Genetic Variation in Alligator Weed Influences Herbicide Effectiveness Across Regions

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Namandeep Gill Biology Dean Williams Biology
Advisor(s): Dean Williams Biology
Location: Basement, Table 2, Position 3, 11:30-1:30

Alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides) is a highly invasive species that threatens waterways, agriculture, and ecosystems worldwide. While herbicide treatments have successfully managed populations in Mississippi, they have been less effective in Australia and New Zealand. This research investigated whether genetic differences among populations contribute to these inconsistencies in control effectiveness. To test this, we genotyped alligator weed samples from Mississippi, Australia, and New Zealand using chloroplast DNA markers to identify haplotypes. Results revealed significant genetic variation among regions. Mississippi populations exhibited greater haplotype diversity, with Ap1 and Ap3 being dominant, whereas Australia and New Zealand were primarily composed of Ap2, Ap3, and Ap5. The genetic lineages used in Mississippi herbicide trials did not directly match those found in Australia and New Zealand, suggesting that differences in herbicide response may be linked to genetic variation. These findings indicate that current herbicide trials may not accurately predict effectiveness in non-U.S. regions. Future testing on genetically relevant populations will improve control strategies, ensuring more effective management of alligator weed globally.

EmpowerHer STEM Club

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Lilli Gonzales Biology Daisy Carrillo Environmental Sciences Hermela Leul Nutritional Sciences Zoie Munoz Dean's office Kelley Wyatt Biology
Advisor(s): Christina Ayala Biology
Location: SecondFloor, Table 1, Position 1, 1:45-3:45

EmpowerHer STEM Club is an after-school program dedicated to encouraging young girls to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In collaboration with E.M. Daggett Elementary School, the program seeks to address the gender gap in STEM fields, where women currently hold only 28% of STEM occupations. Research suggests that early mentorship plays a crucial role in shaping young women's academic and career aspirations.
EmpowerHer STEM Club provides mentorship and hands-on learning experiences to inspire and support young girls in their STEM interests. The program introduces students to diverse STEM fields through interactive experiments that complement their classroom curriculum. Additionally, participants learn about various STEM careers and the achievements of influential women in these fields. Through this engaging approach, EmpowerHer STEM Club fosters curiosity, confidence, and a passion for STEM while building connections with the next generation of leaders.

The Effects of Novel Anti-Inflammatory Drugs on LPS-Induced Cytokine Gene Expression in BV2 Cells

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Ana Herget Biology Giridhar Akkaraju Biology
Advisor(s): Giridhar Akkaraju Biology
Location: Basement, Table 7, Position 3, 1:45-3:45

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, currently impacts almost seven million people in the United States over the age of 65. It is predicted that by 2060 over 13 million people in the United States will be affected by AD, which is why there is a growing demand for treatments. Amyloid ꞵ plaques and phosphorylated tau proteins are both associated with the progression of the AD pathology since they play a role in the disruption of neuronal integrity. These aggregated proteins along with other molecules, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), lead to increased inflammation by activating the NFκB pathway. The NFκB pathway controls the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFɑ); however, if it is overactive, it can lead to harmful inflammation.The company P2D Biosciences provides novel compounds designed to reduce inflammation, but the exact mode of action of these compounds is unknown. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) can be utilized to measure cytokine mRNA from BV2 cells that have been pretreated with the drugs and then with LPS. In this project we screened multiple compounds provided by P2D Biosciences to evaluate their use as anti-inflammatory agents to treat AD.

Investigating the ubiquitin ligase activity of BRCA1 from C. elegans

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Lauren Herrington Biology
Advisor(s): Mikaela Stewart Biology
Location: Third Floor, Table 8, Position 1, 1:45-3:45

BRCA1 is a tumor suppressor protein that normally acts with its partner, BARD1, to facilitate DNA repair, regulation of the cell cycle, and regulation of gene expression. The Caenorhabditis elegans homologs of BRCA1 and BARD1, BRC-1 and BRD-1, respectively, retain these key functions and thus make C. elegans a suitable model organism for studying the functions of BRCA1. While the functions of BRCA1 and BRC-1 are well characterized, the molecular mechanisms by which these functions are carried out is still unclear. For example, BRCA1 and BRC-1 possess E3 ubiquitin ligase activity towards histone H2A in nucleosomes, but it is unknown how this contributes to tumor suppression. While inherited mutations that disrupt tumor suppression lack E3 ligase activity, they also interfere with other critical molecular functions, such as BARD1 binding. To pinpoint the role of E3 ligase activity, we aim to characterize a mutant construct of BRC-1 in C. elegans that lacks E3 ubiquitin ligase activity towards histone H2A but retains the ability to bind BRD-1. In vitro ubiquitination assays demonstrate that our candidate for this mutant of BRC-1, Trip A, is ligase-dead towards histone H2A in nucleosomes. Co-purification of BRC-1 and BRD-1 in which only BRC-1 contained the histidine tag revealed that BRC-1:BRD-1 binding is retained in the Trip A mutant. While these results demonstrate that Trip A meets in vitro requirements for a ligase-dead mutant, further in vivo experiments are needed to confirm its suitability. If confirmed as a suitable ligase-dead mutant through in vivo experiments, Trip A can be expressed in C. elegans to identify which functions of BRC-1 depend on E3 ubiquitin ligase activity towards histone H2A in nucleosomes.

Identifying the nucleosome ubiquitylation role of BRCA1 in transcriptional regulation using C. elegans

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Elizabeth Hoff Biology
Advisor(s): Mikaela Stewart Biology
Location: FirstFloor, Table 1, Position 1, 1:45-3:45

BRCA1 is a tumor suppressor protein that facilitates DNA damage repair, cell cycle checkpoints, and gene expression in humans. The presence of pathogenic mutations in the BRCA1 protein leads to a predisposition to breast and ovarian cancers in humans; these pathogenic mutations can lead to the dysregulation of enzymatic activity and gene expression. It is hypothesized that enzymatic activity of BRCA1 and its ability to regulate gene expression are linked. The gene expression of estrogen-metabolism genes by BRCA1 is mediated, in-part, by the ability of BRCA1 to facilitate the mono-ubiquitylation of nucleosomes on the H2A histone. Our lab is interested in understanding which DNA damage repair and gene expression functions of BRCA1 rely on mononucleosome ubiquitylation. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the BRCA1 homolog, BRC-1, retains the key functions of BRCA1, making C. elegans a suitable model organism to evaluate which functions of BRCA1 rely on nucleosome ubiquitylation. To explore nucleosome ubiquitylation by BRC-1 in C. elegans, we compare three strains of C. elegans, including a wildtype strain, a complete knockout of BRC-1, and an engineered mutant. This engineered mutant contains two point mutations that alter the ability of BRC-1 to interact with the nucleosome to complete ubiquitylation of the H2A histone. We suggest that our proposed mutant repels BRC-1 from the histone to prevent ubiquitylation, yet retains all other BRC-1 functions. We hypothesize that this will hinder the repression of cyp genes, which code for enzymes that catalyze the process that converts estrogen into various metabolites, some of which are harmful. Overexpression of these genes can lead to the accumulation of harmful estrogen metabolites, which can lead to tumorigenesis in estrogen-metabolizing tissues. To assess this, we compare the expression levels of cyp genes, which are repressed in the wildtype strain containing a functional copy of BRC-1. If mononucleosome ubiquitylation is required for transcriptional repression in C. elegans, in the engineered mutant strain, we expect to see elevated levels of cyp gene expression, as also seen in the complete BRC-1 knockout strain. Through understanding the mono-ubiquitylation of nucleosomes by BRC-1 in C. elegans, we can better interpret the genetic variations of BRCA1 in humans and better inform and treat patients with detrimental BRCA1 mutations.

Trade-offs between environmental concerns and disease control influence disease dynamics across communities

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Redon Limani Biology Kenny Lai Biology Grant Xiong Biology
Advisor(s): Jing Jiao Biology
Location: Third Floor, Table 6, Position 2, 11:30-1:30

Mosquitoes are primary vectors in the transmission of many infectious diseases, spreading pathogens through their bites after feeding on infected
hosts. Vector-borne diseases like Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever, mostly transmitted by mosquitoes, cause over 700,000 deaths each year and
account for 17% of infectious diseases, heavily burdening vulnerable communities and economies. Public perception of mosquito control can significantly shape outbreak outcomes [1]. This project uses a mathematical model to simulate how disease spreads between two regions connected by mosquito migration. The model considers how people’s concern for the environment can influence their support or opposition to mosquito control efforts. Our goal is to explore how these factors shape disease prevalence and to better understand the role of community behavior in outbreak prevention.

The enzymatic role of nucleosome ubiquitylation by BRCA1 in C. elegans

Type: Graduate
Author(s): Meagan McMann Biology Nathalie Carlon Biology Lucy McCollum Biology
Advisor(s): Mikaela Stewart Biology
Location: Third Floor, Table 1, Position 3, 1:45-3:45

BRCA1 protects genomic stability by signaling for the homologous recombination pathway, DNA repair, and transcriptional regulation. A pathogenic mutation in the BRCA1 region causes a higher predisposition to the development of breast and ovarian cancer. Our lab is exploring the different enzymatic functions of BRCA1 by looking at its role in histone ubiquitylation, leading to transcriptional regulation of certain parts of the genome. Join us to see our plan for connecting molecular mechanisms of a large, multi-functional gene to the phenotype of an organism. A homolog of BRCA1 is conserved in C. elegans as BRC-1. We propose that mononucleosome ubiquitylation is a key mechanism contributing to the cellular functions of BRC-1. Understanding the significance of mononucleosome ubiquitylation in BRC-1 with C. elegans gives insight into the mechanisms of genetic variations in BRCA1 and further expands C. elegans’ function as a model organism. We have generated a C. elegans mutant with two point mutations that alter the ability of BRC-1 protein to interact with the nucleosome and ubiquitinate histone H2A while retaining all other functions. We hypothesize this mutation increases DNA damage accumulation and disrupts transcriptional regulation to establish nucleosome ubiquitylation as a necessary precursor for these, but likely not all, BRC-1 functions. We compare three strains of C. elegans (wildtype, brc-1 knockout, and our mononucleosome ubiquitylation-deficient mutant) in different conditions designed to induce cellular stress or DNA damage accumulation. We find that BRC-1 nucleosome ubiquitylation contributes to embryonic survival under standard conditions as well as DNA damage-inducing conditions. We also share preliminary results regarding the role of nucleosome ubiquitylation in transcription regulation and reactive oxygen species generation. Our findings further the understanding of the many enzymatic functions of the large BRCA1 gene.

Investigating Mercury Transfer from Aquatic to Terrestrial Food Webs: The Influence of Distance from Pond Shorelines on Methylmercury Concentrations in Arctic Wolf Spiders

Type: Graduate
Author(s): Camryn Middlebrooks Biology Aleah Appel Biology Sommerlyn Babineau Biology Kurt Burnham Biology Ethan Cary Biology Titus Crawford Biology Sage Dale Biology Charlie Duethman Biology Aidan Duffield Biology Piper Dumont Biology Skyler Dunn Biology Madeline Hannappel Biology Sydney Hill Biology Ramsey Jennings Biology Ben Katzenmeyer Biology Chidi Mbagwu Biology David Peebles Biology Benjamin Strang Biology Emma Sullivan Biology Lance Viscioni-Wilson Biology Kimberlee Whitmore Biology Tyler Williams Biology David Wright Biology
Advisor(s): Matt Chumchal Biology
Location: Basement, Table 6, Position 2, 1:45-3:45

Mercury is emitted from various anthropogenic processes in temperate and tropical regions and is transported to northern latitudes via air and ocean currents. Although there are few point sources of mercury in the Arctic, elevated mercury levels have been observed in Arctic predators such as marine mammals, seabirds, fish, and spiders. This is concerning due to mercury’s known neurotoxic and teratogenic effects. Mercury deposited in the Arctic can be converted into its bioavailable form, methylmercury (MeHg), by aquatic bacteria. It can then be transferred into nearby terrestrial habitats by aquatic emergent insects. A previous study indicated that Arctic wolf spiders (Pardosa glacialis) collected from the shoreline of ponds had elevated concentrations of MeHg. In temperate zones, adult aquatic insects typically disperse within 30 meters of freshwater sources, suggesting that upland predators may consume fewer emergent aquatic insects, thereby reducing their contamination from these sources. While Arctic wolf spiders are ubiquitous predators across the tundra, it is unclear whether spiders collected in upland habitats are similarly contaminated with MeHg. The purpose of this study was to investigate the movement of mercury from aquatic to terrestrial food webs on the Pituffik Peninsula of northwest Greenland. Specifically, we examined the effects of shoreline proximity on mercury concentrations in Arctic wolf spiders. We collected Arctic wolf spiders and their insect prey at varying distances (0m, 10m, and 35m) from six freshwater ponds. We found a positive relationship between mercury concentrations and body size in P. glacialis. Spiders captured 35 meters away from the shoreline had significantly lower mercury concentrations than those captured at 0m or 10m from the shoreline. These results suggest that the dispersal of Arctic emergent aquatic insects declines with increasing distance from the shoreline and that emergent insects are an important source of mercury for Arctic wolf spiders.

New Smiles Drive

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Alexandra Much Biology Aimee Garibay Interdisciplinary Annie Loomis Biology Sarina Schwarze Biology Kameryn Smudde Nutritional Sciences
Advisor(s): Sarah Jung Biology
Location: SecondFloor, Table 8, Position 2, 11:30-1:30

Oral health is a critical component of overall well-being, yet many individuals in underserved communities lack access to essential dental care and hygiene resources. The New Smiles Drive is a student-led initiative dedicated to improving oral health education and access to hygiene supplies in the Fort Worth community. Through the TCU Tooth Fairies program, we present at elementary schools, engaging students in interactive lessons on proper brushing and flossing techniques to foster lifelong oral hygiene habits. Additionally, we donate hygiene kits—containing toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and a laminated educational card outlining proper brushing steps in both English and Spanish—to Mercy Clinic, which provides medical and dental care to uninsured patients, as well as to local homeless shelters. By combining education with tangible resources, New Smiles Drive aims to promote preventive dental care and address disparities in oral health access.

In Vitro Evaluation between 5-LO Inhibitor, Zileuton, and Antifungal Activity Against Cryptococcus

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Khoi Nguyen Biology Natalia Castro Lopez Biology Floyd Wormley Biology
Advisor(s): Natalia Castro Lopez Biology Floyd Wormley Biology