Lab Exam 2 Flashcards
What we are looking for when completing Amylase Experiment
- We are looking at the hydrolysis of starch catalyzed by amylase, which is a breakdown through hydrolysis reaction, producing maltose
- Starch if left alone will hydrolyze on its own but with amylase we are speeding up the process
- all for the goal of determining the optimal temperature of the type of amylase enzyme we use
Purpose of Maltose Standard Curve
to estimate maltose concentration of an unknown substance by knowing the absorbance level
Procedure for Amylase Lab
- predetermined amounts of Starch and water added and mixed(amounts are controlled for across all tubes) before put into their respective temperatures for 5 mins
- Amylase is then added while tubes are in their temperatures
- Incubate 10 mins to allow for amylase to catalyze hydrolysis of starch
- All tubes are taken out and 1000ul of DNS assay added
- Boil for 5 mins to
- Dilute with 8.0ml of deionized water
- place in spectrophotometer and read absorbance level at 540nm
- Figure out what absorbance level equals in maltose concentration using standard curve and divide by 10 mins to get amylase activity
Cell Competence
the ability of DNA to cross a cell membrane
- as DNA backbone carries a negative charge and the bacterial membrane has an overall negative charge, the buffer of calcium chloride is added to neutralize the charges and increase competence
Transformation
the process by which bacteria uptake these plasmids
Process of Transformation
○ This is done by chilling the temperatures at 4 degrees in ice before heat shocking it and transferring it to a water bath for 90 secs at 42 degrees
○ This temporarily creates a hole in bacterial membranes allowing the plasmid to cross
○ Once it crosses we place it back in the ice bath to recover and fix the holes in the membrane
○ After a period of recovery, we then provide the bacterial cell with growth media(spreading it on Agar with LB broth) and incubate it at 37 degrees in order to give it the best possible environment to grow and survive
Plasmids
extra chromosomal, self-replicating, circular loops of DNA which hold additional genes that bacteria don’t naturally have
- The plasmid in this experiment is a pGLO plasmid
Components of pGLO Plasmid
○ Plasmids contain Ampicillin resistance gene(Bla gene which codes for Beta-Lactamase)
○ Also contains GFP gene which codes for a green fluorescent protein
○ Further has a araC gene which codes for the control of GFP expression(on off switch)
§ Doesn’t have araC on the actual plasmid as it is in the growth media
○ Has pBAD which is a promotor gene
-Origin of replication: allows for self-replication (binary fission)
Antibiotic and Antiobiotic Resistance Gene definitions
Antibiotics: a drug which should inhibit bacterial growth and prevent bacterial infection if the bacteria is susceptible
Antibiotic resistance(AmpR): when bacteria acquires genes which produce an enzyme allowing it to evolve and break down antibiotics and survive
Transformation Prac Experimental Procedure
- taking a sample of E.coli bacteria which are all susceptible to ampicillin
- We then add in a solution containing plasmids with the Ampicillin resistance gene and GFP protein
-got cells to undertake transformation through heatshock and freezing, conferring the pGLO plasmid to some of the cells.
- We then add in a solution containing plasmids with the Ampicillin resistance gene and GFP protein
- we then took samples of the bacteria, swabbed them onto an agar plate with growth median and antibiotics to see whether they would survive.
- we then tested the effectiveness of transformation by shining a UV light over the bacteria, and whichever bacteria are fluorescent, we can assume that they have up taken the plasmid due to them glowing because of the GFP gene in the pGLO plasmid
How AraC Controls GFP Expression
- Arabinose is a sugar added in the median
- Without arabinose, the switch is off meaning araC blocks RNA polymerase from binding to the promotor
- With arabinose, the switch is on and changes shape, allowing polymerase to bind to the pBAD promoter and transcribe GFP gene
- Without arabinose, the switch is off meaning araC blocks RNA polymerase from binding to the promotor
Results of Bacterial Transformation
Plate A:
- arabinose, pGLO plasmid and water
- Exhibited growth
- Showed green glow
Plate B:
- water, ampicillin, arabinose
- Exhibited no growth
- No green glow
Plate C:
- water
- Exhibited lawn growth
- No green glow
Purpose of each plate in Bacterial Transformation
Plate A: experimental plate
Plate B: control to show bacteria as susceptible to ampiclin without the amp resistance gene from pGLO
Plate C: control for bacteria not being killed throughout transformation process
PCR
the selective amplification of target DNA
- Requires a small sample of DNA and DNA/Taq polymerase(Thermus aquaticus)
- Carried out in a thermo-cycler at 3 different temperatures(95,
- 2n copies of DNA made (N is the number of cycles)
Steps in PCR
- Denaturation: DNA is heated to 95 degrees for 30 secs to separate DNA into single strands by breaking hydrogen bonds
- Annealing: Lowered to 55 degrees allowing the primers to bind to the complementary sequences on Single DNA template strand
- Extension: Temperature raised to 72 degrees, which is taq polymerase optimal temperature, and allows for annealed primers to extend through synthesis of the complementary DNA strand
- Annealing: Lowered to 55 degrees allowing the primers to bind to the complementary sequences on Single DNA template strand