National Gram Staining Day

A New Holiday

Today was a day dedicated to fixing and gram staining. I gram stained so much today that I have all the steps memorized. I actually liked the excess in practicing gram staining because I become more familiar with the process, and I also do not need to rely on looking at the instructions (which is time consuming) anymore. Now I know what to do and how to do it. 

Redo

Matt told me last Thursday to try gram staining different bacterial colonies from the petri dish because there was a variety of colors. I decided that I wanted to choose three different colonies from both petri dishes (same soil samples) and see any differences. First, I chose one petri dish with the bacteria and did the fixing process. I then gram stained and labeled those three slides (1) along with the petri dish. Those would be group 1. Next, I repeated the same process with a duplicate petri dish and labeled it (2). 

Top: Group 1, Bottom Group 2 

After gram staining, I organized my slides and kept them safe in a box, labeled. 

Next, I went to check on the Fermentation Test with the Mannitol, Lactose, and Glucose with the garden soil and TSB sample. I concluded that it was positive because the tubes had changed color to yellow, and there was gas trapped. The next step was the Tryptone Broth and Indole Reagent Test. I would need to set the tube with soil sample in incubation at  37 degrees C for 24 hours. 

(Results from soil sample for Fermentation Test)

(10 grams soil sample w/ dilution blank)

(1 gram soil sample w/ dilution blank)

Lastly, I took a look at the room temperature soil samples with 10 grams and 1 gram. I gram stained the samples and will be checking all slides on Thursday under the microscopes. I may make permanents of them as well.