Starvation Responses of Pseudomonas Stutzeri

Date of Award

11-1999

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MS Microbiology

Department

Biology

Committee Member

Carolyn Bentivenga

Keywords

Pseudomonas Stutzeri, Bacteria

Abstract

Over the last thirty years the Pseudomonas spp. has been a source of concern with respect to water-borne contamination especially in hospital environments. Pharmaceutical companies have been arduously at work developing new techniques and guidelines to counteract the pervasive nature of the bacteria. The Pseudomonas spp. was found to be capable of surviving in sterilized water for an extended period of time. However, research presented has found that the species stutzeri was more vulnerable to nutrient-deprived conditions than its counterparts, for example Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this study, we investigated the susceptibility of Pseudomonas stutzeri. Using standard molecular and microbiological methods, a comparison of the survivability of Pseudomonas stutzeri, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas pickettii was carried out. An examination of the minimal solutions required to sustain viable cultures of Pseudomonas stutzeri was performed. Finally, the change in size and morphology of the bacterial cell was observed. It was found that Pseudomonas stutzeri could not survive for more than two days in pure deionized water. But in the presence of potassium di basic phosphate and magnesium sulfate, the bacteria were able to remain viable for over three weeks. Under these starvation conditions, the cells changed from their rod shape to coccoid while reducing their cell volumes by almost 50 %.

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