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replica plate

A technique in which the pattern of bacterial colonies on a culture plate is copied using sterile filter paper, and then the paper is pressed against a second sterile plate. The new plate is infected with cells in the same relative positions as the colonies in the original plate. Usually the new plate is tested quite destructively for some property. The ones with the best result are identified, and the corresponding group of organisms on the original plate can be identified because they are in the equivalent place.