Enteric Bacteriocin Case Study

Coli causes almost 100,000 illnesses and 30,000 hospitalizations, and 90 deaths annually in the United States alone.

2. List what it is caused by (specific scientific and common names of the organism: Escherichia coli

Scientists can study and manipulate genes by using precisely engineered plasmids, According to ADDGENE, a nonprofit plasmid repository, plasmids “have become possibly the most ubiquitous tools in the molecular biologist’s toolbox” (“What Is a Plasmid?”). In this experiment, we will use pGLO to genetically transform the bacteria E. coli. pGLO is a genetically engineered plasmid that carries the reporter genes for both green fluorescent proteins (GFP) and the ampicillin resistance. GFP, a protein typically found in the bioluminescent jellyfish Aequorea victoria, exhibits a bright green fluorescence in the presence of blue to UV wavelengths (Mecham); the protein absorbs UV light from the sun and emits it as a lower energy green light, exemplifying the second law of

The thioglycollate broth showed that Clostridium sporogenes, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, and Enterococcus faecalis all showed growth that was throughout the tube but there was a slight inhibition of growth at the very top of the tube. Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed growth throughout all of the tube including the very top of the tube. With the TSA + glucose plate, all the bacteria but C. sporogenes was able to grow on the plate aerobically. For the plates that were grown in anaerobic conditions, only C. sporogenes, E. coli, and E. faecalis were able to grow on the plates.

I had recently experienced the terror that is referred to as E. Coli. I can tell you all about how it is much worse than the flu, although I will also be talking about this one girl I stumbled upon on the internet also. She had a life threatening experience that you can definitely experience if you go untreated when finding out that you have E. Coli. She had it for 19 days straight when I had been extremely lucky that I had only had it for eight days. I know that I definitely did not feel lucky, but doing this project has let me realize that I was very fortunate. Some people just chalk it up as the stomach flu like my mother and aunt did, but my grandmother knew it was something more than that. She ended up taking me to Med Express which is not a very good place to go if you want to get a work release on the same day or week by the way. On top of the issues I had at the doctor it was nonstop viral- like symptoms that only got worse until they got better.

The purpose of this lab experiment was to measure the population growth of Escherichia coli, or E. coli, a type of bacteria that can be found in the human body, specifically in the large intestine. It works to aid in digestion as well as the absorption of essential nutrients. While E. coli is extremely beneficial to the human body and most populations are safe for humans, some cause disease if they end up in food that is eaten (Trzepacz et al.) Sickness can occur when waste reaches a water supply, eating meat that is not properly cooked, or drinking milk that is not pasteurized properly. When working with this form of bacteria, it is extremely important to keep it contained for safe measure (Belk et al.) Additionally, this bacterium has also been cited as a cause of infections involving the bloodstream that have life threatening consequences. It is increasingly troubling because antibiotics are now becoming resistant (Collington, 2009.) E. coli is like all other bacteria in the way it carries out reproduction, in that it produces asexually through the process of binary fission.

There is a bacterial infection affecting a large percent of band students at Truman and Jackson Middle School. The type of bacteria is E. coli.

Results of the “-DNA” plate coincide with the expectation of lawn growth due to the non-selective Luria broth and agar plate which allows for almost anything to grow. The “-DNA/+AMP” labeled plate also yields expected results with no bacterial cell growth. The cells do not contain DNA plasmid that encode for the antibiotic resistant gene, preventing the formation of the bacterial cell wall. There is a discrepancy in the agar plate labeled “+DNA/+AMP” because a blue colony is observed and the plate contains bacterial cells. This unexpected growth could be due to cross contamination with the “+DNA/+AMP/+IPTG” plate. For the last plate (+DNA/+AMP/+IPTG), the observations solidify the expectancy of minimal bacterial growth with production of pigmentation. One colony is observed with satellite cells, in addition to a miniscule spot of blue pigmentation. The “Competent” cells are capable of resisting ampicillin. IPTG, the inducible promoter, results in the production of color. With gene regulation, “competent” cells can acclimate to their environment due to methods of turning genes on and off5.

In 1899, Thiercelin found a new gram positive diplococcus that he named enterocoque, suggesting that he believed that this bacterium had something to do with the intestines. He also described finding this bacterium in patients who had enteritis, appendicitis and meningitis (Murray). In 1906, Andrewes and Hoarder isolated this same bacterium from a patient suffering from endocarditis and they also discovered a relationship with urinary tract infections. They named it Streptococcus faecalis, again because of similarities to the human intestinal tract (Murray). Other early 20th century instances of infection where S. faecalis has been associated but not known to be definitively causative include wound infections after World War I, osteomyelitis,

Many people think of Escherichia coli as only a severe intestinal illness caused by eating uncooked, contaminated water, or unwashed fruits, but it is much more than only a negative (Amenu et al., 2014). The quick regeneration time of Escherichia coli makes it extremely useful in laboratory studies. In terms of research, a useful aspect of Escherichia coli is the extensive amount of information we have on them (Archer et al., 2011). Scientists have used Escherichia coli to host proteins, and it has been excellent resource for evolution studies as the bacteria has adapted frequently over the years (Archer et al., 2011). The non- pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli are frequently used in medical investigations involving diseases that are difficult to work with. Examples of these diseases include cancer or anthrax poisoning (Das et al., 2013).

These mutations, no matter what process that has led to their occurrence, block the action of antibiotics by interfering with their mechanism of action (1). Currently, antibiotics attack bacteria through one of two mechanisms. In both mechanisms the antibiotic enters the microbe and interferes with production of the components needed to form new bacterial cells. Some antibiotics act on the cell membrane, causing increased permeability and leakage of cell contents. Other antibiotics interfere with protein synthesis in cells. They block one or more of the steps involved in the transformation of nucleic acids into proteins.

Overtime, the evolution of bacteria has been utilized as a tool to produce medicines such as insulin and even varios growth hormones. Transformational success of bacteria is mainly due to versatile genetic coding, enabling researchers to transfer DNA to numerous amounts of organisms. Studies have utilized quantitative analysis to design experiments and expose Escherichia coli, commonly known as E-Coli, to a plasmid surface obtaining genes that have the potential to resist Ampicillin, which is identified as an antibiotic. A substance known as Calcium chloride was used to eliminate repulsion that existed between the DNA and cell wall of the bacteria. The Heat shock method was utilized to give DNA a required energy boost to enter the bacteria

Bacteria naturally evolve based on changing environmental circumstances. They modify their genome, making their target site less vulnerable towards antibiotics. Enhancing mutagenesis, allows these genes to maintain the cell’s integrity. Bacteria has an SOS stress response which activates when antibiotics damage bacterial chromosomal DNA.

The Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a facultative gram negative rod-shaped bacterium. It is commonly seen in the intestinal tract of humans and animals. E. coli is the most rampant member of the large bacterial family, Enterobacteriaceae, (Sorumand, 2001). This intestinal bacterium can be easily spread in diverse ecosystems. For this purpose, faecal E. coli is noted to be a key indicator for the selective density applied by the use of antimicrobials on intestinal inhabitants of bacteria (van den Bogaard and Stobberingh, 2000). E. coli and associated bacteria comprise about 0.1% of gut flora, and faecal-oral transmission is the main route through which pathogenic strains of the bacterium cause

In gene expression DNA, the blueprint of life is transcribed into RNA, a nucleic acid that acts as a messenger carrying instructions that control the synthesis of proteins. Gene expression is vital to determining cell functions and exactly how much protein should be produced by the cell. The process in which the end proteins are modified can also be manipulated by researchers. The types of cells which are typically handled in laboratories include prokaryotes. Escherichia coli is a bacteria found in the human digestive system, preventing other pathogens from residing. Certain E. coli strains can be pathogenic and can lead to food poisoning, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and gastrointestinal infections. Ampicillin is an antibiotic