Department
Biological Sciences
Major
Biological Sciences
Research Advisor
Westenberg, David
Advisor's Department
Biological Sciences
Funding Source
Biological Sciences Department
Abstract
This research project focuses on looking at different quorum-sensing positive strains in bradyrhizobium japonicum, a species of legume-root bacteria found in soybean plants across the Midwest. Soybean plants are a high-yield crop produced here in the midwest, bringing in more than 8 billion dollars in monetary output for our state, making it Missouri's economic engine. Our objective, is to use different chemical testing methods to distinguish genetic differences between negative strains. This can be done through polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, and gene editing. Our goal has been to PCR amplify a fine-tuned promoter then clone it into the gene. In previous studies, drought has been shown to reduce nitrogen fixation in plants. When bacteria infect these plants, they leave behind nodules containing different chemical compounds, and so by studying these strains grown in Missouri and learning what we can about the existing bacteria, we could potentially create a drought-resistant bacteria strain and focus on the genetics and competition that go into each compound makeup.
Biography
Amelia Markwell is a current Undergraduate Student at Missouri S& T, majoring in Biological Sciences. She has been working in Dr. Westenberg's lab since she was a freshman, and is involved in various campus extra curriculars including SCRUBS, HELIX, the Student Union Board, and more. Originally from Seattle, WA, Amelia graduated from Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School in the Spring of 2022 and hopes to continue her education in Medical School after her bachelor's degree. Outside of the classroom, Amelia enjoys playing in Viola in the Missouri S& T Orchestra, and can often be seen walking her Beagle, Winston around campus. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and volunteering.
Sophia Nicolette Militante is a freshman majoring in B. S. Biological Sciences, with an emphasis on Medical Laboratory Science. An international student from the Philippines, she is currently a First Year Research Experience (FYRE) participant under Dr. David Westen berg.
Research Category
Sciences
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Document Type
Poster
Award
Science Poster Session (Group) - First Place
Location
Innovation Forum - 1st Floor Innovation Lab
Presentation Date
10 April 2024, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Microbial Matrix: Genetic and Chemical Aspects of Cell-Cell Communication
Innovation Forum - 1st Floor Innovation Lab
This research project focuses on looking at different quorum-sensing positive strains in bradyrhizobium japonicum, a species of legume-root bacteria found in soybean plants across the Midwest. Soybean plants are a high-yield crop produced here in the midwest, bringing in more than 8 billion dollars in monetary output for our state, making it Missouri's economic engine. Our objective, is to use different chemical testing methods to distinguish genetic differences between negative strains. This can be done through polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, and gene editing. Our goal has been to PCR amplify a fine-tuned promoter then clone it into the gene. In previous studies, drought has been shown to reduce nitrogen fixation in plants. When bacteria infect these plants, they leave behind nodules containing different chemical compounds, and so by studying these strains grown in Missouri and learning what we can about the existing bacteria, we could potentially create a drought-resistant bacteria strain and focus on the genetics and competition that go into each compound makeup.
