The intracellular mutualism between cnidarians and photosynthetic dinoflagellates (genus Symbiodinium) is responsible for the physical and trophic structure of diverse coral reef ecosystems. This relationship, based on nutrient exchange, allows for high productivity in tropical waters, which are generally nutrient-poor environments. Numerous environmental stressors currently threaten the health of corals,...
Cnidarians, such as corals and sea anemones serve as hosts to a variety of organisms including symbiotic dinoflagellates, bacteria, virus, and apicomplexans. As corals are vital to the health and productivity of the reef ecosystem it is important to understand how these organisms interact with each component of the holobiont....
Coral reproduction is vital to the persistence of coral reefs. Decades of ecological studies have correlated environmental variables, such as temperature and light, to the timing of reproduction in anthozoan cnidarians, including corals and sea anemones. However, elevated temperatures associated with climate change impair reproductive success and threaten the resilience...
Intracellular symbioses between cnidarians and dinoflagellates from the genus Symbiodinium are widespread throughout the marine environment. These associations are ecologically significant, especially in tropical waters where symbiotic interactions between corals and Symbiodinium culminate in the formation of limestone reefs. This thesis focuses on cellular and molecular aspects of the symbiosis,...
The symbiotic sea anemone Exaiptasia diaphana (Aiptasia) is a model organism used to better understand cnidarian-algal symbiosis and coral bleaching (dysbiosis). Many biological processes are hypothesized to be involved in coral dysbiosis, and the innate immunity is a key area of interest. Rab proteins are small proteins with GTPase domains,...
A compartmental model of the immune system is simulated.
Chapter I discusses the importance of such a
model, reviews past immune system models, and summaries
the immunological theory the model is based upon. In
Chapter II, the compartmental representation of the immune
system is developed from immunological and physiological
theory....
Renibacterium salmoninarum produces bacterial kidney
disease (BKD) in salmonid fish. Soluble antigen(s) (SA) produced
by the bacterium was characterized by physicochemical,
functional and immunological methods. The molecular weight
determination by SDS-PAGE analysis of SA yielded 14 different
molecular weight species. Seven of these species were
prominent, 57 kd protein being...
Plasma concentrations of cortisol, a glucocorticoid hormone that
is immunosuppressive in mammals, increase during stress and
smoltification of salmonids. There was a reduction in the ability of
lymphocytes to generate antibody producing cells (APC) in vivo
concurrent with increased plasma cortisol titers during smoltification
of coho salmon (Oncorhvnchus kisutch). Cortisol...
The in vitro effects of cortisol in regulating salmonid B cell functions were
investigated. B cells at three distinct stages of differentiation were examined for
cortisol sensitivity. B lymphocyte responses were examined 1) during the early stage
of the precursor, 2) during the intermediate stage of differentiation associated with
clonal...