Date of Award

2015

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Department

Biochemistry & Molecular Biol.

First Advisor

Dr. Jonathan Dattelbaum

Abstract

Secondary metabolites continue to offer a promising source of novel chemical entities with therapeutic bioactivities. Our research aims to isolate secondary metabolites produced by non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) and polyketide synthase (PKS) constructs. A metagenomic library was created from the marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp., which was isolated from the Chesapeake Bay sponge Halichondria bowerbanki. Using a functional screen for PPTase activity we were able to identify colonies that contained NRPS and PKS gene clusters. Cultures of this microbe have been produced and analyzed using a combination of chromatography and 1H, 13C, HMBC, HSQC, COSY, AND NOESY NMR spectra. We were able to isolate a potential partial product from one of these gene clusters. Further investigation will be needed to confirm the identity of this compound, and perform biological assays to screen for relevant therapeutic activity.

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