Five students from the Department of Biology presented papers at the 2004 Eastern Colleges Science Conference (ECSC).
The meeting this year was hosted by Manhattan College. The ECSC is an association of primarily undergraduate colleges and universities. The conference draws student researchers from colleges throughout the northeast. Over 300 faculty and students attended this year's conference.
Steven Sluck (Andy Smith). Will Duck Tape Soon be Renamed Snail Tape? The Attempt to Synthesize a Glue using Molluscan Adhesive Proteins"
Some molluscs have been observed with the ability to form an adhesive gel from their own non-adhesive gels. The adhesive properties of this gel are thought to be synthesized from the addition of small cross-linking proteins secreted into the existent non-adhesive gel. Recent studies that have isolated molluscan adhesive proteins produce a stiffening effect when combined with commercial polymers. The present study attempted to identify if stickiness would be a result of combining isolated adhesive proteins with ionic commercial polymers. Quantitatively, no stickiness was measured with these particular combinations. However, qualitatively the adhesive proteins created structural changes to the polymer solutions. The issues raised in these trials may indicate which factors control the adhesive properties of these molluscan gels.
Laura Pease (Andy Smith). "How Mulluscan Glue Proteins Control Adhesive Gel Mechanics"
Many animals use gels for life processes. These gels are composed of large polysaccharides and, in the case of adhesive samples, smaller "glue" proteins. The large polymers and glue proteins from the glue of the snail Helix aspersa were separated to determine the effects of the smaller glue proteins. The glue proteins were then added to commercial polymers such as citrus pectin, apple pectin, and agarose in different concentrations. The glue proteins clearly affected gel mechanics, with a peak in gel stiffness at a glue protein concentration of 1.4 mg/ml. Some comparisons were made with large polymers that have identical structures, but different charges, revealing that charge matters. This suggests ionic bonding between the proteins and large polymers.
Andrew Cameron (Andy Smith). "Testing the Effect of Molluscan Glue Proteins on Adhesive Performance"
Many animals glue down strongly using dilute gels. The ability to create a glue from gels that typically serve lubricating functions is interesting. Previous work showed that there are specific proteins in the glue that are not found in typical gels. These have been shown to control gel mechanics. In this study, we tested the ability of these proteins to increase the adhesive strength of different mixes of polymers. When the overall concentration is the same, mixtures of glue proteins and large carbohydrates create adhesive strengths that are roughly 3x greater than the carbohydrates alone or carbohydrates with a control protein. The glue proteins worked best when mixed with the giant polymers typically found in snail slime.
Robin Rakobitsch (Marina Caillaud). "Large Scale Sequencing of Microsatellite Regions in Aphids"
Microsatellite markers are versatile and powerful molecular markers in population genetics and for building linkage maps. In this study, we sequenced 96 clones from a genomic library enriched in microsatellite-containing DNA fragments of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum. Two methods for sequencing were used: ABI prism 377 automated sequencer (48 lanes in a gel) and the ABI prism 3700 automated sequencer (96 capillaries). The capillary-based method was more efficient at producing readable sequences than the gel-based method, in which human error is more frequent. Microsatellite loci were found in 88% of all readable sequences produced by the gel-based and capillary-based sequencers. This shows that the enrichment protocol used to produce the microsatellite-containing genomic library of A. pisum was successful.
Joseph Resti (Jason Hamilton). "The Effects of Simulated Herbivory on Soybean Leaf Function"
Leaf-level herbivory can lead to decreased photosynthetic function, both from loss of tissue and from decreased function of remaining tissue. Using both gas exchange and fluorescence measurements, we looked at the effects of leaf damage on soybean. We found that damage to the main vein resulted in decreased transpiration from 60% to 85% and photosynthetic rates from 60% to 80% with no apparent effect on PSII efficiency. Damage between veins resulted in decreased photosynthetic rates from 70% to 90%, increased transpiration rates from 130% to 250% and decreased PSII efficiency. These changes may result in lower soybean yield, affecting farmers and consumers.
More information: Eastern Colleges Science Conference
Contributed by Nancy Pierce
