Microbiology 311 Lab Report
Rebekah Worley
February 21, 2012
Mitchell
Section 4
Biol 311
Staining and Identifying Unknown Bacteria
Introduction:
The microbiology lab up to this point has been used to teach the students how to stain and identify bacteria. There are several types of staining through which the bacteria can be identified based on the color and shape. The staining methods used in the lab are Gram Staining, Capsule Staining, Endospore Staining, and Acid Fast staining. One of the most significant method of staining is the Gram Staining, as it is highly dependent (McCarthy, 25). In the specific experiment that was done, Gram Staining was used and the bacteria that was found was purple and round (cocci) shaped. Through this the bacteria was identified as Staphylococcus epidermis.
Material and Methods: The first step to identifying the bacteria was to heat fix it to the slide. The materials used were a slide, water, a Bunsen Burner, bibulous paper and clothes pin. The unknown bacteria was in a vial in solid form. The steps on page 19 and 20 of the Customized Biol 311 General Microbiology Laboratory Manual were followed to heat fix the bacteria. After this gram staining was used to identify the unknown bacteria. The materials used for gram staining include the slide the was heat fixed, bibulous paper, crystal violet, distilled water, Gram 's iodine, 95% ethyl alcohol, safranin, oil and a microscope. The steps on page 26 of the Customized Biol 311 General Microbiology Laboratory Manual were used to stain the bacteria. Several changes were made in the procedure. The crystal violet was on the slide for 1 minute rather than 20 seconds. The decolorizing step was used with alcohol for 10 seconds rather than 20 seconds. The only other change was that the safranin was on the slide for 1 minute instead of the recommended 20 seconds. The slide was put under the microscope at 1000x magnification using oil immersion.
Results:
When looking under the microscope the bacteria was found to
February 21, 2012
Mitchell
Section 4
Biol 311
Staining and Identifying Unknown Bacteria
Introduction:
The microbiology lab up to this point has been used to teach the students how to stain and identify bacteria. There are several types of staining through which the bacteria can be identified based on the color and shape. The staining methods used in the lab are Gram Staining, Capsule Staining, Endospore Staining, and Acid Fast staining. One of the most significant method of staining is the Gram Staining, as it is highly dependent (McCarthy, 25). In the specific experiment that was done, Gram Staining was used and the bacteria that was found was purple and round (cocci) shaped. Through this the bacteria was identified as Staphylococcus epidermis.
Material and Methods: The first step to identifying the bacteria was to heat fix it to the slide. The materials used were a slide, water, a Bunsen Burner, bibulous paper and clothes pin. The unknown bacteria was in a vial in solid form. The steps on page 19 and 20 of the Customized Biol 311 General Microbiology Laboratory Manual were followed to heat fix the bacteria. After this gram staining was used to identify the unknown bacteria. The materials used for gram staining include the slide the was heat fixed, bibulous paper, crystal violet, distilled water, Gram 's iodine, 95% ethyl alcohol, safranin, oil and a microscope. The steps on page 26 of the Customized Biol 311 General Microbiology Laboratory Manual were used to stain the bacteria. Several changes were made in the procedure. The crystal violet was on the slide for 1 minute rather than 20 seconds. The decolorizing step was used with alcohol for 10 seconds rather than 20 seconds. The only other change was that the safranin was on the slide for 1 minute instead of the recommended 20 seconds. The slide was put under the microscope at 1000x magnification using oil immersion.
Results:
When looking under the microscope the bacteria was found to
Cited: McCarthy, Charlotte M and Harold Benson. Customized Biol 311 General Microbiology Laboratory Manual. 2nd. ed. New York. McGraw-Hill 2002 Print.