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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Impact Of Orthophosphate As A Corrosion Inhibitor And Chloramine Disinfectant On Drinking Water Biofilm Communities, Mitchell Cooke Jan 2022

Impact Of Orthophosphate As A Corrosion Inhibitor And Chloramine Disinfectant On Drinking Water Biofilm Communities, Mitchell Cooke

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

A drinking water distribution system (DWDS) must maintain conditions within quality standards which assure the effective and safe transport of finished drinking water from treatment plants to the household tap. Although safe to drink, finished water is not sterile, and may contain hundreds of microorganisms in a single milliliter. These microorganisms are present from the source waters, such as lakes, rivers and aquifers, and have passed through early treatment steps. Final treatment steps, such as the maintenance of disinfectant residuals, are used to further minimize viable cells present and focus on the reduction of harmful organisms. Microbial cells entering the …


The Role Of Streptococci In Oral Periodontitis: Growth And Disruption Of Yellow Complex Bacteria, Megan Gordon Jan 2020

The Role Of Streptococci In Oral Periodontitis: Growth And Disruption Of Yellow Complex Bacteria, Megan Gordon

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Periodontitis is described as the inflammation of the periodontium and affects millions of people worldwide. This disease is caused by biofilm growth of certain bacteria on the tooth surface, adjacent to the gum tissue in the oral cavity. There are currently treatments against severe periodontitis, such as oral surgery and use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, but they fail to target the specific bacteria associated with periodontitis. Socransky et al., (1998), identified the preponderance for specific organisms in distinct areas of the subgingival pockets to associate with different bacteria forming consortia and complexes. The yellow complex, containing facultatively anaerobic, Gram positive …


Structural Investigation Of Bcsc: Insight Into Periplasmic Transport During Cellulose Export, William Scott, Joel T. Weadge Jan 2019

Structural Investigation Of Bcsc: Insight Into Periplasmic Transport During Cellulose Export, William Scott, Joel T. Weadge

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

A biofilm can be defined by a community of microbes coexisting within a self-produced protective polymeric matrix. Exopolysaccharide (EPS) is a key component in biofilms and a contributor to their virulence and pathogenicity. The cellulose bacterial synthesis complex is one such EPS system that is found in many Enterobacteriaceae,including Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp., and is responsible for the production and secretion of the EPS cellulose. BcsC is the periplasmic protein responsible for the export of the exopolysaccharide cellulose and was the focus of this research. Sequence homology comparisons and structural predictions between BcsC, and the previously characterized alginate …


Characterization Of Wssf; A Putative Acetyltransferase From Achromobacter Insuavis And Pseudomonas Fluorescens, Cody Reese Jan 2019

Characterization Of Wssf; A Putative Acetyltransferase From Achromobacter Insuavis And Pseudomonas Fluorescens, Cody Reese

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Biofilms are a survival mechanism commonly employed by communities of bacteria for adherence and protection. Bacteria produce a matrix of polymers (e.g. exopolysaccharides, such as cellulose) that allow them to exert control on their local environment. In the case of cellulose biofilms, acetylation (addition of acetate on carbohydrates) is paramount for polymer integrity and in some cases virulence. For this research, the wrinkly spreader (WS) genotype of the emergent human pathogen Achromobacter insuavis facilitates infections of the eyes of contact lens wearers and the lungs of Cystic Fibrosis patients (CF). Chronic infections have created a growing concern for the protective …


Riparian Zone Soil Microbial Community Dynamics: Interactions With Nutrient Loadings, James Bannister Jan 2019

Riparian Zone Soil Microbial Community Dynamics: Interactions With Nutrient Loadings, James Bannister

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Riparian zones are a type of wetland described as the interface between land and a body of water such as a river or stream. Riparian zones are effective buffers against anthropogenic pollutants and nutrient loads from non-point sources that can greatly diminish water quality. Riparian zones can host a variety of plant species and associated microbial communities. The combined biological processes of plants, bacteria, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are key to nutrient cycling and nutrient removal in riparian zones. As such, understanding the factors that influence them is critical for watershed management. This research is targeted at obtaining a …


Structure-Function Investigation Of Proteins Involved In Cellulose Biosynthesis By Escherichia Coli, Thomas Brenner Jan 2017

Structure-Function Investigation Of Proteins Involved In Cellulose Biosynthesis By Escherichia Coli, Thomas Brenner

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Bacteria thrive within multicellular communities called biofilms consisting of a self-produced matrix. Biofilm matrices improve bacterial adherence to surfaces while creating a barrier from host immune responses, disinfectants, antibiotics and other environmental factors. Persistent colonization by the widely distributed pathogens, Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp., has been linked to production of biofilms composed of the exopolysaccharide cellulose. Cellulose-containing biofilms are also important to Acetobacter, Sarcina, Rhizobium and Agrobacterium species to form symbiotic and pathogenic interactions. In Enterobacteriaceae, two operons (bcsABZC and bcsEFG) are proposed to encode for proteins that form a cellulose biosynthetic complex that spans the …