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Control/Tracking Number : 04-GM-A-3474-ASM
Activity :Abstract
Current Date/Time : 12/19/2003 5:50:03 PM

A General Microbiology Lab Curriculum Featuring Culture-Dependent and -Independent Approaches and Computer-Based Project Presentations

S. M. Boomer, D. P. Lodge, K. L. Shipley, B. E. Dutton;
Western Oregon University, Monmouth, OR.

Over the last six years, we have revised our ten-week lab curriculum for majors-level general microbiology to equally emphasize culture-dependent and -independent approaches, reflecting the strong trend in the field toward molecular identification methods in understanding microbial diversity. During the first five weeks, students perform longitudinal culture-based methods to isolate and characterize Streptomyces, nitrogen-fixing Azotobacter and Rhizobium, coliforms and Pseudmonads � all from local river and soil samples. In addition to a battery of standard phenotypic identification tests, characterization includes antibiotic production assays for Streptomyces and a novel bioremediation assay for Pseudomonads. During the second five weeks, students perform longitudinal culture-independent methods to characterize 16S rRNA libraries prepared in advance from novel thermophilic phototroph communities in Yellowstone (a component of our long-term Red Layer Microbial Observatory project). Methods include plasmid isolation, RFLP analysis, PCR-based DNA sequence analysis, BLAST-based identity inference, and analysis of provided, original phylogenetic trees. During the whole term, students maintain in-lab hand-written notebooks and are provided with digital cameras for documenting target components of each project. After many years experimenting with webpage presentations, we have developed a series of templates written in Microsoft Word� that provide effective vehicles for assembling longitudinal studies into meaningful presentations. Students are also assessed via a lab mid-term (over weeks 1-5) and final (over weeks 6-10). Finally, it should be stressed that, in carrying out these environmental-focused projects, students better appreciate the importance of general microbial diversity and understand that these methods have relevant counterparts in clinical microbiology. The latter connection is emphasized via a parallel lecture term paper in which each student researches four primary research articles about four different pathogens, each emphasizing a different molecular diagnostic approach.

Topic (Complete): W02 Adapting and Adopting Innovative Strategies for the Undergraduate Laboratories
Keyword (Complete): environmental microbiology ; web-based presentations ; inquiry-driven curriculum
Membership and Grant Information (Complete):
ASM Member (or who has submitted an application): : Sarah Boomer

Status: Complete

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