ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the major methods being used to identify microorganisms in the laboratory during the 19th and 20th centuries. Some common characteristics used to describe colonies are: After streaking microorganisms on a solid media so that individual colonies are obtained, the first test routinely performed is the Gram stain. Once the Gram stain reaction has been ascertained, conventional biochemical testing is then performed. In addition to the primers that are used in the standard PCR protocol, two additional fluorescent probes are also included with LightCycler. The steps in ligase chain reaction are similar to PCR. Reverse hybridization and PCR are frequently combined to produce tests to identify species or even strains of microorganisms. One of the disadvantages of PCR and technologies that employ it is that it requires expensive thermocycling equipment to amplify nucleic acids. Biotin is a vitamin that can be bound to an antibody and which also has a strong affinity for the glycoprotein avidin.
