Characterization of Bacteriophage Infection of Gordonia Species Utilizing an Optical Density-Based Approach

Date of Award

5-5-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Department

Biology

First Reader

Dr. Ruth Plymale

Second Reader

Dr. Nathan Reyna

Third Reader

Dr. Barbara Pemberton

Abstract

Bacteriophages are viruses that infect and replicate within bacterial hosts; phage-host interactions, including successful infections, play a role in shaping bacterial populations. This research aims to describe bacteriophage infection in Gordonia, a soil actinomycete. The infection efficacy of a phage is determined by analyzing the growth of infected bacteria and comparing it to an uninfected host. Optical density measurements are used to describe bacterial growth, with virus infection metrics determined by analyzing optical density values of uninfected and infected cultures over time. These experiments evaluated temperate Gordonia phages Goib, GrandSlam, and Ruthy on host species Gordonia terrae CAG3, Gordonia lacunae, and Gordonia rubripertincta. Preliminary results confirm findings previously observed in phage lambda, that temperate phages “choose” lysogeny over lysis at a high multiplicity of infection. This research will provide insights into how phage infection dynamics vary among different Gordonia host species, contributing to the understanding of phage-host interactions. The outcomes have implications for fields such as microbial ecology and phage biology, furthering our knowledge of phage infection dynamics and bacteriophage-host interactions.

Comments

This thesis is currently embargoed. It will be available May 2029.

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