Bacterial Classification Lab-Use your lab data to identify the genus and or genus and species of your organism.
1. Use your data to compete these data tables for your organism:
Aerobic Or Preferred
Lactose
Catalase
Heterotroph Cell Wall
Colony
Anaerobic? incubation
fermenter? Producer? Or
Composition? Pigmentation
Temperature
Autotroph? (Gram
results)
Colonial
Size (mm)
Colonial
Shape
Colonial
Margins
Colonial
Surface
(both)
Colonial
Elevation
Bacterium
Shape
Any other
traits
2. What are 3 other possible biological or chemical traits we could use to distinguish one bacterium from another?
(NOT used in lab)
3. What are 3 main reasons for following important aseptic technique? (Sterilization techniques)
4. Give an example of what could be a prokaryote’s morphology.
5. What thing(s) make classifying bacteria much harder than classifying say animals or plants?
6. Before using the flow chart to decipher what you cultured, try this practice: Gram -, rod shaped, can use lactose
sugars, produces low pH digestive enzymes and methane gases, and is citrate -. Bacterium is:
(Check before you move on!)
7. Use the taxonomy flow chart to best identify the genus and or genus and species of your organism. (You may
only be able to get it narrowed down to 1 of 2 possibilities or 2 of 4 possibilities, do your best)
8. To what domain and kingdom would all the bacteria in this lab come from?
9. Write out the full taxonomy for any possible outcome you got. You should be able to do 5 levels! (Not all in
order)
10. Where, on this campus, could we go to get sample from the other domain?
11. Once you have gotten a plausible genus and species, use a valid website to research any disease(s) caused by
your organism(s). Do this for all possible outcomes.
12. Many people “freak out” at the thought that there are so many pathogenic bacteria all around us. But, there are
very rare cases of deadly outbreaks and so with some basic hygiene we are all pretty safe. Why is this?
13. A common Gram -, coccus, catalase + group of bacterium belong to the genus Neisseria. One of the species in
this group causes gonorrhea. Does that mean that IF we had cultured something we could fit into that genus,
we were exposed to that disease? Explain.
14. Bacteria like E.coli are essential for healthy digestive function in all animals, so why are they responsible for so
many food recalls and illnesses?
15. Why are bacteria, who thrive on blood agar plates ranging from 36.5-37.5 Celsius, of particular interest?
16. What is the most logical reason students could get differing genus and species information on the same
bacteria?