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Working with Microorganisms definitions

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  • E. Coli
    A commonly used, non-pathogenic bacterial strain in labs, valued for rapid growth and genetic manipulation.
  • Plating
    A technique where bacteria are spread on agar in a petri dish to grow isolated groups from single cells.
  • Agar
    A firm, jelly-like substance in petri dishes that provides nutrients and a surface for bacterial growth.
  • Colony
    A visible clump of genetically identical bacterial cells derived from a single ancestor on a solid medium.
  • Prototroph
    A wild-type bacterial strain capable of growing on minimal media without added nutrients.
  • Auxotroph
    A mutant bacterial strain requiring specific nutrients in complete media due to metabolic deficiencies.
  • Minimal Media
    A nutrient solution containing only essential salts, carbon, and water, supporting only wild-type bacterial growth.
  • Complete Media
    A nutrient-rich solution containing all essentials plus extra nutrients needed by mutant bacteria.
  • Chromosome
    The main DNA molecule in bacteria, housing essential genes for survival, growth, and division.
  • Plasmid
    A small, circular DNA molecule in bacteria, separate from the chromosome, often carrying beneficial traits.
  • Antibiotic Resistance
    A trait often encoded on plasmids, enabling bacteria to survive and grow in the presence of antibiotics.
  • Conjugation
    A DNA transfer process involving direct contact and fusion between two bacterial cells.
  • Transformation
    A process where bacteria take up free DNA from their environment, leading to genetic change.
  • Transduction
    A DNA transfer method where a bacteriophage introduces genetic material into a bacterial cell.
  • Horizontal Transmission
    The movement of genetic material between existing bacterial cells, not involving offspring.