Microbial cytometric mock communities and use thereof as standard in flow cytometry

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a microbial Cytometric Mock Community for use in flow cytometric analysis, the microbial Cytometric Mock Community comprising or consisting of cells of at least three different microbial species in a pre-defined ratio, wherein the at least three different microbial species are selected such that, when measured using flow cytometry, the specific gate pattern of each microbial species differs significantly from the specific gate pattern of the other microbial species of the microbial Cytometric Mock Community, preferably the at least three different microbial species differ in relative DNA content, relative genomic GC-content, relative cell size, Gram +/− affiliation and/or capacity to form spores. The microbial Cytometric Mock Community shall serve as standardization means that will help ecologists, microbiologists, molecular biologists and flow cytometrists to work on a standardized basis to allow comparison and exchange of data.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.