Glue this portion down into the LEFT side of your ISN and
fold into a book.
Virtual Labaratory – Bacterial Transformation
Introduction:
1. Log into lab bench:
http://www.phschool.com/science/biology_place/lab
bench/lab6/concepts1.html
2. Follow the instructions carefully on each screen – be
sure to review all animations.
3. Answer the lab questions below as you proceed
through the virtual lab. Type your answers DIRECTLY
into this document using RED font for your answers.
Then share it with me on google documents saved as
“your name_period” for example “simon_3rd”
Questions:
1. Read “key concepts 1: bacterial transformation”.
What is bacterial transformation?
a. What gene are we going to attempt to
introduce into our bacterial strain?
b. What will happen to our bacteria strain if we
succeed?
2. Read “bacterial colonies”. What species of bacteria
are we using for this experiment?
3. Read “E.coli bacteria”. Where is E. coli bacteria
commonly found?
a. How does E. coli reproduce? How rapidly can
this occur?
b. Describe the chromosomal genome of E. coli.
4. Read “plasmids”. What are plasmids?
a. How are plasmids used in genetic engineering?
b. What does the ampR gene confer resistance to
in E. coli?
c. What happens to E. coli cells that do not carry
the ampR gene?
d. In order to transform cells…what do we need
to do first?
5. Read “competent cells”. Describe what this concept
means.
a. What processes are used to make cells
competent?
b. In what phase of bacterial growth is it easiest
to make cells competent?
6. Read “design of experiment I”. Make notes of some
important safety procedures:
7. Read “Transformation procedure”. After you’ve
familiarized yourself with the procedure as a whoel,
take a closer look at each stage. Select steps 1-4 and
6 to see what is going on at the cellular level. The
very last “a closer look” screen shows an animation
of the transformation procedure. Watch it!!!! There
are basically six steps to follow to correctly transform
bacteria. Describe these steps in order below:
a. .
b. .
c. .
d. .
e. .
f. .
8. The figures below show the events that take place
during transformation of an E. coli cell. Type in the
letters to indicate the correct order in which the
events occur.
9. Read “analysis of results 1”. Draw and describe the 4
possible outcomes for this experiment in the space
provided below.
a. What does it mean if there is a “lawn growth of
cells”?
b. What does it mean if there are individual
colonies of growth on the agar?
c. What does it mean if nothing is growing on the
agar?
10.Read “label the results of your experiment”. After
incubation, the following plates were removed from
the incubator. All but part of one label have been
removed so that you must now use your
understanding of this laboratory to make new labels
for each plate. Based on the physical appearance of
each plate, select the appropriate label for the plates.
Describe this below…do NOT simpley write A,B,C,or
D. For example: plate I should be labeled
____because_____.
a. Plate I:
b. Plate II:
c. Plate III:
d. Plate IV:
11.Take “lab quiz I” You may write your responses
below:
a. Question 1___
b. Question 2___
c. Question 3___
d. Question 4 ___
e. Question 5___
f. Question 6 ___
This document must be printed and
put into your ISN before I take
them up on May 13th. Please print
and put in the ISN on your own
time.