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2017 C-SURFer: Kali Coxe

Computational Analysis of Uncharacterized Proteins of Environmental Bacterial Genome

Abstract Betaproteobacteria strain CB is a gram-negative bacterium in the phylum Proteobacteria and are found naturally in soil and water. In this complex environment, bacteria play a key role in efficiently eliminating the organic material and other pollutants from wastewater. To investigate the process of pollutant removal from wastewater using bacteria, it is important to characterize the proteins encoded by the bacterial genome. Our study combines a number of bioinformatics tools to predict the function of unassigned proteins in the bacterial genome. The genome of Betaproteobacteria strain CB contains 2,112 proteins in which function of 508 proteins are unknown, termed as uncharacterized proteins (UPs). The localization of the UPs with in the cell was determined and the structure of 38 UPs was accurately predicted. These UPs were predicted to belong to various classes of proteins such as enzymes, transporters, binding proteins, signal peptides, transmembrane proteins and other proteins. The outcome of this work will be helpful for a better understanding of the wastewater treatment mechanism.

Faculty Advisor: Mano Kumar, Computing Sciences
Graduate Student Mentor: Jiarong Zhang, Coastal and Marine Systems Science



DEPARTMENT OF COASTAL & MARINE SYSTEMS SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTING SCIENCES
COASTAL CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
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