Device and method for the detection of microorganisms which produce

Abstract

Selective detection of microorganisms is achieved by a screening technique in which radioactively labeled, low-molecular-weight metabolites produced by microorganisms to be detected reach an adsorption medium through a semipermeable medium which passes the labeled metabolites but blocks the labeled incubation medium. The adsorption medium is then subject to analysis, such as antoradiography, to detect the presence of the labeled metabolites. An analytical assembly for such detection includes a filter membrane support for growing microorganisms in discrete colonies and for holding a radioactively labeled incubating medium applied thereon, a semipermeable filter medium covering the support having the grown microorganisms and the incubating medium for passing low-molecular-weight, labeled metabolites produced by microorganisms of interest while blocking the incubating medium, and a cohesive layer of an adsorption medium conformably disposed with the filter membrane support and the semipermeable medium and being capable of adsorbing the labeled metabolites which have traversed the semipermeable medium during incubation of the assembly. Following incubation of the assembly, the adsorption medium layer is transferable for analysis, e.g., by autoradiography, to detect the presence of labeled metabolites produced by microorganisms of interest and to identify specific colonies of the microorganisms producing the radioactively labeled metabolite.