Lab Exam

Tiny Earth

A project aimed at addressing the global antibiotic crisis by identifying soil bacteria that produce antibiotics.

Soil Crisis

The degradation of soil health impacting its ability to sustain life.

Antibiotic Crisis

The growing concern regarding antibiotic resistance and the need for new antibiotics.

Proper Lab Notebook Keeping

Always date entries, document protocols, and include all observations for reproducibility.

Aseptic Technique

A method to prevent contamination by microorganisms, ensuring accurate experiments.

Soil Sampling

The collection of representative soil samples for analysis.

Serial Dilutions

A series of dilutions to calculate the concentration of bacteria in a sample.

Colony Morphology

Descriptive terms used to characterize colonies based on shape, size, color, etc.

Master Plates

Plates used to preserve bacterial isolates.

ESKAPE Pathogens

A group of antibiotic-resistant bacteria of high clinical significance.

Gram Staining

A method to differentiate bacteria based on their cell wall structure.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

A technique to amplify specific DNA sequences for analysis.

Agarose Gel Electrophoresis

A method for separating DNA fragments based on size using an electric field.

Biochemical Tests

Tests used to identify the biological or chemical characteristics of bacteria.

Catalase Test

A biochemical test for the presence of the enzyme catalase.

MacConkey Agar

A selective media that differentiates Gram-negative bacteria based on lactose fermentation.