Mitochondrial gene transcription and genome copy number in freeze tolerant larvae of the Arctic woolly bear caterpillar, Gynaephor groenlandica, and the Goldenrod gall fly, Eurosta solidaginis

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorBarber, Sarah Anneen_US
dc.date.accessioned2024-08-13T00:07:17Z
dc.date.available2024-08-13T00:07:17Z
dc.date.copyright2001en_US
dc.date.issued2001
dc.degree.departmentDepartment of Biology
dc.degree.levelMaster of Science M.Sc.en
dc.description.abstractThe Arctic woolly bear caterpillar, Gynaephora groenlandica, and Goldenrod gall fly, Eurosta solidaginis, are two species of freeze tolerant insects. Both use a system of cryoprotectants and reduced metabolism characteristic of diapause to enhance cold hardiness. Mitochondrial degradation was previously suggested as an adaptive response to cold in Gynaephora, and postulated to occur in Eurosta. Molecular analyses were used to examine mitochondrial gene transcription and to analyze changes in mitochondrial copy number during cold hardiness in both species. Epifluorescent microscopy using bisbenzimide, a DNA specific chromophore, showed increased maximum mitochondrial density in fat body cells of winter collected Eurosta larvae held at l0°C compared to cells from fall collected larvae. Northern analysis using mitochondrial specific probes, cytochrome oxidase and 16S ribosomal RNA, demonstrated increased high molecular weight transcripts in winter collected Eurosta larvae, while in Gynaephora processed mitochondrial transcripts were more abundant in cold adapted larvae. Northern blot results were consistent with increased RNA stability with cold adaptation in both Eurosta and Gynaephora, although different mechanisms were suggested. Dot blot analyses indicated that mitochondrial genome copy number was reduced in cold adapted Gynaephora larvae, but that there was no decrease in copy number in Eurosta cold adapted larvae. Restriction digests of total DNA from Eurosta, Gynaephora, and Drosophila hybridized with mitochondrial probes indicated the presence of mitochondrial derived sequences in nuclear genomes.
dc.format.extent124 pages
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1828/17168
dc.rightsAvailable to the World Wide Weben_US
dc.titleMitochondrial gene transcription and genome copy number in freeze tolerant larvae of the Arctic woolly bear caterpillar, Gynaephor groenlandica, and the Goldenrod gall fly, Eurosta solidaginisen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
BARBER_Sarah_Anne_MSC_2001_1203158.pdf
Size:
32.55 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download

Collections

Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD)
 
University of Victoria Libraries

We acknowledge and respect the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the university stands, and the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.