Colleagues,
Evidently some researchers feel that it is best to restrict growth of
pathogenic bacterial isolates to propagation on plates rather than
broth in creating large "seed stocks" for subsequent experimental
inocula. (Eg. intial colony isolate is restreaked or spread across
plates which are harvested for frozen stocks rather than subcultured in
broth.)
How wide-spread is this practice? I see the general theory that
immobilizing individual cells might reduce competition between emerging
subpopulations for early growth, but how signficant would this be?
One could imagine that any emerging subpopulations would still be greatly
"over-represented" even during growth on solid media. Anyone know of any
refernces adressing this point?
How about ideas on the mathematics of "attenuation" in serial broth
subculture (eg. how many generations)?
Thanks much,
Jim
J. Graham PhD
Biology Department
Washington University of St. Louis
