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Plaque Assays definitions

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  • Plaque Assay
    Laboratory method used to quantify phage particles by counting clear zones formed on a bacterial lawn.
  • Bacteriophage
    Virus that infects and replicates within bacteria, requiring host cells for reproduction.
  • Plaque
    Clear area in a layer of cultured cells indicating cell death due to phage-induced lysis.
  • Plaque Forming Unit
    Measurement unit representing a single infectious phage particle capable of forming one clear zone.
  • Titer
    Concentration of phage particles in an original, undiluted sample, determined by plaque counts.
  • Dilution
    Process of reducing phage concentration to obtain countable numbers of clear zones on a plate.
  • Lawn of Bacteria
    Continuous layer of bacterial growth on a petri dish, serving as host cells for phage infection.
  • Cell Lysis
    Destruction of bacterial cells, resulting in release of phages and formation of clear zones.
  • Phage Infection
    Process where a virus invades a bacterial cell, leading to cell death and plaque formation.
  • Lytic Cycle
    Viral replication process resulting in host cell destruction and release of new phage particles.
  • Cultured Cells
    Bacterial cells grown under controlled conditions, used as hosts in laboratory assays.
  • Petri Dish
    Shallow cylindrical container used to culture bacteria and observe plaque formation.
  • Host Cell
    Bacterial cell required for viral replication and plaque development in assays.
  • Phage Particle
    Individual viral entity capable of infecting bacteria and initiating plaque formation.