Look and see if it is time to induce protein expression in Escherichia coli cultures.

ABSTRACT: It is shown that Methyl Red can be used as an indicator dye that changes color in Escherichia coli culture as a result of time- and cell density-dependent bleaching by azoreductase produced by the bacteria. For cell cultures that are being used to express a recombinant protein, this phenomenon can be exploited to provide a simple visual cue that cell cultures have reached an appropriate growth phase for addition of an agent to induce protein expression, such as isopropyl thiogalactoside.

SUBMITTER: Kelley KD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2896908 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature