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Full-Text Articles in Molecular Biology

Characterization Of The Clostridioides Difficile Glycosyl Hydrolase Ccsz, Brian Lowrance Jan 2023

Characterization Of The Clostridioides Difficile Glycosyl Hydrolase Ccsz, Brian Lowrance

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Bacteria inhabit many of the harshest environments on Earth; persisting and thriving in conditions thought to be unsuitable for life. One common strategy to withstand these environments is the formation of a biofilm. Biofilm composition varies greatly, depending on the underlying community that produces it. Cellulose, a polymer consistently prevalent in biofilms, has been identified as a virulence factor in many pathogens and is suspected to be involved in pathogenesis by Clostridioides difficile. C. difficile is the #1 cause of hospital acquired diarrhea, which can range from mild to life-threatening infections. Biofilm formation is hypothesized to be involved in …


Occurrence Of Kanamycin-Resistant Bacteria Relative To Anthropogenic Pollution Along Richland Creek In Nashville, Tn​, Jolene Ho Mach, Annie Le, Brandon Torres Ramirez Nov 2022

Occurrence Of Kanamycin-Resistant Bacteria Relative To Anthropogenic Pollution Along Richland Creek In Nashville, Tn​, Jolene Ho Mach, Annie Le, Brandon Torres Ramirez

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

The overuse of antibiotics has caused an increase in antibiotic-resistant (AR) bacteria, which is a serious public health concern. Previous studies showed a significant correlation between anthropogenic pollution and AR bacteria. This project aims to identify AR bacteria in Richland Creek relative to local anthropogenic pollution. Water samples were collected at four locations along Richland Creek in Nashville, Tennessee. Bacteria resistant to the antibiotic kanamycin were isolated from the water samples, identified to genera using DNA barcoding, and compared among the sites. We expect to see a greater abundance and diversity of kanamycin-resistant bacteria closer to the end than near …


Microbial Community Analysis: Biofilm Inhibition & Algae Associated Community Structure, Michelle V. Fong Jan 2022

Microbial Community Analysis: Biofilm Inhibition & Algae Associated Community Structure, Michelle V. Fong

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Natural products chemistry is the pursuit of bioactive small molecules from living organisms. These can be classified as primary metabolites if they are essential to survival, and secondary metabolites if they are accessory, playing a role in communication, defense, recruitment, etc.. Natural products have made a significant contribution to society – of 1,881 FDA-approved drugs from 1981 to 2019, 4% were pure natural products, 19% were natural products derived, and 3% were synthetic drugs with a natural products pharmacophore targeting a wide range of diseases and infections (Newman & Cragg, 2020). Pharmacophores are structural components of drugs that are responsible …


Pathogenicity Of Staphylococcus Agnetis Associated With Lame Broilers With Osteomyelitis, Sura Faris Salih Zaki May 2021

Pathogenicity Of Staphylococcus Agnetis Associated With Lame Broilers With Osteomyelitis, Sura Faris Salih Zaki

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

We developed High Resolution Melt Analysis (HERMA) as a rapid and reliable molecular diagnostic assay for the detection and identification of the main bacterial species recovered from the blood and lesions of bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) from the lame broilers at the University of Arkansas poultry research farm. Also, the present study confirms that raising young birds on suspended wire flooring has been proved to successfully induce lameness attributable to BCO with birds being more susceptible to bacteraemia than those that were raised on litter flooring. The newly described pathogen, Staphylococcus agnetis, has been reported to be overrepresented in …


An Evaluation Of Co-Culture Parameters Effecting Antibiotic Production In Soil Microbes, Rebecca Lindow Jan 2020

An Evaluation Of Co-Culture Parameters Effecting Antibiotic Production In Soil Microbes, Rebecca Lindow

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The rise of infections caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria, compounded by a reduction in antibiotic discovery and development, jeopardizes human health. Historically, antibiotics derive from secondary metabolites produced by soil microbes in pure culture, but recent genetic evidence suggests that microbes can produce more secondary metabolites than are currently observed. The modified crowded plate technique directly identifies antibiotic-producing soil microbes that were co-plated with a target pathogen. Here, this technique was refined by testing the effect of a D-alanine auxotrophic target pathogen rather than a prototrophic pathogen as well as investigating conditions most conducive to antibiotic production. Antibiotic producing conditions …


Structure/Function Analysis Of Fega And Fhua In Bradyrhizobium Sp., Alexander James Herd Jan 2019

Structure/Function Analysis Of Fega And Fhua In Bradyrhizobium Sp., Alexander James Herd

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Bradyrhizobium japonicum is a Gram-negative soil bacterium commonly known for its agriculturally significant mutualistic relationship with soybean. In this symbiosis, the bacteria and plant undergo complex molecular signaling characterized by sent and received signals resulting in the formation of infection threads and root nodules. This research aimed to compare two related bacterial outer membrane proteins, FegA and FhuA, associated with the molecular signaling between the bacteria and plant. Previous work has led to the hypothesis that the N-terminal domain (NTD) of FegA in B. japonicum is needed for a functional symbiosis to occur. Recombinant bacterial strains expressing altered FegA proteins …


Functional Similarity Of Prd-Containing Virulence Regulators In Bacillus Anthracis, Malik Raynor May 2018

Functional Similarity Of Prd-Containing Virulence Regulators In Bacillus Anthracis, Malik Raynor

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Bacillus anthracis produces three regulators, AtxA, AcpA, and AcpB, that control virulence gene expression and are members of an emerging class of regulators termed “PCVRs” (Phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase regulation Domain-Containing Virulence Regulators). AtxA controls expression of the toxin genes; lef, cya, and pag, and is the master virulence regulator and archetype PCVR. AcpA and AcpB are less well studied. AcpA and AcpB independently positively control transcription of the capsule biosynthetic operon capBCADE, and culture conditions that enhance AtxA activity result in capBCADE transcription in strains lacking acpA and acpB. RNA-Seq was used to assess the regulons of the …


Rumen Microbial Ecology And Rumen-Derived Fatty Acids: Determinants Of And Relationship To Dairy Cow Production Performance, Laura Marie Cersosimo Jan 2017

Rumen Microbial Ecology And Rumen-Derived Fatty Acids: Determinants Of And Relationship To Dairy Cow Production Performance, Laura Marie Cersosimo

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Rumen microbiota enable dairy cattle to breakdown fiber into useable energy for milk production. Rumen bacteria, protozoa, and fungi ferment feedstuff into volatile fatty acids (VFA), the main energy source, while methanogens utilize fermentation by-products to produce methane. Milk fat contains several bioactive rumen-derived fatty acids (FA), including odd-chain FA (OCFA) and branched-chain FA (BCFA), important for maintenance of human health. The overarching dissertation goal was to determine which factors affect rumen methanogen and protozoal community structures and their metabolism products, while defining relationships between rumen microbiota and animal performance. Results presented contribute to the goals of providing new knowledge …


The Effect Of Transformed Escherichia Coli On The Mouse Intestine Microbiome: The Microbial Metabolic Enhancement Hypothesis, Bryar P. Kader May 2016

The Effect Of Transformed Escherichia Coli On The Mouse Intestine Microbiome: The Microbial Metabolic Enhancement Hypothesis, Bryar P. Kader

Senior Honors Theses

Metabolic disorders affect around thirty-four percent of the population in the United States. Among these disorders is lactose intolerance, which results from diminished production of the human lactase enzyme. This disorder and others like it are genetically determined and cannot be cured. However, the use of transformed bacteria implanted in the colon may provide a means by which the faulty pathway can be bypassed. To test whether transformed bacteria have the capability to aid in the digestion of normally indigestible compounds, a transformed strain of Escherichia coli overexpressing the beta-galactosidase enzyme encoded by the lacZ gene was colonized in the …


Efficiency Of The Targetron Gene Knockout System As A Transformative Protocol For The Mutagenesis Of Listeria Monocytogenes, Hilaree Noele Frazier Jan 2016

Efficiency Of The Targetron Gene Knockout System As A Transformative Protocol For The Mutagenesis Of Listeria Monocytogenes, Hilaree Noele Frazier

Online Theses and Dissertations

The process of using electroporation to introduce plasmid DNA into host cells is a valuable molecular technique that is increasingly employed in labs worldwide. Electroporators are generally small and relatively inexpensive, making them attractive systems to use for a variety of purposes. Electroporation protocols are numerous in the published literature and encompass all cell types, from prokaryotic bacterial cells to eukaryotic human cells. The TargeTron Gene Knockout System by Sigma-Aldrich is an affordable option for the electroporation of numerous bacterial species. However, its use in Listeria monocytogenes has not been extensively characterized. Here we sought to discuss the effectiveness of …


Identification Of Bacterial Species Using Colony Pcr, Kaiti Walker Apr 2015

Identification Of Bacterial Species Using Colony Pcr, Kaiti Walker

Honors Theses

My research consisted of two separate parts, both involving the PCR methods. In part one I was trying to identify bacteria isolated from a chicken coop. In part two I was trying to identify bacteria isolated from the bluff. In both parts, I used a technique called colony PCR. This concept uses a single colony of bacteria to complete the PCR reaction. One pipet tip from a single colony is selected from the plate and mixed into a tube containing ultrapure water. A small amount of this bacterial mixture is then added into the PCR reaction. In the first part …


Purification And Characterization Of Bcsc; An Integral Component Of Bacterial Cellulose Export, Emily D. Wilson Ms Jan 2015

Purification And Characterization Of Bcsc; An Integral Component Of Bacterial Cellulose Export, Emily D. Wilson Ms

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Biofilms are a growing concern in the medical field due to their increased resistance to antibiotics. When found in a biofilm, bacteria can have antibiotic resistance 10-1000 times that of their planktonic counterparts. Therefore, it is important to study the formation of biofilms. Cellulose biofilms are formed by Enterobacteriaceae, such as many Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. strains. Biofilms provide these species with benefits including antimicrobial protection, development of bacterial communities, promotion of DNA exchange, uptake of nutrients, and, in the case of cellulose biofilms, immune system evasion. Cellulose biofilms are controlled by the Bacterial cellulose synthesis (Bcs) complex located …


A Comparative Analysis Of The Moose Rumen Microbiota And The Pursuit Of Improving Fibrolytic Systems., Suzanne Ishaq Pellegrini Jan 2015

A Comparative Analysis Of The Moose Rumen Microbiota And The Pursuit Of Improving Fibrolytic Systems., Suzanne Ishaq Pellegrini

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

The goal of the work presented herein was to further our understanding of the rumen microbiota and microbiome of wild moose, and to use that understanding to improve other processes. The moose has adapted to eating a diet of woody browse, which is very high in fiber, but low in digestibility due to the complexity of the plant polysaccharides, and the presence of tannins, lignin, and other plant-secondary compounds. Therefore, it was hypothesized that the moose would host novel microorganisms that would be capable of a wide variety of enzymatic functions, such as improved fiber breakdown, metabolism of digestibility-reducing or …


Divergent Mechanisms Of Interaction Of Helicobacter Pylori And Campylobacter Jejuni With Mucus And Mucins, Julie Ann Naughton, Karina Mariño, Brendan Dolan, Colm Reid, Ronan Gough, Mary Gallagher, Michelle Kilcoyne, Jared Gerlachscience,, Lokesh Joshi, Pauline Rudd, Stephen Carrington, Billy Bourke, Marguerite Clyne Aug 2013

Divergent Mechanisms Of Interaction Of Helicobacter Pylori And Campylobacter Jejuni With Mucus And Mucins, Julie Ann Naughton, Karina Mariño, Brendan Dolan, Colm Reid, Ronan Gough, Mary Gallagher, Michelle Kilcoyne, Jared Gerlachscience,, Lokesh Joshi, Pauline Rudd, Stephen Carrington, Billy Bourke, Marguerite Clyne

Articles

Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni colonize the stomach and intestinal mucus, respectively. Using a combination of mucus-secreting cells, purified mucins, and a novel mucin microarray platform, we examined the interactions of these two organisms with mucus and mucins. H. pylori and C. jejuni bound to distinctly different mucins. C. jejuni displayed a striking tropism for chicken gastrointestinal mucins compared to mucins from other animals and preferentially bound mucins from specific avian intestinal sites (in order of descending preference: the large intestine, proximal small intestine, and cecum). H. pylori bound to a number of animal mucins, including porcine stomach mucin, but …


Host Pathogen Interactions: Is Arabidopsis Thaliana Remembered By Its Nemesis Pseudomonas Syringae?, Daniel Z. Kreiser May 2012

Host Pathogen Interactions: Is Arabidopsis Thaliana Remembered By Its Nemesis Pseudomonas Syringae?, Daniel Z. Kreiser

Lawrence University Honors Projects

Plants contain innate immune systems that deter pathogen infection. Pattern recognition receptors bind microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs), triggering immunity. MAMPs are proteins exclusive to pathogens that are typically indispensable for their survival. For this reason, MAMPs cannot be mutated or removed without causing pathogen death. However, this does not necessitate constitutive expression of MAMPs. In this study, the MAMP response of Arabidopsis thaliana was utilized to determine differential detection of MAMPs expressed by Pseudomonas syringe pv. tomato DC3000 when pretreated with A. thaliana. Results demonstrated that more MAMPs are detected when P. syringae had previously encountered A. thaliana, …


Microbial Landscapes Of Corals And Ctenophores, Camille Arian Daniels Jan 2011

Microbial Landscapes Of Corals And Ctenophores, Camille Arian Daniels

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As technology and engineering allow mankind to survey nature at finer scales, the importance of bacteria has been elucidated in their metabolic diversity, ability to transfer genetic information, involvement in biogeochemical cycling, and sheer abundance. With an individual domain of life unto themselves, this diverse group of microorganisms plays an integral role in facilitating life on land and in the oceans, and is second only to viruses in abundance on Earth. They carve niches in a wide range of environments, including those inhospitable to other life forms, and reside in concert or to the detriment of other microbes and/or hosts …