System for detecting growth in microorganisms
US4025393A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 17, 1975 |
| Grant date | May 24, 1977 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 17, 1995 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N21/6458
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system for identifying within a mixed population, a group of microorganisms replicating in a culture medium specific to that group, which culture medium includes a fluorescence inhibitor which the group incorporates in their nucleic acid upon replication. In one embodiment, a sample of the microorganism population is dyed with two different fluorescent dyes which are specific to nucleic acid, the fluorescent emissivity of one of the dyes being reduced or quenched by the presence of the inhibitor in the dyed nucleic acid, the fluorescent emissivity of the other of the dyes being unaffected by the presence of the inhibitor. The ratio of intensities of the fluorescent emission from the two dyes is independent of the total nucleic acid content of each microorganism, but is dependent upon the extent of incorporation of the inhibitor into the nucleic acid, so serves as a marker or identifier of a replicated organism. In another embodiment of the invention, the sample of the population is dyed with but the one quenchable dye and the dyed organisms are exposed to high intensity radiation which very rapidly bleaches the dye. From the bleaching characteristics such as the time required for…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.