Isolation and Characterization of Six Novel \u3cem\u3eRhodobacter Capsulatus\u3c/em\u3e Bacteriophages

Poster presentation abstract

Genetic Analyses and Annotations of Two Newly Discovered C1 Mycobacteriophages

Poster presentation abstract

Genome Annotation of 3 New \u3cem\u3eRhodobacter Capsulatus\u3c/em\u3e Bacteriophages

Poster presentation abstract

Isolation and Characterization of Previously Undiscovered Bacteriophages

Poster presentation abstract

Isolation and Characterization of an A4 Mycobacteriophage from Central Illinois

Sixteen mycobacteriophages were isolated by students at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington IL using a soil enrichment technique and a Mycobacterium smegmatis host. Each student created and archived a high titer lysate of his or her mycobacteriophage, and of these sixteen, two were selected to be sent in for sequencing, Eidsmoe and Morrow. Morrow was found just outside the Morrow Plots at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2014, and was found to be one of 64 members of the A4 subcluster. Its 51,411 base pair genome is comparable to the average A4 genome of 51,395 base pairs. However, Morrow has 94 genes, which is eight more genes than the average A4 genome. Morrow was then annotated using BLASTp, Phamerator, Starterator, and DNA Master, and was found to be 98% identical to Abdiel, which was found in Missouri in 2011. The identification of the sixteen mycobacteriophages and the sequencing and annotation of two of them expands our knowledge, as well as the online database, where they are contributing to scientific research

Antiviral Properties of Fruit Juices on Bacteriophages

Viruses utilize many different mechanisms to infect their hosts and spread through populations. Because of this humans have long sought ways to treat viral infections and develop antiviral medications to stop these parasites or at least alleviate symptoms. Historically, a number of plant chemicals have been shown to have antimicrobial properties that have shown promise for these purposes. Prior to this study, cranberry juice has been demonstrated to be inhibitory for certain viruses. Over the last several years students at Illinois Wesleyan University have amassed a collection of about thirty different bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria. The aim of this research is to examine how widespread the effects of cranberry and other juices are on a variety of these bacteriophages. Bacteriophages from the Illinois Wesleyan University collection were exposed to different fruit juices to see how their replication was affected. The effects of juice on viral replication on a variety of virus types were examined and the results of these experiments will be discussed. This research has contributed to the overall knowledge of antivirals, and provides a new starting point for further research on the antiviral properties of juices

Exploring Phages Affecting Rhodobacter capsulatus: RcSwan and RcKeef

Bacteriophages, viruses that feed on bacteria, are recognized as the most common biological entities on the planet, with numbers believed to be as high as 1031 particles. They play a significant role in the ecological balance of microbial life. There are almost 150 clusters of known phages, with multiple sub-clusters and even singletons, each categorized based on the bacteria they infect and their genomic similarities. Through our research, we hoped to understand how two phages that infect the same bacteria, obtained under similar conditions, such as temperature, food source, and incubation time, showed various structural and functional differences. We isolated two phages infecting the freshwater bacteria Rhodobacter capsulatus, one was found to be a member of the RcC cluster, RcSwan, and the other was found to be a member of the RcD cluster, RcKeef. We noticed stark differences between the two phages in the Transmission Electron Microscopy results of both phages as RcKeef had a tail length of 221.0 nm and a capsid diameter of 74.5 nm, while RcSwan had a much smaller tail length of 120.9 nm and a slightly smaller capsid diameter of 65.1 nm. Additional differences were seen in the sequenced genome of both phages, as RcKeef had 68,260 base pairs and 102 genes, while RcSwan had only 41,417 base pairs and 70 genes. These differences in the genomes between the two phages directly influence the bacterial infection rate. Overall, the morphological and genetic differences between the two phages display some of the diversity exhibited in bacteriophages and provide some insight into the unseen pathogens found throughout our local community