Replica plating

Definition

Replica plating is a microbiological technique used to transfer colonies from one agar plate to another, preserving the spatial arrangement of the colonies. It is primarily employed to screen for mutants with specific traits, such as antibiotic resistance.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Replica plating allows for the identification of mutant colonies without directly exposing them to selective agents.
2. The process involves pressing a velvet-covered disk onto a master plate and then stamping it onto secondary plates.
3. It is frequently used in experiments involving microbial genetics and mutations.
4. This technique helps differentiate between mutant and wild-type colonies based on their growth patterns under different conditions.
5. Joshua Lederberg and Esther Lederberg developed replica plating in the early 1950s.

Related terms

Selective Medium: A type of growth medium designed to favor the growth of specific microorganisms while inhibiting others.

Mutant Strain: A microorganism that has undergone a mutation, resulting in a genetic change that can be identified using techniques like replica plating.

Antibiotic Resistance:

The ability of microorganisms to survive and proliferate despite being exposed to antibiotics, often identified through screening methods like replica plating.