Honors Students' Abstracts
Discovery of the New Mycobacteriophage, “KatAttack”
Katherine Fu, Theodore Medling, Katherine Wikholm
Research in the most abundant life-form on Earth, bacteriophage, a virus that infects bacteria, is essential to understanding their role in evolution of bacteria. Phages have numerous applications in food processing and phage therapy. However, as significant as their role is in bacterial evolution, relatively little research has been done on bacteriophages. As a result, we are undergoing a yearlong research project to investigate the characteristics of a specific phage within Loyola Marymount University’s campus. In fall 2011, a mycobacterial phage, named “KatAttack” was isolated and purified from its host bacterium, Mycobacterium smegmatis. This was done using plaque streaking, PCR, gel electrophoresis, and restriction digest. Currently, our research focus has shifted from purifying the phage to analyzing a specific phage’s genomic DNA. Analyzing the pattern of bands seen in the gel electrophoresis of genomic DNA cut by certain restriction enzymes we categorized our phage into Cluster A. Bioinformatic analysis of the phage’s genome allows us to identify the encoded genes as well as the relationship between our phage and those in the phage genome database. Using specialized programs such as BLAST and DNA Master, we can take a more intimate approach into the purpose and function of bacteriophage genes. We will be describing our progress in deciphering the genomic content of “KatAttack” and evaluate its evolutionary importance and role in ecology.