Lab Report: 14 Bacteriophage Specificity 1. What was the purpose of this exercise? 2. Complete the following table with your observations: Name of the bacterium Lysis (yes / no) e. coli B Yes S. aureus No 3. How do you know if bacteriophage infected the bacteria? 4. Why didn't the bacteriophage infect all three bacteria? 5. What is the explanation for bacteriophage specificity when it comes to infecting specific bacterium? 87

Lab Report: 14 Bacteriophage Specificity 1. What was the purpose of this exercise? 2. Complete the following table with your observations: Name of the bacterium Lysis (yes / no) e. coli B Yes S. aureus No 3. How do you know if bacteriophage infected the bacteria? 4. Why didn’t the bacteriophage infect all three bacteria? 5. What is the explanation for bacteriophage specificity when it comes to infecting specific bacterium? 87

The subject of this image is Biology, specifically focusing on bacteriophage specificity.

Q1: What was the purpose of this exercise?

Answer: To observe and understand the specificity of bacteriophages in infecting different bacteria.

Explanation: The exercise aims to demonstrate how bacteriophages, which are viruses that infect bacteria, are specific to certain bacterial hosts. By observing which bacteria undergo lysis, students learn about host specificity.

Q2: Complete the following table with your observations:

Answer: The table is already completed with “E. coli B” showing lysis and “S. aureus” showing no lysis.

Explanation: This indicates that the bacteriophage used in the experiment can infect and lyse E. coli B but not S. aureus, highlighting its specificity.

Q3: How do you know if bacteriophage infected the bacteria?

Answer: By observing lysis of the bacterial cells.

Explanation: Lysis is the breakdown of the bacterial cell wall, leading to cell death. If lysis occurs, it indicates that the bacteriophage successfully infected the bacteria and replicated inside it, causing the cell to burst.

Steps:

  1. Observe the bacterial culture after exposure to the bacteriophage.
  2. Look for clear zones, known as plaques, which indicate lysis.

Q4: Why didn’t the bacteriophage infect all three bacteria?

Answer: Due to host specificity of the bacteriophage.

Explanation: Bacteriophages have specific receptors that match only certain bacterial surfaces. If a bacterium lacks the specific receptor, the phage cannot attach and infect it.

Steps:

  1. Identify the receptor sites on the bacterial surface.
  2. Determine if the bacteriophage can bind to these sites.
  3. If binding does not occur, the bacterium remains uninfected.

Q5: What is the explanation for bacteriophage specificity when it comes to infecting specific bacterium?

Answer: Bacteriophage specificity is determined by the presence of specific receptors on the bacterial surface.

Explanation: Bacteriophages recognize and bind to specific molecules on the surface of bacteria. This interaction is highly specific, similar to a lock and key mechanism, which ensures that the phage infects only certain types of bacteria.

Steps:

  1. Bacteriophage attaches to the bacterial cell using tail fibers.
  2. The attachment is specific to receptors on the bacterial surface.
  3. Only bacteria with the matching receptors can be infected by the phage.
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