9.12: Urease Test Procedure
Urease Test Procedure
Name: _____________________________________________________
Course Section: ______________________________________________
The following activity will teach students how to perform a urease test. Post-inoculation, students will verify urease production.
| Materials |
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| Procedure | |
| Day 1 | |
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| Day 2 |
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Step 2:
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Results
In the table below, record your observations for colonies grown in Urea media.
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Species |
Color Change (Y/N) |
Urease (+/-) |
Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
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Escherichia coli |
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Micrococcus luteus |
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General Questions
1. What is the physiological role of urease in bacteria?
2. What does the color change from orange to pink mean about the pH of the culture?
3. Are there any limitations or potential sources of error when performing the urease test?
4. How does the breath test help diagnose Helicobacter pylori infection?
5. How does Helicobacter pylori survive in the highly acidic environment of the stomach?
Resources
- Benita Brink. 2010. Urease test protocol. American Society for Microbiology https://asm.org/getattachment/ac4fe214-106d-407c-b6c6-e3bb49ac6ffb/urease-test-protocol-3223.pdf