Session: Undergraduate Research Posters: Biochemistry:

Bacteria were isolated from soil scraped from bronze dishes and from grave soil at the Pollentia Roman archaeological site in Spain. Since bronze contains copper, a known antimicrobial element, growth of the three bacteria isolated from bronze were compared with similar-looking bacteria from graves to determine whether copper added to culture medium might inhibit growth of bacteria from grave soil more than the bacteria isolated from bronze. In addition, extracts from all the bacteria were assayed for antibiotic activity against gram negative and gram positive bacteria and an oomycete with properties similar to cancer cells. Two out of the three bacteria isolated from bronze dishes grew better in copper conditions than those from grave soil. All isolated bacteria produced antibiotic and/or anticancer compounds which will be identified as soon as possible. The bacteria will be identified from sequenced 16S r DNA.

Alysha Naone

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