Question

Surveying microbial diversity
In order to examine what microbes are present in an environment like the New York subway system, researchers can use culture-dependent or culture-independent methods. Each of the statements below supports using one or the other of these methods. Place each statement into the bin for the approach that it supports.

culture-dependen methods	culture-independent methods

--not all microbes grow in one culture medium, knowing all species may be important

--allows isolation of individual species, not a mixed species assemblage

--genetic analysis allows identification of genetic material regardless of growth requirements

---allows the detection of genetic fragments, not just genes from entire organism

--prevents risk of missing an unusal species due to lack of appropriate PCR primers

---provides living microbes for further testing and analysis

Answer 1

culture-dependent method

provides living microbes for further testing and analysis

allows isolation of individual species, not a mixed species assemblage

prevents risk of missing an unusal species due to lack of appropriate PCR primers.

Culture-independent methods

not all microbes grow in one culture medium, knowing all species may be important

genetic analysis allows identification of genetic material regardless of growth requirements

allows the detection of genetic fragments, not just genes from entire organism