This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by DuPree, M R Articles by Wilcox, G Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by DuPree, M R Articles by Wilcox, G

Bromothymol blue and carbohydrate-sensitive plating media.

ABSTRACT

A new plating medium using bromothymol blue (BTB) indicator is described and compared with eosin-methylene blue (EMB), MacConkey, and Endo media. These media were tested with L-arabinose by plating fermenting and nonfermenting mutant strains of Escherichia coli. The minimum concentrations of L-arabinose that permitted differentiation of these strains were determined. Different concentrations were required for differentiating confluent patches of cells, isolated colonies, and closely spaced or adjacent colonies. L-Arabinose, L-rhamnose, D-lactose, and D-galactose were tested with modified enteric media and with BTB medium, again to determine minimum usable concentrations. BTB media and reformulated conventional media allowed detection of acidification, aerobically, at one-fifth to one-hundredth the (1%, wt/vol) concentration of carbohydrate used in standard indicator plates.