Chromogenic plate assay distinguishing bacteriolytic from bacteriostatic activity of an antibiotic agent
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Date
2000
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Abstract
A solid agar plate assay was devised to discriminate bacteriolytic from bacteriostatic activity for a given antibacterial agent. The assay uses a bacterial culture harboring beta-galactosidase enzyme as reporter of cellular lysis. When a drop of bacteriolytic compound is placed on the agar, beta-galactosidase is released from the bacteria to the external solid medium where it hydrolyzes X-Gal substrate analogue, developing a blue halo at the edge of the inhibition growth zone. The assay was successfully evaluated against several antibiotics with well-known mechanism of action. It was found that bacteriostatic compounds consistently did not display blue halo at the inhibition zone. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
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antibiotics, apidaecin, bacteriolytic assay, X-Gal plates