Draft

Once isolated colonies had been grown on the CDC agar plate, the next step of the experiment was to test them for their ability to eliminate two reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs), hydrogen peroxide and singlet oxygen. To test for the bacteria’s ability to degrade hydrogen peroxide, a catalase test was done. It was expected that the anaerobic bacteria would contain the enzyme catalase and be able to degrade hydrogen peroxide. It was expected that when these bacteria were exposed to hydrogen peroxide, a chemical reaction would take place and small bubbles would form indicating that catalase was present and able to degrade hydrogen peroxide into water and gaseous oxygen. Staphylococcus epidermidis was used as a positive control for the catalase test, as this organism is known to have the catalase enzyme. It was expected that bubbles would form when S. epidermidis was exposed to hydrogen peroxide. Streptococcus agalactiae was used as a negative control for the catalase test, and was expected to show no bubbling when exposed to hydrogen peroxide due to the absence of catalase.