Date of Graduation

5-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Biological Sciences

Advisor/Mentor

Ivey, D. Mack

Committee Member/Reader

Beaulieu, Jeremy

Committee Member/Second Reader

Millett, Frank

Committee Member/Third Reader

Churchill, Hugh

Abstract

My research efforts were directed toward the structure and functionality of a protein, designated SpoIIE [11], which previously has been shown to regulate C. difficile peptide utilization in addition to sporulation and toxin release. The SpoIIE protein is found in all spore-forming gram-positive bacteria and is a crucial component in activation of transcription factors and septum formation thus affecting the regulation and timing of spore development [11,12]. A truncated form of the SpoIIE protein named SpoIIE∆TM was used in an effort to determine the structure of an important but uncharacterized linker domain of the protein. If the structure and specific function of this region were to be discovered, it would provide valuable information regarding the complex reaction cycle of SpoIIE and its relevant virulence factors.

Keywords

SpIIE; C. difficile peptide; bacteria; spore; virulence; sequencing factors

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