Engineering crop plants with the biological nitrogen fixation pathway is a longstanding goal of modern agriculture. Dinitrogenase reductase (NifH) is a critical component of the biological nitrogen fixation pathway, with multiple roles in metal cofactor assembly and catalysis. This enzyme must be folded correctly as a soluble homodimer and loaded with the [4Fe-4S] metallocluster for function. Previous studies have found that K...

Evolutionary pressure on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of teleost fish differs substantially from those of terrestrial animals. The intestine is a pivotal organ in teleost, for maintaining osmotic balance against the surrounding aquatic environment; primarily through its role in water absorption. Intestinal sensory and motor functions of vertebrates are largely mediated by the enteric nervous system (ENS) embedded within the...

Three Trials were performed to understand better how soy processed in different ways impacts the growth, feed conversion ratio, and health of the Florida pompano ( Trachinotus carolinus ). The first two growth Trials were performed to evaluate the efficacy of an open soy-based diet compared to a commercially produced, fish meal (FM)–based diet. Trial 1 compared a soy-based diet to a commercial FM-based diet using juvenile fish...

Translocations are an important tool for wildlife conservation, although progress in the field of reintroduction biology has been hindered by the ad hoc and opportunistic nature of many translocations. We used an experimental translocation to elucidate the role of raccoon roundworm ( Baylisascaris procyonis ) and inbreeding depression in the decline of the Allegheny woodrat ( Neotoma magister ), an endangered species. We trans...