Microbiology Commons^™

Structural Studies On The Rubella Virus Capsid Protein And Its Organization In The Virion, Vidya Mangala Prasad

Open Access Dissertations

Rubella virus is a leading cause of birth defects due to infectious agents. When contracted during pregnancy, rubella infection leads to severe damage in fetuses. Despite its medical importance, very little is known about the structure of the pleomorphic rubella virus as compared to its alphavirus relatives. The rubella capsid protein is a critical structural component of virions as well as a key factor in virus-host interactions. Three crystal structures of the structural domain of the rubella capsid protein have been described here. The polypeptide fold of the capsid protomer has not been observed previously. The capsid protein structure, along …

A Quadruplex Real-Time Pcr Assay For The Rapid Detection And Differentiation Of The Burkholderia Pseudomallei Complex: B. Mallei, B. Pseudomallei, And B. Thailandensis, Chinn-Woan Lowe

Theses and Dissertations

Methods for the rapid detection and differentiation of the Burkholderia pseudomallei complex comprising B. pseudomallei, B. mallei, and B. thailandensis, have been the topic of recent research due to the high degree of phenotypic and genotypic similarities of these species. B. pseudomallei and B. mallei are the causative agents of melioidosis and glanders, respectively. B. pseudomallei and B. mallei are recognized by the CDC as tier 1 select agents. Although B. thailandensis is generally avirulent in mammals, this species displays very similar phenotypic characteristics to that of B. pseudomallei. Optimal identification of these species remains problematic, …

Do Bacterial And Fungal Communities In Soils Of The Bolivian Altiplano Change Under Shorter Fallow Periods?, L. Gomez-Montano, A. Jumpponen, M. A. Gonzales, J. Cusicanqui, C. Valdivia, P. P. Motavalli, M. Herman, K. A. Garrett

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Traditional fallow periods in the Bolivian highlands are being shortened in an effort to increase short-term crop yields, with potential long-term impacts on soil microbial communities and their functions. In addition, native vegetation, such as Parasthrephia sp. or Baccharis sp. (both locally known as “thola”) are often removed as a fuel for cooking. We evaluated the effects of fallow period and thola on soils in 29 farmers’ fields in two municipalities in the Bolivian Altiplano (Umala and Ancoraimes). Soil fungal and bacterial community responses were characterized using 454-pyrosequencing. Soils in Ancoraimes had significantly higher levels of organic matter, nitrogen, and …

Regulation Of Hyaluronate Lyase (Hyla) Expression By Regr A Transcriptional Repressor In Streptococcus Pyogenes, Alexis A. Kordis

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Streptococcus pyogenes, group A streptococci (GAS), causes diseases ranging from asymptomatic to life threatening. Some strains of S. pyogenes produce extracellular hyaluronate lyase (HylA), a potential virulence factor. HylA is an enzyme that degrades hyaluronic acid, which is found in the extracellular matrix of human tissues. The breakdown of the host tissue contributes to the spread of infection. The hylA gene is not constitutively expressed in vitro, which implies regulation.

A proposed regulator of hyaluronate lyase expression is RegR, a LacI/GalR like protein. A vector containing disrupted regR was electro-transformed into S. pyogenes M-type 22 strain 10403. Growth characteristics …

Medical Options For Treating Parasitic Diseases In Ashanti-Mampong, Ghana, West Africa, Whitney Elizabeth Wheeler, Dr. James B. Jensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I conducted my research in Ashanti-Mampong, Ghana, West Africa over the course of 3 months. My project was to study the medical options available to patients that had malaria and/or worms.

Development Of A Novel Human Vestibular Schwannoma Xenograft Model In Scid Mice, John Welling, Dr. Kim O'Neil

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Vestibular Schwannoma (VS) is a benign, slow growing tumor that arises from the myelin sheath of the vestibular nerve (cranial nerve VIII). The myelin sheath is composed of flat, layered cells known as Schwann cells, which serve to insulate nerve fibers. It is increased proliferation of these Schwann cells which leads to VS tumor growth. As VS tumors grow, they place increasing pressure on cranial nerve VIII, causing hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ear), and balance dysfunction. Eventually VS tumors may lead to brainstem compression and even death.1

Stromal-Cell Derived Factor-1Α And Macrophages Increased Invasive Potential Of Breast Cancer Cells, Devin Twitchell, Dr. Kim L. O'Neill

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Research has demonstrated that in some tumors, up to fifty percent of a breast tumor’s mass is composed of macrophages (1). It is well recognized that macrophages can inhibit tumor growth and, paradoxically, stimulate tumor growth and metastasis depending on the proteins produced (2). Macrophages located within the tumor environment are classified as tumor-associated macrophages. The migration of cancer cells from the primary tumor to a secondary site is a multipart process. How tumors are able to proliferate and invade into foreign areas is still unclear. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the presence of macrophages in primary tumors …

Multidisciplinary Database For Byu Fag El Gamous Excavations, Ryan Pail Peters, Richard Paul Evans

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In 1990, under the direction of Wilfred Griggs, he and six other Brigham Young University (BYU) professors, R. Paul Evans, James Farmer, Marek Kaliszewski, Donald Robertson, Mark Rowe, and Scott Woodward, and at the request of the Egyptian Government Supreme Council of Antiquities, united to begin tissue sampling and DNA analysis of the estimated 150,000 burials at the ancient Fag el Gamous cemetery in Fayum, Egypt, which was utilized approximately between 350 B.C.E. to 500 C.E.

Improved Culture Technique For Mycobacterium Ulcerans, Neal S. Thomson, Dr. Richard Robison

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Mycobacterium ulcerans is a pathogenic bacterium and is the causative agent of Buruli Ulcer, a common mycobacterial disease similar to tuberculosis and leprosy. Buruli Ulcer is endemic to Western Africa and produces a deforming and sometimes lethal skin disease. One major obstacle for research is the slow growth of the bacterium in batch culture. M. ulcerans currently grows in vitro with a doubling time of about 4.8 days, resulting in an average culture time of 8-10 weeks before the appearance of colonies. This evidence makes it difficult to study M. ulcerans in the laboratory. The goal of my research was …

Population Structure Of The Cuttlefish Sepia Officinalis From The North Atlantic-Mediterranean Region, Mark Joseph Nolte, Dr. Keith Crandall, Marcos Pérez-Losada

Journal of Undergraduate Research

An understanding of the relatedness of a population of organisms, or their phylogeny, combined with knowledge of that population’s geographical distribution, can illuminate which geographic forces and events may have played a role in forming the “family tree” of that organism. Therefore past speciation events and the incipient stages of speciation can be discerned when phylogenetic and geographic information is merged. This process, broadly known as the practice of phylogeography or biogeography, is important because it permits researchers to visualize the evolutionary interplay between environment and organism. Additionally, an understanding of an organism’s population structure, or family tree, enables scientists …

Binding Partners Of The Pho U Protein In E .Coli, Dustin C. Higgins, Dr. William Mccleary

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Escherechia coli phosphate detection system is coded by a set of genes in the bacterium and is used to regulate phosphate production for metabolic processes. These genes make the PstSCAB phosphate transporter, PhoU protein, Alkaline Phosphatase, PhoR protein, and the PhoB protein. When phosphate is low in the cell’s environment, the system is activated to produce Alkaline Phosphatase.

Molecular Evolution And The Effects Of Amelioration In Meloidogyne Incognita, Adler R. Dillman, Dr. Byron J. Adams

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The process of horizontal or lateral gene transfer involves the movement of genetic information in a lateral fashion from one organism to another, regardless of phylogenetic distance. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a major mechanism of prokaryotic evolution while its role in eukaryotic evolution remains undecided, with many claims of genes being laterally transferred from prokaryotes to eukaryotes being subsequently refuted [1,2]. Recently, 12 genes of the plant parasite M. incognita have been proposed as being good candidates of HGT. Because certain rhizobial bacteria occupy a very similar niche both inside and out of the plant, and use many of …

Critical Parameters Influencing Chemical-Induced Apoptosis In Human Lymphoid Cell Lines, Matthew Ben Cook, Dr. Kim L. O'Neill

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In 2005, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reported that an estimated 10.9 million new cases of cancer were diagnosed in the year 2002 (for a total of 24.6 million persons currently living with cancer) and that 6.7 million deaths were attributable to cancer[1]. Around 300,000 new cases of leukemia, with 222,000 new deaths, were also reported. In many cases, the occurrence of cancer in an individual can be attributed to lifestyle choices, such as smoking, diet, exercise, work environment, etc. However, there are also genetic contributors to cancer.

Characterization Of Phase-Switching Genes In Photorhabdus Luminescens, Tj Bliss, Dr. Byron J. Adams

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Nearly every living organism derives benefit from living with one or more species of bacteria during some or all of its lifetime. Numerous studies have described the phenotypic benefit that each or either partner receives from associations of this kind, but the molecular mechanisms of such interactions have not been well described. Understanding beneficial bacterial interactions with their hosts are of interest in that information obtained will have implications in identifying mechanistic components of those interactions that may operate similarly in pathogens and can be exploited in combating infection or in describing the interactions between bacteria and more complex organisms …

Description Of A Novel Mutant Entemopathogenic Bacterium Photorhabdus Luminescence, George Bailey, Dr. Byron J. Adams

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The bacterium Photorhabdus luminescence and the nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora share an intimate symbiotic relationship. Together, the pair preys on insect larva in the soil. Infective juvenile (IJ) nematodes seek out insect hosts by following chemical signals, such as CO2, given off by potential hosts. After locating the insect, IJs quickly invade the larva. In their new home, the nematodes regurgitate the bacteria they have been harboring in their gut. The bacteria immediately begin attacking the insect and then multiply within the fresh cadaver. The nematodes feed on the proliferating bacteria, sexually develop, and reproduce. In addition to acting as the …

Antarctic Soil Microbial Food Webs: Molecular Analysis Of Nematode Gut Contents, Kyle Winkler, Dr. Byron Adams

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Soils are the basis of agriculture and the sustainability of life as we know it. Despite this fact, we know very little about soil ecosystem function and what biotic organization is required for effective nutrient cycling in soils. In this project, I attempted to better our understanding of soil food web relationships in a simple, natural ecosystem.

Erick Reece Christensen, Erick Reece Christensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

During the past semester I have made chimeric molecules using the chemokine MEC and human IgG3.

Creating A Geographic Information System For Nematology, Levi Hilton, Dr. Byron Adams

Journal of Undergraduate Research

A geographic information system (GIS) is a powerful tool for correlating information that has a spatial component. This technique has been used in many different ways from organizing major corporations and services to building intricate maps. We used a GIS to help determine if there was a certain type of soil that can be correlated to specific nematode species which are used as organic pesticides in agriculture.

A Mitochondrial Phylogenetic Analysis Of Sculpin (Genus Cottus) In Montana Based On The Nadh Dehydrogenase Subunit 4 Gene, Andrew Moffat, R. Paul Evans

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this project was to investigate the distribution and phylogenetic status of Cottus (sculpins) species populations in Montana relative to other species in western North America using the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 (ND4) gene in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). This study of the ND4 gene in sculpin could possibly provide additional insight into the historical timing of fish invasion events and provide the phylogenetic status of species in the genus Cottus. Although the distribution of aquatic vertebrates in western North America has been interpreted relative to late Pleistocene events, genetic studies of cutthroat trout have not supported that mechanism …

Induced Modulation Of Membrane Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Possibilities For Chemotherapeutic Intervention In Cancer, Christopher Trimble, Dr. Byron Murray

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Polyunsaturated fatty acids have several integral functions in the human body. In addition to playing essential structural, metabolic, and cell-signaling roles, fatty acids may be involved in the onset of cancer. The fatty acid profile of a cell, which is defined as the relative ratios of individual fatty acids as compared to the entire cellular fatty acid content, is known to play a direct role in controlling gene expression and the protection of cells from oxidative damage caused by bodily inflammatory responses. It is known that cancer cells have modulated membrane fatty acid profiles, differing gene expression, and increased inflammatory …

Effects Of Inbreeding On The Fecundity And Heat Tolerance Of Heterorhabditis Bacteriophora, John Chaston, Dr. Byron J. Adams

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Biological control using predators, parasitoids, or pathogens can be an effective alternative to the use of chemical pesticides for management of insect pests because the agents of biological control are generally not harmful to humans, the environment, or non-target organisms (1). One problem with using biological control agents, however, is that their success in suppressing pest populations often depends on fitness, including ecological compatibility with the pest, searching and dispersal capacity, and reproductive capacity (1). When mass-produced for commercial purposes the agent may lose these biocontrol traits from genetic processes including drift, inbreeding, or inadvertent selection (4) or from non-genetic …

Intracellular Localization Of A Novel Bmp-2 Variant Protein Involved In Col11a2 Regulation, Carolina M. Montaño, Dr. Laura C. Bridgewater

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Cartilage is a type of connective tissue that is found in many parts of the skeleton and covers the joint surfaces of bones. It consists of an abundant extracellular matrix (ECM) that is produced and maintained by chondrocytes. This ECM includes type II, IX and XI collagens. Collagen XI plays a critical role in regulating fibril diameter and cartilage development. This heterotrimeric molecule consists of three chains—α1(XI), α2(XI), and α3(XI)—encoded by three distinct genes, Col11a1, Col11a2, and Col2a1, respectively.1 While expression of the α1(XI) and α3(XI) subunits is found in other tissues, the expression of the α2(XI) is restricted to …

Identification Of Unknown Hydrocarbon-Decomposing Microbes Of The Great Salt Lake Petroleum Seep, Eric Barker, Dr. Alan Harker

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Biodegradation of hydrocarbons (petroleum and oil like substances) has long been an issue of interest to microbiologists. The process is one in which microorganisms naturally break down oil or petroleum for their benefit as a source of carbon and energy. There is a wide range of practical uses in society for which such oil degrading capabilities could be used (such as natural oil spill cleanup). However the scope of this technology’s potential usefulness has been greatly restricted as thus far no microorganisms have been shown to have the capacity to biodegrade hydrocarbons in a hypersaline (extremely salty) environment, a condition …

Tumor-Associated Macrophage Interaction With The Tumor Microenvironment, Heather Aamodt, Dr. Kim L. O'Neill

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Oncologists currently use chemotherapy and radiation to treat many cancers. The goal of both these treatments is to target cancerous cells without killing too many healthy ones. Both radiation and chemotherapy induce a form of cell death called apoptosis in an attempt to eliminate the body of a tumor. Current studies suggest that when tumor-associated macrophages ingest apoptotic cell debris, they fail to secrete pro-inflammatory mediators that would help clear the invader – whether a pathogen or a tumor – from the body. Ruptured necrotic cells, however, induce a strong inflammatory response that augments immune function. If macrophage engulfment of …

The Effects Of Bryostatin I On The Progression Of Papillomavirus Dna-Induced Tumors, David J. Hoopes, Dr. Richard Robison, Dr. Beverly Roeder

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The bryostatins are a unique family of at least 13 naturally occurring macrocyclic lactones which have demonstrated considerable anti-neoplastic activity. Bryostatin 1 was isolated by G. R. Pettit from the marine bryozoan Bugula neritina. B. neritina is a colonial filter-feeder commonly know as a sea-mat or false coral and often grows on the docks, rocks and ships of the Pacific Ocean.1

Spatial Heterogeneity Of Alkaline Phosphatase Activity Associated With Sediment Types In Great Salt Lake, Matthew Johnson, Dr. Donald P. Breakwell

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Great Salt Lake supports a vast quantity of halophiles in the domains of Bacteria and Archaea that have not been studied extensively. Rozel Point, located on the north arm of Great Salt Lake, is a prime hyper saline environment for halophiles to exploit for its natural source of carbon in the form of oil. Little has been done to quantify the biotic activity in such an environment to understand the spatial variability of these halophiles. A viable method for quantifying their activity is alkaline phosphatase.

Determination And Analysis Of The Functionality And Required Amino Acid Residues Of Phou In Escherichia Coli, Michael Schurdell, Dr. William Mccleary

Journal of Undergraduate Research

While researching the required amino acid residues of PhoU, we discovered a small intergenic region located between pstA and pstB on the pstSCAB-phoU operon. Defining the role of this small intergenic region took precedence over my previously proposed research project. All of my research on this project was performed in conjunction with Garrett Woodbury and William McCleary. We presented our findings in a poster presentation at the Intermountain Branch of the American Society of Microbiology Annual Meeting on Saturday, March 18, 2006. A peer reviewed article containing the full details of our work was accepted for publication on December 1, …

The Role Of Rpl41 In Genetic Regulation Of Col11a2, David William Timme

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of my research was to investigate what role ribosomal protein L41 (RPL41) has in regulating transcriptional activities of the Collagen 11a2 (Col11a2) gene. Prior to the ORCA grant, I had researched identifying possible transcription factors which bound to the B/C enhancer region of the Col11a2 gene, possibly regulating transcription. This work revealed that RPL41 could bind to the B/C enhancer in a eukaryotic (yeast) system. Since a protein binding to DNA could be relevant to transcriptional activity, unrelated to transcriptional regulation, or merely an artifact from the investigational method, it was important to examine the specific role RPL41 …

Representations Of The Braid Group In The Symmetric Group, Holly Freedman, Dr. Stephen Humpries

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My project was to determine which elements of the symmetric group, or permutations on a finite set of objects, generate group representations for the braid group. I started out by finding group representations for the three-strand braid group. A three-strand braid is a set of three disjoint strings in three-dimensional space, whose height functions increase monotonically and which end at points vertically above where they start. The set of braids can be made into a group by letting one braid “multiply,” or perform an operation on, another braid by being placed above it, with their two sets of ends joined. …

Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis: Strategies For Identification And Control, Wendy Chao, Dr. Richard Robison

Journal of Undergraduate Research

After over a century of decline, tuberculosis (TB) has re-emerged as the leading killer among infectious diseases. In addition, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of TB, has developed strains resistant to multiple antibiotics, making the disease increasingly difficult to treat.