Could someone make a suggestion for the best way to work on a problem that came up with my science fair project?
I planned out my project (disk tests on Strep mutans and lactobacillus acidophilus), but I have one big problem: the company we ordered the Strep. mutans from sent us the slant culture rather than the broth culture by mistake. Oh no! We can't get a liquid culture in time now, and I don't have any nutrient broth to move it into because I wasn't planning on needing it. Any suggestions for what I could do at this point would be greatly appreciated.
How best to approximate a lawn culture from a slant culture- just enough to be able to see if there is an inhibition zone?
-Just streak a lot over and over and try to cover the whole plate?
-Streak it all over and use a swab dipped in sterile saline (I have some lactated ringers in a new IV bag sitting around) to run over the full surface and try to spread it around?
-Put some saline or sterile distilled water in a test tube, move in some colonies, and shake the heck out of it and spread it around? lol. Just throwing out ideas here.
Alternately, should I be looking at doing something else entirely? Maybe spreading my "antibiotic solution" over half the plate and not the other half and then streaking the plate. (I'm just trying to determine if the is an effect, not the strength of the effect). My plates came prepared so I can't mix the test items into the agar.
Thanks for reading!
Moderator note: Hello Scila, You will see that I've deleted your post from the Grades 9-12 forum. Please do not post your questions in more than one forum. Keeping your questions together will help the experts help you. Thank you for your patience.
How to get a Lawn culture using slants?
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How to get a Lawn culture using slants?
Last edited by MadelineB on Sun Jan 22, 2017 9:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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PharmaMan
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Re: How to get a Lawn culture using slants?
Hi scilala,
I have no experience with slant cultures, but I hope I can offer a few suggestions. Did the company tell you any way that you can remove the culture from the test tube (the slant culture) and put it in an agar plate? Let us know. Also, are you certain that there's no way for you to get a nutrient medium in time?
In the lab, we usually spread the bacteria already diluted in its nutrient medium around in an agar plate using a sterile plastic spreader. I would try doing this for your project, as this will give you the best spread in an agar plate. A swab may leave particles in the agar. I would streak the entire plate, and would test your antibiotics in the disks as you have originally planned. This way, there is a little more control, and you know where the solution is originating.
Good luck,
Pharma
I have no experience with slant cultures, but I hope I can offer a few suggestions. Did the company tell you any way that you can remove the culture from the test tube (the slant culture) and put it in an agar plate? Let us know. Also, are you certain that there's no way for you to get a nutrient medium in time?
In the lab, we usually spread the bacteria already diluted in its nutrient medium around in an agar plate using a sterile plastic spreader. I would try doing this for your project, as this will give you the best spread in an agar plate. A swab may leave particles in the agar. I would streak the entire plate, and would test your antibiotics in the disks as you have originally planned. This way, there is a little more control, and you know where the solution is originating.
Good luck,
Pharma