College Of Natural Sciences Research Articles

Regulation of Integrin β3 Protein Secretion on Implantation Embryo of Mouse (Mus musculus L.) Induced by Oil Atsiri of Purple Nutsedge Tubers (Cyperus rotundus L.)

Aims: This study aims to determine the regulation of β3 integrin protein in the period of embryo implantation after being induced by oil atsiri of purple nutsedge tubers.
 Study Design: The study employed a completely randomised design using four concentration levels repeated six times.
 Place and Duration of Study: Organic Chemistry Laboratory and Zoology Laboratory of Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences University of Lampung, between June 2015 and April 2016.
 Methodology: This study used mouse as experimental animals with 24 female mouse, then mated with male mouse with a ratio (1 female: 1 male). After the vaginal plug was found in female mouse, then the essential oil of purple nutsedge tubers was induced orally (force-fed) according to the treatment dose. Each 6 female mice were grouped as a control group, and 3 treatment groups, consisting of controls (C) = 0.4 ml aquabides, treatment 1 (T1) = 4.5 mg/40g body weight, treatment 2 (T2) = 45 mg/40g body weight, and treatment 3 (T3) = 135 mg/40g body weight. After the one way Anova test, Ho is rejected, meaning there are significant differences and the analysis is continued with multiple comparison tests, in this case the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test is used.
 Results: The results shown that the induction of essential oils of purple nutsedge tubers can reduce the level of β3 integrin protein in uterus mouse significantly.
 Conclusion: It is suggested essential oil of purple nutsedge tubers has potential decrease and can reduce the level of β3 integrin protein in uterus mouse during the period of embryo implantation.

Exploration/exploitation innovation and firm performance: the mediation of entrepreneurial orientation and moderation of competitive intensity

PurposeAlthough many scholars have found that exploration and exploitation innovation have significantly positive effects on firm performance, it remains to be resolved whether the relationship between the two is still established at different stages of enterprise development and in different competitive contexts. This paper aims to clarify the effect of exploration/exploitation innovation on firm performance in start-ups, and in particular, the mediation role of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and the moderation role of competitive intensity are tested to explore their disturbing effects on above relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe authors construct a theoretical framework to analyze and verify the relationship between innovation, EO and firm performance. The hypotheses of this paper are put forward by theoretical inference. In addition to test the hypotheses, 143 questionnaires are collected from technology-oriented start-ups in Hefei National University Science Park.FindingsThe empirical results show that consistent with previous findings, exploration innovation and exploitation innovation both have positive impact on firm performance; meanwhile, the EO partially mediates the relationship between both innovations and firm performance. What cannot be ignored is that the competition intensity plays a moderation role between EO and firm performance.Originality/valueThe findings reveal that the impact of innovation activities on corporate performance has been disrupted by EO and competition intensity in start-ups. The work of this paper deepens the understanding of the relationship between innovation, EO, external environment and firm performance, which is of guiding significance to the entrepreneurship management of emerging economies.

Gibberellic Acid (GA3) and Potassium Nitrate (KNO3): The Influence and Interaction inThe Senescence Process in White Rosa Sp.


 The purpose of this study was to find out whether the combination of KNO3 and GA3 solutions were more effective than a single solution of KNO3 or GA3 in keeping the freshness of cut flowers. The research was conducted in Botanical Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences University of Lampung from November to December 2017. The experiment was conducted in 2 x 3 factorial experiment with factor A is GA3 solution with 3 concentration level: 0% w/v, 25% w/v, and 0.5% w/v. Factor B is KNO3 solution with 2 concentration levels: 0% w/v and 5% w/v. The parameters of this study were fresh weight, dry weight, relative water content, total chlorophyll content, total chlorophyll of leaves, and total carbohydrate content of rose cut flowers. Measurements were made 7 days after the immersion of cut flowers in KNO3 or GA3 solution, and mixed both. Homogeneity of variance and analysis of variance is determined at confidence level 5%. KNO3 simple effect at every level of GA3 concentration is determined by the F test at 5%. The results showed that there was no interaction between GA3 and KNO3 to fresh weight, dry weight, relative water content and chlorophyll content a, b and total white roses, but KNO3 reduced fresh weight of cut flowers by 48.15% and dry weight 58.60%. KNO3 increased the relative water content of white rose flowers by 6.85%. The results of the study concluded that the combination of GA3 and KNO3 is not effective to keep the freshness of white rose flowers cut.

Structural, elastic, and electronic properties of topological semimetal WC-type MX family by first-principles calculation**Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51671193). All calculations have been performed on the high-performance computational cluster in the Shenyang National University Science and Technology Park.

Recently, the non-centrosymmetric WC-type materials (i.e., MoP, ZrTe, TaN, etc) have attracted extensive interest due to the discovery of their topological properties. By means of the first-principles calculations, here we have investigated the structural, thermodynamic, elastic, and electronic properties of the WC-type MX compounds (TiS, TiSe, TiTe, ZrS, ZrSe, ZrTe, HfS, HfSe, and HfTe). Among these nine compounds, five of them (TiS, ZrS, ZrSe0.9, ZrTe, and Hf0.92Se) have been experimentally synthesized to crystallize in the WC-type structure and other four members have never been reported. Our calculations demonstrated that they are all structurally, thermodynamically, and dynamically stable, indicating that all of them should be possibly synthesized. We have also derived their elastic constants of single crystalline and their bulk and shear moduli in terms of the R. Hill approximations. Furthermore, in similarity to ZrTe, all these compounds have been theoretically derived to be topological semimetals. Whereas TiS is unique because of the coexistence of the Dirac nodal lines (DNLs) and sixfold degenerate nodal points (sixfold DNPs), the other eight members are revealed to exhibit coexisted Weyl nodes (WPs) and triply degenerate nodal points (TDNPs). Their electronic and topological properties have been further discussed.

Pengaruh Pemberian Air Kelapa terhadap Perkembangan Embrio pada Dendrobium anosmum Lindl

The aim of the research is to find out effect of addition of coconut water in the media to the number of last stage D. anosmum Lindl embryo. Research was conducted at the Plant Structure and Development of Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences University of Udayana and UPT. Balai Benih Induk Tanaman Pangan dan Hortikultura Provinsi Bali from February 2015 to July 2015. Three type of media were employed, i.e. PDA, Organic, MS. Three different concentration of coconut was added to media, i.e. 0 ml/L 50 ml/L, 100 ml/L. Results showed that addition of 100 ml / L coconut water in MS showed that media is capable to increase the formation of final stages embryos (> 32 cells).

자연과학계열 대학생의 현장실습교육이 실무역량 및 진로통찰력에 미치는 효과

최근 대학에서는 실무역량과 진로역량 함양을 위해 현장실습교육이 확대되고 있다. 본 연구는 취업 관련 지표에서 상대적으로 취약한 자연과학계열 대학생을 대상으로 현장실습교육이 실무역량과 진로통찰력 향상에 유의미한 효과가 있는지 실증적으로 검증하고자 수행되었다. 자료 수집은 수도권 A대학의 자연과학계열 대학생 182명으로부터 현장실습교육이 진행되는 전후로 실무역량과 진로통찰력을 측정하였다. 이 중 현장실습교육에 참여 여부에 따라 참여 집단(n=92)과 미참여 집단(n=90)으로 분류하고 연구변인에서 두 집단 간 차이가 있는지 비교하였다. 또한 참여한 학생의 개인별 실무역량과 진로통찰력의 사전-사후 점수를 비교하여 유의미한 차이가 있는지 분석하였다. 분석 결과, 현장실습교육 참여 학생 집단의 사후 실무역량과 진로통찰력은 미참여 집단 학생의 사후 점수에 비해 유의미하게 높은 것으로 나타났고, 참여 학생 개인별 사전-사후 비교 분석에서도 실무역량과 진로통찰력이 향상된 것으로 분석되었다. 자연과학계열 대학생에게서 현장실습교육의 교육적 성과를 논의하고, 현장실습교육 개발 및 운영에 시사점을 도출하였다.

The potato tuber content of microelements as affected by organic fertilisation and production system

The objective of the work was to determine the effect of undersown catch crops, which were either autumn-incorporated or left on the soil surface as mulch for spring incorporation, on the microelement content in the tubers of potato cultivated in the integrated and organic production system. Field research was conducted at the Zawady Experimental Farm owned by Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Poland (52° 03′ 39″ N, 22° 33′ 80″ E). The following two factors were examined in the study: (i) organic fertilisation, control, farmyard manure, serradella, westerwolds ryegrass, serradella applied as mulch and westerwolds ryegrass applied as mulch and (ii) production system, organic and integrated. Microelements (B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn) were determined in potato tubers samples. The tubers of potato manured with autumn-incorporated serradella had the highest iron and zinc contents, whereas tubers following autumn-incorporated serradella and spring-incorporated serradella mulch had the highest boron content. Manuring with undersown catch crops and farmyard manure contributed to a decline in the potato tuber content of copper and manganese. Potato cultivated in the integrated production system contained more copper, manganese and zinc, whereas organic tubers had more iron and boron.

INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE ON LIFELONG LEARNING IN POLAND

On 11-13 June 2018 at House of Creative Work "Reymontówka" in Chlewiska near Siedlce, XVI International Scientific Conference was organized by the Institute of Education of University of Natural Sciences and Humanities in Siedlce. This year's conference stayed under „Lifelong learning – the present and the future” motto. The conference was funded from the Minister's of Science and Higher Education, the wherewithal alloted to promulgating education – the number of indenture is 893/P-DUN/2018. The conference co-organizers were: Faculty of Education of the University of Presov (Slovakia), Faculty of Pedagogy and Psychology of the University of Bialystok (Poland), International Higher Education Academy of Sciences in Moscow (Russia), Siedlce Scientific Society in Siedlce (Poland), Polish Committee World Organisation for Early Childhood Education and Care OMEP (Organisation Mondiale pour l’Education Préscolaire). The conference was held under the auspices of the Rector of the University of Natural Sciences and Humanities in Siedlce prof. dr hab. Tamara Zacharuk and Vice-Rector for Science, Art, Sport and Accreditation of the University of Presov prof. PhDr. Milan Portik, PhD.

Effect of Kirinyuh Leaf Extract (Cromolaena odorata [L.] R.M. King & H. Rob) On Rice Paddy Growth (Oryza sativa L.) Variety of Mekongga in Drought Stress Condition

The purpose of this research was to know whether kirinyuh leaf water extract could improve the growth of mekongga varieties rice paddy under the condition of drought stress.This research was conducted at Botanical Laboratory of Biology Department Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences University of Lampung from September to October 2017. The research was conducted in a 3 x 2 factorial experiment. Factor A was Polyethylene glicol 6000 with 3 levels of concentration: 0% w / v, 15% w / v, and 30% w / v. Factor B was kirinyuh leaf water extract with 2 concentration levels: 0% w / v and 2% w / v. As parameters were the mean of shoots length, fresh weight, dry weight, and the relative water content of rice seedling. Levene test, analysis of vaiance, and Tukey test were performed at 5% significant level. The results showed that water extract of kirinyuh leaves had no significant effect on shoot length, fresh weight, and dry weight of rice seedling, but influenced the relatife water content of rice seedling. From the result of research it was concluded that kirinyuh leaf water extract can not improve the growth of Mekongga rice paddy varieties at drougth stress condition

Current State of Physiology Undergraduate Degree Programs and Curricula: Survey Results from the Physiology Majors Interest Group Inaugural Meeting

The inaugural Physiology Majors Interest Group (P‐MIG)meeting took place May 18–19, 2017 at Michigan State University in EastLansing, Michigan. The purpose of the conference was (1) to build a network of peer undergraduate Physiology programs, (2) to begin discussions regarding national guidelines for undergraduate Physiology programs, and (3) to establish a regular conference for Physiology programs. P‐MIG conference attendees (n=34) and others who participated remotely(n=9) completed detailed pre‐ and post‐ meeting surveys regarding their collegiate affiliation, program requirements and course offerings, degree conferred and primary focus area, undergraduate enrollment and graduating class size, and student career interests. Key survey results are as follows: At the collegiate level, 34% of programs are housed in Colleges of Arts and Sciences and 15% in Colleges of Medicine. Fifty‐six percent of programs include “Physiology” in their departmental name, and the majority of other programs expressed a focus on Physiology despite having a different name. Programs are housed in a variety of different departments including 28% in Department of Physiology, 20% in Department of Biology, and 12% in Department of Biological/Life Sciences. Seventy‐six percent of programs offer a Bachelor of Science degree with others offering a Bachelors of Arts or another degree name. Program size varies from <200 students (41%), between 200–400 students(32%), and 27% of programs reported enrollments of 400+ undergraduate students. Most programs have options available or required for experience in research (90%), internship (72%), study abroad(100%), outreach (63%), and other engagement activities outside the classroom(82%). The extensive curricular requirement data will be made available. Of the 27 attendees who completed the post‐conference survey, 81% reported that they were extremely likely to attend a future P‐MIG conference. Ninety‐three percent of respondents listed networking and community as the most useful aspect of the conference in a free‐response question. Learning about other programs was the second most frequently cited useful outcome (40.7%). In summary, the inaugural P‐MIG conference was a great start to building a network of peer undergraduate programs and moving towards a set of national guidelines for Physiology programs. The second P‐MIG conference is scheduled for June 28–29, 2018 at The University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ.Support or Funding InformationAmerican Physiological Society; Association of Chairs of Departments of Physiology; Michigan State University, Department of Physiology and College of Natural Science; Michigan State University Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education & Dean of Undergraduate Studies; University of Oregon, Department of Human Physiology; University of Arizona, Department of PhysiologyThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Research Experiences Yield Positive Psychosocial Outcomes for Transfer Students

Conceptual understanding of biochemistry and success in science can be challenging for transfer students when transitioning into a degree plan from another institution. These goals may be more readily achieved through a curriculum tied to research. We have begun to test this hypothesis by establishing pilot CUREs (course‐based undergraduate research experience) called the Accelerated Research Initiative (ARI) built upon the successful framework of the Freshman Research Initiative (FRI) in the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin. The ARI caters to upper‐division undergraduates science majors (juniors and seniors).There have now been two iterations of these courses where about 46 students each year engage in project‐based learning in the context of research. About 30–50% are transfer students from other 4‐year institutions or from community colleges. These student‐researchers are guided by a non‐tenure track professor, several undergraduate TAs, and peers who have prior research experience. For one of the courses, the overall goal is to identify small molecule inhibitors of an enzyme from an infectious disease organism (bacterial or protozoan). Computational molecular docking software is used to make predictions about which compounds may bind. They then seek to test these in biochemical assays against the enzyme they have made through recombinant DNA cloning and protein expression. In the other course offering, students focus on the implementation of several sensing protocols using organic chemistry techniques in existing analytical devices to further their potential, as well as explore a new approach to selective molecular recognition. At the end of the first iteration of the course, an open‐ended survey was administered to gain insight into students' perceptions of the experience. Specifically, the survey assessed the contexts, activities, and outcomes cited in other CUREs (Corwin et. al. 2015), such as: content and skills, self‐efficacy, persistence in science, ownership, grit, communication, science identity, and mentoring. Preliminary findings suggest that the most frequently mentioned aspects of the ARI course that the students valued were: mentoring, sense of belonging to a larger community, increased tolerance for obstacles, and faculty interaction. A more formalized survey using empirically‐validated items with Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was also administered at the end of the second iteration of the course. This survey is part of a study involving both ARI and FRI students. The data from this instrument helps elucidate the differential perceived benefits between the upper division students of the ARI and the lower division students of the FRI. These responses may help identify which areas transfer students have shown the most growth in as a result of participating in the ARI.Support or Funding InformationHoward Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Correction to: Responses of the photosynthetic apparatus of Abies koreana to drought under different light conditions

AbstractThe correct name and the affiliation of the third author should be “Su Young Woo”, and “Department of Environmental Horticulture, College of Natural Science, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Republic of Korea”.

VOLYNO-PODILLYA THE WORLD OF FLORA

A detailed floral portrait of the Volyn-Podilskyi region of Ukraine was drawn by the participants of the International scientific-practical conference "Plant introduction in Volyn-Podillya: science, education, art of landscape formation, production", which was held at the Ternopil Oblast Communal Institute of Postgraduate Education academy them. Taras Shevchenko. The co-organizers of the scientific forum were Kremenetsky Botanical Garden, Ternopil National Pedagogical University. Volodymyr Hnatyuk, Vinnytsia National Agrarian University, National Forestry University of Ukraine (Lviv), State Ecological Academy of Postgraduate Education and Management, National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, as well as foreign scientific and educational institutions: University of Natural Sciences and Sciences in Lviv, Austria. In addition to representatives of other institutions, the Organizing Committee of the Conference, headed by the Director of Ternopil OKIPPO OM Petrovsky, included the Candidate of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Biology, Ecology and Methods of Teaching them. Taras Shevchenko NI Tsitsyura and a former employee of our educational institution, and now Doctor of Biological Sciences, Head of the Department of Content and Methods of Educational Subjects of Ternopil OIPPO, Professor VM Chernyak.

Impact of ICT facility on Student's Academic Performance in Jimma University, Ethiopia

In the present age, information and communication technology (ICT) plays a central role in the development of modern economies and societies by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development 1 . Today’s students integrate technology into all aspects of their lives for multiple purposes particularly learning, socializing, entertaining and shopping Asselin, Moayeri as well as doing homework 2 . This research has been conducted on the impact of ICT facility on student’s academic performance in Jimma University College of Natural Sciences in 2009. The aim of this study was to find out the difference between the uses and non-use of ICT and find out the existing gaps in their academic performance. Cross-sectional survey method was used and from the total population of 1155, by using simple random sampling the researcher reduced to 230 and did the study. The researcher used different methods of data collection like observation, questionnaire and interview. The researcher interviewed 21 respondents and questionnaires were distributed to 209, wherein 184 (88%) have responded. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS software and MS Excel. The result of the study indicated that most students have searching skills, they have very good satisfaction with preparing power points, searching materials and search sample question papers by using ICT. Based on the findings most of the students were using the computer as sources of ICT services and the accessibility to the internet was good. The researcher recommended the ICT center, accessibility and usability of ICT must increase with more number of professionals to teach the students for better accessing and searching.

When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer

When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer Chaitali Sen (bio) Click for larger view View full resolution Fernandes, was instantly likable and cheerfully intelligent. He was quite young and had spent the last five years abroad at Stockholm University. He seemed happy to have escaped the monotonous chill of Scandinavia. Those first few weeks, I often observed him standing by his open window, enjoying the warm, bright days. On his desk, he kept a picture of his wife, standing in front of a stone wall with a handful of tulips. A liveliness in the photograph caught my attention every time I passed it. I wondered when she would come prancing through the offices to introduce herself. In all my years as a department secretary, the wives always did this, refusing to be forgotten, even at times getting involved in controversies that had nothing to do with them. But his wife, whom he called Kitty, did not come and announce herself, and I soon learned that nothing in this small, fledgling department would happen as expected. Early one morning, at the end of August, Dr. Fernandes stood by my desk instead of going directly to his office. He was holding a newspaper. "I need your help," he declared. He had already made a habit of saying this to me. "Did you happen to see this editorial in the paper?" He put the newspaper on my desk and pointed to the article in question. It was authored by a Dr. Robert Smith of the Society for Science and Ethics. Dr. Fernandes asked if I'd heard of him. "I haven't," I said truthfully. I never had much interest in reading the newspaper. He waved his hand over the paper. "He completely mischaracterizes the scientific process. He equates the teaching of evolution with religious dogma." I nodded, trying to understand his mood, which I could only describe as a kind of calm panic. "Everything he presents as the truth is actually an inverse of the truth. I was reading it to Kitty this morning and, suddenly, some things about this place started to make sense. The behavior of the students, for example, and some of the faculty, for that matter." "I see. Would you like some coffee, Dr. Fernandes?" I was relieved that he said yes. I went to fetch the coffee and expected to take it to him in his office, but he had pulled up a chair to my desk and was frowning over the newspaper again. When I sat back down, he continued to tell me about the myriad falsehoods in Dr. Smith's editorial, most notably his claim that a legitimate minority of scientists was raising doubts about the age of the earth. "But is all this really new?" I interjected. Here I felt the advantage of my [End Page 35] age. I told Dr. Fernandes that in my thirty years with the department, evolution was one of those topics that had no shortage of detractors. My word choice concerned him. "Detractors?" "Yes, you know, a student from a devout family might write a letter of complaint." "Is that why the department broke up, because of detractors?" There I hesitated, fearing I had misspoken. I certainly didn't have the expertise to explain why the department had split. From what I understood, Dr. Elam, who was the dean of the College of Natural Sciences, wanted the biological disciplines to have more of a professional emphasis, to prepare the students for careers in medicine and such. The split into two departments was meant to be a compromise, with the larger Biological and Biomedical Sciences absorbing most of the faculty, and our smaller department emphasizing foundational theory and investigative process. Dr. Fernandes confessed to me that he hadn't asked many questions when he was interviewing for this position. "I don't know how much they would have told you anyway," I said. "I believe some of the conflict was personal." I was present at some of the meetings to take notes, and had read and filed some of the correspondence, but when he asked me if they had discussed evolution, religion, pedagogy, truth, reality—in other words, if they...

PROFITABILITY OF APPLICATION BIOSTIMULATORS IN WINTER RAPE CROP

The aim of the study was to conduct an economic analysis of winter rape, depending on the use of biostimulators four ways: control, Asahi SL, Silvit and Tytaniy. The data came from the Agricultural Experimental Station Zawady belonging to the University of Natural Sciences and Humanities in Siedlce. Seed yield stood at Asahi SL – 4.16 t/ha, Silvit – 3.96 t/ha: Titanit – 3.91 t/ha, control (without biostimulator) – 3.80 t/ha. Income from 1 ha of crops including direct payments ranged from 3449 PLN/ha (control – without biostimulator) to 3827 PLN/ha (biostimulator – Asahi SL). The largest share in the structure of direct costs incurred had the cost of fertilizer 31.1-33.0%.

Państwo bez stosów. Czy z doświadczeń polskich w zakresie tolerancji religijnej i kulturowej może czerpać współczesna Europa?

"A state without the stake. Can modern Europe draw from Polish experiences in the field of religious and cultural tolerance?" - The work was awarded the first prize in the competition commemorating "A jubilee year of 500 years of the Reformation" announced by the Institute of History and International Relations of the University of Natural Sciences and Humanities in Siedlce.

Państwo bez stosów. Czy z doświadczeń polskich w zakresie tolerancji religijnej i kulturowej może czerpać współczesna Europa?

"A state without the stake. Can modern Europe draw from Polish experiences in the field of religious and cultural tolerance?" - The work was awarded the first prize in the competition commemorating "A jubilee year of 500 years of the Reformation" announced by the Institute of History and International Relations of the University of Natural Sciences and Humanities in Siedlce.

APLIKASI MOBILE STUDENT ASSISTANT MAHASISWA ILMU KOMPUTER FMIPA UNIVERSITAS LAMPUNG BERBASIS ANDROID

Students are still often not on time in attending lectures, students also often forget to do the task and prepare for the exam. This has an impact on the achievement value obtained is not maximal. In this research, researchers built a mobile application on Android-based smartphone operating system as a reminder for students Computer Science Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences University of Lampung. This application is made up of two parts Web-based for admin and Android-based for users, connected using Web Service. This application is made to support and maximize lecture activities. The workings of this application is as an alarm reminder to remind students of lecture, tasks, and exam schedules. The test result by using Black-Box equivalence partitioning shows that the application runs in accordance with the requirements.

Identifying the Metal That Activates the Prenyltransferase That Catalyzes Formation of Geranyl Diphosphate in the Diatom Pseudo‐nitzschia multiseries

Domoic acid (DA) is a neurotoxin synthesized by marine diatoms of the genus Pseudo‐nitzschia which causes amnesiac shellfish poisoning in humans and death of marine wildlife. Geranyl diphosphate (GPP), a key intermediate in domoic acid biosynthesis, is formed from the “head‐to‐tail” condensation of isopentenyl diphosphate and dimethylallyl diphosphate in a reaction catalyzed by a member of the prenyltransferase family of enzymes. These prenyltransferases can generate different chain‐length products, including geranyl diphosphate (C10), farnesyl diphosphate (FPP, C15), and geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP, C20), all of which are precursors to terpenoid natural products. Prenyltransferases require a divalent metal cation for activity. Previous work has shown that a single prenyltransferase can generate multiple products (GPP, FPP, and GGPP), and that the product distribution will vary depending on the species of divalent cation used to support the reaction (Mg2+, Mn2+, or Co2+). Here, we measured the levels of Mg2+, Mn2+, and Co2+ in Pseudo‐nitzschia cells to determine which ion is most likely to support GPP formation. Three samples of Pseudo‐nitzschia multiseries cultured in sea water were harvested by centrifugation. Samples were digested with HNO3 before analysis using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The average concentration of Mg2+ present, per cell and per μm3, is over 100‐fold higher than the concentrations of Mn2+ and Co2+. This is consistent with results from studies in other systems, suggesting that Mg2+ is the main cofactor that activates the prenyltransferase that generates GPP for domoic acid biosynthesis in Pseudo‐nitzschia.Support or Funding InformationThis project is supported by the SURE (Summer Undergraduate Research Experience) Award Program from the College of Natural Science and Mathematics, California State University Sacramento.