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Biology News Volume 1 Issue 15 A publication of EWU Department of Biology Department News Faculty/Staff Comings & Goings Dona Boggs will be on leave Fall and Winter quarters AY2008. Robin O’Quinn, visiting assistant professor of biology, comes in as a 1-year temporary replacement for Craig Miller, who returned to the University of Idaho. She will teach introductory biology for majors. Robin received her BS in Plant Biology from UC Davis and PhD from WSU. The search for the permanent position that starts Fall 2008 has been posted, with a decision to be made by Spring 2008. Carissa Gusman assumed the position of Secretary Senior in November. Carissa is a 2007 Eastern graduate, with a degree in Communications. Faculty Grants Steve Hayes, adjunct faculty, received a grant from the Department of Fish & Wildlife to review and analyze burbot stock and redband trout. Allan Scholz, professor of biology, has been awarded three new grant contracts over the last few months: (1) Bioenergetics Model for Northern Pike-Box Canyon from the Kalispel Tribe; (2) Hatchery Kokanne Stock Evaluation for the Spokane Tribe; and (3) Lake Roosevelt Research also for the Spokane Tribe. Fall 2007 EPOC & the Desert Iguana Tom Hancock, assistant professor of biology, will have a paper published in Physiological and Biochemical Zoology: Hancock, T.V. and Gleeson T.T. 2008. Contributions to elevated metabolism during recovery: Dissecting the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) in the desert iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis). Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 81(3). Abstract: The excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), a measure of recovery costs, is known to be large in ectothermic vertebrates such as the desert iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis), especially following vigorous activity. To analyze the cause of these large recovery costs in a terrestrial ectotherm, Dipsosaurus were run for 15 s at maximal intensity (2.33 m/s) while oxygen uptake was monitored via open flow respirometry. Muscle metabolites (adenylates, phosphocreatine and lactate) were measured at rest and at 0, 3, 10, and 60 min of recovery. Cardiac and ventilatory activity during rest and recovery were measured, as was whole body lactate and blood lactate that were used to estimate total muscle activity. (continued on page 2) Table of Contents Faculty Participate in Library Grant Prakash Bhuta, professor of biology, Karen Carlberg, professor of biology, Margaret “Peggy” O’Connell, professor of biology, and Robin O’Quinn, visiting assistant professor of biology, were selected to participate in a library grant on information literacy. The aim of the project is to improve student research skills. See article on page 3 for details. Department News EPOC & the Desert Iguana Alumni Gene Stacking Research Library Research Skills Biology Department Seminars Alumni Update Hollister-Stier Awards Contact Us Page 1 1 1 2 3 3 3 4 4 Biology News Mini Chromosome Technology Allows Gene Stacking In 2001, Gary Rudgers (PhD), BS in Biology (1993), got in on the ground floor of Chromatin, Inc., a Chicago-based company that develops and markets proprietary technology which enables entire chromosomes to be designed and incorporated into plant cells. These minichromosomes can be used in any plant to simultaneously introduce multiple genes while maintaining precise control of gene expression. Chromatin’s mini-chromosome technology can be used to deliver genes that benefit the agricultural, nutritional, energy, pharmaceutical, and chemical sectors. Gary has moved up in Chromatin from the position of Senior Scientist to Director of Laboratory Operations and Molecular Biology. Gary is co-author of a recently-published paper: Carlson, S.R., Rudgers, G.W., Zieler, H., Mach, J.M., Luo, S., Grunden, E., Krol, C., Copenhaver, G.P., & Preuss, D. (2007). Meiotic transmission of an in vitro-assembled autonomous maize minichromosome. PLos Genetics, 3(10), October 2007. This research involves gene stacking, in which scientists build an engineered minichromosome with all the desired traits. The entire genetic sequence is inserted into the cell, effectively adding a new chromosome to the plant’s genetic makeup. These new traits will be passed to future generations through natural cellular processes. Scientists can stack as many genes in the chromosomes as they want, allowing many genetic changes to be made at once. And since the new genes don’t change any of the plant’s existing genetic material, plant characteristics are more predictable. Currently, scientists insert single genes into a plant’s nucleus. Through natural cellular processes that gene is randomly inserted into Page 1 chromosomes. Depending on where the gene is inserted, the resulting trait may be positive or negative as it interacts with other genes in the chromosome. In other words, the plant’s original genetic code has been changed and the results are unpredictable. Gene stacking technology allows scientists to custom-design plants that have traits such as drought resistance, insect repellence, and rot resistance – all at the same time and with a degree of accuracy never before possible.♦ EPOC (cont. from page 1) This vigorous activity was supported primarily by glycolysis (65%) and phosphocreatine hydrolysis (29%) with only a small contribution from aerobic metabolism (2.5%). Aerobic recovery lasted 43.8 ± 4.6 min, and EPOC measured 0.166 ± 0.025 mL oxygen / gram. This was a large proportion (98%) of the total suprabasal metabolic cost of the activity to the animal. The various contributions to EPOC following this short but vigorous activity were quantified and a majority of EPOC was accounted for. The two primary causes of EPOC were phosphocreatine repletion (32-50%) and lactate glycogenesis (30-47%). Four other components played smaller roles: ATP repletion (8-13%), elevated ventilatory activity (2%), elevated cardiac activity (2%), and oxygen store resaturation (1%). Tom identifies that these findings are important because recovery from intense exercise is very costly on a per-distance basis, and is especially costly in an anaerobic specialist such as the desert iguana. This paper identifies and quantifies the biochemical pathways which are responsible for this cost, and provides a contrast to a more aerobic system (like humans) where the components contributing to costly recovery are quite different. ♦ Page 2 Biology News Biology Faculty Selected for Library Grant Upcoming Biology Department Seminars Four Biology Department faculty were selected to participate in a year-long project on improving student research skills. EWU Libraries received an EWU Strategic Planning grant that partners with Biology and History Departments to strengthen research components within existing curricula. Prakash Bhuta, Karen Carlberg, Peggy O’Connell, and Robin O’Quinn were selected to (1) define research skills required for biology students and (2) Redesign the research component of at least three undergraduate courses: a lower division course for majors and non-majors; a course required for all majors; and an advanced or capstone course for majors. Meeting for the first time on October 2, the group will have five seminar sessions in which they’ll discuss methods of inquiry pertaining to the selected courses. Methods for teaching students how to conduct library research will be reviewed, along with discussion on engaging students in library research. Faculty will work alone and in small groups to apply identified concepts to the revised courses. Courses identified for redesign are: BIOL 270 (Biological Investigation), BIOL 301 (Microbiology), BIOL 304 (Vertebrate Zoology), and BIOL 490 (Animal Physiology – Sr. Capstone). These courses will be piloted by Spring 2008 and will include assessment of student development of library research competencies. Watch future issues of Biology News for results of this project. ♦ Starting February 8 at 2:30 p.m., alternate Fridays are seminar days. Starting in Science Building Room 175 with social networking, presentations will begin at 3:00 p.m. in Science Building Room 137. Students, faculty, alumni, and the public are invited to attend. The tentative schedule (subject to change) is: 2/8/08 Developmental Plasticity in a Vertebrate – Dr. Jason Podrabsky (Portland State University) 2/22/08 Aquatic Ecology Symposium – an all-day information-fest at the Riverpoint campus in Spokane (detail in the Winter 2008 newsletter) 2/29/08 Managing Trout Fisheries in Eastern British Columbia – Dr. Brian Chan (British Columbia Ministry of the Environment) 4/11/08 New Developments in RNA Technology – Clay Malinak (Spokane Falls Community College) 4/25/08 Neurophysiology of Human Diet – Dr. Sue Ritter (Washington State University) 5/9/08 Wildlife Ecology – Nancy Straub (Gonzaga University) Be sure to check http://www.ewu.edu/biology for upto-date presentation information. ♦ UPDATED ALUMNI UPDATE Dawn Maghakian, Master of Science (Human Genetics/Bioinformatics emphasis), 2005 Updating the Summer 2007 Biology News information, in November Dawn transferred from Stanford Hospital & Clinics to Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, Siemens Clinical Laboratory in Berkeley, California. Returning to her love of “working hands-on in science,” Dawn’s position is Clinical Molecular Scientist 2. Dawn holds certifications of: Clinical Genetic Molecular Biologist (California) Clinical Specialist in Molecular Biology (NCA) Technologist in Molecular Pathology (ASCP) C meennttss!! mpplliisshhm Coonnggrraattuullaattiioonnss oonn yyoouurr aaccccoom Page 3 Biology News Hollister-Stier Textbook Assistance Awards The following students earned textbook awards for fall quarter: Margaret Marshall Thania Montero Krista Morrow Emily Ryser Darlene Soderberg Elmera Takhtrawan Congratulations Students! Thank you, Hollister-Stier, for your generosity in helping our students. Watch for the Winter 2008 Biology News … Riparian & Wetlands Symposium, Science Olympiad Club, MESA students, and more. Contact Us Biology News is a quarterly publication of the Eastern Washington University Department of Biology. To contribute items of interest – news, features, alumni updates – please contact: Sue Murphy, Operations Manager EWU Biology Department 258 Science Building Cheney, WA 99004 PH: (509) 359-6809 FAX: (509) 359-6867 [email protected] Visit us on the Web at http://www.ewu.edu/x21796.xml Page 4 Department of Biology 258 Science Building Cheney, WA 99004-2440