What does a positive or negative results mean?
- Date added:
- Thursday, 05 February 2009
Answer
Positive results for samples analyzed using the CENSUS based approach show that organisms with genetic potential are present in that particular sample. So if the environmental conditions at this sampling point are appropriate, then degradation of the specific compound should occur. Positive results for samples analyzed by CENSUS-Expression (RNA) confirm that this target group is actively expressing a desired function (e.g. Dehalococcoides is actively producing genes which encode for VC degradation).
Negative results for CENSUS and CENSUS-Expression (RNA) mean that the organism of interest was not detected within a given sample or is present at levels below our limit of detection (LOD).