pH Dependent Antibiotic Resistance in Alkaliphilic Halotolerant Bacteria
Department
Biological Sciences
Major
Biology
Research Advisor
Mormile, Melanie R.
Advisor's Department
Biological Sciences
Funding Source
UMR Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experiences (OURE)
Abstract
It has been observed that many of the bacteria from Soap Lake, an alkali-saline lake in Eastern Washington State, exhibit antibiotic resistance. One possible explanation for this is the effects of high pH on the antibiotics themselves and not necessarily conferred by resistance genes present in the microbes. As Soap Lake possess a pH value close to 10.0, it is hypothesized that at this pH, effectiveness of the antibiotic may be diminished due to interactions leading to the removal of hydrogen atoms from the antibiotic molecules, thereby changing their confirmations, thus their ability to interact with the microbes. This research focused on the effects of antibiotics on microbes that were isolated form Soap Lake and have the ability to grow across a wide range of pH values (values ranging from 6.5 to 10.5). The antibiotics used in this study were selected because they are commonly used in orchard agriculture surrounding the lake (streptomycin and oxytetracycline). Additional antibiotics representing broader families which are commonly used in human pharmacology (ampicillin and sulfanolamide) were also employed. It should be noted that this is a preliminary study, and the inhibition of the bacteria due to antibiotics is inconclusive without further analysis at the molecular level.
Biography
Audrey is a junior attending the University of Missouri--Rolla, majoring in Biology, and minoring in philosophy. She is from Custer, South Dakota. On campus she is an officer in Scrubs. Off campus she shadows physicians via Mid-Missouri AHEC. Audrey plans on becoming a physician, and pursuing her PhD in microbiology.
Research Category
Natural Sciences
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Document Type
Poster
Presentation Date
12 Apr 2006, 1:00 pm
pH Dependent Antibiotic Resistance in Alkaliphilic Halotolerant Bacteria
It has been observed that many of the bacteria from Soap Lake, an alkali-saline lake in Eastern Washington State, exhibit antibiotic resistance. One possible explanation for this is the effects of high pH on the antibiotics themselves and not necessarily conferred by resistance genes present in the microbes. As Soap Lake possess a pH value close to 10.0, it is hypothesized that at this pH, effectiveness of the antibiotic may be diminished due to interactions leading to the removal of hydrogen atoms from the antibiotic molecules, thereby changing their confirmations, thus their ability to interact with the microbes. This research focused on the effects of antibiotics on microbes that were isolated form Soap Lake and have the ability to grow across a wide range of pH values (values ranging from 6.5 to 10.5). The antibiotics used in this study were selected because they are commonly used in orchard agriculture surrounding the lake (streptomycin and oxytetracycline). Additional antibiotics representing broader families which are commonly used in human pharmacology (ampicillin and sulfanolamide) were also employed. It should be noted that this is a preliminary study, and the inhibition of the bacteria due to antibiotics is inconclusive without further analysis at the molecular level.
