Luria–Delbrück experiment

E160513

The Luria–Delbrück experiment was a landmark 1943 study in bacterial genetics that demonstrated mutations arise randomly rather than in response to selective pressure, providing key evidence for the genetic basis of evolution.

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Predicate Object
instanceOf bacterial genetics experiment
fluctuation test
scientific experiment
analyzed distribution of resistant colonies across cultures
contrastedWith Poisson distribution expected for induced mutations
countryOfOrigin United States of America
surface form: United States
dataCharacteristic jackpot events of early mutations
demonstrated mutations are not induced by selective pressure
mutations arise randomly
pre‑adaptive mutations
field bacterial genetics
evolutionary biology
microbiology
hasAlternativeName Luria–Delbrück experiment
surface form: Luria–Delbrück fluctuation test

fluctuation test
hasAuthor Max Delbrück
Salvador Luria
hasImpactOn antibiotic resistance studies
cancer mutation models
influenced modern microbial genetics
population genetics of mutation
keyConcept bacteriophage resistance
mutation rate estimation
spontaneous mutation
mainSubject bacterial mutation
evolution
random mutation
measured number of phage‑resistant mutants per culture
providedEvidenceFor Darwinian evolution
genetic basis of evolution
publicationYear 1943
publishedIn Genetics
recognizedAs classic experiment in genetics
landmark in molecular biology
refuted Lamarckian inheritance in bacteria
relatedConcept Darwinism
surface form: Darwinian selection

Lamarckism
surface form: Lamarckian adaptation

mutation-selection theory
relatedTo Salvador Luria Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1969
showed high variance in number of resistant colonies
supportsView mutations occur before exposure to selective agent
testedOrganism Escherichia coli
bacteriophage T1
timePeriod World War II era
usedControl multiple independent bacterial cultures
usedMethod fluctuation analysis
statistical distribution of mutants

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Referenced by (4)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Max Delbrück knownFor Luria–Delbrück experiment
Salvador Luria notableWork Luria–Delbrück experiment
Luria–Delbrück experiment hasAlternativeName Luria–Delbrück experiment
this entity surface form: Luria–Delbrück fluctuation test
Salvatore notableWork Luria–Delbrück experiment
subject surface form: Salvatore Luria