Francisella Tularemia Research Paper

The bacterium that causes tularemia is Francisella tularensis. The bacterium Francisella tularensis is a pathogenic species of Gram-negative bacteria which is nonmotile, and strictly aerobic; it is also the causative agent of the pneumonic form of tularemia, which is often lethal without treatment. In the gram stain it is red/pink in color and it appears in small rods.

Mitochondria are small organelles found in eukaryotic cells which respire aerobically. They are responsible for generating energy from food to ‘power the cell’. They contain their own DNA, reproducing by dividing in 2. As they closely resemble bacteria, it gave the idea that they were derived from bacteria (which were engulfed by ancestors of the eukaryotes we know today). This idea has since been confirmed from further investigations, and it is now widely accepted. (Alberts et al., 2010a)

This lab experiment was done for the purpose of learning how to determine a gram negative bacterium based on multiple tests learned throughout the semester. My gram negative unknown bacterium given to me was Salmonella typhimurium based off of the following tests; Triple Sugar Iron Agar (TSIA), Sulfate Indole Motility (SIM), Methyl Red (MR), Voges-Proskaur (VP), Citrate, Urea Hydrolysis, and Gelatin Hydrolysis. Each test performed gives results such as motility, acid production, fermentation, carbon requirements, or detection of certain coenzymes. With a process of elimination, I determined which bacteria it was not and which bacterium I had, S. typhimurium. The expectation was to master the techniques for each test and utilize the results to determine the unknown bacterium I was given within a two-week period.

Methods and materials The first process of identifying the bacteria was obtaining a TSA plate and using the streak method called the three sector technique. The streak plate is used for the purpose of separating the two bacteria’s and establishing colonies as explained in the lab manual. The two plates were incubated at 37 degrees Celsius for a period of forty eight hours.

The most likely causative agent that infected the patient is the Francisella tularensis bacteria. This gram-negative, facultative intracellular pathogen is the causes agent of the Tularemia, which lead to the type of disease that is manifested in the patient is called Tularemia disease.

On the other side of the case is the young white woman, Mayella, who accused the black man, Tom, of assaulting her. Being from a very poor family, she is not given the amount of respect she wants in the courtroom, but is soon not taken seriously after the secret that her father is the one assaulting her is discovered.

faecalis is belonged to Alcaligenes genus in Alcaligenaceae family, according to Foundations in Microbiology: “It is a group of non-fermentative, oxidase-positive, motile bacteria … Members of Alcaligenes live primarily in soil and water habitats, and they may also become established as normal microbiota. The most common clinical species. A. faecalis, is isolated from feces, sputum, and urine. It is occasionally associated with opportunistic infections such as pneumonia, septicemia, and meningitis” (pg. 612). A. faecalis bacterium has those characteristics such as tiny size, thin/ rod/ coccobacillus shaped, a light cream color that is growth at room temperature (37 Celsius degree) as least from 24 to 48 hours to be seen. The bacteria also preferably to growth on nutrient agar slant broth and medium; the elevation is flat. Base on my observation, it is a gram-negative aerobe bacteria have motile and flagellated because when I looked under the microscope for gram-stain with oil immersion lens, and the color of the bacterium is pink. Moreover, Microbacteria: A Laboratory Manual does provide a chart on page 216 giving all of the important of cultural and biochemical characteristics about A. faecalis bacterium; litmus milk reaction test results as alkaline, fermentation including lactose, dextrose, and sucrose are having negative results, majority tests are negative except citrate test (can be positive or negative), catalase activity, and oxidase activity is giving positive

Table 3 shows Gram stain results that indicated C. Freundii as a gram negative bacterium in rod shapes scattered in singles and some in pairs. Each gram stain produced the same results. The Bartholomew and Mittwer method of endospore staining indicated that C. Freundii tested negative for endospore formation. Table 4 shows the biochemical test results of the unknown and the official test results for comparison.

The article Replacing the cell’s power plants by Eric A. Shoubridge discusses the DNA found within mitochondria. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) differs from nuclear DNA as it is inherited from only the mother. However, the mtDNA can also contain mutations which, similar to the nuclear DNA, have the potential to cause severe complications. Due to the mtDNA being restricted to the mitochondria multiple approaches have been developed in effort to reduce or prevent the amount and effect of mtDNA mutations.

Tularemia is a disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. F. tularensis is a microorganism belonging to the Domain Bacteria, Phylum Proteobacteria, Class Gammaproteobacteria, Order Thiotrichales, Family Francisellaceae, Genus Francisella and species tularensis. This microorganism is considered to be in the Domain Bacteria rather than in the Domain Archaea for a few reasons. Not only does F. tularensis not have a nucleus, but it is also unicellular and contains a single circular dsDNA. The plasma membrane is also composed of a series of unbranched fatty acids that are connected to glycerol molecules via ester linkages, all characteristic of Domain Bacteria (5).

One organism that commonly causes diseases in humans is Yersinia pestis. This bacterium is the causative agent of the infamous bubonic plague, primary septicaemic plague, and primary pneumonic plague. Y. pestis was first discovered by Shibasaburo Kitasato and Alexandre Yersin, but due to Yersin’s description of the bacteria being more accurate, this bacterium was named after him (3). There are still disputes going on for who had correctly identified Y. pestis first.

One of the fascinating things I have learned in Cell Biology was how the uncoupling ATP synthesis works in the mitochondria, and we now use this to create DNP, a weight loss drug. We have 37 trillion cells in our body, and mitochondria is one of the many organelles in our cells, the basic unit of all living things. Amazingly, the discovering the mechanisms of ATP synthesis in that tiny compartment has changed the lives of thousands of people through pharmaceuticals.

They provide the energy needed for the cell to carry out their functions. They have a double-layered membrane and have their very own DNA. Importantly, they are involved in immune response. These characteristics make them targets for pathogens.4 Contrary to what one might expect, the bacterial pathogens that target the mitochondria regulate the apoptotic properties of the organelle more so than their immune properties.4 They are able to alter the amount of survival and apoptosis of a cell and use that to their advantage.4 What makes this entire process possible is the bacterial MLS gene.5 These proteins interact with receptors on the mitochondrial membrane and once bound, they initate a signal cascade inside the organelle.5 MLS containing proteins can be found and are active in L.pneumophila. This bacterium does appear to use this strategy in certain situations, but more complete analysis is still required because the process is still

As mitochondria are present in every cell (except RBC), the main function of mitochondria is generating ATP (energy currency) via oxidative metabolism of tricarboxylic acid cycle,

This study has very specific measures and methods to acquire the best results to prove their hypothesis that, "the quantity of mitochondria present in prostate cancer cells might be of clinical relevance, and that the cellular mitochondria content might vary between prostate cancer subgroups harboring different key molecular alterations that might influence cell metabolism". First, prostate antigens levels were measured following patient surgery. The prostate specimens were embedded for histological analysis. Next, they took the a small core of tissue from each patient, the tissue was then distributed throughout 24 TMA blocks; each block containing the tumor samples. Lastly for the procedure each slide was exposed to heat and put into an autoclave before incubation with MTCO2. The study showed MTCO2 was within the cytoplasm of the prostate cancer cells and was intense compared to a normal prostate