Katherine Mirarchi( V, P, In) Determining the Optimal pH Range of Ketoreductases Enzyme catalysis is vital in green chemistry, offering sustainable alternatives to toxic synthetic reagents. Plant-derived ketoreductases, such as those isolated from radish leaves, enable enantioselective transformations under mild conditions. This research investigates the optimal pH range for these enzymes to reduce acetophenone to 1-phenylethanol using thin-layer chromatography to identify and high-performance liquid chromatography to quantify reaction progression. The optimal pH range for enzymatic activity was determined to be pH 6.55 to 7.04, with maximum activity at 6.75. These results emphasize the importance of precise pH conditions to enhance enzymatic efficiency.
Emily Murphy( V, P, In) The Effect of Ascorbic Acid on Ketoreductase Activity Green chemistry uses naturally occurring enzymes to increase reaction efficiency and to reduce costs and toxicity. Radishes host an abundance of enzymes, like ketoreductases( KREDs), and increased levels of ascorbic acid could enhance their efficiency. The goal of this research is to determine if treating radish seeds with ascorbic acid increases the activity of KREDs in mature plants. The activity was measured by the reduction of acetophenone to 1-phenylethanol, monitored by thin-layer chromatography and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. The results suggest that treating radish seeds with ascorbic acid increases KRED activity.
Rutger Newman( V, P, In) Presentation Title: Virulence Factors of Bacteria Isolated from Fish in Trewellyn Creek at Gwynedd Mercy University The microbes inhabiting a microbiome are often protective, but many bacteria also produce virulence factors that cause disease, such as the formation of a capsule and a biofilm. The goal of this study was to determine the percentage bacteria producing these in an aquatic model organism, the eastern blacknose dace; bacteria cultured from fish skin were assessed for these virulence factors. A total of 21 species were assayed, and 18 were identified. 81 % of the assayed bacteria produced biofilms and 100 % were encapsulated. These results indicate that the skin bacteria do have virulence factors that might contribute to disease.
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