Rachel Adams, Eleutherios
Kallergis, Jennifer Perera
Gene Expression
Background/ Introduction:
Gene expression is the process by which a
gene gets turned on in a cell to make RNA and
proteins. Gene expression may be measured
by looking at the RNA, or the protein made
from the RNA, or what the protein does in a
cell. In this experiment, we see how plasmids
react with bacteria. The plasmid used in this
experiment is pUC18; an ampicillin-resistant
gene that enables E. coli to grow in the
presence of an antibiotic.
Materials and Methods:
Two agar plates with Luria Broth-agar and two
plates with Luria Broth-agar and ampicillin was
used. Using a sterile micropipette, 25 ul of cells
from the Eppendorf tubes labeled NP was
dispensed into the LB NP plate. Similarly, 25 ul from
the Eppendorf tube labeled NP was dispensed into
the LB/AMP NP plate. For the third and fourth agar
plates, we dispensed 27 ul onto the LB P and
LB/Amp P plate. Both using a sterile micropipette
to obtain the plasmids from the Eppendorf tubes.
The cells were spread using the cell spreader after
it was sterilized using the ethanol and a flame.
Replace this with a graph/image/figure to
aid in presenting your results. Don’t forget
to add figure labels and captions
Results:
As shown above, the agar plates with LB 18 and LB NP created
lawn growth while LB/Amp 18 showed colonial growth. The
reason while there is colonial growth is that pUC18 is resisting
the ampicillin causing growth to occur. On the agar plate labeled
LB/Amp NP, there is no growth because it is just ampicillin, no
plasmid resisting the antibiotic.
PRO T IP! On agar plate labeled LB/Amp NP you see the
agar plate is damaged, this is why it is important to wait
until the spreader cools before touching agar plate.
Conclusions:
The predictions of the plasmid pUC18 causing
growth on the agar plate was proven correct. E. coli
grows exponentially with the aid of the plasmid
since it is resisting the effects of ampicillin. Possible
sources of error would be that we did not get
enough pUC18 with the LB/Amp 18 agar plate due to
little colonial growth instead of more colonies, like
expected. Some questions that remain are, would
scientist ever be able to manipulate ampicillin so it
can resist the effects of pUC18?
Fun Facts
• The most common way to get E. coli is
through contaminated food such as
meat, milk and produce
• E. coli is a type of bacteria that normally
lives inside our intestines, where it helps
the body break down and digest food.
• More than 700 serotypes of E. coli have
been identified.
Work Cited:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/e-coli/symptoms-causes/syc-
20372058#:~:text=The%20most%20common%20way%20to,increasing%20the%20risk%20of%20cont
amination.
https://wickhammicro.co.uk/knowledge-and-education/escherichia-
coli#:~:text=Interesting%20Facts%3A&text=This%20bacteria%20is%20the%20best,Nobel%20prizes
%20associated%20with%20it.&text=More%20than%20700%20serotypes%20of,coli%20have%20bee
n%20identified.&text=It%20causes%20infection%20by%20producing,on%20the%20type%20of%20E
.