This blog is devoted to BIOL 6988, a graduate level seminar in the biological sciences at Youngstown State University. While targeted towards graduate students, BIOL 6988 actively incorporates undergraduate participants in their scholastic endeavors in the biological sciences. This blog is intended as a educational tool not just for YSU students and faculty, but for anyone who wishes to contribute to an active-learning environment.
Don’t let the title fool you, Andrew’s presentation on the two-component gold-sensor histidine kinase regulator in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia was anything but boring. Utilizing techniques found in active learning, Andrew kept the class engaged by asking students multiple questions and relating his research back to information learned in undergraduate classes. This allowed students to easily follow along his presentation even if they didn’t have knowledge of his research beforehand.
Andrew began his presentation with background information about the Y-12 Plant and the contamination of East Fork Poplar Creek located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. It was there that the S02 strain of bacteria was isolated from soil samples. After discovering that it was more resistant to heavy metals when compared to the wild type, it became a target for further research. Andrew’s primary goal was to perform transposon mutagenesis in order to identify gold resistance genes. He successfully created a mutant strain, A12, that was less resistant to gold chloride concentrations. Future work is planned to verify that the transposon only inserted in one place and to identify which genes are regulated by the gold-sensor histidine kinase protein.
What did you find most interesting about Andrew’s presentation? Do you think the more resistant S02 strain of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia will have any long-term impact on the local environment around the Y-12 plant?
I really enjoyed listening to Andy's presentation. I think what I found most interesting was seeing how he went about creating the mutant strain, because for my thesis project I am currently in the process of trying to make a mutant as well. It is possible that the SO2 strain of Strenotrophomonas maltophilia may have long term impacts on the environment, such as the growth of plants in the area or even the living organisms in the water.
Firstly, I want to respect the reference to Big Yellow Taxi by Counting Crows cause that song is a jam and a half. Secondly, the presentation was great. The one criticism I have is that Andy may have spent a tad too long with the background. It did serve to add some magnitude to subject matter at hand. We don't often consider the effects of nuclear waste production on life at a microbial level. Andy and Dr. Caguiat's research provides a unique vantage point into considering the effects these heavy metal resistant bacteria can have on the ecology.
Andrew's presentation provided interesting background information that really fleshed out his research project. Though the background information could have been shortened, it really gave some great historical and environmental context to compliment his research. Given that the So2 strain of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is more resistant to metals, the So2 strain will probably become the most prolific and successful microorganism in the areas surrounding the Y-12 plant.
Andy's presentation could have been shorter in the background area and the class interaction really detracted from the presentation and made me cringe. The data was solid, but it seemed to take forever to get there. In response to Shane's question, I do not believe that this mutant will have any impact on the Poplar Creek area because it was made in a lab and not found in nature. To be honest I'm not sure what looking at the gold resistance means to the area. Sure he made a mutant that was more sensitive to gold, but why? Are we planning on taking those genes and putting them into the wild-type cells? Due to the location of the original culture, it is not surprising that the strains have more metal resistance, but what does this finding actually relate to? None of this is meant against Andy, I guess I just need help understanding where this research fits into the grand scheme.
I have to agree with being unsure of the prospects of a gold mutant created in a laboratory setting. Such a mutant would help elucidate the structures and mechanisms of action for heavy metal ion exporters in the bacterium, but as of now it is only applicable in the lab at YSU. Andy could have included a short section about how this research would be relevant to future environmental cleanup efforts to help the general audience understand since how this would benefit the world. As of now, attempting to introduce the genes (more sensitive to gold) into wildtype bacteria might cause them to die before the genes could be transferred into other bacteria. In addition, there will be varying amounts of gold in the East Fork Poplar Creek area that would cause pockets of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia that survive the environmental contaminants. There was good technique in creating and screening the mutant, and in sequencing the DNA to find what genes were affected by the transposon mutagenesis. It must have taken a lot of time and meticulous work. I would have personally added trendlines into the viability graphs to give a better visual of the downward growth trend as gold concentration increased.
I agree with Brett and Joey in saying that Andy could have given a tad less background information. While it was good for those of us who don't know about his research, I think it took away from the bigger picture of what he is trying to get at. While having heavy metals in the water supply is bad, I don't think I fully understand why gold was targeted. Therefore, I don't think gold levels alone can give a big enough impact on the surrounding ecosystem. However, due to the lack of data presented in this seminar, I am unsure of the bigger question and what direction this project will be taken in.
Andrew's presentation was really a good one. I loved the way he explained the whole process of transposon mutagenesis. I found it very educative and it enlightened me so much since am doing transposon mutagenisis on my microbial physiology lab.I concur with others about the background information being too wide. For Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, it can really have an adverse effect on the environment more especially to human health since it forms biofilms on various abiotic and biotic surfaces and thus are responsible for a number of human diseases and are resistance to host defense systems and antibiotics and this can be really difficult to treat.
Andrew's Presentation was great.It was interesting to know more about Transposon Mutagenesis in details.The Strain So2 of Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia will surely have a huge impact on local environment ,as it is rapidly evolving as a nosococomial pathogen ,treatment of these infections are problematic because of their increasing resistant to multiple antibiotics, I agree to Micheal, given that the So2 strain of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is more resistant to metals, the So2 strain will probably become the most prolific and successful microorganism in the areas surrounding the Y-12 plant
Don’t let the title fool you, Andrew’s presentation on the two-component gold-sensor histidine kinase regulator in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia was anything but boring. Utilizing techniques found in active learning, Andrew kept the class engaged by asking students multiple questions and relating his research back to information learned in undergraduate classes. This allowed students to easily follow along his presentation even if they didn’t have knowledge of his research beforehand.
ReplyDeleteAndrew began his presentation with background information about the Y-12 Plant and the contamination of East Fork Poplar Creek located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. It was there that the S02 strain of bacteria was isolated from soil samples. After discovering that it was more resistant to heavy metals when compared to the wild type, it became a target for further research. Andrew’s primary goal was to perform transposon mutagenesis in order to identify gold resistance genes. He successfully created a mutant strain, A12, that was less resistant to gold chloride concentrations. Future work is planned to verify that the transposon only inserted in one place and to identify which genes are regulated by the gold-sensor histidine kinase protein.
What did you find most interesting about Andrew’s presentation? Do you think the more resistant S02 strain of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia will have any long-term impact on the local environment around the Y-12 plant?
I really enjoyed listening to Andy's presentation. I think what I found most interesting was seeing how he went about creating the mutant strain, because for my thesis project I am currently in the process of trying to make a mutant as well. It is possible that the SO2 strain of Strenotrophomonas maltophilia may have long term impacts on the environment, such as the growth of plants in the area or even the living organisms in the water.
DeleteFirstly, I want to respect the reference to Big Yellow Taxi by Counting Crows cause that song is a jam and a half. Secondly, the presentation was great. The one criticism I have is that Andy may have spent a tad too long with the background. It did serve to add some magnitude to subject matter at hand. We don't often consider the effects of nuclear waste production on life at a microbial level. Andy and Dr. Caguiat's research provides a unique vantage point into considering the effects these heavy metal resistant bacteria can have on the ecology.
ReplyDeleteAndrew's presentation provided interesting background information that really fleshed out his research project. Though the background information could have been shortened, it really gave some great historical and environmental context to compliment his research. Given that the So2 strain of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is more resistant to metals, the So2 strain will probably become the most prolific and successful microorganism in the areas surrounding the Y-12 plant.
ReplyDeleteAndy's presentation could have been shorter in the background area and the class interaction really detracted from the presentation and made me cringe. The data was solid, but it seemed to take forever to get there.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Shane's question, I do not believe that this mutant will have any impact on the Poplar Creek area because it was made in a lab and not found in nature. To be honest I'm not sure what looking at the gold resistance means to the area. Sure he made a mutant that was more sensitive to gold, but why? Are we planning on taking those genes and putting them into the wild-type cells? Due to the location of the original culture, it is not surprising that the strains have more metal resistance, but what does this finding actually relate to? None of this is meant against Andy, I guess I just need help understanding where this research fits into the grand scheme.
I have to agree with being unsure of the prospects of a gold mutant created in a laboratory setting. Such a mutant would help elucidate the structures and mechanisms of action for heavy metal ion exporters in the bacterium, but as of now it is only applicable in the lab at YSU. Andy could have included a short section about how this research would be relevant to future environmental cleanup efforts to help the general audience understand since how this would benefit the world. As of now, attempting to introduce the genes (more sensitive to gold) into wildtype bacteria might cause them to die before the genes could be transferred into other bacteria. In addition, there will be varying amounts of gold in the East Fork Poplar Creek area that would cause pockets of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia that survive the environmental contaminants.
DeleteThere was good technique in creating and screening the mutant, and in sequencing the DNA to find what genes were affected by the transposon mutagenesis. It must have taken a lot of time and meticulous work. I would have personally added trendlines into the viability graphs to give a better visual of the downward growth trend as gold concentration increased.
^ This is Errek Pham, by the way. Attempting to submit comments with my Gmail account doesn't seem to want to cooperate.
DeleteI agree with Brett and Joey in saying that Andy could have given a tad less background information. While it was good for those of us who don't know about his research, I think it took away from the bigger picture of what he is trying to get at. While having heavy metals in the water supply is bad, I don't think I fully understand why gold was targeted. Therefore, I don't think gold levels alone can give a big enough impact on the surrounding ecosystem. However, due to the lack of data presented in this seminar, I am unsure of the bigger question and what direction this project will be taken in.
ReplyDeleteAndrew's presentation was really a good one. I loved the way he explained the whole process of transposon mutagenesis. I found it very educative and it enlightened me so much since am doing transposon mutagenisis on my microbial physiology lab.I concur with others about the background information being too wide.
ReplyDeleteFor Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, it can really have an adverse effect on the environment more especially to human health since it forms biofilms on various abiotic and biotic surfaces and thus are responsible for a number of human diseases and are resistance to host defense systems and antibiotics and this can be really difficult to treat.
Andrew's Presentation was great.It was interesting to know more about Transposon Mutagenesis in details.The Strain So2 of Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia will surely have a huge impact on local environment ,as it is rapidly evolving as a nosococomial pathogen ,treatment of these infections are problematic because of their increasing resistant to multiple antibiotics, I agree to Micheal, given that the So2 strain of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is more resistant to metals, the So2 strain will probably become the most prolific and successful microorganism in the areas surrounding the Y-12 plant
ReplyDelete