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SEMESTER 1 BIOL1262: BACTERIA - FORMAT FOR LAB REPORT 2

NB. All items highlighted in yellow should be done in your lab books before
coming into the lab (ie. These items must be submission ready) before coming to
the lab. You will not be allowed to work on these items during the lab. Please
note that marks are assigned to these sections.

Format for write of lab 1 week 4

Name:
ID NO:
Demonstrator’s name:
Date and lab stream:
Title of the lab: MICROBIOLOGY: BACTERIA
GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Key Concepts:  What are bacteria? Where do bacteria live?  Are bacteria
visible to the naked eye? How do scientist study bacteria? What is
microbiology? Why is almost 95% of bacteria not culturable?
1. Microbiology technique – Streak plate method for isolating bacteria
Title – Exercise 1. Streak plate method of isolating bacteria

Aims: To obtain single colonies of bacteria using the streak plate method.

Introduction: Outline the theory and purpose of the streak plate method

Methods: Draw a diagrams to illustrate the streak plate method used to isolate
pure cultures of a single bacteria species. What are single bacterial colonies?

 In the lab identify whether you made any changes to the procedures
stated above

Results, discussion, conclusion (done in the lab)

Expected outcome: Explain how each step in the process contributes to the
expected outcome.
(Discuss the observations of the streak plates prepared for the lab)
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2. Microbiology techniques – Staining and microscopy

Title: Morphology and identification of bacteria using staining and micro

Aim 1:- To visualise and determine the morphology of bacterial cells of

___organisms 1 and 2 _______ using simple and negative stains.

Introduction:- Theory -Basis of the stains; Simple Stain (Direct stain with
basic dye) and Negative staining with nigrosine dye (indirect stain with acid
dye). Describe the morphology of the bacteria cells: shape, size and
arrangement (no detail of organelles and cell wall required)

Methods: - Write in past tense

Draw diagrams to illustrate the various staining methods. (do before coming
to the lab give reference)

 Identify whether you made any changes to the procedures stated above.
 How were the observations made?
Results and discussion - Complete in the lab
Colour of the cells and why? Morphology of organisms _____ Compare both
stains

Aims 2 and 3: To identify the organisms ___________ ____________ based on the

Gram stain. To confirm the presence of endospores in an endospore forming
organism ___________ based on endospore stain
Introduction: Theory – What is a differential stain? Basis/mechanism of Gram
stain. Describe the cell wall (molecular detail required) of Gram negative and
Gram Positive bacteria. Why is the word Gram capitalised.
Basis/mechanism of the endospore stain. What are endospores? and what is
the function of the endospore? Where are they located in the cell? The cells
containing endospores are called ___________. What conditions are necessary
for formation of the endospores in an endospore forming bacteria such as
Bacillus subtilis?
Expected outcomes based on the staining procedures. (Location, shape and
size of the endospore)
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Methods:

Results and discussion – Complete in lab

Organism 1 is Gram x or y because ______________
Organism 2 is Gram x or y because ____________
Organism 3 is an endospore forming organism because _____________
Organism 3 is negative for endospore formation because ____________

General Conclusion (complete in the lab)

Staining of Bacteria

Simple staining with a Differential staining

single stain
(2 or more dyes)
(direct or indirect)

Visualisation of
morphological structure and Identification
arrangement

Gram stain Endospore stain

Jrm 2018