Answer to Question #127341 in Microbiology for Ibrahim jibrin

Question

You have been told to select an auxotrophic mutant that requires Vitamin B2 for growth. What process will you use?

Answer 1

In genetics, a strain is said to be auxotrophic if it carries a mutation that renders it unable to synthesize an essential compound. Such a strain is unable to synthesize uracil and will only be able to grow if uracil can be taken up from the environment.

Several methods were developed to make the isolation of autotrophic mutants more efficient. Bacteria and other kinds of cells can be treated with various agents to increase the fraction of a bacterial population that contains mutants.