FAQ: FastPrep

What is the difference between L-Broth, LB and LB Lennox?

What is the recipe for your media?

What is the difference between GS96 and Circlegrow?

Can GS96 media be used to grow cells under aerobic conditions?

How do I use encapsulated media?

What is PGF?

Q. What is the difference between L-Broth, LB and LB Lennox?

A. The difference between them is the amount of NaCl in each.

• L-Broth- 0.5g/L
• LB Lennox- 5.0g/L
• LB- 10g/L

In certain host cells, the salt concentration can make a difference in plasmid yields.

Q. What is the recipe for your media?

A. Recipes for most of our media can be found in the BIO 101 Catalog or at our web site.

Q. What is the difference between GS96 and Circlegrow?

A. While both are designed to grow cells to the highest possible density and produce high yields of plasmid DNA, the conditions under which they achieve this are different. The new GS96 media is designed to grow cells under anaerobic (without aeration) conditions. Circlegrow is designed to grow cells under aerobic conditions.

Q. Can GS96 media be used to grow cells under aerobic conditions?

A. While cells will grow in GS96 under aerobic conditions, the growth will not be as vigorous as cells grown in Circlegrow or LB.

Q. How do I use encapsulated media?

A. Add the number of capsules indicated on the label to a flask or bottle containing water. Autoclave at 121°C for 15 minutes and remove flask from the autoclave. The gelatin from the capsules will settle on the bottom, giving the appearance of an agar layer. To get the gelatin into solution, wait a few minutes after autoclaving and swirl vigorously while hot (be careful of media bubbling up and spilling over the top). The presence of the gelatin will not inhibit growth and, in some bacterial strains, can actually enhance growth.

Q. What is PGF?

A. PGF (Plasmid Growth Formulations) are designed to maximize plasmid yield in different plasmid/host systems. Each PGF was found to enhance plasmid yield for some plasmid/host systems, but not others, indicating significant differences in the limiting nutritional factors for different combinations of plasmid and host strain. In some cases, the PGF can enhance plasmid yield not only by increasing cell density, but by maximizing the plasmid copy number (within the range allowed by the origin of replication) as well.