Document Type

Dissertation

First Faculty Advisor

Reid, Christopher

Keywords

Cloning; Characterization; Cell; Wall; Enzyme; CD1034; Pathogen; Clostridium difficile; resistance; bacteria; antimicrobial; antibacterial;

Publisher

Bryant University

Abstract

The manifestation of multidrug resistance in bacteria over the past several decades has resulted in one of the foremost challenges in the management of infectious diseases. The question arises, “How do we address this growing problem?” One solution to stem the growing rise in antimicrobial resistance is to investigate new targets, while another approach is to re-examine classical antibacterial targets with a fresh perspective. The aim of this paper is to begin the process of antibacterial development for the pathogen Clostridium difficile by characterizing the cell wall acting glucosaminidase CD1034. It is inunderstanding how CD1034 functions biochemically that it can be targeted for antibacterial development. The gene CD1034 was successfully cloned and sequenced in this project. Results have implications in the further development of an antibiotic for C. difficile and other Gram-positive pathogens.

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