MANNITE AGAR Meaning and
Definition
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Mannite agar is a specialized culture medium primarily used for the isolation and identification of certain microorganisms, especially yeasts and molds. It is a solid medium that consists of peptone, yeast extract, and agar, with added mannitol as the main carbohydrate source.
Mannite agar is named after its key ingredient, mannitol, which is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol found in plants, particularly in fruits and vegetables. Mannitol acts as both a nutrient and a differential agent in this medium. It serves as a source of energy for many microorganisms and supports their growth. Additionally, mannite agar contains specific nutrients that promote the growth of select organisms while inhibiting the growth of others, facilitating the differentiation and identification of microbial species.
The agar medium is usually prepared in a Petri dish and appears as a gel-like substance. When microorganisms are inoculated onto the surface of mannite agar, their growth and metabolic activity can produce characteristic changes in the medium. Yeasts and molds capable of fermenting mannitol will metabolize it, producing acids as byproducts. These acids lower the pH of the agar, causing a color change in pH indicators present in the medium. These indicators often include phenol red, which turns yellow in an acidic environment, aiding in the differentiation and identification of specific microorganisms.
Overall, mannite agar provides a suitable environment for the growth and differentiation of certain microorganisms, assisting in their identification based on their metabolic capabilities and pH changes in the medium.
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Nutrient a. containing 1 or 2 per cent. mannite.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for MANNITE AGAR
- nannite agar
- kannite agar
- jannite agar
- mznnite agar
- msnnite agar
- mwnnite agar
- mqnnite agar
- mabnite agar
- mamnite agar
- majnite agar
- mahnite agar
- manbite agar
- manmite agar
- manjite agar
- manhite agar
- mannute agar
- mannjte agar
- mannkte agar
- mannote agar
- mann9te agar
Etymology of MANNITE AGAR
The word "mannite agar" has its etymology rooted in two components: "mannite" and "agar".
1. Mannite: The term "mannite" refers to a sugar alcohol called mannitol, which is derived from the Latin word "mannum" meaning "gum". It was first isolated from a flowering ash tree called manna ash. The -ite suffix is commonly used in chemistry to denote a compound or derivative. Thus, "mannite" signifies a derivative of mannose.
2. Agar: "Agar" refers to a gelatinous substance obtained from certain seaweeds, particularly red algae. The word "agar" originated from Malayalam, a language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala, where it is called "agar-agar". Malayalam borrowed the term from the Tamil language, where it is known as "ar-kar".
