Daria Paulis

Date of Award

2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Leininger, Elizabeth

Area of Concentration

Biology

Abstract

Transcriptomic studies are a great tool for trying to understand the molecular support mechanisms for behavior and physiology. This thesis builds on a previous transcriptomic study that was done in Xenopus (African clawed frogs). Xenopus use sex- and species-specific vocalizations to mediate reproduction. Differences in vocalizations are supported by the sexually dimorphic larynx, the muscle responsible for vocalizations. Work to understand Xenopus laryngeal physiology and morphology had found sex differences in the fiber type, size, and density. Our past transcriptomic study found greb1 (growth regulation by estrogen in breast cancer 1) to be differentially expressed between males and females in two species. This thesis used immunohistochemistry to look for GREB1 protein expression in Xenopus laevis laryngeal muscle. I found that there is increased GREB1 protein expression levels in males compared to females. Additionally, GREB1 expression was not found to be fiber type specific. This finding lines up with the findings of the transcriptomic study, highlighting the biological relevance of this gene. There are multiple proposed mechanisms of action for how greb1 is contributing to sex differences in laryngeal physiology, and future work can seek to understand this. More broadly, this work highlights how tissue growth and development can be impacted by hormones.

Download

Share

COinS