Biology 326, Fall 2003
General Microbiology Laboratory – Course Syllabus
Laboratory Hours
Section 50, Rm. 225
Section 51, Rm. 280
Section 52, Rm. 225
Section 53, Rm. 280
Tuesday and Thursday 11:40-2:40
Tuesday and Thursday 11:40-2:40
Tuesday and Thursday 2:50-5:50
Tuesday and Thursday 2:50-5:50
Instructor
Dr. David Davies, Room 112 Science III (phone: 7-2006)
Office Hours: to be announced
email: dgdavies@binghamton.edu
Laboratory
Supervisor
Pamela Watts, Room 282, Science III (phone: 7-4944)
Office Hours: MW 3:00-4:00
email: pwatts@binghamton.edu
Required
Lab Manual
“Selected Material from: Laboratory Manual of Experimental
Microbiology”, Atlas, Brown & Parks
Required
Supplies
Full-length, long-sleeve fabric lab coat, bound composition book/lab
notebook, permanent fine point lab marker
Overview
This is a laboratory course, geared toward Biology majors, is intended to provide the student
with a broad background in microbiology laboratory practice and theory. The course will cover
major laboratory methods including microscopy, evaluation of microbial metabolism, microbial
growth and death, environmental microbiology, water and food microbiology, medical and
industrial microbiology.
Labs are scheduled for three hours, twice each week. Students will occasionally be required to
return to the lab at unscheduled times in order to complete their lab assignments. Unscheduled
visits to the lab generally require only a few minutes to record a result, re-streak a culture etc.
Prior to each laboratory, the student is expected to have read the assigned exercises in the manual
or the course packet as well as any supplemental material, if assigned.
Attendance
Attendance is mandatory. Each missed lab will result in an automatic 5% reduction of your final
grade. Any student missing more than 3 labs without a valid excuse may receive an automatic F
in the course. Due to the nature of this laboratory course, there will be no make-up labs.
Grading
Points
Laboratory Notebook (40%)
Midterm Exam (25%)
Practical Exam (25%)
Unknown Identification (5%)
Discretionary (5%) – attendance, clean up of work area/equipment, safety, etc.
Total:
200
125
125
25
25
500
Biology 326, Fall 2003
General Microbiology Laboratory – Course Syllabus
Grades Based on Percent Numeric Score:
A
AB+
93 - 100
90 - 92
87 - 89
B
BC+
83 - 86
80 - 82
77 - 79
C
CD+
73 - 76
70 - 72
67 - 69
D
DF
63 - 66
60 - 62
< 59
Percent grades will be rounded up when the number is XX.5 or higher. If the average course
grade is lower than 73, the instructor will reserve the right to curve the grades.
Incomplete Grades
There will be no “incompletes” given for this course. If a student is having a problem maintaining
a satisfactory grade, he/she may withdraw from the course. The course-drop deadline is Oct. 30.
Inappropriate behavior
While the majority of students are honest, courteous and respectful of others, it is unfortunately
necessary to remind everyone of the rules governing inappropriate behavior in this course.
Anyone discovered to be cheating will automatically receive the grade of F for the exam or
assignment and possibly for the course.
TENTATIVE LABORATORY SCHEDULE
Lab# / Date
Pages in
Lab Manual
INTRODUCTION, CULTURING AND MICROSCOPY
1 / Sept 4
Introductory Discussion
Preparation of Culture Media (Discussion only)
Preparation of Dehydrated media (for use in Lab 2)
Use of Microscope/ (A) Viewing Prepared Slides
1
3-6
(course packet)
39-46
2 / Sept 9
Aseptic Technique: Transferring a Culture
Establishing Pure Cultures: the Streak Plate
Use of Microscope/Wet Mount
Use of Microscope/Micrometer Measurement
7-9
13-17
46
47-48
3 / Sept 11
Observe Lab 2
Preservation of Cultures: Establishment of a Stock Culture
21-22
STAINING MICROORGANISMS
Simple Staining and Smear Preparation
Gram Stain
4 / Sept 16
Acid-fast Stain
Spore Stain
Negative Stain/Capsule Stain
Flagella Stain
61-64
64-67
67-68
69-70
70-71
72
General Microbiology Course Syllabus
Biology 326, Fall 2003
Lab# / Date
5 / Sept 18
Pages in
Lab Manual
Winogradksy Column (for later observation)
Media Prep (for Lab 6)
(course packet)
GROWTH AND ENUMERATION OF MICROORGANISMS
6 / Sept 23
7 / Sept 25
(B) Selective and Differential Media
(C) Anaerobic Culture Techniques
Unknown organisms assigned.
(A, B and E-J) Enzyme Assays
(A-D) Assays for Metabolic Activities
Observe Lab 6
IDENTIFY UNKNOWN(S)
ID of Unknowns by rRNA Sequence Similarity*
*Take-home assignment: due Sept 30.
8 / Sept 30
(A #1-#2) Viable Plate Count
(C) Direct Counts
Estimating Microbial Biomass/Lowry Procedure
9 / Oct 2
Observe Lab 8
Measurement of Microbial Growth Rate
(B #5) Bioluminescent Bacteria
Live/Dead Stains: Transmitted Microscopy (DEMO)
(F) Fluorescence Microscopy (DEMO)
10 / Oct 7
Environmental Influences on Growth Rates
25-29 & ( )
29-31
81-91 & ( )
101-104 & ( )
()
111-116
118-119
125
129-132
225
50-51
135-142
DEATH OF MICROORGANISMS
(B-D) Death of Microorganisms
Kirby-Bauer Disk Method
11 / Oct 9
12 / Oct 14
Observe Lab 10
(A) Death of Microorganisms
Observe Lab 11
Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC)
Ex. 44 - Oligodynamic Action of Heavy Metals
Use-Dilution Method
13 / Oct 16
Observe Exs. 43, 44 and Use-Dilution
REVIEW FOR MIDTERM
14 / Oct 21
MIDTERM EXAM
LABORATORY NOTEBOOKS DUE
149; 152-156
161-164
151-152
167p.
(handout)
General Microbiology Course Syllabus
Biology 326, Fall 2003
Lab# / Date
Pages in
Lab Manual
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
15 / Oct 23
Ex.55A* - Discussion and observation: Winogradsky columns
pp.
Ex. 57* - Interactions Between Microorganisms and Plants
pp.
*Observe Exs. 55A and 57B weekly for the remainder of the semester.
16 / Oct 28
Quorum Sensing and Cell/Cell Signaling in Bacteria
Photosynthetic Organisms/Photopigment Extraction
17 / Oct 30
Observe Quorum Sensing
Introduction to Biofilms: Discussion & “Show ‘n Tell”
Students plate Biofilms
Set up biofilm reactors/chemostats
18 / Nov 4
(handout)
(handout)
(not in manual)
(handout)
Observe Biofilm plates and evaluate biofilms/continuous cultures
INDUSTRIAL MICROBIOLOGY
19 / Nov 6
Ex. 53 - Microorganisms Associated with Food
Ex. 54 - The Assessment of Water Quality/Presumptive Test
pp.
20 / Nov 11
Ex. 54 - Water Quality/Confirmed Test
Ex. 10A (#3) - Membrane Filter Method
pp.
pp.
21 / Nov 13
Ex. 54 – Water Quality/Completed Test
Yogurt Production/Industrial Quality Control
22 / Nov 18
Observe Ex. 53
Yogurt Production (continued)
23 / Nov 20
Evaluate and eat yogurt.
Other/To Be Announced
Nov 25 and 27
NO LABS – Thanksgiving break
(not in manual)
pp.
MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY
24 / Dec 2
Ex. 47 - Discussion of Koch’s Postulates
Ex. 49A, D - Isolation and Identification/Normal Flora
Medical Diagnostics in Microbiology
Ex. 50 - Snyder Caries Susceptibility Test
25 / Dec 4
Observe Exs. 49-50 and Medical Diagnostics
Review for Practical Exam
26 / Dec 9
LABORATORY PRACTICAL EXAM
LAB NOTEBOOKS DUE
p.
pp.
(handout)