TB is a disease caused by M. tuberculosis; it’s one of the leading causes of death globally from a single pathogen. Antibiotic resistant TB has developed. This study worked to discover new antibiotics and study how they affect TB. A WPI class collects soil microbes to find new antibiotics. Our project worked with microbes that were able to inhibit the growth of M. smegmatis. Four isolates showed potential antibiotic activity; extracts from these were tested to discover the responsible compound. One extract shows promise of having an antibiotic compound. To understand antibiotic effects on gene expression, data from RNAseq analysis of oxidative stress on the M. smegmatis genome was done. Hypothetical and DNA repair proteins were identified as the most affected.

• 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

• Murphy, Rachel Lee
• Tegan, Caeli
• Maffucci, Casey

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042618-114102

Advisor

• Buckholt, Michael Allan
• Shell, Scarlet
• Korkin, Dmitry

Year

• 2018

Date created

• 2018-04-26

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Interdisciplinary
• Biology & Biotechnology

Rights statement

• In Copyright