Priyankar Samanta, an NDSU doctoral student studying molecular pathogenesis, and Ty Lynnes, a spring 2013 NDSU graduate who earned a master’s degree in microbiology, recently published a series of research papers summarizing research findings in combatting infectious diseases through the prevention of bacterial biofilms.

In a review article for Federation of European Microbiological Societies’ Microbiology Letters, Lynnes and Samanta outlined their work. Two-component signaling is a method by which E. coli responds to signals to the environment, which ultimately affects numerous cellular processes, including the formation of biofilm. The abstract is available at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23651469.

In his experimental paper for Meat Science, Lynnes identified one such signal, beta phenylethylamine, which is a trace substance in chocolate and sold by many health stores to aid weight loss and mood improvement. Lynnes determined it has antimicrobial activities and reduces bacterial cell numbers and the bacteria’s ability to form biofilm. The abstract can be viewed at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23896151.

In another experimental paper for BioMed Central Microbiology, Samanta identified the first of what perhaps are many genes that may qualify as a target for the development of novel biofilm prevention and treatment techniques. The temporal and spatial determination of gene expression led to the conclusion that a flagella regulator called FIhD/FIhC, is expressed early in biofilm development and at the outermost edge of late biofilms. The abstract is at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23914787.

NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.