Microbiology Commons^™

Mite Diet Sequences Obtained By High Throughput Sequencing Of Gut Contents Of Freshly Collected Water Mites, Adrian Amelio Vasquez, Obadeh Mohiddin, Zeyu Li, Brittany L. Bonnici, Katherine Gurdziel, Jeffrey L. Ram

Physiology Faculty Research Publications

Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) barcode sequences in this file were obtained from gut DNA extracted from 54 freshly collected water mites, comprising 21 Lebertia quinquemaculosa , 30 Lebertia davidcooki , 1 Limnesia , and 2 Arrenurus specimens. Methods and other details about these sequences are described in a paper by the same authors in a submitted publication (2021: URL to be given here when published). Data on collection locations, primers (mLep and LCOI), amino acid translations, etc. are included in corresponding sequences uploaded to GenBank. The right column below contains additional notes on naming the taxa of the sequences …

Survival, Growth, And Characterization Of Microbes In E-Liquids, Jessica Bunn

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Health risks associated with the use of e-cigarettes have become a concern in the last ten years, including the inhalation of volatile organic compounds, trace heavy metals, and cancer-causing agents. An additional, but poorly characterized health threat for e-liquids is the potential for bacterial contamination since the presence of pathogenic organisms can potentially cause disease from the inhalation of the microbes into the lungs. This work aims to investigate microbial growth and survival within the e-liquid matrix. Bacillus cereus T. strain and Escherichia coli were the chosen organisms for analysis of growth by absorbance, survival by viable plate counts, and …

Ecological And Anthropogenic Influences On A Sentinel Species' Gut Microbiome, Carson E. Black

All Master's Theses

Central and South American primates face augmented challenges due to increased rates of forest fragmentation. Among these challenges are implications on the nonhuman primate gut microbiome. Wild Argentine black and gold howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya) are listed as “least concern” with a population that is decreasing. Despite their propensity to occupy habitats with varying degrees of degradation and disturbance, they are not immune from the stressors that forest fragmentation places on them. Their increased exposure to humans and livestock leaves them vulnerable to cross-species transmission of emerging infectious diseases and pathogens. Therefore, their role as sentinels of ecosystems, …

Effectiveness Of Take-Home Naloxone Programs In Athletic Training: An Evidence-To-Practice Review, Michael J. Palm, Amanda N. Flanscha, Zachary K. Winkelmann

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

The number of opioid overdoses (ODs) has risen in recent years and has become more complex due to the co-involvement of both prescription and illicit opioid drug use. Provisional programs for take-home naloxone (a medication designed to rapidly reverse opiate OD symptoms) kits have been distributed to combat this potentially fatal epidemic. Although there is strong evidence to support the efficacy of naloxone in the reversal of opiate OD, there is limited evidence to support the efficacy of take-home naloxone (THN) kits. The purpose of this evidence-to-practice review was to summarize a systematic review on the efficacy of THN programs. …

Initial And Advanced Stages Of Microbiota Establishment Within The Tsetse Fly, Miguel Eduardo Medina Munoz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Symbiosis is a long-term physical association between two or more species, although little is known regarding its evolutionary origins, particularly at the genetic level. Tsetse flies are the vector of African trypanosomes, causative agents of Human and Animal African Trypanosomiases. Tsetse provide an ideal model for studying initial and advanced stages of symbiosis. Tsetse have a simple digestive tract microbiota primarily consisting of two bacteria; the ancient mutualist Wigglesworthia glossinidia and the recently acquired Sodalis glossinidius. This work presents a chronological study in evolutionary terms of the history of a microbial-insect association. First, I present concepts on symbiosis and …

Tree Species Influence On Microbial Functional Gene Abundance And N Cycling In Riparian Soil, Elizabeth Matejczyk

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Little is known about how above-ground vegetation may differentially influence the below-ground microbial community structure, abundance, and function. Abundance of soil microbial N cycling genes responsible for nitrification (amoA), denitrification (nirK and nirS), and nitrous oxide reduction (nosZ) may vary with tree species and increasing N availability, and these variables may be used to predict production of NO₃^- and N₂O from soil. Variability of nitrification and denitrification rates have also been linked to tree mycorrhizal associations, with soil beneath tree species associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) exhibiting greater denitrification rates …

Il-10 And Tgf-Beta Increase Connexin-43 Expression And Membrane Potential Of Hl-1 Cardiomyocytes Coupled With Raw 264.7 Macrophages, Cora B. Cox

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Cardiomyocytes and macrophages have been found to interact via connexin-43 hemichannels. The role of connexin-43, however, is not fully understood. This study shows that these interactions aid in increasing the membrane potential of cardiomyocytes allowing contraction of the cells. HL-1 cardiomyocytes and RAW 264.7 macrophages in coculture increased expression of connexin-43 compared to cardiomyocytes alone. Co-cultures also increased the fluorescence of Di-8-ANEPPS potentiometric dye indicating an increase in cardiomyocyte membrane potential. Treatment with IL-10 and TGF-beta further increased connexin-43 expression and membrane potential. Treatment with SOCS3 inhibited the effects of TGF-beta and IL-10 while having no effect on its own. …

Investigating Streptococcus Pneumoniae And Adenovirus Co-Infections Of Lung Epithelial Cells, Mark Nicholas Calabro

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Co-infection is common among viruses and bacteria in the human respiratory system. Adenovirus (AdV) and Streptococcus pneumoniae are clinically relevant respiratory pathogens that cause morbidity and mortality in a variety of patient populations with the highest morbidity occurring among immunocompromised individuals, but also prevalent in infants and the elderly. Acute respiratory distress syndrome may become severe in healthy individuals when co-infection with S. pneumoniae and AdV occurs due to synergistic effects of the pathogens on the host. I hypothesized that S. pneumoniae infection decreases AdV transduction of airway epithelia. To test this hypothesis, we utilized the polarized immortalized airway epithelial …

Comparing Capabilities Of Shewanella Oneidensis Mr-1 And The Microbial Community Of Iron Caves To Reduce Fe(Iii), Aaron Douglas Pham

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Caves are generally formed by the erosion and/or dissolution of rock and its subsequent removal by water. Iron ore caves (IOCs) form despite being hosted by relatively insoluble and weathering-resistant rock. Due to the discovery of a microbial community behind the walls of these caves, it was hypothesized that these bacteria could be responsible for speleogenesis. Iron ore exists in an oxidized (Fe(III)) state, but reduced (Fe(II)) form is soluble. It was further reasoned that the bacteria might be able to reduce Fe(III) through direct metabolic activity, which uses iron as an electron acceptor. Here we show that cave microorganisms …

Ngs Rna-Seq Reveals Bromovirus Encapsidate Native And Recombinant Viral Rnas, As Well As Cellular Rnas From The Host, Nipin Shrestha

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Brome mosaic virus (BMV), Cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV), and Broad bean mottle virus (BBMV), the members of the genus Bromovirus, are the experimental model viruses in this dissertation research. Packaging of the RNA genome by the viruses is known to be highly selective and specific for the viral RNA but, not 100% accurate. There is evidence that the viruses specifically or accidentally encapsidate viral RNA variants and host (cellular) RNAs. The scope of this dissertation is to identify different types of RNAs that can be packaged by viruses along with the viral RNAs of parental origin.BMV, CCMV, and BBMV …

Entry And Replication Of Negative-Strand Rna Viruses, Kerri Boggs

Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

Hendra virus (HeV) and human metapneumovirus (HMPV) are negative-sense, singled-stranded RNA viruses. The paramyxovirus HeV is classified as a biosafety level 4 pathogen due to its high fatality rate and the lack of a human vaccine or antiviral treatment. HMPV is a widespread pneumovirus that causes respiratory tract infections which are particularly dangerous for young children, immunocompromised individuals, and the elderly. Like HeV, no vaccines or therapies are available to combat HMPV infections. These viruses fuse their lipid envelopes with a cell to initiate infection. Blocking cell entry is a promising approach for antiviral development, and many vaccines are designed …

Substrate Trafficking Within The Type Vii Secretion Systems Of Pathogenic Mycobacteria, Zachary A. Williamson

Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

Tuberculosis (TB), primarily caused by infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in the lungs, is the deadliest infectious bacterial disease killing 1.5 million people annually. A major determinant of virulence is active secretion through three specialized type VII secretion (ESX) systems; ESX-1, ESX-3, and ESX-5. A large group of substrates exported by the ESX systems is the PE (Proline-Glutamine) and PPE (Proline-Proline-Glutamate) families of proteins, which are highly expanded in the pathogenic species of Mycobacteria and encompass over 7% of Mtb’s genome coding capacity. PE and PPE proteins interact together to form PE-PPE heterodimers, and are secreted through …

Investigating Streptococcus Pneumoniae And Adenovirus Co-Infections Of Lung Epithelial Cells, Mark Nicholas Calabro

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Co-infection is common among viruses and bacteria in the human respiratory system. Adenovirus (AdV) and Streptococcus pneumoniae are clinically relevant respiratory pathogens that cause morbidity and mortality in a variety of patient populations with the highest morbidity occurring among immunocompromised individuals, but also prevalent in infants and the elderly. Acute respiratory distress syndrome may become severe in healthy individuals when co-infection with S. pneumoniae and AdV occurs due to synergistic effects of the pathogens on the host. I hypothesized that S. pneumoniae infection decreases AdV transduction of airway epithelia. To test this hypothesis, we utilized the polarized immortalized airway epithelial …

Determining The Effects Of Imidacloprid On Non-Target Soil Organisms In Hemlock Stands, Braley Burke

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), Adelges tsugae Annand (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), is an invasive insect that is causing mortality of eastern hemlock trees, Tsuga canadensis, and Carolina hemlock trees, Tsuga caroliniana, across the eastern United States. To protect these ecologically important tree species, a neonicotinoid insecticide, imidacloprid, is commonly used. Imidacloprid is an effective treatment and can remain effective against HWA for four to six years but long-term (≥ one year after application) non-target effects of imidacloprid on forest ecosystems are not well-studied. This study examined terrestrial non-target effects of imidacloprid in hemlock stands with different treatment histories to …

Effects Of Biofertilizer On Soil Nutrient Cycling And The Productivity Of Bioproduct Crops In Marginal Soils, Kieran B. Liseski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recently there has been increased interest in the use of marginal lands in order to grow bioproduct crops. Utilizing marginal lands to grow bioproduct crops such as Miscanthus x giganteus and Panicum virgatum could not only improve soil quality and minimize negative environmental impacts on the surrounding ecosystems but could also offer economic benefits to growers in rural areas. Because marginal soils tend to reduce crop yields compared to prime farmlands even when growing bioproduct crops, which tend to be more robust than traditional food crops, augmenting the soil with biofertilizers (i.e., the direct addition of viable microbial cells) could …

Circadian Rhythmicity And Melatonin Sensitivity In The Human Gut Commensal Bacterium Klebsiella Aerogenes, Kinga Graniczkowska

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

While the expression of circadian rhythms is nearly universal among multicellular eukaryotic organisms, demonstration of this phenomenon in prokaryotes has been largely restricted to photosynthetic cyanobacteria until very recently. Further, growing interest in gastrointestinal microbiomes has revealed a complex temporal relationship between the gastrointestinal clock and the bacterial microbiome within. At least one member of the gut microbiome, Klebsiella (née Enterobacter) aerogenes, responds to the indoleamine hormone melatonin, secreted by the gastrointestinal system itself. Further research revealed that K. aerogenes also expresses a circadian rhythm in motility and gene expression that is temperature compensated. Although rhythmicity is unaltered …

Comparisons Of Oral, Intestinal, And Pancreatic Bacterial Microbiomes In Patients With Pancreatic Cancer And Other Gastrointestinal Diseases, Mei Chung, Naisi Zhao, Richard Meier, Devin C. Koestler, Guojun Wu, Erika De Castillo, Bruce J. Paster, Kevin Charpentier, Jacques Izard, Karl T. Kelsey, Dominique S. Michaud

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Oral microbiota is believed to play important roles in systemic diseases, including cancer. Methods: We collected oral samples (tongue, buccal, supragingival, and saliva) and pancreatic tissue or intestinal samples from 52 subjects, and characterized 16S rRNA genes using high-throughput DNA sequencing.

Results: Bray–Curtis plot showed clear separations between bacterial communities in the oral cavity and those in intestinal and pancreatic tissue samples. PERMANOVA tests indicated that bacterial communities from buccal samples were similar to supragingival and saliva samples, and pancreatic duct samples were similar to pancreatic tumor samples, but all other samples were significantly different from each …

Targeting Transferrin Binding Protein A For Vaccine Development In Neisseria Gonorrhoeae, Ashley Greenawalt

Theses and Dissertations

Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of the sexually-transmitted infection gonorrhea, has recently been labeled a superbug. With dwindling treatment options, there is urgent need for a gonococcal vaccine. TonB-dependent transporters (TDTs) are important gonococcal virulence factors that allow the gonococcus to pirate metals directly from host proteins. The TDTs, TbpA and TbpB, are promising vaccine targets because both proteins are expressed and highly conserved in gonococcal strains, and they are not subject to high-frequency antigenic variation. Because the Tbps bind to host protein as their natural function, our immune system does not recognize them as foreign antigens; thus, immunogenicity is …

Evolution And Clinical Relevance Of Vaginal Bifidobacterium Breve In The Vaginal Environment, Nicole R. Jimenez

Theses and Dissertations

The vaginal microbiome is important in reproductive health and disease and is often dominated by lactobacilli. However, there are many other community state types dominated by single species that are still not well characterized. Bifidobacterium species such as Bifidobacterium breve and Bifidobacterium longum have been observed to dominate vaginal profiles. Bifidobacteria are important in infant gut development, but little is known about their role in vaginal health. Thus, we sought to use a multisystem approach to better characterize Bifidobacterium species present in the vaginal microbiome with an emphasis on B. breve. Eight strains of B. breve were isolated from vaginal …

Molecular And Genetic Studies On A Sipd/Ipad-Related Virulence Spike Protein From Immune-Suppressive Particles Of A Drosophila Parasitoid, Carlo Miguel A. Sevilla

Dissertations and Theses

Parasitoid wasps are effective biological control agents that have evolved intricate host immune suppression strategies to overcome host immune defenses. The most important anti-parasite defense mechanism is encapsulation, where the host’s blood cells surround the wasp egg. In the Drosophila/Leptopilina host-parasitoid system, extracellular vesicles (EVs) are oviposited along with the wasp egg. The EVs possess spikes and contain hundreds of proteins, some of which enable wasp eggs to escape encapsulation by changing the morphology and function of hemocytes, or killing them. Previous studies have identified an abundant surface/spike protein (SSp40) from Leptopilina heterotoma EVs. While p40, a predicted …