Influence of Pathogenic Bacterial Determinants on Genome
INFLUENCE OF PATHOGENIC BACTERIAL DETERMINANTS ON GENOME STABILITY OF EXPOSED INTESTINAL CELLS AND OF DISTAL LIVER AND SPLEEN CELLS Paul S. Walz B.Sc. Hons., University of Western Ontario, 2009 A Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of the University of Lethbridge in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTERS OF SCIENCE Department of Biology University of Lethbridge LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA, CANADA © Paul S. Walz, 2011 INFLUENCE OF PATHOGENIC BACTERIAL DETERMINANTS ON GENOME STABILITY OF EXPOSED INTESTINAL CELLS AND OF DISTAL LIVER AND SPLEEN CELLS Paul S. Walz Approved Dr. Igor Kovalchuk, Co-Supervisor, Department of Biological Science, MD, PhD Date Dr. Olga Kovalchuk, Co-Supervisor, Department of Biological Science, MD, PhD Date Dr. Brent Selinger, Thesis Committee Member, Department of Biological Science, PhD Date Dr. James Thomas, Thesis Committee Member, Department of Biological Science, PhD Date Dr. Lesley Brown, Thesis Committee Member, Department of Kinesiology & Phys. Ed., PhD Date Dr. Elizabeth Schultz/Dr. Theresa Burg, Chair, Department of Biological Science, PhD Date ABSTRACT Most bacterial infections can be correlated to contamination of consumables such as food and water. Upon contamination, boil water advisories have been ordered to ensure water is safe to consume, despite the evidence that heat-killed bacteria can induce genomic instability of exposed (intestine) and distal cells (liver and spleen). We hypothesize that exposure to components of heat-killed Escherichia coli O157:H7 will induce genomic instability within animal cells directly and indirectly exposed to these determinants. Mice were exposed to various components of dead bacteria such as DNA, RNA, protein or LPS as well as to whole heat-killed bacteria via drinking water.
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