Welcome to the Virtual Bacterial Identification Lab. The purpose of the lab is to familiarize you with the science and techniques used to identify different types of bacteria based on their DNA sequence. Not long ago, DNA sequencing was a time-consuming, tedious process. With readily available commercial equipment and kits, it is now routine. The techniques used in this lab are applicable in a wide variety of settings, including scientific research and forensic labs.
The piece of DNA used for identifying bacteria is the region that codes for a small subunit of the ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA). We will refer to this piece as 16S rDNA. Different bacterial species have unique 16S rDNA sequences. The identification relies on matching the sequence from your sample against a database of all known 16S rDNA sequences. (Learn more about ribosomal RNA.)
Throughout each exercise, this window will display information explaining what you are doing. All the interactions, however, will be done inside the graphic window to the left. The small white box below the graphic will give you specific instructions on what objects to click on.