Identification of Bacteria and its Secondary Metabolites from Unique Paleosol
Abstract
The ‘Golden Age of Antibiotics’ is coming to an end due to chronic misuse and abuse of antibiotics. Bacteria produce novel chemical compounds as a means of defense against other competing bacteria in their natural soil environments. Humans can utilize these compounds as novel antibiotics, as a means of combating pathogens that developed mechanisms to oppose these commonly used antibiotics. Scientists have decided that exploring regions of the earth that have been minimally impacted by human interference may contain answers that the medical field has been after in terms of solving the antibiotic crisis. The answers may exist in soil from these unique landscape regions, in particular from ancient soils that date back thousands of years. Our team worked with soil from South Dakota, deemed Paleosol, that has been determined to be from a period approximately 13,000 years ago. During the Bølling Allerød, a unique period of warmer climate conditions fell between two historical ice ages. Given the changes in the environment, it is believed to be soil minimally affected by humans. Based on the unique properties and content of Paleosol, we aim to discover bacteria from this soil and identify any chemical compounds that exhibit antibiotic properties. Furthermore, we aim to perform chemical analysis of these compounds to compare them with the compounds made by bacteria obtained from soil in present time.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. Aarti Raja, Dr. Paul Baldauf
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-5-2023 12:00 PM
End Date
4-6-2023 4:00 PM
Identification of Bacteria and its Secondary Metabolites from Unique Paleosol
Alvin Sherman Library
The ‘Golden Age of Antibiotics’ is coming to an end due to chronic misuse and abuse of antibiotics. Bacteria produce novel chemical compounds as a means of defense against other competing bacteria in their natural soil environments. Humans can utilize these compounds as novel antibiotics, as a means of combating pathogens that developed mechanisms to oppose these commonly used antibiotics. Scientists have decided that exploring regions of the earth that have been minimally impacted by human interference may contain answers that the medical field has been after in terms of solving the antibiotic crisis. The answers may exist in soil from these unique landscape regions, in particular from ancient soils that date back thousands of years. Our team worked with soil from South Dakota, deemed Paleosol, that has been determined to be from a period approximately 13,000 years ago. During the Bølling Allerød, a unique period of warmer climate conditions fell between two historical ice ages. Given the changes in the environment, it is believed to be soil minimally affected by humans. Based on the unique properties and content of Paleosol, we aim to discover bacteria from this soil and identify any chemical compounds that exhibit antibiotic properties. Furthermore, we aim to perform chemical analysis of these compounds to compare them with the compounds made by bacteria obtained from soil in present time.
