fairfolio
Saved Projects

Extremozymes

CSEF · 2002 Microbiology

Joseph R. Long · Fortuna Elementary School, Fortuna

Overview

Objectives/Goals The objective of my project was to grow one-celled organisms in pond water with different nutrients added and to freeze them to see if some cells continue to grow and others don#t. Methods/Materials Eight glass jars were filled with 1 1/2 cups pond water, each two jars had a different additive added, either Peptone, Sodium Bicarbonate, and Yeast Extract, and two jars with nothing added. All the jars were allowed to sit in the sun for two weeks. After being in the sun, one jar for each additive and the control were placed in the freezer for 72 hours. After being in the freezer, the jars were allowed to thaw in the sun. After they thawed all samples were observed under a microscope (must have a 1000x lens) and sketched. Results When the pond water was observed, one-celled organisms were seen in all the experimental groups. I observed single bacteria in the Peptone experimental group and clusters of bacteria in the Peptone control. In the Yeast experimental group I observed something I wasn#t expecting: one-celled organisms that I did not see in the control group. I saw larger cell masses in the control sample of the Sodium Bicarbonate than in the experimental group. There was algae in both Sodium Bicarbonate groups. Conclusions/Discussion Is it possible to freeze cells without killing them? Yes, some one-celled organisms survived freezing. From my research I found that some cells are chemically protected and produce their own #anti-freeze# (for example, glycerol). Cells surviving in freezing temperatures are important because on Europa, one of Jupiter#s moons, scientists think there is a frozen lake and it is possible that there are bacteria under the ice. If some cells can survive freezing, then it is possible that there is life in outer space.

Summary statement

I grew one celled organisms in pond water with different nutrients added and froze them to see how various types of cells are affected.

Help received

Mother helped design backboard; Used microscope at Humboldt State University under the supervision of Dr. Patricia Siering.

Competition history

  • CSEF 2002 Microbiology · Entry J1323

Resources

Related projects

Closest projects by meaning, across every fair and year in the corpus.

Browse more like this

Source: California Science & Engineering Fair public projects

Save projects to your library

Sign in with Google to keep track of projects you find interesting, organized into folders. An account also raises your daily allowance for “Has this been done?”, and lets you create a key for the MCP server with a much higher limit than anonymous use. Browsing stays public.

Continue with Google