Successfully isolated microbes from various samples of kombucha
Identified strains of bacteria and yeast using rRNA gene sequencing
Characterized each of the isolated microbes to facilitate further experimentation
Recapitulation
Key Achievements:
In a process called "recapitulation," we successfully created kombucha by adding individual strains of microbes instead of a living kombucha culture containing the entire kombucha microbiome.
Determined that the microbe Ga. hansenii is essential for the fermentation of kombucha.
Determined that multiple strains of the yeast Lachancea fermentati are necessary for the fermentation of kombucha.
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Conjugation
Key Achievements
Unsuccessfully attempted conjugation with G. oxydans
Performed minimum inhibitory concentration experiments between G. oxydans and spectinomycin, carbenicillin and kanamycin
Determined that G. oxydans is resistant to spectinomycin and carbenicillin
Ethanol
Key Achievements
Identified genes involved in the metabolism of ethanol to acetic acid in the bacterium Ga. hansenii.
Designed Golden Gate parts for the assembly of these genes into a functional construct
Used a bromothymol blue assay to compare changes in pH resulting from fermentation in multiple strains of Lachancea fermentati isolated from our kombucha
pH Sensors
Key Achievements
Successfully created a neutral pH sensor.
Characterized the P-atp2 Biobrick.
Identified a potential pH sensor in Gluconobacter oxydans.
