Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA
Date of Award
12-2014
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Dr. Matthew Terry
Second Advisor
Dr. Kenneth Summy
Third Advisor
Dr. Michael Persans
Abstract
Collembola, or “springtails,” are small, edaphic arthropods classified as Entognatha; a group traditionally included as part of Hexapoda and sister-group to the true insects. However, some genetic studies suggest that they may instead have derived from a separate crustacean lineage rather than from a proto-Insecta lineage. The unique abdominal structures that develop on the collembolan ventral abdomen appear to be appendicular in origin – atypical to the canonical, appendage-less insect abdomen ground plan. I developed culture and embryo fixation protocols for; and sequenced and analyzed a multi-stage embryo transcriptome for Tomocerus minor (Collembola: Entomobryomorpha). This analysis annotated 14,417 distinct genes, identified all eight Hox genes, and several other genes that play a role in appendage and abdominal development during embryogenesis. I designed primers for eight target genes (Antp, Ubx, abdA, AbdB, Cad, en, inv, Dll) and successfully amplified portions of these genes, producing PCR products at predicted lengths.
Granting Institution
University of Texas-Pan American
Comments
Copyright 2014 Alejandro Alaniz. All Rights Reserved.
https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/preliminary-transcriptome-analysis-homeobox-gene/docview/1658783276/se-2