Antimicrobial Activity of Fusion Ednolysin on Salmonella enterica

Presenter: Aditi Mohapatra, Public Health Practice, Global Public Health Scholars

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For my global public health scholars practicum, I worked in a microbiology laboratory, part of the department of animal and avian sciences at the university of maryland college park. The lab focuses on various pathogens, metabolites, and antimicrobial properties of natural materials. My practicum research focused on a project on the antimicrobial potential of bacteriophage-derived fusion endolysins against Salmonella enterica, a significant foodborne pathogen. My tasks included propagating the S. enterica bacteriophage-1252, amplifying and cloning endolysin genes, transforming them into E. coli, and expressing recombinant proteins. Much of my work utilized molecular and microbiology techniques like PCR, Gel Electrophoresis, SDS-Page, and immunofluorescence to confirm protein expression and gene expressions. I additionally worked to compare the fusion protein with controls to confirm significance in statistical analysis. 

Working on this project at the lab truly contributed to deepening my understanding of molecular cloning, protein expression and gene expression stems, as well as the practical applications and potential therapies associated with bacteriophage therapy. I learned a lot on how fusion proteins can be strategically engineered to enhance antibacterial properties especially against multidrug resistant bacterial strains. This research underscored the importance of innovative alternatives to antibiotic resistance increases. 

Looking from a public health perspective, the work I completed contributes to the broader effort to the development of new techniques and strategies to combat antibiotic resistant pathogens and diseases associated with those pathogens. This research offers promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics that could potentially reduce the burden of foodborne illnesses caused by the pathogen S. enterica, and improve outcomes in both clinical and agricultural/animal settings.