Question: What is MARA?

Answer: MARA is a toxicity test based upon a standardised array of eleven bacterial strains. The bacteria are dispensed in a microplate and exposed to a concentration gradient of the compound under test. The results are expressed as a toxic concentration of the compound for each bacterium, and these concentrations together form a “toxic fingerprint” of the compound, which can be subject to cluster analysis. A special luminicent MARA assay also exists. Contact NCIMB in the UK for further information about MARA