Validation Of A Passive Sampler For Tracking Harmful Algal Toxins In Natural Waters,
2024
Coastal Carolina University
Validation Of A Passive Sampler For Tracking Harmful Algal Toxins In Natural Waters, Hailee Eiker
Honors Theses
Algal blooms that produce toxins that are harmful to the health of people, animals, and the environment are known as harmful algal blooms (HABs). Recently, rising global temperatures, nutrient pollution, and an increase in the frequency of extreme hydrologic events have made HABs a bigger problem. This has all led to greater cultural eutrophication which is a major contributor to the spread of HABs. Cyanobacteria make up the bulk of HABs in freshwater systems, microcystins being among the cyanotoxins that are most frequently reported and studied. Taking grab samples of water is the current standard procedure for sampling cyanotoxins, however, …
A Review On Bioremediation Of Heavy Metals And Hydrocarbons Through Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria And Composting,
2024
Department of Bioinformatics and Biosciences, Capital University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
A Review On Bioremediation Of Heavy Metals And Hydrocarbons Through Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria And Composting, Hafsa Saleem, Hadia Farooq, Rimsha Mazhar, Sadaf Shakil, Sahar Fazal
Journal of Bioresource Management
Soil is an important ecosystem component; it serves as a habitat for many microscopic organisms that play an important role in the ecosystem's maintenance and crops grown in soil. Unfortunately, human activities have adversely affected not only the environment but also the soil health. Soil has been contaminated with heavy metals hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon-based products that are affecting soil health and the growth of plants. In this review two methods of heavy metal remediation are discussed; one is the role of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) in the enhancement of phytoremediation and the other is composting. PGPB help plants to grow …
Novel Microbiological Medium Developed For The Isolation Of Bacteria Associated With Estuarine Anemones,
2024
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt
Novel Microbiological Medium Developed For The Isolation Of Bacteria Associated With Estuarine Anemones, Parker K. Lund, Catalina Cuellar-Gempeler
IdeaFest: Interdisciplinary Journal of Creative Works and Research from Cal Poly Humboldt
Out of the nearly one trillion species of microbiota estimated to inhabit Earth only ten thousand have been cultured in the laboratory. Culturing continues to play a vital role in determining the physiology and ecologic function of individual bacteria in microbial communities and for microbes associated with host organisms one of the major challenges is developing microbiological media that mimics the bacteria’s natural environment enough to promote growth. Here, we target bacteria associated with the estuary anemones Diadumene lineata and Metridium senile by developing a novel medium that uses anemone tissue as the sole source of nutrients. We further measured …
The Diversity Of Wolbachia Across The Turtle Ants (Formicidae: Cephalotes Spp.),
2024
Cornell University
The Diversity Of Wolbachia Across The Turtle Ants (Formicidae: Cephalotes Spp.), Corey Reese, Leland C. Graber, Manuela O. Ramalho, Corrie S. Moreau
Biology Faculty Publications
Wolbachia is a widespread and well-known bacterium that can induce a wide range of changes within its host. Ants specifically harbor a great deal of Wolbachia diversity and are useful systems to study endosymbiosis. The turtle ants (Cephalotes) are a widespread group of tropical ants that rely on gut microbes to support their herbivorous diet for their survival, yet little is known of the extent of this diversity. Therefore, studying their endosymbionts and categorizing the diversity of bacteria within Cephalotes hosts could help to delimit species and identify new strains and can help lead to a further understanding of how …
Antibacterial And Anticancer Activities Of A Fosmid Clone From Atlantis Ii Red Sea Brine Pool.,
2024
American University in Cairo
Antibacterial And Anticancer Activities Of A Fosmid Clone From Atlantis Ii Red Sea Brine Pool., Marina Nabil
Theses and Dissertations
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and cancer are among the top global human health issues requiring urgent control practices. AMR caused 5 million death cases around the world in 2019. This number is expected to reach 10 million deaths by 2050. Cancer deaths reached 10 million in 2020. Additionally, anticancer drug resistance is a common cause of death among cancer patients. Screening for novel compounds is one of the strategies recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to control drug resistance in microbial and cancer cells. Marine natural products (MNPs) are characterized by chemically diverse structures with various bioactivities, especially in extreme …
A Survey Of Fusarium Oxysporum In Georgia Hemp Farms And Vegetable Gardens,
2024
Georgia College and State University
A Survey Of Fusarium Oxysporum In Georgia Hemp Farms And Vegetable Gardens, Christopher D. Burt
Georgia Journal of Science
Recent changes in U.S. federal law have recognized the genetic and chemical differences between hemp and marijuana (Cannabis sativa L.), resulting in the legalization of hemp in the United States. The barriers to this plant’s growth in the state of Georgia are not well understood due to its prohibition for the past 80 years. Among the many possible obstacles is fungal disease. Fusarium oxysporum (Schlecht. emend. Snyder & Hansen) is a fungus that damages various crops and was previously researched as a biocontrol agent for C. sativa. Thus, this study surveyed hemp farms in Georgia to determine the prevalence …
Effectiveness Of Mycorrhizae And Vermicompost Seed Inoculation For Germination, Vegetative Growth, Cannabinoid Content, And Cured Flower Weight Of Cbd-Rich Hemp (Cannabis Sativa L.),
2024
Texas State University
Effectiveness Of Mycorrhizae And Vermicompost Seed Inoculation For Germination, Vegetative Growth, Cannabinoid Content, And Cured Flower Weight Of Cbd-Rich Hemp (Cannabis Sativa L.), Hannah Boyer, Nicole Wagner, Merritt Drewery
Journal of Agricultural Hemp Research
Effective germination and vigorous growth of hemp cultivars is paramount to cultivators’ ability to produce high-quality hemp products. Beneficial bacteria and fungi are known symbionts to plants and are used in regenerative agriculture to increase plant health and crop yield. This pilot study investigated the effect of microbial seed inoculation on germination rate, plant height, cured flower weight, and cannabinoid content of cannabidiol (CBD)-rich hemp (Cannabis sativa L). The experiment included a control and the following treatments: 1) seed inoculation of Great White â Premium Mycorrhizae (GW), 2) seed inoculation of vermicompost (V), and 3) seed inoculation of Great …
The Ecological Responses To Hydroperiod Of Wetland Plant Species Determined By Manipulated Soil Surface Elevation (Marsh Organs),
2024
Louisiana State University
The Ecological Responses To Hydroperiod Of Wetland Plant Species Determined By Manipulated Soil Surface Elevation (Marsh Organs), Brandon Wolff
LSU Master's Theses
As sea level rise, subsidence, and abandonment of natural deltaic processes due to a highly engineered Mississippi River continue to threaten Louisiana’s coastal wetlands, the need for a system-wide understanding of natural wetland land-building and preservation processes has never been greater. A key component of any wetland is the ever-changing water environment that periodically floods and dries the marsh platforms. The flooding depth, duration, and frequency, known as the hydroperiod, along with salinity and soil fertility are key determining factors of vegetation and marsh types at a particular location. Different types of vegetation will have different growth characteristics such as …
The Influence Of Environmental Parameters On Gordonia Terrae - Specific Bacteriophage Abundance And Diversity,
2024
Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville, GA 31061
The Influence Of Environmental Parameters On Gordonia Terrae - Specific Bacteriophage Abundance And Diversity, Gt M. Moore, Uqueen C. Wheeler, Indiren Pillay
Graduate Research Showcase
Bacteriophages are viruses that infect a wide variety of host bacteria with some strains having medical and industrial significance. These highly abundant and genetically bacterial viruses constitute a large amount of unexplored genetic information. Because bacteriophages are highly specific, they can be used therapeutically to combat bacterial infections by selecting a phage to target and kill harmful bacteria. Thus, phage therapy is currently being explored to aid in the fight against antibiotic resistance. Actinobacteriophages are viruses that specifically infect Phylum Actinobacteria hosts including the environmentally abundant Gordonia terrae. Some species of Gordonia, including G. terrae, have also …
The Presence Of Pathogenic Leptospira In San Juan Bay Estuaries And Its Relationship To Fecal Pollution Sources,
2024
Georgia College State and Universtiy, Milledgeville, GA, 31061
The Presence Of Pathogenic Leptospira In San Juan Bay Estuaries And Its Relationship To Fecal Pollution Sources, Jodel M. Nicholas, Dave Bachoon Dr.
Graduate Research Showcase
The northern coastal zones of Puerto Rico, including the San Juan Bay and Rio Grande de Loiza watersheds, are increasingly becoming focal points of environmental concern due to wastewater originating from human activity. This runoff, which consists of effluents from sewage treatment, septic tanks, and animal husbandry, enters coastal lagoons and estuaries, posing critical threats to these vital ecosystems. This study aims to determine the presence of Leptospira in over 100 samples from 16 sub-basins over 2 years as well as identify the major sources of fecal pollution using molecular source tracking techniques. End point PCR assays for Leptospira (LipL32), …
Dpr-Mediated H2o2 Resistance Contributes To Streptococci Survival In A Cystic Fibrosis Airway Model System,
2024
Dartmouth College
Dpr-Mediated H2o2 Resistance Contributes To Streptococci Survival In A Cystic Fibrosis Airway Model System, Rendi R. Rogers
Dartmouth College Master’s Theses
The cystic fibrosis (CF) lung environment is conducive to the colonization of bacteria as polymicrobial biofilms, which are associated with poor clinical outcomes for persons with CF (pwCF). Streptococcus spp. is highly prevalent in the CF airway, but its role in the CF lung microbiome is poorly understood. Some studies have shown Streptococcus spp. to be associated with better clinical outcomes for pwCF, while others show that high abundance of Streptococcus spp. is correlated with exacerbations. Our lab previously reported a polymicrobial culture system consisting of four CF-relevant pathogens that can be used to study microbial behavior in a more …
Using Single Cell Genomics To Explore The Impact Of Marine Viruses On Microbial Respiration.,
2024
University of Connecticut - Storrs
Using Single Cell Genomics To Explore The Impact Of Marine Viruses On Microbial Respiration., Paxton Tomko
MCB Articles
Viral metabolic reprograming of marine prokaryotes, through the use of virally encoded auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs), plays a critical role in marine ecosystem function by influencing biochemical cycles and genetic diversity in these environments. Despite the fundamental role viruses play in global environmental ecosystems, they remain an understudied aspect of microbial ecology and evolution, in part due to the methods available for studying virus host interactions in natural systems. Thus far, metagenomic analyses have been used to study the interactions of virus host pairs, but these types of analyses have their limitations in accurately linking viruses to hosts, or culture-based …
Friends With Benefits: How Picking The Right Partner Pays Off,
2024
University of Texas at Arlington
Friends With Benefits: How Picking The Right Partner Pays Off, Patrick T. Stillson
Biology Dissertations - Archive
Animals are highly dependent on microbial symbionts for nutrient supplementation, parasite protection, toxin resistance, and more. While these microbes are important, these associations have the potential to shift from mutualistic to parasitic across environments and over time. Eight insect families from the hemipteran infraorder Pentatomomorpha have evolved a highly specialized relationship with bacteria in the genus Caballeronia. The symbiont is a free-living microbe, acquired from the environment each generation during early host development. By manipulating environmental conditions, I used the bug-Caballeronia model 1) to investigate whether symbionts with greater growth rates at high temperatures prevent hosts from experiencing …
Role Of Extracytoplasmic Function (Ecf) Sigma Factors In The Survival And Symbiosis Of Nitrogen-Fixing Bradyrhizobium Under Desiccation Stress And Comparative Analysis Of Desiccation-Tolerant Rhizobial Isolates,
2024
University of Texas at Arlington
Role Of Extracytoplasmic Function (Ecf) Sigma Factors In The Survival And Symbiosis Of Nitrogen-Fixing Bradyrhizobium Under Desiccation Stress And Comparative Analysis Of Desiccation-Tolerant Rhizobial Isolates, Mohammad Kamruzzaman
Biology Dissertations - Archive
Rhizobia are soil bacteria that facilitate biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) through a symbiotic relationship with legumes such as soybeans. As an eco-friendly alternative to chemical nitrogen fertilizers, rhizobial inoculants can enhance plant growth and yield. However, they face various stresses, including drought (i.e., desiccation). Rhizobia can manage desiccation stress by accumulating trehalose, a disaccharide produced by genes such as otsA, otsB, and treS. Extracytoplasmic function (ECF) sigma factors sense external signals and regulate these desiccation-related genes during the stress. Previous studies have highlighted the importance of EcfG in response to desiccation stress and symbiosis. Based on the protein sequence …
Temporal Distribution Of Potential Waterborne Pathogens In Sequiota Spring,
2024
Missouri State University
Temporal Distribution Of Potential Waterborne Pathogens In Sequiota Spring, William J. Durstock
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
Waterborne pathogens from human fecal matter pose a significant health risk in karst environments, where domestic wastewater can easily be transferred to the shallow groundwater system via old, leaky septic tanks and damaged sewer lines. This study monitored fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) and potential pathogens in Sequiota Spring located in the karst region of southwest Missouri, using Microbial Source Tracking (MST) and Illumina DNA sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes. MST identified high levels of human fecal indicator bacteria (HFIB) (up to 110,000 cells/L) in July 2020. By June 2022, HFIB levels had dropped significantly (55-fold reduction) after the City …
Effects Of Subchronic Oral Pfos Exposure Via Drinking Water On Gut Microbiota Composition,
2024
Missouri State University
Effects Of Subchronic Oral Pfos Exposure Via Drinking Water On Gut Microbiota Composition, Emma Ann Loder
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) has been phased out of production in the United States, but because of its resistance to degradation and its persistence in the environment, PFOS can be found in drinking water across America. Oral exposure to PFOS has been linked to adverse developmental, immunological, hepatic, and endocrine health. Oral PFOS exposure may alter the gut microbiota and cause dysbiosis, which is implicated in the pathology of inflammatory diseases like Crohn’s disease, diabetes, and ulcerative colitis. The goal of the study was to investigate the effects of subchronic oral PFOS exposure on the composition of the gut microbiota. Adult …
Patterns Of Epiphytic Bacterial Growth On Flower Surfaces: Relationships With Flower Longevity And Environmental Factors,
2024
Missouri State University
Patterns Of Epiphytic Bacterial Growth On Flower Surfaces: Relationships With Flower Longevity And Environmental Factors, Rita Nkem Afagwu
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
Flowers host diverse communities of epiphytic bacteria, which can impact floral functions, pollinator interactions, and overall plant fitness. However, little is known about how the abundance of these bacteria change as flowers age, and how these shifts may correlate with floral longevity. In this study I investigate the change in bacterial abundance across the lifespan of a flower from anthesis (opening of bud to flower) to senescence (wilting of flower) and to explore the potential implications for floral longevity. We tracked the age of the flowers by determining the average age to senescence in flowers of 8 plant species over …
How Environmental Variation Affects Bumblebee Cognition And The Gut Microbiome,
2024
Missouri State University
How Environmental Variation Affects Bumblebee Cognition And The Gut Microbiome, Parker Madison Campbell
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
This master's thesis examines the influence of environmental variables on cognitive processes in Bombus impatiens, focusing on the effects of ingested microbial communities on gut microbiota and their subsequent impact on associative color learning. The study implemented controlled feeding trials with isolated microbe species (Candida bombi, Metschnikowia reukaufii, Lactobacillus micheneri and a control with no microbes) to analyze shifts in gut microbial composition in foraging bees. Results indicated minor alterations in the microbial profiles of bees, yet no statistically significant correlation was found between these modifications and variations in learning or memory performance. Furthermore, the study assessed the impact of …
Antibiotic Resistance In A Coastal River In Mississippi, Usa – Potential Drivers,
2024
The University of Southern Mississippi
Antibiotic Resistance In A Coastal River In Mississippi, Usa – Potential Drivers, Shuo Shen, Wei Wu, Eric A. Saillant, Darrell Jay Grimes
Gulf and Caribbean Research
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are major sources of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in water bodies. Most studies on the impact of WWTPs on antibiotic resistance have focused on freshwater systems, with little information on coastal and estuarine waters with variable salinity. This study monitored seasonal levels of ARGs at the effluent and downstream of the Pascagoula— Moss Point WWTP in the lower Pascagoula River, a coastal river in southeastern Mississippi, USA. Surface water samples were collected seasonally at upstream, outflow, and 3 downstream sites from February to November 2016. Bacterial resistance to sulfamethazine, tetracycline, and …
Characterization Of Serx: A Putative Periplasmic Binding Protein In A Selenate Respiring Bacteria,
2024
Colby College
Characterization Of Serx: A Putative Periplasmic Binding Protein In A Selenate Respiring Bacteria, Henry Jacques, Susan E. Childers
Honors Theses
A selenate respiring bacterium, Dechloromonas sp. A34, was isolated from a seleniferous mining site in southeastern Idaho. A34 was of interest due to its ability to respire up to 20 mM selenate, the highest concentration tested. The strain has been proposed to represent a new species of bacteria within the Dechloromonas genera, with the prospective name Dechloromonas selenatirespirans (manuscript in preparation). Our research presents characterization of a putative periplasmic binding protein found within an operon that contains genes encoding a putative selenate reductase. The gene, named serX (selenate reductase gene X), is 855 base pairs and encodes a putative …
