7: Creosote Bacteria Identification from White Tank Mountain Area

Creosote Bacteria Identification from White Tank Mountain Area

This week was focused on completing more bacteria-identification tests on the leaf sample collected from a creosote bush here on Phoenix College's campus. The second focus of this week was to isolate bacteria samples taken from two creosote bushes located in the White Tank Mountain Area (Sample Extraction Coordinates:33⁰ 34’ 31’’ N, 112⁰ 34’ 44’’ W.

The samples obtained included taking swabs from a creosote bush's leaves and streaking them onto three TSA plates (Sample ID Label = Plate 1 C1-C7; Plate 2 C1-C6; and Plate 3 C1-C8). From an additional creosote bush, three vials of leaf samples were collected and are in the process of being streaked on TSA plates. 
Plates 1-3 were taken and observed for different colony types. Next isolation streaks on TSA were performed for each colony type observed. A total of 21 colonies were observed and streaked on TSA. After being incubated at 37 degrees Celsius, the TSA plate samples were observed for colony growth, and it was determined that the TSA plate samples for the 21 colonies should be further isolated with the goal of obtaining pure cultures. Currently, the second round of isolating the colonies is in process. Below are pictures of the three plate samples collected from the one of the creosote bushes in the White Tank Mountain area.