Microbiology Commons^™

Cell Type-Specific Responses To Wingless, Hedgehog And Decapentaplegic Are Essential For Patterning Early Eye-Antenna Disc In Drosophila, Jong-Hoon Won, Orkhon Tsogtbartarr, Wonseok Son, Amit Singh, Kwang-Wook Choi, Kyung-Ok Cho

Biology Faculty Publications

The Drosophila eye-antenna imaginal disc (ead) is a flattened sac of two-layered epithelia, from which most head structures are derived. Secreted morphogens like Wingless (Wg), Hedgehog (Hh), and Decapentaplegic (Dpp) are important for early patterning of ead, but the underlying mechanisms are still largely unknown. To understand how these morphogens function in the ead of early larval stages, we used wg-LacZ and dpp-Gal4 markers for the examination of wild-type and mutant eads. We found that the ead immediately after hatching was crescent-shaped with the Bolwig’s nerve at the ventral edge, suggesting that it consists of dorsal domain. In a subsequent …

Promoting Genome Stability Via Multiple Dna Repair Pathways, Scott Cukras

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Maintaining genome integrity is indispensible for cells to prevent and limit accruement of deleterious mutations and to promote viable cell growth and proliferation. Cells possess a myriad of mechanisms to detect, prevent and repair incurred cellular damage. Here we discuss various proteins and their accompanying cellular pathways that promote genome stability. We first investigate the NEDD8 protein and its role in promoting homologous recombination repair via multiple Cullin E3 ubiquitin ligases. We provide specific mechanisms through which, UBE2M, an E2 conjugating enzyme, neddylates various Cullin ligases to render them catalytically active to degrade their substrates by the proteasome. We show …

Inhibition Of Shp2 Suppresses Mutant Egfr-Induced Lung Tumors In Transgenic Mouse Model Of Lung Adenocarcinoma, Valentina E. Schneeberger, Yuan Ren, Noreen Luetteke, Qingling Huang, Liwei Chen, Harshani R. Lawrence, Nicholas J. Lawrence, Eric B. Haura, John M. Koomen, Domenico Coppola, Jie Wu

Molecular Biosciences Faculty Publications

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutants drive lung tumorigenesis and are targeted for therapy. However, resistance to EGFR inhibitors has been observed, in which the mutant EGFR remains active. Thus, it is important to uncover mediators of EGFR mutant-driven lung tumors to develop new treatment strategies. The protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) Shp2 mediates EGF signaling. Nevertheless, it is unclear if Shp2 is activated by oncogenic EGFR mutants in lung carcinoma or if inhibiting the Shp2 PTP activity can suppress EGFR mutant-induced lung adenocarcinoma. Here, we generated transgenic mice containing a doxycycline (Dox)-inducible PTP-defective Shp2 mutant (tetO-Shp2CSDA). Using the rat Clara …

The Νsaα Specific Lipoprotein Like Cluster (Lpl) Of S. Aureus Usa300 Contributes To Immune Stimulation And Invasion In Human Cells, Minh Thu Nguyen, Beatrice Kraft, Wenqi Yu, Dogan Doruk Demicrioglu, Tobias Hertlein, Marc Burian, Mathias Schmaler, Klaus Boller, Isabelle Bekeredjian-Ding, Knut Ohlsen, Birgit Schittek, Friedrich Götz

Molecular Biosciences Faculty Publications

All Staphylococcus aureus genomes contain a genomic island, which is termed νSaα and characterized by two clusters of tandem repeat sequences, i.e. the exotoxin (set) and 'lipoprotein-like' genes (lpl). Based on their structural similarities the νSaα islands have been classified as type I to IV. The genomes of highly pathogenic and particularly epidemic S. aureus strains (USA300, N315, Mu50, NCTC8325, Newman, COL, JH1 or JH9) belonging to the clonal complexes CC5 and CC8 bear a type I νSaα island. Since the contribution of the lpl gene cluster encoded in the νSaα island to virulence is unclear to date, we deleted …

Intercellular Cooperation And Competition In Brain Cancers: Lessons From Drosophila And Human Studies, Indrayani Waghmare, Austin Roebke, Mutsuko Minata, Madhuri Kango-Singh, Ichiro Nakano

Biology Faculty Publications

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a primary brain cancer with an extremely poor prognosis. GBM tumors contain heterogeneous cellular components, including a small subpopulation of tumor cells termed glioma stem cells (GSCs). GSCs are characterized as chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-resistant cells with prominent tumorigenic ability. Studies in Drosophila cancer models demonstrated that interclonal cooperation and signaling from apoptotic clones provokes aggressive growth of neighboring tumorigenic clones, via compensatory proliferation or apoptosis induced proliferation. Mechanistically, these aggressive tumors depend on activation of Jun-N-terminal kinase (upstream of c-JUN), and Drosophila Wnt (Wg) in the apoptotic clones. Consistent with these nonmammalian studies, data from several mammalian …

Modulation Of Host Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates By Salmonella Effector Protein Sopb, Heather L. Piscatelli

Open Access Dissertations

Salmonella spp. are gram negative bacteria capable of infecting a number of eukaryotic hosts. In humans, Salmonella infection can range anywhere from acute gastroenteritis to typhoid fever which can oftentimes be fatal.Salmonella are facultative intracellular pathogens that have acquired the ability to enter non-phagocytic cells such as those lining the intestinal epithelium. Uptake into epithelial cells is mediated by the Salmonellapathogenicity island 1 (SPI1) encoded type III secretion system (T3SS), a needle-like complex composed of over 20 proteins that translocates effector proteins directly into the host cell cytosol. Salmonella possess a second type III secretion system encoded on …

Role And Regulation Of Snon/Skil And Plscr1 Located At 3q26.2 And 3q23, Respectively, In Ovarian Cancer Pathophysiology, Madhav Karthik Kodigepalli

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common causes of gynecological cancer related deaths in women. In 2014, the estimated number of deaths due to ovarian cancer is 14,270 with occurrence of over 22, 240 new cases (National Cancer Institute, http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/ovary.html). Despite improvement in treatment strategies, the 5-year survival rate is still below 50% mainly due to chemoresistance and relapse. Amplification of chromosomal region 3q26 is a common characteristic in various epithelial cancers including ovarian cancer. This region harbors various oncogenes including the TGFβ signaling mediators EVI1 and SnoN/SkiL, PKCι and PIK3CA amplified at 3q26.2 and 3q26.3, respectively, in ovarian …

Transcriptional Regulation Of Sinorhizobium Meliloti Cell Cycle-Related Genes In The Δcbra Mutant And Root Nodules Of Medicago Sativa, Corey S. Hazekamp

Graduate Masters Theses

Sinorhizobium meliloti is a Gram-negative alphaproteobacterium and nitrogen-fixing symbiont, which undergoes a novel cell cycle modification during its' host-microbe interaction. I intend to monitor the transcriptional regulation of cell cycle-related genes during free-loving growth, in addition to monitoring their expression during symbiosis. Using genes known to be regulated by CtrA in C. crescentus or predicted to be regulated by CtrA in S. meliloti, I aim to show how certain cell cycle genes are regulated in S. meliloti. In C. crescentus, CtrA acts as a transcription factor that is active when phosphorylated and inactive when not phosphorylated. In …

Karst Estuaries: A Newly Described Ecosystem Governed By Aquifer Hydrology, Damian M. Menning

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The overall goal of this dissertation is to define the hydrological, geochemical, and biological characteristics of a Karst Estuary. These types of estuaries represent a unique ecosystem created by freshwater inputs from direct flow through karst conduits and/or diffuse flow through a karst matrix. In order to determine the characteristics of a Karst Estuary we monitored short-term tidal fluctuations, long-term rainfall patterns, aquifer levels, spring discharge, multiple geochemical parameters, microbial communities in the water column and sediment, and macrofaunal communities in the sediment along a transect from a submarine spring through the Gulf of Mexico. Four sites were selected along …

Antiviral Responses In Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells: Differential Development Of Cellular Mechanisms In Type I Interferon Production And Response, Ruoxing Wang

Dissertations

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have been recognized as a promising cell source for regenerative medicine. Intensive research over the past decade has led to the possibility that ESC-derived cells will be used for the treatment of human diseases. However, increasing evidence indicates that ESC-derived cells generated by the current differentiation methods are not fully functional. It is recently recognized that ESC-derived cells lack innate immunity to a wide range of infectious agents and inflammatory cytokines. When used in patients, ESC-derived cells would be placed in wounded sites that are exposed to various pathogens and inflammatory cytokines; therefore, their viability and …

Energy Stress Causes Chaperones To Assemble Into Cytoplasmic Complexes, Kimberly J. Cope

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The majority of proteins require molecular chaperones to assist their folding into tertiary and quaternary structures. Certain stresses can compromise the weak hydrophobic forces responsible for these structures and lead to protein unfolding, misfolding, and aggregation. Aggregates of proteins are hallmarks of devastating diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases. Fortunately, bacteria, plants, and fungi have a potent disaggregase, named Hsp104 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Recently, heat-induced aggregates, termed Q-bodies, were found to contain three molecular chaperones: Hsp70, Hsp104, and Hsp42. Their coalescence from small puncta into larger inclusions required Hsp104. During glucose deprivation, a stress that isn’t known to …

Impedance Biosensors For The Rapid Detection Of Viral And Bacterial Pathogens Using Avian Influenza Virus Subtypes H5n1 And H7n2 And Escherichia Coli O157:H7 As Model Targets, Jacob David Lum

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research investigated impedance biosensors for the rapid detection of viral and bacterial pathogens using avian influenza virus (AIV) subtypes H5N1 and H7N2 and Escherichia coli O157:H7 as the model targets, which were chosen due to their impact on the agricultural and food industries. For the detection of AIV H7N2, a single stranded DNA aptamer was selected using systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). The selected aptamer and a previously selected aptamer against AIV H5N1 were used in a microfluidics chip with an embedded interdigitated array microelectrode to fabricate an impedance biosensor for specific detection of AIV H7N2 …

Fty720 (Fingolimod) Provides Insight Into The Molecular Mechanisms Of Multiple Sclerosis, Madelyn Elizabeth Crawford

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a prolonged immune- mediated inflammatory response that targets myelin. Nearly all of the drugs approved for the treatment of MS are general immunosuppressants or only function in symptom management. The oral medication fingolimod, however, is reported to have direct therapeutic effects on cells of the central nervous system in addition to immunomodulatory functions. Fingolimod is known to interact with sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptors, and the most widely- accepted theory for its mechanism of action is functional antagonism of the receptor. This review examines significant neuromodulatory effects achieved by functional antagonism of the …

Chlorovirus Skp1 And Core Ankyrin-Repeat Protein Interplay And Mimicry Of Cellular Ubiquitin Ligase Machinery, Eric Andrew Noel

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

The ubiquitin-proteasome system is a common target of several unrelated viruses that have evolved convergent strategies to redirect host ubiquitin machinery to serve their own needs. Members of the genus Chlorovirus, a group of large dsDNA viruses that infect certain freshwater chlorella-like green algae, encode a conserved Skp1 homolog and ankyrin-repeat (ANK) proteins, some of which contain C-terminal domains characteristic of cellular F-boxes or related viral PRANC domains. These observations suggested that this unique combination of chlorovirus proteins either interact with or imitate the key components of the SCF (Skp1-Cul1-F-box) ubiquitin ligases. Using mass spectrometry, we identified two functional …

The Role Of The N-Terminus On The Enzymatic Activity Of Dutpase From Dictyostelium Discoideum, Kyle C. Varon

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

The enzyme deoxyuridine triphosphatase (dUTPase) (EC 3.6.1.23) converts dUTP to dUMP, thus shifting the dUTP to dUMP ratio in the cell. The molecule dUTP is subject to mis-incorporation into DNA due to lack of distinguishing by DNA polymerase. Uracil incorporation can be repaired with base excision repair mechanisms but may create overwhelming DNA strand breaks proving to be detrimental to the cell. Most dUTPases of eukaryotes are homotrimeric and contain five highly conserved motifs responsible for catalysis and substrate binding. Many dUTPases of eukaryotes possess a leading and core region in their sequence. The core region is composed of the …

Functional Analysis Of Cytosolic Hsp70 Nucleotide Exchange Factor Networks In Yeast, Jennifer Lynn Abrams

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The Hsp70 class of molecular chaperones play critical roles in protein homeostasis via an ATP-dependent folding cycle. Cytosolic Hsp70s in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Ssa and Ssb, interact with up to three distinct nucleotide exchange factors (NEFs) homologous to human counterparts; Sse1/Sse2/HSP110, Fes1/HspBP1, and Snl1/Bag1. In an effort to understand the differential functional contributions of the cytosolic NEFs to protein homeostasis (“proteostasis”), I carried out comparative genetic, biochemical and cell biological analyses. For these studies, I developed protocols to monitor protein disaggregation and reactivation in a near real-time coupled assay that revealed the importance of aggregate dynamics in the …

Characterization Of Ftsa-Ftsn Interaction During Escherichia Coli Cell Division, [email protected] K. Busiek

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Division of a bacterial cell into two equal daughter cells requires precise assembly and constriction of the division machinery, or divisome. The Escherichia coli divisome includes nearly a dozen essential cell division proteins that assemble at midcell between segregating sister chromosomes. FtsZ, a homolog of eukaryotic tubulin, is the first essential cell division protein to localize at midcell where it polymerizes into a ring-shaped scaffold (Z ring). Establishment of the Z ring is required for recruitment of downstream cell division proteins including FtsA, a cytoplasmic protein that tethers the Z ring to the inner membrane. Following localization of FtsA and …

Combined Metagenomic And Phenomic Approaches Identify A Novel Salt Tolerance Gene From The Human Gut Microbiome, Eamon Culligan, Julian R. Marchesi, Colin Hill, Roy D. Sleator

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

In the current study, a number of salt-tolerant clones previously isolated from a human gut metagenomic library were screened using Phenotype MicroArray (PM) technology to assess their functional capacity. PM's can be used to study gene function, pathogenicity, metabolic capacity and identify drug targets using a series of specialized microtitre plate assays, where each well of the microtitre plate contains a different set of conditions and tests a different phenotype. Cellular respiration is monitored colorimetrically by the reduction of a tetrazolium dye. One clone, SMG 9, was found to be positive for utilization/transport of L-carnitine (a well-characterized osmoprotectant) in the …

Chip-Seq And Rna-Seq Reveal An Amrz-Mediated Mechanism For Cyclic Di-Gmp Synthesis And Biofilm Development By Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Christopher J. Jones, David Newsom, Benjamin Kelly, Yasuhiko Irie, Laura K. Jennings, Binjie Xu, Dominique H. Limoli, Joe J. Harrison, Matthew R. Parsek, Peter White, Daniel J. Wozniak

Biology Faculty Publications

The transcription factor AmrZ regulates genes important for P. aeruginosa virulence, including type IV pili, extracellular polysaccharides, and the flagellum; however, the global effect of AmrZ on gene expression remains unknown, and therefore, AmrZ may directly regulate many additional genes that are crucial for infection. Compared to the wild type strain, a ΔamrZ mutant exhibits a rugose colony phenotype, which is commonly observed in variants that accumulate the intracellular second messenger cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP). Cyclic di-GMP is produced by diguanylate cyclases (DGC) and degraded by phosphodiesterases (PDE). We hypothesized that AmrZ limits the intracellular accumulation of c-di-GMP through transcriptional repression …

Candida Albicans Als5p Amyloid In Host-Microbe Interactions: A Ceanorhabditis Elegans Study, Michael Bois

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Candida albicans, a dimorphic fungus and an opportunistic pathogen, possesses a myriad of adherence factors including members of the agglutinin-like sequence (Als) family of mannoproteins. The adhesin Als5p mediates adhesion to many substrates, and is upregulated during commensal interactions, but is downregulated during active C. albicans infections[1]. An amyloid forming core sequence at residues 325-331 has been shown to be important for Als5p function, because a single amino acid substitution at position 326 (V326N) greatly reduces Als5p-mediated adherence[2]. We evaluated the role of Als5p in host-microbe interactions, using Caenorhabditis elegans as a host model and feeding them Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing …

The Effects Of Lipoxin A4 (Lxa4) On Neutrophil Biology In Sepsis, Benedict Wu

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

During sepsis, neutrophils are inappropriately activated and have prolonged lifespans, thus becoming dysfunctional. Excessive neutrophil activation can lead to tissue injury while neutrophil dysfunction can lead to decreased free radical production and reduced phagocytosis, preventing the host from clearing preexisting infections. Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) is a specialized pro-resolution mediator which reduces neutrophil migration and expression of proinflammatory mediators. Intact neutrophil functions are critical for the host to efficiently clear invading pathogens. The effects of LXA4 on neutrophil function in sepsis have not been established. Using the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model of sepsis, LXA4 administered 1 h after sepsis …

Characterizing Dsrna Production In Virus-Infected Fish Cells, Amal Brek Aloufi

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Viral dsRNA is produced by almost all viruses sometime during their replicative cycle. These viral nucleic acids are potent inducers of both innate and adaptive immune responses, and are therefore considered important immuno-modulators. Previous studies have shown that viruses produce dsRNA when replicating in mammalian cells; however, to date no one has demonstrated viral dsRNA production in virus infected fish cells. Therefore, the goal of this study is to investigate dsRNA production by fish viruses in fish cells, verifying production and performing initial characterization of the dsRNA molecules being produced. Three different rainbow trout cell lines were used in this …

The Innate Antiviral Effects Of Extracellular Viral Dsrna In Rainbow Trout Cells, Sarah J. Poynter

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules are a potent pathogen-associated molecular pattern and play a crucial role in the innate immune response. During a viral infection, extracellular and intracellular dsRNA can initiate pathways resulting in the production of type I interferons (IFNs) and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). The accumulation of ISGs within a cell results in a protective antiviral state. This study used both commercially available dsRNA (poly I:C) and in vitro transcribed dsRNA molecules, based on the viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) genome sequence, as stimuli to investigate the effects of these molecules on the innate immune response in rainbow trout …

Novel Neuroprotective Function Of Apical-Basal Polarity Genecrumbs In Amyloid Beta 42 (Aβ42) Mediated Neurodegeneration, Andrew Steffensmeier, Meghana Tare, Oorvashi Roy Puli, Rohan Modi, Jaison Nainaparampil, Madhuri Kango-Singh, Amit Singh

Biology Faculty Publications

Alzheimer's disease (AD, OMIM: 104300), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with no cure to date, is caused by the generation of amyloid-beta-42 (Aβ42) aggregates that trigger neuronal cell death by unknown mechanism(s). We have developed a transgenic Drosophilaeye model where misexpression of human Aβ42 results in AD-like neuropathology in the neural retina. We have identified an apical-basal polarity gene crumbs (crb) as a genetic modifier of Aβ42-mediated-neuropathology. Misexpression of Aβ42 caused upregulation of Crb expression, whereas downregulation of Crb either by RNAi or null allele approach rescued the Aβ42-mediated-neurodegeneration. Co-expression of full length Crb with Aβ42 increased severity of Aβ42-mediated-neurodegeneration, …

Bacterial Transcription Factors Grea, Greb And Dksa: Characterization Of Their Interaction With Rna Polymerase And Molecular Mechanism Of Action, Andrey Parshin

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

The activity of RNA polymerase (RNAP), the key enzyme of transcription process, is regulated by a large number of transcription factors acting at each step of the transcription cycle. Our research project is focused on studying the structure and function of bacterial transcript cleavage factors GreA, GreB and the stringent response regulator DksA. Gre factors bind in the secondary channel of RNAP in backtracked (inactive) ternary elongation complexes and stimulate the enzyme's intrinsic RNase activity, which is required for suppression of transcription pause and arrest, enhancement of transcription fidelity, and efficient promoter escape. DksA also acts through the RNAP secondary …

Recurrent Modification Of A Conserved Cis-Regulatory Element Underlies Fruit Fly Pigmentation Diversity, William A. Rogers, Joseph R. Salomone, David J. Tacy, Eric M. Camino, Kristen A. Davis, Mark Rebeiz, Thomas M. Williams

Biology Faculty Publications

The development of morphological traits occurs through the collective action of networks of genes connected at the level of gene expression. As any node in a network may be a target of evolutionary change, the recurrent targeting of the same node would indicate that the path of evolution is biased for the relevant trait and network. Although examples of parallel evolution have implicated recurrent modification of the same gene and cis-regulatory element (CRE), little is known about the mutational and molecular paths of parallel CRE evolution. InDrosophila melanogaster fruit flies, the Bric-à-brac (Bab) transcription factors control the development …

Divergent Mechanisms Of Interaction Of Helicobacter Pylori And Campylobacter Jejuni With Mucus And Mucins, Julie Ann Naughton, Karina Mariño, Brendan Dolan, Colm Reid, Ronan Gough, Mary Gallagher, Michelle Kilcoyne, Jared Gerlachscience,, Lokesh Joshi, Pauline Rudd, Stephen Carrington, Billy Bourke, Marguerite Clyne

Articles

Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni colonize the stomach and intestinal mucus, respectively. Using a combination of mucus-secreting cells, purified mucins, and a novel mucin microarray platform, we examined the interactions of these two organisms with mucus and mucins. H. pylori and C. jejuni bound to distinctly different mucins. C. jejuni displayed a striking tropism for chicken gastrointestinal mucins compared to mucins from other animals and preferentially bound mucins from specific avian intestinal sites (in order of descending preference: the large intestine, proximal small intestine, and cecum). H. pylori bound to a number of animal mucins, including porcine stomach mucin, but …

Detection Of Viable Microorganisms Using Propidium Monoazide, Erik J. Mcfarland, Adrian Ponce Dr.

STAR Program Research Presentations

Propidium monoazide (PMA) is a molecular tool used to assess viability of microorganisms. Currently, PMA is thought to discern viability through membrane permeability; PMA enters only membrane compromised cells, irreversibly crosslinks to theirDNAand precipitates theDNAout of solution, preventing it from being amplified during polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Using PMA on a sample of live and dead microorganisms results in only theDNAof living organisms being amplified and identified. Therefore, a comparison ofPCRresults with and without PMA allows one to determine the live fraction and total population, respectively.

Current literature provides conflicting evidence as to the effectiveness of the technique. Our research …

Phenotypic And Genotypic Characterization Of Escherichia Coli Isolated From Untreated Surface Waters, Kai Hung, Steven Daniel, Kristopher Janezic, Blake Ferry, Eric Hendricks, Brian Janiga, Tiffany Johnson, Samantha Murphy, Morgan Roberts, Sarah Scott, Alexandra Theisen

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

A common member of the intestinal microbiota in humans and animals is Escherichia coli. Based on the presence of virulence factors, E. coli can be potentially pathogenic. The focus of this study was to isolate E. coli from untreated surface waters (37 sites) in Illinois and Missouri and determine phenotypic and genotypic diversity among isolates. Water samples positive for fecal coliforms based on the Colisure® test were streaked directly onto Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) agar (37°C) or transferred to EC broth (44.5°C). EC broth cultures producing gas were then streaked onto EMB agar. Forty-five isolates were identified as E. coli …

Phenotypic And Genotypic Characterization Of Escherichia Coli Isolated From Untreated Surface Waters, Kai F. Hung, Steven L. Daniel, Kristopher J. Janezic, Blake Ferry, Eric W. Hendricks, Brian A. Janiga, Tiffany Johnson, Samantha Murphy, Morgan E. Roberts, Sarah M. Scott, Alexandra N. Theisen

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

A common member of the intestinal microbiota in humans and animals is Escherichia coli. Based on the presence of virulence factors, E. coli can be potentially pathogenic. The focus of this study was to isolate E. coli from untreated surface waters (37 sites) in Illinois and Missouri and determine phenotypic and genotypic diversity among isolates. Water samples positive for fecal coliforms based on the Colisure® test were streaked directly onto Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) agar (37°C) or transferred to EC broth (44.5°C). EC broth cultures producing gas were then streaked onto EMB agar. Forty-five isolates were identified as E. coli …