Info | Growth Curves USA

About Our Bioscreen G System

Bioscreen G Pro Automated Growth Curve Analysis System is the newest generation of efficient and reliable Bioscreen systems. It provides a tightly controlled environment for measurement of growth of bacteria, molds, yeasts, or spores. Just load it, set parameters, and walk away. Data and curves are stored in your PC when you return.

Bioscreen G Pro enhancements include: wider temperature range, improved light source, expanded dynamic range, added shaking options, touch screen, flexible software. Bioscreen systems are used in hundreds of labs world-wide for microbiology research, veterinary microbiology, antibiotic susceptibility (antibiotic drug development), food preservative development, food quality control, and environmental microbiology.

Unique Capabilities

Bioscreen G Pro measures turbidity of samples kinetically. All microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, yeast, algae) produce turbidity by multiplication in broth. Conventional test tube tests where the turbidity or color change occurs can be run with the "mini-test-tubes" in a honeycomb plate with Bioscreen C Pro.

Bioscreen G Pro is an open system: the user can decide what is put into the wells (what microorganism, broth or chemical). Organism growth is measured kinetically and automatically.

Stict hypoxia assays can be grown with the optional gas control unit or using other methods already used with the original Bioscreen C MBR system (by sealing the cover to the plate in a oxygen-free gas; alternatively the oil layer technique can be used). Small footprint of the Bioscreen G Pro enables it to be fitted inside environmental cabinet for strict anaerobic work. One can also monitor bacteriophage growth (dropping growth curves), amoebae (Limulus) growth and other processes where the turbidity changes.

A wide band ("white") filter is used for turbidity measurement (400-600 nm). Usually it is used in microbiology work because the results are not affected by change of color of growth medium. In special work for high sensitivity where the color change is needed, other filters can be used.

Bioscreen G Pro compared with manual techniques

Bioscreen G Pro measures changes in OD vs. time to produce microbiological growth curves. These direct measurements correlate well with classical techniques. After correlations are established, simply transfer your work to Bioscreen G Pro, and enjoy the benefits of automation. Its honeycomb plates will accommodate most liquid growth mediums.

It provides consistent final results for both research and routine work. Simply by changing program parameters, you can cover a wide range of research applications.

Bioscreen G Pro performs up to 200 microbiological growth curve tests automatically, one test per well. It runs unattended, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. What could take a year to do using conventional techniques can be accomplished in a few weeks using Bioscreen G Pro. It cuts consumable costs, saving on petri dishes, test tubes, and media.

Bioscreen G Pro compared with conventional plate readers

No condensation and minimal evaporation of sample. Patented technology assures there will be no liquid condensation on cover to mask true results.
Cover reduces sample evaporation which can distort results. Bioscreen is only reader that keeps cover on during the entire experiment.
Tight temperature range for reliable results. Temperature range is from 15 to 65 degrees C, with temperature variation held within +/- 0.1 degree. Temperatures below 15 C are possible when the ambient humidity and temperature are controlled. Conventional plate readers cannot hold these tolerances and provide less reliable results.
200 results at one time. Conventional readers read up to 96 wells in one run. Unmatched versatility and reliability. Other readers are not designed for microbiology work, or for long-term use. Bioscreen system has proven its versatility for a wide range of applications in over 400 sites worldwide, with some units in use for over 20 years.

Applications

The range of tests that can be run on Bioscreeen G Pro is virtually endless: miniaturized bioassays; measurement of effect of chemicals, pH, temperature and other parameters on micro-organisms; antibiotic susceptibility tests; QC of food (total count) and more. Growth of phage and suspended cell cultures also can be monitored by Bioscreen.

A user can dispense any micro-organism with any growth media, and monitor kinetically the culture growth (development of turbidity or color) in 200 wells at time. Most tests run in test tubes can be run automatically on Bioscreen.

Production and QC of food, water C wine
Pharmacy C veterinary
Environment, agriculture C industry
Molecularity, genomics C biotechnology
Biofuel C bioenergy
Antibiotics, disinfectants C preservatives
Wastewater, biofilm C pollutants

Bioscreen G Pro compared with manual techniques

It provides consistent results for both research and routine work. Simply by changing program parameters, you can cover a wide range of research applications.

Bioscreen G Pro performs up to 200 microbiological growth curve test automatically, one test per well. It runs unattended, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. What could take a year to do using conventional techniques can be accomplished in a few weeks using Bioscreen G Pro. It cuts consumable costs, saving on petri dishes, test tubes, and media.

Some Specific Examples of Applications

Follow on a PC screen the growth (turbidity development) of 200 cultures simultaneously by simultaneous recording of growth curves parameters
Estimate the total count of microorganisms of food samples.
Microbiological assays for measuring amount of vitamins, amino acids, antibiotics, disinfectants, toxicant, biostimulators, growth retardants.
Methods for production of microbiological protein from organic waste.
Develop new antimicrobial/antifungal agents.
Evaluate microbiological preservatives.
Monitor microbiological single-cell-protein (SCP) production processes.
For production of enzymes, proteins, fatty acids or other substances.
Evaluate wastewater treatment, biofilm, and activated sludge processes.
Find optimal conditions for biodegradation of pollutants.
Study microbiological processes at different temperatures.
Determine minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of antimicrobials.
Determine the lethal dose (LD) of antibiotics or other compounds.
Develop microorganisms with wanted characteristics.
Detect the presence and level of bacteriuria.
Measure the toxicity and potential mutagenicity of different compounds.
Study the metabolic processes of microorganisms and cells.
Study production processes of production of yogurt, beer, wine, foods.
Measure the combined effect of various parameters (e.g. pH, temperature, water activity, salt concentration, chemicals) on pure and mixed cultures.
Study the growth kinetics of bacteriophages (dropping growth curves)
Run LAL tests (limulus amoebocyte lysate gel assay) for endotoxin assay
Do mathematic modeling of microorganism, phage or cell growth
• Develop selective or broad range growth media for microorganisms, cells.

Description and Specifications

The Bioscreen G Pro Automated Microbiology Growth Curve Analysis System directly measures microorganism growth. As microorganisms grow, they increase the turbidity of their growth medium. By measuring the turbidity of this medium over time, an optical density (O.D.) curve can be generated. The curve reflects the growth (increased concentration) of the organism of interest e.g. Aerobic bacteria, Anaerobic bacteria, Yeast, Mold, Microalgae, and Phage.

Bioscreen G Pro is a photometric microplate absorbance reader. It has a unique double core temperature control which provides constant temperatures to all wells at a controlled temperature. This is essential for developing high-quality growth curves. It has three different shaking modes: linear, orbital and double-orbital shaking. The operator can control the intensity of shaking in each mode. It has a sensitive reader that measures turbidity, a technique more sensitive than a spectrophotometer. The Bioscreen G Pro has three standard filters (405 nm, 600 nm and a wideband 400-600 nm) installed. Special wavelengths can be ordered and there is a place for 8 total filters in the instrument. Two honeycomb plates may be run at one time, making it possible to run 200 samples simultaneously. Turbidimetric measurements are made kinetically during the course of the run. Data is exported to a PC, and subsequently processed to generate growth curves, plotting O.D. vs. time.

With an optional gas control module it is possible to adjust oxygen and carbon dioxide levels inside the measurement chamber. The gas control module is available to the Bioscreen G Pro instrument and can be either purchased installed directly from the factory or later retrofitted to G Pro instruments at customers location. Gas control module is not compatible with the earlier Bioscreen C models.

Software

Bioscreen Pro software is installed on a customer-provided PC (Windows 10 C 11). The computer communicates with the instrument to create experiment protocols and analyze results of the experiment. It can view experiments during the run, manage device settings, pre- heat or pre-cool the samples, view experiment status, pause the experiment, then download results.

Honeycomb Microplate

The organism of interest and any growth medium are manually dispensed into wells of a special honeycomb microplate. This 10 x 10 well plate is designed to provide a uniform temperature across each of the 100 wells in the plate. A fitted plate lid with special characteristics eliminates troublesome condensation and evaporation, which often interferes with O.D. readings with conventional 96-well plates.

Software

Bioscreen Pro Software is designed for the new Bioscreen Pro system. Software is installed on a customer-provided PC (Windows 10 C 11). It is provided on a USB stick delivered with the instrument. In just a few clicks, the software is automatically installed and the system is ready to run experiments.

The computer communicates with the instrument to create experiment protocols and analyze results of the experiment. It can view experiments during the run, manage device settings, pre-heat or pre-cool the samples, view experiment status and then download results. Results can be exported to Excel or CSV format.

Communication between the instrument and the software is done with normal TCP/IP protocol. The interface is an Ethernet connection. Remote control is possible if the local network settings allow it.

The Software is designed so that the computer is not needed during the run. The computer is needed when uploading the protocols and can be returned for data retrieval and analysis. This allows the computer to be used in other work while the experiment is running saving the costs.

The Bioscreen G Pro instrument now includes a touch screen. This enables the user to easily start stored protocols, pause experiments and view graphs in real time.

Bioscreen Pro software has some special features:

Three shaking modes plus ability to control their settings
Temperature cycling mode to change the temperatures during the experiment automatically
Live view to check the experiment status remotely
Possibility to control multiple instruments with the same software
Possibility to measure with more than one filter during the experiment (all wells are first measured with one filter and then the measurement is repeated with another filter).

Category	Specification
Detection Mode	Absorbance
Light Source	Xenon flash-lamp
Detector	Photodiode
Measurement Range	0 – 4 OD @ 600 nm
Resolution	0.001 OD
Wavelength Range	360 – 800 nm
Filters	Standard filters 405, 600 nm, and WB included (others available upon request)
Microplate Format	100-well lidded Honeycomb Microplate (max 200 samples / run)
Incubation Temp.	15 – 65°C / 9°C below ambient
Shaking	Linear, Orbital, Double-Orbital
Computer Interface	Ethernet
Dimensions (W x D x H)	300 x 595 x 440 mm
Weight	26.6 kg / 27.2 kg with gas control option
Software	Bioscreen PRO SW
PC Operating System	Windows 10 (or later)
Gas Control	Optional, O₂ 0.2–20%, CO₂ 0–20% (up to 60%)