Bachelor of Science in Mathematics/Biology Abstract ID# 1406
Undergraduate Category: Physical and Life Sciences Degree Level: Bachelor of Science in Mathematics/Biology Abstract ID# 1406
Protein Contributions to Progeny in the Face of Disease Colette Biro, Erin Cole, and Dr. Rebeca Rosengaus
nests within areas of high microbial activity(fig. 1)1. Life history and parental investment theories predict that selection pressures can shape an organism to optimize survival and reproduction in face of environmental stressors, such as pathogen exposure (fig. 2)2. Life history traits include Figure 1: Embryos in size, growth, survival, reproduction and immune function, microbial-rich environment which can be traded-off against each other3,4. Hence, parents may differentially provision their offspring depending on their own exposure to pathogens. Resources, Signaling
Reproduction
Somatic Maintenance
Resources, Signaling
1.00
0.80
0.60
0.40
0.20
0.15
0.10
0.05
0
E2
E1
0 3.75
4.00
4.25
4.5
4.75
5.00
Figure 7: Naïve vs. incipient colony of origin for protein concentration, standardized by volume. There is a significant difference (ANOVA, p=.000) between means of protein concentration of embryos collected from mature naive colonies and incipient naïve colonies. Mature colony embryos (n=23) demonstrate more protein per sample than do incipient colony embryos (n=57).
0.25
0.20 0.15
0.10
0.05
0
Naïve Mature
E3
Developmental Stage
0.20
In a comparison of colony maturity, it was found that stage 1 embryos from mature, established colony have a greater protein concentration, standardized by length, than stage 1 embryos from incipient colonies (ANOVA, p=0.000,fig. 7).
Protein: Length
Protein concentration of samples collected (n=53) from four mature naïve colonies demonstrate a relationship between length, protein concentration, and developmental stage (fig. 4). In addition, protein concentration demonstrates an inverse relationship with length: as length increases, the proportional amount of protein in an embryo decreases (fig. 5).
Mean ratio of protein : length
Introduction: Zootermopsis angusticollis inhabits and
Results – Naïve vs. Incipient Colony of Origin
Results – Protein Concentration vs. Length of Embryo by Developmental Stage
Protein (mg/mL)
Abstract: Differential resource allocation to offspring represents one way in which parents influence their progeny’s phenotype and survival. This is particularly significant if parents and their progeny exploit stressful environments such as nesting in areas with high microbial activity. Because termites nest within, and feed on, decayed wood, they likely live under significant pathogenic selection pressures. Theoretically, such parents could contribute different amounts of metabolites, such as protein, to their unborn offspring so as to ensure that the next generation is better equipped to cope with potential future pathogenic risks. Proteins are biomolecules immensely important in cellular processes of life, such as metabolism, structure and function, somatic growth, and immunocompetence. We hypothesize that embryos of the dampwood termite Zootermopsis angusticollis have differences in protein content depending on their developmental growth phase and parental treatment. Termite embryos have three distinct stages. In addition, an experiment was designed with four different treatment groups to demonstrate how protein may differ according to parental exposure to a common environmental pathogen Serratia marcescens. These treatments are: naive (untreated), control (saline-injected), vaccine (heat-killed S. marcescens), and challenged (live S. marcescens). Protein was measured (by Bradford assay) and specific trends in total protein content are seen between these different embryonic stages and as an effect of parental treatment.
Figure 5: Mean ratio of protein : length vs. developmental stage. This demonstrates the inverse relationship between protein, standardized by length, and the corresponding developmental stage.
Total Length (mm)
Preliminary Results – Protein Content vs. Maternal Treatment Across maternal treatments of naïve, control, vaccine, and challenged individuals, the embryos display differences in protein content distribution. Preliminary data suggests that protein may be differentially allocated into her embryos based on maternal exposure to a pathogen (fig. 8). Naive Figure 8: Effect of maternal
Figure 4: Protein concentration vs. length of embryo, separated by stage. Stage 1 embryos (red, n=23) have the most protein content even though they are the shortest embryos. Stage 3 embryos (blue, n=13) have lower amounts of protein, standardized by length, despite being longer in length. Stage 2 embryos (orange, n=17) fall in between stage 1 and stage 3 in regards to protein content and length. This demonstrates an inverse relationship between protein concentration and length of embryos.
Results: Protein Concentration vs. Developmental Stage of Embryo E1
E2
E3
Figure 3: Embryos from stage 1 (left), stage 2 (middle), and stage 3 (right).
We hypothesize that embryos of Z. angusticollis will have differences in protein content based on both their developmental stage and the parental treatment.
Methods: Protein as a function of Embryological Stage Embryos of all three developmental stages were collected from mature naïve termite colonies. Embryos were measured for length and width and their total protein quantified with an Bradford Assay. Protein contributions as a function of Parental Treatment Parents were paired in four maternal treatments: naive (untreated), control (saline-injected mother), vaccine (heat-killed Serratia marcescens), and challenged (live S. marcescens). Fathers were always naïve. Embryos were collected, measured and protein concentration was quantified by a Bradford Assay.
Figure 6: Protein concentration and developmental stage. Differences in protein content between stage 1 (E1, n=23), stage 2 (E2, n=17), and stage 3 (E3, n=13) are significant (ANOVA, p=0.000; Bonferroni, p
Protein Contributions to Progeny in the Face of Disease Colette Biro, Erin Cole, and Dr. Rebeca Rosengaus
nests within areas of high microbial activity(fig. 1)1. Life history and parental investment theories predict that selection pressures can shape an organism to optimize survival and reproduction in face of environmental stressors, such as pathogen exposure (fig. 2)2. Life history traits include Figure 1: Embryos in size, growth, survival, reproduction and immune function, microbial-rich environment which can be traded-off against each other3,4. Hence, parents may differentially provision their offspring depending on their own exposure to pathogens. Resources, Signaling
Reproduction
Somatic Maintenance
Resources, Signaling
1.00
0.80
0.60
0.40
0.20
0.15
0.10
0.05
0
E2
E1
0 3.75
4.00
4.25
4.5
4.75
5.00
Figure 7: Naïve vs. incipient colony of origin for protein concentration, standardized by volume. There is a significant difference (ANOVA, p=.000) between means of protein concentration of embryos collected from mature naive colonies and incipient naïve colonies. Mature colony embryos (n=23) demonstrate more protein per sample than do incipient colony embryos (n=57).
0.25
0.20 0.15
0.10
0.05
0
Naïve Mature
E3
Developmental Stage
0.20
In a comparison of colony maturity, it was found that stage 1 embryos from mature, established colony have a greater protein concentration, standardized by length, than stage 1 embryos from incipient colonies (ANOVA, p=0.000,fig. 7).
Protein: Length
Protein concentration of samples collected (n=53) from four mature naïve colonies demonstrate a relationship between length, protein concentration, and developmental stage (fig. 4). In addition, protein concentration demonstrates an inverse relationship with length: as length increases, the proportional amount of protein in an embryo decreases (fig. 5).
Mean ratio of protein : length
Introduction: Zootermopsis angusticollis inhabits and
Results – Naïve vs. Incipient Colony of Origin
Results – Protein Concentration vs. Length of Embryo by Developmental Stage
Protein (mg/mL)
Abstract: Differential resource allocation to offspring represents one way in which parents influence their progeny’s phenotype and survival. This is particularly significant if parents and their progeny exploit stressful environments such as nesting in areas with high microbial activity. Because termites nest within, and feed on, decayed wood, they likely live under significant pathogenic selection pressures. Theoretically, such parents could contribute different amounts of metabolites, such as protein, to their unborn offspring so as to ensure that the next generation is better equipped to cope with potential future pathogenic risks. Proteins are biomolecules immensely important in cellular processes of life, such as metabolism, structure and function, somatic growth, and immunocompetence. We hypothesize that embryos of the dampwood termite Zootermopsis angusticollis have differences in protein content depending on their developmental growth phase and parental treatment. Termite embryos have three distinct stages. In addition, an experiment was designed with four different treatment groups to demonstrate how protein may differ according to parental exposure to a common environmental pathogen Serratia marcescens. These treatments are: naive (untreated), control (saline-injected), vaccine (heat-killed S. marcescens), and challenged (live S. marcescens). Protein was measured (by Bradford assay) and specific trends in total protein content are seen between these different embryonic stages and as an effect of parental treatment.
Figure 5: Mean ratio of protein : length vs. developmental stage. This demonstrates the inverse relationship between protein, standardized by length, and the corresponding developmental stage.
Total Length (mm)
Preliminary Results – Protein Content vs. Maternal Treatment Across maternal treatments of naïve, control, vaccine, and challenged individuals, the embryos display differences in protein content distribution. Preliminary data suggests that protein may be differentially allocated into her embryos based on maternal exposure to a pathogen (fig. 8). Naive Figure 8: Effect of maternal
Figure 4: Protein concentration vs. length of embryo, separated by stage. Stage 1 embryos (red, n=23) have the most protein content even though they are the shortest embryos. Stage 3 embryos (blue, n=13) have lower amounts of protein, standardized by length, despite being longer in length. Stage 2 embryos (orange, n=17) fall in between stage 1 and stage 3 in regards to protein content and length. This demonstrates an inverse relationship between protein concentration and length of embryos.
Results: Protein Concentration vs. Developmental Stage of Embryo E1
E2
E3
Figure 3: Embryos from stage 1 (left), stage 2 (middle), and stage 3 (right).
We hypothesize that embryos of Z. angusticollis will have differences in protein content based on both their developmental stage and the parental treatment.
Methods: Protein as a function of Embryological Stage Embryos of all three developmental stages were collected from mature naïve termite colonies. Embryos were measured for length and width and their total protein quantified with an Bradford Assay. Protein contributions as a function of Parental Treatment Parents were paired in four maternal treatments: naive (untreated), control (saline-injected mother), vaccine (heat-killed Serratia marcescens), and challenged (live S. marcescens). Fathers were always naïve. Embryos were collected, measured and protein concentration was quantified by a Bradford Assay.
Figure 6: Protein concentration and developmental stage. Differences in protein content between stage 1 (E1, n=23), stage 2 (E2, n=17), and stage 3 (E3, n=13) are significant (ANOVA, p=0.000; Bonferroni, p
