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Hunting Pathogen Inhibiting Bacteria: The Story of Peanut

Most antibiotics commonly used in society today are becoming less effective in treating infections caused by pathogenic bacteria, which are continually developing and adapting. Many of these antibiotics were discovered by observing microorganisms found in soil, and the Tiny Earth Network (TEN) has continued this research by partnering with instructors and students around the globe in search of new antibiotic-producing microorganisms living undiscovered within the soil. In contribution to this research, I performed a serial dilution using a soil sample collected in Gardner, KS. From the plates created in this dilution, twelve candidate organisms were selected for their ability to inhibit the growth of neighboring microbes. The candidate organisms were then subjected to experiments designed to test their ability to inhibit the growth of safe relative species to known pathogenic bacteria. More specifically, the chosen tester strains are related to the ESKAPE pathogens- six bacterial species considered major threats within a clinical setting. Candidate organism number seven, Peanut, was selected for its ability to significantly inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis, the chosen safe relative of the ESKAPE pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. Though Staphylococcus aureus is commonly found on the skin and in the nose of humans, where it does not cause harm, if it finds its way into the bloodstream or internal tissues, it can cause severe or even fatal infections. Further, Staphylococcus aureus is a very adaptable organism that has developed resistance to many common antibiotics widely used today

KCMO Soil- Antibiotics

As medicine has become more accessible worldwide, dangerous bacteria have gained as much antibiotic exposure as humans. There has not been a new antibiotic discovery in over 30 years. The ESKAPE pathogens are the most dangerous, highly antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Soil is an extremely competitive environment for microorganisms, thus making the bacteria collected likely to produce antibiotics. Soil collected from northern Kansas City produced twelve potential bacterial candidates. Using safe relatives of the ESKAPE pathogens, these bacteria are screened for the production of antibiotics that successfully inhibit the relatives. If these candidates produce inhibition, they could be key to creating a new antibiotic drug. Candidates PBW25F and PBW25K show inhibition zones against Escherichia coli, a safe relative of Klebsiella pneumonia. No other inhibition zones have been discovered for any candidate against any other ESKAPE relatives

Impact of Aeration on Algae

In this experiment, we are studying how air exposure affects algae growth in water samples. We will use an air pump and tubing to introduce airflow into some samples while leaving others with little to no airflow. All samples will be kept at the same temperature and light exposure to control external variables. We will have five samples for each condition to ensure reliable results

Isolation and Testing of the Antibiotic Compounds Produced by Bacteria “AB24D”

Antibiotic resistance is a growing global threat that renders many of our current treatments ineffective leading to prolonged illness and increased mortality. This work is important because it explores whether the bacterium “AB24D” might offer new strategies to combat drug-resistant infections. “AB24D” is a strain of pseudomonas. In this research, compounds produced by bacteria AB24D” were extracted and evaluated for their effectiveness as antibiotics. Several methods, including thin-layer chromatography, column chromatography, and HPLC were used to separate the mixtures. The fractions were then tested against tester strain of bacteria in broth. The results from the separations and testing will be discussed

A Microbial Goldmine: A Search for New Antibiotics

Antibiotic resistance presents one of the most troubling issues in modern medicine. The overuse of antibiotics has allowed bacteria to evolve and develop resistance, making bacterial infections challenging to treat and increasing the potential threats to public health. The Tiny Earth Project strives to address these problems by encouraging students to research, cultivate, and test bacterial findings against safe relative species, with the hope of potential groundbreaking antibiotic discoveries. This was done by cultivating and serially diluting soil, isolating and screening microbes against the safe ESKAPEs. The following safe ESKAPEs were used in the screening process: Enterococcus raffinosus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baylyi, Pseudomonas putida, and Enterobacter aerogenes. The first set of microbes showed no signs of inhibition against the safe ESKAPEs. The impact of the research encourages the discovery of new antibiotics and provides a pathway for combating the global health crisis

Finding Microbes Throughout a Soil Sample

The purpose of this experiment was to show the magnitude and the diversity of microbes in 1 gram of soil. It is important because it gives a glimpse of how wide and vast the world of microbes can be and shows how scientists find different microbes to make into antibiotics for medicine. This is really important since the world uses so many antibiotics. Scientists have to know how many microbes are in each antibiotic and which ones. The results showed a vast number of microbes with countless different species of bacteria that live in soil. The soil sample was collected in a backyard in Shawnee, KS and then it was used for serial dilution. Serial Dilution is a way to dilute the soil sample into a more manageable size so that the soil can be observed and then data can be gathered by the researcher for the experiment. In this experiment, individual colonies were seen along with several antibiotic candidates. The cfu/ml was able to be counted and calculated for each sample. Metabolic testing, PCR, and gel electrophoresis were used to determine the identity of the candidate

Water Testing Across Different Areas of Kansas

This study examines natural hazards that may impact future housing development in a 1-square-mile area located in Murray, Oklahoma. The goal is to identify potential geologic risks and inform residents and developers about land safety. We focus on analyzing geological materials, seismic history, and topographic features. The site’s geology includes shale and limestone, which may pose risks. For example, radon could lead to radon poisoning. We also reviewed seismic hazards by examining the region’s earthquake history. Since 1975, the area has experienced 57 earthquakes, with an average magnitude of 2.7 and a maximum magnitude of 3.5. This frequency and intensity suggest the area is prone to some seismic hazards, which may increase over time. Topographic features could also pose additional risks. These could exacerbate problems like flooding. By identifying geological, seismic, and topographic hazards, this research provides valuable insights to guide development decisions. We recommend implementing strategies like dams to mitigate these risks and ensure safer living environments for future residents. Understanding these hazards is essential for creating sustainable, safe housing developments in Murray, Oklahoma

What\u27s In Our Soil

Antibiotic resistance is a rapidly growing global public health crisis. As bacteria continue to evolve and develop resistance to commonly used antibiotics, treating infections becomes increasingly challenging. Compounding this issue, the discovery of new antibiotics has drastically slowed, nearly coming to a standstill since the 1980s. With fewer new treatment options and a rise in antibiotic-resistant pathogens, managing infections has become more difficult and, in some cases, life-threatening. Among the most concerning are ESKAPE pathogens—a group of bacteria known for their virulence and high resistance to antibiotics. These pathogens are responsible for many of the antibiotic-resistant infections and deaths seen in healthcare settings. A survey of soil organisms from Olathe, KS, was conducted, with samples diluted and cultured to identify potential antibiotic-producing candidates. An initial screen of 12 organisms was performed against non-pathogenic ESKAPE relatives to identify any with inhibitory effects. From these, one promising candidate—referred to as Candidate #11—was selected for further study due to its strong inhibitory activity against Enterococcus faecalis and Enterobacter aerogenes. Candidate #11 has been identified as a Gram-negative rod, making it a potential source for future antibiotic development

Unveiling the Role of an Unknown Protein Through Bioinformatics Analysis

The main problem we are trying to solve is to understand what several of the proteins do to narrow down which protein it is you are analyzing, and to understand more about the biology of understudied organisms. The tools we will use to solve it are the Protein Database, BLAST, InterPro, DALI, FoldSeek, CLEAN, BRENDA, and FASTA. By doing this project, we hope to learn how collect and synthesize data, and come up with a hypothesis about our data