Microgravity’s Effect on the Virulence of Bacteriophage qB on Escherichia coli as a Possible Indicator of the Down-Regulation of Host Factor Hfq

Faculty Research Day 2018: Student Spaceflight Experiments Program FinalistFaculty Research Day 2018: Undergraduate Student Poster 2nd PlaceThe virulence of viruses is a topic of interest for the wellbeing of human health during space travel. Little research has been conducted on differing virulence between bacteriophages in space and on earth. However, prior research suggests evidence that a difference may exist. Hfq is an RNA binding global regulator protein present in E. coli which has been shown to be required for Coliphage qB to infect E. coli.  In a squid-vibrio experiment conducted under simulated microgravity, the hfq protein production was seen to be down-regulated in Vibrio fischeri. Our experiment aims to imitate results found by Grant under a real microgravity situation in Escherichia coli, given that Hfq is highly conserved in bacteria. The experiment will compare the virulence of Coliphage qB on E. coli in space to the virulence on land. The resulting difference in rates of Coliphage qB infection of E. coli may hint at unknown molecular mechanisms that bacteria and/or viruses employ under the effects of microgravity, and may provide evidence to suggest that hfq is also down-regulated in E. coli in microgravity. The implications of the results found by this experiment will be a step into determining the virulence of viruses and other infectious organisms during spaceflight and may lead to effective preventative measures to safeguard the health of humans in space

Cloning of Putative Cobalamin Reductases of Thermosipho melanesiensis

Cobalamin, commonly known as Vitamin B12, is a vitamin that plays an essential role in keeping human nerve and blood cells healthy. It is also a cofactor for the synthesis of enzymes involved in citric acid cycle metabolism, DNA synthesis, and gene regulation. Only certain Bacteria and Archaea possess the required enzymes for Cobalamin biosynthesis. Eukaryotes cannot synthesize Cobalamin de novo, but obtain it in one of two ways: via gut microorganisms that synthesize Cobalamin, or via food sources. Humans use the latter method by consuming animal products. Our aim is to uncover the unknown gene identities of three reductase enzymes in Thermosipho melanesiensis that are suspected to be required for de novo Cobalamin synthesis. Previous research on protein comparison to Salmonella enterica has targeted three DNA sequences as possible reductase genes