One Multimode Microplate Reader For All Essential Microorganism Growth Conditions

Growth analysis of microorganisms via OD absorbance measurements at 600 nm is key to many different research areas. In the past, this has been a time-consuming and labor-intensive procedure.

Tecan’s Infinite 200 PRO multimode reader can now provide all essential growth conditions – including continuous shaking, temperature control, O2 and CO2 regulation and humidity stabilization – within the measurement chamber, eliminating the need to transfer microplates between the cell incubator and the microplate reader (1). This enables simultaneous incubation and signal detection without the need for any manual intervention, even for microorganisms which need very specific environmental conditions, such as facultative anaerobic bacteria.

In this collaborative study, Tecan and its partners have analyzed the growth of the human pathogen and class-I
carcinogen Helicobacter pylori over a period of 28 hours.

As a microaerophilic organism, H. pylori needs low atmospheric oxygen concentrations for optimized growth, and
normally colonizes human mucosa, where it can cause certain types of stomach disorders and cancer. To mimic these physiological conditions, it is a prerequisite for the incubation/detection device to have the capability to control atmospheric O2 levels.