RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Use of the Green Fluorescent Protein to Rapidly Assess Viability of E. coli in Preserved Solutions JF PDA Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology JO PDA J Pharm Sci Technol FD Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) SP 352 OP 355 VO 50 IS 6 A1 Warren M. Casey A1 Ngoc-Anh T. Nguyen YR 1996 UL http://journal.pda.org/content/50/6/352.abstract AB E. coli strain HB101 was genetically engineered to a fluorescent phenotype by transformation with a plasmid containing complementary DNA for a green fluorescent protein. The level of fluorescence in the transformed strain was directly proportional to the number of viable cells. There was a rapid decrease in fluorescence when transformed cells were inoculated into lamivudine solutions containing ten different preservative formulations. The decrease in fluorescence correlated to a decrease in the number of viable cells, allowing the relative antimicrobial properties of each solution to be compared. This method provides a simple, rapid (<2 min./assay), and accurate means of determining the effects of antimicrobial solutions on the viability of E. coli.