Date of Award

Summer 1999

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biological Sciences

Program/Concentration

Biology

Committee Director

Wayne L. Hynes

Committee Member

Keith A. Carson

Committee Member

Christopher Osgood

Call Number for Print

Special Collections LD4331.B46 J356

Abstract

The inhibitory activity exhibited by Staphylococcus hominis strain αM toward Mycobacterium species was examined. These studies included determining the conditions that maximized inhibitory agent production, analyzing characteristics of the agent, determining the time of agent production, ascertaining plasmid possession and the role of plasmids in the production of this inhibitory agent, and ascertaining the antimicrobial activity of other strains of S. hominis. On solid and in liquid media, S. hominis strain αM exhibits a unique inhibitory activity toward Mycobacterium species that is not demonstrated by Staphylococcus epidermidis or other S. hominis strains. Maximum agent production and recovery was accomplished when S. Hominis αM, inoculated in either Tryptic soy broth or Todd-Hewitt broth, was incubated for at least 18 hours at 37°C under aerobic (shaking) conditions. The agent was subjected to one-step 60% ammonium sulfate precipitation and polyethylene glycol concentration. The molecular weight of the agent was estimated by membrane filtration to be between 12000 and 30000 MW and was characterized as containing a heat-stable, acid-stable, and base-labile biologically active protein moiety. This agent displays a broad spectrum of inhibitory activity toward gram-positive bacteria but showed little effect on gram-negative organisms. Growth of S. hominis strain αM consists of a lag phase, with production of the agent occurring during logarithmic phase. S. hominis strain αM potentially possesses up to seven plasmids when examined electrophoretically and curing with various agents did not cease the anti-Mycobacterial activity.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/1mgp-am98

Download

Share

COinS