Christine K Merritt

US Patent:

61501263, Nov 21, 2000

Filed:

Sep 16, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/154315

Inventors:

Stanley I. Dodson - Cottage Grove WI
Christine M. Merritt - Madison WI
Jonathan B. Shurin - Chicago IL
Kristin Girvin Redman - Madison WI

Assignee:

Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation - Madison WI

International Classification:

C12Q 100
C12Q 102
G01N 3353

US Classification:

435 29

Abstract:

The invention provides a Daphnia reproductive bioassay for detecting and confirming the presence of a toxic substance in an aqueous sample, and/or for screening the substance as an endocrine disrupter. According to the assay, a test sample is brought into contact with adult, oviporous Daphnia of a single clone under conditions of crowding and growth conditions to stimulate sexual reproduction and the production of males. The bioassay is based upon the measurement of endpoints that convey quantitative information about the biological activity of the substance: survivorship, numbers of female offspring, numbers of male offspring, number of resting eggs, number of offspring that display developmental deformities or behavioral abnormalities, and nutritional status of the offspring. Also provided are kits for use in conducting the bioassay.