Importance Of Microbiology

Microbiology is the biological study of organisms that are too small to be seen with the naked eye (1). Microbiology includes examining a variety of different microbes such as bacteria, archaea, protozoa, fungi and viruses (1). By examining these microbes, their relationship with people and the environment they grow in, is better understood. These examinations of microbes have played a major role in comprehending how microbes can be helpful and harmful, and how they should best be dealt with. With new and emerging discoveries in microbiology, medical treatments have expanded. In integrating the understanding of microbes in the field of medicine, finding cures to combat harmful diseases, such as HIV, can be better developed. Microbiologist
Based off of the gram reaction, the tests I chose to do were the Oxidase, Sulfur reduction, Indole Production, Motility(SIM), Citrate Utilization, Urease and Methyl Red and Voges-Proskauer (MRVP) Test. Microscopic Examination: The cell morphology is an important characteristic that helps identify bacteria. The three main shapes of bacterial cells are coccus, bacillus, and spirillum (3). Stains were used in order to facilitate the viewing of bacterial cells under the microscope. A gram stain is a differential type of stain that determines whether a cell is gram-positive or gram-negative. "Bacterial size, morphology and arrangement can also be determined using this stain" (2). The negative charge on bacterial cells attract the positive charge on the stains used, thus causes the cell to be colorized (2). The gram stain conducted on unknown #53 did not retain the crystal violet when decolorized. The unknown bacteria adhered better to the Safranin stain and was shown to be a pink stained bacterium under the microscope. This indicated that the unknown bacterium was gram-negative. Microscopic examination of the unknown bacterium also indicated that the bacterium was bacillus(rod) shaped. The positive control used for microscopic examination was Escherichi coli and the negative control was Staphylococcus aureus. Catalase
The Catalase Test indicated a positive result. This showed that the bacterium contained the enzyme catalase which converts hydrogen peroxide into water and gaseous oxygen. The positive control used for this test was Micrococcus and the negative control for this test was Entercoccus. The Sulfur Reduction, Indole Production, and Motility (SIM) Test results indicated that the bacterium lacked the enzymes cysteine reductase or thiosulfate reductase and thus was unable to reduce sulfur. The positive control used for sulfur reduction was Proteus mirabilis and the negative control used was Staphylococcus epidermidis. The results for this test most resembled that of the negative control. The SIM Test also indicated a positve result for indole production and motility. This indicated that the unknown can produce indole due to the presence of the enzyme tryptophanase and that it is also capable of motility. The positive control for the indole production was Escherichi coli and the negative control used was Enterobacter aerogenes. The positive control used for motility was Proteus mirabilis and the negative control was Staphylococcus epidermidis. The SIM results of the bacterium most resembled the positive controls. The citrate test on the bacterium indicated a negative result. This indicated that the bacterium does not