AMINOPEPTIDASE PROFILING USING A TIME-RESOLVED, 96-WELL PLATE FILTER FLUOROMETER

A novel fluorimeter has been developed that combines the selectivity o f time-resolved detection and the sample throughput of a 96-well plate reader, With improved background rejection via temporal resolution, a reduction in the limit of detection by a factor of 600 was attained o ver that of a commercially available 96-well plate fluorimeter. The ex cellent limit of detection was utilized to differentiate two closely r elated species of Pseudomonas, P. fluorescens and P. aureofaciens, at a bacterial concentration of 500,000 cells per well with only 15 min o f incubation, High sample throughput was demonstrated by incubation of six bacteria samples and data collection in an amino acid 12-nutrient profile within 30 min.