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Articles 2491 - 2520 of 8152

Full-Text Articles in Microbiology

Posttranslational Modification And Protein Disorder Regulate Protein-Protein Interactions And Dna Binding Specificity Of P53, Robin Levy Nov 2020

Posttranslational Modification And Protein Disorder Regulate Protein-Protein Interactions And Dna Binding Specificity Of P53, Robin Levy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

p53 is an intrinsically disordered transcription factor that suppresses tumor development by arresting the cell cycle and promoting DNA repair. p53 deletions or mutations can lead to cancer due to the inability of cells to respond to stress. The protein levels and post-translational modification state of p53 changes in response to cellular stress like DNA damage. Previous studies have shown that p53 can undergo coupled folding and binding with the E3 ubiquitin ligase, Mdm2, and the histone deacetylase, p300. In normal cells, p53 is kept at a low level by Mdm2, which marks it with ubiquitin, targeting p53 for proteasome …

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Spatial And Temporal Determinants Associated With Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Activity In Florida, Kristi M. Miley Nov 2020

Spatial And Temporal Determinants Associated With Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Activity In Florida, Kristi M. Miley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV) is considered the most pathogenic mosquito-borne illness in the United States. Human mortality has been estimated to range between 35 to 75%, with horses experiencing mortality rates greater than 90%. A large number of EEEV cases occur in Florida. Though we have come a long way since the first human infection was identified in the 1930s, there is still much to learn regarding the virus’s ability to maintain transmission year-round in Florida. Phylogenic studies support that Florida may serve as the geographic reservoir for EEEV. This research investigated spatiotemporal and ecological variables associated with risk …

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Spatio-Temporal Dynamics Of Fungal Communities And Their Effects On Plants, Kel Cook Nov 2020

Spatio-Temporal Dynamics Of Fungal Communities And Their Effects On Plants, Kel Cook

Biology ETDs

Fungi perform several critical functions in the environment. Spatiotemporal distributions of fungal communities will mediate when and where these functions happen and how they vary across the landscape. I first explored tropical tree canopy fungal community variation at small spatial scales and documented near total turnover of fungi across sub-meter distances and among adjacent substrates. The second chapter analyzed fungal turnover over the course of three years, where community stability was driven primarily by abundant fungi. In the third chapter, I tested effects of the environment, including host plant and habitat, on canopy fungal communities and found only small effects, …

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Evaluation Of Anti-Cancer Function In Natural Killer Cells Generated From Rat Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Alireza Pirahmadian Nov 2020

Evaluation Of Anti-Cancer Function In Natural Killer Cells Generated From Rat Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Alireza Pirahmadian

Student Works (2020-2029)

Natural killer cells (NK) cells are lymphocytes and they are the most important key constituent of mammalian immune system against cancer tumour cells. The genome of NK cells is categorically divided to inhibitory and activator genes that code ligands on the surface of NK cells. Indeed, these ligands are cancer tumour cells destroyer arms of the NK cells. On the other hand, hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are the origin of all blood cells, derives from BM and mature to immune cells. NK cells cannot defeat CTCs on their own. The main reason is their population (numbers are low), they cannot …

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Aspergillus Niger Decreases Bioavailability Of Arsenic(V) Via Biotransformation Of Manganese Oxide Into Biogenic Oxalate Minerals, Bence Farkas, Marek Kolenčík, Miroslav Hain, Edmund Dobročka, Gabriela Kratošová, Marek Bujdoš, Huan Feng, Yang Deng, Qian Yu, Ramakanth Illa, B. Ratna Sunil, Hyunjung Kim, Peter Matúš, Martin Urík Nov 2020

Aspergillus Niger Decreases Bioavailability Of Arsenic(V) Via Biotransformation Of Manganese Oxide Into Biogenic Oxalate Minerals, Bence Farkas, Marek Kolenčík, Miroslav Hain, Edmund Dobročka, Gabriela Kratošová, Marek Bujdoš, Huan Feng, Yang Deng, Qian Yu, Ramakanth Illa, B. Ratna Sunil, Hyunjung Kim, Peter Matúš, Martin Urík

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The aim of this work was to evaluate the transformation of manganese oxide (hausmannite) by microscopic filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger and the effects of the transformation on mobility and bioavailability of arsenic. Our results showed that the A. niger strain CBS 140837 greatly affected the stability of hausmannite and induced its transformation into biogenic crystals of manganese oxalates—falottaite and lindbergite. The transformation was enabled by fungal acidolysis of hausmannite and subsequent release of manganese ions into the culture medium. While almost 45% of manganese was bioextracted, the arsenic content in manganese precipitates increased throughout the 25-day static cultivation of fungus. …

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A Genomic Catalog Of Earth’S Microbiomes, Brian Hedlund, More Than 200 Other International Authors Nov 2020

A Genomic Catalog Of Earth’S Microbiomes, Brian Hedlund, More Than 200 Other International Authors

Life Sciences Faculty Research

The reconstruction of bacterial and archaeal genomes from shotgun metagenomes has enabled insights into the ecology and evolution of environmental and host-associated microbiomes. Here we applied this approach to >10,000 metagenomes collected from diverse habitats covering all of Earth’s continents and oceans, including metagenomes from human and animal hosts, engineered environments, and natural and agricultural soils, to capture extant microbial, metabolic and functional potential. This comprehensive catalog includes 52,515 metagenome-assembled genomes representing 12,556 novel candidate species-level operational taxonomic units spanning 135 phyla. The catalog expands the known phylogenetic diversity of bacteria and archaea by 44% and is broadly available for …

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Evaluation Of The Attitudes Of Phytotherapists Towards The Herbal Treatment Of Obesity In The Light Of Ancient And Modern Theoretical Knowledge - Field Study In Tlemcen (Algeria), Chahrazed Bessenouci Nov 2020

Evaluation Of The Attitudes Of Phytotherapists Towards The Herbal Treatment Of Obesity In The Light Of Ancient And Modern Theoretical Knowledge - Field Study In Tlemcen (Algeria), Chahrazed Bessenouci

Journal of the Arab American University مجلة الجامعة العربية الامريكية للبحوث

This research aimed to reveal the phytotherapists attitudes towards medicinal plants therapy used to treat obesity through identifying the nature of these attitudes and their degree of compatibility with what is in the ancient scientific manuscripts and the research publications in the modern chemistry. To do this, a choice was made of an intentional sample of 34 Herbalists-Phytotherapists (from several regions of the province of Tlemcen). Then the researchers used a face-to-face interview to survey the attitudes using a 27-item Likert-scale test. To determine the nature of the sample's attitudes and also the level of their knowledge, a descriptive analytical …

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Investigating Microbial And Host Factors That Modulate Severity Of Clostridioides Difficile Associated Disease, Armando Lerma Nov 2020

Investigating Microbial And Host Factors That Modulate Severity Of Clostridioides Difficile Associated Disease, Armando Lerma

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Clostridioides difficile is recognized as one of the most important pathogens in hospital and community healthcare settings. The clinical outcome of infection of toxigenic C. difficile infection (CDI) ranges from asymptomatic colonization to fulminant pseudomembranous colitis and death. In recent studies, it has been suggested that a high proportion of nosocomial CDI cases are transmitted from asymptomatic carriers which might be acting as infection reservoirs. Understanding what causes the different responses to infection could lead to the development of novel prevention and treatment strategies. Although several explanations have been proposed to explain variations in susceptibility, understanding of the exact mechanisms …

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Significance Of Viral Activity For Regulating Heterotrophic Prokaryote Community Dynamics Along A Meridional Gradient Of Stratification In The Northeast Atlantic Ocean, Kristina D.A. Mojica, Corina P.D. Brussaard Nov 2020

Significance Of Viral Activity For Regulating Heterotrophic Prokaryote Community Dynamics Along A Meridional Gradient Of Stratification In The Northeast Atlantic Ocean, Kristina D.A. Mojica, Corina P.D. Brussaard

Faculty Publications

How microbial populations interact influences the availability and flux of organic carbon in the ocean. Understanding how these interactions vary over broad spatial scales is therefore a fundamental aim of microbial oceanography. In this study, we assessed variations in the abundances, production, virus and grazing induced mortality of heterotrophic prokaryotes during summer along a meridional gradient in stratification in the North Atlantic Ocean. Heterotrophic prokaryote abundance and activity varied with phytoplankton biomass, while the relative distribution of prokaryotic subpopulations (ratio of high nucleic acid fluorescent (HNA) and low nucleic acid fluorescent (LNA) cells) was significantly correlated to phytoplankton mortality mode …

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Evaluating The Microbial Experience Influence On Anti-Tumor Immune Response, Jessica A. Ensing Nov 2020

Evaluating The Microbial Experience Influence On Anti-Tumor Immune Response, Jessica A. Ensing

Student Summer Scholars Manuscripts

Despite the steady increase of hygienic standards, the CDC continues to report an increase of immune-mediated diseases such as allergies and asthma. Human avoidance of microbial exposure and subsequently less experienced immune systems may be the cause for this increase. We investigated if increased microbial exposure results in increased immunity to cancer (B16 melanoma) by measuring activated lymphocytes between two groups of C57Bl/6 mice: specific pathogen free (SPF) mice (which had little microbial exposure) and cohoused (COH) mice (which were exposed to numerous microbes). Previous research shows that the CoH mouse model mimics a human adult’s immune system, while the …

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Direct Binding Of Tfeα Opens Dna Binding Cleft Of Rna Polymeras, Sung-Hoon Jun, Jaekyung Hyun, Hoyoung Kim, Michael S. Bartlett, Hyun-Soo Cho, Katsuhiko S. Murakami Nov 2020

Direct Binding Of Tfeα Opens Dna Binding Cleft Of Rna Polymeras, Sung-Hoon Jun, Jaekyung Hyun, Hoyoung Kim, Michael S. Bartlett, Hyun-Soo Cho, Katsuhiko S. Murakami

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Opening of the DNA binding cleft of cellular RNA polymerase (RNAP) is necessary for transcription initiation but the underlying molecular mechanism is not known. Here, we report on the cryo-electron microscopy structures of the RNAP, RNAP-TFEα binary, and RNAPTFEα-promoter DNA ternary complexes from archaea, Thermococcus kodakarensis (Tko). The structures reveal that TFEα bridges the RNAP clamp and stalk domains to open the DNA binding cleft. Positioning of promoter DNA into the cleft closes it while maintaining the TFEα interactions with the RNAP mobile modules. The structures and photo-crosslinking results also suggest that the conserved aromatic residue in the extended winged-helix …

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Potential Virus-Mediated Nitrogen Cycling In Oxygen-Depleted Oceanic Waters, M. Consuelo Gazitúa, Dean R. Vik, Simon Roux, Ann C. Gregory, Benjamin Bolduc, Brittany Widner, Margaret R. Mulholland, Steven J. Hallam, Osvaldo Ulloa, Matthew B. Sullivan Nov 2020

Potential Virus-Mediated Nitrogen Cycling In Oxygen-Depleted Oceanic Waters, M. Consuelo Gazitúa, Dean R. Vik, Simon Roux, Ann C. Gregory, Benjamin Bolduc, Brittany Widner, Margaret R. Mulholland, Steven J. Hallam, Osvaldo Ulloa, Matthew B. Sullivan

OES Faculty Publications

Viruses play an important role in the ecology and biogeochemistry of marine ecosystems. Beyond mortality and gene transfer, viruses can reprogram microbial metabolism during infection by expressing auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) involved in photosynthesis, central carbon metabolism, and nutrient cycling. While previous studies have focused on AMG diversity in the sunlit and dark ocean, less is known about the role of viruses in shaping metabolic networks along redox gradients associated with marine oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). Here, we analyzed relatively quantitative viral metagenomic datasets that profiled the oxygen gradient across Eastern Tropical South Pacific (ETSP) OMZ waters, assessing whether OMZ …

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Varroa Destructor Mites Vector And Transmit Pathogenic Honey Bee Viruses Acquired From An Artificial Diet, Francisco Posada-Florez, Eugene V. Ryabov, Matthew C. Heerman, Yanping Chen, Jay D. Evans, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Steven C. Cook Nov 2020

Varroa Destructor Mites Vector And Transmit Pathogenic Honey Bee Viruses Acquired From An Artificial Diet, Francisco Posada-Florez, Eugene V. Ryabov, Matthew C. Heerman, Yanping Chen, Jay D. Evans, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Steven C. Cook

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructoris one of the most destructive pests of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) and the primary biotic cause of colony collapse in many regions of the world. These mites inflict physical injury on their honey bee hosts from feeding on host hemolymph and fat body cells/cellular components, and serve as the vector for deadly honey bee viruses, including Deformed wing virus (DWV) and the related Varroa destructor virus-1 (VDV-1) (i.e., DWV-like viruses). Studies focused on elucidating the dynamics of Varroa-mediated vectoring and transmission of DWV-like viruses may be confounded by viruses present in …

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Detection Of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase Producing Escherichia Coli From Urinary Tract Infection In General Hospital, Minna, Nasiru U. Adabara, Naimat D. Bakinde, Sherifat O. Enejiyon, Tijani Salami, Doosuur Iorzua Oct 2020

Detection Of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase Producing Escherichia Coli From Urinary Tract Infection In General Hospital, Minna, Nasiru U. Adabara, Naimat D. Bakinde, Sherifat O. Enejiyon, Tijani Salami, Doosuur Iorzua

Tanzania Journal of Science

Possession of virulence factors such as extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) by pathogens generally exacerbates morbidity as well as increases healthcare costs. This study determined the production of ESBL among Escherichia coli isolated from the urinary tracts of subjects attending General Hospital, Minna, Nigeria. One hundred and fifty (150) urine samples were collected from subjects and cultured on CLED agar for the isolation of E. coli. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done using Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method, while the phenotypic identification of ESBL-producing strains was carried out using double disk synergy test. All results were interpreted based on Clinical and …

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Microbiological, Physicochemical And Heavy Metals Assessments Of Soils And Selected Vegetables Grown On Rumde-Doubeli Irrigated Farmland In Yola Nigeria, Mohammed Inuwa Ja’Afaru, Joel Uyi Ewansiha, Abdulwahab Dahiru, Konjerimam Ishaku Chimbekujwo Oct 2020

Microbiological, Physicochemical And Heavy Metals Assessments Of Soils And Selected Vegetables Grown On Rumde-Doubeli Irrigated Farmland In Yola Nigeria, Mohammed Inuwa Ja’Afaru, Joel Uyi Ewansiha, Abdulwahab Dahiru, Konjerimam Ishaku Chimbekujwo

Tanzania Journal of Science

Leaf parts of vegetable plants grown on irrigated farmlands and are easily accessed by contaminants; pose greater risks of being contaminated with heavy metals. Soil, irrigation water and edible vegetable plants were collected and evaluated for concentrations of heavy metals using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) and standard laboratory methods. Physicochemical parameters of irrigation water, compared with WHO limits for chloride (326.14 + 7.03 mg/L, 250 mg/L), total hardness (196.0 + 8.72 mg/L, 150 mg/L), chemical oxygen demand (286.4 ±1.35 mg/L; 150 mg/L) and alkalinity (171.0 + 4.36 mg/L, 120 mg/L) were significantly (p ˂ 0.05) higher than the control sites …

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Antibacterial Activities Of The Extracts Of Allium Sativum (Garlic) And Allium Cepa (Onion) Against Selected Pathogenic Bacteria, Sherifat O. Enejiyon, Al-Hassan A. Abdulrahman, Abdulameen S. Adedeji, Ramatu Abdulsalam, Mary U. Oyedum Oct 2020

Antibacterial Activities Of The Extracts Of Allium Sativum (Garlic) And Allium Cepa (Onion) Against Selected Pathogenic Bacteria, Sherifat O. Enejiyon, Al-Hassan A. Abdulrahman, Abdulameen S. Adedeji, Ramatu Abdulsalam, Mary U. Oyedum

Tanzania Journal of Science

Although many antibiotics have been developed against bacterial diseases, the problems of antibiotic resistance and toxicity have made the continuous search for newer drugs an existential necessity. This study determined the phytochemical components and antibacterial activities of Allium sativum and Allium cepa against Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. The phytochemical analysis was carried out using standard methods. The antibacterial activities of the aqueous, ethanol and acetone extracts of both plants at different concentrations were determined against all the test organisms using agar well diffusion method. All the extracts were found to contain important phytochemicals …

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Dengue Vector Distribution And Their Infection Status In Selected Regions In Tanzania, Anitha Philbert, Amina Msonga Oct 2020

Dengue Vector Distribution And Their Infection Status In Selected Regions In Tanzania, Anitha Philbert, Amina Msonga

Tanzania Journal of Science

Dengue fever is an important arboviral infection globally. Tanzania has experienced multiple dengue outbreaks since 2010 leading to mortalities and public distress. Dengue is caused by viruses which are transmitted to humans by vector mosquitoes. Nevertheless, the abundance, distribution and extent of viral infections of these vectors are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to characterize dengue vectors and determine their virus infection rates. Adult mosquitoes were collected from selected regions in Tanzania including Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Coast, and Arusha regions using CO2 baited mosquito magnet traps between December 2018 to February 2019, additional samples were collected …

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Expanding Magnetic Organelle Biogenesis In The Domain Bacteria, Wei Lin, Wensi Zhang, Greig A. Paterson, Qiyun Zhu, Xiang Zhao, Rob Knight, Dennis A. Bazylinski, Andrew P. Roberts, Yongxin Pan Oct 2020

Expanding Magnetic Organelle Biogenesis In The Domain Bacteria, Wei Lin, Wensi Zhang, Greig A. Paterson, Qiyun Zhu, Xiang Zhao, Rob Knight, Dennis A. Bazylinski, Andrew P. Roberts, Yongxin Pan

Life Sciences Faculty Research

Background: The discovery of membrane-enclosed, metabolically functional organelles in Bacteria has transformed our understanding of the subcellular complexity of prokaryotic cells. Biomineralization of magnetic nanoparticles within magnetosomes by magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) is a fascinating example of prokaryotic organelles. Magnetosomes, as nano-sized magnetic sensors in MTB, facilitate cell navigation along the local geomagnetic field, a behaviour referred to as magnetotaxis or microbial magnetoreception. Recent discovery of novel MTB outside the traditionally recognized taxonomic lineages suggests that MTB diversity across the domain Bacteria are considerably underestimated, which limits understanding of the taxonomic distribution and evolutionary origin of magnetosome organelle biogenesis. Results: Here, …

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Antibacterial Action Of Graphene Oxide Towards Bacteria And Its Toxicological Effects On Human Epidermal Keratinocytes, Thiruchelvi Pulingam Oct 2020

Antibacterial Action Of Graphene Oxide Towards Bacteria And Its Toxicological Effects On Human Epidermal Keratinocytes, Thiruchelvi Pulingam

Student Works (2020-2029)

The antibacterial nature of graphene oxide (GO) has stimulated wide interest in the medical field. Although the antibacterial activity of GO towards bacteria has been well studied, a deeper understanding of the mechanism of action of GO is still lacking. The objectives of the study were to characterize the physicochemical properties of GO, to determine the antibacterial and antibiofilm activity and the mechanistic action of GO against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis and Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, to determine the synergistic behaviour of GO with selected antibiotics against bacterial cells in suspension and biofilm and to determine …

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Evaluation Of Semi-Quantitative Compared To Quantitative Cultures Of Tracheal Aspirates For The Yield Of Culturable Respiratory Pathogens - A Cross-Sectional Study, Salima Rattani, Joveria Farooqi, Ghazala Jabeen, Saeeda Chandio, Qaiser Kash, Aijaz Khan, Kauser Jabeen Oct 2020

Evaluation Of Semi-Quantitative Compared To Quantitative Cultures Of Tracheal Aspirates For The Yield Of Culturable Respiratory Pathogens - A Cross-Sectional Study, Salima Rattani, Joveria Farooqi, Ghazala Jabeen, Saeeda Chandio, Qaiser Kash, Aijaz Khan, Kauser Jabeen

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background: Diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) depends on the presence of clinical, radiological and microbiological findings. Endotracheal suction aspirate (ETSA) is the commonest respiratory sample sent for culture from intubated patients. Very few studies have compared quantitative and semi-quantitative processing of ETSA cultures for LRTI diagnosis. We determined the diagnostic accuracy of quantitative and semi-quantitative ETSA culture for LRTI diagnosis, agreement between the quantitative and semi quantitative culture techniques and the yield of respiratory pathogens with both methods.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Aga Khan University clinical laboratory, Karachi, Pakistan. One hundred and seventy-eight …

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The Impact Of Sample Processing And Media Chemistry On The Culturable Diversity Of Bacteria Isolated From A Cave, Katey E. Bender, Katelyn Glover, Alexander Archey, Hazel A. Barton Oct 2020

The Impact Of Sample Processing And Media Chemistry On The Culturable Diversity Of Bacteria Isolated From A Cave, Katey E. Bender, Katelyn Glover, Alexander Archey, Hazel A. Barton

International Journal of Speleology

Although molecular approaches can identify members of microbial communities in the environment, genomic information does not necessarily correlate with environmental phenotype. Understanding functional roles can be done by cultivating representative species, yet the culturablility of bacteria from caves remains low, at 0.02%, limiting our understanding of microbial community interactions and processes. We have investigated several factors influencing culturability of bacteria from a single sample location in Maxwelton Sink Cave, WV, USA. Extended incubation of inoculated plates showed a significant increase in colony counts from two to four weeks, indicating that extended incubations increase culturability. There were no significant differences in …

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A Mini-Tn5-Derived Transposon With Reportable And Selectable Markers Enables Rapid Generation And Screening Of Insertional Mutants In Gram-Negative Bacteria, Eric S. Nazareno, Bimala Acharya, C. Korsi Dumenyo Oct 2020

A Mini-Tn5-Derived Transposon With Reportable And Selectable Markers Enables Rapid Generation And Screening Of Insertional Mutants In Gram-Negative Bacteria, Eric S. Nazareno, Bimala Acharya, C. Korsi Dumenyo

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

We re-engineered a classic tool for mutagenesis and gene expression studies in Gram-negative bacteria. Our modified Tn5-based transposon contains multiple features that allow rapid selection for mutants, direct quantification of gene expression and straightforward cloning of the inactivated gene. The promoter-less gfp-km cassette provides selection and reporter assay depending on the activity of the promoter upstream of the transposon insertion site. The cat gene facilitates positive antibiotic selection for mutants, while the narrow R6Kγ replication origin forces transposition in recipient strains lacking the pir gene and enables cloning of the transposon flanked with the disrupted gene from the chromosome. The …

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Distinct Distribution Of Archaea From Soil To Freshwater To Estuary: Implications Of Archaeal Composition And Function In Different Environments, Hualong Wang, Raven Bier, Laura Zgleszewski, Marc Peipoch, Emmanuel Omondi, Atanu Mukherjee, Feng Chen, Chuanlun Zhang, Jinjun Kan Oct 2020

Distinct Distribution Of Archaea From Soil To Freshwater To Estuary: Implications Of Archaeal Composition And Function In Different Environments, Hualong Wang, Raven Bier, Laura Zgleszewski, Marc Peipoch, Emmanuel Omondi, Atanu Mukherjee, Feng Chen, Chuanlun Zhang, Jinjun Kan

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

In addition to inhabiting extreme territories, Archaea are widely distributed in common environments spanning from terrestrial to aquatic environments. This study investigated and compared archaeal community structures from three different habitats (representing distinct environments): agriculture soils (from farming system trials FST, PA, United States), freshwater biofilms (from White Clay Creek, PA, United States), and estuary water (Chesapeake Bay, United States). High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes indicated that Thaumarchaeota, Euryarchaeota, Nanoarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, and Diapherotrites were the commonly found dominant phyla across these three environments. Similar to Bacteria, distinct community structure and distribution patterns for Archaea were observed in soils vs. …

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Graphene-Based Electrochemical Aptasensor For The Detection Of Salmonella Typhimurium, Shalini Muniandy Oct 2020

Graphene-Based Electrochemical Aptasensor For The Detection Of Salmonella Typhimurium, Shalini Muniandy

Student Works (2020-2029)

Recent foodborne outbreaks in multiple locations necessitate the continuous development of highly sensitive and specific biosensors that offer rapid and sensitive detection of foodborne pathogens. The emergence of electrochemical aptasensor which is a compact analytical device with a combination of an aptamer as the biorecognition element integrated on the transducer surface created a breakthrough in the detection of foodborne bacterial pathogens. Graphene has emerged as a promising nanomaterial for reliable detection of pathogenic bacteria due to its exceptional properties such as high electrical conductivity, large surface to volume ratio, high mechanical strength and its unique interactions with DNA bases of …

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Herb-Layer Dynamics In An Old-Growth Forest: Vegetation–Environment Relationships And Response To Invasion-Related Perturbations, Taylor M. Buskey, Margaret E. Maloney, Julia I. Chapman, Ryan W. Mcewan Oct 2020

Herb-Layer Dynamics In An Old-Growth Forest: Vegetation–Environment Relationships And Response To Invasion-Related Perturbations, Taylor M. Buskey, Margaret E. Maloney, Julia I. Chapman, Ryan W. Mcewan

Biology Faculty Publications

Temperate forests of eastern North America are subject to multiple invasions from non-native species that have the potential to drive long-term dynamics in biodiversity. Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata (M. Bieb.) Cavara and Grande) is an invasive plant in many deciduous forests, and management efforts often focus on removing this species to initiate native species restoration. Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (emerald ash borer; Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is a non-native insect pest that has caused substantial loss of ash trees (Fraxinus spp. L.) in North America. Our goal was to understand how the herbaceous layer in an old-growth forest responded to the removal of …

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Overview Of Plaster Creek Stewards Transpiration Rate Across Different Species Over 3 Years, Ana Singh, David P. Warners Oct 2020

Overview Of Plaster Creek Stewards Transpiration Rate Across Different Species Over 3 Years, Ana Singh, David P. Warners

Faculty and Professional Research

No abstract provided.

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Diverse Community Of Arsenic Resistant Bacteria Display Arsenate Reducing Capabilities, Stephanie Maeda Oct 2020

Diverse Community Of Arsenic Resistant Bacteria Display Arsenate Reducing Capabilities, Stephanie Maeda

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Naturally found in soil and water environments arsenic is toxic to many organisms, carcinogenic to humans, and poses a significant public health risk. Yet communities of bacteria found thriving in arsenic ridden environments have evolved mechanisms to tolerate and exploit both oxidation states of this heavy metal (arsenite and arsenate). As the site of an old arsenic mine, Black Mountain Open Space Park in San Diego, California has yielded concentrations of arsenic in the soil between 111-14,800 ppm. Exceeding average arsenic soil concentrations and levels considered safe in the environment by the World Health Organization, we sought to characterize the …

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Endothelial Cell Contributions To Covid-19, Alexandra E. Oxford, Fabio Halla, Evan B. Robertson, Brad E. Morrison Oct 2020

Endothelial Cell Contributions To Covid-19, Alexandra E. Oxford, Fabio Halla, Evan B. Robertson, Brad E. Morrison

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Understanding of the clinical, histological and molecular features of the novel coronavirus 2019 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)) has remained elusive. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by this virus has unusual clinical presentation with regard to other related coronaviruses. Recent reports suggest that SARS-CoV-2, unlike other related viruses, infects and replicates within endothelial cells, which may explain a significant portion of the observed clinical pathology. Likewise, mounting evidence associates vascular and endothelial cell dysfunction with increased mortality. This review focuses on understanding how endothelial cell pathology is caused by SARS-CoV-2 at the molecular and cellular levels and how …

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Cryo‑Electron Microscopy Structure Of The 70s Ribosome From Enterococcus Faecalis, Eileen L. Murphy, Kavindra V. Singh, Bryant Avila, Torsten Kleffmann, Steven T. Gregory, Barbara E. Murray, Kurt L. Krause, Reza Khayat, Gerwald Jogl Oct 2020

Cryo‑Electron Microscopy Structure Of The 70s Ribosome From Enterococcus Faecalis, Eileen L. Murphy, Kavindra V. Singh, Bryant Avila, Torsten Kleffmann, Steven T. Gregory, Barbara E. Murray, Kurt L. Krause, Reza Khayat, Gerwald Jogl

Publications and Research

Enterococcus faecalis is a gram-positive organism responsible for serious infections in humans, but as with many bacterial pathogens, resistance has rendered a number of commonly used antibiotics ineffective. Here, we report the cryo-EM structure of the E. faecalis 70S ribosome to a global resolution of 2.8 Å. Structural differences are clustered in peripheral and solvent exposed regions when compared with Escherichia coli, whereas functional centres, including antibiotic binding sites, are similar to other bacterial ribosomes. Comparison of intersubunit conformations among five classes obtained after three-dimensional classification identifies several rotated states. Large ribosomal subunit protein bL31, which forms intersubunit bridges to …

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Microbial Diversity In The Sawmill Environment: Implications On The Health Of Sawmill Workers And Merchants, Nigeria, Ebere J. Okafor-Elenwo Ej, Odaro S. Imade Os, Osazee E. Izevbuwa Eo Sep 2020

Microbial Diversity In The Sawmill Environment: Implications On The Health Of Sawmill Workers And Merchants, Nigeria, Ebere J. Okafor-Elenwo Ej, Odaro S. Imade Os, Osazee E. Izevbuwa Eo

Journal of Bioresource Management

There is an increasingly high suspicion of occupational health diseases amongst workers in sawmill factories. Hence this study aimed to determine the microbial diversity in some sawmill factories in Okada, Edo State, Nigeria to evaluate potential implications of the factory’s processing area on the health of the workers and wood merchants. Bacteria and fungi count in the bioaerosols within the processing area of each factory was performed with the passive air sampling technique. While in the sawdust samples, microbial counts were carried out with the pour plate technique. Identification of the microbes was performed with macroscopic and microscopic examinations as …

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