Description
Students will use the double-agar layer technique to plate 2 different bacteriophages, ΦX174 and T2, on 2 different host bacteria. The next day they will count and describe the morphology of the resulting plaques. Students will observe that ΦX174 is only able to infect one of the host bacteria and that the plaques formed by the 2 different phages are very different in size.
This kit contains enough material for the experiment to be performed 1 time by either 1 group of students or 2 groups of students sharing the work. The tasks of the lab may also be divided among 4 groups, with the additional 2 groups taking over the tasks of plating the controls and preparing the serial dilutions of the phages. The digital resources that come with this kit include a video demonstrating the double-agar layer technique. The hands-on portion of the lab can be completed in one 50-minute session followed by a 15-minute session the next day. The prelab can be completed in 30 minutes and the analysis and assessment can be completed in 45 minutes.
This kit replaces and extends the Plaque Demonstration Kit B (items #124315 and #124315P).