Question

What is the primary purpose of centrifugation in the isolation of bacteriophages from soil samples?

A) To remove excess soil particles from the eluted sample.
B) To enhance the elution process and improve bacteriophage recovery.
C) To facilitate filtration by reducing sample viscosity and preventing clogging of the filter.
D) Centrifugation does not significantly impact the isolation of bacteriophages from soil.

Answer 1

Centrifugation in the isolation of bacteriophages from soil is primarily used to separate phages from bacterial cells and debris, with phages staying in the supernatant and heavier particles forming a pellet.

The correct answer is options B) To enhance the elution process and improve bacteriophage recovery.

Step-by-step explanation:

The primary purpose of centrifugation in the isolation of bacteriophages from soil samples is to separate the phage particles from the bacterial cells and other soil debris based on their densities.

During this process, soil samples that contain bacteriophages are blended and then centrifuged. This results in the heavier bacterial cells and excess soil particles forming a pellet at the bottom of the centrifuge tube, while the lighter phage particles remain in the supernatant.

This separation is made possible by the high centripetal acceleration of the centrifuge, which decreases the time for separation and allows for the recovery of small quantities of specimens.

Once the centrifugation is complete, the supernatant can be further processed to isolate and study the bacteriophages.

The correct answer is options B) To enhance the elution process and improve bacteriophage recovery.