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Full-Text Articles in Biotechnology

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 …


Evolution Of Bordetella Pertussis Genome May Play A Role In The Increased Rate Of Whooping Cough Cases In The United States, Kevin Loftus May 2018

Evolution Of Bordetella Pertussis Genome May Play A Role In The Increased Rate Of Whooping Cough Cases In The United States, Kevin Loftus

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Bordetella pertussis is the bacterium responsible for pertussis, a disease commonly referred to as whooping cough. Recently, pertussis has made a resurgence in the U.S. despite high-vaccination coverage. Possible causes of the increased number of pertussis cases include genetic evolution of B. pertussis, increased awareness of the disease, better laboratory diagnostics, and the switch from a whole-cellular (wP) vaccine to an acellular vaccine (aP) in the 1990s. Fortunately, just as B. pertussis is evolving, so is the arsenal of technologies used to understand and combat this pathogenic bacterium. Whole genome sequencing is one technology that helps researchers better understand …