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Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is a predatory bacterium that may serve as a living antibiotic by destroying biofilms and invading gram-negative bacteria. Swimming at over 100μm s-1, these predators collide into their prey and invade them to complete their life cycle. While previous experiments have investigated B. bacteriovorus’ motility, no study has

Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is a predatory bacterium that may serve as a living antibiotic by destroying biofilms and invading gram-negative bacteria. Swimming at over 100μm s-1, these predators collide into their prey and invade them to complete their life cycle. While previous experiments have investigated B. bacteriovorus’ motility, no study has yet collected swim speed variations over the lifespan of B. bacteriovorus. In this study, we used state-of-the-art bacterial tracking methods to record the speed of tens of thousands of bacteria. These results were used to describe their metabolic state under starvation conditions in which they lose energy in a dissipative manner by propelling themselves at high speeds through solution. In particular, we investigated the metabolic response of starved predators to the addition of prey-lysate.
ContributorsCarlson, Mikayla Lynn (Co-author) / David, Rowland (Co-author) / Presse, Steve (Thesis director) / Gile, Gillian (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description

Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus (B. bacteriovorus) is a predatory bacterium that preys on other gram-negative bacteria. In order to survive and reproduce, B. bacteriovorus invades the periplasm of other bacterial cells creating the potential for it to act as a “living antibiotic”. In this work, a comparison was made between the rates

Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus (B. bacteriovorus) is a predatory bacterium that preys on other gram-negative bacteria. In order to survive and reproduce, B. bacteriovorus invades the periplasm of other bacterial cells creating the potential for it to act as a “living antibiotic”. In this work, a comparison was made between the rates of predation of B. bacteriovorus in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, the behavior of B. bacteriovorus was examined in the presence of prey. In vivo, the behavior of B. bacteriovorus was examined in the presence of prey and a living host, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). C. elegans were infected with Escherichia coli (E. coli) and treated with B. bacteriovorus. In previous studies that analyzed B. bacteriovorus in vitro, a decrease in concentrations of bacteria has been observed after introduction of B. bacteriovorus. In vivo, B. bacteriovorus were found to not have a net reduction of E. coli but to reproducibly raise the level of fluctuations in E. coli concentrations.

ContributorsPerry, Nicole (Author) / Presse, Steve (Thesis director) / Mangone, Marco (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor)
Created2023-05
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OP50 Esherichia coli is a Gram-negative bacterium with a fast replication rate and can be easily manipulated, making it a model species for many science disciplines. To probe this bacterium’s search strategy, cultures were starved and the cell velocity was probed at various points later in time after perturbing the

OP50 Esherichia coli is a Gram-negative bacterium with a fast replication rate and can be easily manipulated, making it a model species for many science disciplines. To probe this bacterium’s search strategy, cultures were starved and the cell velocity was probed at various points later in time after perturbing the buffer in which the bacteria were located. To start, we added E.coli OP50 filtrate. In yet another experiment filtrate from a Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus (Gram-negative predator) culture was added to monitor the OP50’s differential response to cues from its environment. Using MATLAB code, thousands of E.coli tracks were measured.
ContributorsSanchez, Alec Jesus (Author) / Presse, Steve (Thesis director) / Gile, Gillian (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05