Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects
Date of Award
2015
Document Type
Honors Paper
Degree Name
Equine Pre-Veterinary/Pre-Graduate Studies-BS
Department
Equine Science
Advisor
Jennifer Bennett, Ph.D.
First Committee Member
John Tansey, Ph.D.
Second Committee Member
Michele Acker, Ph.D.
Keywords
Streptomyces scabies, Common Scab, Potato Pathogen, c-di-GMP
Subject Categories
Agriculture | Genetics
Abstract
Streptomyces scabies is a bacterial plant pathogen responsible for a condition known as common scab in potatoes and other tuber crops. Aerial hyphae and spore development have been shown to be regulated by cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) signaling in the non-pathogenic species Streptomyces coelicolor and Streptomyces venezuelae. The second messenger c-di-GMP is ubiquitous among bacteria and is connected to many functions such as: motility, virulence, and biofilm formation, but the effects of c-di-GMP signaling in other streptomycetes are unknown. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the function of the suspected S. scabies c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase genes SCAB11501 and SCAB27241 through the construction of deletion mutants. The effects these genes have on morphology, development, and virulence are of particular interest in this study. Successful S. scabies deletion mutants for SCAB27241 have been evaluated macro- and microscopically for differences in morphology between the mutants and wild type. Potato infection assays were performed in order to compare the mutant’s pathogenicity to that of the wild type. These phosphodiesterase genes may represent targets for antimicrobial agents that combat S. scabies infection and that of other related, prevalent agricultural pests.
Recommended Citation
Bickers, Bridget N., "Characterization of Suspected Cyclic di-GMP Metabolizing Genes in Streptomyces scabies" (2015). Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects. 20.
https://digitalcommons.otterbein.edu/stu_honor/20