Everything you need to know about Bergey’s manual. Some of the questions are as follows:-
Q.1. Which points or steps one will keep in mind while using “Bergey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology”?
Ans. One will have to keep the following points in mind while using the Manual.
Step 1: Whether your isolate is a Prokaryotic Microorganism or Eukaryotic Microorganism.
Step 2: To which major category of bacteria ones isolate belongs:
Whether:
(I) Gram negative eubacteria that have cell walls.
(II) Gram positive eubacteria that have cell walls.
(III) Eubacteria lacking cell walls.
(IV) Archaeobacteria.
The chapter IV of Begey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology 9th edition (1994) provides characteristics that allow differentiation of these four categories.
Step 3: To which group does one’s isolate belong?
Step 4: To which group does one’s genus belong?
Step 5: To which species does one’s isolate belong?
Q.2. How many ‘Sections’ are there covering all prokaryotes (bacteria) in ‘Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology’?
Ans. In all there are 33 Sections of prokaryotes (bacteria) in ‘Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology’. The Volume I covers Sections 1 to 11, Volume II covers Sections 12 to 17, Volume III covers Sections 18 to 25, and Volume IV covers Sections 26 to 33.
Q.3. Why is isolation of pure cultures required?
Ans. Generally the study of physiological, serological and other characteristics of bacteria are authoritative and meaningful when such studies are conducted from pure culture. It means the growth of a single strain of bacteria which is free from contamination by other species of bacteria or other microorganisms.
Therefore, for diagnostic examination of mixed infective material the first important step is the isolation of a particular organism in a pure culture. Pure cultures are also needed for proper identification and differentiation of bacteria.
The important techniques employed for isolation of pure cultures or creating pure cultures are as under:
1. Planting out on a solid culture medium.
2. Use of selective, enrichment or indication media.
3. Use of selective growth conditions.
4. Selective treatment of the specimen before culture.
5. Animal inoculation.