Slime Mold and pH
The Effects of pH on Slime Mold Dg
Nicole Harris
BIOL181 – 059
1 December 2011
The theory that slime mold is attracted to acidic solutions was examined by the slime mold, Dg. Dg’s preference of pH was examined by using a variety of pH solutions in a petri dish. The data suggests that the growth of fruiting bodies observed in pH 9 was comparable to that of pH 4.
INTRODUCTION
The 2002 scientific journal, “The Costs and Benefits of Being a Chimera” by Kevin R Foster, Angelo Fortuanato, Joan E Strassmann, and David C Queller mentioned “When starving, the usually solitary single-celled amoebae... generally first form a pseudoplasmodium or slug that migrates away from ammonia and towards light and heat (Bonner 1967). Since ammonia is a basic solution, this leads to the question of whether or not the slime mold, Dg, has a preference of acidic to basic solutions. What pH works best for the best production of fruiting bodies? In this experiment, the slime mold, Dg (Dictyostelium Giganteum) and various pH solutions will be plated in a petri dish and observed, compared, and contrasted. The efficiency of the pH solutions will be determined by how fast/slow the fruiting bodies covers the petri dish over a two-week period. If there are various petri dishes containing agar, E Coli and the slime mold Dg, and the pH level is changed, then the petri dishes containing pH 4 (potassium acid phthalate) and pH 5 (sodium and potassium phosphate) will grow fruiting bodies more rapidly than pH 7 (potassium phosphate) and pH 9 (potassium phosphate and sodium borate), since slime molds have a tendency to move away from ammonia, they probably do not prefer basic solutions.
METHOD
Materials:
4 petri dishes with agar and E Coli
Dg
pH 4 – potassium acid phthalate pH 5 – sodium and potassium phosphate pH 7 – potassium phosphate pH 9 – potassium phosphate and sodium borate
Microscope
Nicole Harris
BIOL181 – 059
1 December 2011
The theory that slime mold is attracted to acidic solutions was examined by the slime mold, Dg. Dg’s preference of pH was examined by using a variety of pH solutions in a petri dish. The data suggests that the growth of fruiting bodies observed in pH 9 was comparable to that of pH 4.
INTRODUCTION
The 2002 scientific journal, “The Costs and Benefits of Being a Chimera” by Kevin R Foster, Angelo Fortuanato, Joan E Strassmann, and David C Queller mentioned “When starving, the usually solitary single-celled amoebae... generally first form a pseudoplasmodium or slug that migrates away from ammonia and towards light and heat (Bonner 1967). Since ammonia is a basic solution, this leads to the question of whether or not the slime mold, Dg, has a preference of acidic to basic solutions. What pH works best for the best production of fruiting bodies? In this experiment, the slime mold, Dg (Dictyostelium Giganteum) and various pH solutions will be plated in a petri dish and observed, compared, and contrasted. The efficiency of the pH solutions will be determined by how fast/slow the fruiting bodies covers the petri dish over a two-week period. If there are various petri dishes containing agar, E Coli and the slime mold Dg, and the pH level is changed, then the petri dishes containing pH 4 (potassium acid phthalate) and pH 5 (sodium and potassium phosphate) will grow fruiting bodies more rapidly than pH 7 (potassium phosphate) and pH 9 (potassium phosphate and sodium borate), since slime molds have a tendency to move away from ammonia, they probably do not prefer basic solutions.
METHOD
Materials:
4 petri dishes with agar and E Coli
Dg
pH 4 – potassium acid phthalate pH 5 – sodium and potassium phosphate pH 7 – potassium phosphate pH 9 – potassium phosphate and sodium borate
Microscope
References: 'Behavior of cellular slime molds in the soil ' J.T. Bonner and D.S. Lamont, MYCOLOGIA 97(1):178-184 (2005). ‘Introduction to the “Slime Molds”. University of California Museum of Paleontology. (2009) Retrieved from . Retrieved on 21 November 2011. Patterson, B., R. Hallick, W. Grimes, M. Hewiett, J. Aronson, and B. Fishel. Biology 181 L Laboratory Manual. Plymouth: Hayden – Mcneil, 2011. Print.