Phage Discovery
Session Number
Project ID: BIO 18
Advisor(s)
Dr. Crystal Randall; Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Discipline
Biology
Start Date
22-4-2020 10:05 AM
End Date
22-4-2020 10:20 AM
Abstract
In the SEA-Phages SIR, we attempted to discover new phages. Phages are the largest biomass on Earth and influence us globally. It is very important to study phages and their relationship to a host. A phage is a virus that infects and replicates within bacteria and archaea. They are unable to replicate by themselves. They require a bacterial host to reproduce. Phages have important applications in biotechnology and DNA sequences. Phages are specific for hosts. Since the late 19th century, phages have been used as an alternative for antibiotics. They can be used against multi-drug-resistant strains of bacteria. Phages are an important topic of research with diverse applications. We cultured the host and media, and tried to isolate viruses with different methods, such as plaque assays. We experimented with different types of soil, amounts of buffer, and methods of plaque assay. Our group worked with Arthrobacter globiformis, which is one of the species that is found in soil. A. globiformis uses ammonium salt or nitrate as a sole nitrogen source and glucose as a carbon and energy source. A. globiformis dissolves diverse iron complexes effectively and its siderophores have a high iron chelation capacity.
Phage Discovery
In the SEA-Phages SIR, we attempted to discover new phages. Phages are the largest biomass on Earth and influence us globally. It is very important to study phages and their relationship to a host. A phage is a virus that infects and replicates within bacteria and archaea. They are unable to replicate by themselves. They require a bacterial host to reproduce. Phages have important applications in biotechnology and DNA sequences. Phages are specific for hosts. Since the late 19th century, phages have been used as an alternative for antibiotics. They can be used against multi-drug-resistant strains of bacteria. Phages are an important topic of research with diverse applications. We cultured the host and media, and tried to isolate viruses with different methods, such as plaque assays. We experimented with different types of soil, amounts of buffer, and methods of plaque assay. Our group worked with Arthrobacter globiformis, which is one of the species that is found in soil. A. globiformis uses ammonium salt or nitrate as a sole nitrogen source and glucose as a carbon and energy source. A. globiformis dissolves diverse iron complexes effectively and its siderophores have a high iron chelation capacity.