Quorum Sensing inBradyrhizobium Japonicum
Department
Biological Sciences
Major
Biological Sciences
Research Advisor
Westenberg, David J.
Advisor's Department
Biological Sciences
Funding Source
Missouri S&T Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experiences (OURE) Program
Abstract
Bradyrhizobium japonicum is a soil dwelling bacterium that is known to nodulate soybean roots and conduct nitrogen fixation for the plant. We hypothesize that for this to happen, a process known as quorum sensing is important. Quorum sensing is a density dependent process, and it is the way the way that B. japonicum communicate with each other. We predict that B. japonicum must have a gene that controls production of the quorum sensing molecule. By finding this gene, it may be possible to use this information to better use B. japonicum as a natural fertilizer. Companies currently sell pre-inoculated seedlings that grow and nodulate correctly in the lab, but in real world application the plants do not nodulate correctly. We believe that this may be because the plants are pre-inoculated at high concentrations, which allows quorum sensing molecules to be released at high concentrations. This high concentration of quorum sensing molecules may hinder the ability of the bacteria to nodulate properly.
Biography
Adrian is from Corydon, IA and is a junior majoring in Biological Sciences at Missouri S&T. She will graduate in May 2015, and plans to continue on to graduate school for biomedical research. She is a member of Helix and works for the Missouri S&T Police as a Campus Service Officer, along with doing research in Dr. Westenberg’s lab. She would like to thank Dr. Westenberg for the opportunity to conduct research in his lab.
Research Category
Sciences
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Document Type
Poster
Location
Upper Atrium/Hall
Presentation Date
16 Apr 2014, 9:00 am - 11:45 am
Quorum Sensing inBradyrhizobium Japonicum
Upper Atrium/Hall
Bradyrhizobium japonicum is a soil dwelling bacterium that is known to nodulate soybean roots and conduct nitrogen fixation for the plant. We hypothesize that for this to happen, a process known as quorum sensing is important. Quorum sensing is a density dependent process, and it is the way the way that B. japonicum communicate with each other. We predict that B. japonicum must have a gene that controls production of the quorum sensing molecule. By finding this gene, it may be possible to use this information to better use B. japonicum as a natural fertilizer. Companies currently sell pre-inoculated seedlings that grow and nodulate correctly in the lab, but in real world application the plants do not nodulate correctly. We believe that this may be because the plants are pre-inoculated at high concentrations, which allows quorum sensing molecules to be released at high concentrations. This high concentration of quorum sensing molecules may hinder the ability of the bacteria to nodulate properly.
Comments
Joint project with Jeremiah Herbert