Microbiology Commons^™

Microbial Impacts On Endocrine Disrupting Contaminants: Las Vegas Wash And Lake Mead, Nevada, Susanna May Blunt

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

International concern over endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has become heightened in recent years as more studies reveal their persistence in the environment and their detrimental effects on wildlife. However, little is known about the role of microorganisms in the fate and transport of these compounds in surface waters. Las Vegas Wash, a stream flowing into Lake Mead and fed primarily by treated wastewater effluent, provided a unique experimental system in which to study the role microorganisms play in the dispersal of these compounds in aquatic systems. Samples were collected from the Las Vegas Wash downstream of the Las Vegas Valley's …

Analysis Of Turnip Crinkle Virus Effects On The Innate And Adaptive Immunity In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Teresa J. Donze

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The ability to understand the interactions between plants and the variety of pathogens they encounter on a daily basis is an important area of research. In the following work presented in this dissertation, I sought to better understand the mechanisms that Turnip crinkle virus (TCV) employs to elude the defense responses of the host plant Arabidopsis thaliana. It was previously determined that TCV coat protein (CP) interacts with a transcription factor, TIP, within the about 10 amino acid region near the N-terminus of the CP called the R-domain. When this interaction was disrupted by making single amino acid substitutions …

Detection Of Two Pathogens Of High Importance To The National Poultry Improvement Plan: Salmonella Spp. And Mycoplasma Spp., Robin Levi Jarquin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In 1935, the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) was created to control Salmonella gallinarum and Salmonella pullorum . These two pathogens were devastating economically for poultry producers. Through cooperative efforts using vaccination and strict biosecurity, these two pathogens were eradicated from the United States. Currently, the NPIP program is targeting two other poultry pathogens, Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis and Mycoplasma . In the broiler industry it targets 2 specific Mycoplasma species (synoviae, gallisepticum). Vaccinations for these bacteria are available, but are not fully effective at controlling all strains and serovars. Thus, constant monitoring systems and strict biosecurity measures are necessary …

Host-Virus Interactions Of Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus Infection In Cultured Cells, Jeong Yoon Lee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV; Gallid herpesvirus 1) causes upper respiratory diseases in mainly chickens and exhibits 90-100% of high morbidity and up to 70% of mortality, resulting in huge economic losses in the poultry industry worldwide.

To study host-ILTV interactions, the changes in genome-wide gene expressions in response to wild-type and vaccine ILTV infections in primary chicken embryo lung cells were investigated using microarray analysis. Results provide crucial insights into host cell pathogenic and immunogenic responses against wild-type and vaccine ILTV infections. Using microarray method and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) bioinformatics tool, 273 and 306 differentially expressed genes were identified …

Systematics Of Protosteloid Amoebae, Lora Lindley Shadwick

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Because of their simple fruiting bodies consisting of one to a few spores atop a finely tapering stalk, protosteloid amoebae, previously called protostelids, were thought of as primitive members of the Eumycetozoa sensu Olive 1975. The studies presented here have precipitated a change in the way protosteloid amoebae are perceived in two ways: (1) by expanding their known habitat range and (2) by forcing us to think of them as amoebae that occasionally form fruiting bodies rather than as primitive fungus-like organisms. Prior to this work protosteloid amoebae were thought of as terrestrial organisms. Collection of substrates from aquatic habitats …

Thermal Inactivation Of Stress Adapted Pathogens In Compost, Randhir Singh

All Dissertations

In the United States, 1.3 billion tons of animal wastes are produced annually. Disposal of this huge amount of waste on agricultural land without proper treatment is a public health safety issue as animal waste is a potential source of several human pathogens. Therefore, composting of animal wastes is an economical solution to this problem. The high temperature reached during this process also brings about inactivation of pathogens in the waste. However, survival of pathogens has still been reported from different composting studies, indicating the complex nature of this process. The objectives of this study were to: 1) study thermal …

Developing Strategies To Control Human Pathogens In Minimally-Maintained Dairy Manure-Based Compost Heaps, Marion Shepherd

All Dissertations

Composting has been proven to be an effective method used to inactivate pathogens in dairy manure. However, research has shown that if the compost heaps are unturned pathogens can persist, especially on the surface of the heaps for extended periods of time. As such, it is important to evaluate potential interventions that can be used to ensure that pathogens are inactivated at all locations of minimally maintained compost heaps under field conditions. The objectives of this study were to: 1) determine the impact of compost initial carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio on pathogen destruction when composting dairy manure in unturned heaps, 2) …

Exploring The Effects Of Hypoxia On Sulfate Reducing Anaerobes, Annaliese K. Jones

Senior Honors Projects

Exploring the Effects of Hypoxia on Sulfate Reducing Anaerobes

Annaliese K. Jones

Sponsor: Bethany Jenkins, Cell and Molecular Biology

As a student about to graduate with a degree in Biological Sciences, I find myself faced with the need to find my own independent research interests and scientific voice. As a result of my interests in the fields of both microbiology and ecology, I am drawn to questions surrounding the role and behavior of microorganisms in the environment. With climate change being an issue capturing the attention of a large portion of the scientific community, I have chosen to focus my …

Trematode Gill Parasite Infection In Brachyrhaphis Episcopi, Kara Million

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Differential Combination Of Cytokine And Interferon- Gamma +874 T/A Polymorphisms Determines Disease Severity In Pulmonary Tuberculosis., Ambreen Ansari, Zahra Hasan, Ghaffar Dawood, Rabia Hussain

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background:Mycobacterium tuberculosis infects nearly 1/3 of the world population and this reservoir forms the largest pool from which new cases arise. Among the cytokines, IFN-gamma is a key determinant in protection against tuberculosis. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IFN-gamma gene (+874 T/A) which determine TT high ((hi)), AA low ((lo)) and TA intermediate ((int)) responder phenotypes have shown variable associations with tuberculosis disease outcome in different ethnic populations. The objective of the current study was to analyze IFN-gamma gene combinations with other IFN-gamma regulating cytokine genes (IL-10, TNF -alpha, IL-6) to see the effect of gene- combinations on disease …

A Comparative Study On The Polyphenolic Content, Antibacterial Activity And Antioxidant Capacity Of Different Solvent Extracts Of Brassica Oleracea Vegetables, Amit Jaiswal, Nissreen Abu-Ghannam, Shilpi Gupta

Articles

Brassica vegetables are rich in polyphenols, flavonoids and glucosinolates. Investigation was undertaken to optimise the best solvents among 60% ethanol, acetone and methanol for the extraction of polyphenols from Brassica vegetables. Furthermore, different properties such as antibacterial activity and antioxidant capacity were also investigated. Results showed that a 60% methanolic extract showed the highest total phenolic content which was 23.6, 20.4 and 18.7 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) g−1 extract for broccoli, Brussels sprouts and white cabbage, respectively. The hydroxybenzoic acid content of various solvent extracts ranged from 5.86 to 8.91 GAE g−1 extract for broccoli, 2.70 to 5.44 GAE …

Biochemical And Pharmacological Characterization Of Cytochrome B5 Reductase As A Potential Novel Therapeutic Target In Candida Albicans, Mary Jolene Patricia Holloway

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The opportunistic fungus Candida albicans is a commensal member of the human microflora and is the most common causative agent of fungal-related disease with particular significance in immunocompromised individuals. Emerging drug resistance is a major problem in Candida, contributed by enzymes involved in the detoxification of xenobiotics and pharmacological agents. One such enzyme, cytochrome b5 reductase (cb5r), has a high pharmacological significance owing to its role in fatty acid elongation, ergosterol (or cholesterol in mammals) biosynthesis, and cytochrome P450-mediated detoxification of xenobiotics.

We have compared the kinetic, biochemical, and pharmacological characteristics of C. albicans cb5r isoforms, Cbr1 and Mcr1, as …

Cluster K Mycobacteriophages: Insights Into The Evolutionary Origins Of Mycobacteriophage Tm4, Welkin H. Pope, Christina M. Ferreira, Deborah Jacobs-Sera, Robert C. Benjamin

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Five newly isolated mycobacteriophages -Angelica, CrimD, Adephagia, Anaya, and Pixie - have similar genomic architectures to mycobacteriophage TM4, a previously characterized phage that is widely used in mycobacterial genetics. The nucleotide sequence similarities warrant grouping these into Cluster K, with subdivision into three subclusters: K1, K2, and K3. Although the overall genome architectures of these phages are similar, TM4 appears to have lost at least two segments of its genome, a central region containing the integration apparatus, and a segment at the right end. This suggests that TM4 is a recent derivative of a temperate parent, resolving a long-standing conundrum …

Localisation To Lipid Rafts Correlates With Increased Function Of The Gal/Galnac Lectin In The Human Protozoan Parasite, Entamoeba Histolytica, Brenda H. Welter

Publications

Entamoeba histolytica is the causative agent of dysentery and liver abscess and is prevalent in developing countries. Adhesion to the host is critical to infection and is mediated by amoebic surface receptors. One such receptor, the Gal/GalNAc lectin, binds to galactose or N-acetylgalactosamine residues on host components and consists of heavy (Hgl), light (Lgl) and intermediate (Igl) subunits. The mechanism by which the lectin assembles into a functional complex is not known. The parasite also relies on cholesterol-rich domains (lipid rafts) for adhesion. Therefore, it is conceivable that rafts regulate the assembly or function of the lectin. To test …

Does The Cycad Genotoxin Mam Implicated In Guam Als-Pdc Induce Disease-Relevant Changes In Mouse Brain That Includes Olfaction?, Glen Kisby, Valerie Palmer, Mike Lasarev, Rebecca Fry, Mihail Iordanov, Eli Magun, Leona Samson, Peter Spencer

CUP Faculty Research

Western Pacific amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and parkinsonism-dementia complex (PDC), a prototypical neurodegenerative disease (tauopathy) affecting distinct genetic groups with common exposure to neurotoxic chemicals in cycad seed, has many features of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases (AD), including early olfactory dysfunction. Guam ALS-PDC incidence correlates with cycad flour content of cycasin and its aglycone methylazoxymethanol (MAM), which produces persistent DNA damage (O⁶-methylguanine) in the brains of mice lacking O⁶-methylguanine methyltransferase (Mgmt^-/-). We described in Mgmt^-/-mice up to 7 days post-MAM treatment that brain DNA damage was linked to brain gene …

Molecular Characterization Of The Host Defense Activity Of The Barrier To Autointegration Factor Against Vaccinia Virus, Nouhou Ibrahim, April Wicklund, Matthew S. Wiebe

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The barrier to autointegration factor (BAF) is an essential cellular protein with functions in mitotic nuclear reassembly, retroviral preintegration complex stability, and transcriptional regulation. Molecular properties of BAF include the ability to bind double-stranded DNA in a sequence-independent manner, homodimerize, and bind proteins containing a LEM domain. These capabilities allow BAF to compact DNA and assemble higher-order nucleoprotein complexes, the nature of which is poorly understood. Recently, it was revealed that BAF also acts as a potent host defense against poxviral DNA replication in the cytoplasm. Here, we extend these observations by examining the molecular mechanism through which BAF acts …

Species D Adenoviruses As Oncolytics Against B-Cell Cancers, Christopher Y. Chen, Julien S. Senac, Eric A. Weaver, Shannon M. May, Diane F. Jelinek, Philip Greipp, Thomas Witzig, Michael A. Barry

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Purpose: Oncolytic viruses are self-amplifying anticancer agents that make use of the natural ability of viruses to kill cells. Adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) has been extensively tested against solid cancers, but less so against B-cell cancers because these cells do not generally express the coxsackie and adenoviral receptor (CAR). To determine whether other adenoviruses might have better potency, we "mined" the adenovirus virome of 55 serotypes for viruses that could kill B-cell cancers.

Experimental Design: Fifteen adenoviruses selected to represent Ad species B, C, D, E, and F were tested in vitro against cell lines and primary patient B-cell cancers …

Laboratory Diagnosis Of Clostridium Difficile Infection: Can Molecular Amplification Methods Move Us Out Of Uncertainty?, Fred C. Tenover, Ellen Jo Baron, Lance R. Peterson, David Persing

Biology Faculty Publications

The laboratory diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) continues to be challenging. Recent guidelines from professional societies in the United States note that enzyme immunoassays for toxins A and B do not have adequate sensitivity to be used alone for detecting CDI, yet the optimal method for diagnosing this infection remains unclear. Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) that target chromosomal toxin genes (usually the toxin B gene, tcdB) show high sensitivity and specificity, provide rapid results, and are amenable to both batch and on-demand testing, but these tests were not universally recommended for routine use in the recent guidelines. …

Gravesoil Microbial Community Structure During Carcass Decomposition, Amy E. Maile

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Dead bodies placed on soil represent unique challenges for investigators. Although processes in soils can be used to estimate postmortem interval, we know very little about how carcasses and insects affect gravesoil microbial communities.

To address this, the current project was composed of two experiments. Experiment one was conducted to investigate the effect of surface type on carcass decomposition and evaluate soil ecology methods. Experiment two was conducted to investigate the presence of an insect population (Lucilia sericata Meigen) on gravesoil microbial communities. Both experiments were conducted in a laboratory setting using freshly killed mouse carcasses. Mouse carcasses were …

Zap1 Control Of Cell-Cell Signaling In Candida Albicans Biofilms, Shantanu Ganguly, Andrew C. Bishop, Wenjie Xu, Suman Ghosh, Kenneth W. Nickerson, Frederick Lanni, Jana Patton-Vogt, Aaron P. Mitchell

Kenneth Nickerson Papers

Biofilms of Candida albicans include both yeast cells and hyphae. Prior studies indicated that a zap1/ mutant, defective in zinc regulator Zap1, has increased accumulation of yeast cells in biofilms. This altered yeast-hypha balance may arise from internal regulatory alterations or from an effect on the production of diffusible quorum-sensing (QS) molecules. Here, we develop biosensor reporter strains that express yeastspecific YWP1-RFP or hypha-specific HWP1-RFP, along with a constitutive TDH3-GFP normalization standard. Seeding these biosensor strains into biofilms allows a biological activity assay of the surrounding biofilm milieu. A zap1/ biofilm induces the yeast-specific YWP1-RFP reporter in a wild-type …