Tagged Questions
0
votes
1answer
41 views
What are the differences between G+ and G- bacteria?
The distinction between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria is based upon the Gram staining method, that reflects the bacterial wall physical properties.
However, this classification involves ...
5
votes
1answer
61 views
Is there a practical upper limit to amount of nucleotides or genes in a transformed plasmid?
I'm currently working on a synthetic biology project which involves working with lots of different parts. I would ultimately like to integrate these genes by transforming a single plasmid. I've heard ...
7
votes
1answer
89 views
How is the exogenous DNA protected from degradation during bacterial transformation?
During transformation, a bacterium can take up DNA from its environment. A small fraction of bacterial species are known to be naturally competent, meaning that they can engage in this sort of ...
5
votes
1answer
123 views
Why are pili more common in Gram negative bacteria than in Gram positive?
Although pili have been observed in some species of Gram positive bacteria, the preliminary research that I have done indicates that pili are significantly more common in Gram negative bacteria.
Is ...
7
votes
2answers
164 views
Bacterial cell lysis - what solution to use?
I am trying to determine how quickly detergents act on bacterial cells (cell lysis). I would like to compare some detergents at difference concentrations for bacteriolytic activity. I don’t care about ...
5
votes
1answer
155 views
Sparking during electroporation of plasmid DNA into bacterial cells
During electroporation of bacterial cells (I work with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but I think this applies to E. coli as well), sometimes I get sparking. I've read this is due to salts present, ...
5
votes
1answer
74 views
Mutation-immunity in Luria-Delbruck experiment
If experiments like those of Luria and Delbruck on E. coli and T1 phage are the main source of our confidence in the mutation-immunity model, is it then highly unlikely that there are other types of ...
4
votes
2answers
186 views
Does making yogurt from non-pasteurized milk work against possible disease bacteria?
In the past, when there was no pasteurization, could making yogurt from milk lower the chance of getting infected by bovine tuberculosis (or other diseases from infected milk)?
For example, would ...
3
votes
1answer
171 views
Aren't antibiotic resistant probiotics dangerous?
Multidrug resistant probiotics are often recommended by doctors in various cases. But since bacteriae can easily exchange genes by conjugation or other means they could promote the drug resistance of ...
11
votes
2answers
951 views
What is the advantage of using starter cultures for growing bacteria?
Many DNA isolation and protein expression protocols contain instructions to use a starter culture of E. coli that is then used to inoculate the main culture.
What are the advantages of using starter ...
5
votes
1answer
556 views
What is the distinction between F' plasmid and R plasmid?
Is there a difference between an F' plasmid that has taken up a chromosomal gene that conveys antibiotic resistance, and an R plasmid? Is a bacterium containing an R plasmid and yet lacking an F+ ...
19
votes
2answers
3k views
If a human takes antibiotics are all bacteria in the body killed?
From my basic understanding, antibiotics kill living things, bacteria for example.
Do the antibiotics consumed by a human-being distinguish between what they kill? Or do they just kill every bacteria ...
10
votes
1answer
115 views
Are these Gram stain substitutions acceptable?
In the context of a Gram stain on a blood smear:
Are the following acceptable substitutions and/or what differences could arise by substituting them?
Using methylene blue instead of crystal violet ...
9
votes
2answers
114 views
Is there an equivalent to “Fields Virology” for Bacteria?
I've gotten a staggering amount of use out of my copy of Fields Virology as a general reference for "getting me up to speed" on whatever pathogen I'm currently looking at. I don't know of a similar ...
13
votes
2answers
163 views
Why is there now only one Salmonella species?
Once upon a time, I chanced upon an old microbiology book that detailed the rather colorful world of enterobacteria. Salmonella in particular stood out, as it seemed there were a lot of species: typhi ...
