Microbiology 212 M4A1: Create Your Own Bacterial Key

M4A1: 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 orC) 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 Streptococcus pneumonia
Haemophilus influenza
Staphylococcus aureus
Klebsiella pneumonia
Streptococcus pyogenes
Psuedomonas aeruginosa
Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Yersina pestis
Streptococcus viridans
Bacillus antracis
Bordetella pertussis
Chlamydia pneumonia
Mycobacterium tuberculosis

B) Typical urogenital pathogens and commensals
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Streoticiccus agalactiae
Staphylococcus saprophyticus
Clostridium perfringens
S. pyogenes
Haemophilus vaginalis
Ureaplasma urealyticum
Treponema pallidum
Chlamydia trachomatis
Serratia marcescens
Trichomonas vaginalis

C) Typical gastrointestinal pathogens and commensals Campylobaacter jejuni
Salmonella typhimurin
Escherichia coli
Clostridium perfringens
C. dificile
Alcaligenes faecalis

Enterobacter faecalis
Shigella sonnei
Bacillus cereus
Vibrio cholerae
Helicobacter pylori
Listeria monocytogenes

Answers are evaluated using the School of Liberal Arts Writing Rubric Essay assignments comprise 10% of your
final grade.

•
M4A2: Project 1
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.
3.

A summary of our current understanding of the topic.
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:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Microbiology and human health
Microbiology and the environment
Microbiology and agriculture
Microbiology and industry

Procedure

1.

Consult your textbook to choose a topic under one of the four subheadings listed above. For
example, from the area Microbiology and industry, you might examine the use of organisms by the alcoholic
beverage industry. More specifically, are you interested in wine and the grapes that produce it? You could
investigate the actions of a fungus called “noble rot” or the cultures involved in the fermentation of the grapes.
[Need help choosing a topic?]
2.
Email your topic to your instructor for approval.
3.
Once your receive instructor approval, do some background research on your topic to get more
familiar with it. Using the Credo Reference and/or Britannica Online: Academic Edition databases, find 1-2
articles/encyclopedia entries on your topic that will help you complete your Project 2 article. You can access these
databases from the Library’s Background Information page.
4.
Now that you have some grounding in your topic, find 5-6 peer-reviewed research articles that will
help you complete your Project 2 article using the Library’s OneSearch tool. OneSearch is found on the Library’s
homepage. Watch the OneSearch Tips video for assistance getting started. [Note: In OneSearch you can limit
your results to peer-reviewed journals.]
5.
You should now have a total of at least 7 sources to use for your Project 2 article.
6.
After reading the sources, think of the main points that you will cover and develop an outline for
your Project 2 article. [Need help writing an outline?]
7.
In a single Word document, submit your outline and list of at least 7 sources (references) in APA
format and place it in the appropriate assignment dropbox. [Need help withAPA format?]