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Articles 1 - 20 of 20
Full-Text Articles in Pathogenic Microbiology
Activation Of Autophagy In Human Neutrophils In Response To Emerging Oral Pathogen Peptoanaerobacter Stomatis, Mya Philipose, Shikha Srivastava, Silvia Uriarte
Activation Of Autophagy In Human Neutrophils In Response To Emerging Oral Pathogen Peptoanaerobacter Stomatis, Mya Philipose, Shikha Srivastava, Silvia Uriarte
The Cardinal Edge
Background: Periodontitis is a chronic, inflammatory disease that affects over 50% of the global population and is a leading cause of tooth loss. It is associated with the accumulation of oral pathogens that thrive in inflamed environments and contribute to the destruction of gum tissue and underlying bone. Neutrophils, the most abundant immune cells in the oral cavity, serve as the first line of defense against these pathogens. However, some bacteria can alter neutrophil responses to promote their survival, leading to sustained inflammation and tissue damage. This study focuses on Peptoanaerobacter stomatis, a Gram-positive anaerobic bacterium that is highly …
Breaking Virulent: The Coincidental Evolution Of Virulence Factors In Bacteria., Rhiannon Emmanuelle Cecil
Breaking Virulent: The Coincidental Evolution Of Virulence Factors In Bacteria., Rhiannon Emmanuelle Cecil
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Understanding how innocuous organisms can evolve to be pathogenic to humans is of increasing global concern. Further, understanding how existing pathogens may evolved to be more virulent is also vital to our ability to provide healthcare to people afflicted with diseases that promote chronic bacterial infections, such as cystic fibrosis. With the rise of antibiotic resistance in both bacteria and fungi it is paramount that new therapeutics are identified. Understanding what mutations occur that result in increased virulence in microbes can potentially provide new targets for antimicrobial drugs to combat antibiotic resistance. The Coincidental Evolution Hypothesis is a fundamental hypothesis …
Impacts Of Bacterial Evolution On Host Lethality In Drosophila, Andrew Preston
Impacts Of Bacterial Evolution On Host Lethality In Drosophila, Andrew Preston
College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses
Evolution is the process by which species change their genetic traits, such as the pathogenicity of bacteria, over time in response to changes in their environment. Although the genetic mechanisms underlying many evolutionary processes have been revealed, it is still not well understood how opportunistic pathogens, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, become virulent. The overall goal of this thesis is to test the Coincidental Evolution Hypothesis, which proposes that the virulence of opportunistic pathogens evolves coincidentally as a by-product of their interaction with their natural predators. I hypothesized that the virulence of ancestral Pseudomonas aeruginosa changes over time if it co-evolves …
Identification Of A Role Beyond Iron Acquisition For Yersiniabactin During Yersinia Pestis Infection., Sarah Price
Identification Of A Role Beyond Iron Acquisition For Yersiniabactin During Yersinia Pestis Infection., Sarah Price
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Yersinia pestis is a Gram-negative re-emerging bacterial pathogen that is responsible for bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic plague. Y. pestis and other bacteria require transition metals, such as iron, zinc, and manganese, to maintain intermediary metabolism, transcriptional regulation, and virulence. To inhibit infection, eukaryotic organisms have developed distinct mechanisms, called nutritional immunity, to sequester these important nutrients from invading bacteria. For pathogens to colonize the vertebrate host, they have evolved dedicated acquisition systems for transition metals. During infection, Y. pestis overcomes iron limitation by secreting the siderophore yersiniabactin. Additionally, Y. pestis requires zinc for infection and utilizes high affinity transporters to …
Death Of A Bacterium: Exploring The Inhibition Of Staphylococcus Aureus By Burkholderia Cenocepacia., Tiffany Brandt
Death Of A Bacterium: Exploring The Inhibition Of Staphylococcus Aureus By Burkholderia Cenocepacia., Tiffany Brandt
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Antimicrobial resistance is a phenomenon of increasing concern as antimicrobial overuse and misuse eliminate current therapeutic options, ushering society into a post-antimicrobial era. Antibiotic discovery and synthesis efforts are urgently needed to counter the increasing burden of antimicrobial resistance. Staphylococcus aureus is a causative agent of a variety of clinical manifestations including bacteremia, endocarditis, soft tissue infection, osteomyelitis, and device-related infections. S. aureus infection presents additional treatment challenges due to its capacity for biofilm formation, which is a mode of growth that confers protection from antibiotics and physical elimination, and the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus …
Lysosomal Evasion Of Legionella Pneumophilia The Effector., Bethany Vaughn
Lysosomal Evasion Of Legionella Pneumophilia The Effector., Bethany Vaughn
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Legionella pneumophila is a Gram-negative facultative intracellular bacterium found in freshwater environments that has co-evolved to survive and proliferate in various amoeba and protozoan species, which serve as the natural host for the bacterium. Humans are an accidental host of L. pneumophila, where infection occurs upon inhalation of aerosolized water droplets that contain the bacteria. Intracellular proliferation of L. pneumophila in alveolar macrophages is essential for manifestation of pneumonia, designated as Legionnaires’ Disease. Biogenesis of the legionella containing vacuole (LCV) occurs via interception of ER-Golgi vesicle trafficking and avoids the default endosomal/lysosomal degradation pathway. Intracellular proliferation of L. pneumophila …
The Sterilization Of Escherichia Coli With Black Diamond-Coated Silicon, Sarah M. Cawthon, Jesse L. Rozsa, Mark P. Running
The Sterilization Of Escherichia Coli With Black Diamond-Coated Silicon, Sarah M. Cawthon, Jesse L. Rozsa, Mark P. Running
The Cardinal Edge
In order to combat increasing levels of antimicrobial resistance, new antimicrobials are needed to successfully kill microbes. Silicon coated in black diamond is a material that is hypothesized to have antimicrobial properties. To test this hypothesis, Escherichia coli cells were placed on different black diamond-coated silicon surfaces and allowed to rest on each surface for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and 1 hour. Cells were collected, and growth was assessed by counting colonies on plates or spectrophotometry growth curves. The results of this study indicated that the experimental samples have some antimicrobial or growth inhibition properties, but they may not be …
Identification And Structural Characterization Functional Motifs In The Porphyromonas Gingivalis Mfa1 Short Fimbria., Mohammad K. Roky
Identification And Structural Characterization Functional Motifs In The Porphyromonas Gingivalis Mfa1 Short Fimbria., Mohammad K. Roky
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Porphyromonas gingivalis is a causative agent of periodontal disease, initially colonizes the oral cavity by adhering to commensal streptococci. Adherence requires the interaction of the minor fimbrial protein (Mfa1) of P. gingivalis with streptococcal antigen I/II (Ag I/II). A peptide derived from Ag I/II peptide has been well characterized and shown to significantly reduce P. gingivalis colonization and bone loss in vivo, suggesting that this interaction represents a potential target for therapeutic intervention. However, the functional motifs of Mfa1 involved in the interaction with Ag I/II remain uncharacterized. A series of N- and C-terminal peptide fragments of Mfa1 were …
Development Of In Vitro Models To Study The Rapid Extraintestinal Dissemination Of Salmonella., Adarsh Gopinath
Development Of In Vitro Models To Study The Rapid Extraintestinal Dissemination Of Salmonella., Adarsh Gopinath
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Salmonella appears in the bloodstream of mice in as little as 15 minutes after oral inoculation and establishes persistent colonies in the spleen and liver. While its pathway to blood is undetermined, this phenomenon is dependent on the activity of Salmonella pathogenicity island 2 (SPI-2) coded type III secretion system (T3SS) and CD18+ phagocytes. We hypothesize that dendritic cells associated with the basal face of the gut epithelium, that are naturally migratory and known to sample for luminal antigens directly transport Salmonella to the bloodstream. This process comprises of at least two phases, dissociation and reverse transmigration. We define dissociation …
Modulation Of Host Innate Immune Cells By Yersinia Pestis To Create A Permissive Environment For Replication., Amanda Rose Pulsifer
Modulation Of Host Innate Immune Cells By Yersinia Pestis To Create A Permissive Environment For Replication., Amanda Rose Pulsifer
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Yersinia pestis has gained widespread infamy due to the historic outbreak during the middle ages, referred to as The Black Death. Infection with Y. pestis typically begins with deposition of Y. pestis into the dermis (bubonic plague) or respiratory tract (pneumonic plague). Tissue resident macrophages are the first innate immune cell encountered by Y. pestis. Macrophages are likely a way for Y. pestis to avoid neutrophils early in infection when the neutrophil neutralizing Type Three Secretion System is not expressed. This work focuses on which Rab host proteins are manipulated by Y. pestis, and how neutrophils are forced to …
Crispr-Cas9 Editing Of Nitrate Transporter Gene, Um03849, In Ustilago Maydis, Luke A. Schroeder, Sunita Khanal, Michael H. Perlin
Crispr-Cas9 Editing Of Nitrate Transporter Gene, Um03849, In Ustilago Maydis, Luke A. Schroeder, Sunita Khanal, Michael H. Perlin
Undergraduate Arts and Research Showcase
Ustilago maydis, the basidiomycete smut-fungus, can infect and cause tumors in corn plants. For this, mating between compatible haploid cells is important. The mating and subsequent dimorphic transition in U. maydis require starvation for nutrients such as nitrogen, in addition to pheromone-receptor interactions between compatible partners. In this research, the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technique was used to create INDEL mutations (sequence insertion or deletion) in the nitrate transporter gene, um03849, in U. maydis. The gene was edited in mating compatible haploid strains 1/2 and 2/9. The phenotypes were characterized for the um03849 mutants as to growth ability, mating …
The Effects Of Nutrient Availability On Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Mono And Co-Culture Biofilms, Julie T. Nguyen, Deborah R. Yoder-Himes Ph.D., Rhiannon Cecil
The Effects Of Nutrient Availability On Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Mono And Co-Culture Biofilms, Julie T. Nguyen, Deborah R. Yoder-Himes Ph.D., Rhiannon Cecil
Undergraduate Arts and Research Showcase
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder characterized by faulty ion channels and result in thick mucus accumulation, especially in lungs. Mucus buildup provides ideal conditions for bacterial infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is the second most prevalent bacterium isolated from people with CF and has a high clinical importance. Most CF pathogens form biofilms which make treatment of infections difficult. Biofilms are clusters of cells attached to a surface enclosed in a structured matrix. These structures are a means to provide shelter for bacteria from the environment, especially antibiotics and the immune system. PA alone can form these biofilms, but …
Biofilm Associated Staphylococcus Aureus Viability Is Altered By Burkholderia Cenocepacia, Bridget Wall, Tiffany J. Brandt, Dr. Deborah Yoder-Himes
Biofilm Associated Staphylococcus Aureus Viability Is Altered By Burkholderia Cenocepacia, Bridget Wall, Tiffany J. Brandt, Dr. Deborah Yoder-Himes
Undergraduate Arts and Research Showcase
Respiratory failure caused by chronic and recurrent microbial infections is the most common cause of death for people with cystic fibrosis (CF)1, a disease causing the formation of thick mucus in the lungs2. Most bacteria can form biofilms, collections of sessile cells adhered to a surface by a secreted substance. Biofilm-associated cells develop antibiotic resistance at higher rates3. The thicker mucus in CF lungs is extremely difficult to clear via action of the mucociliary escalator and its presence fosters the formation of bacterial biofilms. Staphylococcus aureus and Burkholderia cenocepacia are two pathogens commonly found …
The Effect Of Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia On Gram-Negative Cystic Fibrosis Pathogens., Joshua D Stewart
The Effect Of Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia On Gram-Negative Cystic Fibrosis Pathogens., Joshua D Stewart
College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the most common lethal genetic disorder in the Caucasian population with an incidence of 1 per 3,000 live births and a median predicted survival of only 47 years. Respiratory failure due to repeated pathological insults to lung tissue by infection is the ultimate cause of mortality in the majority of patients. The lung microenvironment created by CF highly favors colonization by opportunistic pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Burkholderia cenocepacia, and Achromobacter xylosoxidans. Biofilm formation by multiple bacterial species contributes to the chronic, persistent, and difficult to treat nature of CF infections. This study seeks …
Characterizing The Virulence Factor Yape In Yersinia Pestis., Tiva Templeton Vancleave
Characterizing The Virulence Factor Yape In Yersinia Pestis., Tiva Templeton Vancleave
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of bubonic plague and is primarily transmitted by fleas. Upon infection, the bacteria rapidly travel to the regional lymph nodes causing inflammation and cellulitis in these tissues (referred to as buboes). Two outer membrane proteins, YapE and Pla, have been implicated to have roles in dissemination to the lymph nodes. Their adhesive properties have shown that they are able to interact with host macrophages thereby increasing their ability to disseminate to regional lymph nodes. More recently, we have shown that YapE is cleaved by another virulence factor important for lymph node colonization, Pla, to …
Characterization Of Type Ii Toxin Anti-Toxin Systems In Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans., Blair W. Schneider
Characterization Of Type Ii Toxin Anti-Toxin Systems In Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans., Blair W. Schneider
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Microbes express many protective mechanisms in response to environmental stress. Toxin/anti-toxin systems encode a biologically active toxin and a labile anti-toxin that inhibits the toxin’s activity. These systems are known to contribute to persister cell and biofilm formation. A. actinomycetemcomitans thrives in the complex oral microbial community and is subjected to continual environmental flux. Little is known regarding the presence and function of TA systems in this organism or their contribution survival in the oral environment. Using BLAST searches and other informatics tools, we identified 11 intact TA systems that are conserved across all seven serotypes of A. actinomycetemcomitans and …
Nutritional Virulence Of Legionella Pneumophila., Ashley M. Best
Nutritional Virulence Of Legionella Pneumophila., Ashley M. Best
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Legionella pneumophila is an environment organism that parasitizes a wide range of protozoa. Growth within the environmental host primes L. pneumophila for infection of human alveolar macrophages when contaminated aerosols are inhaled. Intracellular replication within either host requires the establishment a replicative niche, known as the Legionella-containing vacuole (LCV). Biogenesis of the LCV depends on the type IVb translocation system, the Dot/Icm, to translocation >320 effectors into the host cytosol. Effectors are responsible for preventing lysosome fusion to the LCV, recruitment of ER-derived vesicles to the LCV, and modulation of a plethora of host processes to promote the intracellular …
Burkholderia Cenocepacia J2315-Mediated Destruction Of Staphylococcus Aureus Nrs77 Biofilms., Rachel Thompson
Burkholderia Cenocepacia J2315-Mediated Destruction Of Staphylococcus Aureus Nrs77 Biofilms., Rachel Thompson
College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disorder that affects over 30,000 people in the US and more than 70,000 people worldwide. Recurring bacterial infections in CF patients result in tissue damage that dramatically lowers respiratory function and are ultimately fatal. The formation of bacterial biofilms in the mucus and on lung epithelial tissue allows pathogens to be protected from antibiotics and the host immune system, making treatment of infection difficult. The interactions between CF pathogens in co-culture biofilms are not well understood and were examined in this study. Staphylococcus aureus and Burkholderia cenocepacia, two common CF pathogens, were used …
Identification Of Host Factors Required For Yersinia Pestis Macrophage Intracellular Survival And Their Impact On Vacuole Maturation, Acidification And Trafficking., Michael Graylin Connor
Identification Of Host Factors Required For Yersinia Pestis Macrophage Intracellular Survival And Their Impact On Vacuole Maturation, Acidification And Trafficking., Michael Graylin Connor
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Y. pestis is a facultative intracellular pathogen and the causative agent of plague. This bacterium, while most noted or the Black Death during the European 14th century, is not a historic pathogen but a re-emerging pandemic with both domestic and global impact. Y. pestis is capable of colonizing the macrophage, and actively subverts phagolysosome maturation to establish a replicative niche known as the Yersinia containing vacuole (YCV). The exploited host factors required to support the YCV are unknown. Here we identified a comprehensive list of host factors required for Y. pestis survival through a genome-wide RNAi high-throughput screen. We …
Modulation Of Host Polyubiquitination By The Ankb F-Box Protein Of Legionella Pneumophila., William M. Bruckert
Modulation Of Host Polyubiquitination By The Ankb F-Box Protein Of Legionella Pneumophila., William M. Bruckert
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Legionella pneumophila is a facultative intracellular pathogen that infects a wide array of protozoan hosts and human alveolar macrophages. L. pneumophila is dependent on a functional Dot/Icm type IVB secretion system that translocates bacterial effector proteins into the host cell cytosol. L. pneumophila genomes encode more than 250 effector proteins, many of which inhibit host cellular processes to form a favorable niche termed the Legionella-containing vacuole (LCV). The eukaryotic-like Dot/Icm translocated effector AnkB contains two eukaryotic-like ankyrin protein-protein interacting domains, one eukaryotic-like F- box domain and an eukaryotic C-terminal CaaX motif. Immediately following attachment of extracellular bacteria, AnkB is translocated …