Simple and Versatile Turbidimetric Monitoring of Bacterial Growth in Liquid Cultures Using a Customized 3D Printed Culture Tube Holder and a Miniaturized Spectrophotometer: Application to Facultative and Strictly Anaerobic Bacteria

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2016

Authors

Maia, MRG (Author) FCUP; Marques, S (Author) Other; A. Cabrita (Author) ICBAS; Wallace, RJ (Author) Other; thompson, g (Author) ICBAS; Antonio J M Fonseca (Author) ICBAS; Oliveira, HM (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Frontiers in Microbiology

Vol. 7

ISSN: 1664-302X

Publisher: FRONTIERS MEDIA SA

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 26 Citations

Scopus - 27 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00K-VXY

DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01381

Abstract (EN): Here we introduce a novel strategy for turbidimetric monitoring of bacterial growth in liquid culture. The instrumentation comprises a light source, a customized 3D printed culture tube holder and a miniaturized spectrophotometer, connected through optical cables. Due to its small footprint and the possibility to operate with external light, bacterial growth was directly monitored from culture tubes in a simple and versatile fashion. This new portable measurement technique was used to monitor the growth of facultative (Escherichia coli ATCC/25922, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC/29213) and strictly (Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens JW11, Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus P18, and Propionibacterium acnes DSMZ 1897) anaerobic bacteria. For E coli and S. aureus, the growth rates calculated from normalized optical density values were compared with those ones obtained using a benchtop spectrophotometer without significant differences (P = 0.256). For the strictly anaerobic species, a high precision (relative standard deviation < 3.5%) was observed between replicates up to 48 h. Regarding its potential for customization, this manifold could accommodate further developments for customized turbidimetric monitoring, such as the use of light-emitting diodes as a light source or flow cells.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 7