• Login
    View Item 
    •   Carroll Scholars Home
    • Carroll College Student Undergraduate Research Festival
    • Carroll College Student Undergraduate Research Festival 2018-2019
    • View Item
    •   Carroll Scholars Home
    • Carroll College Student Undergraduate Research Festival
    • Carroll College Student Undergraduate Research Festival 2018-2019
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Effect of Lead on VMA1 ATPase Gene Expression and Feeding Behavior in Tetrahymena thermophila

    Thumbnail
    Author
    Butler, Sarah; Townsend, Jazmine
    Date of Issue
    2019-04-25
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    URI
    https://scholars.carroll.edu/handle/20.500.12647/7251
    Title
    Effect of Lead on VMA1 ATPase Gene Expression and Feeding Behavior in Tetrahymena thermophila
    Abstract
    Lead is an environmental toxin that has been sown to have deleterious effects on human health, including neurological defects, developmental delays, and bodily pain. The purpose of this experiment was to test whether prolonged exposure to lead altered expression of the VMA1 gene and feeding behavior in the model organism, Tetrahymena thermophila. The VMA1 gene encodes the protein VMA1 (Vacuolar Membrane ATPase) which assists in regulating active transport systems on the vacuolar membrane. We hypothesized that exposure of T. thermophila to lead would result in altered expression of the VMA1 gene and in the feeding behavior of these organisms. For the experiment, control and experimental cultures of T. thermophila were maintained in a nutrient-rich media (SPP). The experimental culture media was supplemented with 0.1% lead and the cultures were maintained for 24 hours to mimic acute exposure. The feeding behavior to T. thermophila was measured using an India ink assay over the course of 24 hour treatment period. After 24 hours, RNA was extracted from the T. thermophila and Reverse Transcriptase-qualitative-Polymerase Chain Reactions (RT-qPCRs) was performed to determine expression of the VMA1 gene in control and lead-treated cultures. It was predicted that lead exposure would cause T. thermophila to starve by reducing their ability to ingest food vacuoles and that the expression of VMA1 would decrease.
    Collections
    • Carroll College Student Undergraduate Research Festival 2018-2019

    Browse

    All of Carroll ScholarsCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2023  DuraSpace
    DSpace Express is a service operated by 
    Atmire NV