Name: R2A Agar
Brand: Molecular Depot
SKU: B2017158
Price: 795.00 USD
Availability: InStock

<h2 data-section-id="fnmaz2" data-start="0" data-end="45">What is bacterial and viral culture media?</h2>
&nbsp;
Culture media in this subcategory are the specific growth and testing formulations used for bacterial and viral work, including LB broth and agar, Terrific Broth, M9 minimal media, Mueller-Hinton broth and agar, and viral transport media. This is narrower than the parent Bacterial &amp; Viral Culture category, which also covers antibiotics, competent cells, and cryopreservation reagents; this subcategory is specifically the media itself.
&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">What you will find: </h2>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Enriched Proliferation Blends: Precision formulations adjusted with active growth modifiers to drive rapid cell division and maximize organogenesis across diverse target cultures.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
High-Energy Nutrient Bases: Calibrated carbon and carbohydrate matrices prepared to sustain the heavy metabolic demands of rapidly multiplying tissue structures.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Proportionate Essential Salts: Balanced macro- and micronutrient combinations optimized to prevent tissue exhaustion and maintain excellent cellular health during intense growth phases.
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h2 data-section-id="1v9tve0" data-start="678" data-end="722">How to choose a culture media formulation</h2>
&nbsp;
Match the formulation to the organism and goal
LB Miller suits most routine E. coli growth, Terrific Broth suits protein expression work needing higher cell density, and M9 minimal media suits applications requiring a chemically defined nutrient background. The bacterial growth media line groups these formulations together for routine ordering.
Choose liquid, powder, or ready-to-use plate format
Powdered media is the lower-cost option for labs that prepare and autoclave their own batches, while ready-to-use liquid or plated media saves prep time for labs running frequent, smaller-volume work.
Decide between a defined and an undefined medium
M9 is chemically defined down to its individual components, which matters for experiments where an undefined nutrient background like LB's yeast extract and peptone could confound results.
Confirm susceptibility testing requirements before substituting media
Mueller-Hinton broth and agar are standardized specifically for antibiotic susceptibility testing under CLSI guidelines, and substituting a routine growth medium like LB for susceptibility testing can produce unreliable results.
Clarify whether the need is propagation or non-propagating transport
Viral transport media is formulated to keep a specimen stable without supporting active replication during shipment, which is a different purpose from a host-cell propagation medium used to grow virus in culture. The viral culture and transport media line covers both use cases.
&nbsp;
<h2 data-section-id="1fljvas" data-start="2991" data-end="3016">Specifications context</h2>
&nbsp;
LB Miller formulation contains roughly 10 g/L NaCl compared with roughly 5 g/L NaCl in LB Lennox, a difference that matters for antibiotic-sensitive strains or downstream applications where higher salt concentration affects results. Mueller-Hinton media is standardized specifically under CLSI guidelines for antibiotic susceptibility testing, and substituting a routine growth medium is not considered an equivalent alternative for that application. As of 2026, animal-free soytone-based formulations of LB and similar broths are increasingly available alongside traditional animal-derived peptone versions.
<a href="https://mbpinc.net/contact-us">Request a specialized bulk quote</a> from the MBP sales desk today to support your high-volume cultivation goals.

Culture Media

Molecular Depot

Key Specifications

R2A Agar

R2A Agar by Molecular Depot is an R2A agar (Reasoner’s 2A agar), a growth medium designed for the cultivation and enumeration of heterotrophic bacteria from potable water. It is particularly useful for bacteria found in treated water supplies such as drinking water systems. It is used for heterotrophic plate counts of drinking water, purified water and pharmaceutical water systems. Each unit contains 500 g. MBP supplies Molecular Depot culture media to research labs in the United States, Canada and worldwide.