| Studies have shown that certain types of biological agents---bacteria, viruses and fungi---can be observed by their intrinsic fluorescence. These biomolecules include amino acids, coenzymes such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and flavins. Recently, it has been shown that confocal microscopy is a very good method for the detection and study of single particles in live organisms or tissues which incorporate natural fluorophores.; The purpose of this research project is to develop an analytical methodology for the detection of flavin compounds bacteria aqueous suspension that exhibit intrinsic fluorescence prepared from biological culture media. It is also important to determine the different flavins cofactors present in various species of bacteria; we have focused our attention on three main derivatives of flavins. These include riboflavin (RF) and its two biologically active metabolites: flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
