Protocol

Plating Bacteriophage M13

This protocol was adapted from Molecular Cloning, 3rd edition, by Joseph Sambrook and David W. Russell. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA, 2001

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INTRODUCTION

Bacteriophage M13 forms turbid plaques on lawns of male strains of E. coli.

MATERIALS

E. coli F' strain, prepared as a master culture

Bacteriophage M13 stock

LB or YT medium from a fully grown liquid culture of bacteria infected with bacteriophage M13 contains between 10¹⁰ and 10¹² pfu/ml. A bacteriophage M13 plaque contains between 10⁶ and 10⁸ pfu.

IPTG (20% w/v)

LB agar plates containing tetracycline or kanamycin

These plates are needed only if a tetracycline-resistant strain of E. coli, such as XL1-Blue, or a kanamycin-resistant strain of E. coli, such as XL1-Blue MRF' . . . [Full Text of this Article]