Teanna
Anthony
Gel Electrophoresis
BIO 3337: Biomolecules
Spectrometry
BIO 3337: Biomolecules
Field Analysis: Daphnia
BIO 2277: Investigation & Research
Throughout my biology courses, one of my favorite techniques and lab skills I developed was making gels for gel electrophoresis. I was first introduced to gel electrophoresis in my Biomolecules course. In this course, we conducted a gel electrophoresis lab to determine the protein molecule weight. The goal of this lab was to develop a basic understanding of protein structure, as well as find the molecular weight of unknown prestained proteins by denaturing SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. After completing the lab, I was able to successfully create solutions to develop a running gel as well as use the data obtained from the gel results to determine the differences in different proteins.
Prior to taking Biomolecules, I had never used a spectrophotometer or knew what the tool was used for. Spectrophotometry is used to measure how much a chemical substance absorbs light by measuring the intensity of light as a beam of light passes through the sample solution. For one of the lab experiments in the course we used the spectrophotometry to measure the absorbance spectrum of PNP at a pH of 5 and a pH of 10.
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In my investigation and research course, I designed an field analysis to determine the affects that different bacteria had on the survival and growth rates of Daphnia. I hypothesized that by adding bacteria such as B. subtilis, K. pneumonia, and P. vulgaris to the normal condition environment of the daphnia live, the daphnia would grow increasing larger and continue to survive. I used relatively small Daphnia so that I could track their growth more easily as I changed their environmental settings over a course of 5 days. To my surprise, my Daphnia did not live to see Day 5. Although they died, I do not believe it was due to the bacteria due to the fact that they lived for 4 days with no issue. Despite the flaws in my experiment, the data I obtained helped be perfect my lab skills such pipetting, and creating cultures from broth
Thin Layer Chromatography
CHE 2126: Organic Chemistry
Differential Test
Bio 3232: Microbiology
In microbiology, we learned many techniques to treat bacteria to examine it in many ways. We used a series of streak plate tests and differential test to examine S. aureus. The tests we conducted were Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA), Phenyl ethyl Alcohol Agar (PEA), MacConkey Agar (MAC), Eosin Methylene Blue Agar (EMB), and Nutrient Agar (NA Phenol Red Broth (lactose), Phenol Red Broth (Sucrose), Triple sugar ion Agar (TSI), Citrate Utilization Test, Catalase Test, Litmus Milk Medium, Methyl Red and Voges-Proskauer Test, and Urea Hydrolysis Broth Test. By learning how to perform and use the information from these test, I was able to apply the techniques I gained to different projects such as isolating and distinguishing unknown bacteria. The results from each test were applied to standard guidelines for different bacteria, in which we used the process of elimination to detect what the unknown organism was. Although I had mastered each technique, I was only able to identify one organism that was in my unknown bacteria based on the results I received from my experimental tests.
In organic chemistry, mixtures of compounds are very common in and determining the different types of compounds within these mixtures is an important factor and technique in distinguishing unknown compounds as well as known compounds. To do so, thin layer chromatography is an often used technique that is based on the differences in molecular interactions between two phase. The purpose of this experiment was to identify the different molecules in an unknown mixture using the properties of known compounds. In this experiment, caffeine, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin, alieve, and an unknown mixture of several components were separated using the TLC method. The TLC sheet was examined under a UV light to determine the Rf values of each compound tested. This experiment technique was difficult to grasp at first because for some of the chemicals such as acetaminophen required the addition of several quantities of the chemical on the TLC plate in order for it to show under the UV light. Therefore, I had to redo this experiment a few times before I could get a good result.
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Microscope Techniques
BIO 2277: Investigation & Research
Throughout the different lab courses I have taken throughout my years in college, one of the most used tools in each of these labs was a microscope. With extensive lab work, I have been able to develop, enhance and learn how to properly use a microscope. Microscopes are valuable in science because they enable us to observe objects, organisms, and bacteria in greater detail than we would be to with the naked I. Although I have used microscopes within various of the courses I have taken, one of my favorite uses of the microscope was to capture the view of the Daphnia. In my investigation and research course, in order to obtain data, I had to view the daphnia to observe its size wile it was alive on the slide. This was a difficult task for me because I am only use to viewing stained bacteria on a slide, which was lifeless. The most challenging part of this experiment was that the daphnia continued to move all over the slide, therefore it was hard to view it on the microscope. After various attempts, I managed to get a still shot of the Daphnia. Overall, utilizing the microscope and being skilled at it has helped me in various experiments such as viewing stained bacteria slides to determine if they are positive or negative, viewing endospores, and viewings cells with nucleuses.
