Endospore confusion

April 4, 2008 at 4:51 pm #9403

Participant

So we were given unknowns a weeks or so ago and were able to run tests to determine what our tubes contained. Our unknowns could be 1 of 25. I know for a fact which unknown I have but I got a confusing result. I have Mycobacterium smegmatis however, I did an endospore stain and it came up positive.

Can anyone tell me why a Mycobacterium smegmatis would appear to have endospores?

Any help would be appreciated. Thank!

April 4, 2008 at 7:21 pm #83214

Cat

Participant

How do you know that you have Mycobacterium smegmatis? It is not endospore forming.

April 4, 2008 at 7:27 pm #83215

mysticshadow

Participant

I know that I have the correct bacteria because I did all the tests needed to determine which one I had. I had narrowed it down to 3 bacteria and planed to do an endospore stain next. My teacher told me that I could also do the acid fast stain, however he wouldn’t let us actually carry it out. So he drew what I would see under the microscope. Which narrowed it down to 1, but to be on the safe side I did the endospore test anyway. He then told me that I made a big mistake and was going to be confused with what I would find.

So I know which bacteria I have, I had already determined that, and I know what I see aren’t really endospores, but it still doesn’t explain what they really are…

March 17, 2009 at 11:33 pm #89746

908margarita

Participant

i am very curios to know the results of your unknown bacteri?

March 18, 2009 at 11:05 am #89757

Sepals

Participant

quote mysticshadow:

I know that I have the correct bacteria because I did all the tests needed to determine which one I had. I had narrowed it down to 3 bacteria and planed to do an endospore stain next. My teacher told me that I could also do the acid fast stain, however he wouldn’t let us actually carry it out. So he drew what I would see under the microscope. Which narrowed it down to 1, but to be on the safe side I did the endospore test anyway. He then told me that I made a big mistake and was going to be confused with what I would find.

So I know which bacteria I have, I had already determined that, and I know what I see aren’t really endospores, but it still doesn’t explain what they really are…

Sounds like he wants you to identify mycobacterium, but brought in the wrong bacteria.

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