain size, and eye size. I find that small stingless bee species are not limited in visual learning compared to larger species, and even have some energetic advantages in flight. These insights are essential to understanding how small size evolved repeatedly in all animal clades and why it persists. Finally, I test flight performance across stingless bee species while varying temperature in accordance with thermal changes that are predicted with climate change. I find that thermal performance curves varied greatly among species, that smaller species conform closely to air temperature, and that larger bees may be better equipped to cope with rising temperatures due to more frequent exposure to high temperatures. This information may help us predict whether small or large species might fare better in future thermal climate conditions, and which body-size related traits might be expected to evolve.
ContributorsDuell, Meghan (Author) / Harrison, Jon F. (Thesis advisor) / Smith, Brian H. (Thesis advisor) / Rutowski, Ronald (Committee member) / Wcislo, William (Committee member) / Conrad, Cheryl (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
Pregnancy and childbirth are both natural occurring events, but still little is known about the signaling mechanisms that induce contractions. Throughout the world, premature labor occurs in 12% of all pregnancies with 36% of infant deaths resulting from preterm related causes. Even though the cause of preterm labor can vary, understanding alternative signaling pathways, which affect muscle contraction, could provide additional treatment options in stopping premature labor. The uterus is composed of smooth muscle, which is innervated, with a plexus of nerves that cover the muscle fibers. Smooth muscle can be stimulated or modulated by many sources such as neurotransmitters [i.e. dopamine], hormones [i.e. estrogen], peptides [i.e. oxytocin] and amines. This study focuses on the biogenic monoamine tyramine, which is produced in the tyrosine catecholamine biosynthesis pathway. Tyramine is known to be associated with peripheral vasoconstriction, increased cardiac output, increased respiration, elevated blood glucose and the release of norepinephrine. This research has found tyramine, and its specific receptor TAAR1, to be localized within mouse uterus and that this monoamine can induce uterine contractions at levels similar to oxytocin.
ContributorsObayomi, SM Bukola (Author) / Baluch, Debra P (Thesis advisor) / Deviche, Pierre (Thesis advisor) / Smith, Brian H. (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
Sensory gating is a process by which the nervous system preferentially admits stimuli that are important for the organism while filtering out those that may be meaningless. An optimal sensory gate cannot be static or inflexible, but rather plastic and informed by past experiences. Learning enables sensory gates to recognize stimuli that are emotionally salient and potentially predictive of positive or negative outcomes essential to survival. Olfaction is the only sensory modality in mammals where sensory inputs bypass conventional thalamic gating before entering higher emotional or cognitive brain regions. Thus, olfactory bulb circuits may have a heavier burden of sensory gating compared to other primary sensory circuits. How do the primary synapses in an olfactory system "learn"' in order to optimally gate or filter sensory stimuli? I hypothesize that centrifugal neuromodulator serotonin serves as a signaling mechanism by which primary olfactory circuits can experience learning informed sensory gating. To test my hypothesis, I conditioned genetically-modified mice using reward or fear olfactory-cued learning paradigms and used pharmacological, electrophysiological, immunohistochemical, and optical imaging approaches to assay changes in serotonin signaling or functional changes in primary olfactory circuits. My results indicate serotonin is a key mediator in the acquisition of olfactory fear memories through the activation of its type 2A receptors in the olfactory bulb. Functionally within the first synaptic relay of olfactory glomeruli, serotonin type 2A receptor activation decreases excitatory glutamatergic drive of olfactory sensory neurons through both presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms. I propose that serotonergic signaling decreases excitatory drive, thereby disconnecting olfactory sensory neurons from odor responses once information is learned and its behavioral significance is consolidated. I found that learning induced chronic changes in the density of serotonin fibers and receptors, which persisted in glomeruli encoding the conditioning odor. Such persistent changes could represent a sensory gate stabilized by memory. I hypothesize this ensures that the glomerulus encoding meaningful odors are much more sensitive to future serotonin signaling as such arousal cues arrive from centrifugal pathways originating in the dorsal raphe nucleus. The results advocate that a simple associative memory trace can be formed at primary sensory synapses to facilitate optimal sensory gating in mammalian olfaction.
ContributorsLi, Monica (Author) / Tyler, William J (Thesis advisor) / Smith, Brian H. (Thesis advisor) / Duch, Carsten (Committee member) / Neisewander, Janet (Committee member) / Vu, Eric (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
Male reproductive dysfunction accounts for almost half of male infertility cases, yet the signaling mechanisms involved in the male reproductive system remain unclear. Although the exact cause of male reproductive dysfunction varies, obtaining a better understanding of the modulators of smooth muscle contractions may provide new targets for the treatment of male reproductive conditions. The male reproductive tract, consisting of the testes, epididymis, vas deferens, and penis, is lined with innervated smooth muscle fibers that transport spermatozoa through the system. Contractions of these smooth muscle fibers can be modulated by neurotransmitters and hormones, like dopamine and norepinephrine, as well as biogenic amines. The focus of this study is on the biogenic amine tyramine, which is produced by the breakdown of tyrosine via decarboxylation. Tyramine has been shown to modulate vasoconstriction and increase blood pressure due to its effect on smooth muscle contractions. This study has found that tyramine localizes in male reproductive tissues and modulates smooth muscle contractions. Age and environment were also found to play a significant role in the expression of tyramine and its associated receptor, TAAR1.
ContributorsSteadman, Solange (Author) / Baluch, Debra (Thesis advisor) / Roberson, Robert (Committee member) / Sweazea, Karen (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Human preterm labor is the single most significant issue in modern obstetrics andgynecology, affecting ten percent of pregnancies, constituting the leading cause of infant death, and contributing significantly to chronic childhood disease. Obstetricians and reproductive scientists are faced with the major challenge of trying to increase the understanding of the complex molecular and cellular signals that regulate uterine activity during human pregnancy and labor. Even though preterm labor accounts for a large portion of perinatal mortality and morbidity, there still is not an effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment or prevention of preterm labor. This dissertation presents tyramine as an alternative modulator of uterine activity. In this dissertation the aims were as follows: 1) to investigate the localization of tyramine and trace amine associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) in the mouse uterine horn using immunohistochemistry as well as confirm the presence of tyramine in the uterine tissue using high performance liquid chromatography, 2) identify which TAAR 1-9 subtypes were present in the mouse uterine horn using RT-qPCR, 3) investigate ultrastructural differences in the mouse uterine horn following tyramine and dopamine treatment using transmission electron microscopy and 4) investigate pinopod ultrastructure as well as pinopod ultrastructural differences following tyramine and dopamine treatment. The research presented in this dissertation showed: 1) tyramine has very specific localization in the mouse endometrium, mainly in the uterine glands, TAAR1 is localized all throughout the perimetrium, myometrium and endometrium, and that tyramine was confirmed and quantified using HPLC, 2) TAAR 1- 9 genes are expressed in trace levels in the mouse uterine horn, 3) tyramine influences changes in endometrial ultrastructure, and 4) tyramine influences changes in pinopod ultrastructure. Ultimately these findings can help with identifying novel treatment options not only for spontaneous preterm labor contractions but also for other uterine related disorders.
ContributorsObayomi, SM Bukola (Author) / Baluch, Debra P (Thesis advisor) / Roberson, Robert (Thesis advisor) / Sweazea, Karen (Committee member) / Brent, Colin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Emerging pathogens present several challenges to medical diagnostics. Primarily, the exponential spread of a novel pathogen through naïve populations require a rapid and overwhelming diagnostic response at the site of outbreak. While point-of-care (PoC) platforms have been developed for detection of antigens, serologic responses, and pathogenic genomes, only nucleic acid diagnostics currently have the potential to be developed and manufactured within weeks of an outbreak owing to the speed of next-generation sequencing and custom DNA synthesis. Among nucleic acid diagnostics, isothermal amplification strategies are uniquely suited for PoC implementation due to their simple instrumentation and lack of thermocycling requirement. Unfortunately, isothermal strategies are currently prone to spurious nonspecific amplification, hindering their specificity and necessitating extensive empirical design pipelines that are both time and resource intensive. In this work, isothermal amplification strategies are extensively compared for their feasibility of implementation in outbreak response scenarios. One such technology, Loop-mediated Amplification (LAMP), is identified as having high-potential for rapid development and PoC deployment. Various approaches to abrogating nonspecific amplification are described including a novel in silico design tool based on coarse-grained simulation of interactions between thermophilic DNA polymerase and DNA strands in isothermal reaction conditions. Nonspecific amplification is shown to be due to stabilization of primer secondary structures by high concentrations of Bst DNA polymerase and a mechanism of micro-complement-mediated cross-priming is demonstrated as causal via nanopore sequencing of nonspecific reaction products. The resulting computational model predicts primer set background in 64% of 67 test assays and its usefulness is illustrated further by determining problematic primers in a West Nile Virus-specific LAMP primer set and optimizing primer 3’ nucleotides to eliminate micro-complements within the reaction, resulting in inhibition of background accumulation. Finally, the emergence of Orthopox monkeypox (MPXV) as a recurring threat is discussed and SimCycle is utilized to develop a novel technique for clade-specific discrimination of MPXV based on bridging viral genomic rearrangements (Bridging LAMP). Bridging LAMP is implemented in a 4-plex microfluidic format and demonstrates 100% sensitivity in detection of 100 copies of viral lysates and 45 crude MPXV-positive patient samples collected during the 2022 Clade IIb outbreak.
ContributorsKnappenberger, Mark Daniel (Author) / Anderson, Karen S (Thesis advisor) / LaBaer, Joshua (Committee member) / Roberson, Robert (Committee member) / Lindsay, Stuart (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
The partitioning of photosynthates between their sites of production (source) and their sites of utilization (sink) is a major determinant of crop yield and the potential of regulating this translocation promises substantial opportunities for yield increases. Ubiquitous overexpression of the plant type I proton pyrophosphatase (H+-PPase) in crops improves several valuable traits including salt tolerance and drought resistance, nutrient and water use efficiencies, and increased root biomass and yield. Originally, type I H+-PPases were described as pyrophosphate (PPi)-dependent proton pumps localized exclusively in vacuoles of mesophyll and meristematic tissues. It has been proposed that in the meristematic tissues, the role of this enzyme would be hydrolyzing PPi originated in biosynthetic reactions and favoring sink strength. Interestingly, this enzyme has been also localized at the plasma membrane of companion cells in the phloem which load and transport photosynthates from source leaves to sinks. Of note, the plasma membrane-localized H+-PPase could only function as a PPi-synthase in these cells due to the steep proton gradient between the apoplast and cytosol. The generated PPi would favor active sucrose loading through the sucrose/proton symporter in the phloem by promoting sucrose hydrolysis through the Sucrose Synthase pathway and providing the ATP required to maintain the proton gradient. To better understand these two different roles of type I H+-PPases, a series of Arabidopsis thaliana transgenic plants were generated. By expressing soluble pyrophosphatases in companion cells of Col-0 ecotype and H+-PPase mutants, impaired photosynthates partitioning was observed, suggesting phloem-localized H+-PPase could generate the PPi required for sucrose loading. Col-0 plants expressed with either phloem- or meristem-specific AVP1 overexpression cassette and the cross between the two tissue specific lines (Cross) were generated. The results showed that the phloem-specific AVP1-overexpressing plants had increased root hair elongation under limited nutrient conditions and both phloem- and meristem-overexpression of AVP1 contributed to improved rhizosphere acidification and drought resistance. It was concluded that H+-PPases localized in both sink and source tissues regulate plant growth and performance under stress through its versatile enzymatic functions (PPi hydrolase and synthase).
ContributorsLi, Lin (Author) / Park, Yujin (Thesis advisor) / Mangone, Marco (Committee member) / Roberson, Robert (Committee member) / Vermaas, Willem (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Decay of plant litter represents an enormous pathway for carbon (C) into the atmosphere but our understanding of the mechanisms driving this process is particularly limited in drylands. While microbes are a dominant driver of litter decay in most ecosystems, their significance in drylands is not well understood and abiotic drivers such as photodegradation are commonly perceived to be more important. I assessed the significance of microbes to the decay of plant litter in the Sonoran Desert. I found that the variation in decay among 16 leaf litter types was correlated with microbial respiration rates (i.e. CO2 emission) from litter, and rates were strongly correlated with water-vapor sorption rates of litter. Water-vapor sorption during high-humidity periods activates microbes and subsequent respiration appears to be a significant decay mechanism. I also found that exposure to sunlight accelerated litter decay (i.e. photodegradation) and enhanced subsequent respiration rates of litter. The abundance of bacteria (but not fungi) on the surface of litter exposed to sunlight was strongly correlated with respiration rates, as well as litter decay, implying that exposure to sunlight facilitated activity of surface bacteria which were responsible for faster decay. I also assessed the response of respiration to temperature and moisture content (MC) of litter, as well as the relationship between relative humidity and MC. There was a peak in respiration rates between 35-40oC, and, unexpectedly, rates increased from 55 to 70oC with the highest peak at 70oC, suggesting the presence of thermophilic microbes or heat-tolerant enzymes. Respiration rates increased exponentially with MC, and MC was strongly correlated with relative humidity. I used these relationships, along with litter microclimate and C loss data to estimate the contribution of this pathway to litter C loss over 34 months. Respiration was responsible for 24% of the total C lost from litter – this represents a substantial pathway for C loss, over twice as large as the combination of thermal and photochemical abiotic emission. My findings elucidate two mechanisms that explain why microbial drivers were more significant than commonly assumed: activation of microbes via water-vapor sorption and high respiration rates at high temperatures.
ContributorsTomes, Alexander (Author) / Day, Thomas (Thesis advisor) / Garcia-Pichel, Ferran (Committee member) / Ball, Becky (Committee member) / Hall, Sharon (Committee member) / Roberson, Robert (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020