The standard method for isolating auxotrophic mutants or mutants with altered growth responses to exogenously applied chemicals typically involves growing the mutagenized seedlings on agar in petri dishes. One drawback of this technique is that each seedling must be transferred individually to a new agar plate using a forceps. Accidental rough handling often reduces the survival rate of the transplanted seedlings. Typically, 20,000 seedlings must be individually transferred to adequately screen for a particular mutation. This is an extremely tedious and time consuming task which greatly hampers mutant isolation and causes considerable eye-strain.
Researchers at the University of California have developed a low cost apparatus that allows efficient transfer of a large number of seedlings. By using this method, it is possible to transfer lots of 1,000 seedlings en masse from one solution to the next in the time it would normally take to transfer about 10 seedlings manually. The new method is thus about one hundred fold faster than the old method, and causes no eye strain. The procedure can be scaled up to allow the transfer of 30,000 seedlings from one solution to another in about an hour. Enhanced visualization of growth makes it possible for one person to carry out a selection of 30,000 mutant seedlings in about 6 hours. The same task would require at least one month by the old method. Since the seedlings are never touched during the solution transfers, there is virtually 100% recovery. In addition to potential use in basic and applied research, the UC apparatus provides an outstanding low-cost teaching tool at the college and secondary school science levels.
The Regents of the University of California is seeking a licensee to bring this technology into commercial use. For further information please contact the agent listed below.
INQUIRIES TO: F. Rod Stanley, Licensing Associate
Tel: (510) 748-6600
Fax: (510) 748-6639
Email: rod.stanley@ucop.edu
REFERENCE: UC Case 93-246