Year 12 Biology Students Make Bacteria Glow!

Our Year 12 VCE Biology students recently experienced one of the most exciting practical investigations in VCE Biology — genetically transforming bacteria and making them glow!

Students used the pGLO plasmid, a small piece of DNA containing the gene for green fluorescent protein from the jellyfish Aequorea victoria. By introducing the plasmid into E. coli bacteria, students investigated how foreign DNA can be taken up by cells and expressed.

After carefully completing the transformation process, students waited to see whether their experiment had worked. The results certainly delivered! Under UV light, the transformed bacteria produced a brilliant green glow, providing students with a spectacular visual demonstration that the introduced gene from the jellyfish was being expressed.

This practical gave students the opportunity to move beyond simply learning about DNA, genes, genetic modification and gene expression and actually observing the outcome of genetic transformation in the classroom.

There was plenty of excitement when the lights went out and the glowing bacteria appeared — a fantastic reminder of just how incredible modern biotechnology can be!