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Full-Text Articles in Biology

Adherent-Invasive Escherichia Coli (Aiec) Promotes Mild Colitis In The C57bl/6 Il-10 Ko Mouse Model Of Crohn's Disease, Sarah Sm Zaw Apr 2024

Adherent-Invasive Escherichia Coli (Aiec) Promotes Mild Colitis In The C57bl/6 Il-10 Ko Mouse Model Of Crohn's Disease, Sarah Sm Zaw

Senior Theses

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Interleukin-10 knockout (IL-10 KO) mice are crucial in CD research. Adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) is a subgroup of E. coli. In one study, IL-10 KO mice colonized with AIEC developed colitis in the distal colon compared to wild-type (WT) mice. I investigated how AIEC NC101 WT affects colitis severity in IL-10 KO mice of the C57BL/6 genetic background. Similar results in both genotypes would enhance mouse strain accessibility. Germ-free C57BL6 IL-10 KO mice were divided into groups: colonized with AIEC NC101 for 12, 15, or 18 weeks, or kept germ-free. Histopathological …


Novel Microbiological Medium Developed For The Isolation Of Bacteria Associated With Estuarine Anemones, Parker K. Lund, Catalina Cuellar-Gempeler Mar 2024

Novel Microbiological Medium Developed For The Isolation Of Bacteria Associated With Estuarine Anemones, Parker K. Lund, Catalina Cuellar-Gempeler

IdeaFest: Interdisciplinary Journal of Creative Works and Research from Cal Poly Humboldt

Out of the nearly one trillion species of microbiota estimated to inhabit Earth only ten thousand have been cultured in the laboratory. Culturing continues to play a vital role in determining the physiology and ecologic function of individual bacteria in microbial communities and for microbes associated with host organisms one of the major challenges is developing microbiological media that mimics the bacteria’s natural environment enough to promote growth. Here, we target bacteria associated with the estuary anemones Diadumene lineata and Metridium senile by developing a novel medium that uses anemone tissue as the sole source of nutrients. We further measured …


Characterization Of Protein-Protein Interactions In Quorum-Sensing Receptors From Gram Negative Bacteria, Jessica Schuh May 2023

Characterization Of Protein-Protein Interactions In Quorum-Sensing Receptors From Gram Negative Bacteria, Jessica Schuh

Biological Sciences

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterium capable of causing disease in immunocompromised individuals and individuals with underlying lung disorders. It controls the expression of a subset of its genes through quorum sensing, which is a cell-cell communication system involved in mediating the transition from individual to group behaviors. Group behaviors are cellular processes undertaken by the cell that are beneficial to the collective, such as biofilm formation – a key component of pathogenesis in the human lung. They rely on the production, accumulation, detection, and response to signal molecules called autoinducers. There are two acyl-homoserine lactone autoinducer quorum sensing systems in …


The Antibacterial Efficacy Of Silver (I) Cyanoximates Against Streptococcus Mutans Ua159 Biofilm Growth And Infection In Galleria Mellonella Larvae, Jill Hughes Jan 2023

The Antibacterial Efficacy Of Silver (I) Cyanoximates Against Streptococcus Mutans Ua159 Biofilm Growth And Infection In Galleria Mellonella Larvae, Jill Hughes

Honors Program Theses

Streptococcus mutans is the known etiological agent of dental caries. S. mutans’ virulence factors, namely biofilm formation and lactic acid fermentation, contribute to its pathogenic behavior within the oral cavity. Biofilms are thick, antibiotically resistant communities of bacteria that are much more difficult to treat than planktonic or free-floating bacteria. Continued misuse of antibiotics against dynamic communities, like biofilms, has led to increased research on non-antibiotic alternatives. Amongst these alternatives, there are silver and silver-based compounds. Silver is commonly incorporated into medicine due to its inhibitory and bactericidal effects and antibacterial properties. Silver (I) cyanoximates have demonstrated promising antibacterial activity …


Frankenbacteriosis Targeting Interactions Between Pathogen And Symbiont To Control Infection In The Tick Vector, Lorena Mazuecos, Pilar Alberdi, Angélica Hernández-Jarguín, Marinela Contreras, Margarita Villar, Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz, Ladislav Simo, Almudena González-García, Sandra Díaz-Sánchez, Girish Neelakanta, Sarah I. Bonnet, Erol Fikrig, José De La Fuente Jan 2023

Frankenbacteriosis Targeting Interactions Between Pathogen And Symbiont To Control Infection In The Tick Vector, Lorena Mazuecos, Pilar Alberdi, Angélica Hernández-Jarguín, Marinela Contreras, Margarita Villar, Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz, Ladislav Simo, Almudena González-García, Sandra Díaz-Sánchez, Girish Neelakanta, Sarah I. Bonnet, Erol Fikrig, José De La Fuente

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

(Summary) Tick microbiota can be targeted for the control of tick-borne diseases such as human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) caused by model pathogen, Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Frankenbacteriosis is inspired by Frankenstein and defined here as paratransgenesis of tick symbiotic/commensal bacteria to mimic and compete with tick-borne pathogens. Interactions between A. phagocytophilum and symbiotic Sphingomonas identified by metaproteomics analysis in Ixodes scapularis midgut showed competition between both bacteria. Consequently, Sphingomonas was selected for frankenbacteriosis for the control of A. phagocytophilum infection and transmission. The results showed that Franken Sphingomonas producing A. phagocytophilum major surface protein 4 (MSP4) mimic pathogen and reduce infection …


Investigation Of Glycoside Hydrolases And Calcium In Cytophaga Hutchinsonii Cellulose Utilization, Choua Kou Vang Jan 2023

Investigation Of Glycoside Hydrolases And Calcium In Cytophaga Hutchinsonii Cellulose Utilization, Choua Kou Vang

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Cytophaga hutchinsonii is a soil bacterium that can utilize cellulose as a carbon source. The cellulose utilization system of C. hutchinsonii has been predicted to be novel and its endoglucanases could potentially be used in the production of cellulosic based biofuels. These enzymes could be used to process cellulose to glucose or other soluble sugars, which can be further converted to ethanol by yeast fermentation. Current biofuels utilize starches, primarily from corn, which has direct competition with farming space for food crops. This study focuses on observing the growth of C. hutchinsonii knockout mutant strains on cellulose substrate to better …


A Dnak Chaperone System Connects Type Iv Pilus Activity To Polysaccharide Secretion In The Cyanobacterium Nostoc Punctiforme, Heather J. Mcdonald Jan 2023

A Dnak Chaperone System Connects Type Iv Pilus Activity To Polysaccharide Secretion In The Cyanobacterium Nostoc Punctiforme, Heather J. Mcdonald

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Type IV pili (T4P) systems are widely utilized among bacteria to power and direct surface motility. The production and secretion of a viscous polysaccharide to provide friction and resistance to the extended pilus structure is seen in several species of cyanobacteria including Nostoc punctiforme. The complex coregulation of polysaccharide secretion and T4P motor activity is not fully understood, although studies indicate a consistent relationship between functional motility and intact pathways of polysaccharide secretion and pilus extension in cyanobacteria. Using a combination of protein-protein interaction analysis, cytological studies, and comparative genomics this study proposes a theoretical mechanism for T4P motor influenced …


Effects Of Mass Death On Community Structure And Ecosystem Function, Abby Kimpton Jones Aug 2022

Effects Of Mass Death On Community Structure And Ecosystem Function, Abby Kimpton Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Death and decomposition are natural processes that are generally well-understood. However, large events of death, such as mass mortality events (MMEs) are increasing in frequency and their impacts on the ecosystem are largely unknown. These events may have both bottom-up effects from increased nutrient input as well as top-down effects from loss of an ecological functional group by the affected population. Different functional MMEs may result in different top-down effects, creating cascading effects. In Chapter 1, I test the hypothesis that scavenger and herbivore simulated MMEs generate novel bottom-up and top-down effects. Results indicate that MMEs have a significant effect …


Discovering Novel Polyextremotolerant Fungi, And Determining Their Ecological Role Within The Biological Soil Crust Consortium, Erin Carr Jul 2022

Discovering Novel Polyextremotolerant Fungi, And Determining Their Ecological Role Within The Biological Soil Crust Consortium, Erin Carr

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The ecological niche of polyextremotolerant fungi within oligotrophic ecosystems such as biological soil crusts has not yet been determined. These fungi persist in locations where nutrients are depleted while simultaneously surrounded by autotrophic microbes such as algae and cyanobacteria. Yet it has not been shown that they are engaging in any exchange of nutrients the way lichens do. However, there is seemingly no other way for these fungi to obtain vital nutrients, such as carbon or nitrogen, other than from these microbes. Here we have isolated polyextremotolerant fungi from cold desert biological soil crusts which are a microbial biofilm that …


Methanogen Metabolic Flexibility, Sean Carr Jul 2022

Methanogen Metabolic Flexibility, Sean Carr

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Methanogens are obligately anaerobic archaea which produce methane as a byproduct of their respiration. They are found across a wide diversity of environments and play an important role in cycling carbon in anaerobic spaces and the removal of harmful fermentation byproducts which would otherwise inhibit other organisms. Methanogens subsist on low-energy substrates which requires them to utilize a highly efficient central metabolism which greatly favors respiratory byproducts over biomass. This metabolic strategy creates high substrate:product conversion ratios which is industrially relevant for the production of biomethane, but may also allow for the production of value-added commodities. Particularly of interest are …


Implications Of Antibiotic And Bacteriophage Resistance In Environmentally Isolated E. Coli, Michael Connolly Jun 2022

Implications Of Antibiotic And Bacteriophage Resistance In Environmentally Isolated E. Coli, Michael Connolly

Honors Theses

The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is an emerging problem for humans. Clinical misuse, overuse in agricultural and food settings, and limited numbers of new antibiotics have accelerated the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. To confront this threat, scientists must develop new therapeutics that kill these antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In this study, we used Escherichia coli to analyze antibiotic and bacteriophage susceptibility. E. coli is a common, mostly benign, enteric, gram-negative bacteria. We isolated three E. coli strains from the Hans Groot Kill, a stream that runs through Union College’s campus. We sought to assess various E. coli strains’ antibiotic resistance, susceptibility …


Analysis And Identification Of Lipolytic Bacterial Species For The Degradation Of Wastewater Lipids, Lindsay C. Smoak Apr 2022

Analysis And Identification Of Lipolytic Bacterial Species For The Degradation Of Wastewater Lipids, Lindsay C. Smoak

Honors College Theses

The aim of this study was to isolate native bacterial strains from the wastewater treatment facilities of Statesboro, GA to identify their lipolytic activities. Obtained bacterial strains were further assessed via morphological and biochemical methods to determine their enzymatic capabilities. Use of the detergent Tween-20 in growth mediums was the first criteria to assess lipase activity, and these isolates were further investigated to quantitatively measure lipase presence and activity. Lipase protein was precipitated and dialyzed to perform a lipase activity assay, followed by Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate–Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to confirm the presence of the lipolytic enzymes. Sanger sequencing was …


To Better Engage Students, Instructors Should Create Lab Exercises With Real-World Examples., Autumn Kelsch Feb 2022

To Better Engage Students, Instructors Should Create Lab Exercises With Real-World Examples., Autumn Kelsch

Research on Capitol Hill

USU senior Autumn studies biology here in Logan and led and funded this project herself through a student grant. ‘Elementary Microbiology’ is a required course for many medical fields, and traditionally relies on several pre-determined research projects in class. However, educators suggest that students gain more from open-ended projects where the answer is unknown and the students’ findings contribute to our knowledge on the subject. When Autumn was hired as a teaching assistant for this course at USU, she developed and created a project where students look for bacteria in soil samples that may help fight infections. She now hopes …


Creating An Interdisciplinary Curriculum Within The Undergraduate Arts And Sciences Through Agar Art, Julie Torruellas Garcia, Kandy Lopez, Véronique Côté, Katie E. Crump Jan 2022

Creating An Interdisciplinary Curriculum Within The Undergraduate Arts And Sciences Through Agar Art, Julie Torruellas Garcia, Kandy Lopez, Véronique Côté, Katie E. Crump

Biology Faculty Articles

Evidence-based studies on the benefits of integrating STEM into the arts are limited; however, some suggest that it can lead to improved scientific literacy and new approaches for artistic scholarship. Unfortunately, undergraduate education often creates disciplinary silos where the two are not integrated. Here, we discuss a unique collaboration between professors in the art and biology departments. Our goal was to integrate science into art courses using an agar art activity. We hypothesized that art students could effectively learn microbiology laboratory techniques and use them as novel tools for artistic practice. The activity was integrated into two to four sessions …


Microbial Community And Soil Responses To Land Management Practices In Remnant And Restored Tallgrass Prairies, Desirae Marie Klimek Jan 2022

Microbial Community And Soil Responses To Land Management Practices In Remnant And Restored Tallgrass Prairies, Desirae Marie Klimek

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Critical ecosystem functions, such as decomposition and nutrient cycling, are driven by microbial communities within soil. As such, it is important to examine the effect of restoration practices, such as the presence of native grazers and prescribed burning, on these microbes and the soil they inhabit. The Nachusa Grasslands provides a chronosequence of restored tallgrass prairies ranging in restoration age from 5 to 33 years, as well as remnant prairies, and agricultural fields. These sites were sampled seasonally from 2013-2020 and microbial ribosomal RNA genes were surveyed to characterize soil microbial communities and assess how common restoration practices affect these …


Identification, Enumeration, And Diversity Determinations For Fungi Enriched On Phthalates As Sole Carbon Source From Riverine Sediments Using Molecular Methods, Anthony M. Vicidomini Jan 2022

Identification, Enumeration, And Diversity Determinations For Fungi Enriched On Phthalates As Sole Carbon Source From Riverine Sediments Using Molecular Methods, Anthony M. Vicidomini

All Capstone Projects

Phthalates are a common chemical compound used as plasticizers in various industries that have been linked to several detrimental effects on health. Due to their widespread use, they have become a common environmental pollutant of soil and water. The persistence and distribution of phthalate esters in the environment has given rise to many microorganisms that are able to incorporate phthalates into various metabolic pathways and degrade them into harmless substances, with fungi being among those that are capable of such degradation of industrial polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In this study, the diversity of fungal communities in response to the presence of …


Inhibition Of Staphylococcus Aureus Biofilm By Variovorax Paradoxus, Esther Gomez Jan 2022

Inhibition Of Staphylococcus Aureus Biofilm By Variovorax Paradoxus, Esther Gomez

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the leading causes of fatal nosocomial infections. Often, S. aureus can grow as a biofilm which protects the population from the surrounding environment. Strains of S. aureus are resistant to virtually all known antibiotics on the market. Variovorax paradoxus is a soil microbe with many unusual metabolic activities. It has been previously observed that, V. paradoxus can inhibit the growth of S. aureus when in co-culture. In this work we report on inhibition of S. aureus biofilm formation by V. paradoxus due to a suspected inhibitory soluble factor.


The Bgs 13 Mutant Of Pichia Pastoris And Its Effect On Structural Changes Of The Reporter Protein B-Lactogolbulin, Bushra Irshad Jan 2022

The Bgs 13 Mutant Of Pichia Pastoris And Its Effect On Structural Changes Of The Reporter Protein B-Lactogolbulin, Bushra Irshad

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Pichia pastoris, a methylotrophic yeast, is an ideal host for recombinant protein expression. It has the capability of performing many eukaryotic post-translational modifications and grows to high cell densities. However, P. pastoris’s secretion properties are not always efficient, and its secretory pathway mechanisms have not been thoroughly elucidated. A previously identified mutant strain, bgs13, was found to efficiently secrete most recombinant proteins tested, raising the possibility that this bgs13 mutant is a universal super secreter and understanding its secretion process is needed. In this study, we used a reporter protein, ?-lactoglobulin (b-LG), to perform structural analysis and comparisons of protein …


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 …


Assessment Of Non-Saccharomyces Yeast Species As Secondary Fermenters In Beer, Paul J. Clark Sep 2021

Assessment Of Non-Saccharomyces Yeast Species As Secondary Fermenters In Beer, Paul J. Clark

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Secondary fermentation of beer is traditionally used to condition and refine the sensory profile of a beer. During methods such as barrel aging or lagering, the yeast continues to produce flavor-active compounds. Some methods include the intentional inoculation of microorganisms or the utilization of natural consortia associated with a barrel, fruit, or additive for the generation of desired sensory profiles. As unique products increase in popularity, brewers have begun to experiment with secondary fermentation using alternative yeast species as bioflavorants. To assess the viability of an organism’s application to brewing, the physiochemical properties of beer and their impact on the …


Factors Influencing Primate Hair Microbiome Diversity, Catherine Kitrinos Sep 2021

Factors Influencing Primate Hair Microbiome Diversity, Catherine Kitrinos

Masters Theses

Primate hair is both a substrate upon which essential social interactions occur and an important host-pathogen interface. As commensal microbes provide important immune functions for their hosts, understanding the microbial diversity in primate hair could provide insight into primate immunity and disease transmission. While studies of human hair and skin microbiomes show differences in microbial communities across body regions, little is known about the nonhuman primate hair microbiome. In this study, we collected hair samples (n=159) from 8 body regions across 12 nonhuman primate species housed at 3 US institutions to examine 1) the diversity and composition of the primate …


You Are What You Eat — Exploring The Microbiome Through Inquiry-Based Labs. Microbiome Lesson Plans, Karla S. Fuller Aug 2021

You Are What You Eat — Exploring The Microbiome Through Inquiry-Based Labs. Microbiome Lesson Plans, Karla S. Fuller

Open Educational Resources

If these commonly used spices have the ability to inhibit pathogenic bacterial growth, could they also potentially inhibit the growth of normal, harmless bacteria that live in your body? In this lab, we will test common bacteria for resistance to food additives.


Hydrocarbon Biodegradation And Microbial Community Composition In Freshwater Systems And Enrichment Cultures, Emma Byrne Jan 2021

Hydrocarbon Biodegradation And Microbial Community Composition In Freshwater Systems And Enrichment Cultures, Emma Byrne

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

In this study, we investigated if significant differences existed seasonally in the microbial response to oil in the Straits of Mackinac, and if crude (Bakken) and refined (non-highway diesel) oil exposure had impacts on microbial community composition and hydrocarbon biodegradation across seasons using a microcosm-level experiment. Ambient microbial communities differed between seasons, with significantly enriched microbial groups present between all sample types except for between fall 23 ℃ and fall 4 ℃ microcosms. We found significantly different microbial communities between control samples and oil-amended samples in every season, but no significant community differences between either oil type. We found Amplicon …


Functional Characterization Of Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus Matrix Protein In Host Cellular Responses, Jeffery Ringiesn Jan 2021

Functional Characterization Of Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus Matrix Protein In Host Cellular Responses, Jeffery Ringiesn

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) is a deadly fish pathogen that poses a global threat to aquatic ecosystems and the aquaculture industry. For decades, research has focused on developing vaccine therapeutics utilizing a variety of techniques and strategies. While these studies have met with some success in identifying potential vaccine targets that provided protective immunity, a commercially viable IHNV vaccine is currently unavailable. Here we explore the relationship between the structure and function of the IHNV matrix (M) protein through the introduction of mutations that reduce anti-host effects, with the goal of developing a novel recombinant IHNV with reduced pathogenicity …


Characterizing The Effects Of 14-3-3 Isoforms On Alpha-Synuclein Toxicity In A Yeast Model, Angela Marie Braunschweiger Jan 2021

Characterizing The Effects Of 14-3-3 Isoforms On Alpha-Synuclein Toxicity In A Yeast Model, Angela Marie Braunschweiger

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The presynaptic protein alpha-synuclein encoded by SNCA is the primary component of Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites which are the histopathological hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease. While the etiology of Parkinson’s remains unclear, SNCA mutations and copy number variations are one of several genes linked to Parkinson’s. The family of highly conserved chaperone proteins 14-3-3 have been shown to co-aggregate and share regions of 40% homology with alpha-synuclein. Mitochondrial dysfunction also plays a role in Parkinson’s disease with abnormalities in mitochondrial respiration due to interference of complex I in the electron transport chain being found in Parkinson’s patients. Alpha-synuclein increases fragmentation …


Diverse Community Of Arsenic Resistant Bacteria Display Arsenate Reducing Capabilities, Stephanie Maeda Oct 2020

Diverse Community Of Arsenic Resistant Bacteria Display Arsenate Reducing Capabilities, Stephanie Maeda

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Naturally found in soil and water environments arsenic is toxic to many organisms, carcinogenic to humans, and poses a significant public health risk. Yet communities of bacteria found thriving in arsenic ridden environments have evolved mechanisms to tolerate and exploit both oxidation states of this heavy metal (arsenite and arsenate). As the site of an old arsenic mine, Black Mountain Open Space Park in San Diego, California has yielded concentrations of arsenic in the soil between 111-14,800 ppm. Exceeding average arsenic soil concentrations and levels considered safe in the environment by the World Health Organization, we sought to characterize the …


Covid-19: In The Absence Of Vaccination – ‘Mask-The-Nation’, Roy D. Sleator, Steven Darby, Alan Giltinan, Niall Smith Jul 2020

Covid-19: In The Absence Of Vaccination – ‘Mask-The-Nation’, Roy D. Sleator, Steven Darby, Alan Giltinan, Niall Smith

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

“In the absence of a vaccine, or effective antiviral, one of our only remaining strategies for controlling COVID-19 is to physically block the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the community”


Lysogeny And Use Of Mycobacteriophage Pita2, Eleanor Behling, Neocles B. Leontis, Jill Zeilstra-Ryalls May 2020

Lysogeny And Use Of Mycobacteriophage Pita2, Eleanor Behling, Neocles B. Leontis, Jill Zeilstra-Ryalls

Honors Projects

The CDC has classified antibiotic resistance as the biggest health challenge of our era; every year 2 million lives are impacted and even lost due to resistant bacteria. Bacteriophages provide an alternative route to fighting infections that does not further the development of antibiotic resistance among bacterial species. A bacteriophage replicates inside a bacterial cell and then causes that cell to lyse, an event that kills the bacterial host. However, some phage can integrate their genomes into the host chromosome without causing lysis. The HHMI SEA-PHAGES program has generated a collection of bacteriophage that infect Actinobacteria species. Over 13,000 phages …


Antimicrobial Properties Of An Unknown Microorganism Isolated From The Local Environment, Danielle Duryea Apr 2020

Antimicrobial Properties Of An Unknown Microorganism Isolated From The Local Environment, Danielle Duryea

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Bacterial species that cause disease can usually be combatted with antibiotics; but as the years pass, more and more bacterial pathogens are becoming resistant to these treatments. In fact, the Center for Disease Control has identified eighteen classes of bacteria ranging from urgent to concerning threats due antibiotic resistance (2019), warning the advance of an antibiotic resistance crisis in which untreatable bacterial infections will become a leading cause of death (Bennadi, 2014). The Small World Initiative is a program created in 2012 at Yale University to address the antibiotic crisis through a crowdsourcing effort where undergraduate students are encouraged to …


Microbial Lag Phase Can Be Indicative Of, Or Independent From, Cellular Stress, Philip G. Hamill, Andrew Stevenson, Phillip E. Mcmullan, James P. Williams, Abiann D. R. Lewis, Sudharsan S., Kath E. Stevenson, Keith D. Farnsworth, Galina Khroustalyova, Jon Y. Takemoto, John P. Quinn, Alexander Rapoport, John E. Hallsworth Apr 2020

Microbial Lag Phase Can Be Indicative Of, Or Independent From, Cellular Stress, Philip G. Hamill, Andrew Stevenson, Phillip E. Mcmullan, James P. Williams, Abiann D. R. Lewis, Sudharsan S., Kath E. Stevenson, Keith D. Farnsworth, Galina Khroustalyova, Jon Y. Takemoto, John P. Quinn, Alexander Rapoport, John E. Hallsworth

Biology Faculty Publications

Measures of microbial growth, used as indicators of cellular stress, are sometimes quantified at a single time-point. In reality, these measurements are compound representations of length of lag, exponential growth-rate, and other factors. Here, we investigate whether length of lag phase can act as a proxy for stress, using a number of model systems (Aspergillus penicillioides; Bacillus subtilis; Escherichia coli; Eurotium amstelodami, E. echinulatum, E. halophilicum, and E. repens; Mrakia frigida; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Xerochrysium xerophilum; Xeromyces bisporus) exposed to mechanistically distinct types of cellular stress including low water activity, …