Infections caused by the organism Staphylococcus aureus are one of the most common causes for community-associated and healthcare-acquired infections (HAI). Isolates of this bacterium found within the healthcare setting often demonstrate a higher prevalence of antibiotic resistance making these infections difficult to treat. Historically, considerable focus has been placed on methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), which are strains resistant to β-lactam antibiotics like penicillin, oxacillin and cephalosporins; however, methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) strains may also possess resistance to several first-line antibiotics. Resistance to antibiotics can be acquired through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) by means of mobile genetic elements or by random DNA mutations as product of DNA replication. Bacteria have elucidated these mechanisms to defend themselves from antibiotics and one cause that promotes resistance is the inappropriate use or prescription of antibiotics to treat infections, i.e., using antibiotics to treat COVID-19. Through the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the CDC reported an increased prescription for antibiotics, similarly, other previous studies reported that antibiotics were part of treatment plant in some patients with COVID-19. The aim of this thesis is to study the differences in antibiotic resistance profiles of Staphylococcus aureus strains collected from carriage and disease samples at Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando, FL from 2019-2022. The focus will be on comparing the susceptibility of methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant strains to various antibiotics. The results will provide clinicians with valuable information that will allow for better treatments and consideration for antibiotic use when creating a treatment plan for patients.

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Enterococcus faecalis is a commensal bacterium, which upon acquisition of virulence factors on mobile genetic elements can cause sepsis, urinary tract infections and endocarditis. E. faecalis isolates can be multi-drug resistant and have been implicated in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes to other genera. Although the host range of pheromone inducible conjugative plasmids is restricted to Enterococci, they often carry transposons, which are capable of transposing into the chromosome of other genera. The plasmid pCF10 contains the antibiotic resistance gene tetM on a conjugative transposon Tn925. Tn925 is a Tn916-like plasmid and is capable of pCF10-independent conjugative transfer to multiple bacterial species at low levels. Biofilms are communities of bacteria growing within a matrix. In biofilms, bacteria are more difficult to kill because of their lower susceptibility to antibiotics. In hospital settings, biofilms can grow on medically implanted devices, catheters or even human tissue. In mixed species biofilms, antibiotic resistances are able to be transferred through horizontal gene transfer from E. faecalis to other bacterial species. In mixed species biofilms, it has been show that Tn925 can transpose into S. aureus at rates of 10-8 by Ella Massie Schuh. Using static mixed species biofilms, the transfer of tetM from E. faecalis to S. aureus was studied, hoping to better understand the underlying mechanisms. The goal of these studies was to determine if residence on pCF10 increased the transfer frequency of Tn925 in mixed species biofilms. Mixed species biofilms containing E. faecalis (pCF10) and S. aureus (pALC2073aPSM) were established and pCF10 conjugation was induced with pheromone cCF10. Transfer of Tn925 / Biomedical Sciences

<p> Glycopeptide Antibiotics (GPAs) such as vancomycin are often used clinically as antibiotics of last resort against infections due to Gram-positive bacteria that are resistant to more commonly used antibiotics such as methicillin. The clinical emergence of vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) and vancomycin resistantS. aureus (VRSA) necessitates methods to evade this resistance. </p> <p> GP As consist ofa heptapeptide backbone that is cross-linked to create a pocket that binds the D-Alanyl-D-Alanine terminus of peptidoglycan intermediates, inhibiting strengthening ofthe cell wall and resulting in susceptibility to osmotic stress. Resistance to GPAs occurs when D-Ala-D-Lactate replaces D-Ala-D-Ala and the GPA pocket can no longer bind effectively. In order to create novel binding pockets, we must understand the specificity ofthe P450 monooxygenase enzymes that have been shown to catalyze the cross-links. The 4 P450-encoding genes ofthe GPA A47934 biosynthetic cluster of Streptomyces toyocaensis as well as genes encoding electron transport proteins necessary for P450 function from Streptomyces coelicolor were cloned in Escherichia coli for heterologous expression and characterization. One P450, StaJ was purified and shown to bind CO as expected using spectrophotometric tests. </p> <p> The genes responsible for GP A resistance are regulated by a two component regulatory system consisting ofa sensor kinase (VanS) and a response regulator (V an.R). In order to probe the events leading to VanS autophosphorylation and ultimately resistance activation we utilize a series of GP A derivatives harbouring the photo labile group benzophenone as well as the fluorescent and affinity moieties BODIPY and biotin. Benzophenone permits light controlled covalent binding of the GP A to proteins that bind them while BODIPY allows fluorescence detection and biotin allows enrichment and detection by Western analysis. We report that this system was insufficient to clearly identify vancomycin binding proteins due to background signals despite multiple rounds of troubleshooting. It must be our conclusion that under the conditions tested, there are no proteins that bind the GP A derivative used in this study. </p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)