part 1 insutrcutions
This week we tackled ways to grow and inhibit the growth of microbes.
So let’s explore antimicrobials around us to apply the knowledge we have.
Objective: To research and analyze the antimicrobial components present in a common household cleaning product.
Instructions:
– Choose a common household cleaning product (e.g. disinfectant spray, all-purpose cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, etc.).
– Identify the antimicrobial components present in the product by reading the label and/or researching the product online. Examples of common antimicrobial agents include quaternary ammonium compounds, bleach (sodium hypochlorite), hydrogen peroxide, and alcohol.
– Research the mode of action and effectiveness of each antimicrobial component against microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. You can use scientific journals, government websites, and other reputable sources to find this information.
Write a summary of your findings that includes the following information:
a. The name and type of the household cleaning product you selected
b. The names and chemical properties of the antimicrobial components in the product
c. The mode of action of each antimicrobial component and its effectiveness against microorganisms
d. Any potential risks or limitations associated with the use of the product’s antimicrobial components
You may also include your opinion on the effectiveness and safety of the product’s antimicrobial components, as well as any suggestions for safer or more effective cleaning practices.
Your assignment will be graded based on the following criteria:
Accurate identification and description of the antimicrobial components in the cleaning product
Clear and detailed summary of the mode of action and effectiveness of each antimicrobial component
Discussion of potential risks or limitations associated with the use of the product’s antimicrobial components
Thoughtful analysis and evaluation of the product’s antimicrobial components (
Proper formatting and citation of sources
part 2 instructions
This Week
Read and watch to complete the activity.
Scientists have released a video showing evolution in action.
They built a table more than a meter long and put down a culture agent that allows bacteria (specifically, E. coli) to grow.
But they set it up in a very interesting way. At each end of the table, they allowed the bacteria to grow freely. But just inside these free zones, they slathered a broad swath of an antibacterial substance, at a dose just more than enough to kill the critters. Then, next to those, they put down stripes at a dose 10 times that needed to kill them. Next to those were stripes 100 times the lethal dose, and then finally, in the center, a hyper-deadly patch 1,000 times stronger than needed to kill the original strain.
The video of what happens is staggering. Watch:
We know this sort of evolution can happen because it’s been seen both in the lab and in the world; antibacterial resistant diseases are popping up all over the place and are a real threat. We’ve also seen bacteria evolve in real time; a similar experiment was done with E. coli that show them evolving to eat citrate, something they couldn’t do before.
The difference here is just how visual the video is. The bacteria seem to be stopped by the lethal barrier, but they still reproduce near the border. When they do, random mutations in the genetic code occur, and at some point, one or more of the baby bacteria just happened to get a resistance to the drug. It was able to pass that mutation on, and when it does, the new bacteria spread outward like an alluvial fan from a flood.
Mind you, bacteria all over the place on the table were probably evolving some sort of resistance, but only the ones near the edge were able to spread out into the Forbidden Zone. As you can see, it happened multiple times as well in each strip.
The researchers noted they could also see phenotypical (structural) changes in the bacteria as well. That’s not surprising, but it’s still rather amazing to know. Note that the doubling rate (the time it takes for the population to double) for E. coli is about 20 minutes, which is one reason it makes this particular bacterium useful for this experiment. The entire video covers about two weeks of real time.
Discussion Post Requirements
-What do you think?
Please share your thoughts, comments and participate in the discussion about this subject. You can also share a paper, news, survey, statistics, infographic, or other information that could help the class learning about Antibiotic Resistance.
Each student should contribute with at least one post and one comment to another student’s post
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yybsSqcB7mE