Lab report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Lab report - Essay Example 2010). It has the ability to detect the shortest route to its food supply (Fenska 2010). It has been studied for cytoplasmic streaming through a network of channels that are driven by pressure gradients where external influences can superimpose slow movement on the whole organism (Kincaid and Mansour 1978; Durham and Ridgway 1976). Studies showed that peristalsis-like waves in Physarum, where it moves like a giant amoeba flowing over that surface as it ingests a matter, move in the direction opposite from the net movement of the organism which is a typical mechanism of chemotaxis (Genome: Physarum polycephalum 2013; Durham and Ridgway 1976). Physarum and other acellular slime molds are made up of syncytial protoplasm mass called plasmodium that lack cell walls in their main vegetative state albeit they can take several microscopic and macroscopic forms. It is the plasmodium that enables Physarum to conduct its peristaltic movement during feeding and to engage its membrane potential u sing physicochemical mechanism (Genome: Physarum polycephalum 2013, Hato 1979). The objective of this experiment is to investigate on the â€Å"food preferences† or chemotaxis behaviour of the species Physarum polycephalum. ... Plate A had corn meal agar representing low nutrient levels. Plate B only had water agar representing no nutrient levels. 2. A plug of the slime mould, Physarum polycehalum, was extracted and inoculated in Plates A and B. 3. In Plate A, the area was divided equally into four parts. Two types of fruits and two types of sweets were placed on each of the areas. The plate was left for one day. Data were collected on the second day. 4. In Plate B, the area was divided equally into two parts. The first part was placed with two types of fruits and the second part was placed with two types of sweets. The plate was left for one day. Data were collected on the second day. 5. On the second day, Plates A and B were observed for the growth of Physarum polycehalum within the fruits and sweets placed on the plates. Areas where no growth was observed were also noted. 6. Results of Plates A and B for the whole class were collected. This represented 30 replicates of Plate A (n=30) and 30 replicates of Plate B (n=30). 7. Both the individual and accumulated results were considered for the reporting of this experiment. However, to achieve comprehensiveness of observation of the multicellular properties of Physarum polycehalum, the accumulated results were used for analysis. Growth in different combinations was presented using a bar graph. Results The following results were gathered based on three combinations of substances placed on the agar plates. These combinations included Combination 1 (chocolate and apple), Combination 2 (apple and sugar coated sweet) and Combination 3 (chocolate and sugar coated sweet). Figure 1. Plot of the Number of Growth Observed on Different Types of Combination of Substances Figure 1depicts the specific responses of the slime mould