Start Date
27-4-2023 9:00 AM
Document Type
Poster
Description
Antibiotic resistance is an ongoing problem in which bacteria are capable of withstanding antibiotics intended to kill or inhibit their growth. The earth’s soil, a widely available resource, is inhabited by billions of microorganisms. Among these microorganisms are bacteria. Bacterial colonies from the soil can be cultured to observe whether certain colonies will emit chemicals to inhibit the growth of other bacteria. Colonies that present strong zones of inhibition are potential candidates for the creation of antibiotics. A bacterial colony, named “A,” was produced from a silty soil sample in Shawnee, Kansas. In a serial dilution of the soil sample, colony “A” created a strong zone of inhibition against other colonies. When tested against safe relatives of pathogenic species, “A” inhibited Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Acinetobacter baylyi, and Escherichia coli. The tests that were performed indicated that this particular colony could be a strong antibiotic candidate.
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Antibiotic Potential of Soil Microbes
Antibiotic resistance is an ongoing problem in which bacteria are capable of withstanding antibiotics intended to kill or inhibit their growth. The earth’s soil, a widely available resource, is inhabited by billions of microorganisms. Among these microorganisms are bacteria. Bacterial colonies from the soil can be cultured to observe whether certain colonies will emit chemicals to inhibit the growth of other bacteria. Colonies that present strong zones of inhibition are potential candidates for the creation of antibiotics. A bacterial colony, named “A,” was produced from a silty soil sample in Shawnee, Kansas. In a serial dilution of the soil sample, colony “A” created a strong zone of inhibition against other colonies. When tested against safe relatives of pathogenic species, “A” inhibited Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Acinetobacter baylyi, and Escherichia coli. The tests that were performed indicated that this particular colony could be a strong antibiotic candidate.
Comments
The faculty mentor for this project was Jamie Cunningham, Biology.