PPEM Fall Seminar Presented by Dr. Britta Rued
On October 14th, the Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology (PPEM) at Iowa State University hosted Dr. Britta Rued, Assistant Professor in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventative Medicine for a seminar that drew an audience of approximately 35 faculty and staff members, students, and guests.
Dr. Rued focused on a novel peptide that impacts the growth of streptococcal bacteria. She delivered an engaging presentation summarizing the regulation of streptococcal RaS-Ripps, an opportunistic pathogen that gets transported out of cells. Radical S-adenosylmethionine Ribosomally Synthesized and Post-translationally Modified Peptides (RaS-RiPPs) are a class of natural products that bacteria produce through modifications. Rued explored how genetic approaches were used to understand how the peptide is made and how it functions. These peptides play roles in microbial communication and competition and are often regulated by quorum-sensing systems.
Dr. Steven Harris, PPEM Department Chair, enjoyed the seminar and noted, “ Terrific seminar that highlighted the power of streptococcal genetics.” Another attendee, Dr. Nick Peters, Associate Professor in PPEM, found “ Their structural diversity and bioactivity make them promising candidates for novel antimicrobial compounds and therapeutic agents.”
Looking forward to October 28th, the PPEM Fall Seminar Series continues with a presentation from Daniel Kimtai, an M.S. student in Plant Pathology, who will deliver his exit seminar focusing on the characterization of Phaeocytostroma ambiguum associated with crown rot of corn in the Midwest: pathogenicity and fungicide sensitivity.