Microbiology Commons^™

Altered Extracellular Matrix-Related Pathways Accelerate The Transition From Normal To Prefibroid Myometrium In Black Women, Maria Victoria Bariani, Sandra L Grimm, Cristian Coarfa, Digna R Velez Edwards, Qiwei Yang, Cheryl L Walker, Mohamed Ali, Ayman Al-Hendy

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Black women experience a disproportionate impact of uterine fibroids compared to White women, including earlier diagnosis, higher frequency, and more severe symptoms. The etiology underlying this racial disparity remains elusive.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the molecular differences in normal myometrium (fibroid-free uteri) and at-risk myometrium (fibroid-containing uteri) tissues in Black and White women.

Study design: We conducted whole-genome RNA-seq on normal and at-risk myometrium tissues obtained from both self-identified Black and White women (not Hispanic or Latino) to determine global gene expression profiles and to conduct enriched pathway analyses (n=3 per group). We initially …

Disruption Of Fuz In Mouse Embryos Generates Hypoplastic Hindbrain Development And Reduced Cranial Nerve Ganglia, Carlo Donato Caiaffa, Yogeshwari S Ambekar, Manmohan Singh, Ying Linda Lin, Bogdan Wlodarczyk, Salavat R Aglyamov, Giuliano Scarcelli, Kirill V Larin, Richard H Finnell

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The brain and spinal cord formation is initiated in the earliest stages of mammalian pregnancy in a highly organized process known as neurulation. Environmental or genetic interferences can impair neurulation, resulting in clinically significant birth defects known collectively as neural tube defects. The Fuz gene encodes a subunit of the CPLANE complex, a macromolecular planar polarity effector required for ciliogenesis. Ablation of Fuz in mouse embryos results in exencephaly and spina bifida, including dysmorphic craniofacial structures due to defective cilia formation and impaired Sonic Hedgehog signaling.

Results: We demonstrate that knocking Fuz out during embryonic mouse development results in …

Horizontal Gene Transfer In Intergenomic Conflicts Between Bacteria And Their Genetic Parasites, Pavithra A.S

Theses and Dissertations

Bacteria are constantly infected by obligate acellular genetic parasites, such as plasmids and phages. The genetic conflicts between bacteria and their parasites, aggravated by horizontal gene transfer, exert significant ecological and evolutionary pressure on their respective genomes. The eco-evolutionary significance of parasite-derived elements on bacterial genomes is not well understood.

This study explored the genomics of plasmid-derived genetic elements such as antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), type II endonuclease toxin-antitoxin systems (TAs) and endonuclease colicin-like bacteriocin (CLB) operons, and phage-derived prophages of Escherichia coli using bioinformatics and developing novel hybrid agent-based models. We sequenced eight E. coli isolated from local wastewater …

Antibiotic-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria In A Local Wastewater Treatment Plant In North Georgia, Nou Moua, Lindsay Mccuen, Sarah White, Swapna Bhat, Margi Flood, Jeanelle Morgan

Georgia Journal of Science

Antibiotics are some of the most essential lifesaving drugs currently available to us against infectious diseases. Several pathogens are developing resistance to these drugs and many have become resistant to multiple antibiotics. Such multi-drug resistance is becoming a global issue and has been found in many environments including wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In this study, we sampled a local WWTP for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This WWTP is in North Georgia and runs directly into Lake Lanier, which is the main source of drinking water for the Atlanta area as well as a popular spot for water recreation. We obtained treated and …

Avicennia Marina Mangrove Plant Mediated Selenium Nanoparticles And Their Therapeutic Activity Against Oral Pathogens And Other Biological Properties, Kannan Kamala, Pitchiah Sivaperumal, Dhanraj Ganapathy

Journal of Dentistry Indonesia

In the last few decades nanoparticles are widely used in the control of many pathogenic bacteria, fungi, viruses, and cancer growth both in-vitro and in-vivo. A marine plant of Avicennia marina is widely used in traditional medicine for diabetes, inflammation and skin diseases. Objective: In general Avicennia marina has been used as a traditional medicine to treat various diseases and it has shown significant inhibition against various pathogen and the formation of free radicals. Also, the plant A.marina mediated selenium nanoparticles has therapeutic activity has promising to develop biocompatible new cost effective treatment for various oral diseases. Methods: …

Using Origami And Shrinky Dinks To Create Active Learning Activities To Tackle Two Microbiology Concepts: Cell Structure Differences And Operon Regulation, Manuela Tripepi, Hannah M. Schapiro

College of Life Sciences Faculty Papers

This paper presents two low-cost hands-on activities designed to enhance student understanding and address the pedagogical challenges faced by microbiology professors in teaching concepts related to cell structure and gene regulation. In the first activity, we used Shrinky Dinks and Jeopardy-style game questions to explore the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Students have to collect pieces and physically build their cell models. The second activity uses origami organelles sets from Edvotek to illustrate the regulation of gene expression in the lac and trp operons, incorporating mutation scenarios for analysis. The intended audience comprises undergraduate students in microbiology, including biology, …

Sequence Specificity Of Non-Structural Protein 15 From Sars-Cov-2, John Vincent Mcguire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The SARS-CoV-2 virus was recently able to cause a global pandemic, largely due to the asymptomatic period that occurs during initial infection. During this period, patients are infectious but do not exhibit symptoms, resulting in the unintentional spread of the virus. This occurs because the virus effectively avoids detection by the immune system during the early stages of infection, and as symptoms are the result of immune system activation, they never manifest. Non-structural Protein 15 (Nsp15) is one of the tools the virus uses to remain undetected, via its degradation of Pathogen-Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs) that would otherwise be recognized …

Multidrug-Resistant Esbl-Producing Escherichia Coli Coexisting With Colistin-Resistance Genes In Pig Farms, Central Thailand, Wipawee Songsaeng, Nutthee Am-In, Nuvee Prapasarakul, Wandee Sirichokchatchawan

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase and colistin resistance E. coli in food-producing animals is a public health concern. This study was conducted using a rigorous methodology to survey the prevalence of ESBL-producing and colistin-resistant E. coli from pig farms in the central part of Thailand. A total of 519 samples were collected from fecal, feed, and waste in 53 farms located in central Thailand. All samples were inoculated onto selective agar, and species identification was performed using biochemical assays and MAlDI-TOF MS. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by broth microdilution, and ESBL production was confirmed by the combination disc diffusion method. …

Development Of A Urothelial Cell Line Expressing A Caspase-1 Biosensor To Measure Cellular Inflammatory Responses To Potential Uropathogens, Nikita Riya Kesav

Master's Theses

Urinary tract infections are one of the most common bacterial infections, historically implicating Escherichia coli as the causative pathogen. However, it is now known that there are a variety of bacteria that exist within the urinary tract, acting as either beneficial uroprotectives or opportunistic uropathogens. Furthermore, there are significant gaps in our understanding as to how these bacteria interact with the urothelium and what role each plays in maintaining or disrupting homeostasis. Research has shown that Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling and Nod-like Receptor Protein 3 play a role in inflammasome activation during infection, triggering caspase-1 activation and inducing release …

Investigating The Roles Of Sirtuins During Cvb3 Infection And Innate Immunity, Bridget M. Hulsebosch

Master's Theses

Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) is an enterovirus that chronically infects heart tissue, leading to dilated cardiomyopathy. However, no vaccines or antivirals exist for CVB3 infection or to treat CVB3-induced dilated cardiomyopathy, except for a heart transplant. Sirtuins (SIRTs), class III lysine deacetylases, have diverse and complex roles in cellular functions, contributing to energy production, NF-κB signaling, cell cycle regulation, and inflammation. Previous studies showed that SIRTs are essential for hepatitis B and A viral replication and regulate the IFN response during viral infection. However, the role of SIRT1 and 2 during CVB3 infection is entirely unknown. CVB3-infected SIRT1 and SIRT2 knockout …

Elucidating Enterococcal Mechanisms Underlying Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections, Baylie Hochstedler-Kramer

Dissertations

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections globally and can lead to life-threatening complications. UTI disproportionately affects females, with the majority of females being treated for at least one UTI in their lifetime. Of the females who develop UTI in their lifetime, almost one third will develop recurrence within six months after initial treatment and many will struggle with UTI recurrence for long spans of their lives. Although recurrent UTI has previously been attributed to persistence of Escherichia coli, recent studies utilizing more sensitive detection methods have shown Enterococcus faecalis is strongly associated with recurrent …

Time-Transgressive Microbial Diversity In A Tropical Bat Guano Accumulation, Deer Cave, Mulu, Borneo, Joyce Lundberg, Donald A. Mcfarlane

International Journal of Speleology

Bat guano accumulations in caves can constitute large deposits of organic material, particularly chitin and its degradation products, that host a diverse microbiome. Previous microbiological studies have not addressed the stratified nature of these deposits in the context of the timeframe of the decomposition process. We present such data (temperature, pH, DNA sampling of eight carbon-dated strata) for a 75 cm-deep tropical guano accumulation that undergoes complete decomposition over a timescale of ~120 years. The aerobic, surface layer of freshly-fallen guano has the greatest diversity of taxa, with Bacteroidota co-dominant with Pseudomonadota, and includes many taxa unique to this …

The Experience Of Homelessness And Its Effects On Gut Eubiosis, Kamerin Villagomez

University Honors Theses

Microorganisms which populate the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) have a profound effect on overall human health. The relationship between host health and eubiosis, or balance, of the GIT microbiome is symbiotic and can have reciprocal relationships with quality of sleep, quality of diet, stress and mental health, and the experience of pain. These specific aspects of health are unique in populations experiencing homelessness due to the multi-dimensional and complex nature of their lived experience. Very few studies explore populations experiencing homelessness, with even fewer investigating the intersection between this population and the human GIT microbiome. It is important to do …

Investigating The Presence Of Bacterial Phytoplasma Disease In Grasses Of Central Texas And Their Associated Hemiptera, Danielle Rios

Masters Theses (Archived)

No abstract provided.

The Molecular Detection Of Hemotropic Mycoplasma Species In Dogs, Hafize Tuğba Yüksel Dolgun, Şükrü Kirkan

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Hemotropic mycoplasmas are uncultured bacteria that cause different degrees of hemolytic anemia in infected hosts. Molecular approaches are used to diagnose hemotropic mycoplasmas since they are difficult to identify using conventional methods. The aim of this study was to use molecular approaches to determine hemotropic mycoplasmas in dogs. Blood samples were collected in tubes (with EDTA) from 100 dogs. After DNA extraction, 100 DNA samples were investigated by PCR. Hemotropic mycoplasma was detected in 12 (12%) samples and positive samples were subjected to Sanger sequencing. Mycoplasma haemocanis was detected in 6 (50.0%) of the samples, Candidatus Mycoplasma hematoparvum in 5 …

Targeting Aspergillus Fumigatus Hypoxia Response Pathways For Novel Antifungal Drug Development., Cecilia Gutierrez Perez

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Invasive fungal disease present are difficult to diagnose and treat and present a high mortality rate across the world with approximately 1.5 million people a year succumbing to fungal infections worldwide. Currently, there are limited antifungal classes used therapeutically, and antifungal drug resistance on the rise further exacerbates the dire need for novel therapeutics with innovative mode of actions. The filamentous fungi, Aspergillus fumigatus is the causative agent of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). It is estimated that contemporary antifungals fail in about 50% of patients with invasive filamentous fungal infections, likely due to the biofilm mode of growth exhibited in …

Inactivated Rabies-Based Lassa Fever Virus Vaccine Candidate Lassarab Protects Nonhuman Primates From Lethal Disease, Gabrielle Scher, Catherine Yankowski, Drishya Kurup, Nicole Josleyn, Eric Wilkinson, Jay Wells, Jesse Steffens, Ginger Lynn, Sean Vantongeren, Xiankun Zeng, Nancy Twenhafel, Kathleen Cashman, Matthias Schnell

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Lassa fever virus (LASV), a member of the Arenavirus family, is the etiological agent of Lassa fever, a severe hemorrhagic disease that causes considerable morbidity and mortality in the endemic areas of West Africa. LASV is a rodent-borne CDC Tier One biological threat agent and is on the World Health Organization's (WHO) Priority Pathogen list. Currently, no FDA-licensed vaccines or specific therapeutics are available. Here, we describe the efficacy of a deactivated rabies virus (RABV)-based vaccine encoding the glycoprotein precursor (GPC) of LASV (LASSARAB). Nonhuman primates (NHPs) were administered a two-dose regimen of LASSARAB or an irrelevant RABV-based vaccine to …

Rna Secondary Structures: Structure-Function Studies In Viral And Neurodegenerative Diseases, Caylee Cunningham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The studies within this dissertation highlight the importance of RNA structure and function, highlighting potential mechanisms in the pathogenesis of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and hallmarks of ALS. Specifically, the s2m, a 41-nt structure found within the hyper variable region of the 3’ UTR of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, was investigated as this element has no definitive role in viruses but its high conservation in several viral families warrants investigation. We used various biophysical techniques to determine if a palindromic sequence in the terminal loop could participate in dimerization activities, which may have implications in recombination and the longevity of the virus. …

Identification And Characterization Of A Skin Microbiome On Caenorhabditis Elegans Suggests Environmental Microbes Confer Cuticle Protection, Nadia B Haghani, Robert H Lampe, Buck S Samuel, Sreekanth H Chalasani, Molly A Matty

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In the wild, C. elegans are emersed in environments teeming with a veritable menagerie of microorganisms. The C. elegans cuticular surface serves as a barrier and first point of contact with their microbial environments. In this study, we identify microbes from C. elegans natural habitats that associate with its cuticle, constituting a simple “skin microbiome.” We rear our animals on a modified CeMbio, mCeMbio, a consortium of ecologically relevant microbes. We first combine standard microbiological methods with an adapted micro skin-swabbing tool to describe the skin-resident bacteria on the C. elegans surface. Furthermore, we conduct 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies …

Exploring The Interaction Between Klebsiella Pneumoniae And Clostridioides Difficile At The Mucosal Interface, Taylor D. Ticer

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

The gut microbiota plays a major role in human diseases. The impact of these microbes on human health comes not only from individual microbes but also from their interactions with each other. A prime example of this is Clostridioides difficile, an intestinal pathobiont that causes severe gastrointestinal illness. C. difficile works cooperatively with other gut bacteria, including Klebsiella pneumoniae. We hypothesized that K. pneumoniae would work synergistically with C. difficile and promote its pathogenesis. We screened over 40 K. pneumoniae strains to assess their interaction with the intestinal mucus layer, a key colonization site for C. difficile. …