The Characterization, Genome Annotation, and Analysis of the Gordonia Bacteriophage Kurt — Presentation Detail — Celebration of Scholars

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The following points should be addressed within the selected format or style for the abstract:

A clear statement of the problem or question you pursued, or the scholarly goal or creative theme achieved in your work.
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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:

Jun Wang
Kim Instenes
John Kirk
Nora Nickels
Andrew Pustina
James Ripley

The Characterization, Genome Annotation, and Analysis of the Gordonia Bacteriophage Kurt

Name: Owen Lewer
Major: Biology
Hometown: Waseca, MN
Faculty Sponsor: Deborah Tobiason
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Course project
Funding: Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Name: Sarah Schmidt
Major: Biology
Hometown: Litchfield, MN
Faculty Sponsor: Deborah Tobiason
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Course project
Funding: Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Name: Cayden Sparks
Major: Biology
Hometown: Spencer, IN
Faculty Sponsor: Deborah Tobiason
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Course project
Funding: Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Name: Patrick Zaker
Major: Biology
Hometown: Aurora, IL
Faculty Sponsor: Deborah Tobiason
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Course project
Funding: Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Abstract

We isolated, investigated, annotated, and characterized the Gordonia terrae infecting bacteriophage Kurt throughout the 2016-2017 school year. Kurt was isolated from a soil sample taken from the Carthage College campus in Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States. We first ran a variety of experiments to purify, characterize, and analyze almost 80 Gordonia terrae and Mycobacterium smegmatis infecting phages. Plaque morphology and phage morphology were determined for each of these phages using plaque assays and electron microscopy. After extracting DNA from these phages, Kurt’s DNA was sent to be sequenced. Kurt is one of 15 members of the cluster CR group of Gordonia phages of which only three have been annotated and published. We have annotated the genome of Gordonia phage Kurt using multiple computer programs including DNAmaster and Phamerator and algorithms to better understand the functions of its gene products and unique properties. Our phage’s proteins were compared to previously discovered protein functions to reveal Kurt’s gene product functions. We are performing further laboratory and bioinformatic experiments to explore Kurt and other related Gordonia bacteriophages biology.

Poster file