A Search for a Solution to Antibiotic-Resistance: Uncovering Phage from Soil Samples that Bind to a Type III Secretion System of Yersinia pestis
Abstract
The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has recently become a major global health concern, requiring new methods to successfully combat these highly resistant microbes. One promising alternative to traditional antibiotics is phage therapy, where bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) are utilized to target and kill bacteria. This study primarily focuses on discovering phages that are effective against Yersinia pestis (Y. pestis), the bacteria responsible for bubonic and pneumonic plague. One distinctive aspect of Y. pestis is its utilization of a type III secretion system (T3SS), a needle-like structure used to inject host cells with toxins that lead to infection. The goal of this research is to identify phages that bind to the T3SS of Y. pestis. Soil samples were collected from various locations and analyzed for the presence of phages. The samples were mixed with BHI broth for 1 h at 37℃, filtered, and enriched by inoculation with Y. pestis for 48h to allow phage to replicate. Then, the enriched samples were filtered and subjected to a spot test, where each enriched phage lysate sample was plated on BHI top agar with Y. pestis for analysis. The findings from this study will provide invaluable information regarding the use of phage therapy and the potential of phages as an alternative treatment for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In addition, this research lays the foundation for future treatments against other bacteria that employ T3SS.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. Julie Torruellas Garcia
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-5-2023 12:00 PM
End Date
4-6-2023 4:00 PM
A Search for a Solution to Antibiotic-Resistance: Uncovering Phage from Soil Samples that Bind to a Type III Secretion System of Yersinia pestis
Alvin Sherman Library
The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has recently become a major global health concern, requiring new methods to successfully combat these highly resistant microbes. One promising alternative to traditional antibiotics is phage therapy, where bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) are utilized to target and kill bacteria. This study primarily focuses on discovering phages that are effective against Yersinia pestis (Y. pestis), the bacteria responsible for bubonic and pneumonic plague. One distinctive aspect of Y. pestis is its utilization of a type III secretion system (T3SS), a needle-like structure used to inject host cells with toxins that lead to infection. The goal of this research is to identify phages that bind to the T3SS of Y. pestis. Soil samples were collected from various locations and analyzed for the presence of phages. The samples were mixed with BHI broth for 1 h at 37℃, filtered, and enriched by inoculation with Y. pestis for 48h to allow phage to replicate. Then, the enriched samples were filtered and subjected to a spot test, where each enriched phage lysate sample was plated on BHI top agar with Y. pestis for analysis. The findings from this study will provide invaluable information regarding the use of phage therapy and the potential of phages as an alternative treatment for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In addition, this research lays the foundation for future treatments against other bacteria that employ T3SS.
