Testing For Antibiotic Resistance in Elizabethkingia miricola

Abstract

       We were confronted with the problem of determining whether or not a specific gene from the bacteria Elizabethkingiamiricola conferred antibiotic resistance.  In particular, we wanted to find out if the selected gene was a beta lactamase gene.  Beta lactams are resistant to penicillin, and the information acquired in this experiment could prove to have real world applications.  We started with a gene sequence, and from there constructed forward and reverse primers.  Then using PCR amplification, we replicated our gene billions of times.  We continued by putting our amplified product through a process known as agarose gel electrophoresis.  We then proceeded to ligate our PCR product with a plasmid vector in preparation for molecular cloning.  Our DNA ligation was taken and added to a sample of E. coli via heat shock.   We needed just one colony to form successfully to continue with the project, and were pleased to find that we had a total of 230 colonies.  The last step was adding kanamycin broth to our colonies and observing color change.  After months of long and hard work, our research found that Elizabethkingiamiricoladoes in fact confer resistance to beta lactam antibiotics.