STREAK CULTURE Meaning and
Definition
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Streak culture, also known as streaking, refers to a laboratory technique used to obtain pure and isolated colonies of microorganisms, such as bacteria or fungi, on an agar plate. This technique is primarily employed for the purpose of studying individual microbial colonies and their characteristics, including growth patterns, morphology, and biochemical properties.
To perform streak culture, a sterile inoculum of the microorganism is obtained using a loop or an inoculating needle, and then streaked onto the surface of an agar plate in a specific pattern. This pattern involves making a series of streaks, each beginning at the end of the previous streak, ultimately leading to the formation of isolated colonies. By diluting the microbial sample during each streak, the number of cells is reduced, increasing the chances of individual colonies forming.
Streak culture is essential in microbiology research as it allows for the isolation and examination of pure cultures, which are crucial for various purposes such as identifying new microbial species, conducting antibiotic susceptibility testing, investigating virulence factors, and studying the microorganisms' interactions with their environment. Additionally, streaking promotes the isolation of genetically identical cells from a single parental cell, which is essential in studying microbial genetics and performing experiments involving mutant organisms.
In summary, streak culture is a laboratory technique used to obtain pure and isolated colonies of microorganisms, enabling researchers to study individual microbial characteristics and conduct various microbiological experiments.
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A liquefied gelatin or agar medium is poured out on a Petri plate and allowed to solidify, and is then inoculated along a series of parallel streaks by a wire dipped in the material to be cultivated.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for STREAK CULTURE
- atreak culture
- ztreak culture
- xtreak culture
- dtreak culture
- etreak culture
- wtreak culture
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- sfreak culture
- sgreak culture
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- s6reak culture
- s5reak culture
- steeak culture
- stdeak culture
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- stteak culture
- st5eak culture
- st4eak culture
- strwak culture
- strsak culture
Etymology of STREAK CULTURE
The term "streak culture" has its origins in microbiology, specifically in the field of bacteriology. The etymology of the word can be broken down as follows:
1. Streak: In microbiology, "streaking" refers to a technique used to obtain isolated bacterial colonies on a solid growth medium. This method involves streaking the specimen (usually a bacterial culture) across the surface of the medium using an inoculation loop or needle. By spreading the bacteria in a pattern of streaks, it allows for the isolation and separation of individual cells or colonies for further study.
2. Culture: In this context, "culture" refers to the act of cultivating, growing, and maintaining microorganisms in a controlled environment. A culture can be grown on various mediums, such as agar plates or broth, which provide the necessary nutrients for bacterial growth.
