Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have become an increasing burden worldwide. A highly resistant species is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a nosocomial pathogen that produces a biofilm that enhances its resistance. This project examined the possibility of using bacteriocin, an internal protective toxin produced by some species of bacteria, as a potential treatment for resistant bacteria. In this study, standard broad spectrum antibiotics were used to treat P. aeruginosa to prevent biofilm formation. The biofilm was then analyzed to determine if the biofilm is inhibited or facilitated by each treatment. Optimal concentrations of antibiotics were determined to be effective at a concentration of 0.07mg/mL for gentamicin, rifampicin, and polymyxin B. These antibiotics were used to test 48 clinical samples obtained in 2006. Out of the 48 isolates, a Pseudomonas strain of unknown origin was resistant to both gentamicin and rifampicin (p<0.001). Extraction of Colicin V from E. coli and Pyocin S2 from P. aeruginosa was unsuccessful. Nanodrop analysis determined that there was minimal protein in each sample (concentrations between 0.196-3.118mg/mL). In the future, bacteriocin extractions should be successfully performed, and analysis of further biofilm assays will determine the overall benefit of the treatment.
","abstract_html":"<p>Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have become an increasing burden worldwide. A highly resistant species is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a nosocomial pathogen that produces a biofilm that enhances its resistance. This project examined the possibility of using bacteriocin, an internal protective toxin produced by some species of bacteria, as a potential treatment for resistant bacteria. In this study, standard broad spectrum antibiotics were used to treat P. aeruginosa to prevent biofilm formation. The biofilm was then analyzed to determine if the biofilm is inhibited or facilitated by each treatment. Optimal concentrations of antibiotics were determined to be effective at a concentration of 0.07mg/mL for gentamicin, rifampicin, and polymyxin B. These antibiotics were used to test 48 clinical samples obtained in 2006. Out of the 48 isolates, a Pseudomonas strain of unknown origin was resistant to both gentamicin and rifampicin (p<0.001). Extraction of Colicin V from E. coli and Pyocin S2 from P. aeruginosa was unsuccessful. Nanodrop analysis determined that there was minimal protein in each sample (concentrations between 0.196-3.118mg/mL). In the future, bacteriocin extractions should be successfully performed, and analysis of further biofilm assays will determine the overall benefit of the treatment. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Turpin, Courtney Paige"],"institution":"Eastern Kentucky University","degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":"Biological Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2015-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:32Z","subjects":["Antibiotics","Bacteriocin","Biofilm","Psedumonomas aeruginosa","Resistance","Bacterial Infections and Mycoses","Pathogenic Microbiology"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright 2015 Courtney Paige Turpin"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/323","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Turpin, Courtney Paige"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biological Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Eastern Kentucky University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Antibiotics","Bacteriocin","Biofilm","Psedumonomas aeruginosa","Resistance","Bacterial Infections and Mycoses","Pathogenic Microbiology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2015 Courtney Paige Turpin"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/323"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have become an increasing burden worldwide. A highly resistant species is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a nosocomial pathogen that produces a biofilm that enhances its resistance. This project examined the possibility of using bacteriocin, an internal protective toxin produced by some species of bacteria, as a potential treatment for resistant bacteria. In this study, standard broad spectrum antibiotics were used to treat P. aeruginosa to prevent biofilm formation. The biofilm was then analyzed to determine if the biofilm is inhibited or facilitated by each treatment. Optimal concentrations of antibiotics were determined to be effective at a concentration of 0.07mg/mL for gentamicin, rifampicin, and polymyxin B. These antibiotics were used to test 48 clinical samples obtained in 2006. Out of the 48 isolates, a Pseudomonas strain of unknown origin was resistant to both gentamicin and rifampicin (p<0.001). Extraction of Colicin V from E. coli and Pyocin S2 from P. aeruginosa was unsuccessful. Nanodrop analysis determined that there was minimal protein in each sample (concentrations between 0.196-3.118mg/mL). In the future, bacteriocin extractions should be successfully performed, and analysis of further biofilm assays will determine the overall benefit of the treatment.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The effect of antibiotics on Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm production"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Turpin, Courtney Paige"],"dc:description.abstract":["Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have become an increasing burden worldwide. A highly resistant species is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a nosocomial pathogen that produces a biofilm that enhances its resistance. This project examined the possibility of using bacteriocin, an internal protective toxin produced by some species of bacteria, as a potential treatment for resistant bacteria. In this study, standard broad spectrum antibiotics were used to treat P. aeruginosa to prevent biofilm formation. The biofilm was then analyzed to determine if the biofilm is inhibited or facilitated by each treatment. Optimal concentrations of antibiotics were determined to be effective at a concentration of 0.07mg/mL for gentamicin, rifampicin, and polymyxin B. These antibiotics were used to test 48 clinical samples obtained in 2006. Out of the 48 isolates, a Pseudomonas strain of unknown origin was resistant to both gentamicin and rifampicin (p<0.001). Extraction of Colicin V from E. coli and Pyocin S2 from P. aeruginosa was unsuccessful. Nanodrop analysis determined that there was minimal protein in each sample (concentrations between 0.196-3.118mg/mL). In the future, bacteriocin extractions should be successfully performed, and analysis of further biofilm assays will determine the overall benefit of the treatment.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/323"],"dc:publisher":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2015 Courtney Paige Turpin"],"dc:source":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"],"dc:subject":["Antibiotics","Bacteriocin","Biofilm","Psedumonomas aeruginosa","Resistance","Bacterial Infections and Mycoses","Pathogenic Microbiology"],"dc:title":["The effect of antibiotics on Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm production"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biological Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Eastern Kentucky University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:32Z"}