blue-white screen

noun

A screening technique for the rapid detection of recombinant bacteria in vector-based molecular cloning experiments. DNA of interest is ligated into a vector, which is then inserted into a host cell; these are grown in the presence of X-gal. Cells transformed with vectors containing recombinant DNA will produce white colonies; cells transformed with non-recombinant plasmids (i.e. only the vector) grow into blue colonies.

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Meanings

nounblue-white screen (plural blue-white screens)

plural blue-white screens

  1. biologyA screening technique for the rapid detection of recombinant bacteria in vector-based molecular cloning experiments. DNA of interest is ligated into a vector, which is then inserted into a host cell; these are grown in the presence of X-gal. Cells transformed with vectors containing recombinant DNA will produce white colonies; cells transformed with non-recombinant plasmids (i.e. only the vector) grow into blue colonies.
Cite this entry
APA

blue-white screen. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/blue-white%20screen

MLA

“blue-white screen.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/blue-white%20screen. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “blue-white screen,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/blue-white%20screen.

Source: blue-white screen on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.