abstract: Human-induced rapid environmental change (HIREC) influences nearly all of Earth's ecosystems through processes such as urbanization. Previous studies have found that urbanization influences biodiversity patterns, often yielding an increase in the abundance of a few urban-adapted taxa at the expense of native species diversity. The western black widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus, is a medically-important pest species that often forms dense urban subpopulations (i.e., infestations) relative to the low-density subpopulations found throughout undisturbed, desert habitat. Here, I employ field and laboratory studies to examine the population ecology and stoichiometry of this urban pest to increase our understanding of the mechanisms underlying its success. The population ecology of ten black widow subpopulations spread across metropolitan Phoenix, AZ was examined during the peak breeding season (June-August). This study revealed that arthropod prey abundance, female mass and population density of females showed significant spatial variation across the ten subpopulations. Additionally, prey abundance and foraging success, measured as the number of carcasses found in webs, were a strong determinant of female mass and population density within each subpopulation. To test the mechanisms that drive black widow infestations, I used ecological stoichiometry to examine the nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) composition of spiders and arthropod prey from urban habitat, desert habitat and a laboratory diet regime. These studies revealed that (1) spiders are more nutrient rich than cricket prey in the field, (2) spider subpopulations exhibit significant spatial variation in their nitrogen composition, (3) nutrient composition of urban spider subpopulations does not differ significantly from Sonoran desert subpopulations, (4) laboratory-reared spiders fed a diet of only laboratory-reared crickets are more nitrogen and phosphorus limited than field-captured spiders, and (5) cannibalism by laboratory-reared spiders alleviated phosphorus limitation, but not nitrogen limitation, when compared to field-captured spiders. This work highlights the need to examine the population ecology of species relationships, such as predator-prey dynamics, to fully understand the fecundity and population growth of urban pest species. Moreover, the integration of population ecology and stoichiometry illustrates the need to address mechanisms like nutrient limitation that may explain why urban pest populations thrive and native species diversity suffers following HIREC. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Biology 2012

abstract: Urbanization provides an excellent opportunity to examine the effects of human-induced rapid environmental change (HIREC) on natural ecosystems. Certain species can dominate in urban habitats at the expense of biodiversity. Phenotypic plasticity may be the mechanism by which these 'urban exploiters' flourish in urban areas. Color displays and condition-dependent phenotypes are known to be highly plastic. However, conspicuous color displays are perplexing in that they can be costly to produce and may increase detection by enemies. The Western black widow spider () is a superabundant pest species that forms dense aggregations throughout metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Adult female display a red hourglass on their abdomen, which is speculated to function as a conspicuous warning signal to enemies. Here, I performed field studies to identify how widow morphology and hourglass color differ between urban and desert subpopulations. I also conducted laboratory experiments to examine the dietary sensitivity of hourglass coloration and to identify its functional role in the contexts of agonism, mating, and predator defense. My field data reveal significant spatial variation across urban and desert subpopulations in ecology and color. Furthermore, hourglass coloration was significantly influenced by environmental factors unique to urban habitats. Desert spiders were found to be smaller and less colorful than urban spiders. Throughout, I observed a positive correlation between body condition and hourglass size. Laboratory diet manipulations empirically confirm the condition-dependence of hourglass size. Additionally, widows with extreme body conditions exhibited condition-dependent coloration. However, hourglass obstruction and enlargement did not produce any effects on the outcome of agonistic encounters, male courtship, or predator deterrence. This work offers important insights into the effects of urbanization on the ecology and coloration of a superabundant pest species. While the function of the hourglass remains undetermined, my findings characterize the black widow's hourglass as extremely plastic. Plastic responses to novel environmental conditions can modify the targets of natural selection and subsequently influence evolutionary outcomes. Therefore, assuming a heritable component to this plasticity, the response of hourglass plasticity to the abrupt environmental changes in urban habitats may result in the rapid evolution of this phenotype. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Biology 2014

Spider silk is one of the most versatile material.s in nature with great mechanical properties, exceeding some of the best man made materials. Native and synthetically produced silk has been used in a wide array of applications throughout the history of mankind including nets, bandages and cloths. It is recognized that spider silk can be a suitable replacement material for many existing materials such as ropes, body armor, parachutes and biodegradable bottles - all of which could show cost and environmental 4 benefits relative to other currently used man made materials. An added advantage to these types of applications is the potential for the products to have intrinsic antimicrobial activity. Studies have demonstrated a level of antimicrobial activity in native silk, a property that may have evolved in order to resist microbial decomposition, to protect developing eggs, and to resist decomposition or destruction by predators, parasites, or fluctuations in the environment. In this study, the novel aqueous glue coating peptides found on the silk fiber of the black widow spider, spider coating peptide 1 and 2, were investigated. Using circular dichroism, it was determined that SCP-1 and SCP-2 display predominantly alpha-helical secondary structures. In temperature gradient studies, SCP-1 is structurally stable at high temperatures while SCP-2 unfolded and lost its alpha-helical structure. The two peptides remained structurally stable both in an acidic and basic environment. This study was the first to characterize the secondary structure of the peptides found coating various silk fibers in Latrodectus hesperus, the black widow spider. The function of the SCPs is unknown but has-been hypothesized to potentially have antimicrobial properties. We investigated this role and found no significant antibacterial activity of the peptides against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtitlis in growth studies. This study is the first to investigate the functional role of SCPs.

Spider silk from the female black widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus, is made of extraordinary biomolecules of nature. Efforts of the scientific community to commercially synthesize silks have become a collaborating, yet competitive race, to characterize the proteins that contribute to its intriguing biomechanics. Little has been reported on aqueous silk molecules in black widow spider silk, which are quite different from the large water insoluble core fibroins. In this study, a novel, aqueous aggregate gland derived silk factor (AgSF 1) was investigated using proteomics and immunological approaches. Western blot analyses of whole tissue lysates and solublized silk fibers revealed high levels of AgSFl in the aggregate gland, in the web scaffolding junctions, and in wrapping silk. MS/MS analyses of tryptic digest products from solubilized wrapping silk and aggregate gland whole cell lysate also confirmed the presence of AgSFl in these samples. Possible post-translational modifications were also analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) and MS/MS analysis. AgSFl was localized in the web scaffolding junctions and our data supports a role as an adhesive silk protein that serves as a center for connecting scaffolding fibers that functions to reduce the tensile strength of scaffolding fibers, which facilitates capture of aerial insects.

Little is actually known about the transcriptional regulation of spider silk as most studies have focused on the material properties of silks. We isolated and mapped the TuSp1 core promoter from the black widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus. Using a genomic DNA walking strategy, we have isolated an upstream segment (581 bp) of genomic DNA containing the promoter as well as the first exon of the TuSp1 gene. This upstream regulatory element was able to initiate transcription in insect cells when placed upstream the promoterless firefly luciferase reporter gene. Initiation of transcription was orientation dependent, as insertion of this upstream regulatory module in the reverse orientation led to inefficient transcriptional initiation. Only 170 bp of upstream sequence was required for strong transcriptional initiation, showing that core promoter resides within the first 170 bp of upstream 5' -flanking DNA. We also demonstrate the bHLH factor SGSF1 can repress gene transcription of the TuSp1 core promoter, implying SGSF I might participate in the transcriptional regulation of the TuSp1 gene in vivo.

PART I The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family of transcription factors are involved in a variety of developmental processes. MyoR is the mouse homologue of the human transcription factor ABF-1 . MyoR is classified as a class II basic-helix-loop-helix transcription factor. In order to better understand the relationship between MyoR and muscle cell differentiation, we analyzed the temporal expression at both the mRNA and protein level. Unlike previous studies, we have utilized reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR to analyze mRNA expression. This allows quantitative analysis of MyoR mRNA levels during muscle cell differentiation. We have also analyzed MyoR expression at the protein level. Our studies suggest that the temporal expression of MyoR at the mRNA level is similar to the expression profile seen at the protein level. To ascertain differences in the MyoR DNA-binding activity during myogenesis we performed EMSA. Results suggest that changes in MyoR expression fail to account for differences in the DNAbinding complexes to an E-box site. Part II Members of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family are required for a number of different developmental pathways, including lymphopoiesis, myogenesis, neurogenesis and sex determination. Screening a eDNA library prepared from silk-producing glands of the black widow spider, we have identified a new bHLH transcription factor named BW6. Within the bHLH region, BW6 shows considerable conservation with other HLH proteins, including Drosophila melanogaster achaete and scute, as well as three HLH proteins identified by gene prediction programs. The expression pattern of bw6 is restricted to a subset of silk producing glands, which includes the tubuliform and major ampullate glands. BW6 is capable of binding an E-box element as a heterodimer with E2A, but was unable to bind this motif as a homodimer. BW6 is also capable of inhibiting the transactivation of rE47 in mammalian cells. BW6 represents the first example of a silk-gland-restricted bHLH protein, and its expression pattern suggests that BW6 may play a role in regulating differentiation of cells in the spider that control silk gland formation or egg case silk gene expression.

While development in flies is well understood, pattem formation and the evolution thereof in arachnids have yet to be clarified. Flies and other metazoans primarily use two families of genes called Hox genes and Pax genes to regulate embryogenesis. Because of the high evolutionary conservation of Hox and Pax proteins, I hypothesize that arachnids also use this system to organize their body pattern. To enable studies of the Westem black widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus, an embryonic eDNA library and a fixation protocol were developed for L. hesperus embryos. The generation of these tools will allow comprehensive analysis of black widow spider development and give insight into whether, and how, spiders use Hox and Pax genes to organize their bodies. Finally, it will provide a more thorough understanding of how different developmental mechanisms have evolved and ultimately how changes in gene expression can lead to a change in overall body plan.

Belonging to the diverse order Araneae, the black widow spider Latrodectus 4 hesperus produces high-performance silks with a broad range ofbiological functions and mechanical properties. The cob weaver spider spins different fibers by using seven specialized glands located in its abdomen. Egg case silk originates from the tubuliforrn gland and to date, no proteins that participate in the assembly process of egg case silk proteins have been identified. The goal of this project was the expression, purification, and characterization of such protein products. De novo sequencing of peptides from in-solution tryptic digestion of black widow spider dragline silk, the most studied type of silk, identified a novel cysteine-rich nonfibroin- like peptide that we named cysteine-rich component or CRC- 1. Further analysis of a large pool of nucleic acid sequences deposited in our custom eDNA database revealed 4 additional sequences with similarities to each other at the amino acid level called CRC-2, CRC-3, CRC-4, and CRC-5, suggesting a new family of proteins. Specifically, Q-PCR analysis revealed that the CRC-5 mRNAs were predominantly expressed in the tubuliform and aggregate glands. Since the aggregate gland manufactures a more complex aqueous solution compared to the tubuliforrn gland, we focused these studies on the tubuliform gland and resultant egg case fibers. Westem blot analysis using a cross-reactive polyclonal anti-CRC-1 antiserum conoborated the presence of CRC-5 in the tubulifmm gland and egg case silk, supporting the colocalization ofTuSpl, a tubuliform gland-specific protein, and CRC-5. Thus, we have demonstrated that these two proteins are present within tubuliform silks. In vitro studies suggested that recombinant CRC-5 displayed enzymatic activity similar to a sulfhydryl oxidase. Collectively, our findings provide new insights into novel proteins that have a potential role in the silk assembly and extrusion pathway of egg case silk fibers.

Spider silk is a natural high-performance biopolymer with superior mechanical propetiies. Although these fibers out perfmm several man-made and natural biomaterials, there are cha llenges to be circumvented before commercialization. One of the silkproducing glands warranting further study is the pyrifonn gland, which produces gluelike threads functioning to cement dragline silk to substrates. We focused on the molecular properties of PySp 1, the major component of pyrifonn silk from Latrodectus hersperus, and its putative Oiiholog, PySp2, from Nephi/a clavipes. To date, there are no reports describing the secondary structure of PySp internal block repeats. Moreover, because the PySp C-terminus amino acid residues are distinct from MaSp C-terminus and the morphology of these glands is different, we hypothesized that PySp C-terminal domains form distinct secondary structures. The MaSp C-terminus has been shown to regulate the silk assembly process and whether the PySp C-terminus performs a similar function is unknown. In order to test this supposition, we used the following experimental approaches: I) we developed a series of PySp prokaryotic expression constructs carrying various block repeat modules representative of the internal iterations found within the protein chain; 2) we constructed prokaryotic expression vectors coding for the PySp C-terminal domains; 3) we expressed and purified the PySp C-terminal domains from bacteria; 4) we performed structural analyses of the purified PySp C-terminal domains using cd spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. After expression and purification of the PySp C-tennini proteins, our studies support that this domain displays a predominantly ~-sheet structure, distinctive from the NMR-determined ahelical nature of MaSp C-tennini. The difference in secondary structure implies the MA and pyriform glands use different biochemical mechanisms during fiber extrusion to control protein folding and assembly. By investigating protein folding and fiber formation for different spider silk types, its characteristics can be customized for spinning different materials for industrial applications.

Spider silk is a material that both has impressive mechanical properties and is also environmentally friendly. Though there are limitless potential engineering applications for such materials, industrial production of spider silk has proven to be challenging. Farming silk from spiders, as is done with silkworms, is not a viable option for large-scale production of spider silk due to the venomous and predatory nature of spiders. Here, an attempt is made to express synthetic spider silk minifibroins heterologously in Escherichia coli, to purify the recombinant spidroins from cell lysate, and to spin them into artificial fibers through a biomimetic process. Silk minifibroins were designed to be similar to Major Ampullate Spidroin 1 from Latrodectus hesperus. Synthetic fibers were examined by scanning electron and light microscopy, and their mechanical properties were tested by a tensometer. Properties of synthetic silk were compared to those of native dragline silk from the same species from which their design was inspired, revealing synthetic silk fibers with lower breaking stress and breaking strain.