Can a pure culture be prepared directly from a mixed-broth or a mixed-slant culture?

Question

Why?

Answer 1

One would isolate individual colonies from the mixed culture using an agar plate, where the microbiologist uses a method of spreading the organisms called 'streak-to-isolate'.

This allows for individual colonies to be developed from mixed culture. Then plate the individual colony onto new media using streak-to-isolate to ensure purity of colony.

This is common procedure, and I have my college students do this as an independent project.

Answer 2

That depends.
If you start with a pure culture for the inoculum, then yes.

If you get individual colonies on the the slant, and replate then on another slant of in the broth, then yes again.

Answer 3

no - you need to isolate the organisms in the mix before you can make a pure cultre of any of them.