SELfies and CELLfies: Whole Genome Sequencing and Annotation of Five Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Isolated from the Surfaces of Smartphones, An Inquiry Based Laboratory Exercise in a Genomics Undergraduate Course at the Rochester Institute of Technology

摘要

Are touchscreen devices a public health risk for the transmission of pathogenic bacteria, especiallythose that are resistant to antibiotics? To investigate this, we embarked on a project aimed atisolating and identifying bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics from the screens of smartphones.Touchscreen devices have become ubiquitous in society, and it is important to evaluate the potentialrisks they pose towards public health, especially as it pertains to the harboring and transmission ofpathogenic bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Sixteen bacteria were initially isolated of whichfive were unique (four Staphylococcus species and one Micrococcus species). The genomes of the fiveunique isolates were subsequently sequenced and annotated. The genomes were analyzed using insilico tools to predict the synthesis of antibiotics and secondary metabolites using the antibiotics andSecondary Metabolite Analysis SHell (antiSMASH) tool in addition to the presence of gene clustersthat denote resistance to antibiotics using the Resistance Gene Identifier (RGI) tool. In vivo analysiswas also done to assess resistance/susceptibility to four antibiotics that are commonly used in aresearch laboratory setting. The data presented in this manuscript is the result of a semester-longinquiry based laboratory exercise in the genomics course (BIOL340) in the Thomas H. GosnellSchool of Life Sciences/College of Science at the Rochester Institute of Technology.