Antibiotic resistance in pathogens has forced scientists to develop new treatments for diseases. Mycrobacterium tuberculosis is a difficult pathogen to rid from a patient. Biologists have turned to the soil to find microbes that could produce molecules for new antibiotic drug treatments. The goal of this project was to test isolated soil microbes for antibiotic activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis, a non pathogenic relative of Mycrobacterium tuberculosis. Isolates that produced zones of inhibition were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. Organic extracts were made from the isolates, and several extracts inhibited M. smegmatis growth. HPLC compared the chemical profiles of several extracts. In total, 6 of the 21 tested isolates were found to have antibiotic activity against M. smegmatis.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Sullivan, Amanda M
• Snyder, Maria L

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042618-003515

Advisor

• Buckholt, Michael Allan
• Shell, Scarlet

Year

• 2018

Date created

• 2018-04-26

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biology & Biotechnology

Rights statement

• In Copyright