M9 minimal media is a defined bacterial growth medium composed of M9 salts supplemented with a specified carbon source, most commonly glucose or glycerol. Unlike rich media, M9 minimal media provides only essential inorganic nutrients, enabling precise control over nitrogen, vitamins, and mineral inputs.

M9 minimal media is most often used to culture E. coli and other non-fastidious bacteria in applications such as metabolic pathway analysis, auxotrophic strain characterization, selection experiments, and gene regulation studies. Because the composition of M9 minimal media and all additives is fully defined, it is especially valuable for experiments that require reproducibility and controlled nutrient availability.

M9 minimal media can be supplemented with amino acids, vitamins, trace elements, or antibiotics to support specific workflows or experimental objectives.

Our M9 minimal media is supplied as a ready-to-use liquid medium, eliminating the variability and time associated with in-house media preparation. Formulated as a defined, minimal medium, it enables controlled bacterial growth and is well-suited for metabolic studies, genetic screening and selection, and microbial physiology research. The media is also compatible with supplementation using defined carbon sources, amino acids, or antibiotics to support specific experimental needs.

We manufacture a comprehensive portfolio of M9 minimal media supplemented with glucose, glycerol, maltose, casamino acids, thiamine, magnesium sulfate, or yeast extract, as well as concentrated 2x stocks. In addition, we supply M9 minimal media lacking carbon, calcium, thiamine, or nitrogen. Our team uses validated processes and adheres to rigorous quality control standards to ensure performance and lot-to-lot consistency.

In addition to our wide selection of ready-to-ship products, we can manufacture a custom solution with industry-leading turnaround times. Our custom manufacturing options include modified M9 formulations, alternative carbon sources, antibiotic supplementation, and container formats to support specialized workflows.