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Biotechnology Lab Report

Decent Essays

Over the course of this lab, our class performed a transformation on bacteria, altering its DNA to cause it to fluoresce when exposed to UV light. Transformations, the process of taking in foreign DNA, are common procedures in the field of biotechnology, the exploration of life processes to develop new technologies. Biotechnology applies recombinant DNA technology, which is DNA made from two or more organisms, to improve organisms and solve issues. Scientists use plasmids, circular pieces of DNA, to “cut and paste” genes into other organisms. Researchers often use GFP, or green fluorescent protein, in their experiments and procedures. GFP naturally occurs in jellyfish causing them to glow green under UV light. Scientists worked with GFP when designing GloFish. Their original plan was to create a fish that could signal pollution in water, but they ended up developing a beautiful, glowing pet fish which is now sold throughout the U.S. We made …show more content…

coli pGLO DNA
42°C water bath
LB broth
Incubation rack
LB agar plate
LB agar and ampicillin plate
LB agar, ampicillin, and arabinose plate
UV light
Amphyl disinfectant

Procedure
Day 1:
Mix bacteria with CaCl2. Add DNA and incubate on ice for 10 min. The CaCl2 pokes hole in the cell wall so that DNA may enter.
Place the test tube in the hot water bath for 50 seconds and then back into the ice for at least. This makes the bacteria sick so that it will take in pGLO DNA.
Add LB broth which acts as food for the bacteria.
Place the test tube in an incubator so it can heal.
Day 2: Plate the bacteria.
Pipette 50 μL of the E. coli mixture onto each LB plate and spread evenly using a loop so that it can grow.
Incubate to help growth.
Day 3: GFP Expression
Shine UV light onto each plate to see if it is fluorescent.
Results
Number of Colonies:

+DNA
-DNA
LB

LB/AMP

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