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This elective science provides a foundational understanding of microbiology, and physiology of microbes with a particular focus on bacteria and fungi.
This subject consists of several topic areas:
Techniques to study and distinguish microbes e.g. Microscopy skills and, how to culture and grow bacteria and then using Differential media and stains eg. Gram staining to further study microbes.
Bacteria, Viruses and Fungi structure and growth
Are microbes the key to the future?
Underlying these units is a key understanding of microbial cell function and reproduction. The course will look at the biology, and use of microorganisms from a everyday perspective and in the new area of Biofabrication.
Microbiology is not only a field in medicine, but the basic skills and techniques of a microbiologist are required for most biological sciences. There is a worldwide shortage in nearly all sectors of laboratory medicine, resulting in these skills becoming particularly useful for the future.
Introduction
Introduction
In our study of Microbiology with the current focus on the COVID -19 pandemic we started our learning around understanding bacteria, fungi and viral structure.
Our students whilst learning online completed an experiment at home and explored the relationship with viral structure of the SARS-COV-2 virus and handwashing. They learnt how to identify enveloped and non-enveloped viruses. SARS-COV-2 is an enveloped virus. A key biological characteristic of viruses are the spike proteins. These are proteins which surround the virus and their role is to bind to receptors on host cells.
Soap is used to help destroy the structure of viruses that are enveloped. The envelope on a virus is lipid based. Soap is both hydrophobic and hydrophilic. This means their hydrophilic parts and want to interact with water, while their hydrophobic part wants to interact with lipid molecules.
In this experiment,the students use butter on their model. The butter will be representing an envelope for one of the virus models. Students investigated how it interacts with the soapy water, compared to a virus model lacking this enveloped structure. Below are some photos from the experiment that Sithmi set up at home.
Aluminum foil was used to create 2 small balls approximately 0.5 inches in diameter.
The foil balls were then covered with equal amounts of double-sided tape.
One ball was covered in a tablespoon of quinoa ensuring that it was evenly distributed around it.
The aluminium ball which wasn't yet covered with the quinoa was enclosed with 6 grams of butter.
Then, the butter containing model was covered in a tablespoon of quinoa which was distributed evenly.
A bowl filled 3/4 of the way with warm water was then gathered.
2 squirts of soap was added into the water and mixed with a spoon until dissolved.
Both the aluminum virus models were added to the soap and water mixture.
Using a spoon, the water was stirred continuously for two minutes while the virus models were kept in the water.
Finally, the models were taken out of the water and dried with a paper towel.
Looking at the above experiment that Sithmi has created. Can you deduce from the results what happens to enveloped viruses when they come in contact with soap and warm water? Do the results concur with what was suggested should be observed in the introduction?
From here we learnt about the difference between pathogenic and non pathogenic bacteria. We also compared this to the activity of yeast which belongs to the Kingdom Fungi. Students created the following presentations to educate an audience on normal flora and pathogenic bacteria as well as designing and carrying out their own investigation of the factors that affect the growth of yeast.
Here are some photos from our experimental work in the laboratory. Over several weeks our class learnt the conditions for growth for Esherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis as well as how we can learn more about their cell structure.
We worked with both of these bacteria to develop the following important microbiological techniques: aseptic technique, creating streak plates, streaking for single colonies, simple stain, Gram staining and lastly how we use Differential media to help identify bacterial species.
Our class also created Infographics on either helpful and harmful bacteria, helpful and harmful fungi. Below are some fantastic examples of their work.
Micro Infographic - Aleena.pdfMicrobiology Infographic.pdfShruthi _Helpful & Harmful aspects of Fungi (2).pdfPage updated
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