Beyond toothpicks: New methods for isolating mutant bacteria

A. James Link; Ki Jun Jeong; George Georgiou

doi:10.1038/nrmicro1715

Beyond toothpicks: New methods for isolating mutant bacteria

A. James Link, Ki Jun Jeong, George Georgiou

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

42 Scopus citations

Abstract

Over the past 50 years genetic analysis in microbiology has relied predominantly on selections and plate assays using chromogenic enzyme substrates - for example, X-gal assays for the detection of β-galactosidase activity. Recent advances in fluorescent assays and high throughput screening technologies have paved the way for the rapid isolation of mutants that confer complex phenotypes and for the quantitative analysis of the evolution of new traits in bacterial populations. This Review highlights the power of novel single-cell screening technologies and their applications to genetics, evolution and the biotechnological uses of bacteria.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	680-688
Number of pages	9
Journal	Nature Reviews Microbiology
Volume	5
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro1715
State	Published - Sep 2007
Externally published	Yes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

General Immunology and Microbiology
Infectious Diseases
Microbiology

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10.1038/nrmicro1715

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title = "Beyond toothpicks: New methods for isolating mutant bacteria",

abstract = "Over the past 50 years genetic analysis in microbiology has relied predominantly on selections and plate assays using chromogenic enzyme substrates - for example, X-gal assays for the detection of β-galactosidase activity. Recent advances in fluorescent assays and high throughput screening technologies have paved the way for the rapid isolation of mutants that confer complex phenotypes and for the quantitative analysis of the evolution of new traits in bacterial populations. This Review highlights the power of novel single-cell screening technologies and their applications to genetics, evolution and the biotechnological uses of bacteria.",

author = "Link, {A. James} and Jeong, {Ki Jun} and George Georgiou",

note = "Funding Information: Work in the Georgiou laboratory is supported by National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants GM069872, GM073089 and by the Foundation for Research. A. J. L. was supported by a NIH Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) fellowship (GM078908).",

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AU - Georgiou, George

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N2 - Over the past 50 years genetic analysis in microbiology has relied predominantly on selections and plate assays using chromogenic enzyme substrates - for example, X-gal assays for the detection of β-galactosidase activity. Recent advances in fluorescent assays and high throughput screening technologies have paved the way for the rapid isolation of mutants that confer complex phenotypes and for the quantitative analysis of the evolution of new traits in bacterial populations. This Review highlights the power of novel single-cell screening technologies and their applications to genetics, evolution and the biotechnological uses of bacteria.

AB - Over the past 50 years genetic analysis in microbiology has relied predominantly on selections and plate assays using chromogenic enzyme substrates - for example, X-gal assays for the detection of β-galactosidase activity. Recent advances in fluorescent assays and high throughput screening technologies have paved the way for the rapid isolation of mutants that confer complex phenotypes and for the quantitative analysis of the evolution of new traits in bacterial populations. This Review highlights the power of novel single-cell screening technologies and their applications to genetics, evolution and the biotechnological uses of bacteria.

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Beyond toothpicks: New methods for isolating mutant bacteria

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

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