pGLO lab Conclusion

Shiv Paul Gupta

pGLO Observations , Data Recording & Analysis

1.

Obtain your team plates.  Observe your set of  “+pGLO” plates under room light and with UV light.  Record numbers of colonies and color of colonies. Fill in the table below. Plate Number of Colonies Color of colonies under room light Color of colonies under   UV light - pGLO LB - pGLO LB/amp Unclear amount, bacteria grew in different shapes and sizes, and mixed together. No clear colonies A light brown/beige, color of diluted agar A light brown/beige, color of diluted agar + pGLO LB/amp 8 colonies with the same shape, of a sun A light brown/beige, color of diluted agar A light brown/beige, color of diluted agar + pGLO LB/amp/ara 7 colonies that lit up with ray like branches. Similar to a sun figure. A light brown/beige, color of diluted agar Fluorescent green

2.	What two new traits do your transformed bacteria have?
	The first is the distinct growth pattern or formation of the bacteria. They grow in a starfish/sun pattern where there is one main body of bacteria, and they more bacteria branches out from the main body. The second new trait is the fact that the main body of bacteria glows a fluorescent green due to the GFP fluorescent protein and the arabinose trigger.
3.	Estimate how many bacteria were in the 100 uL of bacteria that you spread on each plate. Explain your logic. Considering the miniscule size of bacteria, I can hypothesize that there are about 100,000,000,000 bacteria in 100 ul. I got this number because the average bacterium is about 0.2um, and doing the rough conversion of ul to um3I got my answer.
4.	What is the role of arabinose in the plates? Arabinose is used as a trigger for the plasmid. As we learned in the vodcast, the plasmids have two proteins. One is GFP, extracted from jellyfish. This protein is used to make the bacteria that picked up the plasmid glow. However, the GFP cannot do this on its own. It needs a trigger, which is where the arabinose sugar comes into play. It is necessary for the plasmid to actually glow.
5.	List and briefly explain three current uses for GFP (green fluorescent protein) in research or applied science. One application for GFP is its use for marking gene expression. Due to the lack of need for exogenous substrates and cofactors for this fluorescence, GFP expression can be used to monitor gene expression and protein localization in living organisms. Another application for GFP is like this lab, where it makes it easier to locate and differentiate bacteria from one another. A third use for GFP is to light up parts of the body for medical or scientific study. They can be used to highlight synapses in the body. This can make it easier to see and study.
6.	Give an example of another application of genetic engineering. One major use of genetic engineering, or genetic modification, is its ability to create and mass produce drugs and medicines such as insulin and growth hormones. The genetic engineering has lead to growth hormones that have treated dwarfism and other minor genetic defects.