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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Functional Studies Of The E. Coli Proc And A Putative Ortholog Mrub_1345, Maureen Azar, Dr. Lori Scott May 2018

Functional Studies Of The E. Coli Proc And A Putative Ortholog Mrub_1345, Maureen Azar, Dr. Lori Scott

Meiothermus ruber Genome Analysis Project

This project is part of the Meiothermus ruber genome analysis project, which uses the bioinformatics tools associated with the Guiding Education through Novel Investigation –Annotation Collaboration Toolkit (GENI-ACT) to predict gene function. We investigated the biological function of Escherichia coli and Meiothermus ruber proC genes using the complementation assay. In this research project, mutants of varying severity to the functional state of the protein were developed. The results showed that two or more amino acid deletions reduced or eliminated ProC function. Amino acid substitutions, on the other hand, were not severe enough to impact ProC function. Double and triple mutants …


Regulation Of The Tubulin Homolog Ftsz In Escherichia Coli, Monika S. Buczek May 2018

Regulation Of The Tubulin Homolog Ftsz In Escherichia Coli, Monika S. Buczek

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Escherichia coli is a well-known pathogen, and importantly, a widely used model organism in all fields of biological sciences for cloning, protein purification, and as a model for Gram-negative bacterial species. And yet, researchers do not fully understand how this bacterium replicates and divides. Every year additional division proteins are discovered, which adds complexity to how we understand E. coli undergoes cell division. Due to their specific roles in cytokinesis, some of these proteins may be potential targets for development of antibacterials or bacteriostatics, which are much needed for fighting the current global antibacterial deficit. My thesis work focuses on …


Bacteria That Resist Centrifugal Force, Nickolas Kessler Jan 2018

Bacteria That Resist Centrifugal Force, Nickolas Kessler

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Our lab discovered that approximately 1 in 10,000 Escherichia coli cells in stationary phase remain in suspension after a high g-force centrifuge event. To establish the mechanism behind this curious phenotype, multiple mutant strains of E. coli were independently evolved such that the majority of their populations resisted migration when exposed to high centrifugal forces. Genomic DNA sequencing of the mutants' revealed unique, isolated mutations in genes involved in capsule synthesis and exopolysaccharide (EPS) production. Each mutant exhibits a novel mechanism that allows them to remain in suspension. The mutants were further characterized by determining their growth rates, strengths …