Username Week 7

Theresa Graebener

Week 7 Assignment

10 Words I Did Not Know

1. Hyperinfectious- hyperinfection- infection by very large numbers of organisms as a result of immunologic deficiency
2. Serological- serology- the science dealing with the immunological properties and actions of serum
3. Murine- belonging or pertaining to the Muridae, the family of rodents that includes mice and rats
4. Transiently- not lasting, enduring, or permanent; transitory.
5. Indices- plural of index
6. Canonical- pertaining to, established by, or conforming to a canon or canons.
7. Quadruplicate- one of four copies or identical items, esp. copies of typewritten material.
8. Elucidated- to provide clarification; explain.
9. Chemotactic- oriented movement toward or away from a chemical stimulus.
10. Dendrogram- a treelike diagram depicting evolutionary changes from ancestral to descendant forms, based on shared characteristics.
11. Homogenized- to form by blending unlike elements; make homogeneous.

Outline: Host-induced epidemic spread of the cholera bacterium

Main Result:

• Human colonization creates hyperinfectious bacteria
  • Maintained after dissemination
  • Contributes to spread of cholera
• Transcriptional profiling of Vibiro cholerae from stool samples
  • Unique physiological and behavioral state
  • High expression levels of genes required for nutrient uptake and motility
  • Low expression levels of genes needed for chemotaxis

Importance:

• Identified process by which cholera epidemics spread by human host
• Provide insight into gene expression patterns of microorganisms
• Human hosts provide suitable environment for growth