DNA/RNA analysis of phytoplankton by flow cytometry.

The past 10 years or so have seen the combination of molecular and biochemical techniques within the confines of cytometry. The use of flow cytometry in microbiology is finally coming of age. This unit carefully defines the criteria for evaluation of DNA and RNA in phytoplankton. Of course not everyone works with phytoplankton, but the methods outlined are very appropriately representative for other organisms. In addition, the unit discusses the methods for evaluating cell cycle and discriminating specific taxa using fluorescent oligonucleotide probes targeted to 18S rRNA.