Microbiology Commons^™

Antimicrobial Effect Of Herbs Extracted With Ethanol Compared To Ampicillin, Brianna Neilan, Laura Rowe

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Antibiotics are commonly used to treat bacterial infections within the medical field, however there are growing concerns of antibiotic resistance. Before the introduction of antibiotics herbs were commonly used to treat infections, and herbal medicine is still used in many communities and cultures. Bacteria’s increasing resistance to traditional antibiotics has caused herbal medicines to become a significant research topic recently. Methods of herbal medicine preparation include preparing teas using hot water, and tinctures that soak herbs in alcohol for several weeks. Previous research has shown significant antimicrobial effects of some herbs when soaked in water and other liquids. The aim …

Discerning The Role Of Microtubule Acetylation During Hiv-1 Infection, Drew Michael Lichon

Dissertations

The host-pathogen interactions underlying Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection are complex and involve the exploitation of host cellular machinery. This thesis investigates the roles of dynein adaptors, microtubule acetylation, and TRIM69-mediated restriction in HIV-1 infection. Through a series of detailed experiments, we explore how HIV-1 utilizes multiple dynein adaptors, such as BICDR1 and Hook3, for intracellular transport, and reveal that these adaptors are critical for efficient viral trafficking. Conversely, the knockdown of Ninein surprisingly enhances HIV-1 infectivity, suggesting a nuanced regulatory role for this adaptor in viral transport. Further, this thesis challenges the prevailing paradigm that microtubule acetylation …

Viroporin Activity Is Necessary For Intercellular Calcium Signals That Contribute To Viral Pathogenesis, J Thomas Gebert, Francesca J Scribano, Kristen A Engevik, Ethan M Huleatt, Michael R Eledge, Lauren E Dorn, Asha A Philip, Takahiro Kawagishi, Harry B Greenberg, John T Patton, Joseph M Hyser

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Viruses engage in a variety of processes to subvert host defenses and create an environment amenable to replication. Here, using rotavirus as a prototype, we show that calcium conductance out of the endoplasmic reticulum by the virus encoded ion channel, NSP4, induces intercellular calcium waves that extend beyond the infected cell and contribute to pathogenesis. Viruses that lack the ability to induce this signaling show diminished viral shedding and attenuated disease in a mouse model of rotavirus diarrhea. This implicates nonstructural protein 4 (NSP4) as a virulence factor and provides mechanistic insight into its mode of action. Critically, this …

Investigating The Role Of The Nsp15 Amino-Terminal Domain In Nsp15 Function, Viral Replication, And Pathogenesis, Monika Evdokimova

Dissertations

Identifying conserved mechanisms used by viruses to delay host innate responses can reveal potential targets for antiviral therapeutics. Here, we investigated coronavirus nonstructural protein 15 (nsp15), which encodes a highly conserved endoribonuclease (EndoU). EndoU functions as an immune antagonist by limiting the accumulation of viral replication intermediates that would otherwise be sensed by the host. Despite being a promising antiviral target, it has been difficult to develop small molecule inhibitors that target the EndoU active site. We generated nsp15 mutants of SARS-CoV-2 and mouse coronavirus MHV-A59 and identified conserved residues within the amino-terminal domain that are required for EndoU activity. …

Role Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi In Maintaining Sustainable Agroecosystems, Anju Chaudhary, Shital Poudyal, Amita Kaundal

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi play a crucial role in maintaining sustainable agroecosystems by forming mutualistic relationships with plant roots, improving soil health, facilitating nutrient uptake, and enhancing resilience to abiotic stresses. The mutualistic relationship between AM fungi and plants promotes a balanced microbial community and improves soil structure by forming stable soil aggregates. Additionally, AM fungi can lower the adverse effects of high soil phosphorus (P) while also enhancing plant tolerance to drought, salinity, and heavy metal toxicity through osmotic regulation and antioxidant production. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi also support beneficial microorganisms, such as potassium (K)-solubilizing microbes and nitrogen (N)-transforming bacteria, …

Pharmacological Or Genetic Inhibition Of Ltcc Promotes Cardiomyocyte Proliferation Through Inhibition Of Calcineurin Activity, Lynn A C Devilée, Abou Bakr M Salama, Jessica M Miller, Janice D Reid, Qinghui Ou, Nourhan M Baraka, Kamal Abou Farraj, Madiha Jamal, Yibing Nong, Todd K Rosengart, Douglas Andres, Jonathan Satin, Tamer M A Mohamed, James E Hudson, Riham R E Abouleisa

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cardiomyocytes (CMs) lost during ischemic cardiac injury cannot be replaced due to their limited proliferative capacity. Calcium is an important signal transducer that regulates key cellular processes, but its role in regulating CM proliferation is incompletely understood. Here we show a robust pathway for new calcium signaling-based cardiac regenerative strategies. A drug screen targeting proteins involved in CM calcium cycling in human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiac organoids (hCOs) revealed that only the inhibition of L-Type Calcium Channel (LTCC) induced the CM cell cycle. Furthermore, overexpression of Ras-related associated with Diabetes (RRAD), an endogenous inhibitor of LTCC, induced CM cell cycle …

The Use Of Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Encapsulated In Organic Nanoparticles Within Boar Semen Extenders To Control Bacterial Growth And Preserve Sperm Quality During Short-Term Storage Without Antibiotics, Congbang Ngo, Naiyaphat Nittayasut, Teerapong Yata, Junpen Suwimonteerabutr, Nuvee Prapasarakul, Jane M. Morrell, Padet Tummaruk

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of adding ethyl lauroyl arginate (ELA), encapsulated in organic nanoparticles, to a semen extender without antibiotics on sperm quality and bacterial load during short-term storage. Three ejaculates from Duroc boars were divided into four equal portions and diluted with Beltsville Thawing Solution to produce semen doses containing 3 billion spermatozoa in 80 ml. The extended semen did not include antibiotics but instead incorporated different concentrations of ELA nanoparticles into the extenders: 0 ppm, 5 ppm, 10 ppm, and 15 ppm. The semen doses were stored for 4 days, with …

Molecular Dynamics At Immune Synapse Lipid Rafts Influence The Cytolytic Behavior Of Car T Cells, Ahmed Z Gad, Jessica S Morris, Lea Godret-Miertschin, Melisa J Montalvo, Sybrina S Kerr, Harrison Berger, Jessica C H Lee, Amr M Saadeldin, Mohammad H Abu-Arja, Shuo Xu, Spyridoula Vasileiou, Rebecca M Brock, Kristen Fousek, Mohamed F Sheha, Madhuwanti Srinivasan, Yongshuai Li, Arash Saeedi, Kandice R Levental, Ann M Leen, Maksim Mamonkin, Alexandre Carisey, Navin Varadarajan, Meenakshi Hegde, Sujith K Joseph, Ilya Levental, Malini Mukherjee, Nabil Ahmed

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CART) targeting CD19 through CD28.ζ signaling induce rapid lysis of leukemic blasts, contrasting with persistent tumor control exhibited by 4-1BB.ζ-CART. We reasoned that molecular dynamics at the CART immune synapse (CARIS) could explain differences in their tumor rejection kinetics. We observed that CD28.ζ-CART engaged in brief highly lethal CARIS and mastered serial killing, whereas 4-1BB.ζ-CART formed lengthy CARIS and relied on robust expansion and cooperative killing. We analyzed CARIS membrane lipid rafts (mLRs) and found that, upon tumor engagement, CD28.ζ-CAR molecules rapidly but transiently translocated into mLRs, mobilizing the microtubular organizing center and lytic granules …

Tamm-Horsfall Protein Augments Neutrophil Netosis During Urinary Tract Infection, Vicki Mercado-Evans, Holly Branthoover, Claude Chew, Camille Serchejian, Alexander B Saltzman, Marlyd E Mejia, Jacob J Zulk, Ingrid Cornax, Victor Nizet, Kathryn A Patras

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Urinary neutrophils are a hallmark of urinary tract infection (UTI), yet the mechanisms governing their activation, function, and efficacy in controlling infection remain incompletely understood. Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein (THP), the most abundant protein in urine, uses terminal sialic acids to bind an inhibitory receptor and dampen neutrophil inflammatory responses. We hypothesized that neutrophil modulation is an integral part of THP-mediated host protection. In a UTI model, THP-deficient mice showed elevated urinary tract bacterial burdens, increased neutrophil recruitment, and more severe tissue histopathological changes compared with WT mice. Furthermore, THP-deficient mice displayed impaired urinary NETosis during UTI. To investigate the effect of …

The Role Of Anthropogenic Influences On A Tropical Lake Ecosystem And Its Surrounding Catchment: A Case Study Of Lake Sentani, Sulung Nomosatryo, Daniel Lipus, Alexander Bartholomäus, Cynthia Henny, Iwan Ridwansyah, Puguh Sujarta, Sizhong Yang, Dirk Wagner, Jens Kallmeyer

College of Life Sciences Faculty Papers

Lake Sentani is a tropical lake in Indonesia, consisting of four interconnected sub-basins of different water depths. While previous work has highlighted the impact of catchment composition on biogeochemical processes in Lake Sentani, little is currently known about the microbiological characteristics across this unique ecosystem. With recent population growth in this historically rural area, the anthropogenic impact on Lake Sentani and hence its microbial life is also increasing. Therefore, we aimed to explore the influence of environmental and anthropogenic factors on the microbial diversity of Lake Sentani. Here, we present a detailed microbiological evaluation of Lake Sentani, analyzing 49 different …

Impact Of Achromobacter Xylosoxidans Infection On The Cf Lung In Single-Species And Polymicrobial Infection With Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Caitlin E. Billiot

All ETDs from UAB

Achromobacter xylosoxidans is a Gram-negative bacillus that acts as an opportun- istic pathogen in those with cystic fibrosis (CF). Infection with A. xylosoxidans in these populations is associated with decreased lung function. Thus, this raises the question of the role of A. xylosoxidans in CF disease progression. CF is a polymicrobial disease and A. xylosoxidans is oftentimes isolated alongside Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a major CF colonizer. In the context of CF disease, it is important to understand the implications of polymicrobial infection as altered infection dynamics are observed when multiple microbes colonize together. In the first half of this work, we …

Understanding The Insecticidal Toxin Xpta2: A Shift In Toxin Complex Biology, Cole Lorenza Martin

All ETDs from UAB

Pore forming toxins (PFTs) belonging to the ABC toxin complex (Tc) family are responsible for targeting and translocating toxins into target cells. ABC toxins consist of three separate subunits, each subunit providing a vital role in the cytotoxic mechanism of the Tc. The A subunit or TcA is the largest subunit of the complex and contains the binding domains and the translocation channel that perforates the membrane. The B subunit or TcB functions as a gated linker that forms a cocoon with the TcC which houses the toxic peptide and subsequently gets translocated through the TcB and TcA into the …

Fluorescence Lifetime Sorting Reveals Tunable Enzyme Interactions Within Cytoplasmic Condensates, Leyla E Fahim, Joshua M Marcus, Noah D Powell, Zachary A Ralston, Katherine Walgamotte, Eleonora Perego, Giuseppe Vicidomini, Alessandro Rossetta, Jason E Lee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) condensates partition RNA and protein into multiple liquid phases. The multiphasic feature of condensate-enriched components creates experimental challenges for distinguishing membraneless condensate functions from the surrounding dilute phase. We combined fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) with phasor plot filtering and segmentation to resolve condensates from the dilute phase. Condensate-specific lifetimes were used to track protein-protein interactions by measuring FLIM-Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). We used condensate FLIM-FRET to evaluate whether mRNA decapping complex subunits can form decapping-competent interactions within P-bodies. Condensate FLIM-FRET revealed the presence of core subunit interactions within P-bodies under basal conditions and the disruption of …

Investigating Drivers In Phytoplankton Between Lentic And Lotic Ecosystems Within Twelvepole Creek Watershed, Devin Lee Farmer

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) threaten aquatic ecosystems, local economies, and water quality. While extensively studied in lakes (lentic systems), their impact on flowing waters (lotic systems) remains underexplored. This study examined algal drivers in both ecosystems within the same watershed, focusing on Beech Fork Lake (lentic) and Twelve Pole Creek (lotic). Key environmental factors, including pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient levels, were measured using in situ sensors and laboratory analysis. Water samples were analyzed for nitrogen, phosphorus, and algal biomass for comparison to environmental conditions. Phytoplankton was preserved for identification in future research. By comparing these environments, this study …

Engineering Chimeric Autoantibody Receptor T Cells (Caar): A Potential Cure For Graves' Disease, Kimbal Demars, Abigail Cheever, Chloe Kang, Hunter Lindsay, Mackenzie Hansen, Kim O'Neill, Scott Weber

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

• Graves’ Disease (GD) is the 4th most common autoimmune disease in the United States.
• GD is characterized by autoreactive B cells releasing anti-thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) Ab that bind to TSHR, causing an overexpression of hormones.
• Excessive hormonal release leads to hyperthyroidism, causing a variety of metabolic issues.
• No cure exists, only limited effectiveness of treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation, or thyroidectomy.
• Chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) T cell therapy has been effective in treating blood cancers.
• Modifying this therapy by engineering T cells that replace the antigen as the T cell receptor will selectively target autoreactive B cells, namely chimeric …

Effects Of Acute Injections Of Etoh In Cytokine Release In Mice, Alina Svitlana Rodriguez Bezruchko, Alka Gaur, Carlos M. Moreno, Jordan T. Yorgason, Scott Weber

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

To learn the pathway by which the peripheral immune system interacts with dopaminergic neurons and triggers an addiction response, we compared cytokine and chemokine production levels before and after a 20-minute ethanol injection. Since some cytokines and chemokines can cross the blood-brain barrier, their peripheral production may influence neural activity. We had four groups: ethanol, saline, domperidone-ethanol, and domperidone-saline. As domperidone is a dopamine antagonist, we will use it as a control to verify that the change in cytokine production is due to ethanol rather than other factors.

Competitive Bacteria Inhibiting Yersinia Ruckeri Growth – A Strategy To Prevent Enteric Redmouth Disease (Erm) In Freshwater Fish, Kyler Linton, David Erickson

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

Pacific freshwater fish are less likely than Atlantic freshwater fish to exhibit Enteric Redmouth Disease (ERM), or Yersiniosis as caused by Yersinia ruckeri. Based on the hypothesis that these fish may harbor commensal bacteria that inhibit Y. ruckeri growth, we isolated many kinds of commensal bacteria from fish intestines that we have collected from Alaska and local streams. Using co-culture experiments, we have conducted competitive assays to determine if the bacteria found in the gut biomes of these fish inhibit the growth of Y. ruckeri. These may be potential probiotic organisms that could provide resistance to ERM disease.

Acee And Pflb: Interference In Oxygen Independent Or Dependent Metabolic Pathways Affect Virulence Of P. Carotovorum, Ethan Shreeve, Foxx Naylor, Jeffrey Schachterle

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

Pectobacterium carotovorum is a plant-pathogenic bacterium, causing soft rot diseases in vegetables such as potatoes and carrots. Mainly, this is achieved by the production of plant cell walldegrading enzymes, allowing for invasion of host cells. The general mechanisms underlying the pathogenicity of P. carotovorum are well characterized, but the phenotypic effects of some core metabolic processes are not. An important part of metabolism in bacteria is pyruvate production and utilization as a metabolic intermediate. P. carotovorum has two critical genes— pflB and aceE—that play roles in directing pyruvate metabolism. PflB encodes pyruvate formate-lyase, enabling the bacterium to convert pyruvate into …

Characterization Of Legionella Pneumophila Effector Protein Ceg10, Emmanuella Ofoka

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Legionella pneumophila, the causative agent of Legionnaires' disease, utilizes a Type IV secretion system (T4SS) to transport effector proteins into host cells. This bacterium is said to have over 300 effector proteins. Among these, the Ceg10 effector protein had remained uncharacterized, despite evidence suggesting the importance of bacterial effector proteins in the host-pathogen interaction. This study aimed to perform a structural and functional characterization of Ceg10 through transcriptomic, bioinformatics, and molecular analyses. Transcriptomic profiling of HEK 293T cells expressing Ceg10 revealed significant differential gene expression, with approximately 20 upregulated genes, including leucine-rich repeat, as well as other downregulated genes. …

"Dental Health For Mental Wealth": A Comprehensive Analysis Of The Underexplored Impact Of Oral Health And Behaviors On Neurobiology And Psychological Well-Being, Brooke C. Beck

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This thesis explores the link between oral health and psychological state, specifically, the effect of oral health on psychological state and how appropriate oral health impacts this relationship. A review of the literature was conducted and studies interpreted within the scope of oral health’s impact on psychological health and detailing some of the pathways proposed for such a link. The literature search was limited to the English language from well-known databases mainly from 2015 to 2025. A few outliers are present to include foundational information.

The effects of oral disease and oral self-care behaviors were dissected through a biochemical perspective, …

Propelling Whole-Cell Biosensor Creation By Leveraging Gene Fusion To Assemble Synthetic Functional Transcription Factors For The Detection Of Biomarkers, Samuel J. Verzino

Theses and Dissertations

Biosensors are analytical devices that leverage biological modules for the detection of molecules of interest. As customizable tools designed to aid in a wide array of diagnostics, these instruments are rapidly advancing the field of synthetic biology. While varied in their construction and purpose, biosensors are ultimately concerned with converting a physicochemical stimulus into a detectable signal. Among the many existing variants, whole-cell biosensors (WCBs) stand out due to their versatility and engineering potential. WCBs are a type of biosensor in which a physiologically active cell sustains an array of biomolecular elements - receptors, transporters, regulators, etc. - capable of …

Full Issue, Catalina Cuellar-Gempeler

Humboldt Journal of Microbiology

No abstract provided.

Antimicrobial-Resistant Enterococcus In Urban Communities: Insights Into Human Infection Risks, Sumit Kumar Paudel

Wayne State University Dissertations

The complexity of community risk factors and transmission routes has been a major challenge to the containment of community-acquired antibiotic resistance. Possible factors range from environmental contamination, antibiotic misuse, and human exposure via animals, food, the environment, and human-to-human transmission. What has been missing from previous research is the integration of findings in animal and environmental sectors with bacteria implicated in community infections. To gain a better understanding of antibiotic resistance acquired in the community, a one health approach is clearly needed. Specifically, we aim to investigate the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Enterococcus in wildlife, their gene profiles in comparison with …

René Dubos: An Annotated Bibliography, Carol L. Moberg

René Dubos: An Annotated Bibliography

René Dubos (1901–1982), a prominent 20th century scientist, humanist, and philosopher, was a prolific author. Affiliated for more than 50 years with The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research/The Rockefeller University, his studies ranged from antibiotics and the role of bacteria in human diseases to formulating broad ecological and environmental questions affecting human health and disease. His seminal writings explore a lifelong belief that a living organism—whether microbe, human being, society, or the Earth itself—could be understood only through its relationships with everything else.

This comprehensive bibliography of more than a thousand works by René Dubos includes brief annotations for each …

Impact Of Glufosinate On Soil Microbial Community Dynamics, Sarobi Das

Biology Dissertations - Archive

The increasing global regulations of glyphosate due to its possible carcinogenicity and environmental hazards have necessitated the search for alternative herbicides. Glufosinate-ammonium offers a sustainable attribute due to its low toxicity and limited reported herbicide resistance cases. Despite its increasing agricultural importance, very limited studies are done on its environmental impact, especially on the soil systems. This thesis examines the ecological behavior of glufosinate in soil, precisely focusing on its effect on the dynamics of soil microbiome and the potential use of Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA110 for bioremediation by reversing the effect of microbial dysbiosis. A series of 30-day mesocosm studies …

Clonal Variation In Effector Gene Expression As A Mechanism For Pathogenic Adaptation In Magnaporthe Oryzae, Rebekah J. Ellsworth

Theses and Dissertations--Plant Pathology

Magnaporthe oryzae is a filamentous fungal pathogen that causes destructive diseases in cereals, including rice blast, wheat blast, and gray leaf spot. It is responsible for 10–30% annual yield losses in rice (Nalley et al., 2016) and up to 100% loss in wheat under favorable conditions (Kohli et al., 2011). Disease management typically relies on the use of resistant cultivars, but M. oryzae rapidly overcomes host resistance by mutating or deleting avirulence (AVR) genes recognized by host immune receptors. This rapid adaptation, often occurring within one to two growing seasons, presents a major challenge to breeding for durable resistance.

The …

Schistosoma Mansoni Infection Causes Consistent Changes To The Fecal Bacterial Microbiota Of Mice Across And Within Sites, Mariam A. Mhanna, David T. Gauthier, Lisa M. Shollenberger

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Eggs of Schistosoma mansoni are produced by adult female worms in mesenteries of infected hosts. Eggs can cross the intestinal barrier and form granulomas in the tissue or breach and exit the host through fecal excretion. These interactions may affect the host microbiome assemblages. Given the potential for schistosomal alteration of host gut microbiome and subsequent effects on the fecal bacterial composition, it is important to conduct controlled microbiome studies on model animals. While pursuing these studies, it is important to take into account the different conditions in which microbiome studies are conducted and their consequent impacts on variability and …

Genetic Analysis Of Methionine Restriction-Associated Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response Signaling., Josh D. Dodge

Biology Dissertations - Archive

The lifespan of an organism is dictated by various genetic and environmental factors. One such determinant is the health of mitochondria which are organelles that mediate various critical cell functions including a significant role in generating the vast supply of cellular energy. Indeed, the gradual decline of mitochondrial function is believed to be a hallmark and possible cause of aging. Paradoxically, mild mitochondrial dysfunction early in life extends lifespan in various model organisms. Cells use diverse approaches to promote mitochondrial homeostasis, including the transcriptional reprogramming of cells by mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) to mitigate mitochondrial stress. Consistently, UPRmt activation …

For Dust Thou Art, And Unto Dust Shalt Thou Return — Testing Soil-Derived Plant-Beneficial Bacteria For Potential As Biofertilizers, Johnathon Brim, Blake Oler, Jacob Hardy, Joseph Richardson, Ryan Bjazevich, Kate Whalen, Emmelia Wevers, Foxx Naylor, Ethan Shreeve, Alex Cherry, Ethan Cherry, Tanner Gunnell, Jayden Longhurst, Andrew Burrows, Mailon Odell, Jacob Sy, Jeffrey Schacterle

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

• The results of plant testing have shown that bacteria treated seeds outperform the control seeds on a consistent basis
• We will continue to receive more data from out own experiments as well as crowdsourcing methods.
• Our next step is to begin comparing results of our soil/seed treatment against commercially available fertilizers that use beneficial bacteria.

Effects Of Climate Change On Fungal Diversity And Function In Streams, Syeda Tasfia Imam

Masters Theses

"This study investigated the impact of climate change, particularly drought, on leaf decomposition and associated fungal and macroinvertebrate communities in freshwater ecosystems. With climate change, streams may experience altered hydrology, leading to shifts in community composition and biogeochemical processes. Fungi decompose organic matter, facilitate nutrient cycling, and support food webs. However, drought can disrupt these processes by reducing water availability, causing declines in fungal diversity and activity. I examined leaf breakdown and associated biota in 13 stream sites across varying hydrologic conditions, from perennial to ephemeral flow patterns. Flow duration varied during the 8-week study. Leaf breakdown was significantly related …