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Thesis
The significance of secondary metabolism on the predatory behavior of Myxococcus fulvus
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Jul 2019
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00000281
Abstract
Myxobacteria are soil-dwelling microorganisms that are known to exhibit multicellular lifecycles, produce secondary metabolites and engage in predatory behavior. We isolated a Myxococcus fulvus strain from soil and showed that this strain preys on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, ranging from clinically relevant pathogens to soil isolates. Myxobacterial predation is a complex process that involves the secretion of digestive enzymes and antibiotics. Many antibiotics are secondary metabolites, molecules that are produced by bacterial synthases which require post-translational modification with a phosphopantetheine arm. Myxobacteria produce dozens of secondary metabolites, and we have shown that our M. fulvus strain produces myxothiazol and myxopyronin A/B, which we confirmed by analysis of liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS) and MS/MS data. Using DESI-imaging mass spectrometry, we have shown the spatial distribution of myxothiazol, a siderophore and antibiotic, produced by M. fulvus during the predation of several of the ESKAPE pathogens, suggesting a potential role for this metabolite during the context of predation. PPTases are good targets for secondary metabolite inhibition (both chemical and genetic deletion), as these enzymes are responsible for the activation of carrier proteins in the biosynthesis of both primary and secondary metabolites. Chemical inhibition involved introduction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis PPTase inhibitors to determine if these would be active against the two PPTases in M. fulvus (SAMN05443572_11275 and SAMN05443572_103217). We are in the process of creating in-frame deletions of the two PPTases of M. fulvus. Together, chemical inhibition and genetic deletion of PPTases will provide insight on the full contribution of secondary metabolism to the predatory behavior of M. fulvus.
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Details
- Title
- The significance of secondary metabolism on the predatory behavior of Myxococcus fulvus
- Creators
- Kristen Joy Pador Buenconsejo
- Contributors
- Joris Beld (Advisor) - Drexel University, Microbiology and Immunology
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- xi, 97 pages
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems (1997-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991014870749104721