VS 17-25: A Soil Isolate with Activity Against Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens

Presenter: Vinuji Senalya Siriwardena

Faculty Sponsor: Verena Carvalho

School: UMass Amherst

Research Area: Biology

Session: Poster Session 5, 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM, 163, C18

ABSTRACT

Antibiotic resistance is a rapidly escalating global health crisis, mainly in hospital-acquired

(nosocomial) infections, where treatment options are increasingly limited. ESKAPE pathogens

(Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas

aeruginosa, Enterococcus, and Enterobacter spp.) account for the majority of multidrug-resistant

infections worldwide and are responsible for increased healthcare costs and mortalities.

Soil is one of the most diverse microbial habitats on Earth, with complex microbial communities

engaging in constant competition for nutrients and space. Microorganisms naturally produce

antibiotics as part of their competitive strategies, and many antibiotics used in modern clinical

practice were originally derived from soil microbes, posing soil as a promising source for the

discovery of novel antimicrobial compounds.

The Tiny Earth Project approach aims to address the dire need for finding new, effective

antimicrobial compounds by engaging students in individual research projects in which they

isolate and characterize antibiotic-producing soil bacteria. In this project, we performed soil

sampling, serial dilution, bacterial isolation, screening activity against ESKAPE pathogens,

physiological characterization, Kirby-Bauer susceptibility testing, and a chemical extraction

assay.

Here, we present the data about the discovery of soil isolate VS-17-25, which can produce

inhibition zones against Acinetobacter baumannii and Enterobacter cloacae. The isolate is a

Gram-negative, rod-shaped, motile, obligate aerobic bacterium that is susceptible to ampicillin,

ciprofloxacin, and cefepime. Our study demonstrates that soil microbes are a promising source for

antibiotic discovery and the future development of new, effective therapeutics.

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