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Hare PJ, LaGree TJ, Byrd BA, DeMarco AM, Mok WWK. Single-Cell Technologies to Study Phenotypic Heterogeneity and Bacterial Persisters. Microorganisms 2021; 9:2277. [PMID: 34835403 PMCID: PMC8620850 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9112277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic persistence is a phenomenon in which rare cells of a clonal bacterial population can survive antibiotic doses that kill their kin, even though the entire population is genetically susceptible. With antibiotic treatment failure on the rise, there is growing interest in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial phenotypic heterogeneity and antibiotic persistence. However, elucidating these rare cell states can be technically challenging. The advent of single-cell techniques has enabled us to observe and quantitatively investigate individual cells in complex, phenotypically heterogeneous populations. In this review, we will discuss current technologies for studying persister phenotypes, including fluorescent tags and biosensors used to elucidate cellular processes; advances in flow cytometry, mass spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, and microfluidics that contribute high-throughput and high-content information; and next-generation sequencing for powerful insights into genetic and transcriptomic programs. We will further discuss existing knowledge gaps, cutting-edge technologies that can address them, and how advances in single-cell microbiology can potentially improve infectious disease treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia J. Hare
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06032, USA; (P.J.H.); (T.J.L.); (B.A.B.); (A.M.D.)
- School of Dental Medicine, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
| | - Travis J. LaGree
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06032, USA; (P.J.H.); (T.J.L.); (B.A.B.); (A.M.D.)
| | - Brandon A. Byrd
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06032, USA; (P.J.H.); (T.J.L.); (B.A.B.); (A.M.D.)
- School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
| | - Angela M. DeMarco
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06032, USA; (P.J.H.); (T.J.L.); (B.A.B.); (A.M.D.)
| | - Wendy W. K. Mok
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06032, USA; (P.J.H.); (T.J.L.); (B.A.B.); (A.M.D.)
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2
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Zhou WM, Yan YY, Guo QR, Ji H, Wang H, Xu TT, Makabel B, Pilarsky C, He G, Yu XY, Zhang JY. Microfluidics applications for high-throughput single cell sequencing. J Nanobiotechnology 2021; 19:312. [PMID: 34635104 PMCID: PMC8507141 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-021-01045-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The inherent heterogeneity of individual cells in cell populations plays significant roles in disease development and progression, which is critical for disease diagnosis and treatment. Substantial evidences show that the majority of traditional gene profiling methods mask the difference of individual cells. Single cell sequencing can provide data to characterize the inherent heterogeneity of individual cells, and reveal complex and rare cell populations. Different microfluidic technologies have emerged for single cell researches and become the frontiers and hot topics over the past decade. In this review article, we introduce the processes of single cell sequencing, and review the principles of microfluidics for single cell analysis. Also, we discuss the common high-throughput single cell sequencing technologies along with their advantages and disadvantages. Lastly, microfluidics applications in single cell sequencing technology for the diagnosis of cancers and immune system diseases are briefly illustrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Min Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology , The State & NMPA Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Yan Yan
- School of Medicine, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, 037009, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiao-Ru Guo
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology , The State & NMPA Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Ji
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology , The State & NMPA Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Wang
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics/Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, People's Republic of China
| | - Tian-Tian Xu
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics/Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, People's Republic of China
| | - Bolat Makabel
- Xinjiang Institute of Materia Medica, Urumqi, 830004, People's Republic of China
| | - Christian Pilarsky
- Department of Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), University Hospital of Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Gen He
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology , The State & NMPA Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xi-Yong Yu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology , The State & NMPA Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jian-Ye Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology , The State & NMPA Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, People's Republic of China.
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3
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Ottonelli I, Duskey JT, Rinaldi A, Grazioli MV, Parmeggiani I, Vandelli MA, Wang LZ, Prud’homme RK, Tosi G, Ruozi B. Microfluidic Technology for the Production of Hybrid Nanomedicines. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1495. [PMID: 34575571 PMCID: PMC8465086 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13091495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Microfluidic technologies have recently been applied as innovative methods for the production of a variety of nanomedicines (NMeds), demonstrating their potential on a global scale. The capacity to precisely control variables, such as the flow rate ratio, temperature, total flow rate, etc., allows for greater tunability of the NMed systems that are more standardized and automated than the ones obtained by well-known benchtop protocols. However, it is a crucial aspect to be able to obtain NMeds with the same characteristics of the previously optimized ones. In this study, we focused on the transfer of a production protocol for hybrid NMeds (H-NMeds) consisting of PLGA, Cholesterol, and Pluronic® F68 from a benchtop nanoprecipitation method to a microfluidic device. For this aim, we modified parameters such as the flow rate ratio, the concentration of core materials in the organic phase, and the ratio between PLGA and Cholesterol in the feeding organic phase. Outputs analysed were the chemico-physical properties, such as size, PDI, and surface charge, the composition in terms of %Cholesterol and residual %Pluronic® F68, their stability to lyophilization, and the morphology via atomic force and electron microscopy. On the basis of the results, even if microfluidic technology is one of the unique procedures to obtain industrial production of NMeds, we demonstrated that the translation from a benchtop method to a microfluidic one is not a simple transfer of already established parameters, with several variables to be taken into account and to be optimized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Ottonelli
- Nanotech Lab, Te. Far.T.I., Department Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy; (I.O.); (J.T.D.); (A.R.); (M.V.G.); (I.P.); (M.A.V.); (B.R.)
- Clinical and Experimental Medicine Ph.D. Program, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Jason Thomas Duskey
- Nanotech Lab, Te. Far.T.I., Department Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy; (I.O.); (J.T.D.); (A.R.); (M.V.G.); (I.P.); (M.A.V.); (B.R.)
| | - Arianna Rinaldi
- Nanotech Lab, Te. Far.T.I., Department Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy; (I.O.); (J.T.D.); (A.R.); (M.V.G.); (I.P.); (M.A.V.); (B.R.)
- Clinical and Experimental Medicine Ph.D. Program, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Maria Vittoria Grazioli
- Nanotech Lab, Te. Far.T.I., Department Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy; (I.O.); (J.T.D.); (A.R.); (M.V.G.); (I.P.); (M.A.V.); (B.R.)
| | - Irene Parmeggiani
- Nanotech Lab, Te. Far.T.I., Department Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy; (I.O.); (J.T.D.); (A.R.); (M.V.G.); (I.P.); (M.A.V.); (B.R.)
| | - Maria Angela Vandelli
- Nanotech Lab, Te. Far.T.I., Department Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy; (I.O.); (J.T.D.); (A.R.); (M.V.G.); (I.P.); (M.A.V.); (B.R.)
| | - Leon Z. Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; (L.Z.W.); (R.K.P.)
| | - Robert K. Prud’homme
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; (L.Z.W.); (R.K.P.)
| | - Giovanni Tosi
- Nanotech Lab, Te. Far.T.I., Department Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy; (I.O.); (J.T.D.); (A.R.); (M.V.G.); (I.P.); (M.A.V.); (B.R.)
| | - Barbara Ruozi
- Nanotech Lab, Te. Far.T.I., Department Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy; (I.O.); (J.T.D.); (A.R.); (M.V.G.); (I.P.); (M.A.V.); (B.R.)
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Chen YC, Zhang Z, Yoon E. Early Prediction of Single-Cell Derived Sphere Formation Rate Using Convolutional Neural Network Image Analysis. Anal Chem 2020; 92:7717-7724. [PMID: 32427465 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c00710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Functional identification of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) is an established method to identify and study this cancer subpopulation critical for cancer progression and metastasis. The method is based on the unique capability of single CSCs to survive and grow to tumorspheres in harsh suspension culture environment. Recent advances in microfluidic technology have enabled isolating and culturing thousands of single cells on a chip. However, tumorsphere assay takes a relatively long period of time, limiting the throughput of this assay. In this work, we incorporated machine learning with single-cell analysis to expedite tumorsphere assay. We collected 1,710 single-cell events as the database and trained a convolutional neural network model that predicts whether a single cell could grow to a tumorsphere on Day 14 based on its Day 4 image. With this future-telling model, we precisely estimated the sphere formation rate of SUM159 breast cancer cells to be 17.8% based on Day 4 images. The estimation was close to the ground truth of 17.6% on Day 14. The preliminary work demonstrates not only the feasibility to significantly accelerate tumorsphere assay but also a synergistic combination between single-cell analysis with machine learning, which can be applied to many other biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chih Chen
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2122, United States.,Forbes Institute for Cancer Discovery, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Zhixiong Zhang
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2122, United States
| | - Euisik Yoon
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2122, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2200 Bonisteel Blvd., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2099, United States.,Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS) and Graduate Program of Nano Biomedical Engineering (Nano BME), Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
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5
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Chen YC, Jung S, Zhang Z, Wicha MS, Yoon E. Co-culture of functionally enriched cancer stem-like cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts for single-cell whole transcriptome analysis. Integr Biol (Camb) 2019; 11:353-361. [DOI: 10.1093/intbio/zyz029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
AbstractConsiderable evidence suggests that breast cancer development and metastasis are driven by cancer stem-like cells (CSCs). Due to their unique role in tumor initiation, the interaction between CSCs and stromal cells is especially critical. In this work, we developed a platform to reliably isolate single cells in suspension and grow single-cell-derived spheres for functional enrichment of CSCs. The platform also allows adherent culture of stromal cells for cancer-stromal interaction. As a proof of concept, we grew SUM149 breast cancer cells and successfully formed single-cell-derived spheres. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) as stromal cells were found to significantly enhance the formation and growth of cancer spheres, indicating elevated tumor-initiation potential. After on-chip culture for 14 days, we retrieved single-cell derived spheres with and without CAF co-culture for single-cell transcriptome sequencing. Whole transcriptome analysis highlights that CAF co-culture can boost cancer stemness especially ALDHhigh CSCs and alter epithelial/mesenchymal status. Single-cell resolution allows identification of individual CSCs and investigation of cancer cellular heterogeneity. Incorporating whole transcriptome sequencing data with public patient database, we discovered novel genes associated with cancer-CAF interaction and critical to patient survival. The preliminary works demonstrated a reliable platform for enrichment of CSCs and studies of cancer-stromal interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chih Chen
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122, USA
- Forbes Institute for Cancer Discovery, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Seungwon Jung
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122, USA
| | - Zhixiong Zhang
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122, USA
| | - Max S Wicha
- Forbes Institute for Cancer Discovery, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Euisik Yoon
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2200 Bonisteel, Blvd. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2099, USA
- Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS) and Graduate Program of Nano Biomedical Engineering (Nano BME), Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
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6
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Droplet Microfluidics-Enabled High-Throughput Screening for Protein Engineering. MICROMACHINES 2019; 10:mi10110734. [PMID: 31671786 PMCID: PMC6915371 DOI: 10.3390/mi10110734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Protein engineering—the process of developing useful or valuable proteins—has successfully created a wide range of proteins tailored to specific agricultural, industrial, and biomedical applications. Protein engineering may rely on rational techniques informed by structural models, phylogenic information, or computational methods or it may rely upon random techniques such as chemical mutation, DNA shuffling, error prone polymerase chain reaction (PCR), etc. The increasing capabilities of rational protein design coupled to the rapid production of large variant libraries have seriously challenged the capacity of traditional screening and selection techniques. Similarly, random approaches based on directed evolution, which relies on the Darwinian principles of mutation and selection to steer proteins toward desired traits, also requires the screening of very large libraries of mutants to be truly effective. For either rational or random approaches, the highest possible screening throughput facilitates efficient protein engineering strategies. In the last decade, high-throughput screening (HTS) for protein engineering has been leveraging the emerging technologies of droplet microfluidics. Droplet microfluidics, featuring controlled formation and manipulation of nano- to femtoliter droplets of one fluid phase in another, has presented a new paradigm for screening, providing increased throughput, reduced reagent volume, and scalability. We review here the recent droplet microfluidics-based HTS systems developed for protein engineering, particularly directed evolution. The current review can also serve as a tutorial guide for protein engineers and molecular biologists who need a droplet microfluidics-based HTS system for their specific applications but may not have prior knowledge about microfluidics. In the end, several challenges and opportunities are identified to motivate the continued innovation of microfluidics with implications for protein engineering.
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Mastiani M, Firoozi N, Petrozzi N, Seo S, Kim M. Polymer-Salt Aqueous Two-Phase System (ATPS) Micro-Droplets for Cell Encapsulation. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15561. [PMID: 31664112 PMCID: PMC6820865 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51958-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Biosample encapsulation is a critical step in a wide range of biomedical and bioengineering applications. Aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) droplets have been recently introduced and showed a great promise to the biological separation and encapsulation due to their excellent biocompatibility. This study shows for the first time the passive generation of salt-based ATPS microdroplets and their biocompatibility test. We used two ATPS including polymer/polymer (polyethylene glycol (PEG)/dextran (DEX)) and polymer/salt (PEG/Magnesium sulfate) for droplet generation in a flow-focusing geometry. Droplet morphologies and monodispersity in both systems are studied. The PEG/salt system showed an excellent capability of uniform droplet formation with a wide range of sizes (20-60 μm) which makes it a suitable candidate for encapsulation of biological samples. Therefore, we examined the potential application of the PEG/salt system for encapsulating human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). A cell viability test was conducted on MgSO4 solutions at various concentrations and our results showed an adequate cell survival. The findings of this research suggest that the polymer/salt ATPS could be a biocompatible all-aqueous platform for cell encapsulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Mastiani
- Center for Biosignatures Discovery Automation, School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Negar Firoozi
- Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA
| | - Nicholas Petrozzi
- Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA
| | - Seokju Seo
- Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA
| | - Myeongsub Kim
- Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA.
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Biočanin M, Bues J, Dainese R, Amstad E, Deplancke B. Simplified Drop-seq workflow with minimized bead loss using a bead capture and processing microfluidic chip. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:1610-1620. [PMID: 30920557 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc00014c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) has revolutionized biomedical research by enabling the in-depth analysis of cell-to-cell heterogeneity of tissues with unprecedented resolution. One of the catalyzing technologies is single cell droplet microfluidics, which has massively increased the overall cell throughput, routinely allowing the analysis of thousands of cells per experiment at a relatively low cost. Among several existing droplet-based approaches, the Drop-seq platform has emerged as one of the most widely used systems. Yet, this has surprisingly not incentivized major refinements of the method, thus restricting any lab implementation to the original Drop-seq setup, which is known to suffer from up to 80% bead loss during the process. In this study, we present a systematic re-engineering and optimization of Drop-seq: first, we re-designed the original dropleting device to be compatible with both air-pressure systems and syringe pumps, thus increasing the overall flexibility of the platform. Second, we devised an accompanying chip for post-encapsulation bead processing, which simplifies and massively increases Drop-seq's cell processing efficiency. Taken together, the presented optimization efforts result in a more flexible and efficient Drop-seq version.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjan Biočanin
- Laboratory of Systems Biology and Genetics, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland. and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Johannes Bues
- Laboratory of Systems Biology and Genetics, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland. and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Riccardo Dainese
- Laboratory of Systems Biology and Genetics, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland. and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Esther Amstad
- Soft Materials Laboratory, Institute of Materials, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bart Deplancke
- Laboratory of Systems Biology and Genetics, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland. and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Khan M, Mao S, Li W, Lin J. Microfluidic Devices in the Fast‐Growing Domain of Single‐Cell Analysis. Chemistry 2018; 24:15398-15420. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201800305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mashooq Khan
- Department of Chemistry, Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry, & Chemical Biology Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 China
| | - Sifeng Mao
- Department of Chemistry, Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry, & Chemical Biology Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 China
| | - Weiwei Li
- Department of Chemistry, Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry, & Chemical Biology Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 China
| | - Jin‐Ming Lin
- Department of Chemistry, Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry, & Chemical Biology Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 China
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10
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Scanga R, Chrastecka L, Mohammad R, Meadows A, Quan PL, Brouzes E. Click Chemistry Approaches to Expand the Repertoire of PEG-based Fluorinated Surfactants for Droplet Microfluidics. RSC Adv 2018; 8:12960-12974. [PMID: 31592185 PMCID: PMC6779154 DOI: 10.1039/c8ra01254g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
We report the novel and simplified synthesis of fluorinated surfactants for droplet microfluidics. The range of applications of droplet microfluidics has greatly expanded during the last decade thanks to its ability to manipulate and process tiny amount of sample and reagents at high throughput in independent reactors. A critical component of the technology is the formulation of the immiscible oil phase that contains surfactants to stabilize droplets. The success of droplet microfluidics relies mostly on a single fluorinated formulation that uses a PFPE–PEG triblock surfactant. The synthesis of this surfactant is laborious and requires skills in synthetic chemistry preventing the wider community to explore the synthesis of surfactants with alternate structures. We sought to provide a simplified synthesis for novel PFPE–PEG surfactants based on click chemistry approaches such as copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) and UV-activated thiol–yne reactions. Our strategy is based on converting a moisture sensitive intermediate typically used in the synthesis of the triblock PFPE–PEG surfactant into a stable and click ready molecule. We successfully combined that fluorinated tail with differently functionalized PEG and glycerol ethoxylate molecules to generate surfactants with diverse structures via CuACC and thiol–yne reactions. We report the characterization, biocompatibility and ability to stabilize emulsions of those surfactants, as well as the unique advantages and challenges of the strategy. Click-synthesis of fluorinated surfactants for droplet microfluidics.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Randall Scanga
- Department of chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lucie Chrastecka
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Ridhwan Mohammad
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Austin Meadows
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Phenix-Lan Quan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Eric Brouzes
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA.,Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
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Abstract
Quantification of single-cell proteomics provides key insights in the field of cellular heterogeneity. This chapter discusses the emerging techniques that are being used to measure the protein copy numbers at the single-cell level, which includes flow cytometry, mass cytometry, droplet cytometry, microengraving, and single-cell barcoding microchip. The advantages and limitations of each technique are compared, and future research opportunities are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja M. Weiz
- Institute for Integrative Nanosciences (IIN); IFW Dresden; Helmholtzstraße 20 01069 Dresden Germany
| | - Mariana Medina-Sánchez
- Institute for Integrative Nanosciences (IIN); IFW Dresden; Helmholtzstraße 20 01069 Dresden Germany
| | - Oliver G. Schmidt
- Institute for Integrative Nanosciences (IIN); IFW Dresden; Helmholtzstraße 20 01069 Dresden Germany
- Material Systems for Nanoelectronics; Chemnitz University of Technology; Reichenhainer Straße 70 09107 Chemnitz Germany
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13
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Theodorou E, Scanga R, Twardowski M, Snyder MP, Brouzes E. A Droplet Microfluidics Based Platform for Mining Metagenomic Libraries for Natural Compounds. MICROMACHINES 2017; 8:E230. [PMID: 30400422 PMCID: PMC6189830 DOI: 10.3390/mi8080230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Revised: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Historically, microbes from the environment have been a reliable source for novel bio-active compounds. Cloning and expression of metagenomic DNA in heterologous strains of bacteria has broadened the range of potential compounds accessible. However, such metagenomic libraries have been under-exploited for applications in mammalian cells because of a lack of integrated methods. We present an innovative platform to systematically mine natural resources for pro-apoptotic compounds that relies on the combination of bacterial delivery and droplet microfluidics. Using the violacein operon from C. violaceum as a model, we demonstrate that E. coli modified to be invasive can serve as an efficient delivery vehicle of natural compounds. This approach permits the seamless screening of metagenomic libraries with mammalian cell assays and alleviates the need for laborious extraction of natural compounds. In addition, we leverage the unique properties of droplet microfluidics to amplify bacterial clones and perform clonal screening at high-throughput in place of one-compound-per-well assays in multi-well format. We also use droplet microfluidics to establish a cell aggregate strategy that overcomes the issue of background apoptosis. Altogether, this work forms the foundation of a versatile platform to efficiently mine the metagenome for compounds with therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elias Theodorou
- Metagenomix Inc., Branford, CT 06405, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - Randall Scanga
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Mariusz Twardowski
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Michael P Snyder
- Metagenomix Inc., Branford, CT 06405, USA.
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Eric Brouzes
- Metagenomix Inc., Branford, CT 06405, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
- Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
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Peikon ID, Kebschull JM, Vagin VV, Ravens DI, Sun YC, Brouzes E, Corrêa IR, Bressan D, Zador AM. Using high-throughput barcode sequencing to efficiently map connectomes. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:e115. [PMID: 28449067 PMCID: PMC5499584 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2017] [Revised: 03/20/2017] [Accepted: 04/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The function of a neural circuit is determined by the details of its synaptic connections. At present, the only available method for determining a neural wiring diagram with single synapse precision-a 'connectome'-is based on imaging methods that are slow, labor-intensive and expensive. Here, we present SYNseq, a method for converting the connectome into a form that can exploit the speed and low cost of modern high-throughput DNA sequencing. In SYNseq, each neuron is labeled with a unique random nucleotide sequence-an RNA 'barcode'-which is targeted to the synapse using engineered proteins. Barcodes in pre- and postsynaptic neurons are then associated through protein-protein crosslinking across the synapse, extracted from the tissue, and joined into a form suitable for sequencing. Although our failure to develop an efficient barcode joining scheme precludes the widespread application of this approach, we expect that with further development SYNseq will enable tracing of complex circuits at high speed and low cost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian D. Peikon
- Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Justus M. Kebschull
- Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Vasily V. Vagin
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Diana I. Ravens
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Yu-Chi Sun
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Eric Brouzes
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
- Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | | | - Dario Bressan
- Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Anthony M. Zador
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
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Wen N, Zhao Z, Fan B, Chen D, Men D, Wang J, Chen J. Development of Droplet Microfluidics Enabling High-Throughput Single-Cell Analysis. Molecules 2016; 21:E881. [PMID: 27399651 PMCID: PMC6272933 DOI: 10.3390/molecules21070881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2016] [Revised: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This article reviews recent developments in droplet microfluidics enabling high-throughput single-cell analysis. Five key aspects in this field are included in this review: (1) prototype demonstration of single-cell encapsulation in microfluidic droplets; (2) technical improvements of single-cell encapsulation in microfluidic droplets; (3) microfluidic droplets enabling single-cell proteomic analysis; (4) microfluidic droplets enabling single-cell genomic analysis; and (5) integrated microfluidic droplet systems enabling single-cell screening. We examine the advantages and limitations of each technique and discuss future research opportunities by focusing on key performances of throughput, multifunctionality, and absolute quantification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Wen
- Institute of Electronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Zhan Zhao
- Institute of Electronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Beiyuan Fan
- Institute of Electronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Deyong Chen
- Institute of Electronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Dong Men
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China.
| | - Junbo Wang
- Institute of Electronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Jian Chen
- Institute of Electronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
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Brouzes E, Carniol A, Bakowski T, Strey HH. Precise pooling and dispensing of microfluidic droplets towards micro- to macro-world interfacing. RSC Adv 2014; 4:38542-38550. [PMID: 25485102 DOI: 10.1039/c4ra07110g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Droplet microfluidics possesses unique properties such as the ability to carry out multiple independent reactions without dispersion of samples in microchannels. We seek to extend the use of droplet microfluidics to a new range of applications by enabling its integration into workflows based on traditional technologies, such as microtiter plates. Our strategy consists in developing a novel method to manipulate, pool and deliver a precise number of microfluidic droplets. To this aim, we present a basic module that combines droplet trapping with an on-chip valve. We quantitatively analyzed the trapping efficiency of the basic module in order to optimize its design. We also demonstrate the integration of the basic module into a multiplex device that can deliver 8 droplets at every cycle. This device will have a great impact in low throughput droplet applications that necessitate interfacing with macroscale technologies. The micro- to macro- interface is particularly critical in microfluidic applications that aim at sample preparation and has not been rigorously addressed in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Brouzes
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5281
| | - April Carniol
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5281
| | - Tomasz Bakowski
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5281
| | - Helmut H Strey
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5281
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Zang E, Brandes S, Tovar M, Martin K, Mech F, Horbert P, Henkel T, Figge MT, Roth M. Real-time image processing for label-free enrichment of Actinobacteria cultivated in picolitre droplets. LAB ON A CHIP 2013; 13:3707-13. [PMID: 23881253 DOI: 10.1039/c3lc50572c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The majority of today's antimicrobial therapeutics is derived from secondary metabolites produced by Actinobacteria. While it is generally assumed that less than 1% of Actinobacteria species from soil habitats have been cultivated so far, classic screening approaches fail to supply new substances, often due to limited throughput and frequent rediscovery of already known strains. To overcome these restrictions, we implement high-throughput cultivation of soil-derived Actinobacteria in microfluidic pL-droplets by generating more than 600,000 pure cultures per hour from a spore suspension that can subsequently be incubated for days to weeks. Moreover, we introduce triggered imaging with real-time image-based droplet classification as a novel universal method for pL-droplet sorting. Growth-dependent droplet sorting at frequencies above 100 Hz is performed for label-free enrichment and extraction of microcultures. The combination of both cultivation of Actinobacteria in pL-droplets and real-time detection of growing Actinobacteria has great potential in screening for yet unknown species as well as their undiscovered natural products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emerson Zang
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
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18
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Zeng Y, Shin M, Wang T. Programmable active droplet generation enabled by integrated pneumatic micropumps. LAB ON A CHIP 2013; 13:267-73. [PMID: 23160148 DOI: 10.1039/c2lc40906b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
In this work we have investigated the integrated diaphragm micropump as an active fluidic control approach for the on-demand generation of droplets with precisely defined size, frequency and timing. In contrast to valve-actuated devices that only modulate the flow of the dispersed phase being continuously injected, this integrated micropump allows the combination of fluidic transport and modulation to achieve active control of droplet generation. A distinct characteristic of this method compared to the valve modulated droplet formation processes is that it enables independent control of droplet generation frequency by adjusting the pumping frequency and droplet size by flow conditions. We also demonstrated the generation of complex droplet patterns through programming the pumping configurations and the application to multi-volume digital PCR for precise and quantitative detection of genetic targets. Overall, our results suggest that the pump-based droplet microfluidics provide a robust platform for programmable active droplet generation which could facilitate the development of high-performance chemical and biological assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zeng
- Department of Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.
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