Final answer:
The correct term for bacteria that completely lyse red blood cells creating a clear zone around the colonies on a blood agar plate is β-hemolysis (beta hemolysis). Hemolysis results from the destruction of red blood cell membranes by bacterial-produced enzymes, a process used to identify hemolytic bacteria in microbiology labs. The correct option is A.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bacteria that completely lyse red blood cells and form a clear zone around the colonies on a blood agar plate are termed β-hemolysis (beta hemolysis).
This phenomenon can be observed by streaking bacteria across the surface of a Blood Agar Plate (BAP), which contains intact red blood cells. Hemolysis is a process where bacteria produce enzymes that break down phospholipids and cause the cell membranes of red blood cells to rupture, releasing hemoglobin into the medium.
In the case of beta hemolysis, a clear area appears around the bacterial colonies due to this lysis of red blood cells. This type of hemolysis is used in microbiology to diagnose infections by hemolytic bacteria such as Streptococcus.