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Full-Text Articles in Biochemistry

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 …


Structural And Functional Analysis Of Three Upregulated Gene Products, Tde0626, Tde1701, And Tde2714 From Treponema Denticola During Biofilm Formation, Jonah Nechacov Jan 2019

Structural And Functional Analysis Of Three Upregulated Gene Products, Tde0626, Tde1701, And Tde2714 From Treponema Denticola During Biofilm Formation, Jonah Nechacov

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The progression of human chronic periodontitis within periodontal disease has been often linked to the presence of key pathogens, such as the presence of Treponema denticola, a late colonizer found in the deepening pockets of the gingival sulcus. This pathogen, as well as its associates Porphyromonas gingivalis and Tannerella forsythia, are classified as the ‘red complex’ and exist in a mixed biofilm during infection. It is within this biofilm state that previous transcriptomic analysis revealed a total of 126 genes that had an increase in their expression by 1.5-fold or greater in T. denticola. Three of these …


Characterization Of The Red Complex Bacterial Biofilm, Alena Pratasouskaya Jan 2019

Characterization Of The Red Complex Bacterial Biofilm, Alena Pratasouskaya

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Commonly associated with severe inflammation and destruction of the tooth-supporting tissue is bacterial consortia Treponema denticola, Tannerella forsythia, and Porphyromonas gingivalis, collectively referred to as the red complex. The red complex uses the common bacterial strategy of producing and embedding itself in extracellular polymeric substance, which contributes to the recalcitrance of periodontitis and was therefore of interest in this study. The red complex static cultures were grown in combination with different chemicals in order to establish what changes accompany these chemical challenges. This research established that extracellular polymeric substance carbohydrate yields increased with time. Interestingly, carbohydrate composition …


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 …


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 …