Date of Submission

Spring 2020

Academic Program

Biology

Project Advisor 1

Brooke Jude

Abstract/Artist's Statement

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a type of chytrid fungus, is responsible for the death of amphibian species worldwide. When amphibians become infected with Bd, they develop a deadly infection known as chytridiomycosis. Researchers have turned to more biologically relevant ways to treat Bd while preserving the ecosystem these amphibians are found in. Naturally occurring microbes that produce violacein may serve as chytrid bioremediation agents. It is possible that lower levels of chytrid fungi correlate with regions where violacein producing microbes are abundant. Violacein producing microbes exhibit different characteristics; therefore, making some more suitable than others for remediation projects. In this study, quorum sensing related behaviors were characterized in BJB404, a unique violacein producing isolate collected from Salt Spring Island, Canada. A series of experiments characterized BJB404’s phenotypic properties, as well as its motility, biofilm production, and violacein production. Additionally, a whole genome sequencing, assembly and annotation was completed. Understanding the unique properties of BJB404 may aid in determining effective bioremediation projects aiming to combat chytrid fungi.

Open Access Agreement

On-Campus only

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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