Degree Name
MS (Master of Science)
Program
Biology
Date of Award
5-2021
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Ranjan Chakraborty
Committee Members
Sean Fox, Bert Lampson
Abstract
Rhizobium leguminosarum is a Gram negative, motile, nitrogen-fixing soil bacterium. Due to the scarcity of iron in the soil bacteria have developed a wide range of iron scavenging systems. The two types of iron scavenging systems used are indirect and direct. In-silico analysis of the genome identified a unique direct iron scavenging system the Hmu operon. This system has been identified in other closely related rhizobium species and is believed to be involved in utilizing heme compounds as a sole source of iron. We have attempted to characterize the role of the Hmu operon in iron utilization by monitoring the growth of R. leguminosarum ATCC 14479 in hemin supplemented media. Growth curves show that it is capable of using hemin as a sole source of iron. The outer membrane profiles were analyzed for the presence of hemin binding proteins.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Lusby, John, "Hemin Utilization in Rhizobium leguminosarum ATCC 14479" (2021). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3897. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3897
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.