Antibiotic Extraction from the Johnny-5 Sample of Pseudomonas

Antibiotic resistance is a rapidly growing and global health issue. There has not been a new class of antibiotics discovered since the 1980’s, yet there has been continued and rapid evolution of bacterial resistance. This research is vital if we hope to continue to be able to treat minor infections and keep hospitals safe. The Johnny-5 strain was isolated from soil in Kansas City and inhibited the growth of 8 tester strains. We are using techniques from organic chemistry to test and classify what compounds are produced from our tester bacteria. The techniques included TLC (Thin-Layer Chromatography), Column Chromatography, and HPLC. These can help us separate the extract mixture to isolate the antibiotics produced by the bacteria. The results of our separations and antibiotic testing will be discussed.