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Natural antimicrobials for a post-COVID era
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Skubel, Sarah. Natural antimicrobials for a post-COVID era. Retrieved from https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/t3-egbh-1x73

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TitleNatural antimicrobials for a post-COVID era
NameSkubel, Sarah (author); Raskin, Ilya (chair); Bennett, Joan (member); Simon, James (member); Su, Xiaoyang (member); Kellogg, Joshua (member); Rutgers University; School of Graduate Studies
Date Created2022
Other Date2022-10 (degree)
SubjectPlant sciences, Microbiology, Antimicrobials, Metabolomics, Microbiology, Natural products, Plant biology
Extent1 online resource (124 pages) : illustrations
DescriptionNatural products have long served as a resource for novel pharmaceutical drugs supporting human health. Climate change and habitat destruction threatens drug discovery as natural habitats are compromised and botanical species become endangered. The original objective of this dissertation addressed the need for preserving plant metabolites and streamlining drug discovery, however this dissertation was impacted, and inspired by, the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to this, the work discussed here is transdisciplinary and has evolved over the years accumulating it, beginning with its original premise of drug discovery, and concluding with the foundations of a potential antimcirobial product.

To promote the preservation of endangered biodiversity due to climate change and habitat destruction, Chapter 2 details the development of Rapid Metabolome Extraction and Storage (RAMES) technology, and how this method translates into Screens-to-Nature (STN) assays. RAMES extracts 2 grams of plant tissue in 70% ethanol and dries it onto glass fiber discs. These discs are later stored in a -20ºC freezer and can be transported in an envelope to anywhere around the world. These discs are compatible with STN assays, highly portable assays that efficiently determine the active properties of botanicals, such as antimicorbial or antioxidant activity. This method was validated and put into action in chapter three.

Chapter three investigated metabolomic differences in native plants compared to their invaded areas. We hypothesized that if a species were displaced and invaded a foreign environment, its metabolomic profile would differ from its native counterpart, while still retaining its original, species-specific, metabolomic signature. Botanical species were collected, via RAMES technology, in their native populations in the USA and their invaded areas in South Africa. Extracts were later characterized via ultra-performance liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS). Our findings supported the above hypothesis and we concluded that metabolomic analysis can differentiate species from one another, as well as among global populations.

Chapter four was inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic and addresses the need for new antimicrobial products. We hypothesized that combinations of ethanolic plant extracts, containing anti-microbial compounds with differing modes of action, will display synergistic effects against bacteria. Qualitative screening was done using STN assays and nine botanicals were chosen for quantitative analysis using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) broth microdillution methods. Four botanicals moved onto synergy testing via checkerboard assays and calculation of fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index values. A final total of five synergistic pairs were identified. Our hypothesis was supported as all botanical synergies were compromised of differing bioactives. The impact of this research will be more sustainable, naturally based, antibiotic alternatives to overused single compound antibiotic drugs.
NotePh.D.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references
Genretheses
Persistent URLhttps://doi.org/doi:10.7282/t3-egbh-1x73
LanguageEnglish
CollectionSchool of Graduate Studies Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work.
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