Aida Vargas

Danilo Trinidad Pérez Rivera

Anthony Maldonado Colón

Hernán Méndezhttp://corvusart.com/

RISE ProgramDepartment of BiologyProf. Eneida Díaz PérezProf. Michael Rubin

Present the bacteriophages of interest.

Establish adequate hunting strategies.

Explain the processes carried out for preparing the phages after localization.

Demonstrate growth acquired from the project so far.

Bacteriophages, informally known as “phages”, are viruses capable of infecting a bacteriumand replicating inside of it.

These are typically composed of proteins whichencapsulate their DNA or RNA genome.

www.theepochtimes.comwww.shapeways.com

Due to their specific nature, many phages can shed light not only on viruses, but also on theirhost.

Moreover, identification of “wild species” can reveal how the given type of phage is“evolving”.

Understanding these two things istranscendental to medical applications.

http://www.genomeindia.org/mycobacterium/http://www.fallingpixel.com/bacillus-bacteria-3d-model/142

M. smegmatis B. brevis

Questions Can new phages be found in the environment in

Puerto Rico?

What environments should be inspected to obtain a phage?

Hypotheses New phages are widespread throught most

ecosystems, therefore, there should be phages in Puerto Rico.

The probability of finding a phage in a givenenvironment depends on if it is adecuate for thephages host.

Sample Coordinates Description Place Date

AMC -#1

18.2° 12’ 40’’ N;66.1° W

Slightly moist26°C; 2cm

Caguas, PR February 2, 2014

AMC -#2

18.2°12’ 67’’ N;66.0° 0’ 41.46’’ W

Low moisture26°C; 1cm

Caguas, PR February 17, 2014

AMC -#3

18.2° 12’ 9’’ N;66° 1’ 11.9’’ W

Moderate moisture26°C; 3cm

Caguas, PR February 23, 2014

AMC -#4

18.2° 12’ 1.35’’ N; 66° 2’ 13.7’’ W

Wet 26°C; 3cm

Caguas, PR March 2, 2014

AMC -#5

18.2° 12’ 58’’ N; 66°1’ 9.8’’ W

Very moist 26°C; 3 cm

Caguas, PR March 9, 2014

Sample Coordinates Description Location Date

AMC -6#

18° 7' 2.553" N;66° 6' 58.72" W

Moist24°C; 1cm

Cayey, PR February 4, 2014

AMC -#7

18° 7' 7.172" N;66° 6' 58.33" W

Dry26°C, 2cm

Cayey, PR February 18, 2014

AMC -#8

18° 7' 6.686" N;66° 9' 46.61" W

Moist26°C, 1cm

Cayey, PR February 24, 2014

AMC -#9

18° 7’ 8” N; 66° 9’ 45” W

Moist27.2°C

Cayey, PR March 6, 2014

Yalina

Sample CoordinatesEnvironmental description Location Date

DTP - #118° 04’46.08”N; 66° 21’47.29”W

Dry; Superficial (1 cm); 20.6°C Coamo, PR

Feb/06/145:45 AM

DTP - #218° 02’11.57”N; 66° 22’22.25”W

Moist; Superficial (1 cm); 21.7°C

Los Baños de Coamo

Feb/19/146:36 AM

DTP - #318° 07’12.19”N; 66° 09’26.60”W

Mud-like; Superficial (3 cm); 21.7°C Cayey, PR

Mar/06/149:52 AM

Sample Coordinates Description Location Date

DTP - #418° 07’12.75”N; 66° 09’26.89”W

Moist soil; Superficial (1 cm); 17.8°C Cayey, PR

Mar/18/149:13 AM

DTP - #518° 07'5.430" N;66° 09'42.58" W

Moist soil; Superficial (1 cm); 17.8°C Cayey, PR

Mar/18/149:24 AM

DTP - #618° 07’12.19”N; 66° 09’26.60”W

Mud-like consistency; Superficial (3 cm); 18.3°C Cayey, PR

Mar/18/149:43 AM

Sample Coordinates Description Location Date:Time

AV - #1 18°4’27” N; 66.11’56” W

Moist; Superficial sample (1cm); 24°C

Cayey, PR

Feb/2/143:56PM

AV - #2 18°28’4” N; 66°19’52” W

Very moist, sample of dirt underneath clover leaves (1cm); 30°C

Dorado, PR

Mar/2/143:05 PM

AV - #3 18°7’30” N; 66°15’48” W

Normal moisture (underneath grass), 1cm;23°C

Aibonito, PR

Mar/9/1411:07 AM

AV - #4 18°7’14”N;66°16’22”W

Dry (underneath dried leaves; chicken nesting area), 1cm; 23°C

Aibonito, PR

Mar/9/1411:36 AM

Sample Coordinates Description Location Date:Time

AV - #5 18°4’19”N;66°12’20”W

Some moisture, 1cm; 27°C

Cayey, PR Mar/16/144:19PM

AV - #6 18°4’29”N;66°11’56”W

Moist (underneath grass and dried feces), (1cm) 27°C

Cayey, PR Mar/16/144:45PM

AV - #7 18° 4’31”N;66°11’51”W

Wet (mud) Superficial (1cm); 27°C

Cayey, PR Mar/16/146:24PM

Understanding and characterizingbacteriophages provides plenty of usefulinformation.

Puerto Rico has an ample amount of uncharacterized phages in its soil.

One should search for phages where their host could possibly found.

Dilute obtained and purified filtrate to be able to obtain a web-pattern and high-titer phage filtrate.

Characterize the capsid of the obtained phages through proteomics.

Describe the structure of these phages utilizing Electron Microscopy.

Sequence and annotate the genetic material of these phages.

Losing is winning.

Practice makes perfect.

Friends make it a lot easier.

Patience is a virtue.

Quitters never win.

The RISE program for opening the door for us to such a great opportunity.

Dr. Rubin for volunteering to give us such a full and enriched experience.

Nicolle Rosa for her help as our assigned TA.

Gustavo and Giovanny for always being there to help.

The cafeteria for the free “sample collectors”.

Our moms for the Ziplock bags.

Aida Vargas

Danilo Trinidad Pérez Rivera

TA: Nicolle Rosa

Dr. Michel Rubinhttp://corvusart.com/