1: Create Your Own Bacterial Key
Throughout the previous modules you have gained information on the methods used to distinguish different bacteria from one another. This activity serves to reinforce the concepts associated with biochemical tests, help you learn the metabolic strategies associated with individual or groups of bacteria, and strengthen your understanding of basic morphological differences. For this assignment, you are to choose one (1) of the groups, either A) oral/respiratory tract pathogens and commensals, or B) urogenital pathogens and commensals or C) gastrointestinal tract pathogens and commensals, and develop a key based on differential staining and culturing, morphology and the suite of biochemical tests available to identify bacteria.
A) Typical oral/respiratory tract pathogens and commensals -
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Streptococcus pneumonia
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Yersina pestis
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Haemophilus influenza
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Streptococcus viridans
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Staphylococcus aureus
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Bacillus antracis
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Klebsiella pneumonia
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Bordetella pertussis
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Streptococcus pyogenes
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Chlamydia pneumonia
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Psuedomonas aeruginosa
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Mycobacterium tuberculosis
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Mycoplasma pneumoniae
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2: Project 1 (I chose the topic Pseudomonas)
Background: You are the science reporter for your local newspaper. Your editor asks you to write an article on a major topic within the general field of microbiology. He stipulates that in this article you need to include the following three things:
1. An historical timeline for the major scientific discoveries that has led to our current understanding of the topic.
2. A summary of our current understanding of the topic.
3. A projection of where the next major advance or breakthrough in your topic will come from.
Description
For project 1 you will do your background research. Specifically, you will choose a suitable topic, identify appropriate resources, and generate a brief outline of the article which you will write for Project 2. Your topic must fall under the following subheadings:
· Microbiology and human health
· Microbiology and the environment
· Microbiology and agriculture
· Microbiology and industry.