Thayer-Martin Selective Agar Base - BioReagent

Cat. No.: T1528579

GRADE & PURITY BioReagent

Storage

Room temperature

Shipped In

Normal

Descripción general

For isolation of pathogenic Neisseria

Specifications

Especificaciones y pureza

BioReagent

Condiciones de almacenamiento de almacenamiento

Room temperature

Enviado en

Normal

Grado

BioReagent

Product Line

biological_products

Application Protocols

The following is a general, literature-based protocol for preparing selective plates using a Thayer–Martin-type base. Always follow the instructions on the product label; where numeric values are required but not on the label, they are not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

• Materials: Thayer-Martin Selective Agar Base (this product), purified water, VCNT supplement (or equivalent), enrichment (e.g., IsoVitaleX) and hemoglobin/chocolate components as required, sterile Petri dishes, CO2 incubator, autoclave.

• Steps (general):

1. Weigh the labeled amount of dehydrated base for the desired final volume and add to purified water with stirring.
2. Heat to dissolve; autoclave at 121 °C (standard media cycle; literature).
3. Cool to ~45–50 °C (literature). Aseptically add selective supplement and growth enrichment per supplier instructions; mix gently.
4. Pour plates (e.g., 20–25 mL per 90-mm plate; literature) in a laminar-flow hood. Allow to solidify and, if needed, dry briefly.
5. Store finished plates inverted at 2–8 °C, protected from light and desiccation (general practice; literature). Warm to room temperature before inoculation.
6. Incubate inoculated plates in humidified, CO2-enriched atmosphere as appropriate for fastidious Neisseria (literature).

• Quality checks: Include growth-promotion and inhibition controls with reference strains to verify performance (literature).

Biological Roles

• Nature of the product: A culture medium base; it does not possess a singular biological role like a defined metabolite. Instead, it provides nutrients and a solid support matrix for growth of fastidious bacteria when properly supplemented.

• Target organisms (general/literature): Designed for selective recovery of Neisseria species (e.g., N. gonorrhoeae, N. meningitidis) in research contexts. The selectivity derives from added antibiotics/antifungals (VCNT-type) and the nutritional complexity of the base plus enrichments.

• Functional components (general/literature):

• Agar: inert gelling polysaccharide enabling colony isolation and diffusion-limited growth.
• Complex nutrients: hydrolyzed proteins/infusions and starch-like components that can neutralize inhibitory fatty acids and provide carbon/nitrogen sources.

• Growth conditions (literature): Fastidious Neisseria commonly prefer increased CO2 and high humidity at near-physiological temperatures. Antioxidants and hemoglobin-derived factors can enhance recovery.

• Research-only notice (item-specific): For research use only (from Product Data). Not for human or animal diagnostic or therapeutic use.

Buffer Applications

This product is not a defined buffering reagent and is not typically used to prepare analytical buffer systems. Some selective media bases may contain buffering salts in their formulations (literature), but buffer preparation is not a primary application. For pH-controlled biochemical buffers, consider dedicated buffering agents (e.g., phosphate, HEPES, MOPS).

Green Alternatives

While culture media are generally aqueous and relatively low in chemical hazard compared to many solvents, environmental and safety considerations still apply.

• Greener practice considerations (general):

• Energy efficiency: Optimize autoclave loads and cycle selection to reduce energy and water consumption.
• Waste minimization: Prepare only the volume needed; store plates appropriately to reduce discards due to dehydration/contamination.
• Reusables: Employ reusable glass media bottles and stainless-steel dispensing tools when feasible.
• Safer additives: Use ready-to-use supplement vials to minimize handling of powdered antibiotics/antifungals.

• Alternatives/comparisons (literature):

• Modified Thayer–Martin (MTM) vs Martin–Lewis (ML) media: ML substitutes anisomycin for nystatin and increases vancomycin to improve suppression of some contaminants. Choice depends on research goals, not environmental impact per se.
• Non-selective chocolate agar for pure culture propagation when selection is unnecessary, reducing antibiotic discharge.

• Disposal (general):

• Autoclave spent plates before disposal; avoid releasing active antibiotics to drain. Follow institutional biosafety and environmental guidelines.

Pharmaceutical Uses

This dehydrated medium base is not an excipient and is not intended for incorporation into pharmaceutical dosage forms. In industrial research settings, selective media can be used for method development, microbial challenge studies, and environmental monitoring workflows; however, this product is designated For research use only (from Product Data) and is not for clinical or diagnostic use. No pharmacopeial monograph or compliance claims are made here; consult the CoA/Spec Sheet for any available conformity information.

Physical Properties

• Physical state/appearance (item-specific): Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet. (Typical for dehydrated media: free-flowing tan/beige powder; literature.)

• Solubility (general/literature): Disperses in purified water with heating; complete dissolution typically requires boiling or autoclaving. Upon cooling, forms a firm gel due to agar setting.

• pH of prepared medium (general/literature): Near neutral at 25 °C after sterilization and supplementation; specific target pH depends on formulation and is not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

• Density, refractive index, logP, bp/mp (item-specific): Not applicable/not specified for this complex mixture; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

• Optical properties (general): Prepared plates are opaque to translucent brown when supplemented with hemoglobin/chocolate components (literature), which can affect optical assays.

• Functional property (general/literature): Thermal reversibility—agar melts when heated and gels upon cooling (gelation typically below ~45 °C; literature). Gel strength and clarity depend on concentration and supplements.

Note: Numerical specifications (e.g., grams per liter, gel strength, target pH range) vary by supplier and lot; for this specific item, values are not specified—consult the product label and CoA/SDS for authoritative data.

Quality and Grades

• Item-specific grade: BioReagent (from Product Data).

• BioReagent grade indicates suitability for research and laboratory applications in life sciences. Typical expectations include controlled raw materials, low bioburden in the dehydrated powder, and performance testing with reference strains (literature). Exact QC release criteria for this item are not specified; refer to the CoA/Spec Sheet.

• What “Selective Agar Base” means: The base provides nutrients and agar but does not include the selective antibiotic/antifungal cocktail or growth enrichments. Selectivity and fastidious organism recovery are realized only after addition of appropriate supplements (e.g., VCNT and enrichment; literature).

• Typical QC parameters for media (general/literature):

• Physical: appearance, moisture content, dispersibility.
• Chemical: pH of reconstituted medium after sterilization.
• Microbiological performance: growth promotion for target organisms and inhibition of common contaminants when supplemented as directed.

• Stabilizers and additives: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet. No antimicrobial inhibitors are present in the base unless added by the user.

• Documentation: For lot-specific specifications (e.g., reconstitution instructions, target pH, performance data), consult the product label and Certificate of Analysis.

Reaction and Applications

This is a culture medium; “reactions” in the synthetic chemistry sense are not applicable. Applications relate to microbiological cultivation in research labs.

• Core application (general/literature): Selective isolation and cultivation of fastidious Neisseria species from mixed microbial samples in research settings, after supplementation with:

• Selective antibiotics/antifungal agents (VCNT: vancomycin, colistin, nystatin; often with trimethoprim in modified variants) to inhibit Gram-positives, many Gram-negatives, and yeasts.
• Growth factors (e.g., hemoglobin or heated blood to produce “chocolate” base) and enrichment (e.g., IsoVitaleX or equivalent) to support fastidious growth.

• Mechanistic basis of selectivity (literature):

• Vancomycin inhibits cell wall synthesis in Gram-positives; colistin disrupts outer membranes in many Gram-negatives; nystatin targets fungal membranes; trimethoprim reduces Proteus swarming and certain Gram-negatives. Neisseria spp. exhibit relative tolerance to this cocktail under optimized conditions.

• Practical tips (general):

• Ensure precise supplement concentrations; overdosing may suppress target organisms.
• Reduce oxidative stress by minimizing light exposure to supplements and by prompt use of freshly prepared plates.
• Incubate plates in a humidified, enriched-CO2 atmosphere as appropriate for fastidious Neisseria (literature).

• Typical use cases: Microbiome challenge studies, method development for selective recovery, and microbial QC training exercises in academic/industrial research labs. No clinical/diagnostic use is implied.

Reaction Conditions

Chemical reaction conditions are not applicable. The relevant “conditions” pertain to medium preparation and cultivation (general guidance; literature):

• Reconstitution: Disperse the labeled mass of dehydrated base per liter of purified water (use the amount printed on the product label; item-specific mass is not specified here). Mix thoroughly to avoid clumps.

• Sterilization: Autoclave at 121 °C for ~15 minutes (standard media cycle; literature). Ensure containers are vented to prevent boil-over. Do not over-autoclave to avoid caramelization/darkening and performance loss.

• Supplementation: Cool the sterilized base to ~45–50 °C (literature). Aseptically add selective supplement (e.g., VCNT) and enrichment/hemoglobin as required by your protocol. Mix gently to avoid bubble formation.

• Pouring: Dispense into sterile Petri dishes (typical plate volumes 20–25 mL; literature). Allow to solidify on a level surface. Dry plates briefly in a laminar-flow hood if surface moisture is excessive.

• Incubation (use-phase): Inoculated plates are commonly incubated at near-physiological temperature in humidified, CO2-enriched atmosphere for fastidious Neisseria (literature). Exact conditions depend on strain and study design.

Note: For this specific item, any numeric preparation values not printed on the label are Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

Safety and Handling

• GHS classification, signal word, hazard statements, pictograms (item-specific): Not specified for this item; refer to the SDS for authoritative classification.

• General handling (good lab practice):

• Avoid creating or inhaling dust; use local exhaust or work in a clean area. Wear appropriate PPE: lab coat, safety glasses, and suitable gloves.
• When prepared and used to culture pathogenic Neisseria (research use), the plates and resulting cultures constitute biohazardous materials; handle under appropriate biosafety containment (e.g., BSL-2 practices; literature) and decontaminate by autoclaving before disposal.

• Incompatibilities and conditions to avoid (general): Moisture uptake leads to clumping and performance loss; keep tightly closed with desiccant. Avoid strong oxidizers contacting the dry medium.

• Thermal/pressure risks: Autoclaving requires validated cycles; use heat-resistant gloves and vent caps appropriately to prevent boil-over and vessel rupture.

• First aid (general): If inhaled—move to fresh air. If on skin/eyes—rinse with water. If ingested—rinse mouth. Seek medical advice if irritation persists. Always defer to SDS.

• Spill response: Avoid dust, sweep up gently, and dispose per institutional biosafety procedures. For plates/cultures, autoclave prior to disposal.

Solvent Selection

This product is a dehydrated culture medium intended for reconstitution in water; conventional organic solvent selection does not apply.

• Primary solvent (applicable):

• Purified/deionized water (Type II/III) is used for preparation. Sterile water quality improves reproducibility. Do not use organic solvents.

• Miscibility and preparation (general/literature):

• Slowly disperse the powder into room-temperature water with vigorous stirring to minimize clumping, then heat to dissolve. Final dissolution typically occurs on boiling or during autoclaving. After sterilization, cool to ~45–50 °C (literature) before adding heat-labile supplements and pouring plates.

• When to choose Thayer-Martin base vs alternatives (general):

• Choose Thayer-Martin base when selective recovery of fastidious Neisseria is desired in mixed microbial samples under research settings.
• Consider Martin–Lewis or modified Thayer–Martin formulations (literature) if additional suppression of commensal flora (e.g., swarming Proteus or Candida species) is needed or if particular isolates show sensitivity to certain antibiotics.

• Compatibility: Supplements (VCNT-type), hemoglobin/chocolate components, and enrichment mixes (e.g., defined vitamins, amino acids) are added to the aqueous medium after sterilization as appropriate (literature).

Storage and Reconstitution

• Storage (item-specific): Room temperature (from Product Data). Shipments at ambient conditions (Shipped In: Normal). Protect from moisture—store tightly capped in the original container with desiccant if provided.

• Shelf life: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

• Reconstitution (general guidance):

• Add the labeled mass of dehydrated base to purified water to the final volume. Stir to disperse, heat to dissolve fully.
• Sterilize by autoclaving. Cool to ~45–50 °C (literature) before aseptically adding heat-labile supplements (VCNT, enrichment, hemoglobin/chocolate components) per supplier directions. Mix gently and pour plates.

• Handling of prepared media (general):

• Store poured plates inverted, protected from light and dehydration (common practice: sealed in sleeves at 2–8 °C; literature). Allow plates to equilibrate to room temperature and dry surface condensation before use.
• Avoid repeated thermal cycling of supplements; prepare fresh plates regularly to ensure selective activity.

• Research Use Note (item-specific): For research use only (from Product Data). Not for human or animal diagnostic or therapeutic applications.

Structure and Identity

• Item identity: Thayer-Martin Selective Agar Base (SKU: T1528579), a dehydrated culture medium base for selective cultivation of fastidious Neisseria species in research microbiology.

• Compound type: Complex, undefined mixture (dehydrated medium) comprising nutrients and gelling agents; not a single defined chemical entity.

• Item-specific identifiers (from Product Data):

• CAS: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
• Molecular Formula: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
• Molecular Weight: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
• SMILES/InChIKey/CID: Not applicable to complex mixtures; not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

• Structural features (general/literature):

• Contains a polysaccharide gelling component (agar) and complex organic nutrient sources (e.g., peptones/infusions) typical of selective gonococcal media bases.
• Lacks the antibiotic/antifungal supplement in the “base” form; selectivity is conferred after addition of a VCNT-type supplement (vancomycin, colistin, nystatin, ± trimethoprim; literature) and growth factors (e.g., hemoglobin and an enrichment such as IsoVitaleX; literature).

• 2D description in words (general): A heterogeneous blend of polymeric carbohydrates and hydrolyzed proteinaceous components; no discrete molecular structure can be depicted or assigned canonical identifiers.

Synthetic Utility

Not applicable. Thayer-Martin Selective Agar Base is a complex biological culture medium and is not used as a reagent or building block in chemical synthesis. For laboratories seeking solid supports or matrices in chemical processes, inert polymers or resins designed for synthetic chemistry (e.g., polystyrene resins for solid-phase synthesis) are more appropriate.

Target Specificity

Not applicable to this product class. Target specificity fields (antigen/clone/isotype/species) are relevant to antibodies and affinity reagents. Thayer-Martin Selective Agar Base is a culture medium base; its selective spectrum (after appropriate supplementation) is discussed under Reaction & Applications and Biological Roles.