Isolation and Characterization of Firehouse51, a Novel Mycobacteriophage — Presentation Detail — Celebration of Scholars

Additional Information

More information is available at carthage.edu/celebration-scholars/. The following are members of the Research, Scholarship, and Creativity Committee who are eager to listen to ideas and answer questions:

Thomas Carr
Katherin Hilson
Kim Instenes
John Kirk
Sarah Terrill

Isolation and Characterization of Firehouse51, a Novel Mycobacteriophage

Name: Alexander Clark
Major: Biology
Hometown: Salem, WI
Faculty Sponsor: Deanna Byrnes
Other Sponsors: Tobiason, Deborah
Type of research: Course project
Funding: SEA Phages (HHMI)

Name: Kendall Craig
Major: Mathematics
Hometown: Oswego, IL
Faculty Sponsor: Deanna Byrnes
Other Sponsors: Tobiason, Deborah
Type of research: Course project
Funding: SEA Phages (HHMI)

Name: Allyssa Daehn
Major: Biology
Hometown: Elkhorn, WI
Faculty Sponsor: Deanna Byrnes
Other Sponsors: Tobiason, Deborah
Type of research: Course project
Funding: SEA Phages (HHMI)

Name: Matthew Frisque
Major: Biology
Hometown: Cottage Grove, WI
Faculty Sponsor: Deanna Byrnes
Other Sponsors: Tobiason, Deborah
Type of research: Course project
Funding: SEA Phages (HHMI)

Name: Taylor Kundert
Major: Biology
Hometown: Lake Geneva, WI
Faculty Sponsor: Deanna Byrnes
Other Sponsors: Tobiason, Deborah
Type of research: Course project
Funding: SEA Phages (HHMI)

Name: Gabriella Lay
Major: Neuroscience
Hometown: Poplar Grove, IL
Faculty Sponsor: Deanna Byrnes
Other Sponsors: Tobiason, Deborah
Type of research: Course project
Funding: SEA Phages (HHMI)

Name: Theresa Regetz
Major: Psychology
Hometown: Lyndhurst, NJ
Faculty Sponsor: Deanna Byrnes
Other Sponsors: Tobiason, Deborah
Type of research: Course project
Funding: SEA Phages (HHMI)

Name: Christopher Seocanac
Major: Biology
Hometown: Hartland, WI
Faculty Sponsor: Deanna Byrnes
Other Sponsors: Tobiason, Deborah
Type of research: Course project
Funding: SEA Phages (HHMI)

Name: Daniel Setzke
Major: Biology
Hometown: Glen Ellyn, IL
Faculty Sponsor: Deanna Byrnes
Other Sponsors: Tobiason, Deborah
Type of research: Course project
Funding: SEA Phages (HHMI)

Name: Emily Zumbragel
Major: Biology
Hometown: Cherry Valley, IL
Faculty Sponsor: Deanna Byrnes
Other Sponsors: Tobiason, Deborah
Type of research: Course project
Funding: SEA Phages (HHMI)

Abstract

A bacteriophage is a virus that replicates within a bacterial host cell. They are the most numerous and most diverse biological entity in the biosphere with approximately 1031 biological particles. Mycobacteriophages are viruses that replicate through mycobacterial hosts. Phage can be used to treat antibiotic resistant diseases because they only infect their specific host bacterial cells and lyse them. Soil samples were extracted from various locations around the Carthage College campus, and seven individual phage types were isolated, revealing two temperate and five lytic phages. Phage are either lytic, immediately lysing bacterial cell hosts, or temperate, in which case the phage genome lies temporarily dormant within the bacteria cell. Isolated phages were examined using electron microscopy, DNA was extracted, and analyzed using restriction enzymes. Two phage genomes were sequenced. Firehouse51 is currently being annotated (identification of genes and putative proteins) and was determined to be a member of the F1 cluster. The genome annotation process recognizes similarities between the DNA of Firehouse51 and other mycobacteriophage genomes, adding to our knowledge regarding relationships among phages. Information obtained from the isolation, characterization, and annotation of Firehouse51 will contribute to a national database of mycobacteriophage genomes. This research will allow us to compare similar phages and understand how they interact with their mycobacterial host, with the goal to use this information to treat diseases such as Tuberculosis.

Poster file

Submit date: March 17, 2014, 3:28 p.m.