1
|
Nguyen AV, Yaghoobi M, Zhang S, Li P, Li Q, Dogan B, Ahnrud GP, Flock G, Marek P, Simpson KW, Abbaspourrad A. Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Probiotics toward Oxidative Stress Using a Microfluidic-Based Platform. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2306974. [PMID: 38247174 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202306974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) can be used to make bacteria less susceptible to oxidative stress. An alternative to large batch scale ALE cultures is to use microfluidic platforms, which are often more economical and more efficient. Microfluidic ALE platforms have shown promise, but many have suffered from subpar cell passaging mechanisms and poor spatial definition. A new approach is presented using a microfluidic Evolution on a Chip (EVoc) design which progressively drives microbial cells from areas of lower H2O2 concentration to areas of higher concentration. Prolonged exposure, up to 72 h, revealed the survival of adaptive strains of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG, a beneficial probiotic often included in food products. After performing ALE on this microfluidic platform, the bacteria persisted under high H2O2 concentrations in repeated trials. After two progressive exposures, the ability of L. rhamnosus to grow in the presence of H2O2 increased from 1 mm H2O2 after a lag time of 31 h to 1 mm after 21 h, 2 mm after 28 h, and 3 mm after 42 h. The adaptive strains have different morphology, and gene expression compared to wild type, and genome sequencing revealed a potentially meaningful single nucleotide mutation in the protein omega-amidase.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ann V Nguyen
- Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Stocking Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Mohammad Yaghoobi
- Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Stocking Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Shiying Zhang
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, 602 Tower Rd., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Peilong Li
- Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Stocking Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Qike Li
- Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Stocking Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Belgin Dogan
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, 602 Tower Rd., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Gianna P Ahnrud
- DEVCOM Soldier Center, Soldier Sustainment Directorate, Combat Feeding Division, Food Protection & Innovative Packaging Team, Natick, MA, 01760, USA
| | - Genevieve Flock
- DEVCOM Soldier Center, Soldier Sustainment Directorate, Combat Feeding Division, Food Protection & Innovative Packaging Team, Natick, MA, 01760, USA
| | - Patrick Marek
- DEVCOM Soldier Center, Soldier Sustainment Directorate, Combat Feeding Division, Food Protection & Innovative Packaging Team, Natick, MA, 01760, USA
| | - Kenneth W Simpson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, 602 Tower Rd., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Alireza Abbaspourrad
- Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Stocking Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Li S, Ye Z, Moreb EA, Menacho-Melgar R, Golovsky M, Lynch MD. 2-Stage microfermentations. Metab Eng Commun 2024; 18:e00233. [PMID: 38665924 PMCID: PMC11043886 DOI: 10.1016/j.mec.2024.e00233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell based factories can be engineered to produce a wide variety of products. Advances in DNA synthesis and genome editing have greatly simplified the design and construction of these factories. It has never been easier to generate hundreds or even thousands of cell factory strain variants for evaluation. These advances have amplified the need for standardized, higher throughput means of evaluating these designs. Toward this goal, we have previously reported the development of engineered E. coli strains and associated 2-stage production processes to simplify and standardize strain engineering, evaluation and scale up. This approach relies on decoupling growth (stage 1), from production, which occurs in stationary phase (stage 2). Phosphate depletion is used as the trigger to stop growth as well as induce heterologous expression. Here, we describe in detail the development of protocols for the evaluation of engineered E. coli strains in 2-stage microfermentations. These protocols are readily adaptable to the evaluation of strains producing a wide variety of protein as well as small molecule products. Additionally, by detailing the approach to protocol development, these methods are also adaptable to additional cellular hosts, as well as other 2-stage processes with various additional triggers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Li
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Zhixia Ye
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Eirik A. Moreb
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | - Michael D. Lynch
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Gurkan UA, Wood DK, Carranza D, Herbertson LH, Diamond SL, Du E, Guha S, Di Paola J, Hines PC, Papautsky I, Shevkoplyas SS, Sniadecki NJ, Pamula VK, Sundd P, Rizwan A, Qasba P, Lam WA. Next generation microfluidics: fulfilling the promise of lab-on-a-chip technologies. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:1867-1874. [PMID: 38487919 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00796k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Microfluidic lab-on-a-chip technologies enable the analysis and manipulation of small fluid volumes and particles at small scales and the control of fluid flow and transport processes at the microscale, leading to the development of new methods to address a broad range of scientific and medical challenges. Microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip technologies have made a noteworthy impact in basic, preclinical, and clinical research, especially in hematology and vascular biology due to the inherent ability of microfluidics to mimic physiologic flow conditions in blood vessels and capillaries. With the potential to significantly impact translational research and clinical diagnostics, technical issues and incentive mismatches have stymied microfluidics from fulfilling this promise. We describe how accessibility, usability, and manufacturability of microfluidic technologies should be improved and how a shift in mindset and incentives within the field is also needed to address these issues. In this report, we discuss the state of the microfluidic field regarding current limitations and propose future directions and new approaches for the field to advance microfluidic technologies closer to translation and clinical use. While our report focuses on using blood as the prototypical biofluid sample, the proposed ideas and research directions can be extrapolated to other areas of hematology, oncology, biology, and medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - E Du
- Florida Atlantic University, USA
| | | | | | - Patrick C Hines
- Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
- Functional Fluidics, Inc., USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Prithu Sundd
- VERSITI Blood Research Institute and Medical College of Wisconsin, USA
| | - Asif Rizwan
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Papadopoulos C, Larue AE, Toulouze C, Mokhtari O, Lefort J, Libert E, Assémat P, Swider P, Malaquin L, Davit Y. A versatile micromodel technology to explore biofilm development in porous media flows. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:254-271. [PMID: 38059908 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00293d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial biofilms that grow in porous media are critical to ecosystem processes and applications ranging from soil bioremediation to bioreactors for treating wastewater or producing value-added products. However, understanding and engineering the complex phenomena that drive the development of biofilms in such systems remains a challenge. Here we present a novel micromodel technology to explore bacterial biofilm development in porous media flows. The technology consists of a set of modules that can be combined as required for any given experiment and conveniently tuned for specific requirements. The core module is a 3D-printed micromodel where biofilm is grown into a perfusable porous substrate. High-precision additive manufacturing, in particular stereolithography, is used to fabricate porous scaffolds with precisely controlled architectures integrating flow channels with diameters down to several hundreds of micrometers. The system is instrumented with: ultraviolet-C light-emitting diodes; on-line measurements of oxygen consumption and pressure drop across the porous medium; camera and spectrophotometric cells for the detection of biofilm detachment events at the outlet. We demonstrate how this technology can be used to study the development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm for several days within a network of flow channels. We find complex dynamics whereby oxygen consumption reaches a steady-state but not the pressure drop, which instead features a permanent regime with large fluctuations. We further use X-ray computed microtomography to image the spatial distribution of biofilms and computational fluid dynamics to link biofilm development with local flow properties. By combining the advantages of additive manufacturing for the creation of reproducible 3D porous microarchitectures with the flow control and instrumentation accuracy of microfluidics, our system provides a platform to study the dynamics of biofilm development in 3D porous media and to rapidly test new concepts in process engineering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christos Papadopoulos
- Institut de Mécanique des Fluides (IMFT), CNRS & Université de Toulouse, 31400 Toulouse, France.
- LAAS-CNRS, CNRS & Université de Toulouse, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Anne Edith Larue
- Institut de Mécanique des Fluides (IMFT), CNRS & Université de Toulouse, 31400 Toulouse, France.
- Transverse Lab, 271 rue des Fontaines, 31300 Toulouse, France
| | - Clara Toulouze
- Institut de Mécanique des Fluides (IMFT), CNRS & Université de Toulouse, 31400 Toulouse, France.
| | - Omar Mokhtari
- Physikalisches Institut, Universität Bern, Gesellschaftsstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Julien Lefort
- Institut de Mécanique des Fluides (IMFT), CNRS & Université de Toulouse, 31400 Toulouse, France.
| | - Emmanuel Libert
- Institut de Mécanique des Fluides (IMFT), CNRS & Université de Toulouse, 31400 Toulouse, France.
| | - Pauline Assémat
- Institut de Mécanique des Fluides (IMFT), CNRS & Université de Toulouse, 31400 Toulouse, France.
| | - Pascal Swider
- Institut de Mécanique des Fluides (IMFT), CNRS & Université de Toulouse, 31400 Toulouse, France.
| | - Laurent Malaquin
- LAAS-CNRS, CNRS & Université de Toulouse, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Yohan Davit
- Institut de Mécanique des Fluides (IMFT), CNRS & Université de Toulouse, 31400 Toulouse, France.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Blöbaum L, Haringa C, Grünberger A. Microbial lifelines in bioprocesses: From concept to application. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 62:108071. [PMID: 36464144 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.108071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Bioprocesses are scaled up for the production of large product quantities. With larger fermenter volumes, mixing becomes increasingly inefficient and environmental gradients get more prominent than in smaller scales. Environmental gradients have an impact on the microorganism's metabolism, which makes the prediction of large-scale performance difficult and can lead to scale-up failure. A promising approach for improved understanding and estimation of dynamics of microbial populations in large-scale bioprocesses is the analysis of microbial lifelines. The lifeline of a microbe in a bioprocess is the experience of environmental gradients from a cell's perspective, which can be described as a time series of position, environment and intracellular condition. Currently, lifelines are predominantly determined using models with computational fluid dynamics, but new technical developments in flow-following sensor particles and microfluidic single-cell cultivation open the door to a more interdisciplinary concept. We critically review the current concepts and challenges in lifeline determination and application of lifeline analysis, as well as strategies for the integration of these techniques into bioprocess development. Lifelines can contribute to a successful scale-up by guiding scale-down experiments and identifying strain engineering targets or bioreactor optimisations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Blöbaum
- Multiscale Bioengineering, Technical Faculty, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany; CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Cees Haringa
- Bioprocess Engineering, Applied Sciences/Biotechnology, TU, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Alexander Grünberger
- Multiscale Bioengineering, Technical Faculty, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany; CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany; Microsystems in Bioprocess Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering in Life Sciences, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Winkler S, Menke J, Meyer KV, Kortmann C, Bahnemann J. Automation of cell culture assays using a 3D-printed servomotor-controlled microfluidic valve system. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:4656-4665. [PMID: 36342331 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00629d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic valve systems show great potential to automate mixing, dilution, and time-resolved reagent supply within biochemical assays and novel on-chip cell culture systems. However, most of these systems require a complex and cost-intensive fabrication in clean room facilities, and the valve control element itself also requires vacuum or pressure sources (including external valves, tubing, ports and pneumatic control channels). Addressing these bottlenecks, the herein presented biocompatible and heat steam sterilizable microfluidic valve system was fabricated via high-resolution 3D printing in a one-step process - including inlets, micromixer, microvalves, and outlets. The 3D-printed valve membrane is deflected via miniature on-chip servomotors that are controlled using a Raspberry Pi and a customized Python script (resulting in a device that is comparatively low-cost, portable, and fully automated). While a high mixing accuracy and long-term robustness is established, as described herein the system is further applied in a proof-of-concept assay for automated IC50 determination of camptothecin with mouse fibroblasts (L929) monitored by a live-cell-imaging system. Measurements of cell growth and IC50 values revealed no difference in performance between the microfluidic valve system and traditional pipetting. This novel design and the accompanying automatization scripts provide the scientific community with direct access to customizable full-time reagent control of 2D cell culture, or even novel organ-on-a-chip systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steffen Winkler
- Institute of Technical Chemistry, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Jannik Menke
- Institute of Technical Chemistry, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Katharina V Meyer
- Institute of Technical Chemistry, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Carlotta Kortmann
- Institute of Technical Chemistry, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Janina Bahnemann
- Institute of Physics, University of Augsburg, Universitätsstraße 1, 86159 Augsburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Towards one sample per second for mass spectrometric screening of engineered microbial strains. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2022; 76:102725. [PMID: 35489307 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Microbial cell factories convert renewable feedstocks into desirable chemicals and materials. Due to the lack of predictive modeling, high-throughput screening remains essential for microbial strain engineering. Mass spectrometry (MS) is a label-free modality with superior sensitivity and chemical specificity. Critical advances in improving the throughput of MS assays on complex microbial samples include massively parallel cultivation, robotic sample preparation, and chromatography-free instrumentation. Here, we review the recent development and application of rapid MS assays in screening microbial libraries, achieving or approaching a rate of one sample per second. We conclude with unique challenges associated with MS screening of strain libraries and discuss future solutions.
Collapse
|
8
|
Banks M, Johnson R, Giver L, Bryant G, Guo M. Industrial production of microbial protein products. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2022; 75:102707. [PMID: 35276510 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Microbial proteins provide a sustainable and nutritious alternative to traditional animal and plant-based proteins. Various strains have been demonstrated to generate biomass from a wide variety of substrates, from organic waste (e.g. banana peel) to gases (e.g. methane). Industrial production of microbial protein has proven difficult from both design (e.g. production rate) and regulatory (e.g. allergenicity of product) perspectives for both feed and food-grade products. Through use of low-cost microfluidics devices, early bioprocess design can be intensified, achieving high strain screening throughput with low titres. Integration of industrial waste streams (e.g. flue-gases, lignocellulosic residues) can reduce cost and carbon footprint of feedstock, while bespoke reactor design (e.g. Quorn's airlift U-loop fermenter) can remediate issues of low mass-transfer and product quality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mason Banks
- Department of Engineering, Faculty of Natural Mathematical & Engineering Sciences, King's College London, Strand Campus, WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Rob Johnson
- Quorn Foods, Station Road, Stokesley, North Yorkshire, TS9 7AB, UK
| | - Lori Giver
- Calysta, T3 Block, The Wilton Centre, Wilton, Redcar, TS10 4RF, UK
| | - Geoff Bryant
- Calysta, T3 Block, The Wilton Centre, Wilton, Redcar, TS10 4RF, UK
| | - Miao Guo
- Department of Engineering, Faculty of Natural Mathematical & Engineering Sciences, King's College London, Strand Campus, WC2R 2LS, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Teworte S, Malcı K, Walls LE, Halim M, Rios-Solis L. Recent advances in fed-batch microscale bioreactor design. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 55:107888. [PMID: 34923075 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Advanced fed-batch microbioreactors mitigate scale up risks and more closely mimic industrial cultivation practices. Recently, high throughput microscale feeding strategies have been developed which improve the accessibility of microscale fed-batch cultivation irrespective of experimental budget. This review explores such technologies and their role in accelerating bioprocess development. Diffusion- and enzyme-controlled feeding achieve a continuous supply of substrate while being simple and affordable. More complex feed profiles and greater process control require additional hardware. Automated liquid handling robots may be programmed to predefined feed profiles and have the sensitivity to respond to deviations in process parameters. Microfluidic technologies have been shown to facilitate both continuous and precise feeding. Holistic approaches, which integrate automated high-throughput fed-batch cultivation with strategic design of experiments and model-based optimisation, dramatically enhance process understanding whilst minimising experimental burden. The incorporation of real-time data for online optimisation of feed conditions can further refine screening. Although the technologies discussed in this review hold promise for efficient, low-risk bioprocess development, the expense and complexity of automated cultivation platforms limit their widespread application. Future attention should be directed towards the development of open-source software and reducing the exclusivity of hardware.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Teworte
- Institute for Bioengineering, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3DW, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Koray Malcı
- Institute for Bioengineering, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3DW, Scotland, United Kingdom; Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3DW, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Laura E Walls
- Institute for Bioengineering, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3DW, Scotland, United Kingdom; Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3DW, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Murni Halim
- Department of Bioprocess Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Leonardo Rios-Solis
- Institute for Bioengineering, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3DW, Scotland, United Kingdom; Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3DW, Scotland, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Knowing more from less: miniaturization of ligand-binding assays and electrophoresis as new paradigms for at-line monitoring and control of mammalian cell bioprocesses. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2021; 71:55-64. [PMID: 34246047 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2021.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring technologies for Process Analytical Technology (PAT) in mammalian cell cultures are often focusing on the same hand full parameters although a deeper knowledge and control of a larger panel of culture components would highly benefit process optimization, control and robustness. This short review highlights key advances in microfluidic affinity assays and microchip capillary electrophoresis (MCE). Aiming at the miniaturization and integration of PAT, these can detect at-line a variety of metabolites, proteins and Critical Quality Attributes (CQA's) in a bioprocess. Furthermore, discrete analytical components, which can potentially support the translation of increasingly mature microfluidic technologies towards this novel application, are also presented as a comprehensive toolbox ranging from sample preparation to signal acquisition.
Collapse
|
11
|
Marrazzo P, Pizzuti V, Zia S, Sargenti A, Gazzola D, Roda B, Bonsi L, Alviano F. Microfluidic Tools for Enhanced Characterization of Therapeutic Stem Cells and Prediction of Their Potential Antimicrobial Secretome. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:750. [PMID: 34206190 PMCID: PMC8300685 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10070750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is creating enormous attention on the development of new antibiotic-free therapy strategies for bacterial diseases. Mesenchymal stromal stem cells (MSCs) are the most promising candidates in current clinical trials and included in several cell-therapy protocols. Together with the well-known immunomodulatory and regenerative potential of the MSC secretome, these cells have shown direct and indirect anti-bacterial effects. However, the low reproducibility and standardization of MSCs from different sources are the current limitations prior to the purification of cell-free secreted antimicrobial peptides and exosomes. In order to improve MSC characterization, novel label-free functional tests, evaluating the biophysical properties of the cells, will be advantageous for their cell profiling, population sorting, and quality control. We discuss the potential of emerging microfluidic technologies providing new insights into density, shape, and size of live cells, starting from heterogeneous or 3D cultured samples. The prospective application of these technologies to studying MSC populations may contribute to developing new biopharmaceutical strategies with a view to naturally overcoming bacterial defense mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pasquale Marrazzo
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (V.P.); (L.B.); (F.A.)
| | - Valeria Pizzuti
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (V.P.); (L.B.); (F.A.)
| | - Silvia Zia
- Stem Sel S.r.l., 40127 Bologna, Italy; (S.Z.); (B.R.)
| | | | - Daniele Gazzola
- Cell Dynamics i.S.r.l., 40129 Bologna, Italy; (A.S.); (D.G.)
| | - Barbara Roda
- Stem Sel S.r.l., 40127 Bologna, Italy; (S.Z.); (B.R.)
- Department of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Laura Bonsi
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (V.P.); (L.B.); (F.A.)
| | - Francesco Alviano
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (V.P.); (L.B.); (F.A.)
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Yang J, Tu R, Yuan H, Wang Q, Zhu L. Recent advances in droplet microfluidics for enzyme and cell factory engineering. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2021; 41:1023-1045. [PMID: 33730939 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2021.1898326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Enzymes and cell factories play essential roles in industrial biotechnology for the production of chemicals and fuels. The properties of natural enzymes and cells often cannot meet the requirements of different industrial processes in terms of cost-effectiveness and high durability. To rapidly improve their properties and performances, laboratory evolution equipped with high-throughput screening methods and facilities is commonly used to tailor the desired properties of enzymes and cell factories, addressing the challenges of achieving high titer and the yield of the target products at high/low temperatures or extreme pH, in unnatural environments or in the presence of unconventional media. Droplet microfluidic screening (DMFS) systems have demonstrated great potential for exploring vast genetic diversity in a high-throughput manner (>106/h) for laboratory evolution and have been increasingly used in recent years, contributing to the identification of extraordinary mutants. This review highlights the recent advances in concepts and methods of DMFS for library screening, including the key factors in droplet generation and manipulation, signal sources for sensitive detection and sorting, and a comprehensive summary of success stories of DMFS implementation for engineering enzymes and cell factories during the past decade.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianhua Yang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China.,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Ran Tu
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China.,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Huiling Yuan
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China.,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Qinhong Wang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China.,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Leilei Zhu
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China.,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Zoheir AE, Späth GP, Niemeyer CM, Rabe KS. Microfluidic Evolution-On-A-Chip Reveals New Mutations that Cause Antibiotic Resistance. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2021; 17:e2007166. [PMID: 33458946 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202007166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic devices can mimic naturally occurring microenvironments and create microbial population heterogeneities ranging from planktonic cells to biofilm states. The exposure of such populations to spatially organized stress gradients can promote their adaptation into complex phenotypes, which are otherwise difficult to achieve with conventional experimental setups. Here a microfluidic chip that employs precise chemical gradients in consecutive microcompartments to perform microbial adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE), a key tool to study evolution in fundamental and applied contexts is described. In the chip developed here, microbial cells can be exposed to a defined profile of stressors such as antibiotics. By modulating this profile, stress adaptation in the chip through resistance or persistence can be specifically controlled. Importantly, chip-based ALE leads to the discovery of previously unknown mutations in Escherichia coli that confer resistance to nalidixic acid. The microfluidic device presented here can enhance the occurrence of mutations employing defined micro-environmental conditions to generate data to better understand the parameters that influence the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed E Zoheir
- Institute for Biological Interfaces 1 (IBG-1), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, 76344, Germany
- Department of Genetics and Cytology, National Research Centre (NRC), 33 El Buhouth St., Cairo, 12622, Egypt
| | - Georg P Späth
- Institute for Biological Interfaces 1 (IBG-1), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, 76344, Germany
| | - Christof M Niemeyer
- Institute for Biological Interfaces 1 (IBG-1), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, 76344, Germany
| | - Kersten S Rabe
- Institute for Biological Interfaces 1 (IBG-1), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, 76344, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Ortseifen V, Viefhues M, Wobbe L, Grünberger A. Microfluidics for Biotechnology: Bridging Gaps to Foster Microfluidic Applications. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:589074. [PMID: 33282849 PMCID: PMC7691494 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.589074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Microfluidics and novel lab-on-a-chip applications have the potential to boost biotechnological research in ways that are not possible using traditional methods. Although microfluidic tools were increasingly used for different applications within biotechnology in recent years, a systematic and routine use in academic and industrial labs is still not established. For many years, absent innovative, ground-breaking and “out-of-the-box” applications have been made responsible for the missing drive to integrate microfluidic technologies into fundamental and applied biotechnological research. In this review, we highlight microfluidics’ offers and compare them to the most important demands of the biotechnologists. Furthermore, a detailed analysis in the state-of-the-art use of microfluidics within biotechnology was conducted exemplarily for four emerging biotechnological fields that can substantially benefit from the application of microfluidic systems, namely the phenotypic screening of cells, the analysis of microbial population heterogeneity, organ-on-a-chip approaches and the characterisation of synthetic co-cultures. The analysis resulted in a discussion of potential “gaps” that can be responsible for the rare integration of microfluidics into biotechnological studies. Our analysis revealed six major gaps, concerning the lack of interdisciplinary communication, mutual knowledge and motivation, methodological compatibility, technological readiness and missing commercialisation, which need to be bridged in the future. We conclude that connecting microfluidics and biotechnology is not an impossible challenge and made seven suggestions to bridge the gaps between those disciplines. This lays the foundation for routine integration of microfluidic systems into biotechnology research procedures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vera Ortseifen
- Proteome and Metabolome Research, Faculty of Biology, Center for Biotechnology/CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Martina Viefhues
- Experimental Biophysics and Applied Nanosciences, Faculty of Physics, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Lutz Wobbe
- Algae Biotechnology and Bioenergy Group, Faculty of Biology, Center for Biotechnology/CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Alexander Grünberger
- Multiscale Bioengineering, Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Totaro D, Radoman B, Schmelzer B, Rothbauer M, Steiger MG, Mayr T, Sauer M, Ertl P, Mattanovich D. Microscale Perfusion-Based Cultivation for Pichia pastoris Clone Screening Enables Accelerated and Optimized Recombinant Protein Production Processes. Biotechnol J 2020; 16:e2000215. [PMID: 32935449 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202000215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Pichia pastoris has emerged in the past years as a promising host for recombinant protein and biopharmaceutical production. In the establishment of high cell density fed-batch biomanufacturing, screening phase and early bioprocess development (based on microplates and shake flasks) still represent a bottleneck due to high-cost and time-consuming procedures as well as low experiment complexity. In the present work, a screening protocol developed for P. pastoris clone selection is implemented in a multiplexed microfluidic device with 15 μL cultivation chambers able to operate in perfusion mode and monitor dissolved oxygen content in the culture in a non-invasive way. The setup allowed us to establish carbon-limited conditions and evaluate strain responses to different input variables. Results from micro-scale perfusion cultures are then compared with 1L fed-batch fermentation. The best producer in terms of titer and productivity is rapidly identified after 12 h from inoculation and the results confirmed by lab-scale fermentation. Moreover, the physiological analyses of the strains under different conditions suggested how more complex experimental conditions are achievable despite the relatively easy, straight-forward, and cost-effective experimental setup. Implementation and standardization of these micro-scale protocols could reduce the demand for lab-scale bioreactor cultivations thus accelerating the development of protein production processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Damiano Totaro
- ACIB GmbH, Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria.,Faculty of Technical Chemistry, Vienna University of Technology, Getreidemarkt 9, Vienna, 1060, Austria
| | - Bojana Radoman
- ACIB GmbH, Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Schmelzer
- ACIB GmbH, Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mario Rothbauer
- Faculty of Technical Chemistry, Vienna University of Technology, Getreidemarkt 9, Vienna, 1060, Austria
| | - Matthias G Steiger
- ACIB GmbH, Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria.,Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, Vienna University of Technology, Getreidemarkt 9/166 A, Vienna, 1060, Austria
| | - Torsten Mayr
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 9 / II + III, Graz, 8010, Austria
| | - Michael Sauer
- ACIB GmbH, Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Ertl
- Faculty of Technical Chemistry, Vienna University of Technology, Getreidemarkt 9, Vienna, 1060, Austria
| | - Diethard Mattanovich
- ACIB GmbH, Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Gul I, Bogale TF, Chen Y, Yang X, Fang R, Feng J, Gao H, Tang L. A paper-based whole-cell screening assay for directed evolution-driven enzyme engineering. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 104:6013-6022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-10615-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
|
17
|
Yao L, Shabestary K, Björk SM, Asplund-Samuelsson J, Joensson HN, Jahn M, Hudson EP. Pooled CRISPRi screening of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp PCC 6803 for enhanced industrial phenotypes. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1666. [PMID: 32245970 PMCID: PMC7125299 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15491-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are model organisms for photosynthesis and are attractive for biotechnology applications. To aid investigation of genotype-phenotype relationships in cyanobacteria, we develop an inducible CRISPRi gene repression library in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, where we aim to target all genes for repression. We track the growth of all library members in multiple conditions and estimate gene fitness. The library reveals several clones with increased growth rates, and these have a common upregulation of genes related to cyclic electron flow. We challenge the library with 0.1 M L-lactate and find that repression of peroxiredoxin bcp2 increases growth rate by 49%. Transforming the library into an L-lactate-secreting Synechocystis strain and sorting top lactate producers enriches clones with sgRNAs targeting nutrient assimilation, central carbon metabolism, and cyclic electron flow. In many examples, productivity can be enhanced by repression of essential genes, which are difficult to access by transposon insertion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lun Yao
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-171 21, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Protein Science, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kiyan Shabestary
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-171 21, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Protein Science, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sara M Björk
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-171 21, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Protein Science, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johannes Asplund-Samuelsson
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-171 21, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Protein Science, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Haakan N Joensson
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-171 21, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Protein Science, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael Jahn
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-171 21, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Protein Science, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elton P Hudson
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-171 21, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Department of Protein Science, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Wang B, Wang Z, Chen T, Zhao X. Development of Novel Bioreactor Control Systems Based on Smart Sensors and Actuators. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:7. [PMID: 32117906 PMCID: PMC7011095 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioreactors of various forms have been widely used in environmental protection, healthcare, industrial biotechnology, and space exploration. Robust demand in the field stimulated the development of novel designs of bioreactor geometries and process control strategies and the evolution of the physical structure of the control system. After the introduction of digital computers to bioreactor process control, a hierarchical structure control system (HSCS) for bioreactors has become the dominant physical structure, having high efficiency and robustness. However, inherent drawbacks of the HSCS for bioreactors have produced a need for a more consolidated solution of the control system. With the fast progress in sensors, machinery, and information technology, the development of a flat organizational control system (FOCS) for bioreactors based on parallel distributed smart sensors and actuators may provide a more concise solution for process control in bioreactors. Here, we review the evolution of the physical structure of bioreactor control systems and discuss the properties of the novel FOCS for bioreactors and related smart sensors and actuators and their application circumstances, with the hope of further improving the efficiency, robustness, and economics of bioprocess control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Baowei Wang
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin, China
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (MOE), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhiwen Wang
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin, China
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (MOE), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Tao Chen
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin, China
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (MOE), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xueming Zhao
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin, China
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (MOE), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
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.
Collapse
|
20
|
Tools and systems for evolutionary engineering of biomolecules and microorganisms. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 46:1313-1326. [DOI: 10.1007/s10295-019-02191-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Evolutionary approaches have been providing solutions to various bioengineering challenges in an efficient manner. In addition to traditional adaptive laboratory evolution and directed evolution, recent advances in synthetic biology and fluidic systems have opened a new era of evolutionary engineering. Synthetic genetic circuits have been created to control mutagenesis and enable screening of various phenotypes, particularly metabolite production. Fluidic systems can be used for high-throughput screening and multiplexed continuous cultivation of microorganisms. Moreover, continuous directed evolution has been achieved by combining all the steps of evolutionary engineering. Overall, modern tools and systems for evolutionary engineering can be used to establish the artificial equivalent to natural evolution for various research applications.
Collapse
|