Analyzing the Genetics of Uric Acid Degradation by the Bacterium Acetobacter fabarum

Material Information

Title:
Analyzing the Genetics of Uric Acid Degradation by the Bacterium Acetobacter fabarum
Creator:
Hiruni Dodangoda
Peter D. Newell

Notes

Abstract:
The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is widely used as a model animal to study the influence of resident microorganisms (or microbiota) on health and disease. Acetobacter fabarum is a bacterium found in the gut microbiota of wild Drosophila and is currently being used to identify bacterial genes that impact host health. Prior research identified genes responsible for uric acid degradation by A. fabarum, prompting the hypothesis that gut bacteria break down this compound. This is significant because uric acid is the main nitrogen waste product of Drosophila and its accumulation can can cause renal disease in flies as well as humans. In this study, we tested the impact of two mutations in A. fabarum on the degradation of uric acid. One mutation was in uricase – the enzyme predicted to break down uric acid, and the other in an oxidoreductase gene from the same genomic locus. We found limited uricase activity in all strains of A. fabarum tested, including both mutants and the wildtype strain. This prompted investigation of alternative approaches to testing our overarching hypothesis. Preliminary results suggest genetic manipulation of a different species of Acetobacter may prove more successful as a way to test the effect of bacterial uric acid degradation on Drosophila health.
Acquisition:
Collected for SUNY Oswego Institutional Repository by the online self-submittal tool. Submitted by Peter Newell.

Record Information

Source Institution:
SUNY Oswego Institutional Repository
Holding Location:
SUNY Oswego Institution
Rights Management:
All applicable rights reserved by the source institution and holding location.