The ΩLabA Mutant’s Phage Susceptibility Profile
Major
Biology
Submission Type
Poster
Area of Study or Work
Biology
Faculty Advisor
Richard Alvey
Location
CNS Atrium
Start Date
4-11-2026 8:30 AM
End Date
4-11-2026 9:45 AM
Abstract
In recent years, Illinois Wesleyan University faculty and students have been on a mission to find bacteriophages that infect Rhodobacter capsulatus, a harmless bacterial inhabitant of freshwater environments. Currently, over seventy phages have been discovered at IWU, forming the largest collection in the world. Genomic characterization of these phages has allowed us to sort most of them into seven distinct taxonomic groups known as clusters. Recently, at The University of British Columbia, a group of researchers created a mutant of R. capsulatus called ΩLabA. This mutant was found to be notably resistant to infection by the Cluster RcB phages in the IWU collection. I have embarked on a more thorough examination of this mutant with a goal of determining whether its resistance to type RcB phages extends to any other phage types. This was done by testing each of the other clusters of phages (A to G plus five unique singletons) at various concentrations on the host strain (YW1), parent strain (SB1003), and mutant strain (ΩLabA). Any loss of susceptibility to phage infection was noted. My preliminary results suggest that cluster RcC phages also appear to be substantially impaired in their ability to infect ΩLabA, while a few other clusters seem to be slightly less able to infect ΩLabA as compared to YW1 and SB1003. After a more thorough inspection of the various phages, genomic comparisons will be made to try to determine which phage genes may be involved in interacting with ΩLabA during the infection process.
The ΩLabA Mutant’s Phage Susceptibility Profile
CNS Atrium
In recent years, Illinois Wesleyan University faculty and students have been on a mission to find bacteriophages that infect Rhodobacter capsulatus, a harmless bacterial inhabitant of freshwater environments. Currently, over seventy phages have been discovered at IWU, forming the largest collection in the world. Genomic characterization of these phages has allowed us to sort most of them into seven distinct taxonomic groups known as clusters. Recently, at The University of British Columbia, a group of researchers created a mutant of R. capsulatus called ΩLabA. This mutant was found to be notably resistant to infection by the Cluster RcB phages in the IWU collection. I have embarked on a more thorough examination of this mutant with a goal of determining whether its resistance to type RcB phages extends to any other phage types. This was done by testing each of the other clusters of phages (A to G plus five unique singletons) at various concentrations on the host strain (YW1), parent strain (SB1003), and mutant strain (ΩLabA). Any loss of susceptibility to phage infection was noted. My preliminary results suggest that cluster RcC phages also appear to be substantially impaired in their ability to infect ΩLabA, while a few other clusters seem to be slightly less able to infect ΩLabA as compared to YW1 and SB1003. After a more thorough inspection of the various phages, genomic comparisons will be made to try to determine which phage genes may be involved in interacting with ΩLabA during the infection process.