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Naomi Rieth '21

2020 SOAR Profile

Synthesis of quorum sensing activators and inhibitors of S. pneumoniae with large, non-native, aliphatic amino acid substitutions

Major: Biochemistry
Hometown: Northampton, Pennsylvania
Project advisor: Dr. Michael Bertucci
Field of study for the project: Bioorganic chemistry

Briefly describe your project.

My SOAR project explored a population-dependent mechanism of bacterial communication found in Streptococcus pneumoniae called quorum sensing. S. pneumoniae is a bacteria responsible for causing several human diseases including pneumonia and meningitis. The quorum sensing process I researched is mediated by the peptide competence stimulating peptide (CSP). It is responsible for activating cell responses which have a chance to cause antibiotic resistance. I used solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) to make versions of this CSP peptide that included large, non-natural amino acids with side chains made of only carbon-carbon single bonds (aliphatic) and then purified them using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The goal of the project was to see how the changes we made to CSP affect S. pneumoniae’s ability to communicate effectively.

Describe the origin of your project.

The CSP project has been going on for a couple of years in collaboration with Dr. Tal-Gan and his students at the University of Nevada, Reno. My project developed through analyzing data from past experiments. Dr. Bertucci, Liz Hutnick (my project partner), and I discussed priorities for which peptides we would be synthesizing this summer.

What’s the best part about working with your faculty mentor? What valuable insights have they brought to your project?

One of the best parts about working with Dr. Bertucci this summer is that he allowed me to pick articles for our weekly reading assignments that aligned with topics I was interested in. He gave me a broad topic, and I could pick any research article that I wanted within that. It was also super helpful that he has a lot of experience working with SPPS and HPLC. Whenever I had doubts about the best method to work around problems that arose, he had the experience to offer advice or point me in the right direction.

What has been your biggest obstacle so far?

The biggest obstacle was definitely the fact that Liz and I could not obtain our own data for the peptides we made. Our plan for SOAR initially was that we would synthesize our peptides in the first five weeks of SOAR and then spend the last five weeks at the University of Nevada, Reno in order to test our peptides on the bacteria, collect data, and draw our own conclusions. Because we could not do this ourselves, we spent some extra time reading and doing some other related research.

What has been your biggest takeaway from this experience?

Being able to be in the lab for most of this summer really boosted my confidence as a scientist. I have a lot more overall experience and having to be socially distanced in the lab actually really improved my problem-solving skills. This experience also taught me about how research develops and how scientists choose their next steps in order to prove a hypothesis.

What was the result of your project?

All of the peptides that Liz and I planned to make and purify were completed. We also mailed the peptides to the lab at the University of Nevada. They have not completed biological testing of our peptides so we do not have any results yet.

In your own words, how do you feel about being awarded this opportunity? Why should other students take advantage of the SOAR program at Moravian College?

Being able to participate in the SOAR program has been an amazing experience despite the changes that were made in the light of COVID-19. Being able to focus on research allowed me to learn a lot more about the topic I was researching, and how developing a research project really works. It was also awesome to see all of the different types of research that happen on campus through all of the different disciplines. Anyone who has any interest in doing some kind of research in the future should definitely apply for the SOAR program. It is also a great way to meet other people with similar interests and even participate in a networking event with alumni who are working in your field of interest.

Now that SOAR is over, do you plan to expand upon your research? If so, how?

I am continuing the research that I have been working on as an independent study in the fall. We hope to have results by then so that we can choose new peptides to make with combinations of some of the substitutions made this summer.

Have you, or do you plan to present this research outside the SOAR presentations? If so where? Be specific, if possible.

I have already been able to present the background information for my research at Moravian’s Scholars Day, as well as a virtual Lehigh Valley ACS conference. I would love to be able to present at the next Scholars day once I have data for the peptides I made.