title: Current status and future prospects of using advanced computer-based methods to study bacterial colonial morphology.
abstract: Despite the advancement of recent molecular technologies, culturing is still considered the gold standard for microbial sample analysis. Here we review three different bacterial colony-based screening modalities that provide significant information beyond the simple shape and color of the colony. The plate imaging technique provides numeration and quantitative spectral reflectance information for each colony, while Raman spectroscopic analysis of bacteria colonies relates the Raman-shifted peaks to specific chemical bonding. Finally, the elastic-light-scatter technique provides a volumetric interaction of the whole colony through laser-bacteria interactions, instantly capturing the morphological traits of the colony and allowing quantitative classifications.
authors.affiliation: a School of Mechanical Engineering , Purdue University , West Lafayette , IN , USA.
authors.forename: Euiwon
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: a School of Mechanical Engineering , Purdue University , West Lafayette , IN , USA.
authors.forename: Huisung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: b Bindley Bioscience Center , Purdue University , West Lafayette , IN , USA.
authors.forename: Bartek
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rajwa
authors.affiliation: c Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine , Allegheny Health Network , Pittsburgh , PA , USA.
authors.forename: John G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: d School of Veterinary Medicine , Purdue University , West Lafayette , IN , USA.|e Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering , Purdue University , West Lafayette , IN , USA.
authors.forename: J Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D010781:Photography / Q000379:methods; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods
keywords: Bacterial colony; colony count; elastic light scattering; raman spectrometry