University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Vincent C Henrich, Iii

Parke A Rublee

Cary Alan Weinberger

Michael McClain Marshall

Disclosed are arrays for monitoring ecosystems, such as bodies of water, and methods and systems for making such arrays. In one embodiment, the array may include a plurality of oligonucleotides immobilized at known locations on a substrate, such that each location on the array is an oligonucleotide having a sequence derived from a single, predetermined operational taxonomic unit (OTU). The sequences immobilized on the array may be from known, or unknown organisms. Also disclosed are methods for identifying and isolating bioindicators diagnostic of specific ecosystems. The arrays and bioindicators of the invention may be used for rapid, and continual monitoring of ecosystems.

Nucleic acid arrays to monitor water and other ecosystems

Ecdysteroid action inand other insects is mediated by the dimerization of two nuclear receptors, the ecdysone receptor (EcR) and Ultraspiracle (USP), which regulate the transcription of target genes. Disclosed are nucleic acid constructs to identify insecticides having the ability to modify insect development and growth in a developmental stage-specific and/or species-specific manner.

Methods, compositions, and systems for the identification of species-specific or developmental stage-specific insecticides

Disclosed are compositions, products, methods and systems for monitoring ecosystems, such as bodies of water, for a parameter of the ecosystems, such as the presence or absence of mercury. In one embodiment, the product may include a plurality of oligonucleotides immobilized at known locations on a substrate as an array, such that each location on the array is an oligonucleotide having a sequence derived from a single, predetermined operational taxonomic unit (OTU) and wherein at least one sequence on the array is associated with the presence or absence of mercury. The sequences immobilized on the array may be from known, or unknown organisms. Also disclosed are methods for identifying and isolating bioindicators diagnostic of ecosystem parameters, such as whether mercury is present. The compositions, products, methods and systems of the invention may be used for rapid, and continual monitoring of ecosystems for parameters of interest, such as the presence or absence of mercury.

Compositions, products, methods and systems to monitor water and other ecosystems

Disclosed are methods and systems for screening for compounds that act to modulate insect growth. Bioassays including cell culture and/or transgenic insects engineered with various components of the ecdysoid receptor (EcR) and/or the farsenoid-X receptor (RXR) systems to identify compounds that act as insecticides and/or hormone receptor activators are described. Also described are compounds, and compositions, identified as being putative insecticides based upon their ability to activate EcR and/or FXR mediated transcription.

Growing community of inventors

Greensboro, NC, United States of America

Vincent C Henrich, Iii