Abstract: A technique for identifying an unknown microorganism, in which technique a specimen of the unknown microorganism is prepared to which a radioactive emissive agent has been added that is actively incorporated into the products of metabolism of the microorganism to produce a mix of radioactive peptide or protein emissive products in a manner that depends on the metabolic mechanism of the microorganism. The peptide or protein emissive products in the mix resulting from the preparation of the specimen are then separated. The separated emissive products are detected by sensing the emission from the products to provide an electrical signal whose wave pattern is indicative of the identity of the microorganism. This wave pattern is compared in a computer with patterns stored therein representing a collection of known microorganisms.

Abstract: An identification technique for micro-organisms in which a dilute solution of a culture medium containing an unknown micro-organism has added thereto an emissive agent such as a radioactive amino acid to produce a mix of emissive products that depends on the metabolic mechanism of the micro-organism. After a predetermined incubation period, the reaction is arrested and the solution layered onto a gel plate where it is subjected to electrophoresis. The plate is then autoradiographed by exposing the gel to a sensitive photographic film for a period sufficient to produce thereon a characteristic band pattern functioning as an identifier for the micro-organism. Identification may be effected by comparing the identifier for the unknown with a collection of identifiers for known micro-organisms to find a match with one of these known identifiers.

Abstract: A method for the identification of microorganisms comprises adding to a sample containing an unknown microorganism an emissive agent such as a radioactive amino acid to produce a mix of emissive products that depends on the metabolic mechanism of the microorganism. After incubation, the reaction is arrested and the emissive products are separated, as by electrophoresis on a gel plate. The plate may then be autoradiographed by exposure to a photographic film to produce on the latter a characteristic band pattern functioning as an identifier for the microorganism. Identification can be effected by comparing the identifier for the unknown with a collection of identifiers for known microorganisms to find a match with one of these known identifiers. The comparison may be carried out by scanning the unknown identifier to produce a signal which is compared with signals representing known identifiers stored in a computer.