Description

Biolog MicroPlates test the ability of a microorganism to utilize or oxidize compounds from a preselected panel of different carbon sources. The test yields a characteristic pattern of purple and turbid wells, which constitutes a “Metabolic Fingerprint”. 

All necessary nutrients and biochemicals are prefilled and dried into the 96 wells of the plate. Tetrazolium violet is used in some of the wells as a redox dye to colorimetrically indicate the oxidation of the carbon sources. Utilization of carbon sources in the other wells is indicated by an increase in turbidity.

Testing is performed very simply. The isolate to be identified is grown on agar medium and then suspended in YT Inoculating Fluid (P/N 72501) or prewarmed sterile water at the recommended cell density. Then the cell suspension is inoculated into the YT MicroPlate, 100µl per well. All of the wells start out colorless when inoculated. During incubation, there is an increase in respiration in wells that contain a chemical that can be utilized and the cells either reduce the tetrazolium dye forming a purple color or initiate growth leading to an increase in turbidity. There are two reference wells in the plate (A-1 and D-1) with no carbon source.

The MicroPlates are incubated for 24, 48, and/or 72 hours to allow the pattern to form. The metabolic pattern is then interpreted by Biolog‘s MicroLog 3 computer software, which automatically crossreferences the pattern to an extensive library of species. If an adequate match is found, an identification of the isolate is made.