Name___________________________________________ Date__________________ Class___________________
BioLab Does sunlight affect mitosis in yeast?
Background: Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a component of sunlight that can damage
DNA and interrupt the cell cycle.
Question: Can sunscreens prevent damage to UV-sensitive yeast?
Materials sterile spreaders or sterile cotton swabs (10)
sterile pipettes (10) dilution of UV-sensitive yeast
aluminum foil yeast extract dextrose (YED) agar plates (10)
test-tube rack sunscreens with various amounts of SPF
Safety Precautions
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Name___________________________________________ Date__________________ Class___________________
BioLab Does sunlight affect mitosis in yeast?
Procedure
1. Read and complete the lab safety form. four of the experimental plates as “no sunscreen”
2. Obtain a test tube containing a diluted broth and four as “sunscreen.”
culture of the UV-sensitive yeast. 5. Spread a 0.1 mL sample of the yeast dilution on
3. Formulate a hypothesis, then choose a sunscreen all ten YED agar plates. Wrap the control plates
and predict how it will affect the yeast when in foil and give them to your teacher for
exposed to sunlight. incubation.
4. Label ten YED agar plates with your group
name. Label two plates as control. The control
plates will not be placed in the sunlight. Label
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BioLab Does sunlight affect mitosis in yeast?
6. With direction from your teacher, decide how Re-cover the plates after exposure and give
long to expose each of the experimental plates them to your teacher for incubation.
and label each plate accordingly. Prepare a 9. After incubation, count and record the number
table in which to collect your data. of yeast colonies on each plate.
7. Wrap the “no sunscreen” plates in foil. Apply 10. Cleanup and Disposal Wash and return all
sunscreen to the lids of the four sunscreen reusable materials. Dispose of the YED plates
plates and wrap them in foil. as instructed by your teacher. Disinfect your
8. Remove only enough aluminum foil from each work area. Wash your hands thoroughly with
of the experimental plates to expose the dish soap and water.
lids. Expose the plates for the planned times.
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BioLab Does sunlight affect mitosis in yeast?
Data and Observations
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Analyze and Conclude
1. Estimate Assume that each yeast colony on a YED plate grew from one yeast cell in
the dilution. Use the number of yeast colonies on your control plate to determine
the percent of yeast that survived on each exposed plate.
2. Graph Data Draw a graph with the percent survival on the y-axis and the exposure
time on the x-axis. Use a different color to graph the data from the plates with and
without sunscreen.
3. Evaluate Was your hypothesis supported by your data? Explain.
4. Error Analysis Describe several possible sources of error.