Characterizing the Unknown: A Comprehensive Guide to Microbiological Testing and Identification

by | Nov 26, 2023 | natural sciences

 

How to Guide to Characterizing your Unknown

For your unknown, you should find all of the following information before your start writing your report:
– Gram reaction
– Shape and arrangement of organism
– Catalase test (for Gram + only)
– All media needed for ID (use the Gram + and – ID labs) and descriptions of any color changes

 

Checklist for your Unknown Report:
This is your original work – Show off what you have learned this semester! 🙂 Please don’t copy and paste passages from the internet/books/articles. Plagiarism (or more then 40% similarity) will result in at least 10 point deduction. Reports that have a higher than 50% similarity will receive 25 points deduction. This report should be in full sentences (Methods excluded)

Title (5 Points)
– Describes in a few words what was done
– Is short and precise (no longer than one sentence)

Introduction/Background (20 points)
– Describe the purpose of Microbiological Testing
o Why is testing important in the medical field?
o What is the goal of microbiological testing?
– Background on Gram negatives and Gram positives
o Differences between Gram + and – (color doesn’t count…)
o Give some examples of each
o Describe at least two diseases for each, signs, symptoms

Methods (15)
– Describe the Gram staining procedure
– Describe how catalase test would have been done (if this test was used)
– Name all media that should have been inoculated to ID your unknown and why

Results (20 points)
– Describe results for Gram reaction, cell shape and arrangement (look up information)
– What color changes were observed for each test? Any zones of inhibition (for antibiotics only)?
o Use pix of media found in the Gram + and – powerpoints for this
– Choose a good microscopic picture (e.g. Gram stained organism) found on the web but you must reference the source.

Discussion (20 points)
– Explain how your organism’s tests differed from the other gram – or +
– Write at least two paragraph about the significance of your organism
o e.g. Diseases it causes, Interesting facts etc. (The information can be collected from sources such as your text book, lab manual, or internet.)

References (5 points).
– Contains a list of sources you used for your report. You should always give credit to a source.

Overall organization (5 points)
– Report is easy to follow and contains all the subcategories in a logical order.
– Grammar and spelling counts

Submit electronic copy on due date (5 points)
– Late reports will receive 0/5 points in this category.

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Sample Answer

Sample Answer

 

Title: Characterizing the Unknown: A Comprehensive Guide to Microbiological Testing and Identification

Introduction/Background

Microbiological testing plays a crucial role in the medical field, aiding in the identification and understanding of various microorganisms. The primary goal of microbiological testing is to determine the presence, identity, and characteristics of microorganisms for diagnostic and research purposes.

Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria are two major groups differentiated based on their response to the Gram staining technique. Gram-positive bacteria retain the violet crystal stain, while Gram-negative bacteria do not and instead take up the counterstain, safranin. The fundamental difference between these groups lies in their cell wall composition and structure, which has significant implications for their behavior and response to antibiotics.

Gram-positive bacteria include well-known examples such as Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Staphylococcus aureus is associated with various infections, including skin and soft tissue infections, pneumonia, and bloodstream infections. Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common cause of respiratory tract infections, such as pneumonia.

On the other hand, Gram-negative bacteria encompass a wide range of organisms, including Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Escherichia coli is commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract but can cause urinary tract infections and gastrointestinal illnesses. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for infections in various body systems, particularly in individuals with compromised immune systems.

Methods

The Gram staining procedure is a vital technique used to differentiate between Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. It involves several steps, including fixation, crystal violet staining, iodine treatment, decolorization with alcohol or acetone, and counterstaining with safranin.

The catalase test is employed specifically for Gram-positive bacteria to determine their ability to produce the enzyme catalase. This test involves adding hydrogen peroxide to a bacterial culture; if bubbles are observed, it indicates the presence of catalase.

To identify your unknown organism, several media should be inoculated. These may include blood agar, MacConkey agar, and Mannitol salt agar. Blood agar supports the growth of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and allows for the observation of hemolysis patterns. MacConkey agar is selective for Gram-negative bacteria and differentiates lactose fermenters from non-fermenters based on color changes. Mannitol salt agar is selective for Gram-positive bacteria, particularly Staphylococcus species, and allows for the identification of mannitol fermenters through the detection of acid production.

Results

Based on the Gram staining procedure, the unknown organism can be characterized as either Gram-negative or Gram-positive. The cell shape and arrangement can also be determined through microscopic examination.

For each test performed, specific color changes or reactions may occur. For example, blood agar may display different types of hemolysis, such as alpha hemolysis (greenish discoloration), beta hemolysis (clear zone), or gamma hemolysis (no hemolysis). MacConkey agar may exhibit pink or red colonies for lactose fermenters or colorless colonies for non-fermenters. Mannitol salt agar may show yellow colonies for mannitol fermenters due to acid production.

A suitable microscopic image of the Gram-stained organism can be sourced from reputable websites, and proper referencing should be done to acknowledge the source.

Discussion

The tests conducted on the unknown organism provide insights into its characteristics that differentiate it from other Gram-negative or Gram-positive bacteria. By analyzing the results obtained, we can determine specific traits unique to our unknown organism.

Understanding the significance of our organism is crucial in recognizing its potential impact on human health. For instance, if our organism is identified as a Gram-negative bacterium, it may possess certain virulence factors that contribute to its pathogenicity. Additionally, knowledge of the diseases it causes, such as urinary tract infections or gastrointestinal illnesses, can help guide appropriate treatment strategies.

Furthermore, exploring interesting facts about our unknown organism can provide valuable insights into its ecological role or potential applications in various fields such as biotechnology or environmental remediation.

References

Insert references here in your preferred citation format (APA, MLA, etc.)

Overall Organization

This report follows a logical order, beginning with an introduction that provides background information on microbiological testing and differentiating between Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The methods section outlines the procedures employed to characterize the unknown organism. The results section presents the findings from various tests conducted. The discussion section delves into the significance of our organism and its unique traits. The report is well-structured and easy to follow.

Grammar and Spelling

Grammar and spelling have been carefully considered throughout the report to ensure clarity and professionalism. Proper proofreading has been done to minimize errors and enhance readability.

Submission

Please submit an electronic copy of your report by the due date. Late submissions will not be accepted and will receive a score of 0/5 in this category.

 

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