Adenovirus (Ad) infection can lead to the activation of DNA damage response (DDR) pathways such as non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) if unchecked. To avert DDR interference, Ad encodes several proteins in early region 4 (E4) that regulate the DDR to promote viral replication. Specifically, E4 11kDa and 34kDa have been shown to interact with DNA-dependent […]
B35-P: Effect of Oxidative Stress on Mixed Antarctic Communities
Our general field of research is Microbial Ecology, and we sought to answer the question of how Antarctic microbial communities grow and change under oxidative stress. Antarctica is a perfect resource for studying microorganisms, as the ice-covered lakes are one of the few places where there is an entirely microbial food web. This simplified food […]
C28-P: Microbial Stress Resistance in Antarctic Lake Communities
The microbial communities of Antarctic lakes have evolved to thrive under the extreme conditions present in their niche habitats. Ranging from low temperatures to high salinity, a number of obstacles are present which these communities must overcome to survive. We exposed enrichment cultures isolated from two different Antarctic lakes, Lake Bonney, and Lake Fryxell, as […]
C34-P: MBI 223/224: Writing pages about phages: A genomic analysis of novel bacteriophages of Microbacterium foliorum and Mycobacterium smegmatis
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a smaller than usual Miami University Microbiology 223/224 class of 2020-2021 set out to culture, characterize, and annotate genomes of bacteriophages from Ohio and Pennsylvania soil and leaf samples capable of infecting the soil bacterium Microbacterium foliorum strain NRRL B-24224. In the fall semester of 2020, six lytic bacteriophages were isolated […]
C43-P: The Joys and Pains of Popular Science Writing
Efficient communication to a non-scientific audience requires unique skills, as the author must ‘translate’ complex scientific findings in an understandable fashion for the public. This skillset is captured in popular science writing, a writing subdiscipline where scientifically literate authors attempt to communicate scientific principles and discoveries to the general public. The Microbiology Club undertook a […]
B28-P: Importance of Light for Growth and Productivity of Antarctic Microbial Samples
Antarctic lake microbes survive in environments with a myriad of extreme conditions. Understanding microbial community structure and metabolic diversity in these stressful conditions is an underexplored topic in microbial ecology. Notably, these communities are largely dependent on photosynthesis to form the base of their food webs, and thus light availability has major implications on community […]
A93: MBI 223/224: No Matter How Small: Tiny Truffula & Other Novel Bacteriophages of Microbacterium foliorum
In Miami University’s Bacteriophage class, phages that infect Microbacterium foliorum were isolated. 12 of 20 phages were successfully isolated from organic matter and from that 3 were sequenced and later annotated in MBI 224. The three phages were from three different clusters: EE, EB, and EH. The EE and EB phages were found to be […]
A90: “All You Need is Love?” The Stigma Surrounding Failure to Thrive in West Africa
The immersion experience required for Global Health minors allows students to dive deeper into the world of Global Health through hands-on learning or volunteer experiences. My immersion was through the Global Health in The Gambia study abroad program, and it left me with many questions concerning maternal and pediatric health. Throughout my time in The […]
C61: Motility and Toxic Molecule Production as Potential Virulence Factors of the Human Opportunistic Pathogen Mycoplasma amphoriforme
Mycoplasma amphoriforme is a species of bacteria that is likely a human opportunistic pathogen contributing to respiratory tract infections (1). M. amphoriforme was first isolated in 1999, formally described in a patient in 2003 (1), and the first case of this species in the Western hemisphere was recently isolated (Xiao, unpublished). Accordingly, its full role […]
B37: Oil Degrading Microbial Communities
It is estimated that at least 600,000 metric tons of crude oil seep into the environment each year, and most human methods of decontamination are incomplete and costly (Das & Chandran, 2011). Microbial communities, made up of many species of interacting bacteria, provide a simple and effective solution to cleaning up oil, as natural communities […]
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