Microbes Count! LuriaDelbrück Activity

LuriaDelbrück Activity

Do bacterial mutations occur at random, or are they directed by environmental influences? In this activity you can use the procedure described in “A Test of Hypotheses about Random Mutation: Using Classic Experiments to Teach Experimental Design” (Green and Bozzone, 2001) to recreate a classic 1943 lab experiment in which Luria and Delbrück addressed this question. Then, using the two Excel spreadsheets available below, you can compare your results with those obtained using mathematical models to test the two hypotheses.

Topic(s): Evolution, Microbiology, Genetics

Resources:

Fluctuation_Test_Paper.pdf
    “A Test of Hypotheses about Random Mutation:
     Using Classic Experiments to Teach Experimental      Design” paper.
LuriaDelbrück Documentation.pdf
      a description of the two Excel spreadsheets
Mutation.xls – Excel spreadsheet
Acquired_Immunity.xls – Excel spreadsheet