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Dear Dr. P,
In this lab, we performed a Catalase test with our bacteria. The goal of this lab was to determine if our bacteria colony contained the enzyme catalase. Our procedure was simple, we poured hydrogen peroxide onto our agar plate. Our plate began to fizz immediately and with a large amount of bubbles, which indicated that our bacteria sample contained the enzyme catalase.
After we completed our Catalase test, we began multiple other tests that consisted of the Blood Agar Plate, Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) Agar, Mannitol Salt Agar, MacConkey Agar, DNASE, and finally the Phenylethyl (PEA) Agar test.
Blood Agar Plate:
This experiment was conducted in order to determine if our bacteria is able to lyse red blood cells. Our secondary goal is to isolate and support the growth of fastidious bacteria.
In this experiment, we made a streak on our Blood Agar plate with a loop full of inoculated bacteria using the aseptic technique. We are waiting for the results of this test for next class.
Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) Agar:
This experiment was conducted in order to determine if our bacteria is generally used to determine if bacteria is gram positive, or negative. Specifically, though, it is used to determine if bacterium ferment lactose/sucrose, and to what degree.
Just as we did before, we inoculate our loop full of bacteria using the aseptic technique, and we streaked our EMB Agar plate. We will find out our results next class.
Mannitol Salt Agar:
This experiment was conducted to isolate bacteria based upon their salt tolerance and differentiate among these isolates for mannitol fermentation.
We streaked our Mannitol plate with an inoculated loop of bacteria. We are waiting for our results for next class.
MacConkey Agar:
The goal of this experiment was to determine if our bacteria is able to determine lactose.
We streaked our agar plate with a loop full of bacteria and we are waiting for our results during next class.
Phenylethyl Alcohol Agar:
The purpose of this experiment was to determine if our bacteria is gram positive or negative.
We streaked our PEA agar with our bacteria and we are awaiting our results for next class.
DNASE:
Then we swabbed each others throat in order to practice strep throat swabs using the arching technique.
That's all for this week! Check back soon!
