Department
Biological Sciences
Major
Biological Sciences
Research Advisor
Westenberg, David
Advisor's Department
Biological Sciences
Funding Source
UMR Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experiences (OURE) program.
Abstract
Quorum sensing allows bacteria to communicate with each other and coordinate their behavior with their surroundings. This communication uses autoinducers, such as Acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs), which is produced and secreted by several strains of Bradyrhizobium japonicum. This study characterizes the production of AHL in specific strains of B. japonicum and describes the relationship between AHL production and a supposed AHL synthase gene in the B. japonicum genome. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was performed on various bacterium strains to amplify the synthase gene. Extraction of AHLs from B. japonicum culture supernatants were used to analyze AHL production using thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The results indicate that some strains of B. japonicum produce detectable AHLs of different sizes while other strains do not produce as much AHLs. Surprisingly, AHL production does not appear to correspond precisely with the presence of an AHL synthase gene, indicating more than one pathway for AHL synthesis.
Biography
Shamim is a senior attending the University of Missouri-Rolla majoring in biological sciences (with pre-medicine emphasis) with a minor in cognitive neuroscience. Shamim is the daughter of Mohammad and Noorjehan Jaleel and is from Potosi, Missouri. On campus she is actively involved in Scrubs, Helix and is a work-study student for the Biological Sciences department. Off campus, she is a mentor/tutor at Harry S. Truman Elementary School and a volunteer for Hospice in Rolla, Missouri. Shamim plans to pursue a career in medicine.
Research Category
Natural Sciences
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Document Type
Poster
Location
Havener Center, Carver-Turner Room
Presentation Date
11 April 2007, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Characterization of Autoinducer Production in Bradyrhizobium japonicum
Havener Center, Carver-Turner Room
Quorum sensing allows bacteria to communicate with each other and coordinate their behavior with their surroundings. This communication uses autoinducers, such as Acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs), which is produced and secreted by several strains of Bradyrhizobium japonicum. This study characterizes the production of AHL in specific strains of B. japonicum and describes the relationship between AHL production and a supposed AHL synthase gene in the B. japonicum genome. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was performed on various bacterium strains to amplify the synthase gene. Extraction of AHLs from B. japonicum culture supernatants were used to analyze AHL production using thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The results indicate that some strains of B. japonicum produce detectable AHLs of different sizes while other strains do not produce as much AHLs. Surprisingly, AHL production does not appear to correspond precisely with the presence of an AHL synthase gene, indicating more than one pathway for AHL synthesis.
