Faculty Mentor Information
Thomas G Platt, Division of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences
Abstract
While the effects of Agrobacterium tumefaciens can be easily observed and have been studied closely, the mechanisms for their virulence habits have not. Several studies have suggested the mechanisms for plasmid transfer and conjugation, particularly concerning plasmid Ti (pTi), the TraR (TraR1) regulator, and the quorum sensing (QS) system associated with it. Very little is known, however, about the second plasmid (pAt) present within the bacteria nor its regulatory QS systems. To further understand these mechanics of plasmid conjugation, we have devised a series of experiments in order to find connections between the conjugation of both pTi and pAt and the regulatory genes of TraR1 (of pTi) and TraR2 (of pAt). The first is designed to establish the impact of removal of both TraR1 and TraR2 on the conjugation of pTi. The second is to provide a connection between removal of both TraR genes on pAt conjugation. The third serves as a complimentary experiment to the first, testing the impact of the overexpression of the TraR genes on pTi conjugation. The fourth is then designed to compliment the second and discover the effect of the TraR genes’ overexpression on pAt conjugation. These studies, however, remain ongoing and incomplete.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Recommended Citation
Carter, Christopher (2019). "Does quorum sensing regulate the conjugation of the two co-resident megaplasmids of Agrobacterium tumefaciens 15955," Kansas State University Undergraduate Research Conference. https://newprairiepress.org/ksuugradresearch/2019/posters/54
Included in
Environmental Microbiology and Microbial Ecology Commons, Pathogenic Microbiology Commons
Does quorum sensing regulate the conjugation of the two co-resident megaplasmids of Agrobacterium tumefaciens 15955
While the effects of Agrobacterium tumefaciens can be easily observed and have been studied closely, the mechanisms for their virulence habits have not. Several studies have suggested the mechanisms for plasmid transfer and conjugation, particularly concerning plasmid Ti (pTi), the TraR (TraR1) regulator, and the quorum sensing (QS) system associated with it. Very little is known, however, about the second plasmid (pAt) present within the bacteria nor its regulatory QS systems. To further understand these mechanics of plasmid conjugation, we have devised a series of experiments in order to find connections between the conjugation of both pTi and pAt and the regulatory genes of TraR1 (of pTi) and TraR2 (of pAt). The first is designed to establish the impact of removal of both TraR1 and TraR2 on the conjugation of pTi. The second is to provide a connection between removal of both TraR genes on pAt conjugation. The third serves as a complimentary experiment to the first, testing the impact of the overexpression of the TraR genes on pTi conjugation. The fourth is then designed to compliment the second and discover the effect of the TraR genes’ overexpression on pAt conjugation. These studies, however, remain ongoing and incomplete.
