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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Herbicide Mediated Selection Of Sulfonamide Resistant E. Coli, Laura P. Muntz Oct 2022

Herbicide Mediated Selection Of Sulfonamide Resistant E. Coli, Laura P. Muntz

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Asulam is an herbicide that is structurally analogous to sulfonamide antibiotics (sulfas), with the potential to contribute to the global antibiotic resistance crisis by cross-selecting for sulfa-resistant bacteria. To determine if asulam can select for antibiotic resistant bacteria, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) was used to assess the binding affinity of asulam with the target protein of sulfas, dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS). ITC confirmed asulam interacts with DHPS, and in vitro directed evolution experiments showed that prolonged asulam exposure can select for sulfa-insensitive DHPS in E. coli. Since mobile sul genes also encode for sulfa-insensitive DHPS, the potential effect of asulam on …


Tetr Family Regulator Farr Variation Controls Antimicrobial Fatty Acid Efflux In Staphylococcus Aureus, Camryn M. Bonn Jul 2022

Tetr Family Regulator Farr Variation Controls Antimicrobial Fatty Acid Efflux In Staphylococcus Aureus, Camryn M. Bonn

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

To colonize human skin and survive within abscesses, Staphylococcus aureus has evolved mechanisms to evade host innate defenses. USA300 has become the predominate community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA) clone, which can be in part attributed to detoxification of unsaturated free fatty acids (uFFA) found in sebum and the nares. Our lab has previously identified the TetR family regulator FarR responsible for induction of the resistance-nodulation-division (RND) superfamily efflux pump FarE to promote efflux of toxic uFFA. However, RND family efflux pumps remain poorly characterized in Gram-positive species and the mechanism by which FarR regulates FarE has yet to be determined. …


The Role Of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococcal Secreted Products On Staphylococcus Aureus And Staphylococcus Lugdunensis Infections, Denny Chin Apr 2022

The Role Of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococcal Secreted Products On Staphylococcus Aureus And Staphylococcus Lugdunensis Infections, Denny Chin

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The Staphylococcus genus is comprised of over 40 bacterial species. The most well-studied species in this genus is the notorious human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that produces coagulase among many other virulence factors. Since S. aureus is a major health burden and causes a plethora of diseases in humans, it has received significant attention and much research has been done to understand its biology to treat diseases caused by this pathogen. However, the coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) make up most of the staphylococcal species and have received less attention since they are thought to have a lesser impact on …


Fishing For The Right Probiotic: Investigating The Mechanism Of Mucosal-Bacterial Interactions At The Interface Of Health And Productivity In Salmonid Aquaculture, Luana Langlois Aug 2021

Fishing For The Right Probiotic: Investigating The Mechanism Of Mucosal-Bacterial Interactions At The Interface Of Health And Productivity In Salmonid Aquaculture, Luana Langlois

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Aquaculture is vital for the global food supply, but the high incidence of infectious diseases threatens the industry’s productivity. The intestinal mucosa is a key port of entry for pathogens and provides an extensive interface for host-microbe interactions. Tight junctions are at the core of gut barrier function and the mucosal health of finfish. Disruption of these complexes gives rise to sepsis, which leads to systemic inflammation and death. The present study employs a combinatorial approach that integrates in vitro and in vivo analyses to gain actionable insights into the mechanism of microbial-mediated modulation of host health. The experiments outlined …


The Group A Streptococci Bacteriocins Facilitate A Competitive Advantage During Nasopharyngeal Infection, Lana Estafanos Feb 2019

The Group A Streptococci Bacteriocins Facilitate A Competitive Advantage During Nasopharyngeal Infection, Lana Estafanos

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Pathogenic streptococci have evolved specific systems to eliminate bacterial competitors within their biological niche. In microbial environments, niche competition is often driven by the production of short antimicrobial peptides called bacteriocins; this provides a mechanism by which Streptococcus pyogenes may compete for ecological stability and establish infection. Recent findings from our laboratory have identified two novel Class IIb bacteriocin systems – Streptococcus pyogenes bacteriocin (Spb) JK and MN in the M18 serotype S. pyogenes strain MGAS8232 – that may contribute to nasopharyngeal infection. Here, we show that galactose and CO2 are distinct regulatory cues which induce antimicrobial activity. Under …


Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor: Its Role In Gut-Homing Macrophage Generation And Colitis, And Production By Probiotics, Shahab Meshkibaf May 2015

Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor: Its Role In Gut-Homing Macrophage Generation And Colitis, And Production By Probiotics, Shahab Meshkibaf

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The pleiotropic cytokine granulocyte-colony stimulatory factor (G-CSF) is mainly required for the generation of neutrophils, but its role in macrophage generation has also been reported. In addition, G-CSF is effective for the down-regulation of inflammatory cytokines and ameliorating gut disorders, such as colitis. However, the G-CSF function in macrophage generation and gut immunity remains unclear. The first focus of this thesis was to assess the role of G-CSF in macrophage generation and its contribution to gut immunity. G-CSF was found to promote the generation of Gr-1high/F4/80+ macrophages in macrophage (M)-CSF-treated bone marrow cells, most likely through suppressing cell death. Gr-1high …


Probiotic Therapy For Heart Failure: Investigating The Potential Anti-Hypertrophic Properties Of Probiotics, Grace L. Ettinger Jul 2014

Probiotic Therapy For Heart Failure: Investigating The Potential Anti-Hypertrophic Properties Of Probiotics, Grace L. Ettinger

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Heart failure patients face a five-year 50% mortality rate, due to impaired cardiac function and hypertrophy of the heart. Probiotics are live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. Considering the established cardiovascular benefits of some probiotics, including reduction of cholesterol and hypertension, it was hypothesized that probiotics can improve outcomes of heart failure. Probiotics or controls were administered orally to an animal model for heart failure. Those receiving probiotics showed a significant improvement in cardiac hypertrophy and an attenuation of heart failure compared to control. No changes in gut microbial composition occurred. …


Characterization Of Staphylococcus Aureus Lipase, Vithooshan Vijayakumaran Aug 2013

Characterization Of Staphylococcus Aureus Lipase, Vithooshan Vijayakumaran

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

USA300, a strain of community-associated methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA), has become prevalent in the community. Colonization of human skin requires mechanisms that allow this bacterium to overcome the innate immune defenses on the skin, including secretion of antimicrobial lipids. Antimicrobial lipids inhibit S. aureus growth and induce the staphylococcal proteolytic cascade, producing aureolysin (Aur) which processes the lipase glycerol ester hydrolase (Geh). Nearly all S. aureus strains secrete Geh, yet little information exists concerning its function. Using purified Aur and Geh we confirm that aureolysin processes proGeh to Geh. We then confirmed that geh was required for lipase activity …