WhoseManz is this? : The Story of a Lonely Phage — Presentation Detail — Celebration of Scholars

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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

WhoseManz is this? : The Story of a Lonely Phage

Name: Vanessa Allanach
Major: Biology/Pre-Med
Hometown: Round Lake Beach, IL
Faculty Sponsor: Deborah Tobiason
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Course project
Funding: HHMI SEA Phages

Abstract

WhoseManz was one of fifty Gordonia phages isolated in the Fall 2017 semester including Goofy1 and Rogue2. Bacteriophages or more commonly referred to as phage are viruses that specifically infect bacteria. Gordonia terrae is a gram positive bacteria that normally is found in soil and rarely infects humans. WhoseManz was isolated from an enriched soil sample found in compost at Kenosha Yard Waste Facility in 2017. Lysate of WhoseManz was used to extract DNA and to examine individual phage structure under the electron microscope. The phage particles were classified as siphoviridae. Genomic DNA was sequenced, and WhoseManz was identified as a CR cluster phage in the CR4 subcluster. Plaques from this phage were clear and commonly 2 mm in circumference suggesting a lytic life cycle. We are using several bioinformatics programs such as DNA master, HHPred, and Phamerator, to annotate the genome. The genome is 64,214 bases long with a 3’ sticky overhang of 10 base pairs and a GC content of 66.1%. Annotation of the genome is being used to reveal the properties and similarities of WhoseManz genome to other sequenced phages.