Bacterial Isolation and Classification

Part 1. Directions​: Use the following ​link​ to learn the purpose and procedure to properly streak
plates.

Write the following information in your ​lab notebook​:

1. Explain the purpose of the streak plate test.
2. Write the materials required.
3. Write the steps needed to streak a plate.
4. A drawing of a streaked plate.

In this document.
1. Complete the virtual lab until you get the 4th quadrant full of isolated colonies. Take a
screenshot and insert it below for credit.

2. Interpretation. How do you know you’ve successfully streaked a plate? What will
happen progressively in each quadrant?
You know you successfully streaked a plate because the quadrants will move onto to the next
when finished. You will begin to see a lighter shade of agar.
Part 2. Directions:​ Watch the ​Biorad​ video on how to streak a plate. Answer the following
questions.

1. What is the purpose of streak plate method?

It allows isolation of a single colony from a bacterial culture by splitting the plate into quadrants
and diluting the bacteria repeatingly.
2. What’s happening when you streak the plate through each quadrant?
You are isolating a single colony from bacterial cultures.
3. What is color is hottest part of the flame? Where is it and what does it look like?
The color of the hottest part of the flame is a rear ring blue flame. The tip of the cone is the
hottest part of the flame.
4. When streaking what should you avoid doing to the agar?
You should avoid breaking the surface of the agar.
5. How often do you need to sterilize the loop by flaming?
You need to sterilize the loop each time you transferring bacteria to streak the plate.

Part 3. ​Cell Shape1

1. Bacteria have three basic shapes.

Shape Scientific word for the shape

Rod Bacillus

Sphere cocci

Spiral spirilla

2. Bacteria can also arrange themselves into colonies. Each arrangement is given a special
name.
Arrangement Meaning Example

Diplo- Two cells or arrangement in diplococcus, a pair of

pairs sphere-shaped bacteria

Strepto- Twisted in form of chain streptobacilli, a chain of

rod-shaped bacteria

Tetrad A group or set of four Note: this is not a prefix. You

would just say "tetrad cocci
bacteria"

Staphylo- random Staphylococcus, a random

arrangement of sphere-shaped
bacteria

Scientists and doctors can identify bacteria by their shape and arrangement. For example,
if you've ever had strep throat, the doctor probably took a sample from your mouth or
throat. They are looking for bacteria that are spherical and in chains. The technical name
of this is streptococcus. Hence the name: strep throat.

1
http://labs.7bscience.com/unit-9.html
Highlight​ the correct answer.
3. Which shape does the picture below show? a. Bacilli ​b. Cocci​ c. Spirilla

4. Which shape does the picture below show? a. Bacilli b. Cocci c.​ Spirilla

5. Which shape does the picture below show? a.​ Bacilli​ b. Cocci c. Spirilla

Highlight​ the correct answer.

6. Which arrangement does Pic. 1 show?
a. Diplo ​ b. Strepto c. Tetrad

7. Which arrangement does Pic. 2 show?

a. Diplo b. Strepto c​. Tetrad

8. Which arrangement does Pic. 3 show?

9. a. Diplo ​ b. Strepto​ c. Tetrad

10. The following image is that of bacteria found in yogurt. ​DRAW​ ​three​ different bacteria
from the picture (you may need to zoom in) and indicate their shape. For example, if you
find a chain of bacilli bacteria, you would draw them and say they are “streptobacilli.”
11. Look at pictures of merismopedia and anabaena below. What are their shapes (bacilli,
cocci, or spirilla)? What are their arrangements (diplo-, strepto-, or tetrad)? What is their
shape-arrangement name (ex: diplococcus, streptobacillus, etc.) Note: to make the
shape-arrangement name, just combine the prefix, with the shape.

12. Merismopedia:
Shape: ​cocci
Arrangement:​ tetrad
Shape-arrangement name:​ tetradcoccus

13. Anabaena
Shape: ​cocci
Arrangement: ​strepto
Shape-arrangement name: ​streptococcus
Part 4. Putting it all together.

In a paragraph discuss the purpose of streaking a plate. Once you have isolated colonies what
are characteristics you can observe to identify the bacteria?

The purpose of streaking a plate is so that we can isolate a single colony from a bacterial
culture plate. We will do so by splitting the plate into quadrants and diluting the bacteria
repeating. Once we have isolated the colony, we have to look for some characteristics to
identify bacteria such as their shape and arrangement.