Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Automated Microbial Diagnostics

Automated Microbial Diagnostics

Automated diagnostic analyzers have transformed clinical microbiology by providing rapid and reliable methods for pathogen identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing. Among these systems, the Vitek 2 is widely used because it automates the traditionally labor-intensive processes of microbial identification (ID) and antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST), delivering standardized and timely results that are essential for effective patient care.Microbial Identification with ID CardsThe...

Modern Molecular Taxonomy

Modern Molecular Taxonomy

Advancements in molecular biology have revolutionized the identification and characterization of bacteria, with multiple methods leveraging DNA sequencing for enhanced precision. As sequencing technologies improve and costs decline, these approaches are increasingly used in clinical, environmental, and evolutionary studies.Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) examines several housekeeping genes, essential chromosomal genes encoding cellular functions, to distinguish strains. Approximately...

Applications of Molecular Taxonomy

Applications of Molecular Taxonomy

Molecular taxonomy has revolutionized the understanding and classification of bacteria, providing precise insights into their diversity, evolutionary relationships, and ecological roles. By utilizing molecular techniques such as DNA sequencing and fingerprinting, researchers have made significant strides in various fields related to bacterial studies.Resolving Taxonomic AmbiguitiesMolecular taxonomy has been instrumental in distinguishing closely related bacterial species initially thought to...

Methods to Assess Microbial Populations

Methods to Assess Microbial Populations

Assessing microbial populations is crucial for understanding microbial roles in health, ecology, and industry. Various complementary techniques—both culture-based and molecular—enable detailed analysis of microbial abundance, diversity, and function.Viable Plate CountThe viable plate count is a traditional culture-based method used to estimate the number of living microbes in a sample. After serial dilution, the sample is spread onto nutrient agar plates. Each viable cell forms a visible...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Genetic Testing.

Pediatrics in review·2026

Same author

Tongue swab-based Targeted Universal Tuberculosis Testing in people living with HIV in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2026

Same author

Continuous blood pressure monitoring via hemodynamic parameter and pulse transit time derived from capacitive sensing pads.

Physiological measurement·2026

Same author

Development of a Rapid Automated Point-of-Care Test for <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> Detection from Tongue Swabs and Sputum Specimens on the DASH<sup>®</sup> Rapid PCR System.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2026

Same author

Acceptability of tongue swabs for tuberculosis screening in migrant settings in northern Italy: A qualitative study.

PLOS global public health·2026

Same author

Tongue swab <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> qPCR for community screening of asymptomatic TB vs. clinic-based triage of symptomatic TB.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 14, 2026

Multiplex Detection of Bacteria in Complex Clinical and Environmental Samples using Oligonucleotide-coupled Fluorescent Microspheres

Multiplex Detection of Bacteria in Complex Clinical and Environmental Samples using Oligonucleotide-coupled Fluorescent Microspheres

Published on: October 23, 2011

Molecular viability testing of bacterial pathogens from a complex human sample matrix.

Kris M Weigel¹, Kelly L Jones, Julie S Do

¹Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.

|February 1, 2013

Summary

Bacterial ribosomal RNA precursor (pre-rRNA) analysis effectively distinguishes viable from non-viable bacteria in human serum. This method rapidly detects bacterial viability without culture, crucial for clinical diagnostics.

More Related Videos

A Functional Whole Blood Assay to Measure Viability of Mycobacteria, using Reporter-Gene Tagged BCG or M.Tb (BCG lux/M.Tb lux)

A Functional Whole Blood Assay to Measure Viability of Mycobacteria, using Reporter-Gene Tagged BCG or M.Tb (BCG lux/M.Tb lux)

Published on: September 14, 2011

A Tuberculosis Molecular Bacterial Load Assay (TB-MBLA)

A Tuberculosis Molecular Bacterial Load Assay (TB-MBLA)

Published on: April 30, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 14, 2026

Multiplex Detection of Bacteria in Complex Clinical and Environmental Samples using Oligonucleotide-coupled Fluorescent Microspheres

Multiplex Detection of Bacteria in Complex Clinical and Environmental Samples using Oligonucleotide-coupled Fluorescent Microspheres

Published on: October 23, 2011

A Functional Whole Blood Assay to Measure Viability of Mycobacteria, using Reporter-Gene Tagged BCG or M.Tb (BCG lux/M.Tb lux)

A Functional Whole Blood Assay to Measure Viability of Mycobacteria, using Reporter-Gene Tagged BCG or M.Tb (BCG lux/M.Tb lux)

Published on: September 14, 2011

A Tuberculosis Molecular Bacterial Load Assay (TB-MBLA)

A Tuberculosis Molecular Bacterial Load Assay (TB-MBLA)

Published on: April 30, 2020

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Molecular Biology
Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

Bacterial ribosomal RNA precursors (pre-rRNA) assays can differentiate viable from inactivated bacteria.
Nutritional stimulation rapidly induces pre-rRNA synthesis, allowing distinction from free nucleic acids.
Serum, a nutrient-rich human sample matrix, presents unique challenges for pre-rRNA analysis compared to drinking water.

Purpose of the Study:

To adapt and validate pre-rRNA analysis for detecting viable bacteria in human serum.
To assess the efficacy of pre-rRNA detection in a nutrient-rich environment.
To evaluate the method's speed and sensitivity for clinically relevant bacterial species.

Main Methods:

Utilized reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to detect pre-rRNA.
Targeted four clinically significant bacterial species: Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex.
Normalized pre-rRNA levels to genomic DNA for enhanced resolution.
Stimulated bacterial cells in serum with nutrients and monitored pre-rRNA production.

Main Results:

Viable bacteria in serum showed rapid pre-rRNA replenishment upon nutritional stimulation.
Inactivated bacterial cells in serum did not exhibit pre-rRNA response to stimulation.
Semi-automated pre-rRNA analysis detected viable Acinetobacter baumannii at densities as low as 100 CFU/mL in under 5.5 hours.
The method proved effective despite the nutrient-rich nature of serum.

Conclusions:

Ratiometric pre-rRNA analysis is a viable method for assessing bacterial viability in human serum.
This technique offers rapid detection without the need for traditional bacteriological culture.
Pre-rRNA analysis holds promise for timely clinical diagnostics and infection monitoring.