Day :
Keynote Forum
Narjes H Dashti
Kuwait University, Kuwait
Keynote: Identification and characterization of Cyanophages in kuwaiti seawater using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology and nanoscopy
Time : 10:00 AM - 10.40 AM
Biography:
Narjes H Dashti works as an Associate Professor of Microbiology in the Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science at Kuwait University. She has
completed her Bachelor’s degree in Soil Microbiology at Kuwait University. Afterwards, she took her Master’s degree in the same field at Oregon State University,
USA followed by a PhD at McGill University, Canada. Her research interests include plant pathology, virology, soil microbiology, microbial bioremediation and
hydrocarbon degradation. She has over 21 publications, 2 chapters Chapter Titled" PGPR to Alleviate the stress of Suboptimal Root Zone Temperature on
Leguminous Plant Growth", in the book “Use of Microbes for the Alleviation of Soil Stress”, volume 1, 2013, Springer, Chapter Titled" Soybean production and
suboptimal root zone temperatures" in the book “Environmental Stresses in Soybean Production” 2015 Elsevier, academic press, volume 1. She has presented
many of her finding in both national and international conferences
Abstract:
Viruses in general and bacteriophages infecting cyanobacteria (cyanophages) in particular, are abundant in the marine
environment and are of major ecological significance. Marine phytoplankton’s are photosynthetic free floating
organisms that are major contributor to primary productivity in marine environment as a part of the balance of the
marine ecosystem. Many phytoplankton’s can cause occasional blooms (such as red tides caused by dinoflagellates) that
might be of harmful effects on the environment, and even have economic effects on fisheries and the fish industry. Such
red tides, that kill fish in a huge number, have been reoccurring in Kuwaiti seawater in the past decade and it might
be seen again in the future. Viruses are considered to be a major controlling factor for phytoplankton populations and
blooming. This cyanophages were successfully detected and phage DNA molecules were isolated by using polymerase
chain reaction (PCR) technology in as little as 1 ul of Kuwaiti seawater directly. Specific primers were used in PCR mix,
and 6% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) was used to visualize the amplified phage DNA bands. Nanoscopy was
used to detect and study the structure of the isolated phages and it was identified to be a virulent strain of phage, with T4
being the type species of the family of contractile tailed ds DNA phages composing the family Myoviridae