SCHOOL OF HEALTH AND NATURAL SCIENCES

LABORATORY ACTIVITY NO. 5

CHARACTERIZATION OF BACTERIAL COLONIES

Name: ________________________________________ Date: ______________

INTRODUCTION
Technically, all bacterial colonies would produce a colony with various characteristics. The
colonies produced by some species however are not used for identification on account that the
characteristics may not be unique only to that bacterial species are more useful and more evident.
In this activity, you will study bacterial colonies based on characteristics that can be observed
such as configuration, margin, elevation, texture, optical characteristics, and pigmentation or color.
The texture of the bacterial colonies present in your agar may be described as smooth, shiny,
dull, wrinkled, granular, or mucoid. These characteristics are due to the production of capsular
materials by the microorganisms.
The optical characteristics of the colonies depend on the transmission of light that will pass
through it. When a colony demonstrates a total transmission of light, the colony is transparent. When it
allows some light to enter, it is translucent. Opaque colonies prevent light transmission.
Colonies may also display pigmentation or color due to the pigments produced by the
organisms. These cover the entire color spectrum.

OBJECTIVES

1. To be able to detect the presence of microorganisms in the environment and in the body.
2. To grow bacterial colonies from different sites of inoculation and areas of exposure.
3. To observe and illustrate the different kinds of bacterial colonies grown in the prepared culture
media.
4. To compare the density and diversity of colonies obtained from the different sites of inoculation
and areas of exposure.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

Bacterial cultures from previous activity Colony counter/Hand Lens
Labeling Pen Labeling Pad Incubator

PROCEDURE:

1. Take out your bacterial cultures from the incubator.

2. Wipe dry the Petri dishes should moist have accumulated on it so that you can have a clearer
view of the bacterial colonies that have grown on the surface of the agar medium.
3. Do not open the petri dishes! (except if you want to wipe dry the moist that may have
accumulated at the inner surface of its cover, but in so doing, do it swiftly and restore the cover
immediately).
4. From the colonies that are present in your agar plates, choose only three (3) of the most
common or of the same types and observe them. Count how many colonies with the same
characteristics are present in your petri dish. Record your data in tables 5-1 to 5-3.
5. To have a clearer view, you may use a colony counter or hand lens in characterizing the
bacterial colonies.

Page 1 of 4
Inspired by Mission
Driven by Excellence
 SCHOOL OF HEALTH AND NATURAL SCIENCES

6. After recording the types and number of colonies that have grown in our culture media, be sure
that you flooded your bacterial culture with a disinfecting agent (zonrox/Lysol) before
discarding your culture media.
7. Wash and/or wipe all laboratory materials that were used in this activity and return them to the
laboratory technician or to your locker cabinet.

ILLUSTRATION

Draw the colonies as you observe them in your Petri dishes. Choose three (3) colonies that you want to
describe and label them 1, 2, and 3. Write your descriptions of these colonies on the tables provided for
you.

*Plate 1 ____________________________
Female CR - College Canteen *Plate 2 _______________________________
College Canteen

*Plate 3 ___________________________
ECSTEH Office

Page 2 of 4
Inspired by Mission
Driven by Excellence
 SCHOOL OF HEALTH AND NATURAL SCIENCES

OBSERVATION

Table 5-1. Characteristics of chosen bacterial colonies per site on inoculation

PETRI DISH 1 (Source: ________________)
Female CR - College Canteen

Characteristics of Colony 1 Colony 2 Colony 3

colony
Configuration: Pinpoint Pinpoint Pinpoint
Margin: Undulate (wavy) Undulate Filamentous
Evaluation: Flat Convex Umbonate
Texture: Mucoid Mucoid Rough
Optical characteristics: Opaque Opaque Translucent
Pigmentation/Color: White Yellow White
Number of the type of 122 2 1
colonies in your Petri
dish:

Table 5-2. Characteristics of chosen bacterial colonies per site on inoculation

PETRI DISH 2 (Source: ________________)
College Canteen
Characteristics of Colony 1 Colony 2 Colony 3
colony
Configuration: Pinpoint Pinpoint Large
Margin: Round Undulate Rhizoid
Evaluation: Convex Flat Flat
Texture: Mucoid Smooth Wrinkled
Optical characteristics: Opaque Transparent Translucent
Pigmentation/Color: White White White
Number of the type of 13 22 5
colonies in your Petri
dish:

Table 5-3. Characteristics of chosen bacterial colonies per site on inoculation

PETRI DISH 3 (Source: ________________)
ECSTEH Office
Characteristics of Colony 1 Colony 2 Colony 3
colony
Configuration: Pinpoint Large Pinpoint
Margin: Round Rhizoid Undulate
Evaluation: Convex Flat Flat
Texture: Mucoid Wrinkled Smooth
Optical characteristics: Opaque Translucent Transparent
Pigmentation/Color: White White White
Number of the type of 8 2 73
colonies in your Petri
dish:

Page 3 of 4
Inspired by Mission
Driven by Excellence
 SCHOOL OF HEALTH AND NATURAL SCIENCES

DISCUSSION

1. Now, which site of exposure has the highest number of the different types of colonies?
The female CR near the college canteen has the highest number of the type of colonies
__________________________________________________________________________

2. Brainstorm with your groupmates and provide a probable explanation or reason why you can
find the most numerous types and highest number of colonies in that particular site of
inoculation and area of exposure.
The female restroom adjacent to the college canteen exhibited the highest bacterial count among all the exposed areas. This
_____________________________________________________________________________________
elevated bacterial load in the female restroom arises from a combination of airborne bacteria, human interactions, and
_____________________________________________________________________________________
favorable environmental conditions. Restrooms serve as hotspots for microbial activity. The restroom air harbors a diverse
_____________________________________________________________________________________
range of airborne bacteria. Factors such as humidity, warmth, and organic material (resulting from human activities) create an
_____________________________________________________________________________________
optimal breeding environment for these microorganisms. Consequently, restroom users contribute to the overall microbial
_____________________________________________________________________________________
load in the air. Even simple actions like coughing, sneezing, or talking can release bacteria into the restroom environment.

3. The description of the characteristics of bacterial colonies is the first thing to do to identify
them. How can this help us in the identification of these microorganisms?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Describing the characteristics of bacterial colonies, such as size, shape, color, texture, and growth pattern,
_____________________________________________________________________________________
can provide valuable clues for identifying the microorganisms. These observations help in narrowing
_____________________________________________________________________________________
down potential bacterial species and can guide further identification tests. For example, certain bacteria
may produce unique pigments or exhibit distinct growth patterns that are indicative of specific species.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Additionally, colony morphology can help distinguish between different genera or families of bacteria,
__________________________________________________________________________________
aiding in the preliminary identification process before more specific tests are conducted.

GENERALIZATION
Through this activity, we deepened our understanding of the crucial role of inoculation in
___________________________________________________________________________________________
microbiology research. By learning about exposure, streaking, and pour plate methods, we grasped
___________________________________________________________________________________________
the versatility of inoculation techniques for different sample types. We also recognized the
___________________________________________________________________________________________
importance of precision and sterility to prevent contamination and ensure accurate results. This
___________________________________________________________________________________________
hands-on practice equips us with essential skills for working with microorganisms and conducting
___________________________________________________________________________________________
experiments in microbiology, contributing to advancements in various scientific fields.
______________________________________________________________________________________

NAME CONTRIBUTION/PARTICIPATION PERSONAL PROTECTIVE

EQUIPMENT

Kyrie Andres Generalization

Jyrus Bulatao Decontamination/Disposal
Dawn Cabading Generalization
Dejannes Franco Observation, Discussion #1
Renna Mendoza Observation
Edcel Pedro Discussion #2
Lester Pumihic Observation, Discussion #3

03/04/2024
Date Submitted: _______________________ Score: __________________
Mr. Hansen T. Villanueva
Instructor: ____________________________

Page 4 of 4
Inspired by Mission
Driven by Excellence