You will also find that eg streptococci are only seen in chains when you
grow them in broth and prepare the smear directly from it. Lots of fragile
morphological features may be altered by growing on solid media and
subsequent handling.
GS
Karl Roberts wrote in message ...
>Hi Mike,
>I'll venture a guess at this question. In liquid media, bacteria are not
>as crowded. There is less competition for space and nutrients (at least in
>young, fresh cultures), so cells are more likely to assume a more natural
>appearence and arrangement. Our strain of E. coli, for example, takes on
>a more robust rod-shape when cultured in liquid medium, but when grown on
>an agar slant or plate tends to appear more as a classic coccobacillus
>with greater variations in individual appearence. This can also be true
>for different species of Bacillus, etc. This is my current take on the
>situation, and I am looking forward to other responses.
>Karl J. Roberts, Ph.D.
>PGCC
>>On Fri, 5 Mar 1999, Mike wrote:
>>> Unfortunately I've lost the old note, but someone suggested (to me, a
>> beginner student) that it was advantageous to use liquid media instead of
>> solid media when having difficulties differentiating between rods and
cocci.
>> Why is this?
>>>>>>>
