Description
Intermediate – Easy to perform; requires some basic training in microbiology.
Bring new gene-editing technology into your classroom!
Your students walk in the footsteps of the scientists that first discovered this exciting gene-editing technology. Originally discovered as an integral part of the immune system of bacteria, you and your class explore the CRISPR-Cas system and its role in defending the host bacteria from viral bacteriophages. Bacteriophages outnumber bacteria 10:1 and have evolved an intricate immune system to combat invading phages. One such system, the CRISPR-Cas, uses small pieces of RNA to detect phages with matching DNA sequences, and destroys them.
Over the course of this 5-day lab, students conduct experiments and analyze data to understand the relationship between a phage called Andhra and its staphylococcus host and answer the driving question, How can we use evidence to model phage-host interactions and therefore explain the impact of a CRISPR-Cas system on bacterial survival? Kit materials equip 8 student groups. Note: Kit includes perishable materials. Please order 2 weeks prior to the requested delivery date. Perishables are only shipped on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Plan to use the perishable materials within 1 week of receiving them. S. epidermidis is classified as nonpathogenic and can be shipped to schools in accordance with guidelines of the US Department of Health and Human Services. However, the strains used in this kit are biofilm forming bacteria that have been identified as resistant to several antibiotics. Use of an autoclave to dispose of microbiological waste is recommended. Refer to the kit teacher’s manual for safety precautions, handling, and other safety protocols.