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Explore direct and indirect bacteria counting techniques including calibrated stained smears, membrane filtration, and electronic counter methods. Learn about dilution series, optical density measurement, and more for accurate bacterial quantification in lab settings.
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Counting Bacteria • Filename: CelCount.ppt • Hugh B. Fackrell
Presentation Outline • Direct Counts • Microscopic • Electronic counter • Dilution series • Membrane filtration • Indirect Counts • Optical density • Weight of culture • Chemical
Direct Counts: Microscopic • Calibrated stained smear • Counting chamber • Epifluorescence Need high numbers of bacteria in the sample to be useful
Epifluorescence Microscopy • Nucleic acid specific dye • 3-6 tetramethyldiamino acridine • Binds between base pairs of DNA or RNA • Intercalation • Fluoresces when bound • DS-DNA -> Green • SS-DNA -> Red Orange • Degraded DNA -> Red Orange
Epifluorescence • Approximate viable cells /total cells • Viable cells green • Dead cells orange • Count low numbers • cells fluorscent against a black background
1ml 1ml 1ml 1ml 1ml 1/1,000 1/10 1/100,000 1/100 1/10,000 Dilution Series: dilution 9ml broth
1ml 1ml 1ml 1ml 1ml 1/1,000 1/10,000 1/10 1/100 1/100,000 Dilution Series: plating
1/1,000 1/100 1/10 1/10,000 1/100,000 Dilution Series: Colony counts
Membrane filtration • Membrane filter • fixed pores 0.45 m 0.22 m • bacteria trapped on filter • Filter known amount of fluid • ALL bacteria trapped on membrane • Place filter in Petri dish with appropriate medium • Incubate • Count number of colonies
Membrane filtration • Number of Viable cells • Each colony from a single bacterium • Sensitive • eg filter entire bottle of pop • <1 bacterium / bottle • Growth media • selective or differential • Combine with Epifluorescence • Black polycarbonate filters
Electronic Measurement • Turbidity • Broths with many bacteria become turbid • turbidity increases light scattering • increased absorbance in spectrophotometer • Cell counters • fluid pumped through a micro pipette • pumped past an electronic sensor • records number of cells