Understanding the Antibiotic Activity Contained in the Carlson Lab Natural Products Library
Faculty Mentor Name
Skylar Carlson
Research or Creativity Area
Natural Sciences
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an issue of global concern where microorganisms that cause infections in humans become resistant to available antimicrobial drugs. This issue is further exacerbated because bacteria develop resistance faster than new drugs are being discovered and approved. Natural products serve as “scaffolds” for a majority of synthetic drugs, and are the origin of numerous approved antibiotics by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Currently, the Carlson Natural Products Library contains approximately 650 fractions and extracts from bacteria, fungi, algae, and cyanobacteria, which were fractionated and tested for antimicrobial activity against E. coli, Salmonella sp., Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus. Seven fractions displayed antibiotic activity against either gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria. These were then tested against a larger panel of ESKAPE pathogens, which included Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Acinetobacter baylyi to determine the specificity of the antibacterial activity against either Gram-negative or Gram-positive bacteria. Actinomycete strain C003 inhibited gram-positive bacteria selectively at a minimum inhibitory concentration or MIC of 2.0µg/mL. This strain was then grown on a large-scale (6 L) for further analysis. The resultant extract was fractionated and tested again for biological activity. Fraction 2 from a silica column had the most significant activity. This fraction was then further separated using reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) to isolate UV-active metabolites. This poster will present my work toward identifying the antibiotic activity in the Carlson Lab Natural Products Library and discuss the isolation and activity of compounds produced by this strain.
Understanding the Antibiotic Activity Contained in the Carlson Lab Natural Products Library
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an issue of global concern where microorganisms that cause infections in humans become resistant to available antimicrobial drugs. This issue is further exacerbated because bacteria develop resistance faster than new drugs are being discovered and approved. Natural products serve as “scaffolds” for a majority of synthetic drugs, and are the origin of numerous approved antibiotics by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Currently, the Carlson Natural Products Library contains approximately 650 fractions and extracts from bacteria, fungi, algae, and cyanobacteria, which were fractionated and tested for antimicrobial activity against E. coli, Salmonella sp., Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus. Seven fractions displayed antibiotic activity against either gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria. These were then tested against a larger panel of ESKAPE pathogens, which included Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Acinetobacter baylyi to determine the specificity of the antibacterial activity against either Gram-negative or Gram-positive bacteria. Actinomycete strain C003 inhibited gram-positive bacteria selectively at a minimum inhibitory concentration or MIC of 2.0µg/mL. This strain was then grown on a large-scale (6 L) for further analysis. The resultant extract was fractionated and tested again for biological activity. Fraction 2 from a silica column had the most significant activity. This fraction was then further separated using reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) to isolate UV-active metabolites. This poster will present my work toward identifying the antibiotic activity in the Carlson Lab Natural Products Library and discuss the isolation and activity of compounds produced by this strain.
