Application of the BacTiter-Glo™ Assay for Rapid Enumeration and Screening of Antimicrobial Compounds for Mycobacterium avium Complex Bacteria

Alice Yuroff1, Frank Fan2, Braeden Butler2 and Michael Collins1

1Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2Promega Corporation
Publication Date: 2008

Abstract

Experiments were performed to determine if the BacTiter-Glo™ Microbial Cell Viability Assay could be used as a rapid method to count Mycobacterium avium  Complex (MAC) organisms. Using the BacTiter-Glo™ Assay, the amount of ATP measured was linear (r2 < 0.99) with respect to MAC cell number between 107 and 103 cells; the limit of detection was 104–103 cells per 100µl. Freezing cell suspensions at –80°c prior to the assay significantly increased the luminescent signal in the assay. Exposure to antimicrobial compounds azithromycin and chlorine resulted in a significant decrease in both viable cell numbers and ATP levels.

Promega Notes 98, 8–10.

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