Patent · US Expired

Device, composition and method for identifying microorganisms

US4129483A · kind A · utility

51Cited by
8References
29Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 3, 1977
Grant dateDec 12, 1978
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 3, 1997

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S435/879
  • WIPO fieldBiotechnology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

In accordance with the invention there is provided means for identifying or testing a microorganism by growing a culture of the microorganism in contact with a composition containing: (1) an oxidation-reduction indicator, preferably a tetrazolium compound that undergoes a change in color upon reduction to a formazan compound; (2) a biodegradable compound which when catabolized by the microorganism will engender a reduction of the tetrazolium compound to the formazan compound; (3) a buffer to maintain the pH of the mixture at a level which enables culture growth without itself either engendering or preventing reduction of the tetrazolium compound to the formazan compound; and (4) a nutrient for the microorganism in a concentration sufficient to support culture growth without itself engendering reduction of the tetrazolium compound to the formazan compound. Further in accordance with the invention, there is provided a compartmentalized container to which the microorganism culture is admitted, each compartment thereof containing a composition as described but with the composition in each compartment differing from the others by way of the second-mentioned compound included. The color …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.