Collaborative Research
2006 Research Projects
91暗网 students and their professors have worked together on numerous research projects. This kind of high-level scholarship does more than enhance a student's understanding in a given disipline; the practical, hands-on experience and "real-world" accomplishment also instill a sense of confidence that will benefit a graduate in any career. Such research often leads to co-authored articles in professional journals and presentations at conferences.
Project Summary:
TOTAL: 48 projects.
| Biology | 13 | Government | 4 | |
| Chemistry | 5 | interdisciplinary | 4 | |
| Economics | 1 | Management and Business | 4 | |
| Education Studies | 2 | Psychology | 7 | |
| Exercise Science | 1 | Sociology | 7 |
Biology
Project: Linking Plant and Ant Distributions to Present and Historical Land Use in 91暗网's
North Woods
Participants: Joshua Ness, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology; Doug Morin '07
Plan: Approximately 30% of herbaceous plants rely on ants to disperse their seeds. We compared
the distributions of these plants and ants with respect to 1880 land use in 91暗网's
North Woods. We divided the woods into 35 25,000m2 plots and censused each for plants
and ants. Both plants and ants occurred less frequently in plots that were cleared
in 1880, relative to historically wooded plots. Behavioral observations demonstrated
that some ants may be better seed collectors than others. These better partners are
disproportionately common within 1m of ant-dispersed plants and more common in cells
that were forested in the 1880s. We conclude that nineteenth century land use continues
to influence the plant and animal communities present today.
Project: Biochemical Characterization and Role of Superoxide Dismutase in Vibrio fischeri, the Light Organ Symbiont of Sepiolid Squid
Participants: Pat Fidopiastis, Assistant Professor of Biology, Adam Klein 鈥�05
Plan: The goal of this project is to understand how cells of V. fischeri overcome oxidative
stress in the squid light organ. A gene was identified within the genome of V. fischeri whose sequence is similar to "superdioxide dismutase" (SOD) in other bacteria. SOD
assists in the detoxification of superoxide to water. Identification of the SOD gene
enabled cloning of the gene. The current process is mutating the gene to create a
strain of V. fischeri that is incapable of SOD expression. It is hypothesized that this mutant will be
unable to detoxify superoxide in the light organ and therefore will not colonize the
squid. These data might explain why only cells of V. fischeri, among all other bacteria in seawater, are able to colonize the squid.
Project: The role of Capsule Production in the Symbiotic Colonization of Squid by Vibrio fischeri
Participants: Visiting Assistant Professor Pat M. Fidopiastis and Choai H. Wong '04
Plan: The associate between the luminous bacterium Vibrio fischeriand the squid Euprymna scolopes is a model for understanding how beneficial bacteria interact with their host. In
this associate, V. fischeri colonizes the squid and is provided nutrients in exchange for light, which the squid
uses for its nocturnal activities. The associate is highly specific, and only cells
of V. fischeri are able to colonize the squid. As a defense against colonization, the squid possesses
macrophage-like cells, similar to those seen in the mammalian immune system, that
appear to destroy invading bacteria. However, V. fischeri cells are still able to colonize. Recently, we discovered that V. fischeri produces a capsule that may allow it to avoid destruction by the squid macrophages
and colonize the squid.
Project: Spectral Properties of Circadian Clock Responses to Light Stimuli
Participants: Professor Bernard Possidente and Bond Caldaro '04
Plan: Daily rhythms in biological functions (e.g. sleep-wake cycle) are generated and regulated
by an internal biological clock. Mammals, including humans, have evolved a central
"circadian" (daily) clock in the hypothalamus of the brain just above the point where
the optic nerves from both eyes meet. Circadian rhythms generated in the brain need
only be synchronized by the external photoperiod. This is accomplished through retinal
photoreceptors and central projections that are anatomically and functionally distinct
from the visual system.
Project: Establishment of a Protoplast Cycle in the Unicellular Green Alga, Closterium acerosum
Participants: Professor David Domozych and Rachel A. Roberts '04
Plan: This project will define the protocols for obtaining protoplasts from the unicellular
green alga Closterium acerosum. This organism is an important tool in plant cell research because of its large size
and distinctive endomembrane and cytoskeletal systems. Likewise, it lends itself well
to experimental manipulation and preparations for advanced light and electron microscopy.
In this project, we will determine the precise conditions for inducing and subsequently
culturing protoplasts. This will include defining enzymatic conditions, osmoticum
levels and physical techniques that will optimize protoplast production. Similarly,
we will attempt to complete the protoplast cycle by inducing morphogenesis back to
the walled state. During this study, we will also monitor the effects of protoplast
induction on secretion, the endomembrane system and cytoskeletal system. This study
will entail use of cryofixation techniques, transmission electron microscopy and fluorescence
light microscopy. This project will lay the groundwork for future studies in microinjection
of specific tracing agents and molecular probes in understanding basic plant cell
development.
Project: Female Mating Fidelity and the Avoidance of Inbreeding in a Dimorphic Warbler, the
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)
Participants: Assistant Professor Corey R. Freeman-Gallant and Elizabeth M. Johnson '02
Plan: The Common Yellowthroat (Geothylpis trichas), a socially monogamous species abundant across much of North America, will be studied
to assess the degree of female mating fidelity using molecular DNA techniques and
to determine whether females copulate at random with respect to their similarity to
potential sires. The importance of male plumage and health to female mating patterns
will also be assessed.
Project: Rat Model for Androgenic Anabolic Steroid Abuse
Participants: Professor Bernie Possidente, Susan Kur '02 and Felicia Gomez '02
Plan: The focus of this project will be to study the effects of high, prolonged doses of
steroid hormones, especially regarding potential effects on behavior and brain function.
A rat animal model will be used to investigate effects of high doses of several commonly
abused steroids on the level and circadian (daily) timing of wheel-running activity,
as circadian rhythms, particularly sleep, are typically disrupted in psychiatric disorders
similar to those associated with steroid abuse.
Project: Modification and Processing of Vitellogenin in Zebrafish Eggs
Participants: Professor Elaine Rubenstein and R. Carlin Walsh '01
Plan: Yolk proteins are synthesized outside of the ovary, transported through the blood,
and then taken up by developing eggs within the ovary. These yolk proteins provide
critical nutrients and building blocks to nourish and support embryonic development.
In the zebrafish Danio rerio, our preliminary studies suggest that the principal yolk protein, vitellogenin, is
biochemically modified and processed after the egg takes it up, but before the egg
is fertilized. We intend to characterize the step-by-step changes in size and polypeptide
composition that occur in the egg before ovulation which prepare vitellogenin to serve
its embryonic functions.
Project: Localization and Function of the Cytomotile Proteins, Profilin and Myosin, in Cytoplasmic
Streaming in Plants
Participants: Professor David Domozych and Brian Stevens, '00
Plan: The cascade of events created in cytomotility in plant cells requires numerous proteins.
These proteins act precisely in regulating particular events associated in moving
cytoplasmic elements across cytomotile cables in the cell, i.e., cytoplasmic streaming.
Streaming is a necessary event in mixing nutrients in plant cells and, more importantly,
directing particular compartments to specific destinations in the cell. In this project,
we will attempt to locate and analyze the role of two cytomotile proteins, myosin
and profilin, in the cytoplasmic streaming process in the green plantClosterium. These two proteins have been well characterized in animals, but little if anything
is known about them in plants. In this project, we will mass-culture protoplasts of Closterium to create a better biochemical system for protein isolation. Second, we will isolate
particular secretory elements such as Golgi elements and secretory vesicles using
density gradient centrifugation. These are the elements that are moving in the cytoplasmic
streaming network in Closterium. Next, we will extract myosin and profilin from the protoplasts and ultimately determine
their location using immunoflourescence (light microscopy) and immunogold (electron
microscopy) protocols. This project should provide significant fundamental information
about how secretory elements move through the cell to reach sites on the cell membrane.
Project: A Search for Zymomonas mobilis in Apple Orchards in Saratoga County
Participants: Professor Chris Eddy and Keri L. Berka '00
Plan: Zymomonas mobilis is a Gram negative bacterium capable of producing ethanol from glucose more efficiently
than yeast. Research on Z. mobilis has focused on finding or developing new strains that are better suited for industrial
fermentation processes. The goal of this project is to determine if Z. mobilis can be isolated from apple orchards in Saratoga County, New York. Z. mobilis has been isolated from spoiled cider in Europe, and fermenting palm sap in tropical
countries. We are developing methods to select for preferential growth of Z. mobilis and prevent growth of other bacteria and fungi that are present in cider, apples,
and composted waste from nearby apple orchards. We will test our methods by adding
known numbers of cells to each potential source and determining the minimum number
of cells required to be isolated. Any new Z. mobilis strains isolated from samples not inoculated with the laboratory strain will be characterized
and compared to strains used for ethanol production.
Project: Ecology, Management and Restoration of Native Plant Communities on Glacial Lake Albany
Sand Deposit Outwash: Maintaining and Enhancing the Habitat of the Federally Endangered
Karner Blue Butterfly, Lycaeides melissa samuelis
Participants: Associate Professor Monica Raveret Richter and Ava Tanny, '01
Plan: The Karner blue butterfly inhabits disturbed openings containing wild blue lupine,
the sole host plant for its larvae (Dirig 1994), and nectar plants. Lupine is an early
successional component of glacial Lake Albany sand outwash communities. Development,
habitat fragmentation and fire suppression have led to the decline of lupine, butterflies,
and other components of this community. Essential to halting this decline is characterization
and maintenance of healthy patches of suitable butterfly habitat. We will investigate
and characterize the relationship between the status of Karner blue food and nectar
plant populations and aspects of the surrounding biotic and abiotic community. This
information, combined with landscape analysis of aerial photos, can be used to promote
successful maintenance and regeneration of Karner blue butterfly habitat in the Wilton
Wildlife Preserve and Park.
Project: Genetic Population Structure in Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) at Small Geographic Scales
Participants: Assistant Professor Corey R. Freeman-Gallant, David Vogel '99, and Kate Thomas '99
Plan: It is the goal of the collaborative project to allow 91暗网 students to bridge
the gap between subdisciplines and consider how molecular DNA techniques can be used
to investigate long-standing issues in evolutionary biology. The team will propose
to assay variation at neutral genetic loci to quantify the proportion of individuals
exchanged between pairs of Savannah sparrow populations. Recent advances in molecular
DNA technology combined with population genetic theory will enable the participants
to link genetic differentiation to the magnitude and pattern of dispersal among sparrow
populations.
Project: Is there a Circadian Rhythm for Fertility in Fruit Flies?
Participants: Professor Bernard Possidente and Mackenzie Evangelist '98
Plan: Circadian (daily) rhythms are generated by an internal biological clock mechanism.
Fruit flies have been the leading model organism for investigating the genetic and
molecular basis of biological clock function. The researchers are extending the fruit
fly model to investigate the circadian regulation of complex behavior by characterizing
a daily rhythm for mating and courtship behavior. Prior research has already established
circadian clock regulation of mating behavior with a peak mating time that corresponds
to six hours after sunrise. The proposed research is designed to determine whether
the number of offspring produced depends on the time of day that mating occurs.
Chemistry
Project: Water Quality Monitoring in the Kayaderosseras Creek and Saratoga Lake: Past, Present
and Future
Participants: Judy Halstead, Professor, Department of Chemistry; Kristina Connolly '07
Plan: The project has three related goals: collecting, reading and analyzing past sources
of water quality data and monitoring in Saratoga Lake's watershed and surrounding
regions, conducting a field and laboratory assessment of current water quality parameters
in the tributaries of Saratoga Lake, and recommendations for future water quality
monitoring projects. Past sources were organized into bibliographies to be shared
with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and state and local agencies. A tributary
survey, event sampling and a main branch sampling were conducted in the watershed
testing for conductivity, dissolved oxygen and pH in the field and collecting samples
for the testing of nutrients, common anions, suspended solids, and metals in the laboratory.
The project serves as a stepping stone to future water quality monitoring projects
and a basis to recommendations for future studies.
Project: Investigation of Spiropyran-Doped Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Use in Metal
Ion Sensing Applications
Participants: Shannon E. Stitzel, Assistant Professor, Chemistry; Andrew Williams '07
Plan: There are numerous sensors to measure physical properties such as temperature, but
there are few sensors available to monitor chemical changes in our environment. This
project's long-term goal is to develop sensors using light-activated molecules imbedded
in a chemically stable, polymer matrix. Ideally, photochemical control of the surface
chemistry will protect the sensor and extend its useful lifetime.
The aim of this summer's project was to characterize the solution chemistry of spiropyran,
a light-activated dye that changes color depending on the presence or absence of metal
ions. Initial experiments imprinting the dye in polymer matrices were also conducted.
Research on this topic will continue in the fall, but this summer's work has provided
insight on how the metal, dye, and polymer interact with each other.
Project: Development of a Luciferase Enzyme Assay to Quantitate Cell Lysis During the Purification
of a Surface-Associated Metalloprotease from V. Fischeri
Participants: Michelle West Frey, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry; Andrew Lynch '07
Plan: The bioluminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri and the Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes, participate in an exclusive symbiotic relationship that provides a unique model
system for the study of pathogenic relatives of V. fischeri such asV. cholerae (the causative agent of human cholera). A surface associated protease enzyme is hypothesized
to play an important role in the establishment of this relationship. The goal of this
project was to develop a sensitive method for the quantification of cell lysis that
occurs during the purification of this enzyme. The method chosen was detection of
luciferase, an enzyme found only in the interior of V. fischeri. The methods and procedures were determined using sample luciferase and then used
to quantify luciferase concentration due to cell lysis.
Project: Cloning and Expression of a Novel Surface Associated PepN Enzyme from Vibrio Fischeri
Participants: Michelle West Frey, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry; Kate Fegan '07
Plan: The bioluminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri and the Hawaii