Scientific Experiment: Bacterial Transformation

Title:

Research Question:

Can modifying the genetic material of bacteria create new characteristics through gene transfer?

Introduction:

Prokaryotic cells have no nucleus and no internal membrane. Because of this, they can be classified as bacteria. Prokaryotic cells are similar in structure to Eukaryotic cells, however the DNA floats in a nucleoid. Transformed bacteria consist of a recombinant plasmid and a host cell or bacteria. If the plasmid in the bacteria has a gene that is useful it can be very beneficial to the bacteria. Scientists can combine new DNA that they want replicated with the plasmid, so they can have large amounts of it. The bacteria may pass on the plasmid onto another bacteria, creating many lawns or colonies, which is called bacterial transformation.

A plasmid is a small circular piece of double-stranded DNA. The plasmid DNA contains a gene, which is shown by the bacterium. Scientists can modify plasmids, and create new genes. This shows that bacteria can acquire new genetic information and characteristics. In bacteria with the presence of plasmid in transformed bacterial cells, ampicillin and other antibiotics cannot destroy its cell wall, usually by using the chemical Beta-lactam ring. The ampicillin resistance gene in a plasmid encodes for a protein called Beta-lactamase, which is an enzyme that destroys the activity of ampicillin by breaking down the beta-lactam ring. These transformed bacterial cells can resist the effects of beta-lactam antibiotics. Plasmids are

Even though the DNA is free-floating, if a gene is important, the DNA can be coded.

Independent Variable: The plasmid

Dependent Variable: The type of growth of bacteria in each dish

Controlled Variables: The amount of plasmid added to +...

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...mpicillin, x-gal and +plasmid. Figure 3 shows columns of yellow bacterial growth when LB and +plasmid are present. Figure 4 shows lawns of yellow bacterial growth when LB and –plasmid is present. Figure 5 shows no signs of bacterial growth with x-gal, ampicillin, LB and –plasmid. Figure 6 shows a small lawn on yellow bacterial growth with ampicillin, LB and –plasmid.

Conclusion

Evaluation

Lb+amp+x-gal

Bacteria and plasmid some of the bacteria picked up the plasmid so it is transformed

x-gal turns cell blue, and the cell makes a colony

next to the blue colonies there are smaller white colonies

These bacteria did not transformed, but survived. In the area around the blue colony, there is no ampicillin. They find themselves in an area without amp. and start to grow. They grow after the blue cell killed the antibiotic.

These are called satellite colonies