SD Growth Medium w/o URA

Principle and Interpretation

Synthetically Defined media known as Yeast Nitrogen Base Media for the growth of Yeast cells were first cited by Wickerham (1,2). Synthetic defined (SD) Growth Medium include a yeast nitrogen base along with ammonium sulfate, and a carbon source, which is further supplemented with various amino acids that makes it a complete growth medium for yeast cells. This medium can be used for growing all types of yeast cells without addition of any protein, amino acids, hormones, sources of energy, salts, vitamins, etc.

SD Growth Medium w/o URA is a synthetic defined media that is devoid of Uracil and is used for the selective growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

In genetics, a strain is said to be auxotrophic if it carries a mutation that renders it unable to synthesize an essential compound. Auxotrophy is the inability of an organism to synthesize a particular organic compound required for its growth. For example a yeast mutant in which a gene of the uracil synthesis pathway is inactivated is a uracil auxotroph. Such a strain is unable to synthesize uracil and will only be able to grow if uracil can be taken up from the environment. This is the opposite of a uracil prototroph, or a wild-type strain, which can grow in the absence of uracil. SD Growth Medium w/o URA is used to grow and select uracil auxotrophs. Auxotrophic genetic markers are often used in molecular genetics.