Ecoli
Ecoli
Ecoli
INTRODUCTION
Bacteria lies everywhere and affects multiple people therefore knowing the causes of the bacteria
can help treat an ill patient. In microbiology laboratory class many techniques were studied to learn
how a microorganism will react in certain conditions. The techniques used were applied to identify
an unknown bacterium.
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turns the broth red meaning nitrate did not reduce to nitrite, negative reaction. The unknown gram
negative bacteria had a negative reaction verifying that the unknown bacteria is Escherichia coli.
The unknown broth contains a gram negative bacterium and a gram positive bacterium. The gram
positive bacterium did not isolate on the first nutrient agar plate so in order for the gram positive to
grow it most be placed on a selective medium. The unknown broth was streaked unto a mannitol
salt agar. The bacteria was incubated and the gram positive bacteria began to grow. An isolation
streak was performed on a nutrient agar with the gram positive bacteria and was incubated.
Isolated pure cultures grew and a gram stain was performed. The bacteria appeared to be a gram
positive cocci. A Simmons citrate test was performed it see if citrate was used a sole carbon source.
The Simmons citrate agar was inoculated and incubated, but the Simmons citrate agar did not turn
blue meaning a negative reaction occurred, eliminating Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis. A
nitrate test was performed next to see if nitrate reduces to nitrite. The nitrite broth was inoculated
and incubated which lead to a positive reaction, eliminating Enterococcus faecalis.
Next an urea test was performed. The urea broth was inoculated and incubated. The urea test
detects for the production of urease. The broth initially is yellow but if urease hydrolyzes urea then
the broth turns pink for a positive reaction. The urea broth turned pink meaning urease broke down
urea, positive reaction. A positive urea test eliminates Staphylococcus aureus which leaves
Staphylococcus epidermidis. To verify the gram positive bacteria is Staphylococcus epidermidis a
mannitol test was performed. Mannitol test was performed to detect the carbohydrate fermentation
which leads to acid production. The gram positive bacteria was inoculated into a mannitol
fermentation tube and placed into the incubator. The broth starts out as red but if acid is produced
the broth turns yellow.
The gram positive bacteria did not turn yellow meaning acid was not produced, which verifies
Staphylococcus epidermidis is the unknown gram positive bacteria. All of the tests that were
performed by referencing the lab manual.
CONCLUSION
Several test were performed to conclude the gram negative bacteria was Escherichia coli and the
gram positive bacteria was Staphylococcus epidermidis. Performing a gram stain on gram negative
and gram positive showed that gram negative bacteria was a negative rod and that the gram
positive bacteria was a positive cocci. For the gram negative bacteria a gelatin test was inoculated
to detect if protein was broken down by gelatinase, which it was not eliminating the bacteria
Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Then a lactose test was inoculated and detected if carbohydrate was
fermented which leads to acid production. Acid production did occur meaning carbohydrates were
fermented and eliminating Proteus vulgaris. Next a Simmons citrate was inoculated to identify if
citrate is used as a sole carbon source. Citrate was not used as a sole carbon source, which
eliminated Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter aerogenes and leaves Escherichia coli as the
unknown gram negative bacteria. To verify that Escherichia coli was the gram negative bacteria a
nitrite was performed. The nitrite test determines if nitrate was reduced to nitrite. A nitrate broth
was inoculated and incubated, afterwards reagent A and B were added to the solution and did not
turn red so then zinc was added to the solution and the broth turned red meaning the nitrate did
not reduce to nitrite. Verifying the gram negative bacteria is Escherichia coli.
The gram positive bacteria was a positive cocci to verify it was a cocci a Simmons citrate agar was
inoculated and incubated. The Simmons citrate had a negative reaction verifying the gram positive
bacteria is a cocci, which eliminates Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis. Then a nitrite test was
performed and nitrate reduced to nitrite having a positive reaction and eliminating Enterococcus
faecalis. Next a urea test was inoculated and incubated. The urea test determines if urease was
produced and breaks down urea. The gram positive bacteria did produce urease having a positive
reaction, eliminating Staphylococcus aureus and leaving Staphylococcus epidermidis.To confirm
Staphylococcus epidermidis is the unknown gram positive bacteria a mannitol test was inoculated
and incubated. Mannitol test detects the carbohydrate fermentation which leads to acid production.
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Acid was not produce which confirms Staphylococcus epidermidis is the unknown gram positive
bacteria.
Staphylococcus epidermidis lives on the skin andis part of the bodies normal flora. It is also an
opportunistic pathogen that thrives in hospitals by taking advantage of a weakened immune
systems, immunocomprised. (1) Staphylococcus epidermidis is a facultative anaerobe, which means
it can live with or with oxygen. The pathogenic cell produces slime, which is secreted from the
teichoic acid in the cell wall, resulting in a biofilm formation. (2) The infections usually start at skin
wounds caused by catheters, and also effects prosthetic joints and large wounds. Staphylococcus
epidermidis is resistant to most antibiotics like methicillin, novobiocic, and benzyl penicillin, but it is
antibiotic sensitive to vancomycin. (3)
REFERENCES
1. http://www.ebi.ac.uk/2can/genomes/bacteria/Staphylococcus_epidermidis.html
2.
http://web.uconn.edu/mcbstaff/graf/Student%20presentations/S%20epidermidis/sepidermidis.html
3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC376388/
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