You might be interested to know how many different types of bacteria live on the shower curtain in your bathroom. What is the most efficient method for finding out?
A) producing a molecular phylogeny
B) enrichment culture
C) direct sequencing
D) Enrichment culture and direct sequencing are equally efficient methods.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The most efficient method for finding the different types of bacteria living on a shower curtain would be direct sequencing. This method involves extracting DNA from the samples and sequencing the 16S rRNA gene, a gene present in all bacteria that can be used to identify different bacterial species. Enrichment culture involves selectively growing bacteria in a specific nutrient medium, which may not capture the entire diversity of bacteria present. Producing a molecular phylogeny involves analyzing the evolutionary relationships between different bacteria, which may not be necessary for identifying the different types of bacteria present on a shower curtain.

You Might Be Interested to Know How Many Different Types