PFU
Science & Engineering abbreviation · Biology
| Stands for | Plaque-forming unit |
|---|---|
| Categories | Science & Engineering |
PFU stands for Plaque-forming unit, a biology abbreviation.
Count of infectious virus particles in a sample, determined by spreading dilutions over a layer of host cells and counting the clear spots, or plaques, where viruses have killed cells. Results are expressed as PFU per milliliter.
Example: The phage stock was titrated at 2 x 10^10 PFU/mL on E. coli lawns.
Usage notes
Plaque assays were developed for bacteriophages and adapted for animal viruses by Renato Dulbecco in 1952. Not every virus particle is infectious, so particle counts by electron microscopy or PCR are usually much higher than PFU counts.
Related abbreviations
More biology abbreviations
- NADPH – Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (reduced)
- NPP – Net primary production
- OD – Optical density
- PBS – Phosphate-buffered saline
- PCR – Polymerase chain reaction
- PDB – Protein Data Bank
- qPCR – Quantitative polymerase chain reaction
- RNA – Ribonucleic acid
- ROS – Reactive oxygen species
- rRNA – Ribosomal RNA
- RT-PCR – Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction
- RuBisCO – Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase