Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Date of Award

Spring 2023

Document Type

Honors Paper

Degree Name

Biology-BS

Department

Biology & Earth Science

Advisor

Dr. Jennifer Bennett

First Committee Member

Dr. Jennifer Bennett

Second Committee Member

Dr. David Sheridan

Third Committee Member

Dr. Anthony DeStefanis

Keywords

Streptomyces, Bacterial Development, Chromosome Segregation, Bacteria

Subject Categories

Biology | Cell and Developmental Biology | Higher Education | Molecular Biology

Abstract

Streptomyces coelicolor is a gram-positive bacterium found in soil. The bacterium can be used for the creation of antibiotics and as a model system for prokaryotic development. Unlike some bacteria, S. coelicolor has linear chromosomes with a multicellular life cycle, consisting of filaments with multi-genomic compartments and later single genomes within spore compartments. During sporulation, chromosome segregation is most noticeable in S. coelicolor along with cellular division to form evenly spaced septa. For chromosomal segregation to take place, the ParABS system is used. ParA and ParB proteins allow for the positioning of the oriC locus during chromosomal segregation. While these proteins control the subcellular localization of oriC, ParA and ParB also organize in the subcellular space to create segregation. While ParAB may play a major role in chromosomal segregation, mutations of each gene only display small phenotypic effects on growth. In addition, chromosomal segregation is strongly correlated with cell division during sporulation, meaning that there is a controlled mechanism for segregation although the exact mechanism remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to characterize a novel gene which may be a contributor to chromosomal segregation in S. coelicolor. This will be done by constructing a deletion mutant of the gene in S. coelicolor and then compared to similar mutants in S. venezuelae.

Licensing Permission

Copyright, all rights reserved. Fair Use

Acknowledgement 1

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Acknowledgement 2

1

Available for download on Sunday, April 18, 2027

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