Caitlin Sablotsky

U06
2790854
10/07/2014

Experiment 6: Factors Influencing the Growth of Microbes

Results

Name of bacterium tested: Bacillus Stearothermophilus

Growth (+ or -) at:

4C No NaCl
25C 3% NaCl
37C 7% NaCl
45C 15% NaCl
55C 25%NaCl

Growth in Thioglycollate and Nutrient Agar Deeps:

Thioglycollate Agar Nutrient Agar Deep
Color (Methylene Blue)
Top
Middle
Bottom

Growth (Turbidity)
Top
Middle
Bottom

Oxidase Test: Color: No Color

Catalase Test: Bubbles: None

Questions

1. Many anaerobes are catalase negative because they do not need oxygen.
2. Yes it is possible to observe an aerobe showing a negative oxidase test
because there are more final electron acceptors other than O2
3. Thioglycollate works by metabolizing methylene blue. If all the methylene
blue were metabolized than it would appear at the top of the test tube. This
means that the bacterium grew regardless of oxygen being present and the
bacterium is anaerobic. If methylene blue appeared at the bottom of the test
tube then the bacterium is aerobic and if it was present in the middle of the
test tube than the bacterium is facultative. The dye shows where the growth
stops.

Conclusion

The bacterium that was tested in this experiment was Bacillus Stearothermophilus.
There appeared to be a stock room error when this bacterium was cultivated. When
testing for growth, the temperature that exhibited the most growth was 55 degrees
Celsius. This result proves that the optimal temperature of this bacterium is 55C
and the bacteria is a thermophile. When testing to see if the bacterium is halophilic
or nonhalophilic, the bacteria did not take. There was no turbidity or growth in any
of the NaCl test tubes.

When the bacterium was tested for growth in the Thioglycollate Agar, the test was
positive at the top, middle, and bottom. The methylene blue rose all the way to the
top, which means that the bacterium should be anaerobic. No breaks or bubbles
were observed in the Nutrient Agar Deep which means the bacteria was negative for
any growth. These results should mean that Bacillus Stearothermophilus is
facultative. When performing the Oxidase and Catalase test, however, both results
were negative for blue color and bubbles. This means that the bacterium should be
anaerobic. In conclusion, the results did not match up. The error in the stock room
caused faulty results.