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Full-Text Articles in Pathogenic Microbiology
Sars-Cov-2 Reveals That Chimeric Agents Are The Bioweapons Of The Future, Rachel Craig
Sars-Cov-2 Reveals That Chimeric Agents Are The Bioweapons Of The Future, Rachel Craig
Senior Honors Theses
Bioweapons programs have existed since their development during the Cold War. These biowarfare programs initially utilized naturally occurring pathogens capable of infecting crops, livestock populations, and human populations. Anthrax is a widely exploited bioagent responsible for attacks ranging from the Germans’ deployment in World War I to the mailing of anthrax through the postal service in attempts on U.S. senators’ lives. With the development of genetic manipulations, the Soviet Union began modifying anthrax to resist detection and treatment. With the continued advancement of science and technology, a new bioagent has entered the scene – the man-made chimeric virus. Chimeric viruses …
Comparison Between Listeria Sensu Stricto And Listeria Sensu Lato Strains Identifies Novel Determinants Involved In Infection, Jakob Schardt, Grant Jones, Stefanie Müller-Herbst, Kristina Schauer, Sarah E. F. D'Orazio, Thilo M. Fuchs
Comparison Between Listeria Sensu Stricto And Listeria Sensu Lato Strains Identifies Novel Determinants Involved In Infection, Jakob Schardt, Grant Jones, Stefanie Müller-Herbst, Kristina Schauer, Sarah E. F. D'Orazio, Thilo M. Fuchs
Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications
The human pathogen L. monocytogenes and the animal pathogen L. ivanovii, together with four other species isolated from symptom-free animals, form the "Listeria sensu stricto" clade. The members of the second clade, "Listeria sensu lato", are believed to be solely environmental bacteria without the ability to colonize mammalian hosts. To identify novel determinants that contribute to infection by L. monocytogenes, the causative agent of the foodborne disease listeriosis, we performed a genome comparison of the two clades and found 151 candidate genes that are conserved in the Listeria sensu stricto species. Two factors were …
Novel Advancements For Improving Sprout Safety, Kyle S. Landry
Novel Advancements For Improving Sprout Safety, Kyle S. Landry
Doctoral Dissertations
All varieties of bean sprouts (mung bean, alfalfa, broccoli, and radish) are classified as a “super-food” and are common staples for health conscious consumers. Along with the proposed health benefits, there is also an inherent risk of foodborne illness. When sprouts are cooked, there is little risk of illness. The purpose of this dissertation was to explore novel techniques to minimize or prevent the incidence of foodborne illness associated with the consumption of sprouts. Three areas were investigated: 1) the use of a biocontrol organism, 2) the use of a novel spontaneous carvacrol nanoemulsion, and 3) the influence of the …
Changes In Bacterial Growth Rate Govern Expression Of The Borrelia Burgdorferi Ospc And Erp Infection-Associated Surface Proteins, Brandon L. Jutras, Alicia M. Chenail, Brian Stevenson
Changes In Bacterial Growth Rate Govern Expression Of The Borrelia Burgdorferi Ospc And Erp Infection-Associated Surface Proteins, Brandon L. Jutras, Alicia M. Chenail, Brian Stevenson
Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications
The Lyme disease spirochete controls production of its OspC and Erp outer surface proteins, repressing protein synthesis during colonization of vector ticks but increasing expression when those ticks feed on vertebrate hosts. Early studies found that the synthesis of OspC and Erps can be stimulated in culture by shifting the temperature from 23°C to 34°C, leading to a hypothesis that Borrelia burgdorferi senses environmental temperature to determine its location in the tick-mammal infectious cycle. However, borreliae cultured at 34°C divide several times faster than do those cultured at 23°C. We developed methods that disassociate bacterial growth rate and temperature, allowing …
The Regulation Of The Icsp Promoter Of Shigella Flexneri By The Virulence Factor Virb, Maria Castellanos, Dustin Harrison, Helen Wing
The Regulation Of The Icsp Promoter Of Shigella Flexneri By The Virulence Factor Virb, Maria Castellanos, Dustin Harrison, Helen Wing
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)
Shigella flexneri is a pathogenic bacterium that causes severe dysentery in humans commonly known as shigellosis. Shigella encodes an outer membrane protease called IcsP. The regulation of icsP expression is under direct control of a transcriptional factor called VirB, which controls the expression of many virulence genes in Shigella. Previous work has shown through deletion analysis of the icsP promoter region that sequences as far as 1368 base pairs upstream of the transcription starting site are important for the regulation of the icsP gene by VirB. However, it is still unclear whether VirB activation requires sequences within the icsP promoter …