Disc diffusion assay of our first fungal endophyte fermentation crude extract

[Dakota Hamill]

http://basementbiotech.org/successful-disc-diffusion-assay-with-an-endophyte-fermentation-extract/

Thought some people might find it interesting.  It aint molecular biology or ground breaking science, but it's been pretty cool to use nothing but really basic techniques and ghetto equipment to prove that yes, it is possible to isolate bio-active secondary metabolites from organisms you find in the wild.

Keep on doing science!

-Dakota

[Cathal Garvey]

Really cool! How do you separate the toxicity of the DMSO itself from
the extract, though? I thought the discs were usually dry before placing
on agar?

--
Please help support my crowdfunding campaign, IndieBB: Currently at
19.6% of funding goal, with 36 days left:
http://igg.me/at/yourfirstgmo/x/4252296
T: @onetruecathal, @IndieBBDNA
P: +3538763663185
W: http://indiebiotech.com

[Dakota Hamill]

Good point.  I'm so used to bringing everything in the chemistry lab up in DMSO for LCMS analysis (since it dissolves everything) that I didn't think of intrinsic toxicity of the DMSO at that high of a concentration.  Generally we have samples in MeOH which we then let evaporate before plating the dry discs.  I spoke to a postdoc at a lab in yale and they say they sometimes just plate straight acetonitrile/water mobile phase extracts on the agar and let it soak in before plating a lawn on top of it.  Nevertheless, a 20uL DMSO only control should have been plated.  Back to the lab this weekend to re-test!  Thanks for the good catch

[Cathal Garvey]

Excited to see the results! Thanks for sharing this, it'll be a great
thing to point to next time someone queries pure science in biohacklabs. :)

20.0% of funding goal, with 36 days left: