Date of Award
Spring 2026
Degree Type
Honors College Thesis
Academic Program
Biological Sciences BS
Department
Biological Sciences
First Advisor
Kevin Kuehn
Advisor Department
Biological Sciences
Abstract
Many bacteria have been known to have antifungal properties. Research has begun to determine how these bacteria can be used to protect cotton and other cellulose-rich textiles. In the present study, standardized cotton strips were inoculated with two different bacterial consortia that have exhibited anti-fungal properties. These strips were then inoculated with the melanized cellulolytic fungi, Chaetomium globosum and Rhinocladiella similis. Similarly, some cotton strips were also inoculated with a non-melanized fungus, Rhodotorula toruloides, which is also thought to be cellulolytic. The tensile strength of cotton strips was measured along with the ergosterol concentrations (fungal biomass) for each cotton strip to determine how well the consortia prevented fungal growth and cotton decay. It was observed that neither consortium helped deter cotton degradation in cotton strips treated with R. toruloides and C. globosum, but the consortia did significantly inhibit fungal colonization and growth (i.e., ergosterol accrual). In contrast, it was found that both bacterial consortia did prevent cotton degradation by R. similis after an extended period, along with an overall decrease in fungal growth.
Copyright
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Recommended Citation
Lofton, Lily, "Quantifying the Antifungal Properties of Bacteria Using Cotton Strips" (2026). Honors Theses. 1102.
https://aquila.usm.edu/honors_theses/1102