Glowing Genes
Mr. McEachern’s AP Biology class genetically engineered bacteria which added genes for antibiotic resistance, lactose digestion, and the ability to glow. The bacteria were heat-shocked using a PCR thermocycler so that the bacteria could absorb and express the new genes.
The bacteria in Lane 1 were not engineered and no antibiotic was applied, so the bacteria grew evenly across the lane and serve as a comparison for Lane 4. The bacteria in Lane 2 were also not engineered and did not survive the application of an antibiotic. Lane 3 features bacterial colonies that were successfully engineered with antibiotic resistance, lactose digestion, and glowing genes, but did not have the glowing genes turned on. Lane 4 features bacterial colonies that were successfully engineered with antibiotic resistance, lactose digestion and the glowing genes. Lactose was added to Lane 4 which turned on the lactose digestion gene and the glowing gene, making the bacterial colonies glow under UV light!
Can you predict how we could make the bacteria in Lane 3 glow? Send your predictions to tim.mceachern@wlhs.org.
