Microbial media has undergone several changes since its inception but some key challenges remain. In recent years, there has been
exploration of several alternative nutrient sources, both to cater to the specificity in requirement of growth of “fussy
microorganisms” and also to reduce costs for large-scale fermentation that is required for biotechnology. Our mini-review explores
these developments and also points at lacunas in the present areas of exploration, such as a lack of concerted effort in pH and
osmolarity regulation. We hope that our commentary provides direction for future research in microbial media.
Gelling agents are required for formulating both solid and semisolid media, vital for the isolation of microorganisms. Gelatin was the first gelling agent to be discovered but it soon paved the way for agar, which has far superior material qualities. Source depletion, issues with polymerase-chain-reaction and inability to sustain extermophiles etc., necessitate the need of other gelling agents. Many new gelling agents, such as xantham gum, gellan gum, carrageenan, isubgol, and guar gum have been formulated, raising the hopes for the growth of previously unculturable microorganisms. We evaluate the progress in the development of gelling agents, with the hope that our synthesis would help accelerate research in the field.
Many insects, including Drosophila melanogaster, have a rich repertoire of olfactory behavior. Combination of robust behavioral
assays, physiological and molecular tools render D. melanogaster as highly suitable system for olfactory studies. The small number
of neurons in the olfactory system of fruit flies, especially the number of sensory neurons in the larval stage, makes the exploration
of sensory coding at all stages of its nervous system a potentially tractable goal, which is not possible in the foreseeable future in
any mammalian preparation. Advances in physiological recordings, olfactory signaling and detailed analysis of behavior, can place
larvae in a position to ask previously unanswerable questions.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.