2020 Abstracts

Jackson, Ryan; Miller, Charles (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Jackson, Ryan (College of Science, Chemistry and Biochemistry Department); Miller, Charles (College of Engineering, Biological Engineering Department)

The concept of real time species identification in situ is a long time researchers dream. This dream now lies within reach due to the recent innovation of nanopore sequencing technology. These machines, with their small size and powerful computing capability, have made it possible to preform 16s and whole genome sequencing, with a setup that can fit in a backpack. Not only will this increase convenience of sampling for researchers, but a recent study in Wales has shown that sampling on site may help to identify closely related organisms at a greater level of accuracy (Parker, 2017). If sampling in the field really can give more accurate results, field sequencing may help to identify an extraordinarily large amount of biodiversity and genetic pathways.
One obstacle that stands in the way of this technology becoming more accessible across the globe is the lack of scientific literature on how to build the infrastructure necessary to sample on site. This study aims to construct a complete, self-contained kit with which you could field sequence. I have, currently at my disposal, a portable thermocycler, a nanopore sequencer, and computer designed with a workflow to do real time sequencing analysis. Using this technology already available, we aim to round out the kit with the necessary reagents, and structure to house the equipment. We will provide in depth analysis of the equipment, reagents, and all other materials provided to sequence a sample in any given location.

Kaneshiro, Alma; Jordan, Adam; Crompton, Rhees; Brailsford, Samantha; Spencer, Jonathan (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Clark, Daniel (Science, Microbiology Department and Neuroscience Center); Chaston, John (Life Sciences, Plant & Wildlife Sciences)

Antibiotic resistance is of great concern in the medical community, with bacterial resistance increasing proportional to their use. Staphylococcus aureus, such as methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), can cause fatal infections. Problems due to this resistance are compounded when the infecting bacteria form a biofilm, thick sticky layers of bacterial secretions, which are difficult for antibiotics to penetrate. Biofilm formation is common in hospital settings on stents, catheters, and IV lines. Biofilms make antibiotic treatment risky due to incomplete killing—the most resistant survive exposure. There is evidence that bacteriophage can break up biofilms, possibly making them more susceptible to antibiotics. We induced a S. aureus biofilm formation using chemicals that mimic a skin wound. Using bacteriophage K, we inoculated the biofilm and observed clearance. Samples of cell pellets and liquid supernatant were collected, and DNA was extracted. Real-time PCR was used to quantify the levels of bacteriophage K replication, representing clearance of the bacteria. This research can be used to find efficient ways to treat an infection caused by a S. aureus biofilm. Bacteriophage used in combination with antibiotics may be able to better clear a biofilm infection and reduce antibiotic resistance risk due to more complete infection clearance.

Townsend, Jessica; Freitas, Claudia; Weber, Scott; Cardon, Dallin (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Weber, Scott (Brigham Young University / Life Sciences, Microbiology and Molecular Biology)

The World Health Organization reported in 2016 that oral diseases affected half of the world's population. Oral diseases are due to poor oral hygiene and tobacco use which can develop into periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is caused by an immune response to microbial challenge, which initiates an invasion of lymphocytes and other single-nucleated cells to the site of inflammation in the mouth that can cause tooth loss and is a risk factor for heart and lung disease. Patients with severe periodontitis have increased auto-reactive B lymphocytes that express the CD5 co-receptor and these cells are influenced by T cells. We propose to investigate the relationship between oral inflammation, CD5, and the T helper immune response. This will be done by comparing oral inflammation in mice with and without CD5. CD5 is a T cell co-receptor that regulates T cell development and function and we hypothesize CD5 plays an important role in periodontal disease. We will test this hypothesis by co-culturing T cells expressing or lacking CD5 with oral mucosal or gingival epithelial cells that have been exposed to LPS (lipopolysaccharide, a major component of gram-negative bacteria's wall) and will exam differences in cell number, T cell subtype, and cell function.

Stoneham, Lisa; Brasso, Dr. Rebecka (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Brasso, Rebecka (Weber State University, Zoology)

Mercury is a toxic heavy metal that poses significant health threats to people and wildlife. The organic form of mercury, methylmercury, is converted from its inorganic form via microbial methylation. Methylmercury is dangerous because it attaches to proteins in the blood, muscle, and other tissues and can cross the blood-brain and placental barriers. Microbial methylation is enhanced in anoxic environments such as wetlands, which are increasingly being classified as mercury hotspots where animals accumulate elevated concentrations relative to those in terrestrial systems. This is concerning for the wetlands of the Great Salt Lake due to its history of anthropogenic inputs of pollutants and its importance as a breeding ground and rest stop for migrating avian species. Previous research has shown significant mercury methylation occurring within the Deep Brine Layer of the GSL. The purpose of this project was to investigate potential spatial variation in mercury concentration in different portions of the GSL. With a focus on invertebrates, we collected insects including brine flies, midges, damselflies, and crane flies from three sites of varying salinity around Antelope Island State Park: Farmington Bay, White Rock Bay, and the Antelope Island Marina. Mercury concentrations in insects were determined using a Nippon MA-3000 Direct Mercury Analyzer. Our results will provide a preliminary assessment of mercury concentrations in flying insects from different habitats around the island. This will help in determining differential risk to insectivorous songbirds, waterfowl, and shorebirds foraging on these common prey species in the GSL.

Jensen, Daelin; Baxter, Melanie (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Tessem, Jeffery (Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science; Life Sciences)

Approximately 1.25 million people are currently living with type 1 diabetes. By 2050, 5 million people are expected to be diagnosed with the disease1. The insulin secreting pancreatic beta cells are essential to control proper glucose absorption and storage in insulin sensitive peripheral tissue. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are characterized by decreased functional beta cell mass and, consequently, decreased insulin production. One potential intervention is the use of beta cell transplantation from cadaveric donors. A major impediment to greater application of this treatment is the scarcity of transplant ready beta cells. Increasing the quantity of functional beta cells for transplantation will lead to increased insulin production and better management of the disease. Various genes have been defined that can induce beta cell replication. A major caveat of these findings, however, is that these factors induce replication in young beta cells but not in aged beta cells. Age-dependent morphological changes in the beta cell are poorly understood, despite its relevance to type 1 diabetes: here, we show that insulin-positive tissue area changes with age. Given that the majority of beta cells that will be used for transplant will come from aged donors, it is imperative to understand why aged beta cells are refractory to the aforementioned proliferative mechanisms. The cell cycle is tightly regulated by cyclin-dependent kinases. Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKI's) bind to cyclin dependent kinases, inhibiting cell proliferation. We hypothesized that these CDKIs are responsible for the observed lack of proliferation in aged animals. We demonstrate the expression of the Ink4 and Cip/Kip family of CDKI's by mRNA, protein and histological expression in 5 week and 5 month old primary rat beta cells. In addition, we show how size-related expression differences of CDKIs relate to beta cell proliferation.

Hannah A. Veltkamp, Sydney Houghton, Michael T. Stevens (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Stevens, Micheal (Utah Valley University, Biology)

Netleaf hackberry (Celtis reticulata) is a deciduous shrub native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Individual shrubs can be long-lived, but newly established stands of hackberry are rare. The lack of juvenile hackberry in the wild could be due to low germination rates reported in both laboratory and field settings. The seeds of hackberry are embedded in drupes that are an important source of food for birds and small mammals. Animals likely play an important role in seed dispersal, and passing through a digestive tract could increase the germination rates of hackberry seeds. Passage through the digestive tract of a mammal can increase the germination rates for some plant species, but not for others. We hypothesized that passage through the digestive tract of a coyote would increase the germination rates of C. reticulata. To test this hypothesis, we collected 17 coyote scats containing visible hackberry fruits from along the Bonneville Shoreline Trail east of Provo, Utah, using latex gloves. Each scat location was recorded using a GPS unit. After collecting each scat, we found the closest hackberry shrub and picked a sample of fresh hackberry fruits from it. All samples were cleaned and cold stratified and then planted into cone-tainers containing a potting soil mix and placed in the Utah Valley University greenhouse. We sowed 20 seeds from each of the 17 coyote scats and

20 seeds from each of the neighboring hackberry bushes for a total of 680 seeds. The 680 cone-tainers were labeled with plastic stakes and randomly positioned into trays that were randomly distributed on a bench in the greenhouse. The seeds, and later seedlings, were watered as needed (typically three days/week). On watering days, we checked for newly-germinated hackberry seedlings and recorded their date of emergence. Near the end of the experiment, we measured the height of each seedling. The germination rate of hackberry seeds that had passed through the

digestive tract of a coyote did not differ from the germination rate of seeds from fresh-picked fruit (42.7% vs. 46.5%, respectively; _ 2 = 0.558, df = 1, p = 0.455). However, on average, the coyote-treatment seeds took just over half as many days to germinate as did the seeds from fresh-picked (undigested) fruit (35 days vs. 69 days, respectively; p < 0.001). The seedlings from coyote-treatment seeds were 9.5% taller than were the seedlings derived from seeds from undigested fruit (6.4 cm vs. 5.8 cm, respectively; p < 0.001). Our results show that consumption by coyotes can benefit hackberries by enabling their seeds to germinate earlier in the year when

conditions for establishment are good. The earlier start on germination that coyote-ingested hackberries get translates to increased height and likely a higher rate of survival in the field.

Elison, Weston; Bauchle, Casey; Bunker, Libby; Stephens, Samuel; Tessem, Jeffery (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Tessem, Jeffery (Brigham Young University; Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science)

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) effects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, with that number increasing rapidly. It is characterized by increased insulin resistance and dysfunctional insulin secretion. The beta cell of the pancreas is the primary insulin secreting tissue, found in the endocrine tissue of the pancreas called islets of Langerhans. In T2D beta cells become glucose intolerant and disease progression is characterized by loss of functional beta cell mass. Previous studies have shown that the transcription factor Nkx6.1 is vital for beta cell differentiation, identity, and insulin secretion. Research has indicated that Nkx6.1 expression and protein levels decrease in pancreatic islets from human donors with T2D. Our data indicates that glucolipotoxicity, a common model for obesity and diabetes in cell culture, leads to decreased Nkx6.1 mRNA expression, protein levels and nuclear localization in Ins-1 832/13 cells. Nkx6.1 regulates genes in the nucleus , and its loss inhibits proper insulin secretion. We propose that reactive oxygen species created by metabolism of excess fuel decreases Nkx6.1 expression and Nkx6.1 target gene expression, as measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Also, increased glucose concentrations causes increased Nkx6.1 protein degradation and translocation out of the nucleus. Protein levels will be measured by western blot and localization by confocal microscopy. In order to understand how these changes effect beta cell function, we will measure glucose stimulated insulin secretion by sandwich Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). We further propose that Nkx6.1 overexpression will restore beta cell function. These results will assist in unraveling the cause of beta cell dysfunction in T2D.

Haynie, Christopher; Freitas, Claudia M. Tellez; Whitley, Kiara V.; Weber, K. Scott (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Weber, K. Scott (Life Sciences, Microbiology and Molecular Biology)

T cells play a critical role in the adaptive immune response and undergo significant metabolic changes upon activation. T cell co-receptors influence T cell activation and function, yet their influence on T cell metabolism remains unclear. CD5, an inhibitory co-receptor expressed on the surface of T cells, is known to regulate thymocyte selection and T cell receptor (TCR) signaling. We previously observed that CD5 plays a critical role in calcium signaling in naïve helper T cells. As calcium signaling influences metabolic changes in cells, our current work focuses on understanding the role of CD5 in T cell metabolism. To understand how CD5 regulates metabolism in T cells, we used CD5 deficient T cells and compared them to wildtype CD5 sufficient T cells. We have characterized their metabolic activity using glycolytic and mitochondrial respiration assays. Interestingly, CD5 deficient naïve T cells have increased glycolysis, mitochondrial respiration, and spare respiratory capacity in comparison to wildtype T cells. We hypothesize that this is due to CD5 altering mitochondrial membrane potential and mass, gene regulation, and the influence of different cellular fuels. Understanding how CD5 regulates T cell metabolism will provide critical insights for improved immunotherapeutic strategies.

Lidgard, Audrey; French, Susannah; Hudson, Spencer (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Lidgard, Susannah (College of Science, Biology Department)

Ectothermic organisms, such as reptiles, rely on the external environment for regulating internal temperatures necessary for vital physiological processes. When faced with environmental challenges, temperature may differentially affect how allostatic mediators (e.g., glucocorticoid hormones) are released to mediate energy allocation for handling stressors. Subsequent differences in energy mobilization and circulating metabolites during a stress response may ultimately influence self-maintenance processes such as immunity. The aims of this research were to determine how stress sensitivity varies with diurnal temperatures in the Plateau Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana uniformis) and to assess the potential implications for immune function. Both baseline and stress-induced levels of glucocorticoids (corticosterone) and energy metabolites (glucose) were compared to body temperature and the thermal environment. Variation in innate immune function (bactericidal ability) was then compared to both temperature and physiological parameters at baseline and stress-induced levels. Stress reactivity via glucocorticoid release positively corresponded with body and environmental temperatures, although glucose release did not. Bactericidal ability subsequent to a stressor negatively corresponded with body temperature and glucocorticoid release. Such findings provide further insight on how stress sensitivity and self-maintenance can vary across the thermal environment, posing potential fitness consequences for an ectothermic organism.

Edwards, Jeffrey; Friend, Lindsey; Weed, Jared; Sandova, Philipl; Nufer, Teresa; Ostlund, Isaac Ostlund (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Edwards, Jeffrey (Life Sciences, Physiology and Developmental Biology)

Substance abuse is a widespread problem in the United States. Although there are some existing treatments for addiction, the neural mechanisms of addiction are not deeply understood. This study quantifies the expression of GAD65 and GAD67 in GABAergic cells in the VTA of adolescent mice to shed light on the subtypes of cells involved in learning and addiction pathways.

The ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the brain, a critical part of the dopamine reward system, has many dopamine cells that are inhibited by nearby GABAergic neurons. Formation of memories and addiction involve long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) of these inhibitory GABA cells. We studied potential pathways of learning and addiction by measuring levels of expression of GAD 65/67 proteins and quantifying the cells that express one or both of these proteins.

Our results will provide insight about which GABAergic neurons are involved in the addiction pathway, furthering our understanding of the cellular mechanism of addiction. This will pave the way for more educated, effective treatment of drug addicts in clinical settings.

Not yet published (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Chaston, John (Brigham young University, Life Sciences)

Within an organism's gut are many strains of bacteria that are constantly interacting with their host. Microbiota composition has been shown to impact many aspects of host health such as metabolism, fat-storage, starvation resistance, and reproduction. Certain behaviors and outcomes have been correlated with certain microbial taxa present in the host gut.

D. melanogaster serves as a useful tool for studying this relationship because its microbiota contains relatively few bacterial strains and is both widely studied and largely understood. Previous research within our lab involving D. melanogaster has found trends in many life-history strategies (ie. reproduction, fecundity, lifespan) that correlate with the presence of certain gut bacteria. While there are many aspects of health that microbiota composition affects, there are also a variety of factors that impact microbiota composition thus leading to these end results.

This experiment seeks to further understand the role that environment has in determining microbiota composition. By rearing gnotobiotic flies in environments that differ in temperature, we can then analyze microbiota content to see if any fluctuations occur due to environmental temperature. If temperature is found to have an effect on the taxa present in fully developed D. melanogaster, we can then seek to determine whether or not there are evolutions taking place in host genotype that yield differing microbiota phenotypically.

Hendricks, Kyle; Tessem, Jeffery (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Tessem, Jeffery (Brigham Young University; Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science)

Over 30 million Americans suffer from type 1 (T1D) or type 2 diabetes (T2D), the seventh leading cause of death in the US. T1D and T2D is caused by a significant decrease in pancreatic β-cell mass, resulting in the body's inability to regulate blood glucose. Specifically, T1D is classified as an autoimmune disease due to pancreatic β-cell death by the body's T cells. Nf-κB is required for T cell mediated β-cell destruction. Nf-κB interacts with ICAM-1 on the T cell and acts in conjunction with IL-1β which acts as a T cell activator. This pathway is part of the mechanism that contributes to T cell mediated cell destruction. Here we hypothesize that IL-1β is involved in the mechanism that contributes to Nf-κB and ICAM-1 binding. We will begin with an electrophoretic mobility shift assay to identify the interactions between the ICAM-1 site on IL-1β treated cells and the Nf-κB binding complex. A better understanding of this pathology can, in the future, lead to a treatment that could regulate T cell mediated death of β-cells.

Edwards, Taylor; Ram, Akila; McCarty, Ashley; Bobeck, Erin N (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Bobeck, Erin (College of Science, Biology Department)

First-line chemotherapies against solid tumors are highly efficacious in reducing the tumor burden, but have many adverse side-effects including nerve damage, leading to chronic pain. Non-addictive, efficacious pain relievers are an area of active interest, and we propose a novel target to address this pressing issue. GPR171 is a G-Protein Coupled Receptor that was recently deorphanized and was identified to be expressed in the brain in regions that regulate reward, anxiety, and pain. Within the pain circuit, it was shown previously that systemic administration of the GPR171 agonist enhances morphine antinociception in acute pain tests. Preliminary data from our lab has shown that GPR171 activation can also alleviate persistent inflammatory pain. However, the role of this receptor has not been investigated in other chronic pain models. Given these findings in acute and inflammatory pain, we hypothesize that GPR171 can reduce neuropathic pain. To test this hypothesis, we investigate the role of GPR171 in chronic neuropathic pain. We tested the efficacy of a GPR171 agonist in a chemotherapy-induced neuropathy mouse model. Neuropathic pain was induced by injecting paclitaxel (16 mg/kg) followed by assessment of the pain-relieving effects of activating GPR171 receptors. Mechanical pain thresholds were assessed using Von Frey filaments. We observed an increase in mechanical thresholds following GPR171 agonist treatment. Further, using immunofluorescence we observed that there is a decrease in GPR171 receptors in the periaqueductal gray (PAG) of these mice that have neuropathic pain, indicating that the agonist can bind to the available receptors to produce pain relief. Overall, this study proposes that GPR171 may be a novel target for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Bonnett, Kelsie; Golden, Kaitlyn; Johnson, Jerry (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Johnson, Jerald (Brigham Young University, Biology)

Understanding life-history strategies allows us to know how a changing environment affects species and communities. Livebearing Poeciliid fish are commonly used as models to gain a better understanding of these strategies, but some species like Alfaro cultratus have been neglected in this process. A. cultratus is a freshwater fish with a unique keel-shaped anal fin commonly found along the eastern coast of Central America. To understand the life-history strategies of this species and use it as a future model, I am performing an experiment to: 1) determine if there is sexual selection in Alfaro cultratus considering both body size and anal fin length; 2) determine whether A. cultratus displays sexual selection; and 3) understand how predation influences both dimorphism and selection. To do this I will be performing a two-part experiment in which I will first analyze previously collected samples for morphological differences, and second perform a live experiment to test Alfaro female preference. By doing so I will be able to not only advance our understanding of A. cultratus, but of life-history theory and conservation strategies.

Szulik, Marta; Wang, Li; Franklin, Sarah. (University of Utah)
Faculty Advisor: Franklin, Sarah (Medicine, Internal Medicine)

Heart failure (HF) is a type of heart disease characterized by the structural and functional impairment of ventricular filling. In 2016, HF was the underlying cause of death in approximately 78,000 individuals and today more than 6.2 million Americans suffer from heart failure. HF is the final stage for many types of heart disease including cardiac hypertrophy. During hypertrophy, the ventricular walls thicken to help maintain the proper workload needed to continue supplying the body with oxygenated blood. In addition to increase in cell size, cardiac hypertrophy leads to cell death, fibrosis, metabolic reprogramming and reactivation of fetal gene expression. Gene expression is often modulated by changes in chromatin and histone structure via post-translational modifications (PTMs). Histone methylation, a covalent PTM, has been shown to play a significant role in cardiac development.

Smyd1 is a muscle specific lysine histone methyltransferase protein that has a role in early cardiac development and is known to methylate histone H3 on lysine-4. Additionally, loss of Smyd1 in adult mice models has been shown to induce heart failure and hypertrophy whereas overexpression of Smyd1 has been shown to restrict hypertrophic growth in cell model. Although Smyd1 knockdown experiments have been performed in vivo, the effects of knocking down Smyd1 in isolated cardiomyocytes has not been examined. Furthermore, the effects Smyd1 overexpression in adult mammalian heart failure is unknown.

This project seeks to characterize changes in global levels of histone PTM's as a result of either overexpressing or silencing Smyd1. Using proteomic analysis, we have identified the changes in histone methylation and consequently gene expression in the adult heart and isolated cells in response to Smyd1. Our results help us better understand Smyd1 role in the failing heart and help determine it therapeutic potential.

Carter, Riley; Hertig, Jess; Durrant, Doran (Southern Utah University)
Faculty Advisor: Pierce, Elizabeth (Science and Engineering, Physical Science)

Aldehyde oxidoreductases (AOR) are enzymes used to catalyze the conversion between aldehydes and carboxylic acids. Certain bacteria use these enzymes as a source of metabolism or to detoxify aldehydes to less toxic carboxylic acids: Desulfovibrio gigas uses a highly efficient enzyme (DgAOR) to oxidize benzaldehyde in metabolism while E. coli uses a periplasmic AOR (PaoABC) to detoxify aldehydes. These AORs are members of the xanthine oxidase family, but they don't metabolize many of the normal substrates characteristic of this enzyme family, namely purines. Moreover, the active sites of these enzymes have very different environments. Correia, et al (2014) characterized the kinetics and structure of DgAOR with several substrates and found that the Phe425 and Tyr535 residues at the active site likely stabilize aromatic aldehydes by pi stacking. This active site was also buried away from solvent. The active site of PaoABC lacked any significant aromatic residues and was positioned at the surface of the protein. The substrate stabilizing elements at this active site are Leu246 and Pro352. We are interested in why these active sites both are unreactive towards purines given their different chemical and location compared to the solvent. We propose that by mutating PaoABC to have smaller, nonpolar residues at the 246 and 352 position, we may be able to change the specificity of PaoABC to include purines. We also will mutate these residues to aromatic groups to probe at the chemical environment of the active site and its similarities to DgAOR.

Smith, Chyanne; Jal, Tumursukh; Duuji, Nyam-Ochir; Tumur, Battogtokh; Mull, John (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Mull, John (Weber State University, College of Science; Zoology)

The Darhad Valley, Mongolia, is a sparsely populated area with abundant wildlife and numerous livestock, including: goats, yaks, horses, and sheep. Few studies completed in this location have placed an importance on obtaining baseline species data. To our knowledge, no data have been collected on small mammal diversity, density, and distribution. This study focused on live-trapping small mammals, with an emphasis on rodents, in six locations throughout the Darhad. We aimed to identify species currently present and develop protocols for future work. Captured rodents represented four families: Sciuridae, Arvicolinae, Cricetidae, and Muridae. Common species included striped dwarf hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis), Mongolian silver voles (Alticola semicanus), and Korean field mice (Apodemus peninsulae). Challenges encountered, which must be mitigated in future studies, include: curious humans, resource and waste management, grazing animals, and novel food sources. These studies should also emphasize community composition, range, and presence of ectoparasites, which could transfer zoonotic diseases.

Bell, McKenzie; Porter, Tyrel; Naylor, Emily; Domyan, Eric (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Domyan, Eric (Utah Valley University, Biology)

The domestic rock pigeon has been the subject of selective breeding for over a hundred years and so displays an immense variety of phenotypes. This variety provides opportunities to further understand the genetic basis of phenotypic evolution. Pigmentation of pigeon feathers is controlled by multiple alleles at different loci, which influences the type and amount of melanin deposited in the feathers. A specific phenotype, known as "recessive red", consists of distinctly red plumage and is caused by a mutation that greatly reduces the expression of the gene SOX10. This gene encodes a transcription factor, known to play a key role in melanocyte maturation and proliferation. SOX10 likely regulates the transcription of multiple downstream genes but the identities of these genes are largely unknown. To identify downstream targets of SOX10, we compared the transcriptomes of regenerating feathers from wild-type and recessive red birds to identify genes that had different expression levels between the two groups. We identified 46 genes that are expressed at different levels between wild-type and recessive red birds, and thus potential targets of SOX101. Of the 46 genes, Tbx2 was selected as a starter because it is one of the only transcription factors regulated by Sox10 in melanocytes. This mechanism makes it a plausible candidate given the critical role proteins play in phenotypic expression ("TBX2 T-box transcription factor 2—Gene—NCBI," n.d.).