Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 4-21-2021
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Erik Hom
Second Advisor
Tamar Goulet
Third Advisor
Ryan Garrick
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
Sloths contain an unexplored ecosystem of microbial diversity in their fur, including algae, fungi, bacteria, and arthropods. These symbionts are able to communicate through the chemicals they release, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can lead to unique ecological interactions. The VOCs released from the algal polycultures of sloth hairs merit further investigation in their ability to cause a response from other organisms in this microbial community and within a broader ecological context. This research team aimed to assess the response of Drosophila melanogaster as test subjects when exposed to VOCs of the algal microbiome of a sloth. Exploratory research collected within the lab indicated that extracted metabolites from algal samples provided attractive responses when cultured between two and four months. Further research of extracted supernatant minus metabolites and other fractions of algal samples will offer more data for analysis, determining an attractive or aversive relationship between these extracted algal compounds and the response of various arthropod test subjects. By examining these interactions, this research highlights the potential of sloths as models for microbial ecology and demonstrates the complex interactions of this intricate microbial community.
Recommended Citation
Gordon, Lilli, "Assessing Arthropod Responses to Volatile Organic Compounds from the Algal Microbiome of a Sloth using Drosophila Melanogaster" (2021). Honors Theses. 1833.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/1833
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