Description

2xYT Top Agar is a semi-solid medium specially formulated for phage plaque assays and M13 bacteriophage propagation. Unlike standard 2xYT Agar, which forms firm solid plates, 2xYT Top Agar contains a lower concentration of agar (7 g/L), resulting in a softer gel that allows efficient diffusion and infection of bacteriophage within E. coli cultures.

This softer texture makes 2xYT Top Agar ideal for overlay techniques used in phage display, plaque assays, and recombinant phage studies, where clear plaque formation is essential for analyzing phage infectivity and replication efficiency.

Features

Semi-solid medium optimized for phage plaque formation.
Specifically designed for M13 phage and E. coli systems.
Facilitates efficient phage diffusion without compromising host viability.
Ideal for phage display, plaque assays, and phage propagation workflows.

How It Differs from Standard 2xYT Agar

Agar Content: 7 g/L vs. 15 g/L (standard 2xYT Agar).
Texture: Soft, allowing phage movement vs. firm solid for general bacterial growth.
Application: Phage-specific overlays vs. general E. coli cultivation.

Composition (per liter)

Yeast Extract: 10.0 g
Tryptone: 16.0 g
Sodium Chloride: 5.0 g
Agar: 7.0 g

Usage	38 g/L
pH (7.6 g/200 ml water @25°C)	6.6 – 7.0
Storage	Room temperature. Protect from moisture.
Shipping Conditions	RT
UNSPSC Code	41106200 – Microbiological Media
Product Code	SD7021
Packaging	250 g/container

Ideal for Researchers Working With

Filamentous phages such as M13.
Phage display systems in molecular biology.
Plaque assay analysis for quantifying phage titer.

Documents

COA

2xYT Top Agar-Semi-Solid Medium