Essays on Pheromone

Introduction

Any contact between two bacterial cells that translates to the transfer of genetic material constitutes bacterial conjugation (Casali and Preston, 2003). Transfer of the DNA through conjugation falls under horizontal gene transfer (Singh et al., 2013). The genetic information is transferred to the recipient bacterium on a plasmid, and the mechanism and proteins involved vary based on the plasmid type in the donor strain (Casali and Preston, 2003). Application of conjugation can cause transfer of disrupted genes on a self-transmissible plasmid to form a mutant strain. Conjugation allows for bacterial biodiversity, which is significant in the sense that bacteria can acquire ...

The photomorpogenesis research project at Clemson University is very interesting. Photomorphogenesis means light-mediated growth, and photomorphogenesis research looks at how the manipulation of light sources effects plants. This regulation of plant growth is independent of photosynthesis and it is controlled by the pigment phytochrome. Phytochrome exists in two forms, Pr and Pfr and has peak absorptions at 660nm and 730nm red-range light. It’s the conversion of the pigment between the two forms that ultimately influences the plant growth, the morphology, flowering, and germination.

The photomorphogenesis research program at Clemson University was founded in 1985. The initial research ...

The term “pheromone” has been derived from Greek, Pherein and Horman that refer to “transfer” and “to excite” respectively (Mostafa et al., 2012). Pheromones are found all living beings on the globe that are a primitive form of communication. They exist in the form of chemical molecules having specific behavior to produce hormonal changes. Pheromones in animals and insects have been reported long time back that facilitate to sense food and mating (Mostafa et al., 2012). Pheromones and their role in the human sexual physiology for same or opposite sex were discovered later on in third decade of 20th century. ...

Mountain pine beetle (MPB) (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) is a bark beetle that lays eggs within the vascular system of the mature trees of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta). First known epidemic infestation was recorded in 1994 in the forests of British Columbia (BC). Prior to 1994, the infestation was negligible, owing to the fact that extreme low temperatures of winter killed the beetle, thereby curbing the problem. In the past two decades, however, due to global warming the winter temperatures are not low enough to kill the beetle. This has escalated the problem of deforestation and thereby has unbalanced the ...