BIOS 242 Week 4 Discussion 1 and 2 Notes
Microbial Genetics
A fellow student in your microbiology class was looking at the bacteria growing on her petri
plate. She noticed that there were two distinctly different types of bacteria on the plate. She was
confused because only one of the organisms she streaked on the plate should be able to grow on
ampicillin, the antibiotic in the plate. You notice that the growth of the supposedly sensitive
strain is concentrated in the area where her poor technique mixed the two organisms. Can you
suggest an explanation for how these sensitive bacteria became resistant? Discuss the details of
your proposed mechanism.
Recombinant DNA Technology
Explain why the discovery of restriction enzymes was so important to the development of
genetic engineering. How are these molecules used to create recombinant DNA?
Microbial Genetics
A fellow student in your microbiology class was looking at the bacteria growing on her petri
plate. She noticed that there were two distinctly different types of bacteria on the plate. She was
confused because only one of the organisms she streaked on the plate should be able to grow on
ampicillin, the antibiotic in the plate. You notice that the growth of the supposedly sensitive
strain is concentrated in the area where her poor technique mixed the two organisms. Can you
suggest an explanation for how these sensitive bacteria became resistant? Discuss the details of
your proposed mechanism.
Recombinant DNA Technology
Explain why the discovery of restriction enzymes was so important to the development of
genetic engineering. How are these molecules used to create recombinant DNA?
