Microbiology Commons^™

Whole Lung Lavage: Treating Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis At The Time Of Covid Pandemic, Katherine Jean Powers, Vasanthi Avadhanula, Purvesh R Patel, Pralay Kumar Sarkar, Pedro Piedra, Neda Zarrin-Khameh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare syndrome due to increased production or decreased clearance of surfactant in alveoli and terminal bronchi that cause hypoxemic respiratory insufficiency. Here we present a patient with PAP whose disease was exacerbated by superimposed COVID-19 pneumonia. He underwent whole lung lavage (WLL). Evaluation of the viral count of the first and the last lavage of the left lung showed viral load in the alveolar space dropped by approximately 10-folds, however the magnitude of the viral load was substantial in both lavage samples. Whole pulmonary lavage may be used as a treatment option on patients …

Development Of Phage Cocktails To Treat E Coli Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection And Associated Biofilms, Belkys C Sanchez, Emmaline R Heckmann, Sabrina I Green, Justin R Clark, Heidi B Kaplan, Robert F Ramig, Casey Hines-Munson, Felicia Skelton, Barbara W Trautner, Anthony W Maresso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

High rates of antimicrobial resistance and formation of biofilms makes treatment of Escherichia coli catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) particularly challenging. CAUTI affect 1 million patients per year in the United States and are associated with morbidity and mortality, particularly as an etiology for sepsis. Phage have been proposed as a potential therapeutic option. Here, we report the development of phage cocktails that lyse contemporary E. coli strains isolated from the urine of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and display strong biofilm-forming properties. We characterized E. coli phage against biofilms in two in vitro CAUTI models. Biofilm viability was …

Development Of Phage Cocktails To Treate Coli Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection And Associated Biofilms, Belkys C Sanchez, Emmaline R Heckmann, Sabrina I Green, Justin R Clark, Heidi B Kaplan, Robert F Ramig, Casey Hines-Munson, Felicia Skelton, Barbara W Trautner, Anthony W Maresso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

High rates of antimicrobial resistance and formation of biofilms makes treatment of Escherichia coli catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) particularly challenging. CAUTI affect 1 million patients per year in the United States and are associated with morbidity and mortality, particularly as an etiology for sepsis. Phage have been proposed as a potential therapeutic option. Here, we report the development of phage cocktails that lyse contemporary E. coli strains isolated from the urine of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and display strong biofilm-forming properties. We characterized E. coli phage against biofilms in two in vitro CAUTI models. Biofilm viability was …

Utilizing The K18-Hace2 Mouse Model To Develop Protective Covid-19 Vaccines, Ting Y. Wong

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by the respiratory virus Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Similar to other respiratory viruses, SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted through inhalation of respiratory droplets and aerosols from infected individuals. Once inhaled, SARS-CoV-2 utilizes the receptor binding domain (RBD) on the spike protein to bind to human Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor to gain entrance into host cells to begin viral replication. SARS-CoV-2 infection can result in mild to severe cases of COVID-19 ranging from asymptomatic infections, cold or flu like symptoms to respiratory failure. The onset of the pandemic in …

An Investigation Into The Prevalence Of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci Within An Irish Hospital, Dylan Casey

International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are well-recognised nosocomial pathogens that pose a significant threat to public health. Associated with poorer clinical outcomes than their vancomycin-sensitive counterparts, the prevalence of VRE in Ireland has increased in recent times, with the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network reporting that out of 29 countries, Ireland demonstrated the highest rates of vancomycin resistance among invasive Enterococcus faecium isolates between 2011 and 2014 (2011; 34.9%, 2012; 44.0%, 2013; 42.7%, 2014; 45.1%). Herein, we investigate VRE prevalence in the Mercy University Hospital (MUH) – an acute care hospital in southern Ireland. A total of 21 first-time VRE infections were …

Kshv Susceptibility And Transmission Within Tonsillar Specimens, Farizeh Aalam

Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

Despite nearly three decades of research, not much is known regarding the early stages of development for KSHV lymphoproliferative disorders, hindering our ability to develop prophylactic measures or effective treatments. This dissertation will focus on the host and viral factors influencing the magnitude and dynamics of KSHV infection in the human tonsil to pave the way for future interventions directed at limiting person-to-person transmission of KSHV.

To understand the contribution of host factors to KSHV susceptibility in B lymphocytes, we generated a library of 40 tonsillar specimens. Our results indicate that the immunological composition of tonsillar lymphocytes varies across our …

Examination Of The Association Between C - Reactive Protein(Crp) And Covid-19 Infection Severity And Length Of Hospitalization, Abdulahi Aremu Ayanwale

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Chronic stress can lead to many systemic complications and low-grade systemic inflammation including increased levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP is a marker of systemic inflammation and is associated with depression and perceived stress. Elevations can result in ineffective immune responses, thereby increasing the risk of complications and mortality from infections. Recent evidence suggests that uncontrolled inflammatory responses associated with COVID 19 are a major determinant of disease severity.  The COVID 19 is transmitted from one person to another through droplets from coughing, sneezing, talking, touching droplets on surfaces and contamination by hand-to-mouth routes. The mechanism …

Genital Chlamydia Infection Is Influenced By The Female Sex Hormones Estrogen And Progesterone In Vivo, Amy Gail Gravitte

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chlamydia is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the United States and worldwide. It often goes unnoticed due to lack of symptoms and left untreated it can ascend the female genital tract to cause sequelae like pelvic inflammatory disease and irreversible tubal infertility. In reproductive-aged women, female sex hormones estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P4) concentrations fluctuate during the menstrual cycle and are influenced by hormonal contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy. E2 and P4 influence genital Chlamydia infection in women and mice, but these multifactorial interactions are not entirely mapped out. The complex interplay of E2 and P4 with …

Deciphering The Role Of Hsp110 Chaperones In Diseases Of Protein Misfolding, Unekwu M. Yakubu

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Molecular chaperones maintain protein homeostasis (proteostasis) by ensuring the proper folding of polypeptides. Loss of proteostasis has been linked to the onset of numerous neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s disease. Hsp110 is a member of the Hsp70 class of molecular chaperones and acts as a nucleotide exchange factor (NEF) for Hsp70, the preeminent Hsp70-family protein folding chaperone. Hsp110 promotes rapid cycling of ADP for ATP, allowing Hsp70 to properly fold nascent or unfolded polypeptides in iterative cycles. In addition to its NEF activity, Hsp110 possesses an Hsp70-like substrate binding domain (SBD) whose biological roles are undefined. Previous work …

Bicuspid Aortic Valve In Pregnancy Complicated By Aortic Valve Vegetation, Aortic Root Abscess, And Aortic Insufficiency, Shan He, Christopher A Huynh, Yi Deng, Sandeep Markan, Anvinh Nguyen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

A 39-year-old patient presented to our Labor and Delivery unit with fever and nausea in the context of recent bacteriuria. She was found to be in sepsis due to an incidental bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) complicated by aortic valvular vegetations, severe aortic insufficiency, and aortic root abscess, requiring an emergent cesarean section. Three days after delivery, the patient successfully underwent a mechanical aortic valve replacement and root reconstruction. In this case report, medical, surgical, and anesthetic management of parturient patients with BAV are discussed. The management of this congenital valvulopathy and vasculopathy is complicated by the extensive hemodynamic and cardiovascular …

Study Of The D-Dimer, C-Reactive Protein, And Autoantibodies Markers Among Hbv Infected Patients In Babylon Province, Iraq, Ahmed Abdul-Abbas Bayram, Hussein O.M. Al-Dahmoshi, Noor S.K. Al-Khafaji, Raheem Tuama Obayes Al Mammori, Ali Husain Shilib Al-Shimmery, Morteza Saki

BioMedicine

Background: Hepatitis B can be defined as one of the dangerous diseases caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV), which infects the liver and causes liver failure, cirrhosis, and death.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the D-dimer, C-reactive protein (CRP), and autoantibodies markers among HBV- infected patients in Babylon province, Iraq, compared to a healthy control group.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, all patients referred to GIT and liver centers in Merjan Medical City, Babylon, Iraq from January 2016 to January 2018 were screened for HBV infection by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Antinuclear antibody (ANA), dsDNA, D-dimer, …

Type Vi Secretion System Mutations Reduced Competitive Fitness Of Classical Vibrio Cholerae Biotype, Benjamin Kostiuk, Francis J. Santoriello, Laura Diaz-Satizabal, Fabiana Bisaro, Kyung-Jo Lee, Anna N. Dhody, Daniele Provenzano, Daniel Unterweger, Stefan Pukatzki

Publications and Research

The gram-negative bacterium Vibrio cholerae is the causative agent of the diarrhoeal disease cholera and is responsible for seven recorded pandemics. Several factors are postulated to have led to the decline of 6th pandemic classical strains and the rise of El Tor biotype V. cholerae, establishing the current 7th pandemic. We investigated the ability of classical V. cholerae of the 2nd and 6th pandemics to engage their type six secretion system (T6SS) in microbial competition against non-pandemic and 7th pandemic strains. We report that classical V. cholerae underwent sequential mutations in T6SS genetic determinants that initially exposed 2nd pandemic strains …

The Temperature-Dependent Conformational Ensemble Of Sars-Cov-2 Main Protease (Mpro), Ali Ebrahim, Blake T. Riley, Desigan Kumaran, Babak Andi, Martin R. Fuchs, Sean Mcsweeney, Daniel A. Keedy

Publications and Research

The COVID-19 pandemic, instigated by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, continues to plague the globe. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease, or M^pro, is a promising target for development of novel antiviral therapeutics. Previous X-ray crystal structures of M^pro were obtained at cryogenic temperature or room temperature only. Here we report a series of high-resolution crystal structures of unliganded M^pro across multiple temperatures from cryogenic to physiological, and another at high humidity. We interrogate these datasets with parsimonious multiconformer models, multi-copy ensemble models, and isomorphous difference density maps. Our analysis reveals a temperature-dependent conformational landscape for M^pro, including …

Monoclonal Antibodies Protect Aged Rhesus Macaques From Sars-Cov-2-Induced Immune Activation And Neuroinflammation, Anil Verma, Chase E. Hawes, Yashavanth Shaan Lakshmanappa, Jamin W. Roh, Brian A. Schmidt, Joseph Dutra, William Louie, Hongwei Liu, Zhong Min Ma, Jennifer K. Watanabe, Jodie L. Usachenko, Ramya Immareddy, Rebecca L. Sammak, Rachel Pollard, J. Rachel Reader, Katherine J. Olstad, Lark L. Coffey, Pamela A. Kozlowski, Dennis J. Hartigan-O'Connor, Michel Nussenzweig

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Anti-viral monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatments may provide immediate but short-term immunity from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in high-risk populations, such as people with diabetes and the elderly; however, data on their efficacy in these populations are limited. We demonstrate that prophylactic mAb treatment blocks viral replication in both the upper and lower respiratory tracts in aged, type 2 diabetic rhesus macaques. mAb infusion dramatically curtails severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-mediated stimulation of interferon-induced chemokines and T cell activation, significantly reducing development of interstitial pneumonia. Furthermore, mAb infusion significantly dampens the greater than 3-fold increase in SARS-CoV-2-induced effector CD4 …

Contact Normalization And The Role Of Maackia Amurensis Seed Lectin As A Novel Chemotherapeutic And Antiviral Agent, Stephanie A. Sheehan

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Cells communicate with each other to coordinate tissue function and homeostasis. Diseases including cancer, arthritis, and acute respiratory disease syndrome (ARDS) require a breakdown in this intercellular communication. For example, cancer progression is suppressed by junctional communication between nontransformed and transformed cells. This process is called contact normalization. Junctional communication must be disrupted to enable transformed cells to grow into malignancies. However, the junctions and mechanisms by which nontransformed cells normalize cell behavior have not been clearly defined. My project aimed to identify junctions and elucidate mechanisms underlying contact normalization. We discovered that cadherins, specifically N-cadherin, form junctions that enable …

Prevalence And Multidrug Resistance Pattern Of E. Coli Among Urinary Tract Infection Patients In Tertiary Care Hospital Of Multan, Hubza Ruatt Khan, Mehvish Javeed, Asghar Javed, Nisma Farooq

Journal of Bioresource Management

Urinary Tract Infection is alarming problem worldwide due to the intensity of antimicrobial resistance. Escherichia coli is the most predominant organism in UTI. This study was planned to evaluate demographic parameters, the prevalence of E. coli, and antimicrobial resistance patterns among E. coli isolates from UTI patients in Nishtar Hospital of Multan from January to June 2018. A total of 350 mid-stream urine samples were collected from different patients having age group from 25 to 60 years and processed by standard laboratory procedures. Out of 350 samples, 100 samples were observed as critical bacteremia. Escherichia coli and Klebsiella …

Immunometabolic Dysregulation At The Intersection Of Obesity And Covid-19, Collins N. Khwatenge, Marquette Pate, Laura C. Miller, Yongming Sang

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Obesity prevails worldwide to an increasing effect. For example, up to 42% of American adults are considered obese. Obese individuals are prone to a variety of complications of metabolic disorders including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. Recent meta-analyses of clinical studies in patient cohorts in the ongoing coronavirus-disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic indicate that the presence of obesity and relevant disorders is linked to a more severe prognosis of COVID-19. Given the significance of obesity in COVID-19 progression, we provide a review of host metabolic and immune responses in the immunometabolic dysregulation exaggerated by obesity and the …

Role Of Gut Microbiome In Covid-19: An Insight Into Pathogenesis And Therapeutic Potential, Ikram Hussain, Gabriel Liu Yuan Cher, Muhammad Abbas Abid, Muhammad Bilal Abid

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), resulted in an unprecedented global crisis. Although primarily a respiratory illness, dysregulated immune responses may lead to multi-organ dysfunction. Prior data showed that the resident microbial communities of gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts act as modulators of local and systemic inflammatory activity (the gut-lung axis). Evolving evidence now signals an alteration in the gut microbiome, brought upon either by cytokines from the infected respiratory tract or from direct infection of the gut, or both. Dysbiosis leads to a "leaky gut". The intestinal permeability then allows access to …

Biophysical Evaluation Of Rhesus Macaque Fc Gamma Receptors Reveals Similar Igg Fc Glycoform Preferences To Human Receptors, Andrew R. Crowley, Nana Yaw Osei-Owusu, Gillian Dekkers, Wenda Gao, Manfred Wuhrer, Diogo M. Magnani, Keith A. Reimann, Seth H. Pincus, Gestur Vidarsson, Margaret E. Ackerman

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Rhesus macaques are a common non-human primate model used in the evaluation of human monoclonal antibodies, molecules whose effector functions depend on a conserved N-linked glycan in the Fc region. This carbohydrate is a target of glycoengineering efforts aimed at altering antibody effector function by modulating the affinity of Fcγ receptors. For example, a reduction in the overall core fucose content is one such strategy that can increase antibody-mediated cellular cytotoxicity by increasing Fc-FcγRIIIa affinity. While the position of the Fc glycan is conserved in macaques, differences in the frequency of glycoforms and the use of an alternate monosaccharide in …

Neuron-Specific Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress Results In Epilepsy, Glucose Dysregulation And A Striking Astrocyte Response, Ruth E Fulton, Jennifer N Pearson-Smith, Christopher Q Huynh, Timothy Fabisiak, Li-Ping Liang, Stefanos Aivazidis, Brigit A High, Georgia Buscaglia, Timothy Corrigan, Robert Valdez, Takahiko Shimizu, Manisha N Patel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Mitochondrial superoxide (O2.−) production is implicated in aging, neurodegenerative disease, and most recently epilepsy. Yet the specific contribution of neuronal O2.− to these phenomena is unclear. Here, we selectively deleted superoxide dismutase-2 (SOD2) in neuronal basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor (NEX)-expressing cells restricting deletion to a subset of excitatory principle neurons primarily in the forebrain (cortex and hippocampus). This resulted in nSOD2 KO mice that lived into adulthood (2-3 months) with epilepsy, selective loss of neurons, metabolic rewiring and a marked mitohormetic gene response. Surprisingly, expression of an astrocytic gene, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was significantly increased relative …

Human Genital Antibody-Mediated Inhibition Of Chlamydia Trachomatis Infection And Evidence For Ompa Genotype-Specific Neutralization, Caleb M. Ardizzone, Hannah L. Albritton, Rebecca A. Lillis, Caitlyn E.L. Bagnetto, Li Shen, Lisa A. Cavacini, Pamela A. Kozlowski, Alison J. Quayle

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

The endocervix, the primary site of Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) infection in women, has a unique repertoire of locally synthesized IgG and secretory IgA (SIgA) with contributions from serum IgG. Here, we assessed the ability of genital and serum-derived IgG and IgA from women with a recent positive Ct test to neutralize Ct elementary bodies (EBs) and inhibit inclusion formation in vitro in human endocervical epithelial cells. We also determined if neutralization was influenced by the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of the infecting strain, as indicated by ompA gene sequencing and genotyping. At equivalent low concentrations of Ct EB (D/UW-3/Cx …

Editorial: Pathogens, Pathobionts, And Autoimmunity, Linda A. Spatz, Gregg J. Silverman, Judith A. James

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Mara Repression Of Virulence Gene Hila In Salmonella, Alexandra King, Lauren Daugherty, Lon Chubiz Phd

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Salmonella is a bacteria most commonly known for causing the eponymous food-related illness. Due to their rapid reproduction rate and their ability to be propogated and maintained in a lab setting, they are commonly used in lab studies so that we can better understand how Salmonella causes disease in organisms that are more difficult to study. One area of interest is analyzing how Salmonella controls expression of the mechanisms that actually cause disease, called virulence traits, in response to the environment. In this study, antibiotic stress was used to analyze virulence gene expression. MarA is a gene that regulates ampicillin …

Cryptosporidium Spp. Diagnosis And Research In The 21st Century, Jennifer K. O'Leary, Roy D. Sleator, Brigid Lucey

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

The protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium has emerged as a leading cause of diarrhoeal illness worldwide, posing a significant threat to young children and immunocompromised patients. While endemic in the vast majority of developing countries, Cryptosporidium also has the potential to cause waterborne epidemics and large scale outbreaks in both developing and developed nations. Anthroponontic and zoonotic transmission routes are well defined, with the ingestion of faecally contaminated food and water supplies a common source of infection. Microscopy, the current diagnostic mainstay, is considered by many to be suboptimal. This has prompted a shift towards alternative diagnostic techniques in the advent of …

In Situ Imaging Of Bacterial Outer Membrane Projections And Associated Protein Complexes Using Electron Cryo-Tomography, Mohammed Kaplan, Georges Chreifi, Lauren Ann Metskas, Janine Liedtke, Cecily R. Wood, Catherine M. Oikonomou, William J. Nicolas, Poorna Subramanian, Lori A. Zacharoff, Yuhang Wang, Yi-Wei Chang, Morgan Beeby, Megan J. Dobro, Yongtao Zhu, Mark J. Mcbride, Ariane Briegel, Carrie L. Shaffer, Grant J. Jensen

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

The ability to produce outer membrane projections in the form of tubular membrane extensions (MEs) and membrane vesicles (MVs) is a widespread phenomenon among diderm bacteria. Despite this, our knowledge of the ultrastructure of these extensions and their associated protein complexes remains limited. Here, we surveyed the ultrastructure and formation of MEs and MVs, and their associated protein complexes, in tens of thousands of electron cryo-tomograms of ~90 bacterial species that we have collected for various projects over the past 15 years (Jensen lab database), in addition to data generated in the Briegel lab. We identified outer MEs and MVs …

Assesment Of Antibiotic Resistant Gene Expression In Clinical Isolates Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Dustin Esmond

Biology Theses

Increasing prevalence of nosocomial infections by antimicrobial resistant pathogens resulting in higher mortality rates and financial burden is of great concern. Pseudomonas aeruginosa represents one of six highly virulent “ESKAPE” pathogens that exhibit considerable intrinsic drug resistance as well as mechanisms for acquiring further resistance. As many of these mechanisms are regulated through gene expression, we sought to identify regulatory strategies and patterns at play in 23 clinical isolates collected from Baku, Azerbaijan and Tyler, Texas, USA. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed on six gene targets implicated in resistance and contrasted with antibiotic phenotypes. We found AmpC cephalosporinase …

S-Layer Increases Predation Ability Of Myxococcus Xanthus

Symposium of Student Scholars

Background: Myxococcus xanthus is a gram-negative soil bacterium that exhibits micro-predatory activities. When starved, M. xanthus produces resistant spores within fruiting bodies for survival. The S-layer is a paracrystalline structure intertwined in many different patterns and is composed of proteins or glycoproteins. A species that produces the S-layer is Aeromonas. A. salmonicida is a strain of Aeromonas that infects fish. A. hydrophila is another pathogenic strain that causes a wide range of human diseases. We investigated the ability of the S-layer to protect Aeromonas from predation by Myxobacteria. Methods: Myxococcus and prey Aeromonas cultures were standardized to a concentration …

Higher Entropy Observed In Sars-Cov-2 Genomes From The First Covid-19 Wave In Pakistan, Najia Karim Ghanchi, Asghar Nasir, Kiran I. Masood, Syed Hani Abidi, Syed Faisal Mahmood, Akber Kanji, Safina Abdul Razzak, Waqasuddin Khan, Saba Shahid, Maliha Yameen, Ali Raza, Javaria Ashraf, Zeeshan Ansar Ahmed, Mohammad Buksh Dharejo, Nazneen Islam, Zahra Hasan, Rumina Hasan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background: We investigated the genome diversity of SARS-CoV-2 associated with the early COVID-19 period to investigate evolution of the virus in Pakistan.
Materials and methods: We studied ninety SARS-CoV-2 strains isolated between March and October 2020. Whole genome sequences from our laboratory and available genomes were used to investigate phylogeny, genetic variantion and mutation rates of SARS-CoV-2 strains in Pakistan. Site specific entropy analysis compared mutation rates between strains isolated before and after June 2020.
Results: In March, strains belonging to L, S, V and GH clades were observed but by October, only L and GH strains were present. The …

Investigation Of Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteriophage Population At A South Carolina University: The Disappearance Of S. Aureus Bacteriophage Population Amidst The Covid-19 Pandemic, Korinne M. Swanson, Owen R. Smith, Madaline N. Plank, Paul E. Richardson

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Bacteriophages are naturally occurring, nonpathogenic viruses, which infect bacterial cells. Recently, bacteriophage research has increased with hopes of using them against antibiotic resistant bacterial infections in the future. This study aimed to determine a possible correlation between perceived stress and the Staphylococcus aureus bacteriophage population at Coastal Carolina University (CCU), Conway, South Carolina, using isolation and characterization techniques to further understand humans as a potential bacteriophage source. From October 2020 to March 2021, nasal and postauricular swab samples were collected from 12 participants on a monthly basis along with a perceived stress survey. Samples were subjected to filtration, amplification, plaque …

Structural Polymorphism Of Chitin And Chitosan In Fungal Cell Walls From Solid-State Nmr And Principal Component Analysis, Liyanage D. Fernando, Malitha C. Dickwella Widanage, Jackson Penfield, Andrew S. Lipton, Nancy Washton, Jean Paul Latgé, Ping Wang, Liqun Zhang, Tuo Wang

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Chitin is a major carbohydrate component of the fungal cell wall and a promising target for novel antifungal agents. However, it is technically challenging to characterize the structure of this polymer in native cell walls. Here, we recorded and compared 13C chemical shifts of chitin using isotopically enriched cells of six Aspergillus, Rhizopus, and Candida strains, with data interpretation assisted by principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) methods. The structure of chitin is found to be intrinsically heterogeneous, with peak multiplicity detected in each sample and distinct fingerprints observed across fungal species. Fungal chitin exhibits partial similarity …