GO WITH THE FLOW - USE OF FLOW-CYTOMETRY IN ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY

Microbiological activity in the natural world is of key importance in the integrated functioning of ecosystems, yet we remain largely ignora nt of the role and relevance of the vast majority of microorganisms. T his ignorance is largely due to widely acknowledged, but unresolved pr oblems in methodologies. Application of flow cytometry to such studies has already revolutionised our understanding of marine photosynthetic planktonic microorganisms, revealed new levels of complexity in the b ehaviour of bacterial populations and produced a reliable screening pr otocol for eukaryotic water-borne pathogens. Advances in fluorescent p robe technology now offer realistic approaches for direct cell identif ication, viability assessment and responses to environmental changes u sing basic, single light-source flow cytometers. Here we review curren t applications of flow cytometry in environmental microbiology and pre sent a case for the adoption of the technique as a necessary and routi ne research instrument.