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The Isolation of Antibiotic-like Proteins from ...

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The Isolation of Antibiotic-like Proteins from Insect Larvae of Musca domestica, Housefly Maggots, and Three Other Species of Insects

Name:Personal
Wolff, Shana M. Role :Text(marcrelator)
creator

Name:Personal
Life Sciences Department, Laramie County Community College; Anne Wolff Role :Text(marcrelator)
contributor

typeOfResource
still image genre
Powerpoint/Pdf
Origin Information Place
Laramie, Wyoming
University of Wyoming (keyDate="yes")
2008-04-23

Language:Text
Eng

Physical Description

born digital

abstract
The purpose of this experiment was to examine the secretions from the larvae or maggots, of four species of insects for antimicrobial antibiotic production. I had observed fly larvae in dead animal flesh and hypothesized that insect larvae secrete antibiotic-like substances that kill bacteria in the dead tissue in which the insect larvae grow, protecting the insect larvae from bacterial attack. In this study I used housefly maggots (Musca domestica), mealworm grubs (Tenebrio), fruit fly larvae (Drosophila melanogaster), and superworms (Zophobas morio). Fourteen different types of bacteria were streaked on agar plates. Secretions from the insect larvae cuticle were collected on sterile filter paper discs, placed on the inoculated Petri plates, and incubated. Zones of bacterial inhibition were observed and measured. Results showed that housefly larvae, mealworm grubs, and fruit fly larvae secreted from their cuticle antibiotic-like substances that inhibited several species of soil bacteria. Further characterization using heat denaturation heat showed the secreted antibiotic-like substance to be a protein. These antibiotic-like proteins could possibly be of therapeutic value in the treatment of human infections as a new source of antibiotics. note
Undergrauate Research Day 2008 - Celebration of Research - Abstracts
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Related Item:series Title Information
Undergrauate Research Day 2008

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http://hdl.handle.net/10176/wyu:799

accessCondition:useAndReproduction
http://digital.uwyo.edu/copyright.html
Record Information languageOfCataloging :Text(ISO639-2B)
English :Code(ISO639-2B)
eng