You Have Isolated a Microbe from an Environmental Sample

question 28

Essay

You have isolated a microbe from an environmental sample. The microbe has the ability to perform a new metabolic reaction at a very low temperature, so you are excited that it could be a new species. What experiments should you perform to determine if your isolate is truly a new species? What process will you follow to officially name your isolate?

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Definitions:

DNA Replication

The biological process of producing two identical replicas of DNA from one original DNA molecule, essential for cell division.

Complementary Base Pairing

The pairing of bases by hydrogen bond formation in double-stranded nucleic acids according to the base pairing rules: adenine pairs with thymine (in DNA) or uracil (in RNA), and guanine pairs with cytosine.

Purines

A group of heterocyclic aromatic organic compounds, including adenine and guanine, that are key components of DNA and RNA.

Pyrimidines

A type of organic compound, characterized by a single six-membered ring, that includes cytosine, thymine, and uracil, essential components of nucleic acids.