You are working in a lab with several different macromotecul

You are working in a lab with several different macromotecules from Francisella tularemia, a bacterial species that causes an illness similar to bubonic plague. You drop the test tube rack containing purified metabolic enzymes, plasma membranes, chromosomes, and cell walls. Unfortunately your labels also fell off when the tubes hit the floor. Your lab can detect: pentose, hexose, adenine, cytosine, cysteine, and glycerol. (All your other testing equipment is beyond your training and you don\'t want your boss to know you dropped test tubes in lab (bad call, especially in a lab, while working with a biohazardous organism)). a. What test would you use to differentiate between the tube with DNA and the tube with proteins? b. What test would you use to differentiate between tubes with carbohydrates and those with DNA? c. What test would you use to identify the test tube with the plasma membranes?

Solution

a. To test the presence of Proteins or DNA

The above test can be used to detect proteins in the given tube. If DNA is present addition of biuret reagent doesnt produce color. If protein is present purple color is produced.

b. To test the presence of carbohydrates or DNA

c. To test the presence of plasma membrane.