D-1015

Determining Phage Titer

Section D — Laboratory Operations and Specifications Revision 0 10 pages

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1.0 Purpose 
 
 The purpose of this procedure is to define the process for determining the plaque-forming
 
 unites per gram (PFU/g) of phage in a given sample. When an individual bacterial virus grows
 
 in a bacterial host suspended in a top agar “lawn”, its progeny infects and lyses the surrounding
 host cells. This causes the appearance of a “hole” or plaque in the bacterial lawn, where each
 
 plaque represent a single virus. 
 
 2.0 Scope 
 
 This procedure describes the determination of PFU/g in raw material and final product samples
 
 containing phage. 
 
 3.0 Responsibility 
 
 3.1 It is the responsibility of QC Laboratory Management and/or designee to implement
 
 and maintain this procedure and to ensure that the procedure is followed.
 
 3.2 ‘It is the responsibility of QC Laboratory Management and/or designee to review and
 
 approve all qualification and test documentation. 
 
 3.3 ‘It is the responsibility of QC Laboratory Microbiologists to train on this procedure
 
 before any testing occurs. 
 
 4.0 Definitions 
 
 4.1 PFU/g — plaque forming units per gram 
 
 4.22. QC - Quality Control 
 
 
 

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 5.0 References 
 
 5.1 PRTCL-22-0055, Protocol, Transfer of Determining Phage Titer to the Ion Labs
 Microbiology Laboratory 
 
 5.2. RPT-22-0026, Report, Transfer of Determining Phage Titer to Ion Labs Microbiology
 Laboratory 
 
 5.3. D-1015-F1, Form, Plaque Forming Unit Worksheet 
 
 5.4 C-502, SOP, Record Storage, Retention, and Destruction 
 
 6.0 Equipment/Materials 
 
 6:1 Equipment 
 
 6.1.1 Varying Volume Pipettes 
 
 6.1.2 Water Bath (42°C) 
 
 6.1.3 Shaking Water Bath (37°C) 
 
 6.1.4 Varying Weight Scale 
 
 6.1.5 Hot/Stir Plate 
 
 6.1.6 Incubator (37°C) 
 
 6.2 Reagents and Solutions 
 
 6.2.1 After media preparation ensure to follow SOP D-113 “Microbiological Media
 Validation” for growth promotion of the media prepared below before or at time
 
 of use. 
 
 6.2.2 Luria Bertani (LB) Broth (Storage Temperature 2-8°C) 
 
 6.2.2.1 To make 1 L- Dissolve 25g of dehydrated LB Broth in 100mL of DI
 
 
 

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 Water, follow manufacturer’s instructions. Mix with magnetic stir bar
 on a stir/hot plate to ensure powder is dissolved. Autoclave at 121°C
 
 for 15 minutes. Expiration Date 1 month from preparation.
 
 Note: If using previously made broth: check broth for discoloration (discard if
 broth is turbid). DO NOT mix old and new broth batches.
 
 6.2.3 Luria Bertani (LB) Agar (Storage Temperature 2-8°C) 
 
 6:2.3,1 To make 1 L-Dissolve 40g of dehydrated LB Agar in 1000mL of DI
 
 Water, follow manufacturer’s instructions. Mix, with a magnetic stir
 bar, and heat the solution on a stir/hot plate for a minimum of fifteen
 
 minutes. Autoclave at 121°C for 15 minutes. Pour approximately 15
 mL of agar into a series of sterile petri dishes. Allow agar to solidify.
 
 Expiration 1 week from preparation. 
 
 Note: If available, pour plates in a laminar flow hood. Incubate plates at
 37°C for 6 hours. If growth is present, discard plates. Minimize
 
 contamination by sterilizing your work surface prior to pouring
 plates. Store excess plates in a sealed plate sleeve at 2-8°C.
 
 6.2.4 Luria Bertani (LB) Soft Agar (Storage Temperature 2-8°C) 
 
 6.2.4.1 To make 1 L-Dissolve 20 g of dehydrated LB Agar in 1000mL of DI
 
 water, follow manufacturer’s instructions. Mix, with a magnetic stir
 bar, and heat the solution on a stir/hot plate for a minimum of 15
 
 minutes. Autoclave at 121°C for 15 minutes. Expiration Date 1 month
 
 from preparation. 
 
 Note: If using previously made soft agar: check for discoloration (discard if
 
 soft agar is turbid). DO NOT mix old and new soft agar batches.
 Warm agar to a liquid state and maintain at 42°C prior to use.
 
 Expiration Date 1 month from preparation. 
 
 
 

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 7.0 Procedure 
 
 dal Safety Information: 
 
 7.1.1. Wear gloves and protective eyewear at all times. Avoid inhalation and skin
 
 contact of any powdered material as if may cause irritation. Take necessary
 precaution when dealing with all material. 
 
 7.2 Follow instruction closely as time, temps, and RPMs are critical to ensuring plaque
 formation. 
 
 7.3. Microbial-Host Culture 
 
 Tat Prepare a TSA plate with QC E. coli a day prior to next step.
 
 7.3.2 Inoculate 1-2 microbial colonies from the TSA plate in a sterile flask containing
 
 25-50 mL of LB Broth, incubate inoculation in a 37°C shaking water bath for
 approximately 2-6 hours. Set RPMS at 200-300. 
 
 7.3.3 Measure the absorbance (600nm) of the inoculated culture against LB broth as a
 blank. Inoculation absorbance should be between 0.7-1.0 (1.0-1.2 dilute with
 
 LB Broth to achieve correct absorption; >1.2 should be discarded).
 
 7.3.3.1. Turn on the Perkin Elmer UV/VIS Lambda 365 instrument and wait 1
 
 hour for it to warm up. 
 
 7.3.3.1.1 After instrument has warmed up, open the Perkin Elmer
 
 UV WinLab icon on the computer. Log in with username
 
 and password. 
 
 7.3.3.1.2 Click on manual control, click on the instrument name in
 
 the list and press ok. 
 
 7.3.3.1.3 Once instrument has completed all its checks, change the
 
 wavelength to 600nm. 
 
 
 

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 7.3.3.2 Auto zero the blank (LB Broth) and then take the absorbance of the
 microbial-host culture. 
 
 7.3.4 Store culture at room temperature until use. Expiration date: Daily.
 
 7.4 Sample Preparation 
 
 7.4.1 Weigh out an appropriate amount of sample (0.1 g) into a phosphate buffer vial.
 
 7.4.2 Label all phosphate buffer vials with LB number and dilution factors. Targeted
 dilutions are decided based on the expected activity, sample weight, and should
 
 span a dilution above and below a point within the readable range of the assay.
 
 7.4.3 Examples: 
 
 7.4.3.1 RMS000726 target activity 2 x 10° PFU/g (readable target =20 x 1’),
 targeted final dilutions and expected counts should be as follows:
 
 10°(200 PFU), 107(20 PFU), and 10°(2.0 PFU). 
 
 7.4.3.2 SLC00234 target activity 3.0 x 10° PFU/g (readable target =30 x 10°),
 
 targeted final dilutions and expected counts should be as follows:
 104(300 PFU), 10°(30 PFU), and 10°(3.0 PFU). 
 
 7.4.4 Dilution scheme as follow stopping at the final dilution required for the target
 
 activity: 
 
 7.4.4.1 Add 100mg (0.1g) of each sample to initial 99ml Phosphate Buffer
 
 container, creating a 10° dilution. Vortex for 30-60 seconds (critical
 time). Keep container, do not throw away. 
 
 7.4.4.2 Immediately transfer 11 mL of the initial samples dilution into another
 99mL phosphate buffer container, creating a 10* dilution. Vortex for
 
 30-60 seconds (critical time). Keep container. do not throw away.
 
 
 

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 7.4.4.3 Immediately transfer 11mL of the second dilution into another 99mL
 phosphate Buffer container, creating a 10° dilution. Vortex for 30-60
 
 seconds (critical time). Keep container do not throw away.
 
 7.4.4.4 Immediately transfer 11mL of the third dilution into another 99mL
 phosphate Buffer container, creating a 10° dilution. Vortex for 30-60
 
 seconds (critical time). Keep container, do not throw away.
 
 7.4.4.5 If more dilutions are needed continue with the 11 mL in 99 mL as
 
 needed. (i.e., 107,108,107). 
 
 ts Assay steps 
 
 7:1 For each sample, label a minimum of 2 LB agar plates for each target dilution
 
 with the following: 
 
 7.5.1.1. LB Number 
 
 7.5.1.2 Dilution factor (e.g. 10*, 10°, 10°) 
 
 7.5.1.3 Date and Tech initials 
 
 7.5.2 Reserve one (1) additional LB agar plate for a soft agar control.
 
 7.5.2.1 A soft agar control consists of 100 uwL microbial —host culture and 3
 
 mL soft agar. 
 
 7.5.3 Reserve one (1) additional LB agar plate for a negative control (blank).
 
 7.5.3.1 A negative control consists of 100 phosphate buffer and 3 mL soft
 
 agar. 
 
 7.5.4 Incubate LB agar plates at 37°C for a minimum of 30 minutes.
 
 Lad For each sample, prepare a minimum of two (2) test tubes for each target
 
 dilution. 
 
 
 

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 7.5.6 Pipette 100uL of each sample into respective test tubes. 
 
 7.5.7 Add 100 uL of microbial-host culture to all tubes (except negative control) and
 
 vortex for 10 seconds. Incubate at 37°C for a minimum of at least five (5)
 
 minutes. 
 
 7.5.8 Perform this next step for each tube individually to prevent the soft agar from
 
 solidifying before it is in the LB agar plate. 
 
 7.5.8.1 Add 3mL of LB soft Agar and immediately but carefully pour onto the
 
 respective & appropriately labeled LB agar Plate. 
 
 Note: Do not make bubbles, as this will obscure the counting.
 
 7.5.8.2 Incubate the plates at room temperature, agar side down, for
 approximately 5 minutes (or until soft agar has solidified).
 
 7.5.9 Invert plates and incubate at 37 + 2°C for a minimum of 12 hours.
 
 7.6 Interpretation 
 
 7.6.1 Plaques appear on a bacterial lawn as small clearings on the otherwise
 homogenous surface of the bacteria lawn (see below). 
 
 
 

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 7.6.2 If the negative bacterial control or soft agar control has visible plaques, cross-
 contamination has occurred and the procedure must be repeated.
 
 7.6.3 Otherwise, count only those plates having 20-300 plaques, averaging replicates.
 
 7.6.4 If no plate have 20-300 plaques, repeat the procedure at a more appropriate
 dilution until one or more target dilutions fall within the enumerable range of
 
 plaques. 
 
 7.6.5 Ideally, the plaque counts from the three sample dilutions should differ by one
 
 order of magnitude from its neighbor. If the sets of dilutions do not reflect a 1
 log change increasing or decreasing, than an error may have occurred and the
 
 procedure must be repeated. 
 
 Note: Counts above or below the readable range of the assay may not accurately reflect
 
 a 1 log change due to plate crowding or the inherent standard deviation of the
 
 assay. 
 
 7.7 Calculation 
 
 7.7.1 Results, in PFU/g, are determined using the colonies on the media, the amount
 of sample weighed out and the dilution factor. The dilution factor (DF) is
 
 computed as the inverse of the sample concentration. 
 
 7.7.2 Example: 
 
 7.7.2.1 Ifa 0.1g sample is diluted into 99mL, with a 11 mL of that solution
 transferred into another 99mL, followed by another 11 mL of that
 
 solution transferred into another 99mL, followed by another 11 mL of
 
 that solution transferred into another 99mL, finally followed by 100 ul
 transferred to the inoculation vial, the dilution factor is calculated as
 
 follows: 
 
 
 

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 7.7.2.1.1 DF= (conc)'= (99.1mL) (110) (110) (110) (110)
 (10) (0.100g) (11.0) (11.0) (11.0) (11.0) 99x 110x
 
 10x 10x 10 x 10= 9.91 x10’ 
 
 7.7.3 Using the dilution factor, the PFU/g for the sample may be computed using the
 
 number of plaques that appear on the plate (N) PFU/g = (DF) N
 
 7.74 Example: 
 
 7.7.4.1 20 plaques (9.91 x10’) = 1.98 X10? PFU/g 
 
 8.0 Records 
 
 8.1 Plaque Forming Unit Worksheet (D-1015-F1) — Fill in all information.
 
 8.2 Records will be maintained following SOP C-502 Record Storage, Retention, and
 
 Destruction. 
 
 9.0 Revision History 

| Rev | Date | Description of Changes | CCR # | By |
|-----|----------|------------------------|-------|----|
| 0 | 12/12/22 | New procedure. N/A G. Shaw | - | - |

 10.0 Attachments 
 N/A 
 
 
 

[SOP 

 IONLABS Plaque Forming Unit Worksheet 
 Form: D-1015-F1 CCR No. N/A Revision: 0 
 
 Sample Name / Lot / Formula Number 
 
 E. coli Lot Number/Expiration Date 
 LB Broth Lot Number/Expiration Date 
 
 LB Agar Lot Number/Expiration Date 
 LB Soft Agar Lot Number/Expiration Date 
 37°C Incubator Ion Number/Cal Due 
 37°C Shaking Water Bath Ion Number/Cal Due 
 42°C Water Bath Ion Number/Cal Due 
 Hood Ion Number/Cal Due 
 1000 pL pipette lon Number/Cal Due 
 100 pL pipette lon Number/Cal Due 
 Absorbance Analyzer Ion Number/Cal Due 
 
 Absorbance Reading of Microbial-Host Culture 
 
 au a e e e D I d n a c t u e b / a t t i i m o e n / t S e t c a h r t I d n a c t u e b / a t t i i m o e n / t E e n ch d nates) nate 2 ANGIRES
 
 Calculations: (use only the dilution that is between 20-300 plaques) 
 
 DF= 
 
 PFU/g= 
 
 Completed By: Date: 
 
 Reviewed By: Date: