Microbiology Commons^™

Biological And Computational Studies Of The Structure And Function Of Pul103, A Human Cytomegalovirus Tegument Protein, Ashley N. Anderson

Wayne State University Dissertations

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is an enveloped, single segment, double-stranded DNA virus. HCMV infection causes disease in immunocompromised (HIV patients, transplant recipients) and immunodeficient (fetuses, neonates) populations. Current treatments are effective but are either limited in use or can lead to organ damage and/or antiviral resistance, and no vaccines are available. Additional antiviral targets are needed. HCMV pUL103 is a potential antiviral target. pUL103 is a conserved herpesvirus protein present in the tegument, layer of proteins and RNA between the envelope and capsid of HCMV virions. pUL103 helps reorganize cellular secretory machinery (Golgi, endosomes) to form the cytoplasmic virion assembly compartment …

Non-Invasive Method For Leptin Supplementation In Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Regan Mcnamara

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

I tested the hypothesis that recombinant leptin protein can be introduced to zebrafish in vivo through non-invasive soaking in a solution containing the protein. One way to study various molecules’ effects in vivo is through intraperitoneal or intracerebroventricular injections during the embryonic or larval stage, which is invasive, difficult to administer, and can have a high mortality rate. 48 hours post fertilization (hpf) zebrafish were soaked in a His-tagged recombinant leptin protein solution at 10 nM and 100 nM concentrations (produced by Genscript). After soaking, zebrafish larvae were washed extensively to remove all recombinant protein on their exterior before homogenization. …

Characterization Of The Putative Polysaccharide Synthase Cpsa And Its Effects On The Virulence Of The Human Pathogen Aspergillus Fumigatus, Binita Nepal

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous opportunistic human pathogen capable of causing a life-threatening disease called invasive aspergillosis, or IA, with an associated 40–90% mortality rate in immunocompromised patients. Of the approximately 250 species known in the genus Aspergillus, A. fumigatus is responsible for up to 90% of IA infections. This study focuses on examining the role of the putative polysaccharide synthase cpsA gene in A. fumigatus virulence. Additionally, we evaluated its role in cellular processes that influence invasion and colonization of host tissue. Importantly, our results support that cpsA is indispensable for virulence in A. fumigatus infection of …

The Exploration Of Nanotoxicological Copper And Interspecific Saccharomyces Hybrids, Matthew Joseph Winans Phd

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nanotechnology takes advantage of cellular biology’s natural nanoscale operations by interacting with biomolecules differently than soluble or bulk materials, often altering normal cellular processes such as metabolism or growth. To gain a better understanding of how copper nanoparticles hybridized on cellulose fibers called carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) affected growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the mechanisms of toxicity were explored. Multiple methodologies covering genetics, proteomics, metallomics, and metabolomics were used during this investigation. The work that lead to this dissertation discovered that these cellulosic copper nanoparticles had a unique toxicity compared to copper. Further investigation suggested a possible ionic or molecular mimicry …

Neurodegenerative Modeling: Tau Protein, Degradative Pathways, And Gene Expression Profiling Of Human Ipsc-Derived Neural Precursors And Differentiated 3-D Neural Sphere Versus 2-D Monolayer Cultures, Kyle H. Anthoney

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Human induced pluripotent stem cells offer a model for human brain development and disease by differentiation into brain organoids; however, current neural culture systems lack the microenvironment, neuronal circuits and connectivity, vascular circulation, and immune system that exist in vivo. After differentiation and development of neuronal and non-neuronal cell types within two formats of cell cultures, we can visualize and recapitulate in vivo protein accumulation, gene expression, and degradative processes such as autophagy. Using RNA extraction, purification methods and reverse transcription I compared traditional monolayer cultures and novel 3-D neural sphere cultures via gene expression analysis. This analysis indicated …

Helicobacter Pylori Gene Regulation By Virulence Region Located Srnas, Veronica Janette Albrecht

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Approximately 50% of the human population is infected with Helicobacter pylori, which can lead to gastrointestinal diseases such as ulcers and gastric adenocarcinoma. Helicobacter pylori strains are genetically variable, and some contain a DNA region called the cytotoxin associated gene pathogenicity island (cagPAI) that encodes virulence factors. Gastrointestinal disease associated with H. pylori are more likely to occur in infections with cagPAI positive strains. Helicobacter pylori has few known transcriptional regulators, but still must regulate expression to survive a constantly changing environment. A mechanism to facilitate this regulation was revealed in a transcriptome analysis conducted by Sharma et al. (2010) …

Impact Of Chytrid Fungus Pathogen On The Skin Microbiome Of Frogs In Northern Idaho And Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, Washington, Philip M. Campos

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Amphibians worldwide are under threat from the infectious disease chytridiomycosis, which is caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Bd is associated with the population declines of an estimated 501 species, 90 of which are presumed or confirmed extinct, making this the greatest documented loss of biodiversity attributed to a disease. Researching the amphibian skin microbiome may provide solutions to conservation of amphibians. Two main relationships have been observed between Bd and the microbiome: 1) bacteria producing antifungal metabolites can inhibit Bd and improve survival against the disease and 2) infection by Bd is believed to affect the composition …

An Investigation Of The Potentials Of 2-[(2-Hydroxyphenyl) Methylidene] Hydrazine-1-Carbothioamide And Its Mn(Ii) And Zn(Ii) Complexes As Antimicrobial Agents, Umar Sani, Musbahu Yahaya, Dailami S. Adam

Tanzania Journal of Science

Antibiotic resistance as a result of misuse, overuse or abuse of drugs is an issue of serious concern world over. The quest for more active and robust antimicrobial agents remains a scientific challenge and requires multimillion-dollar investment in the area of drug design and development. Here in, we report the synthesis and characterisation of a tridentate thiosemicarbazone (2-[(2-hydroxyphenyl)methylidene]hydrazine-1-carbothioamide) (HL) from salicylaldehyde and thiosemicarbazide. Its complexes with Mn(II) and Zn(II) were prepared following similar technique and characterised by melting point, FT-IR, UV –visible spectrophotometry, and elemental analysis. The Mn(II) complex showed paramagnetism with a magnetic moment value of 5.80 BM while …

A Landscape On The Threshold Of Change: Patterns Of Soil Microbial Ecology Along Dynamic Geomorphic And Hydrologic Features In A Polar Desert, Kelli L. Feeser, David James Van Horn, Heather N. Buelow, Daniel R. Colman, Theresa A. Mchugh, Jordan G. Okie, Egbert Schwartz, Cristina D. Takacs-Vesbach, Becky A. Ball, Andrew G. Fountain, Michael N. Gooseff, Joseph S. Levy, Maciej K. Obryk

Biology ETDs

The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) of Antarctica are on the threshold of widespread landscape scale change due to increasing temperature and solar radiation and altered hydrology: buried ice is melting, the soil active layer is thickening, thermokarst features are developing along streams, water tracks are expanding, and lake levels are rising. These changes will impact the microbial communities found in each of the affected habitats. The purpose of this work is to first, understand the spatial distribution of soil bacteria in the MDV, specifically investigating the scale-dependent effects of environmental heterogeneity, and second, to perform surveys and coupled experiments to …

Interaction Between Fusarium Head Blight And Crown Rot Disease Incidence And Environmental Factors And Soil Physiochemical Analysis On Wheat In The South Of Iraq, Basra Province, Mohammed Hussein Minati Dr., Mohanad Khalaf Mohammed-Ameen Dr.

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

This study was conducted to evaluate the interaction between disease incidence of both Fusarium head blight (FHB) and crown rot (FCR) and physiochemical parameters for soil samples and environmental factors in 14 selected wheat fields in the North of Basra province. The results showed that both diseases were occurred in all surveyed fields. The level of FCR incidence was higher than FHB. The incidence of both diseases was increased with favourable weather conditions (high humidity and temperature ˃15 °C), reaching the highest levels in crucial periods before and during the ripening stage. The percentage of disease incidence ranged between 6 …

Characterization Of Plasmids Harbored By Vibrio Cholerae Isolates Endemic To The Rio Grande Delta, Viviana Trevino

Theses and Dissertations

Cholera is a diarrheal disease responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality globally. Epidemics along the Rio Grande Delta were reported during the 1850s, and the etiological agent Vibrio cholerae, remains endemic, thus presenting a unique opportunity for a study of historical and biological relevance. V. cholerae strains were isolated from two locations: the Rio Grande River under a bridge linking Brownsville to Matamoros (site 21) and where the river empties into the Gulf of Mexico (site 42). Two strains from site 21, and one from site 42 were selected to isolate, subclone, sequence, assemble and annotate extra-chromosomal elements. Results …

Role Of Topoisomerase Ii Alpha In Dna Topology And T Cell Responses During Chronic Viral Infections, Stella Chinyere Ogbu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The clearance of viruses is largely dependent upon the activation of T cells to generate a robust immune response. However, host responses are suppressed during chronic viral infections. In this thesis, we explored the role of Top2α in DNA topology in individuals with chronic HBV, HCV, and HIV infections. We found that Top2α protein expression and activity were low in T cells derived from chronically virus-infected individuals compared to healthy subjects. Using CD4⁺ T cells treated with Top2α inhibitor or poisoner as a model, we demonstrated that Top2α inhibition disrupts the DNA topology, suppresses DNA repair kinase (ATM), and …

The Role Of Multidrug Resistance Regulators Mara, Soxs, Rob And Rama In Regulating Virulence Traits In Salmonella Enterica, Srinivas Thota

Dissertations

Enteric pathogens sense numerous signals specific to the anatomical location in the intestine and integrate them with the complex regulatory networks to temporally and spatially regulate their virulence genes. MarA, SoxS, Rob and RamA are homologous transcription factors that belong to AraC family of proteins in Salmonella enterica that primarily were thought to be involved in rendering antibiotic resistance to bacteria by up regulating efflux pumps and down regulating outer membrane porins. The fact that these transcription factors respond to the same intestinal compounds that regulate virulence genes in Salmonella motivated us to look for other roles of these transcription …

The Adaptations Of The Sulfur-Oxidizing, Gammaproteobacterium "Candidatus Endoriftia Persephone", Endosymbiont Of The Giant Tubeworm Riftia Pachyptila, To Hydrothermal Vent Habitat Heterogeneity, Juliana M. Leonard

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The siboglinid tubeworm Riftia pachyptila is a dominant member of the deep-sea megafauna where seawater and hydrothermal vent (HTV) effluent interface and mix. It is one of the fastest growing invertebrates on land or in the sea. It does not have a digestive tract (e.g. mouth, gut, or anus), and is completely dependent on its sulfur-oxidizing endosymbiont, the Gammaproteobacterium “Candidatus Endoriftia persephone” for its nutritional requirements. This association was the first and is the most well studied among chemolithoautotrophic symbioses. “Ca. E. persephone” is a chemolithoautotrophic bacterium that oxidizes sulfide as an electron donor for energy, reduces oxygen as a …

Morphology, Molecular Characterization And Habitat Preference Of Harmful Benthic Dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus (Dinophyceae) In Malaysia, Nurin Izzati Mustapa

Student Works (2020-2029)

Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is a type of illness that causes human intoxication after consuming contaminated coral fishes. The neurotoxins, ciguatoxins, are produced by species of Gambierdiscus, one of the harmful benthic dinoflagellates. Identification of harmful dinoflagellate species is important to gain further insights into the global dispersion. In this study, morphological characteristics of species in the genus Gambierdiscus and their habitat preferences were investigated. Field sampling was undertaken at Pulau Rawa, Terengganu and Pulau Sibu, Johor. Single cells of Gambierdiscus were isolated and clonal cultures were established. Morphology of Gambierdiscus was examined by using light and scanning electron microscopes. …

Updating Molecular Diagnostics For Detecting Methicillin- Susceptible And Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Isolates In Blood Culture Bottles, Fred C. Tenover, Isabella A. Tickler, Victoria M. Le, Scott Dewell, Rodrigo E. Mendes, Richard V. Goering, Mrsa Consortium

Biology Faculty Publications

Molecular diagnostic tests can be used to provide rapid identification of staphylococcal species in blood culture bottles to help improve antimicrobial stewardship. However, alterations in the target nucleic acid sequences of the microorganisms or their antimicrobial resistance genes can lead to false-negative results. We determined the whole-genome sequences of 4 blood culture isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and 2 control organisms to understand the genetic basis of genotypephenotype discrepancies when using the Xpert MRSA/SA BC test (in vitro diagnostic medical device [IVD]). Three methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates each had a different insertion of a genetic element in the staphylococcal cassette …

Total Rna Extraction From Transgenic Flies Misexpressing Foreign Genes To Perform Next Generation Rna Sequencing, Abijeet Singh Mehta, Agustin Luz-Madrigal, Jian-Liang Li, Panagiotis A. Tsonis, Amit Singh

Biology Faculty Publications

Due to absence of transgenic approaches in Notopthalmus Viridescens (newt), and conservation of genetic machinery across species, we generated transgenic Drosophila melanogaster to misexpress unique genes from newt. Novel newt genes cloned, and inserted at attP site in Drosophila were misexpressed ubiquitously using tubulin Gal-4. Sample (total RNA) for RNA sequencing was collected at 3rd instar larval stage during which major developmental events takes place in Drosophila. Total RNA was extracted, and purified using RNA clean and ConcentratorTM. RNA quality was quantitated by calculating absorbance at 260 nm (A260) and 280 nm (A280) wavelengths using Nanodrop 2000 spectrophotometer. Good quality …

Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis And Structure Prediction Of Novel Newt Proteins, Abijeet Singh Mehta, Agustin Luz-Madrigal, Jian-Liang Li, Panagiotis A. Tsonis, Amit Singh

Biology Faculty Publications

Notophthalmus viridescens (Red-spotted Newt) possess amazing capabilities to regenerate their organs and other tissues. Previously, using a de novo assembly of the newt transcriptome combined with proteomic validation, our group identified a novel family of five protein members expressed in adult tissues during regeneration in Notophthalmus viridescens. The presence of a putative signal peptide suggests that all these proteins are secretory in nature. Here we employed iterative threading assembly refinement (I-TASSER) server to generate three-dimensional structure of these novel Newt proteins and predicted their function. Our data suggests that these proteins could act as ion transporters, and be involved …

Podophyllum Peltatum: Relationship Of Colony Size And Age, Emily Holst, Heidi Keswick, David P. Warners

Student Papers and Reports

No abstract provided.

Stormwater Capture Via Green Infrastructure In The Plaster Creek Watershed, Kyle Dankert, Ana Singh, Deanna Geelhoed, David P. Warners

Student Papers and Reports

No abstract provided.

Glycolic Acid Utilization In Two Species Of Marine Bacteria, Erik S. Timsak

STAR Program Research Presentations

Interactions between bacteria and phytoplankton are crucial for the cycling of organic matter in marine environments. Around 50% of organic carbon taken up by marine bacteria is converted into inorganic carbon. The uptake of organic carbon by marine bacteria exuded from phytoplankton is a key factor in regulating the marine carbon cycle. One such molecule that is exuded by phytoplankton and then uptaken by marine bacteria is called glycolate - the anion of glycolic acid, a two caron molecule. Glycolate is exuded by phytoplankton during photorespiration and 10-50% of dissolved organic carbon in marine environments is comprised of glycolate. Additionally, …

Green Team: Ecological Restoration Of Plaster Creek, Yeri Kim, Benjamin Steenwyk, Rachel Warners, David P. Warners, Gail Heffner

Student Papers and Reports

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Efficacy Of Seedling Planting As A Forest Restoration Technique In Temperate Hardwood Forests Impacted By Invasive Species, Michaela J. Woods, Meredith Cobb, Katie Hickle

Biology Faculty Publications

The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire; EAB) is an invasive insect that causes mortality of trees in the genus Fraxinus, creating canopy gaps that may facilitate invasion by exotic plants. Planting native tree seedlings under EAB-infested Fraxinus may accelerate succession and preclude invasive plant expansion; however, the effectiveness of this approach has not been experimentally tested. We assessed understory seedling planting of Quercus rubra, Carya laciniosa, and Juglans cinerea in EAB-infested forests, where the invasive shrub Lonicera maackii (Amur honeysuckle) was removed. We tested whether the use of plastic tree shelters (“tree tubes”) or planting season (fall versus spring) …

Emergence Of Oxacillin Resistance In Stealth Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Due To Meca Sequence Instability, Richard V. Goering, Erin A. Swartzendriber, Anne E. Obradovich, Isabella A. Tickler, Fred C. Tenover

Biology Faculty Publications

Staphylococcus aureus strains that possess a mecA gene but are phenotypically susceptible to oxacillin and cefoxitin (OS-MRSA) have been recognized for over a decade and are a challenge for diagnostic laboratories. The mechanisms underlying the discrepancy vary from isolate to isolate. We characterized seven OS-MRSA clinical isolates of six different spa types from six different states by whole-genome sequencing to identify the nucleotide sequence changes leading to the OS-MRSA phenotype. The results demonstrated that oxacillin susceptibility was associated with mutations in regions of nucleotide repeats within mecA. Subinhibitory antibiotic exposure selected for secondary mecA mutations that restored oxacillin resistance. …

The ‘Law Of Environmental Dependence’ - Biology And Ethics In The Work Of Ernest Everett Just: + Found – Some 251 Mostly Typed Pages, Theodore Walker

Perkins Faculty Research and Special Events

Abstract-

“The Origin of Man’s Ethical Behavior” (circa October 1941) by Ernest Everett Just and Hedwig A. Schnetzler Just - is an unpublished book manuscript about the biological origins and evolution of ethical behavior, and about “the law of environmental dependence.” Missing since Just’s death in October 1941, it was found and identified in May 2018 among the collected papers of Ernest Everett Just preserved at the Howard University Moorland-Spingarn Research Center in Washington, DC. In addition to the 1996 US postage with the caption “Ernest E. Just, Biologist,” we now have reason to add two new postage stamps with …

Development Of A Prolyl Endopeptidase Expression System In Lactobacillus Reuteri To Reduce The Clinical Manifestation Of Celiac Disease, Kara Lynn Jew

Master's Theses

Celiac Disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder that emerges due to the ingestion of gluten, a protein found in a variety of common grains such as wheat, rye, and barley. Approximately 1 in 100 individuals in the US suffer from CD, making it the most commonly diagnosed gastrointestinal disorder (Ciclitira et. al., 2005). These proline-rich gluten peptides are resistant to proteolysis and accumulate in the duodenum of the small intestine. Once in the duodenum, these peptides illicit an autoimmune response resulting in villous atrophy. Current treatment for CD requires a rigorous adherence to a gluten-free diet. Nevertheless, gluten-containing grains are …

Electrostatically Localized Proton Bioenergetics: Better Understanding Membrane Potential, James Weifu Lee

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

In Mitchell's chemiosmotic theory, membrane potential Δψ was given as the electric potential difference across the membrane. However, its physical origin for membrane potential Δψ was not well explained. Using the Lee proton electrostatic localization model with a newly formulated equation for protonic motive force (pmf) that takes electrostatically localized protons into account, membrane potential has now been better understood as the voltage difference contributed by the localized surface charge density ([H-⁺_L] + ⁿΣ _i=1 [M⁽ⁱ⁺⁾_L]) at the liquid-membrane interface as in an electrostatically localized protons/cations-membrane-anions capacitor. That is, the origin of membrane …

Targeting The Pin Domain Of Type Ii Toxins Is A Novel Approach To Treat Infections Caused By Nontypeable Haemophilus Influenzae, Ashley Lynne Molinaro

Biomedical Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) gene pairs have been identified in nearly all bacterial genomes sequenced to date and are thought to facilitate persistence and antibiotic tolerance. TA loci are classified into various types based upon the characteristics of their antitoxins, with those in type II expressing proteic antitoxins. Many toxins from type II modules are ribonucleases that maintain a PilT N-terminus (PIN) domain containing conserved amino acids considered essential for activity. The vapBC (virulence associated protein) TA system is the largest subfamily in this class and has been linked to pathogenesis of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi). This dissertation presents three studies investigating …

Molecular Detection Of Pathogenic Leptospira Throughout The Caribbean, Zamara R. Garcia Truitt

Biology Theses

Leptospirosis is a common widespread zoonotic disease found throughout the Caribbean. The infection is produced by a pathogenic Leptospira species found in tropical and subtropical regions. The severity of the disease ranges from a mild asymptomatic infection to death. Leptospirosis is a neglected tropical disease due to the lack of public awareness and health approaches. Therefore, misdiagnosis is common because the symptoms are similar to that of other tropical endemic diseases. The aim of the study was to determine the presence of pathogenic Leptospira in water samples collected from Puerto Rico and Trinidad. Sixty-four environmental water samples were collected throughout …

A Rapid Viability And Drug‑Susceptibility Assay Utilizing Mycobacteriophage As An Indicator Of Drug Susceptibilities Of Anti‑Tb Drugs Against Mycobacterium Smegmatis Mc2 155, Gillian Catherine Crowley, Jim O'Mahony, Aidan Coffey, Riona G. Sayers, Paul D. Cotter

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Background: A rapid in-house TM4 mycobacteriophage-based assay, to identify multidrug resistance against various anti-tuberculosis drugs, using the fast-growing Mycobacterium smegmatis mc² 155 in a microtiter plate format was evaluated, based on phage viability assays. Methods: A variety of parameters were optimized before the study including the minimum incubation time for the drugs, phage and M. smegmatis mc² 155 to be in contact. An increase in phage numbers over 2 h was indicative that M. smegmatis mc² 155 is resistant to the drugs under investigation, however when phage numbers remained static, M. smegmatis mc² 155 found to …