Rapid isolation of single microbial cell from mixed natural and laboratorypopulations with the aid of a micromanipulator

In order to facilitate the isolation of pure cultures from natural habitats we have developed a method for the isolation of single microbial cell clon es from a mixed population, e.g. the flora of the termite gut, with the aid of a modern micromanipulator. The separated single prokaryotic or eukaryot ic cells were grown after transfer in culture media or they were used for s ingle cell PCR. The micromanipulator was also applied for the removal of nu clei from protozoa, of which the SSU rDNA was directly amplified.