The Effect Of Nutmeg Essential Oil, Lavender Essential Oil, Onion Essential Oil, And Clove Essential Oil On The Quorum Sensing Ability And Antibiotic Resistance Of Chromobacterium Violaceum

Lisa Qu

School Name

Spring Valley High School

Grade Level

11th Grade

Presentation Topic

Microbiology

Presentation Type

Mentored

Mentor

Mentor: Dr. Fang Wang; University of South Carolina School of Medicine

Oral Presentation Award

1st Place

Abstract

As bacteria have evolved to become more resistant to antibiotics, researchers have begun searching for alternative methods to combat bacterial-caused diseases. One such way is by targeting quorum sensing (QS), which is defined as the way that bacterial cells communicate with one another through the use of small signaling molecules. QS is used to regulate many bacterial functions, including virulence factor secretion. Chromobacterium violaceum, a gram-negative bacteria, produces a purple pigment called violaceum when active in quorum sensing. The purpose of this study was to find a quorum sensing inhibitor that successfully decreased antibiotic resistance of Chromobacterium violaceum. The hypothesis was that if nutmeg essential oil, onion essential oil, clove essential oil, and lavender essential oil were used when growing Chromobacterium violaceum, then the antibiotic resistance of the bacteria would decrease and the quorum sensing mechanisms of the bacteria would not be able to function properly, causing the violaceum production to decrease, as compared to the control. Nutmeg essential oil, onion essential oil, lavender essential oil, and clove essential oil were added to Chromobacterium violaceum at different concentrations, and the antibiotic resistance and optical density of the bacteria at each of these different variables were measured using a plate reader. A growth curve was also constructed to determine how the different cell receptors involved in quorum sensing responded to the essential oils.

Location

Owens 110

Start Date

4-16-2016 9:15 AM

COinS
 
Apr 16th, 9:15 AM

The Effect Of Nutmeg Essential Oil, Lavender Essential Oil, Onion Essential Oil, And Clove Essential Oil On The Quorum Sensing Ability And Antibiotic Resistance Of Chromobacterium Violaceum

Owens 110

As bacteria have evolved to become more resistant to antibiotics, researchers have begun searching for alternative methods to combat bacterial-caused diseases. One such way is by targeting quorum sensing (QS), which is defined as the way that bacterial cells communicate with one another through the use of small signaling molecules. QS is used to regulate many bacterial functions, including virulence factor secretion. Chromobacterium violaceum, a gram-negative bacteria, produces a purple pigment called violaceum when active in quorum sensing. The purpose of this study was to find a quorum sensing inhibitor that successfully decreased antibiotic resistance of Chromobacterium violaceum. The hypothesis was that if nutmeg essential oil, onion essential oil, clove essential oil, and lavender essential oil were used when growing Chromobacterium violaceum, then the antibiotic resistance of the bacteria would decrease and the quorum sensing mechanisms of the bacteria would not be able to function properly, causing the violaceum production to decrease, as compared to the control. Nutmeg essential oil, onion essential oil, lavender essential oil, and clove essential oil were added to Chromobacterium violaceum at different concentrations, and the antibiotic resistance and optical density of the bacteria at each of these different variables were measured using a plate reader. A growth curve was also constructed to determine how the different cell receptors involved in quorum sensing responded to the essential oils.