Merck, 05038-500G, Agar

General description
This agar is recommended for gelling the microbiological culture media where a great transparence and brightness is required. Especially useful in immuno-electrophoretic procedures, nutritional studies (Vitamin Assay Media) or sensitivity testing procedures, where high purity and good diffusion of substances is essential. It is essentially free of impurities.
Agar has been used as reagent for the following studies:

• Plant cell culture studies.
• As medium supplement for the growth of wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana (ecotype Columbia) and transgenic seeds.
• For the solidification of culture medium of cork oak somatic embryos.
• It may be used for incubation of single antibody-forming cell to investigate the plaque formation.
• Agar suspension culture may be used for the analysis of cell transformation of palyoma virus.

Agar is a complex gelatinous carbohydrate, and is added to the LB broth (Lysogeny broth, Luria broth, Lennox broth, or Luria-Bertani medium), in order to form gel for bacteria to grow upon. LB Broth is the most widely used nutritionally rich medium, for the culture and growth of bacteria. There are several different formulations of Lb broth, but the composition is generally the same comprising of peptides and casein peptones, trace elements, mineral and vitamins.