Booth Id:
CELL009
Category:
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Year:
2021
Finalist Names:
Coffee, Mallorie (School: Jackson Senior High School)
Abstract:
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a worldwide public health crisis with the potential of mass casualties due to the overuse of antibiotics. This experiment was conducted to investigate what effect, if any, N-Hexanoyl-L-Homoserine Lactone had on the essential cellular functions of a human cell line from the larynx region. Last year the researcher proved that N-Hexanoyl-L-Homoserine Lactone interrupted intraspecific communication in pathogenic bacteria. The researcher hypothesized that N-Hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (used in agricultural production) would not affect the essential cellular functions of a human cell line. This experiment was executed by inserting the N-Hexanoyl-L-Homoserine Lactone into a cell line from the larynx, after splitting the original cell line into multiple flasks. The researcher observed that cells that had N-Hexanoyl-L-Homoserine Lactone presented the same as the cells that didn’t have the chemical inserted into them. The cells that had the N-Hexanoyl-L-Homoserine Lactone were also still able to carry out essential cellular functions. This was the next essential step in seeing if N-Hexanoyl-L-Homoserine Lactone is a viable treatment for Streptococcus Pyogenes without the use of antibiotics. This, therefore, may provide a solution to the antibiotic-resistance crisis by treating pathogenic bacteria without antibiotics.