Event Title
The Relationship Between Atrazine Metabolism and Gut Microorganisms
Faculty Mentor
Dave Bachoon
Keywords
Dave Bachoon
Abstract
Atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamine-6-isopropylamino-1,3,5 triazine) is a commonly used broad leaf herbicide in agricultural systems and is linked to endocryme disruption and cancer. Surface runoff of atrazine leads to contamination of ground and surface water bodies. Assessing the changes to the intestinal microbial flora of mice, in response to atrazine, provides a model to investigate the role of the intestinal microbial flora of mammals in atrazine metabolism. The atzA gene that encodes for the enzyme atrazine chlorohydrolase, involved in the metabolism of atrazine in bacteria was used to detect the presence of atrazine degrading bacteria in cecum samples from mice. Thirteen mice were exposed to concentrations of atrazine over a period of ten days, DNA from their cecum and qPCR was used to detect the atzA gene. QPCR assay revealed no presence of the atzA gene in response to short term exposure to atrazine.
Session Name:
Biological and Environmental Sciences II
Start Date
4-4-2014 9:00 AM
End Date
4-4-2014 10:00 AM
Location
HSB 207
The Relationship Between Atrazine Metabolism and Gut Microorganisms
HSB 207
Atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamine-6-isopropylamino-1,3,5 triazine) is a commonly used broad leaf herbicide in agricultural systems and is linked to endocryme disruption and cancer. Surface runoff of atrazine leads to contamination of ground and surface water bodies. Assessing the changes to the intestinal microbial flora of mice, in response to atrazine, provides a model to investigate the role of the intestinal microbial flora of mammals in atrazine metabolism. The atzA gene that encodes for the enzyme atrazine chlorohydrolase, involved in the metabolism of atrazine in bacteria was used to detect the presence of atrazine degrading bacteria in cecum samples from mice. Thirteen mice were exposed to concentrations of atrazine over a period of ten days, DNA from their cecum and qPCR was used to detect the atzA gene. QPCR assay revealed no presence of the atzA gene in response to short term exposure to atrazine.