Using University of Dayton Soil to Isolate Antibiotic Producing Bacteria

The overuse of antibiotics has created pathogens that have become resistant to the antibiotics effects. This is becoming a large issue because if the pathogens are resistant to the antibiotics then the antibiotics will no longer be able to cure certain illnesses. The Tiny Earth Network and Small World Initiative have created are partnering with undergraduate students in order to try to discover new antibiotics to combat this issue, using different soil samples from around the world. The goal of this research is to test University of Dayton soil for bacteria that produce antibiotics to help support the Tiny Earth Network and Small World Initiative. The soil sample was diluted down in order to isolate bacterium and then the bacteria colonies were plated on TSA and TH plates. Ten bacteria colonies were selected from each plate and tested against the known ESKAPE pathogens, Enterococcus faecium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by using their safe relatives Enterococcus raffinosus and Pseudomonas putida. Two of the isolated bacteria showed zones of inhibition on both of the safe relative plates. The two bacteria colonies that had zones of inhibition were tested further using gram staining, catalase testing, hemolysis, triple sugar iron test, mannitol salt agar testing, MacConkey agar, citrate, gelatinase, motility identification. Then the bacteria was classified and then tested against Eukaryotic cells in order to find a safe antibiotic. This research helps contribute to the mission of the Tiny Earth Network and the Small World Initiative, in hopes of resolving the antibiotic crisis