Microbiology Commons^™

Biowill - Characterising Willow Bark Bio-Actives For Skin Therapies, Arnold Marisa

ORBioM (Open Research BioSciences Meeting)

Willow bark is considered as a disposable by-product when processing willow for biomass. Willow (Salix) is known to contain high value bioactive compounds which include salicin and its derivatives, and other phytochemicals of interest such as polyphenols and flavonoids. The plant is historically known as the primary source of salicylates to which the well-known drug aspirin is derived from. The work forms part of the Interreg project BioWILL, which is focused on integrated “Zero Waste” biorefinery utilising all fractions of willow feedstock for the production of biochemicals and renewable energy. This project aims to investigate the crude and …

Investigation Of The Antimicrobial Activity Of Coagulase Negative Staphylococci Of Human Origin, Ellen Twomey

ORBioM (Open Research BioSciences Meeting)

Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CoNS) are significant members of the human microbiome and have been identified as a source of bacteriocins, small bioactive substances recognised for their antimicrobial properties. In this study we screened a bank of 37 human derived CoNS for the production of these peptides with emphasis on identifying those with the ability to inhibit the growth of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Deferred antagonism assays confirmed potential antimicrobial activity in all 37 isolates against sensitive indicator M. luteus, with nine inhibiting the growth of at least one MRSA strain they were overlaid against. Tests performed with the …

Short Chain Fatty Acid Combination Treatment Protects Against 6-Ohda Induced Decrease In Neurite Growth In An In Vitro Model Of Parkinson’S Disease., Alex Morris

ORBioM (Open Research BioSciences Meeting)

Title: Short chain fatty acid combination treatment protects against 6-OHDA induced decrease in neurite growth in an in vitro model of Parkinson’s disease.

Authors: Alex Morris¹, Louise M. Collins^1,2,3, Gerard W. O’Keeffe², Caitriona M. Guinane¹

¹ Department of Biological Sciences, Munster Technological University (MTU), Cork, Ireland.

² Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.

³ Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by dopaminergic neuron degeneration. This leads to motor dysfunction which is accompanied by gastrointestinal comorbidities such as constipation …

Effect Of Sub-Inhibitory Concentrations Of Nitrofurantoin, Ciprofloxacin And Trimethoprim On In-Vitro Biofilm Formation In Uropathogenic Escherichia Coli, Shane Whelan

ORBioM (Open Research BioSciences Meeting)

The purpose of the current study was to determine the effect of sublethal concentrations of nitrofurantoin, ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim on biofilm formation in 57 uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains (UPEC).

The MIC of nitrofurantoin, ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim was determined for 57 UPEC isolates. Biofilm formation for each isolate with and without sub-lethal concentrations of each antibiotic was then quantified, and the statistical significance of changes in biofilm formation was ascertained by way of a Dunnett's test.

The effects of sub-MIC antibiotics on biofilm formation of UPEC were variable. A total of 22.8% of strains were induced to form biofilm by nitrofurantoin, …

An Investigation Of The Novel Use Of Bacteriophages To Diagnose And Treat Johne's Disease In Cattle, Max Kevane-Campbell

ORBioM (Open Research BioSciences Meeting)

Johne’s disease is a scourge to dairy farmers all over the world. It is an infectious disease that causes chronic inflammation and lesions along the inside of the small intestine of, primarily, ruminant animals (i.e., cattle and sheep). It is an incurable disease and urgently requires new and radical intervention strategies. Apart from careful on-site farm management practices, little can be offered to farmers to reduce the risk of infection, and nothing short of livestock culling is effective once an animal becomes infected. Currently, there are no vaccines licensed in Ireland or antibiotic treatment strategies available for Johne’s disease. This …

Investigation Of The Urobiome For The Production Of Novel Antimicrobials Against Uropathogenic E. Coli (Upec), Jennifer Jones

ORBioM (Open Research BioSciences Meeting)

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common bacterial infections globally with antibiotic treatment becoming increasingly less effective. The urobiome remains a relatively understudied niche as a source of potentially novel antimicrobials (e.g., bacteriocins). Improvements to bacterial culturing and sequencing techniques have highlighted the potentially rich source of alternative treatments and control strategies to target uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: (a) BAGEL 4 was used for bioinformatic screening of the genomes of urobiome isolates to identify bacteriocin gene clusters (BGC).

(b) Expanded quantitative urine culture (EQUC) was used to culture mid-stream urine samples to isolate …

'Investigating The Effect Of Cell-Free Supernatant Of Probiotic Strains On The Viability Of Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines', Claire M. Doocey

ORBioM (Open Research BioSciences Meeting)

Background

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a prevalent cancer accounting for over 450,000 deaths globally in 2020, and is associated with limited treatment options and high mortality rates. Mounting evidence implicates the human microbiome in tumorigenesis and cancer progression with key players including Helicobacter pylori in gastric cancer and Fusobacterium nucleatum in colorectal cancer and PC. Current research, however, also suggests a potential role for certain microbial residents in oncological treatment and biotherapeutic development. Recent studies have shown a link between cell-free supernatants (CFS) from probiotic strains and cancer cell death, suggesting their potential in targeting the tumour microenvironment. Probiotic genera …

Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy As An Alternative Method For Non-Invasive Sterility Detection In Ready To Feed Infant Milk Products, Peter Myintzaw

ORBioM (Open Research BioSciences Meeting)

Background: The potential application of rapid, non-destructive, and user-friendly TDLAS technology to detect contamination in commercially sterile dairy beverages where visual inspection is not possible was investigated for the first time. The TDLAS equipment uses laser light to monitor carbon dioxide changes due to microbial growth in the container headspace which has the advantage of being rapid and non-destructive. This study aimed to provide detailed scientific evidence for the application of TDLAS technology as a method to determine product sterility in real food products.

Methods: TDLAS growth detection of Bacillus fengqiuensis, Candida albicans, Lactococcus lactis, Microbacterium …

Application Of Fructans-Degrading Lachancea Fermentati Fst5.1 As An Alternative To Baker’S Yeast In The Production Of A Low-Fodmap Whole Wheat Bread., Małgorzata Borowska

ORBioM (Open Research BioSciences Meeting)

FODMAPs are a group of poorly absorbed dietary carbohydrates comprised of easily fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides and polyols. When consumed, they can exert gastrointestinal symptoms of pain, flatulence, or an irregular bowel movement in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome. Whole wheat bread is an excellent source of proteins, vitamins, polyphenols, and other nutrients, but its consumption is restricted in a low-FODMAP diet due to high fructans content. Although alternatives exist, these are primarily gluten-free, often inferior in terms of quality, nutritional profile, and consumer acceptance. Bioprocessing using microbial fermentation has a proven capacity to reduce FODMAPs in cereal products, but …

Complex Role Of Microbiome In Pancreatic Tumorigenesis: Potential Therapeutic Implications, Suneetha Amara, Li V. Yang, Venkataswarup Tiriveedhi, Mahvish Muzaffar

Biology Faculty Research

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality with limited diagnostic and therapeutic options. Although immunotherapy has shown promise in the treatment of several cancers, its role in pancreatic cancer is rather limited. Several studies have focused on determining the role of the tumor microenvironment with cancer-cell-intrinsic events and tumor-infiltrating immune cellular properties. However, in the past decade, there has been emerging research aimed at delineating the role of the host microbiome, including the metabolites from microbes and host responses, on pancreatic tumorigenesis. Importantly, there is emerging evidence suggesting the beneficial role of a gut microbiome transplant …

Temporal Changes In Gastrointestinal Fungi And The Risk Of Autoimmunity During Early Childhood: The Teddy Study, Thomas A Auchtung, Christopher J Stewart, Daniel P Smith, Eric W Triplett, Daniel Agardh, William A Hagopian, Anette G Ziegler, Marian J Rewers, Jin-Xiong She, Jorma Toppari, Åke Lernmark, Beena Akolkar, Jeffrey P Krischer, Kendra Vehik, Jennifer M Auchtung, Nadim J Ajami, Joseph F Petrosino

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Fungal infections are a major health problem that often begin in the gastrointestinal tract. Gut microbe interactions in early childhood are critical for proper immune responses, yet there is little known about the development of the fungal population from infancy into childhood. Here, as part of the TEDDY (The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young) study, we examine stool samples of 888 children from 3 to 48 months and find considerable differences between fungi and bacteria. The metagenomic relative abundance of fungi was extremely low but increased while weaning from milk and formula. Overall fungal diversity remained constant over …

Analysis Of Soxs In S. Typhimurium By Transposon Mutagenesis, Joel Hanns, Brenda Pratte, Lon Chubiz Phd, Lauren Daugherty

Undergraduate Research Symposium

The mar-sox-rob regulon has been implicated in transcriptional regulation of several stress responses, such efflux of antibiotics, enzymes that break down reactive oxygen species, repression of biofilm formation, or repression of motility through downregulation of flagellar expression. This system is conserved among enteric bacteria and has been studied in species, such as E. coli and S. typhimurium. Some of these mechanisms can be costly and slow cell growth while increasing the probability of survival through tolerance of toxic environments. SoxS works in coordination with SoxR to respond to redox stress encountered by the cell. Interestingly, the overexpression of SoxS …

Resolving The Repression Pathway Of Virulence Gene Hila In Salmonella, Alexandra King, Lon Chubiz Phd, Brenda Pratte, Lauren Daugherty

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Salmonella is a relatively abundant, virulent species of bacteria that is most known for spreading gastrointestinal diseases through food. These illnesses result in approximately 1.35 million infections, including over 25,000 hospitalizations each year, in the U.S. alone (CDC.gov). As antibiotic resistance becomes an increasingly urgent public health problem, the importance of developing alternative treatment methods is only becoming more crucial. One of the genes responsible for this virulence is known as hilA. HilA is the main transcriptional regulator of Salmonella Pathogenicity Island-1 gene (UniProt). SPI-1 plays an important role in the invasion of Salmonella into epithelial cells. The proteins encoded …

The Interaction Of Sulfate And Perchlorate And Its Implications On Bacterial Survival On Mars, Jack M. Richardson, Dylan Clark, Karly Kenny

2022 Symposium

Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus are all known spacecraft contaminants. This makes their viability to arrive and survive on Mars feasible, however, this could prove to be a great risk to the Martian environment. In order to test this possibility, all three species were grown within brines containing differing salts and salt concentrations. These salts and their corresponding concentrations are based on known data regarding Martian soil. Growth was measured over a course of 20 hours in solutions containing MgSO₄ at concentrations of 4.6% and 9.2%, Mg(ClO₄)₂ at concentrations of 0.6% and …

Delineating The Role Of The Msaabcr Operon In Staphylococcal Overflow Metabolism, Gc Bibek, Gyan S. Sahukhal, Mohamed O. Elasri

Faculty Publications

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen that can infect almost every organ system, resulting in a high incidence of morbidity and mortality. The msaABCR operon is an important regulator of several staphylococcal phenotypes, including biofilm development, cell wall crosslinking, antibiotic resistance, oxidative stress, and acute and chronic implant-associated osteomyelitis. Our previous study showed that, by modulating murein hydrolase activity, the msaABCR operon negatively regulates the proteases that govern cell death. Here, we report further elucidation of the mechanism of cell death, which is regulated by the msaABCR operon at the molecular level in the USA300 LAC strain. We showed …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, May & June 2022, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 3, Issue 4

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 Awards and Recognition
Page 3-4 The path to a Doctorate Degree
Page 4 American Indian Student Center Native Graduate Honoring Ceremony
Page 5 Celebrating the lives of those who touched the College
Page 6 Media coverage of CNS
Page 7 Open PRAIRIE
Page 8-10 CNS Graduation Festivities
Page 11-14 Spring 2022 Dean's List
Page 16 Richard and Janice Vetter Endowed Professorship in Biotechnology.position

The Urinary Microbiome And Biological Therapeutics: Novel Therapies For Urinary Tract Infections, Ciara Kenneally, Craig P. Murphy, Roy D. Sleator, Eamonn P. Culligan

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

The discovery of microbial communities in the urinary tract (the urobiome) has fundamentally altered the previous doctrine regarding urine sterility and associated urinary disorders. Recent advances in culturing and culture-independent DNA sequencing technologies have characterised the resident microbial community in the urobiome, and has, in turn, demonstrated how community imbalances potentially contribute to infection and disease. As we enter a post-antibiotic era, the effectiveness of standard antimicrobial treatments against multi-drug resistant (MDR) uropathogens is vastly diminished. Preliminary research is accumulating surrounding microbiome-based therapies, and their potential as non-antibiotic therapeutics. In this context, the urobiome is significantly underexplored, and knowledge regarding …

Invasion Properties Of Listeria Monocytogenes In Aged Cells, Mina Lane Chasteen Burton

Honors Theses

Listeriosis is a bacterial infection caused by the gram-positive pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. When compared to other foodborne illnesses, listeriosis has a higher death rate due to an increased incidence of complications such as meningitis, hydrocephalus, and sepsis in immunocompromised populations. Elderly individuals experience a condition known as immunosenescence, which is a gradual compromisation of the immune system brought on by natural aging. Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare genetic disorder causing premature aging, which allows HGPS cell lines to be used as models to further research in the field of biogerontology. This study utilizes the F2365 strain of …

Biomass Estimation Of Marine Biofilms On Plastic Surfaces, Kian Banihashemi, Fernando Javier Gil

Biological Sciences

Plastics have become a major source of marine pollution, which threatens food safety and quality, human health, and marine ecosystems. Due to the drastic negative effects of plastics in a marine environment, alternative biodegradable plastics are being generated that are more eco-friendly and have less environmental impact. Though some of these plastics are known to biodegrade, the process of degradation for bioplastics has not been heavily studied in a marine environment. This pilot project sought to both quantify the process of biodegradation and compare across different methods for effectiveness of biomass estimation, which serves as an indicator of biodegradation. Plastics …

Factors Affecting The Antibacterial Activity Of Cefiderocol On Klebsiella Pneumoniae With Diverse Characteristics, Lana Jamal Rashed Daoud

Theses

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing serious threat that poses a burden on the healthcare system. Spread of AMR bacteria limits treatment options; thus, new antimicrobial agents are required. Cefiderocol (CFDC) is a novel siderophore cephalosporin, approved by the FDA in 2019 for use in treating infections caused by multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens; but it is not yet in clinical use in the UAE. CFDC is equipped with stabilizers against β-lactamases as well as a siderophore side chain that allows it to penetrate the outer membrane of bacteria through the iron uptake pathways. The aim of this study is to …

Discovering Novel Polyextremotolerant Fungi And Determining Their Ecological Role Within The Biological Soil Crust Consortium, Erin C. Carr

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

The ecological niche of polyextremotolerant fungi within oligotrophic ecosystems such as biological soil crusts has not yet been determined. These fungi persist in locations where nutrients are depleted while simultaneously surrounded by autotrophic microbes such as algae and cyanobacteria. Yet it has not been shown that they are engaging in any exchange of nutrients the way lichens do. However, there is seemingly no other way for these fungi to obtain vital nutrients, such as carbon or nitrogen, other than from these microbes. Here we have isolated polyextremotolerant fungi from cold desert biological soil crusts which are a microbial biofilm that …

Discovery Of The First Lyticstaphylococcus Pseudintermedius/ Staphylococcus Aureus Polyvalent Bacteriophages, Haroldo Hernandez Santos, Justin Clark, Austen Terwilliger, Anthony Maresso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background:

There are no verified lytic Staphylococcus pseudintermedius phages in the literature and few temperate phage genomes in databases. S. pseudintermedius is an opportunistic zoonotic pathogen of great importance in veterinary and human medicine.

Materials and Methods:

We discovered phages against canine-derived S. pseudintermedius isolates by screening dog feces, hair, and skin swabs. Fourteen new phages were isolated and characterized by genomic analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and host range determination.

Results:

Three phages—DH2, DH5, and DS10, a phage K variant—were predicted lytic by sequencing, a designation supported by mitomycin C induction. All three are S. pseudintermedius and Staphylococcus aureus polyvalent …

Microbial Sociality In Biofilms, Swetha Kasetty

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Biofilms are communities of microorganisms attached to surfaces through various self-secreted matrix materials. Biofilms are dynamic communities with extensive interactions between their residents. Microorganisms compete, cooperate, and communicate with each other in biofilms. These ecological interactions determine the emergence or loss of strains/species and are critical in the formation and proliferation of biofilms. Furthermore, most natural biofilms are formed by multiple microbial species and strains and these interactions within the biofilm dramatically influence community composition and structure over time. Microbial interactions also influence clinically relevant outcomes such as antibiotic resistance and host virulence. In this thesis we explore the potential …

Assessing The Activity Of Antimicrobial Peptides Against Common Marine Bacteria Located In Rotifer (Brachionus Plicatilis) Cultures, Chelsea Woods, Lindsey Woolley, Gavin Partridge, Mengqi Chen, Evan F. Haney, Robert E.W. Hancock, Nicky Buller, Andrew Currie

Fisheries Research Articles

Rotifers are used as the first feed for marine fish larvae and are grown in large cultures that have high loads of organic matter and heterotrophic bacteria; these bacteria are passed on to the developing fish larvae and can potentially lead to bacterial infections. A modified minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) protocol for antimicrobial peptides was used to determine the potency of ten antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in artificial seawater relevant to a rotifer culture (salinity of 25‰) against common marine pathogens. All of the AMPs had antimicrobial activity against the bacterial isolates when the salt concentration was approximately zero. However, in …

An Investigation On The Impact Of Intestinal Oxygen Availability On Survival And Regulation Of Virulence In Listeria Monocytogenes, Damayanti Chakravarty

Dissertations

The deadly foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is a gram positive facultative anaerobic bacterium. It is the third leading cause of death from food-borne illnesses. Once ingested, it encounters various stressors in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including acidic pH, bile, and alterations in oxygen availability. Various studies have been done regarding the pathogen’s survival mechanism against acid and bile. Since the lower parts of the GI tract are anaerobic, it is imperative to investigate how physiologically relevant anaerobic conditions impact L. monocytogenes’s survival. Transcriptomic analysis of L. monocytogenes under conditions mimicking the GI tract was performed. A large number of genes …

Flippase Inhibitors As Antimicrobial Agents, Robert Tancer

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Drug resistant microbes are a considerable challenge for modern medicine to overcome. The research described in this dissertation involved development of lipid flippase inhibitors and investigating their potential as antimicrobial agents against various drug resistant microbes. The microbes primarily investigated were methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) & Cryptococcus neoformans. Chapter 1 reviews the historical perspective and summarizes the current state of the field of research. In Chapter 2, the design space of an antimicrobial peptide known as humimycin was explored and the effects of modifications on its structure were observed against MRSA. Several key observations resulted. Most notably, the …

Parameter Estimation Using Nudging On The Logistic Growth Equation, Susan Rogowski

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Elevated Substitution Rates Among Wolbachia-Infected Mosquito Species Results In Apparent Phylogenetic Discordance., James E. Russell, Michael Saum, Rebekah Williams

Georgia Journal of Science

As one of the most widely distributed bacterial cytoplasmic symbionts on earth, Wolbachia pipientis Hertig serves as a model organism for the understanding of host-symbiont interactions. Many mosquito species are infected with Wolbachia strains that induce a form of reproductive manipulation called cytoplasmic incompatibility, in which infected females gain a reproductive advantage over uninfected females in mixed infection populations. The selective advantage of cytoplasmic incompatibility often results in a population sweep of Wolbachia and co-transmitted mitochondrial genomes. Mitochondrial evolution and phylogenetic inferences drawn from mitochondrial gene sequences are thus potentially compromised by reproductive manipulating symbionts, like Wolbachia. Our initial …

The Nature Of Phenotypes: Provoking And Measuring The Dynamic Processes Of Swarm Expansion, Predation, And Antibiotic Resistance In Myxococcus Xanthus, Linnea Judith Ritchie

Dissertations - ALL

The question of how genotype affects phenotype has fascinated and puzzled scientists for generations. Regardless of organism, the correlation between observation and underlying condition is necessary for scientists to understand the world around us. Myxococcus xanthus, a fascinating organism with a large genome (7,314 genes), is known for complex social behaviors and is an excellent model system for the study of this relationship. Upon starvation, M. xanthus cells condense into large multicellular aggregates to await renewed nutrient availability. M. xanthus cells swarm together on surfaces as a predatory biofilm, lysing and killing prey as a singular unit. During predation, swarms …

Assembly Of The Peripheral Arm Subunits Of Escherichia Coli Complex I And Analysis Of Clinical Mutations, Hind Alkhaldi

Biological Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Respiratory Complex I from E. coli is a proto-type of the mitochondrial enzyme, consisting of a 6-subunit peripheral arm (B-CD-E-F-G-I) and a 7-subunit membrane arm. When subunits E-F-G (N-module), were expressed alone they formed an active complex as determined by co-immunoprecipitation and native gel electrophoresis. When co-expressed with subunits B and CD, only a complex of E-F-G was found. When these five subunits were co-expressed with subunit I and two membrane subunits, A and H, a complex of B-CD-E-F-G-I was membrane-bound, constituting the N- and Q-modules. Assembly of Complex I was also followed by splitting the genes between two plasmids, …