Health Science/Biology

Chloe Lucas, clucas@mail.snu.edu
Southern Nazarene University, with Dr. Christopher T. Garner

Comparing Enrichment Methods for Bacteria within the Midguts of A. vexans Mosquitoes from the Oklahoma City Metro Area
Mosquitoes are common vectors for diseases such as West Nile Virus, and St. Louis Encephalitis Virus. Mosquitoes’ midguts contain a complex microbial community, playing a significant role in mosquitoes’ innate immune systems. Analyzing the microbiome within the midgut of mosquitoes could reveal bacteria that impact the transmission or suppression of viruses. One approach to this analysis is isolating and cultivating microbes from the midgut. Microbial cultivation is challenging because many microbes rely on complex, often unknown environmental factors, making it difficult to replicate their natural habitats in the lab. To overcome this, an experiment was designed to test media formulated to mimic the mosquito midgut environment, aiming to enhance the cultivation of microbes adapted to that niche. Bacterial diversity within the midguts of the Aedes vexans mosquitoes caught within Oklahoma City’s Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge was analyzed via 16S rRNA analysis of bacterial isolates. Bacterial profiles from enrichments using Mosquito Enrichment Medium (MEM) and Tryptic Soy Broth (TSB) were compared. Bacteria were plated onto either MEM or Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA). In total, 52 isolates were cultivated from all conditions. Genera, such as Enterococcus, Kosakonia, Micrococcus, Corynebacterium, and Providencia are represented, including a potentially novel species within Providencia and Kosakonia. Overall, these findings demonstrate that distinct media conditions enrich a variety of bacterial species from the Aedes vexans midgut, including those that had yet to be cultivated. Collecting cultivable mosquito microbes is critical to studying the bacteria involved with the mosquito’s ability to transmit a virus to a human host.
 

Magdalene Hernandez, magdalene_hernandez1@baylor.edu
Baylor University, with Dr. Aaron Wright

Utilizing Affinity-Based Protein Profiling in Commensal Human Gut Bacteria to Uncover Unprecedented Vitamin B12 Transporters and Enzyme-Cofactor Interactions
The stability of microbial communities is dependent on interactions between members. Targeting these interactions to engineer communities with environmental or human health benefits is a promising strategy. However, we are limited in our understanding of how nutrient availability contributes to the metabolic stability of microbial communities. Micronutrient vitamin B12 is ideal to characterize these interactions. This is because 86% of all sequenced bacteria require this nutrient for growth and survival, but only 20% are prototrophic. This leaves most species dependent on B12 salvage from the surrounding environment to meet their metabolic needs. Therefore, individual fitness and overall community stability depend on members’ ability to efficiently transport vitamin B12 and utilize it as a cofactor in associated metabolisms. Current understanding of B12 trafficking and cofactor-enzyme associations is largely based on genomic mining of a putative B12-binding motif. However, novel proteins found to interact with B12 but lacking the motif continue to be uncovered. This demonstrates an urgent need to move beyond genomic prediction and directly study B12 transporters and associated enzymes. Using affinity-based protein profiling, we will directly characterize B12 uptake and cofactor-enzyme associations in 1 Gram-negative and 1 Gram-positive isolates from the human gut. We expect the B12-mimic probe to enrich uncharacterized proteins and proteins that are not predicted to interact with B12. By directly probing these pathways, we will more fully understand how vitamin B12 trafficking and cofactor-enzyme associations contribute to bacterial ecology and community stability in the gut.
 

Brycen Read, Brycen_Read1@baylor.edu
Baylor University, with Dr. Tamar Carter & Edom Seyoum

Identifying Plasmodium falciparum pfs47 Gene in Malaria Patients in Erer, Ethiopia, 2023-2025
Malaria remains a critical global health issue, heightened by invasive mosquito species such as Anopheles stephensi, which adapt rapidly to urban environments, increasing transmission risks. Central to this process is the gene pfs47 in Plasmodium falciparum, which allows the parasite to evade mosquito immune defenses, enabling effective transmission to human hosts. This study aims to characterize the pfs47 haplotypes from P. falciparum isolates in An. stephensi and infected human populations, evaluating their molecular compatibility during malaria outbreaks. Using DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and Sanger sequencing, this research identifies genetic similarities and differences, focusing specifically on geographically informative SNPs. Findings from this analysis will elucidate the genetic relationships underlying parasite-vector interactions, informing targeted vector control strategies, guiding future interventions, and potentially supporting novel vaccine developments to mitigate malaria spread in vulnerable urban populations.