To begin my unknown research, I prepared and inoculated, with unknown #24, 2 NA slants, 1 NA plate and boiled and cooled 1 slant of FTM. I then placed the FTM, plate (Quadrant streaked) and one of the slants into the incubator, and the other slant into the hood. The slants were inoculated using the glide inoculation technique. After 24 hrs I observed beaded, smooth and raised growth in both slants. On the quad streaked plate I observed round colonies with raised margins and caterifrom elevations (Fig.1). The growth within the FTM slant was determined to be facultative. I labeled one the slants as reserve and placed in the cooler for future use. At this time, I decided to do a number of stains from the colony growth. First stain that was conducted was the Gram stain, which determined that the unknown was Gram negative with rods (Fig.2). A gram stain of the growth observed in the working slant provided the same information.
Color-enhanced scanning electron micrograph showin...
English: microscopic image of a Gram stain of mixe...
Durham University LibraryThe second stain performed was a simple stain. This was done to verify the organism was, indeed rods. I also observed that there seemed to be a clear capsule around the organism. At this time I preformed the capsule stain, which did indeed verify that the organism was encapsulated. During this time, I performed the cultural study with nutrient gel slant. The slant was observed for two weeks. Growth was seen along the stab line and on top of the medium, but the organism did not liquefy the gel. Furthermore, the following tests were performed:
÷ PR Glucose: had residue at bottom of slant, broth turned yellow and < 10 % gas in the Durham tube.
÷ Lactose: little reside observed in tube no gas in Durham tube.
÷ Mannitol: Turned yellow >10% gas seen...