Re: " Bacteria and flow cytometry "

dbk (dbk@aber.ac.uk)
Mon, 20 Nov 1995 10:44:13 +0000

In message <95111609063157@phibred.com>,BETH HARMAN writes:
*
*We are working with bacteria with a special interest in viability stainin
*g.
*We have used Rhodamine123, CFDA, PI and Molecular Probe's viability kit
*called LIVE/DEAD BacLight.
*
*An interesting phenomenon that we initially noticed with fluorescent
*microscopy and later confirmed with flow cytometry is the presence of a
*population which stains a color that has properties of both live and dead
*stains. We find that as cell cultures are stressed (chemical, heat,
*radiation) the level of these 'intermediate' colored cells increases. We
*have found that there seems to be a correlation between the relative amou
*nts
*of stress and the population of intermediate colored cells.
*
*This has been shown with a number of different genera and species. There
*does
*seem to be some differences in the amount of the intermediate population
*with
*different cultures, but their presence seems to be universal.
*
*If there are other researchers out there doing work like this and can off
*er
*any theories or explanations for this phenomenon, we would very intereste
*d in
*hearing from you.
*
*Bill Rutherford (Rutherfor@phibred.com)
*Beth Harman (Harmane@phibred.com)
*Lyse Norian (Norianla@phibred.com)
*
*

Most interesting! We have published a number of studies on flow cytometry of
starved bacteria, and you are dead right that 'live' and 'dead' are not the
only two possible states that a bug can be in. Refs and further details via
our WWW site (adrees below); and (p)reprints would be much appreciated since
(as Hazel davey posted before) we are nearing completion of an extensive review
of FCM of microbes.

Kind regards,
Douglas.
********************************************************************
*Douglas B. Kell Phone: +44 1970 622334 *
*Edward Llwyd Building Fax: +44 1970 622354 *
*Institute of Biological Sciences *
*University of Wales, Email: dbk@aber.ac.uk *
*Aberystwyth SY23 3DA, U.K. http://gepasi.dbs.aber.ac.uk/home.htm *
********************************************************************
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