1. Aida Vargas
Danilo Trinidad Pérez Rivera
Anthony Maldonado Colón
Hernán Méndez
http://corvusart.com/
RISE Program
Department of Biology
Prof. Eneida Díaz Pérez
Prof. Michael Rubin

2.  Present the bacteriophages of interest.
 Establish adequate hunting strategies.
 Explain the processes carried out for
preparing the phages after localization.
 Demonstrate growth acquired from the
project so far.

3.  Bacteriophages, informally known as “phages”,
are viruses capable of infecting a bacterium
and replicating inside of it.
 These are typically composed of proteins which
encapsulate their DNA or RNA genome.
www.theepochtimes.comwww.shapeways.com

4.  Due to their specific nature, many phages can
shed light not only on viruses, but also on their
host.
 Moreover, identification of “wild species” can
reveal how the given type of phage is
“evolving”.
 Understanding these two things is
transcendental to medical applications.

5. http://www.genomeindia.org/mycobacterium/
http://www.fallingpixel.com/bacillus-bacteria-3d-model/142
M. smegmatis B. brevis

6.  Questions
 Can new phages be found in the environment in
Puerto Rico?
 What environments should be inspected to obtain a
phage?
 Hypotheses
 New phages are widespread throught most
ecosystems, therefore, there should be phages in
Puerto Rico.
 The probability of finding a phage in a given
environment depends on if it is adecuate for the
phages host.

9. Sample Coordinates Description Place Date
AMC -
#1
18.2° 12’ 40’’ N;
66.1° W
Slightly moist
26°C; 2cm
Caguas, PR February
2, 2014
AMC -
#2
18.2°12’ 67’’ N;
66.0° 0’ 41.46’’ W
Low moisture
26°C; 1cm
Caguas, PR February
17, 2014
AMC -
#3
18.2° 12’ 9’’ N;
66° 1’ 11.9’’ W
Moderate
moisture
26°C; 3cm
Caguas, PR February
23, 2014
AMC -
#4
18.2° 12’ 1.35’’ N;
66° 2’ 13.7’’ W
Wet
26°C; 3cm
Caguas, PR March 2,
2014
AMC -
#5
18.2° 12’ 58’’ N; 66°
1’ 9.8’’ W
Very moist
26°C; 3 cm
Caguas, PR March 9,
2014

10. Sample Coordinates Description Location Date
AMC -
6#
18° 7' 2.553" N;
66° 6' 58.72" W
Moist
24°C; 1cm
Cayey, PR February
4, 2014
AMC -
#7
18° 7' 7.172" N;
66° 6' 58.33" W
Dry
26°C, 2cm
Cayey, PR February
18, 2014
AMC -
#8
18° 7' 6.686" N;
66° 9' 46.61" W
Moist
26°C, 1cm
Cayey, PR February
24, 2014
AMC -
#9
18° 7’ 8” N;
66° 9’ 45” W
Moist
27.2°C
Cayey, PR March 6,
2014
Yalina

11. Sample Coordinates
Environmental
description Location Date
DTP - #1
18° 04’46.08”N;
66° 21’47.29”W
Dry;
Superficial (1
cm); 20.6°C Coamo, PR
Feb/06/14
5:45 AM
DTP - #2
18° 02’11.57”N;
66° 22’22.25”W
Moist;
Superficial (1
cm); 21.7°C
Los Baños
de Coamo
Feb/19/14
6:36 AM
DTP - #3
18° 07’12.19”N;
66° 09’26.60”W
Mud-like;
Superficial (3
cm); 21.7°C Cayey, PR
Mar/06/14
9:52 AM

12. Sample Coordinates Description Location Date
DTP - #4
18° 07’12.75”N;
66° 09’26.89”W
Moist soil;
Superficial (1
cm); 17.8°C Cayey, PR
Mar/18/14
9:13 AM
DTP - #5
18° 07'5.430" N;
66° 09'42.58" W
Moist soil;
Superficial (1
cm); 17.8°C Cayey, PR
Mar/18/14
9:24 AM
DTP - #6
18° 07’12.19”N;
66° 09’26.60”W
Mud-like
consistency;
Superficial (3
cm); 18.3°C Cayey, PR
Mar/18/14
9:43 AM

13. Sample Coordinates Description Location Date:Time
AV - #1 18°4’27” N;
66.11’56” W
Moist; Superficial
sample (1cm); 24°C
Cayey,
PR
Feb/2/14
3:56PM
AV - #2 18°28’4” N;
66°19’52” W
Very moist, sample of
dirt underneath
clover leaves (1cm);
30°C
Dorado,
PR
Mar/2/14
3:05 PM
AV - #3 18°7’30” N;
66°15’48” W
Normal moisture
(underneath grass),
1cm;
23°C
Aibonito,
PR
Mar/9/14
11:07 AM
AV - #4 18°7’14”N;
66°16’22”W
Dry (underneath
dried leaves; chicken
nesting area), 1cm;
23°C
Aibonito,
PR
Mar/9/14
11:36 AM

14. Sample Coordinates Description Location Date:Time
AV - #5 18°4’19”N;
66°12’20”W
Some
moisture,
1cm; 27°C
Cayey, PR Mar/16/14
4:19PM
AV - #6 18°4’29”N;
66°11’56”W
Moist
(underneath
grass and
dried feces),
(1cm) 27°C
Cayey, PR Mar/16/14
4:45PM
AV - #7 18° 4’31”N;
66°11’51”W
Wet (mud)
Superficial
(1cm); 27°C
Cayey, PR Mar/16/14
6:24PM

17.  Understanding and characterizing
bacteriophages provides plenty of useful
information.
 Puerto Rico has an ample amount of
uncharacterized phages in its soil.
 One should search for phages where their host
could possibly found.

18.  Dilute obtained and purified filtrate to be able
to obtain a web-pattern and high-titer phage
filtrate.
 Characterize the capsid of the obtained phages
through proteomics.
 Describe the structure of these phages utilizing
Electron Microscopy.
 Sequence and annotate the genetic material of
these phages.

19.  Losing is winning.
 Practice makes perfect.
 Friends make it a lot easier.
 Patience is a virtue.
 Quitters never win.

20.  The RISE program for opening the door for us
to such a great opportunity.
 Dr. Rubin for volunteering to give us such a
full and enriched experience.
 Nicolle Rosa for her help as our assigned TA.
 Gustavo and Giovanny for always being there
to help.
 The cafeteria for the free “sample collectors”.
 Our moms for the Ziplock bags.

21. Aida Vargas
Danilo Trinidad Pérez Rivera
TA: Nicolle Rosa
Dr. Michel Rubin
http://corvusart.com/