Microbiology Commons^™

The Effects Of Seasonal Variations In Chemistry And Hydrology On The Microbial Community And Its Sulfide Oxidation Potential In A Naturally Acidic Maine Stream, Raymond C. Kahler Iii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sulfide minerals oxidize through interaction with water and oxygen, releasing hydrogen ions. The process often occurs naturally near metal sulfide deposits, and can be accelerated through mining. Microorganisms accelerate the rate of sulfide oxidation. Acidified streams typically contain high metal concentrations (e.g. aluminum) and microbes in these systems may develop resistances to metal toxicity. Stream flow can affect sulfide oxidation and microbial community structure. Baseflow can influence stream chemistry from interactions with the surrounding bedrock, while stormflow affects stream chemistry and the local microbial community through dilution and addition of microbes transported by runoff. Microbial community composition is affected by …

Host Mediated Mechanisms Of Fungal Cell Spread In A Transparent Zebrafish Infection Model, Allison Scherer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Innate immunity has developed elegant processes for the detection and clearance of invasive fungal pathogens. Disseminated candidiasis is of significant concern for those with suppressed immune systems or indwelling medical equipment, and mortality in these groups approaches 70%. Poor patient outcomes have spurred the need to understand how this non-motile pathogen spreads in the host. Technical limitations have previously hindered our ability to visualize the role of innate immunity and host tissue barriers in the spread of C. albicans in vivo. Using the zebrafish model to overcome these limitations, we have examined three potential host-mediated mechanisms of dissemination: movement …

Thermal And Microbial Effects On Brown Macroalgae: Heat Acclimation And The Biodiversity Of The Microbiome, Charlotte Tc Quigley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines effects of stress on brown algal biology from a macroscopic scale by examining the whole aquaculture crops, and at a microscopic level by examining the macroalgal microbiome, across the vertical stress gradient of the intertidal zone and across the latitudes of their biogeographic ranges. Thermal stress negatively affected seedstock gametophytes of the kelp Alaria esculenta isolated from northern and southern locations in Maine. However, previous thermal stress had a positive effect on growth of the next-generation sporophytes. Alaria esculenta has potential as a kelp crop in Maine’s sea vegetable aquaculture sector and implementing this protocol may allow …

Investigating Present-Day Health Issues Of The American Lobster (Homarus Americanus), Deborah A. Bouchard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The American lobster, Homarus americanus, H. Milne Edwards, 1837, supports the most economically valuable fishery along the North Atlantic coast of North America. A collapse in lobster populations in Southern New England (SNE) has coincided with increasing ocean temperatures and emerging diseases. This research investigated the etiologies of limp lobster disease (LLD) and epizootic shell disease (ESD), two diseases that continue to cause significant mortality in natural lobster populations. Mortality from LLD is associated with the bacteria Photobacterium indicum and is more intense in impounded lobsters. To more clearly define the community ecology of this suspected opportunistic pathogen, the microbial …

Identification Of Tnfaip8l1 Binding Partners Through Co-Immunoprecipitation And Mass Spectrometry, Audrey Hoyle

Honors College

The expanded understanding of the gene families and mechanisms governing tumorigenesis pathways has enormous potential for improving current cancer therapies and patient prognoses. One such gene family that participates in the regulation of tumorigenesis is the tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 8 (TNFAIP8) gene family, which is comprised of four members: TNFAIP8, TNFAIP8L1, TNFAIP8L2, and TNFAIP8L3. The TNFAIP8L1 gene is thought to function as a tumor suppressor, but the mechanisms by which it exerts this function have yet to be elucidated. We hypothesize that the TNFAIP8L1 protein acts as a tumor suppressor through protein-protein …

Reducing Tillage In Small-Scale Permanent Bed Organic Vegetable Production Systems, Jeremiah D. Vallotton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The response of field-grown vegetable crops to reduced tillage and mulching in permanent beds was evaluated through measuring crop yields, weed pressure, earthworm counts, and soil basal respiration. Two vegetable crops (“Bush Delicata” squash and “Farao” cabbage) were started in April and May of 2016 and 2017 respectively, transplanted in late June, and harvested on 15-Sep-2016 and 25-Aug-2017. Fruit number and weight of squash, and head weight and feeding damage of cabbage were measured. These results suggest that intensive tillage (8” rototill every year) can be successfully reduced to alternating years of shallow (2”) rototilling and a less intensive form …

Determining The Role Of Saly In Streptococcus Pyogenes Immune Evasion Using Fluorescence Microscopy, Taaniel Kiidli

Honors College

Streptococcus pyogenes, the etiologic agent for several life-threatening invasive diseases, utilizes numerous mechanisms to evade the host immune response and establish a successful infection causing a significant source of morbidity and mortality risks for patients. The bacterium is known to cause necrotizing fasciitis in both humans and zebrafish, with extensive necrotic damage to tissues but surprisingly lacking in an inflammatory response for a systemic infection. This suggests that the recruitment of inflammatory cells to the site of infection is inhibited. To observe this in real-time, we used the zebrafish model of Streptococcal pathogenesis to analyze immune cell recruitment in …

Hitchner (E. Reeve) Records, 1915-1969, Special Collections, Raymond H. Fogler Library, University Of Maine

Finding Aids

These records contain textual information created by and about E. Reeve Hitchner during his tenure at University of Maine, Orono, as Professor of Bacteriology (1922-1959), Head of the Department of Bacteriology (1932-1958), and overseeing the Pullorum-Typhoid Testing Service at the University of Maine until his retirement in 1958.

Include biographic information regarding Hitchner, copies of his thesis, papers, and notebooks, various correspondence on a range of subjects, details regarding the Orono Town budget (1965 & 1967), class notes, research cards, and reports related to Hitchner's research particularly on water and air pollution, but also: wood rot, pickles, Pullorum Disease, mining …

Expression Profiling Of Non-Coding Rna By Environmental Interactions In Innate Immunity, Jacob R. Longfellow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that affects 30,000 people in the United States and currently has no cure. Although CF affects all of the body’s systems, it is largely characterized as a lung disease. CF is caused by a mutation in both copies of the gene for cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). A mutation in the CFTR gene leads to improper movement of chloride ions and water into the airways, which dysregulates the airway surface liquid volume and composition. Individuals with CF are prone to lung infections due to inefficient bacterial clearance and by the age of …

Summary Report Of Enhanced Monitoring And Pollution Source Tracking Efforts In The Willard Beach Watershed, Maine, 2012-2016, M. Sims, K. Kaczor

Maine Sea Grant Publications

Willard Beach is a popular recreation area located in South Portland used primarily by families with young children. Routine monitoring at the beach revealed elevated bacteria levels, prompting the need for enhanced monitoring within the watershed to determine the nature and extent of potential bacteria inputs. Although the waste of domestic and wild animals can contribute to impaired water quality and pose a public health risk, efforts have focused primarily on identifying and removing human sources (e.g. malfunctioning septic systems, faulty sewer lines) of fecal pollution.

Maine Healthy Beaches Program 2016 Annual Report To U.S. Epa, K. Kaczor, M. Sims

Maine Sea Grant Publications

Maine Healthy Beaches (MHB) is managed by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (ME DEP) and coordinated by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension (UMaine Extension). In 2016, this team worked with 28 local management entities to conduct routine monitoring, assessment, and public notification of water quality conditions for 60 beach management areas spanning Kittery to Mount Desert Island. MHB staff continued to build local capacity for well-informed beach management and to address pollution issues when they arose during the beach season.

Summary Report Of Enhanced Monitoring And Pollution Source Tracking Efforts In Goosefare Brook, Maine, 2012-2016, M. Sims, K. Kaczor

Maine Sea Grant Publications

The Goosefare Brook (GFB) forms the border between the City of Saco to the south and Town of Old Orchard Beach (OOB) to the north. In response to concerns over water quality in the mouth and adjacent beach water, the Maine Healthy Beaches (MHB) program has supported multi-year enhanced monitoring and pollution source tracking efforts, held Stakeholder Workshops, and more to address impaired water quality throughout the watershed. Over the past five years, the MHB program has focused primarily on paired enterococci and optical brightener samples in OOB’s New Salt Rd. Tributary (NSRT). This work identified widespread bacterial contamination throughout …

Candida And Pseudomonas Interact To Enhance Mucosal Infection In Transparent Zebrafish, Audrey C. Bergeron

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polymicrobial communities exist throughout the human body and include both fungi and bacteria. During disease, cross-kingdom interactions among bacteria, fungi, and/or the immune system can alter virulence and lead to complex polymicrobial infections. The fungus C. albicans is among the most commonly isolated fungi in the context of fungal-bacterial co-infections and is often accompanied by the bacterium P. aeruginosa at a variety of sites throughout the body including mucosal tissues such as the lung. In vitro, C. albicans and P. aeruginosa have a cyclic, bi-directional, and largely antagonistic relationship, but these interactions do not account for the role of the …

Maine Healthy Beaches Program Excerpts From Data Analysis, 2006-2015, K. Kaczor, M. Sims

Maine Sea Grant Publications

No abstract provided.

Characterizing The Intact Prophage Of Mycobacterium Chelonae Bergey, Erica Sewell

Honors College

Mycobacteriophage (phage), are viruses that infect bacteria. All bacteria can be

infected by phage, and each bacterial species has a unique set of phage that infect them, making phage prime candidates for studying viral diversity and evolution. Some phage integrate their genome into the host genome upon infection (prophage), where they may potentially remain indefinitely, coevolving with the host, and providing growth factors and other benefits to the host. The purpose of my research is to characterize a prophage within the genome of the bacterial host Mycobacterium chelonae Bergey to determine if it is still functional and potentially impacting the …

Best Practices For Healthy Beaches And Watersheds In Maine: Potential Bioremediation Strategies For Improving Water Quality, Elyse Defranco

Maine Sea Grant Publications

Maine’s watersheds face many challenges from human inputs, with pollution threatening the health of our beaches, rivers, and aquaculture operations. Maine’s rural communities often lack the resources to update aging sewer infrastructure or to adequately maintain septic systems, and these sources of pollution impact watershed health. In addition to addressing sources of pollution, which can be difficult to ascertain and challenging to address when located, bioremediation practices have the potential to aid in clean-up efforts. New technological advances and research discoveries in creative forms of bioremediation are being developed and are producing promising case studies around the world. These new …

2016 Goosefare Brook Mst Summary And Next Steps, M. Sims, K. Kaczor

Maine Sea Grant Publications

No abstract provided.

Jordan River Monitoring Report, Ashley Taylor, Anna Farrell

Maine Sea Grant Publications

In congruence with the Maine Department of Marine Resources’ (DMR) efforts to monitor declining water quality in the Jordan River, Frenchman Bay, Maine, the Community Lab at MDI Biological Laboratory implemented regular water quality monitoring at additional sites in the watershed to supplement the work of the DMR. Water samples were collected weekly between June and August of 2017 by staff and students from the Community Lab. Samples were collected via boat and foot to reach additional intermittent streams and smaller tributaries that feed into the Jordan River. Samples were analyzed for Enterococcus bacteria, optical brighteners, and salinity. A goal …

Investigating High Speed Localization Microscopy Through Experimental Methods, Data Processing Methods, And Applications Of Localization Microscopy To Biological Questions, Andrew J. Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fluorescence Photoactivation Localization Microscopy(FPALM) and other super resolution localization microscopy techniques can resolve structures with nanoscale resolution. Unlike techniques of electron microscopy, they are also compatible with live cell and live animal studies, making FPALM and related techniques ideal for answering questions about the dynamic nature of molecular biology in living systems. Many processes in biology occur on rapid sub second time scales requiring the imaging technique to be capable of resolving these processes not just with a high enough spatial resolution, but with an appropriate temporal resolution. To that end, this Dissertation in part investigates high speed FPALM as …

Dynamic Host-Pathogen Interactions Result In Fungal Epitope Unmasking, Alex Hopke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Molecular camouflage is used by a diverse set of pathogens to disguise their identity and avoid recognition by protective host receptors. The opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans is a good example, as it masks the inflammatory component β-glucan in its cell wall to evade detection by the immune receptor Dectin-1. Interestingly, it has been seen that β-glucan becomes unmasked during infection in vivo, though the underlying mechanisms remained unclear. Exposure levels of this epitope may be important, as Dectin-1 mediates protection from some strains of C. albicans and alterations in the organization and composition of the Candida cell wall …

Effects Of Piscine Reovirus Infection On Innate Immune Signalling In Salmon, Mark Polinski

2nd International Conference of Fish & Shellfish Immunology

No abstract provided.

First Evidence For A Vibrio Strain Pathogenic To Mytilus Edulis Altering Hemocyte Immune Capacities, Yosra Ben Cheikh

2nd International Conference of Fish & Shellfish Immunology

No abstract provided.

Channa Striatus Tnfr-1: Molecular Cloning, Characterization And Gene Expression, Rajesh Palanisamy

2nd International Conference of Fish & Shellfish Immunology

No abstract provided.

Understanding Viral Dsrna Production, Cell Entry And Use As An Antiviral Therapeutic In Rainbow Trout, Sarah J. Poynter, Amal Aloufi, Jeremy Weleff, Adam Soares, Stephanie J. Dewitte-Orr

2nd International Conference of Fish & Shellfish Immunology

No abstract provided.

Fatty Acid Synthase And The Lipogenic Phenotype In Wssv-Infected Shrimp, Han-Ching Wang

2nd International Conference of Fish & Shellfish Immunology

No abstract provided.

Lipid Metabolism During Wssv Infection In Shrimp, Cheng Cheng Shun

2nd International Conference of Fish & Shellfish Immunology

No abstract provided.

Implication Of Biological And Synthetic Nanoparticles In Evolution And Development Of Antibiotic Resistance Relevant For Aquaculture, Petter Langlete

2nd International Conference of Fish & Shellfish Immunology

No abstract provided.

Expression Kinetics Of Interferon Stimulated Genes In Atlantic Salmon Head Kidney Cells (Ask) Nucleofected With Poly(I:C), Adriana Magalhaes Santos Andresen 19821, Tor Gjøen

2nd International Conference of Fish & Shellfish Immunology

No abstract provided.

Innate Immune Recognition Of Candida Albicans In Zebrafish, Monique Elaine Theriault

Honors College

Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that has the capability to switch from commensal to pathogen in immunocompromised individuals. Recognition of pathogens, like C. albicans, during infection is poorly characterized primarily due to the difficulties in visualizing the host/pathogen interaction without killing the host. Transparent animal hosts, such as Danio rerio (zebrafish), enable imaging of pathogen recognition while maintaining host viability. For pathogen recognition, zebrafish likely use immune receptors similar to mammalian receptors including C-type lectin receptors. Human C-type lectin receptors have already been shown to be crucial in recognition of fungal pathogens like C. albicans, and our goal …

Characterizing The Neutrophil Response To Influenza A Virus Infection In The Zebrafish Model, Alexis Rae Bowman

Honors College

Neutrophils are a type of innate immune cell that play a critical role in the acute inflammatory response by recognizing, phagocytizing and killing pathogens. Although their presence during infection is immensely significant for pathogen clearance, current research suggests that an overly robust neutrophil response may be detrimental to the host. Expression levels of the zebrafish chemokines Cxcl8-l1 and Cxcl8-l2, which are responsible for inducing neutrophil migration to a site of infection, have been shown to increase under inflammatory conditions caused by various PAMPs and infectious stimuli. Cxcl8 expression levels under inflammatory conditions caused by human viral infections, such as Influenza …