From Erlenmeyer flask to microplates – lessons learned from measuring Escherichia coli growth

Growth curve measurements are fundamental operations in microbiology and molecular biology. Microplate readers have the advantage of high-throughput and automation. This allows for real-time monitoring of many bacterial cultures and a decrease in labor and costs. The volume and geometry of a well from a microplate imply that calibration and comparative studies must be performed before switching from one cultivation and growth monitoring system to another. Here, Escherichia coli XL1 Blue was used as a reference strain in order to test the feasibility of using a common, filter-based microplate reader for recording growth curves when performing antibiotic and toxicity testing.