BIOS 242 Week 5 iLab: Immunology
BIOS 242 Week 5 iLab
BIOS 242
BIOS 242 Week 5 iLab: Immunology
iLab Title: Immunology
Using the Virtual Unknown
... [Show More] software complete the Immunology Exercise. The software can be downloaded from the Software Store. The link to the Software Store can be found in the Course Home section. See the Syllabus for details.
Scenario Summary
This week's experiment uses the software program VirtualUnknown. See Course Software in Syllabus under Course Home for more information about this program.
Experiment: This week’s experiment once again you will perform a series of biochemical tests to identify the unknown bacterium. To help you identify the organism, you should also use the reference materials provided in the software.
Enter the Virtual Lab and select Nonspecific Defenses from the list of predefined unknowns. For this exercise, check the box to enable auto-inoculation to speed up the work on this exercise.
Deliverables
Each week, you will prepare a lab report detailing your experiments for the week. Include all data, observations, and conclusions in a single report. You should be sure to address the questions in the lab steps in the appropriate sections of the lab report.
Your lab report will have the following format.
Title
Introduction: The first section of your lab report will be the introduction. In this paragraph or paragraphs, you are to provide information to the readers so that they can understand the purpose of the experiment.
• Purpose: a concise statement about the lab's objective
• Background: a brief summary of the topic you are investigating. Include any information that would be necessary to understand the stated purpose.
• Findings: statement of the major results of the lab exercise
Procedure: This is the second section in your lab report. This section includes information that the reader would need to repeat your experimental procedure. Do not include any observations or results in this section.
Some questions that you should ask yourself to complete this section include the following: What chemicals did you use? What equipment? How much of each chemical did you use? How long did you perform a step within the procedure?
Observations and Results: This is the third section of your report. In this section, you will communicate what you observed during the experiment. The Results section is typically dominated by calculations, tables, and figures. In your tables, label the axes of any graphs.
Discussion: This is the fourth section of your report. In this section, you will explain, analyze, and interpret your observations and results. Additionally, you will draw conclusions based on your existing knowledge. This is also where you demonstrate your understanding of the experiment by construing the significance or meaning of the results. Each week, the lab instructions will detail specific questions that should be addressed in the lab report. Use this section as your guide, not the questions listed in the VU Basic Training Manual.
Conclusion: This is the last section of your report and is separate from the Discussion section. In a few sentences, provide a concluding statement about the results of your lab. In a scientific publication, this section summarizes the significant aspects and results, and identifies implications for future study.
iLab Steps
Step 1: Access the VirtualUnknown Lab Software
• Load the VirtualUnknown microbiology software.
• Optionally, you may download the Basic Training Manual Version 3.11 for further documentation. This file can be downloaded from Doc Sharing.
• The first time you load VUMicro Lab, you will be required to watch a series of tutorials. Be sure to take the time to review these tutorials before beginning your first experiment! If you ever want to review the tutorial videos a second time, select Tutorial under Help from the menu bar.
Step 2: Complete Lab Exercise: Immunology
View the Lab Report from the VirtualUnknown software, because this report will indicate whether you did not conduct a biochemical test correctly.
• Click the New button and select Nonspecific Defense from the list of predefined unknowns (subgroups).
• Click the box allowing autoinoculation.
• Conduct the following tests to identify the bacterium noted in the case study.
1. Triple sugar iron slant: Look for changes in the color of the slant and the butt.
2. Lysine decarboxylase: The inoculated tube is incubated at 35–37° C for 24 hours and the preliminary results are determined. The microbe must first use the glucose present to cause the pH to drop. This is indicated by a change from purple to yellow. Once the medium has been acidified, the enzyme lysine decarboxylase is activated. The culture is incubated an additional 24 hours at 35–37° C to allow the microbe to now use the lysine. The final results are then obtained by observing the tube at 48 hours. Change back to purple from yellow indicates a positive test for lysine decarboxylase. Failure to turn yellow at 24 hours or to revert back to purple at 48 hours indicates a negative result.
3. KCN test: If the microbe can grow in the presence of potassium cyanide, the broth will become turbid (cloudy) after incubation.
• At this point, you will identify the bacteria responsible using the identification matrix.
Step 3: Write the Lab Report
In addition to the results and observations that you made while conducting the biochemical tests, discuss the following questions in your lab report in the appropriate areas.
Immunology
Identify the bacterium.
Explain what differences define nonspecific immunity, as opposed to specific immunity.
What are the barriers that contribute to nonspecific immune response?
Which of these would be involved in fighting the infection in the current case study?
Some microbes possess defensive enzymes that protect them from the elements of nonspecific immunity. List three such enzymes possessed by pathogens and how these enzymes help the pathogen to invade the host.
Step 4: Submit the Lab Report
• Save your lab report using the naming structure BIOS242_Biotechnology_FIRSTNAME_LASTNAME.docx. Submit your lab report to the Week 5: iLab Dropbox.
• See Syllabus "Due Dates for Assignments & Exams" for due dates.
Step 6: Grading Rubric
Category Points
Introduction—completeness of background 5
Procedure 5
Observations and Results—were the results accurate? 10
Discussion 10
Conclusion 5
Writing Quality—correct grammar, spelling, originality, completeness, and so on 5
Total 40 [Show Less]