The MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay is a fast and reliable method for colorimetric determination of fungal cell densities

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1999 Aug;65(8):3727-9. doi: 10.1128/AEM.65.8.3727-3729.1999.

Abstract

The entomopathogenic fungus Neozygites parvispora (Entomophthorales: Zygomycetes) grows in vitro as irregularly rod-shaped hyphal bodies in a complex medium. In order to simplify the medium composition and determine growth-promoting compounds for the cultivation of this fungus, we were looking for a rapid and quantitative method to estimate the number of living cells in small volumes of liquid culture. A colorimetric method for the determination of cell densities using MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] proved to be more accurate and timesaving than conventional hemocytometer counting.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Colony Count, Microbial / methods*
  • Colorimetry / methods
  • Culture Media
  • Entomophthorales / growth & development
  • Entomophthorales / isolation & purification*
  • Evaluation Studies as Topic
  • Mycology / methods
  • Tetrazolium Salts*
  • Thiazoles*

Substances

  • Culture Media
  • Tetrazolium Salts
  • Thiazoles
  • thiazolyl blue