AP bio students’ research hints at new bacteriophage variant

Students in Mrs. Mary Keymel’s AP biology class studying naturally occurring bacteriophages as part of a collaboration with the University of Buffalo may just have discovered a new variant of a Pseudomonas Phage, a type of virus that infects bacteria. 

As part of their research, Keymel’s students identified a bacteriophage capable of forming lytic plaques on a lawn of the bacterium Pseudomonas fulva in water collected from Conesus Creek near the Avon Driving Park. 

While the results of their research are still being reviewed, if the bacteriophage does prove to be a new variant, Keymel’s students have proposed it be named The Von Hawk’s Nest Phage. 

Keymel’s students traveled to UB in April to present their DNA sequencing and bacteriophage research.

Many thanks to Dr. Sandra Small, the education coordinator at UB’s Genome Environment Microbiome Community of Excellence, for working with our students on this National Institutes of Health-funded research project. 

We’re crossing our fingers for a new variant confirmation, that’s for sure! 

Photos courtesy of Mary Keymel