Labs
- Page ID
- 132670
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- Lab 1: Laboratory Safety
- In this course you will actually get to manipulate living things and see what happens…exciting! Working with living microorganisms also carries with it the risk of being harmed by these organisms. An infection contracted in a laboratory setting is called a Laboratory Acquired Infection (LAI).
- Lab 2: Lab Safety Assignment
- This page outlines a lab safety assignment that highlights essential safety protocols in a microbiology lab. It includes activities for locating safety equipment, assessing potential hazards, and understanding immediate response actions for spills. The emphasis is on careful handling of dangerous materials to ensure safety.
- Lab 3: Microscopy
- This page emphasizes the role of compound microscopes in microbiology, detailing key components like lenses and their functions in magnification and resolution. It highlights the importance of light manipulation for image quality and introduces concepts like working distance and parfocality for effective microscopy.
- Lab 4: Microscopy Assignment
- This page discusses the diverse and resilient microbial population in the human mouth, managed by antibacterial substances in saliva and the shedding of epithelial cells. It describes the oral mucosa's outer layer, featuring squamous cells and smaller bacteria, and includes instructions for preparing and viewing cheek cells under a microscope. This practical activity facilitates the identification of cell structures and bacterial shapes, enhancing the understanding of oral microbiology.
- Lab 5: Chemical Control of Microbial Growth
- This page explores the use of disinfectants in microbial control, emphasizing their historical context and limitations regarding sterilization. It outlines factors influencing disinfectant selection, such as microbial type, pH, temperature, concentration, exposure time, and effectiveness. The lab involves testing five disinfectants on bacterial growth through an experiment using culture plates to compare results before and after applying the disinfectants.
- Lab 6: Chemical Control of Microbial Growth Assignmnet
- This page details a disinfectant experiment for students, involving sketching a Nutrient Agar plate and documenting observations. Students research the impact of different disinfectants on cellular structures and their potential antifungal, antiviral, or antiprotozoal effects. The activity culminates in evaluating the effectiveness of the disinfectants used in the experiment.
- Lab 7: Colony Morphology
- On agar plates, bacteria grow in collections of cells called colonies. Each colony arises from a single bacterium or a few bacteria (CFU). Although individual cells are too small to be viewed with the unaided eye, masses of cells can be observed. Colonies can have different forms, margins, elevations and colors. Observing colony characteristics is one piece of information that microbiologists can use to identify unknown bacteria.
- Lab 9: Aseptic Transfer
- This page covers essential aseptic techniques in microbiology, focusing on sterile growth media for cultivating microorganisms and preventing contamination through sterilization methods like autoclaving. It describes inoculation protocols for slant and broth cultures, emphasizing proper handling, heating techniques, and specific methods such as the 'fishtail'. It also reinforces the importance of labeling, observing culture growth, and following safety protocols during lab work and cleanup.
- Lab 10: Aseptic Transfer Assignment
- This page presents data collection and observations on the growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis in different media, including a table for documenting growth changes and a rating scale for evaluation. It includes post-lab questions focused on contamination, inoculation techniques, and scientific naming. The page also clarifies the differences between disinfection and sterilization, highlighting their respective roles in microbiology within laboratory contexts.
- Lab 11: Streaking for Isolation
- This page covers essential learning objectives for microbiology lab techniques, emphasizing aseptic practices and various inoculation methods (zigzag, T-streak, quadrant). It details the formation of isolated colonies from single cells and the use of dilution techniques for species differentiation. Procedures for inoculating TSA plates are outlined, including observation and assessment of growth patterns.
- Lab 12: Streaking for Isolation Assignment
- This page evaluates T-streak methods for isolating bacterial colonies, detailing success criteria like achieving a minimum of three isolated colonies, proper streaking patterns, and contamination-free agar surfaces. It also includes post-lab questions to assess different streaking techniques on TSA plates, focusing on the analysis of technique selection and common mistakes during the process.
- Lab 13: Gram Stain
- This page covers aseptic techniques, microscopy, and differential staining, highlighting Gram staining's steps and the significance of reagents. It discusses how differential staining classifies bacteria by cell wall properties, linking this to antibiotic resistance and the necessity of fresh cultures.
- Lab 14: Gram Stain Assignment
- This page provides an overview of the Gram staining method, detailing the distinctions between Gram-positive and Gram-negative cell walls. It outlines the four main steps of Gram staining and includes practical questions to evaluate students' techniques, focusing on potential errors in mixed cultures and unknown samples.
- Lab 15: Acid-Fast and Endospore Staining
- This page covers the characteristics and staining techniques of acid-fast and endospore-forming microorganisms. It details the unique cell walls of acid-fast bacteria, like Mycobacterium, and the use of specific staining methods, such as Ziehl-Neelson, to identify pathogens like M. tuberculosis.
- Lab 16: Acid Fast and Endospore Staining Assignment
- This page offers review questions on microbiological staining techniques, particularly acid-fast methods (Ziehl-Neelsen vs. Kinyoun) and the significance of endospore presence. It highlights the need for prolonged malachite green exposure during endospore staining, while prompting readers to consider spore presence in Bacillus subtilis cultures and challenges in treating infections from endospore-forming bacteria versus non-spore formers.
- Lab 17: MSA, MacConkey, EMB Plates
- This page provides fundamental microbiological techniques, focusing on the use of various culture media, including all-purpose, selective, and differential types like Mannitol Salt Agar and MacConkey agar. Students learn to apply aseptic methods, conduct biochemical tests, and identify pathogens.
- Lab 18: MSA, MacConkey, EMB Plates Assignment
- This page describes a laboratory exercise where students identify and characterize organisms using selective and differential media such as EMB, MacConkey, and MSA. Students must document growth and appearance, analyze discrepancies in Gram classification and fermentation abilities, and discuss the unique properties of each medium. The exercise culminates in a task to identify Staphylococcus aureus.
- Lab 19: Blood Agar
- This page provides microbiology lab objectives, emphasizing aseptic techniques, inoculation methods, and microbial growth identification via blood agar hemolytic activity. It details hemolysis types: beta (complete RBC destruction), alpha (partial lysis), and gamma (no change), along with hemolysins' role in pathogenicity and examples of bacteria.
- Lab 20: SIM Medium
- This page presents learning objectives and procedures for using SIM medium to assess bacterial characteristics, including sulfur reduction, indole production, and motility. It details the medium's composition, relevant biochemical reactions, and provides a step-by-step guide for stab inoculation and observation. Safety and aseptic practices are emphasized, with a focus on interpreting test results for identifying harmful microbes.
- Lab 21: SIM Medium Assignment
- This page details a laboratory exercise on analyzing sulfur reduction, motility, and indole production in microorganisms. It encourages documentation of results and interpretations, highlighting positive or negative outcomes for each organism. Post-lab questions probe the media's nature, the importance of comparing results to controls, and the consequences of medium preparation errors, enhancing comprehension of microbial enzymatic activities and the biochemical tests for species differentiation.
- Lab 22: Catalase Test
- This page details lab learning objectives focused on aseptic techniques, biochemical testing, and microbial identification. It describes the formation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) during aerobic respiration and the role of catalase in breaking it down. A "slide test" is outlined to detect catalase through O2 bubble formation, emphasizing the importance of proper techniques to prevent false positives.
- Lab 23: Catalase Test Assignment
- This page details an experimental procedure for testing catalase presence in organisms, covering data collection, critical post-lab questions on controls, and potential sources of error. It emphasizes distinguishing true and false positive reactions, identifying controls, and evaluating hydrogen peroxide's impact on cellular energy. Readers are prompted to critically assess experimental design and various factors affecting test outcomes.
- Lab 24: Oxidase Test
- This page details the learning objectives and procedures for the oxidase test in microbiology, emphasizing the importance of following instructions, using precise terminology, and interpreting results. It explains how the test differentiates bacteria through the presence of cytochrome c oxidase, with a color change indicating a positive result, and highlights the importance of timing to prevent false positives.
- Lab 25: Oxidase Test Assignment
- This page describes a laboratory exercise for testing organisms with a reagent, emphasizing the importance of accurately recording observations and interpreting results as positive or negative. It includes post-lab questions about reagent placement, error minimization, and addressing misinterpretation scenarios. The page underscores ethical practices in science and explores the causes of unexpected results, clarifying that contamination is ruled out as a factor.
- Lab 26: Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing
- This page details the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion test for evaluating bacterial antibiotic susceptibility. It covers learning objectives, procedures, and aseptic techniques essential for the experiment. Students will inoculate agar plates with bacteria, apply antibiotic discs, and measure zones of inhibition to assess antibiotic effectiveness.
- Lab 27: Antibiotic Susceptibility Assignment
- This page covers post-lab questions on antibiotic susceptibility testing, emphasizing the importance of a confluent lawn for accuracy. It encourages students to evaluate the clinical relevance of antibiotics, compare their effectiveness, and understand their mechanisms of action. Additionally, the page discusses the relationship between antibiotic efficacy and organism type, as well as how the zone of inhibition and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) influence treatment choices.
- Lab 28: Dichotomous Keys
- This page explains dichotomous keys as tools for identifying organisms by making successive choices between two options. It highlights their importance in organizing information for bacterial identification, focusing on morphology and Gram reaction as initial steps. The necessity of additional tests for accuracy is noted. Furthermore, the page outlines how to create a dichotomous key based on metabolic tests, emphasizing the potential for developing unique keys to differentiate bacterial species.
- Lab 29: Triple Sugar Iron Medium
- This page describes the Triple Sugar Iron (TSI) growth medium, which evaluates bacterial fermentation and gas production through slant and butt environments. It includes three sugars and a pH indicator to differentiate between aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. A coding system indicates acid or alkaline reactions, while gas production (CO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are recorded.