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Li M, Raza M, Song S, Hou L, Zhang ZF, Gao M, Huang JE, Liu F, Cai L. Application of culturomics in fungal isolation from mangrove sediments. MICROBIOME 2023; 11:272. [PMID: 38082427 PMCID: PMC10712113 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01708-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fungi play a crucial role in ecosystems, and they have been widely considered a promising source for natural compounds that are crucial for drug discovery. Fungi have a high diversity, but about 95% of them remain unknown to science. The description rate of fungi is very low, mainly due to the inability of most fungi to grow in artificial media, which could not provide a sufficiently similar environment to their natural habitats. Moreover, many species in nature are in a state of low metabolic activity which cannot readily proliferate without proper resuscitation. Previously developed culturomics techniques are mostly designed and applicable for bacteria, with few attempts for fungal isolation because of their significantly larger cell size and hyphal growth properties. RESULTS This study attempted to isolate previously uncultured and rare fungi from mangrove sediments using newly developed fungal enrichment culture method (FECM) and fungal isolation chips (FiChips). Comparison of fungal community composition at different enrichment stages showed that FECM had great influence on fungal community composition, with rare taxa increased significantly, thus improving the isolation efficiency of previously uncultured fungi. Similarly, in situ cultivation using FiChips has a significant advantage in detecting and culturing rare fungi, as compared to the conventional dilution plate method (DPM). In addition, based on morphological comparisons and phylogenetic analyses, we described and proposed 38 new ascomycetous taxa, including three new families, eight new genera, 25 new species, and two new combinations (presented in additional file 1). CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrated that mangrove sediments harbor a high diversity of fungi, and our new isolation approaches (FECM and FiChips) presented a high efficiency in isolating hitherto uncultured fungi, which is potentially usable for fungal isolation in other similar environments. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Mubashar Raza
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management On Crops in Northwestern Oasis, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Plant Protection, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi, 830091, China
| | - Shuang Song
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Lingwei Hou
- Key Lab of Space Nutrition and Food Engineering, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Zhi-Feng Zhang
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China
| | - Min Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jun-En Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Fang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Lei Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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Seo EY, Jung D, Epstein SS, Zhang W, Owen JS, Baba H, Yamamoto A, Harada M, Nakashimada Y, Kato S, Aoi Y, He S. A targeted liquid cultivation method for previously uncultured non-colony forming microbes. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1194466. [PMID: 37362942 PMCID: PMC10288195 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1194466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
A large number of microbes are not able to form colonies using agar-plating methods, which is one of the reasons that cultivation based on solid media leaves the majority of microbial diversity in the environment inaccessible. We developed a new Non-Colony-Forming Liquid Cultivation method (NCFLC) that can selectively isolate non-colony-forming microbes that exclusively grow in liquid culture. The NCFLC method involves physically separating cells using dilution-to-extinction (DTE) cultivation and then selecting those that could not grow on a solid medium. The NCFLC was applied to marine samples from a coastal intertidal zone and soil samples from a forest area, and the results were compared with those from the standard direct plating method (SDP). The NCFLC yielded fastidious bacteria from marine samples such as Acidobacteriota, Epsilonproteobacteria, Oligoflexia, and Verrucomicrobiota. Furthermore, 62% of the isolated strains were potential new species, whereas only 10% were novel species from SDP. From soil samples, isolates belonging to Acidobacteriota and Armatimonadota (which are known as rare species among identified isolates) were exclusively isolated by NCFLC. Colony formation capabilities of isolates cultivated by NCFLC were tested using solid agar plates, among which approximately one-third of the isolates were non-colony-forming, approximately half-formed micro-colonies, and only a minority could form ordinary size colonies. This indicates that the majority of the strains cultivated by NCFLC were previously uncultured microbial species unavailable using the SDP method. The NCFCL method described here can serve as a new approach to accessing the hidden microbial dark matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Young Seo
- Li Dak Sum Yip Yio Chin Kenneth Li Marine Biopharmaceutical Research Center, College of Food and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Ningbo Institute of Marine Medicine, Peking University, Ningbo, China
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Graduate School of Advanced Sciences of Matter, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
| | - Dawoon Jung
- Li Dak Sum Yip Yio Chin Kenneth Li Marine Biopharmaceutical Research Center, College of Food and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Ningbo Institute of Marine Medicine, Peking University, Ningbo, China
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Graduate School of Advanced Sciences of Matter, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
| | - Slava S. Epstein
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Weiyan Zhang
- Li Dak Sum Yip Yio Chin Kenneth Li Marine Biopharmaceutical Research Center, College of Food and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jeffrey S. Owen
- Department of Environmental Science, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Yongin, Republic of Korea
| | - Hiroaki Baba
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
| | - Akina Yamamoto
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
| | - Mifuyu Harada
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
| | - Yutaka Nakashimada
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Graduate School of Advanced Sciences of Matter, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
| | - Setsu Kato
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Graduate School of Advanced Sciences of Matter, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
| | - Yoshiteru Aoi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Graduate School of Advanced Sciences of Matter, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
| | - Shan He
- Li Dak Sum Yip Yio Chin Kenneth Li Marine Biopharmaceutical Research Center, College of Food and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Ningbo Institute of Marine Medicine, Peking University, Ningbo, China
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3
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Jo C, Bernstein DB, Vaisman N, Frydman HM, Segrè D. Construction and Modeling of a Coculture Microplate for Real-Time Measurement of Microbial Interactions. mSystems 2023; 8:e0001721. [PMID: 36802169 PMCID: PMC10134821 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00017-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The dynamic structures of microbial communities emerge from the complex network of interactions between their constituent microorganisms. Quantitative measurements of these interactions are important for understanding and engineering ecosystem structure. Here, we present the development and application of the BioMe plate, a redesigned microplate device in which pairs of wells are separated by porous membranes. BioMe facilitates the measurement of dynamic microbial interactions and integrates easily with standard laboratory equipment. We first applied BioMe to recapitulate recently characterized, natural symbiotic interactions between bacteria isolated from the Drosophila melanogaster gut microbiome. Specifically, the BioMe plate allowed us to observe the benefit provided by two Lactobacillus strains to an Acetobacter strain. We next explored the use of BioMe to gain quantitative insight into the engineered obligate syntrophic interaction between a pair of Escherichia coli amino acid auxotrophs. We integrated experimental observations with a mechanistic computational model to quantify key parameters associated with this syntrophic interaction, including metabolite secretion and diffusion rates. This model also allowed us to explain the slow growth observed for auxotrophs growing in adjacent wells by demonstrating that, under the relevant range of parameters, local exchange between auxotrophs is essential for efficient growth. The BioMe plate provides a scalable and flexible approach for the study of dynamic microbial interactions. IMPORTANCE Microbial communities participate in many essential processes from biogeochemical cycles to the maintenance of human health. The structure and functions of these communities are dynamic properties that depend on poorly understood interactions among different species. Unraveling these interactions is therefore a crucial step toward understanding natural microbiota and engineering artificial ones. Microbial interactions have been difficult to measure directly, largely due to limitations of existing methods to disentangle the contribution of different organisms in mixed cocultures. To overcome these limitations, we developed the BioMe plate, a custom microplate-based device that enables direct measurement of microbial interactions, by detecting the abundance of segregated populations of microbes that can exchange small molecules through a membrane. We demonstrated the possible application of the BioMe plate for studying both natural and artificial consortia. BioMe is a scalable and accessible platform that can be used to broadly characterize microbial interactions mediated by diffusible molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Jo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David B. Bernstein
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Natalie Vaisman
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, Brasília, Brazil
| | | | - Daniel Segrè
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Program in Bioinformatics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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4
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Wan X, Yang Q, Wang X, Bai Y, Liu Z. Isolation and Cultivation of Human Gut Microorganisms: A Review. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11041080. [PMID: 37110502 PMCID: PMC10141110 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11041080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial resources from the human gut may find use in various applications, such as empirical research on the microbiome, the development of probiotic products, and bacteriotherapy. Due to the development of "culturomics", the number of pure bacterial cultures obtained from the human gut has significantly increased since 2012. However, there is still a considerable number of human gut microbes to be isolated and cultured. Thus, to improve the efficiency of obtaining microbial resources from the human gut, some constraints of the current methods, such as labor burden, culture condition, and microbial targetability, still need to be optimized. Here, we overview the general knowledge and recent development of culturomics for human gut microorganisms. Furthermore, we discuss the optimization of several parts of culturomics including sample collection, sample processing, isolation, and cultivation, which may improve the current strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuchun Wan
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Qianqian Yang
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Xiangfeng Wang
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Yun Bai
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Zhi Liu
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
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5
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Kapinusova G, Lopez Marin MA, Uhlik O. Reaching unreachables: Obstacles and successes of microbial cultivation and their reasons. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1089630. [PMID: 36960281 PMCID: PMC10027941 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1089630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In terms of the number and diversity of living units, the prokaryotic empire is the most represented form of life on Earth, and yet it is still to a significant degree shrouded in darkness. This microbial "dark matter" hides a great deal of potential in terms of phylogenetically or metabolically diverse microorganisms, and thus it is important to acquire them in pure culture. However, do we know what microorganisms really need for their growth, and what the obstacles are to the cultivation of previously unidentified taxa? Here we review common and sometimes unexpected requirements of environmental microorganisms, especially soil-harbored bacteria, needed for their replication and cultivation. These requirements include resuscitation stimuli, physical and chemical factors aiding cultivation, growth factors, and co-cultivation in a laboratory and natural microbial neighborhood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ondrej Uhlik
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czechia
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6
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Yu Y, Wen H, Li S, Cao H, Li X, Ma Z, She X, Zhou L, Huang S. Emerging microfluidic technologies for microbiome research. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:906979. [PMID: 36051769 PMCID: PMC9424851 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.906979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The importance of the microbiome is increasingly prominent. For example, the human microbiome has been proven to be strongly associated with health conditions, while the environmental microbiome is recognized to have a profound influence on agriculture and even the global climate. Furthermore, the microbiome can serve as a fascinating reservoir of genes that encode tremendously valuable compounds for industrial and medical applications. In the past decades, various technologies have been developed to better understand and exploit the microbiome. In particular, microfluidics has demonstrated its strength and prominence in the microbiome research. By taking advantage of microfluidic technologies, inherited shortcomings of traditional methods such as low throughput, labor-consuming, and high-cost are being compensated or bypassed. In this review, we will summarize a broad spectrum of microfluidic technologies that have addressed various needs in the field of microbiome research, as well as the achievements that were enabled by the microfluidics (or technological advances). Finally, how microfluidics overcomes the limitations of conventional methods by technology integration will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Faculty of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hui Wen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Faculty of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Sihong Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Faculty of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haojie Cao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Faculty of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xuefei Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Faculty of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhixin Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Faculty of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaoyi She
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Faculty of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Faculty of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shuqiang Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Faculty of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Shuqiang Huang,
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7
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Liu X, Inda ME, Lai Y, Lu TK, Zhao X. Engineered Living Hydrogels. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2201326. [PMID: 35243704 PMCID: PMC9250645 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202201326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Living biological systems, ranging from single cells to whole organisms, can sense, process information, and actuate in response to changing environmental conditions. Inspired by living biological systems, engineered living cells and nonliving matrices are brought together, which gives rise to the technology of engineered living materials. By designing the functionalities of living cells and the structures of nonliving matrices, engineered living materials can be created to detect variability in the surrounding environment and to adjust their functions accordingly, thereby enabling applications in health monitoring, disease treatment, and environmental remediation. Hydrogels, a class of soft, wet, and biocompatible materials, have been widely used as matrices for engineered living cells, leading to the nascent field of engineered living hydrogels. Here, the interactions between hydrogel matrices and engineered living cells are described, focusing on how hydrogels influence cell behaviors and how cells affect hydrogel properties. The interactions between engineered living hydrogels and their environments, and how these interactions enable versatile applications, are also discussed. Finally, current challenges facing the field of engineered living hydrogels for their applications in clinical and environmental settings are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Maria Eugenia Inda
- Synthetic Biology Group, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Yong Lai
- Synthetic Biology Group, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Timothy K Lu
- Synthetic Biology Group, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Xuanhe Zhao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
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8
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Bacterial response to spatial gradients of algal-derived nutrients in a porous microplate. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:1036-1045. [PMID: 34789844 PMCID: PMC8940921 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01147-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Photosynthetic microalgae are responsible for 50% of the global atmospheric CO2 fixation into organic matter and hold potential as a renewable bioenergy source. Their metabolic interactions with the surrounding microbial community (the algal microbiome) play critical roles in carbon cycling, but due to methodological limitations, it has been challenging to examine how community development is influenced by spatial proximity to their algal host. Here we introduce a copolymer-based porous microplate to co-culture algae and bacteria, where metabolites are constantly exchanged between the microorganisms while maintaining physical separation. In the microplate, we found that the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum accumulated to cell abundances ~20 fold higher than under normal batch conditions due to constant replenishment of nutrients through the porous structure. We also demonstrate that algal-associated bacteria, both single isolates and complex communities, responded to inorganic nutrients away from their host as well as organic nutrients originating from the algae in a spatially predictable manner. These experimental findings coupled with a mathematical model suggest that host proximity and algal culture growth phase impact bacterial community development in a taxon-specific manner through organic and inorganic nutrient availability. Our novel system presents a useful tool to investigate universal metabolic interactions between microbes in aquatic ecosystems.
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Vaiana CA, Kim H, Cottet J, Oai K, Ge Z, Conforti K, King AM, Meyer AJ, Chen H, Voigt CA, Buie CR. Characterizing chemical signaling between engineered "microbial sentinels" in porous microplates. Mol Syst Biol 2022; 18:e10785. [PMID: 35315586 PMCID: PMC8938921 DOI: 10.15252/msb.202110785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Living materials combine a material scaffold, that is often porous, with engineered cells that perform sensing, computing, and biosynthetic tasks. Designing such systems is difficult because little is known regarding signaling transport parameters in the material. Here, the development of a porous microplate is presented. Hydrogel barriers between wells have a porosity of 60% and a tortuosity factor of 1.6, allowing molecular diffusion between wells. The permeability of dyes, antibiotics, inducers, and quorum signals between wells were characterized. A “sentinel” strain was constructed by introducing orthogonal sensors into the genome of Escherichia coli MG1655 for IPTG, anhydrotetracycline, L‐arabinose, and four quorum signals. The strain’s response to inducer diffusion through the wells was quantified up to 14 mm, and quorum and antibacterial signaling were measured over 16 h. Signaling distance is dictated by hydrogel adsorption, quantified using a linear finite element model that yields adsorption coefficients from 0 to 0.1 mol m−3. Parameters derived herein will aid the design of living materials for pathogen remediation, computation, and self‐organizing biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Vaiana
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hyungseok Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan Cottet
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Keiko Oai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Zhifei Ge
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kameron Conforti
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Andrew M King
- Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Adam J Meyer
- Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Haorong Chen
- Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Christopher A Voigt
- Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Cullen R Buie
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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10
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Davidson SL, Niepa THR. Micro-Technologies for Assessing Microbial Dynamics in Controlled Environments. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:745835. [PMID: 35154021 PMCID: PMC8831547 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.745835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
With recent advances in microfabrication technologies, the miniaturization of traditional culturing techniques has provided ideal methods for interrogating microbial communities in a confined and finely controlled environment. Micro-technologies offer high-throughput screening and analysis, reduced experimental time and resources, and have low footprint. More importantly, they provide access to culturing microbes in situ in their natural environments and similarly, offer optical access to real-time dynamics under a microscope. Utilizing micro-technologies for the discovery, isolation and cultivation of "unculturable" species will propel many fields forward; drug discovery, point-of-care diagnostics, and fundamental studies in microbial community behaviors rely on the exploration of novel metabolic pathways. However, micro-technologies are still largely proof-of-concept, and scalability and commercialization of micro-technologies will require increased accessibility to expensive equipment and resources, as well as simpler designs for usability. Here, we discuss three different miniaturized culturing practices; including microarrays, micromachined devices, and microfluidics; advancements to the field, and perceived challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanna-Leigh Davidson
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Tagbo H. R. Niepa
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Center for Medicine and the Microbiome, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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11
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Zhu X, Wang K, Yan H, Liu C, Zhu X, Chen B. Microfluidics as an Emerging Platform for Exploring Soil Environmental Processes: A Critical Review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:711-731. [PMID: 34985862 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c03899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Investigating environmental processes, especially those occurring in soils, calls for innovative and multidisciplinary technologies that can provide insights at the microscale. The heterogeneity, opacity, and dynamics make the soil a "black box" where interactions and processes are elusive. Recently, microfluidics has emerged as a powerful research platform and experimental tool which can create artificial soil micromodels, enabling exploring soil processes on a chip. Micro/nanofabricated microfluidic devices can mimic some of the key features of soil with highly controlled physical and chemical microenvironments at the scale of pores, aggregates, and microbes. The combination of various techniques makes microfluidics an integrated approach for observation, reaction, analysis, and characterization. In this review, we systematically summarize the emerging applications of microfluidic soil platforms, from investigating soil interfacial processes and soil microbial processes to soil analysis and high-throughput screening. We highlight how innovative microfluidic devices are used to provide new insights into soil processes, mechanisms, and effects at the microscale, which contribute to an integrated interrogation of the soil systems across different scales. Critical discussions of the practical limitations of microfluidic soil platforms and perspectives of future research directions are summarized. We envisage that microfluidics will represent the technological advances toward microscopic, controllable, and in situ soil research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyu Zhu
- Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Kun Wang
- Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Huicong Yan
- Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Congcong Liu
- Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Xiaoying Zhu
- Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Baoliang Chen
- Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
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12
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Rämä T, Quandt CA. Improving Fungal Cultivability for Natural Products Discovery. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:706044. [PMID: 34603232 PMCID: PMC8481835 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.706044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The pool of fungal secondary metabolites can be extended by activating silent gene clusters of cultured strains or by using sensitive biological assays that detect metabolites missed by analytical methods. Alternatively, or in parallel with the first approach, one can increase the diversity of existing culture collections to improve the access to new natural products. This review focuses on the latter approach of screening previously uncultured fungi for chemodiversity. Both strategies have been practiced since the early days of fungal biodiscovery, yet relatively little has been done to overcome the challenge of cultivability of as-yet-uncultivated fungi. Whereas earlier cultivability studies using media formulations and biological assays to scrutinize fungal growth and associated factors were actively conducted, the application of modern omics methods remains limited to test how to culture the fungal dark matter and recalcitrant groups of described fungi. This review discusses the development of techniques to increase the cultivability of filamentous fungi that include culture media formulations and the utilization of known chemical growth factors, in situ culturing and current synthetic biology approaches that build upon knowledge from sequenced genomes. We list more than 100 growth factors, i.e., molecules, biological or physical factors that have been demonstrated to induce spore germination as well as tens of inducers of mycelial growth. We review culturing conditions that can be successfully manipulated for growth of fungi and visit recent information from omics methods to discuss the metabolic basis of cultivability. Earlier work has demonstrated the power of co-culturing fungi with their host, other microorganisms or their exudates to increase their cultivability. Co-culturing of two or more organisms is also a strategy used today for increasing cultivability. However, fungi possess an increased risk for cross-contaminations between isolates in existing in situ or microfluidics culturing devices. Technological improvements for culturing fungi are discussed in the review. We emphasize that improving the cultivability of fungi remains a relevant strategy in drug discovery and underline the importance of ecological and taxonomic knowledge in culture-dependent drug discovery. Combining traditional and omics techniques such as single cell or metagenome sequencing opens up a new era in the study of growth factors of hundreds of thousands of fungal species with high drug discovery potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teppo Rämä
- Marbio, Norwegian College of Fishery Science, University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - C. Alisha Quandt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
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13
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Birer-Williams CMC, Chu RK, Anderton CR, Wright ES. SubTap, a Versatile 3D Printed Platform for Eavesdropping on Extracellular Interactions. mSystems 2021; 6:e0090221. [PMID: 34427520 PMCID: PMC8422993 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00902-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Communication within the microbiome occurs through an immense diversity of small molecules. Capturing these microbial interactions is a significant challenge due to the complexity of the exometabolome and its sensitivity to environmental stimuli. Traditional methods for acquiring exometabolomic data from interacting microorganisms are limited by their low throughput or lack of sampling depth. To address this challenge, we introduce subtapping (short for substrate tapping), a technique for tapping into extracellular metabolites that are being transferred through the growth substrate during coculture. High-throughput subtapping is made possible by a new coculturing platform, named SubTap, that we engineered to resemble a 96-well plate. The three-dimensional (3D) printed SubTap platform captures the exometabolome in an agar compartment that connects physically separated growth chambers, which permits cell growth without competition for space. We show how SubTap facilitates replicable and quick detection of exometabolites via direct infusion mass spectrometry analysis. Using bacterial isolates from the soil, we apply SubTap to characterize the effects of growth medium, growth duration, and mixed versus unmixed coculturing on the exometabolome. Finally, we demonstrate SubTap's versatility by interrogating microbial interactions in multicultures with up to four strains. IMPORTANCE Improvements in experimental techniques and instrumentation have led to the discovery that the microbiome plays an essential role in human and environmental health. Nevertheless, there remain major impediments to conducting large-scale interrogations of the microbiome in a high-throughput manner, particularly in the field of exometabolomics. Existing methods to coculture microorganisms and interrogate their interactions are labor-intensive and low throughput. This inspired us to develop a solution for coculturing that was (i) open source, (ii) inexpensive, (iii) scalable, (iv) customizable, and (v) compatible with existing mass spectrometry instrumentation. Here, we present SubTap-a 3D printed coculturing platform that permits tapping directly into the growth substrate between physically separated, but interconnected, growth compartments. SubTap allows multiculture (with up to four distinct growth compartments) in spatially mixed or unmixed configurations and enables repeatable results with mass spectrometry, as shown by our validation with known compounds and cultures of one to four organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline M. C. Birer-Williams
- Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales (BBV) EA 2106, Université de Tours, Tours, France
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rosalie K. Chu
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA
| | - Christopher R. Anderton
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA
| | - Erik S. Wright
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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14
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Cahn JKB, Piel J. Anwendungen von Einzelzellmethoden in der mikrobiellen Naturstoffforschung. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201900532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jackson K. B. Cahn
- Institut für Mikrobiologie Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH) 8093 Zürich Schweiz
| | - Jörn Piel
- Institut für Mikrobiologie Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH) 8093 Zürich Schweiz
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15
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Lewis WH, Tahon G, Geesink P, Sousa DZ, Ettema TJG. Innovations to culturing the uncultured microbial majority. Nat Rev Microbiol 2021; 19:225-240. [PMID: 33093661 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-020-00458-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 69.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite the surge of microbial genome data, experimental testing is important to confirm inferences about the cell biology, ecological roles and evolution of microorganisms. As the majority of archaeal and bacterial diversity remains uncultured and poorly characterized, culturing is a priority. The growing interest in and need for efficient cultivation strategies has led to many rapid methodological and technological advances. In this Review, we discuss common barriers that can hamper the isolation and culturing of novel microorganisms and review emerging, innovative methods for targeted or high-throughput cultivation. We also highlight recent examples of successful cultivation of novel archaea and bacteria, and suggest key microorganisms for future cultivation attempts.
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Affiliation(s)
- William H Lewis
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Guillaume Tahon
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Patricia Geesink
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Diana Z Sousa
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Thijs J G Ettema
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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16
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Cahn JKB, Piel J. Opening up the Single-Cell Toolbox for Microbial Natural Products Research. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:18412-18428. [PMID: 30748086 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201900532] [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] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The diverse microbes that produce natural products represent an important source of novel therapeutics, drug leads, and scientific tools. However, the vast majority have not been grown in axenic culture and are members of complex communities. While meta-'omic methods such as metagenomics, -transcriptomics, and -proteomics reveal collective molecular features of this "microbial dark matter", the study of individual microbiome members can be challenging. To address these limits, a number of techniques with single-bacterial resolution have been developed in the last decade and a half. While several of these are embraced by microbial ecologists, there has been less use by researchers interested in mining microbes for natural products. In this review, we discuss the available and emerging techniques for targeted single-cell analysis with a particular focus on applications to the discovery and study of natural products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackson K B Cahn
- Instit. of Microbiol., Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH), 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jörn Piel
- Instit. of Microbiol., Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH), 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
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17
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Hengoju S, Tovar M, Man DKW, Buchheim S, Rosenbaum MA. Droplet Microfluidics for Microbial Biotechnology. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2020; 179:129-157. [PMID: 32888037 DOI: 10.1007/10_2020_140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Droplet microfluidics has recently evolved as a prominent platform for high-throughput experimentation for various research fields including microbiology. Key features of droplet microfluidics, like compartmentalization, miniaturization, and parallelization, have enabled many possibilities for microbiology including cultivation of microorganisms at a single-cell level, study of microbial interactions in a community, detection and analysis of microbial products, and screening of extensive microbial libraries with ultrahigh-throughput and minimal reagent consumptions. In this book chapter, we present several aspects and applications of droplet microfluidics for its implementation in various fields of microbial biotechnology. Recent advances in the cultivation of microorganisms in droplets including methods for isolation and domestication of rare microbes are reviewed. Similarly, a comparison of different detection and analysis techniques for microbial activities is summarized. Finally, several microbial applications are discussed with a focus on exploring new antimicrobials and high-throughput enzyme activity screening. We aim to highlight the advantages, limitations, and current developments in droplet microfluidics for microbial biotechnology while envisioning its enormous potential applications in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sundar Hengoju
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University (FSU), Jena, Germany
| | - Miguel Tovar
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - DeDe Kwun Wai Man
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Stefanie Buchheim
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University (FSU), Jena, Germany
| | - Miriam A Rosenbaum
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany. .,Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University (FSU), Jena, Germany.
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18
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Gaines A, Ludovice M, Xu J, Zanghi M, Meinersmann RJ, Berrang M, Daley W, Britton D. The dialogue between protozoa and bacteria in a microfluidic device. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0222484. [PMID: 31596855 PMCID: PMC6784911 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In nature, protozoa play a major role in controlling bacterial populations. This paper proposes a microfluidic device for the study of protozoa behaviors change due to their chemotactic response in the presence of bacterial cells. A three-channel microfluidic device was designed using a nitrocellulose membrane into which channels were cut using a laser cutter. The membrane was sandwiched between two glass slides; a Euglena suspension was then allowed to flow through the central channel. The two side channels were filled with either, 0.1% peptone as a negative control, or a Listeria suspension respectively. The membrane design prevented direct interaction but allowed Euglena cells to detect Listeria cells as secretions diffused through the nitrocellulose membrane. A significant number of Euglena cells migrated toward the chambers near the bacterial cells, indicating a positive chemotactic response of Euglena toward chemical cues released from Listeria cells. Filtrates collected from Listeria suspension with a series of molecular weight cutoffs (3k, 10k and 100k) were examined in Euglena chemotaxis tests. Euglena cells were attracted to all filtrates collected from the membrane filtration with different molecular weight cutoffs, suggesting small molecules from Listeria might be the chemical cues to attract protozoa. Headspace volatile organic compounds (VOC) released from Listeria were collected, spiked to 0.1% peptone and tested as the chemotactic effectors. It was discovered that the Euglena cells responded quickly to Listeria VOCs including decanal, 3,5- dimethylbenzaldehyde, ethyl acetate, indicating bacterial VOCs were used by Euglena to track the location of bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gaines
- Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems Laboratory, Georgia Tech Research Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Miranda Ludovice
- Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems Laboratory, Georgia Tech Research Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Jie Xu
- Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems Laboratory, Georgia Tech Research Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Marc Zanghi
- Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems Laboratory, Georgia Tech Research Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Richard J. Meinersmann
- Richard B. Russell Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Mark Berrang
- Richard B. Russell Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Wayne Daley
- Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems Laboratory, Georgia Tech Research Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Doug Britton
- Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems Laboratory, Georgia Tech Research Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
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19
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van der Vlies AJ, Barua N, Nieves-Otero PA, Platt TG, Hansen RR. On Demand Release and Retrieval of Bacteria from Microwell Arrays Using Photodegradable Hydrogel Membranes. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2018; 2:266-276. [DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.8b00592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- André J. van der Vlies
- Chemical Engineering Department, Kansas State University, 1701A Platt Street, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, United States
| | - Niloy Barua
- Chemical Engineering Department, Kansas State University, 1701A Platt Street, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, United States
| | - Priscila A. Nieves-Otero
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, 1717 Claflin Road, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, United States
| | - Thomas G. Platt
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, 1717 Claflin Road, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, United States
| | - Ryan R. Hansen
- Chemical Engineering Department, Kansas State University, 1701A Platt Street, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, United States
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20
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Huys GR, Raes J. Go with the flow or solitary confinement: a look inside the single-cell toolbox for isolation of rare and uncultured microbes. Curr Opin Microbiol 2018; 44:1-8. [PMID: 29908491 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
With the vast majority of the microbial world still considered unculturable or undiscovered, microbiologists not only require more fundamental insights concerning microbial growth requirements but also need to implement miniaturized, versatile and high-throughput technologies to upscale current microbial isolation strategies. In this respect, single-cell-based approaches are increasingly finding their way to the microbiology lab. A number of recent studies have demonstrated that analysis and separation of free microbial cells by flow-based sorting as well as physical stochastic confinement of individual cells in microenvironment compartments can facilitate the isolation of previously uncultured species and the discovery of novel microbial taxa. Still, while most of these methods give immediate access to downstream whole genome sequencing, upscaling to higher cell densities as required for metabolic readouts and preservation purposes can remain challenging. Provided that these and other technological challenges are addressed in future innovation rounds, integration of single-cell tools in commercially available benchtop instruments and service platforms is expected to trigger more targeted explorations in the microbial dark matter at a depth comparable to metagenomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geert Rb Huys
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Raes
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium.
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21
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Nagy K, Ábrahám Á, Keymer JE, Galajda P. Application of Microfluidics in Experimental Ecology: The Importance of Being Spatial. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:496. [PMID: 29616009 PMCID: PMC5870036 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Microfluidics is an emerging technology that is used more and more in biology experiments. Its capabilities of creating precisely controlled conditions in cellular dimensions make it ideal to explore cell-cell and cell-environment interactions. Thus, a wide spectrum of problems in microbial ecology can be studied using engineered microbial habitats. Moreover, artificial microfluidic ecosystems can serve as model systems to test ecology theories and principles that apply on a higher level in the hierarchy of biological organization. In this mini review we aim to demonstrate the versatility of microfluidics and the diversity of its applications that help the advance of microbiology, and in more general, experimental ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krisztina Nagy
- Biological Research Centre, Institute of Biophysics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Ágnes Ábrahám
- Biological Research Centre, Institute of Biophysics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Multidisciplinary Medical Science, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Juan E. Keymer
- School of Biological Sciences and School of Physics, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Péter Galajda
- Biological Research Centre, Institute of Biophysics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
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22
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Li P, Dou X, Feng C, Müller M, Chang MW, Frettlöh M, Schönherr H. Isolated Reporter Bacteria in Supramolecular Hydrogel Microwell Arrays. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2017; 33:7799-7809. [PMID: 28486805 PMCID: PMC5740480 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b00749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Revised: 04/13/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The combination of supramolecular hydrogels formed by low molecular weight gelator self-assembly via noncovalent interactions within a scaffold derived from polyethylene glycol (PEG) affords an interesting approach to immobilize fully functional, isolated reporter bacteria in novel microwell arrays. The PEG-based scaffold serves as a stabilizing element and provides physical support for the self-assembly of the C2-phenyl-derived gelator on the micrometer scale. Supramolecular hydrogel microwell arrays with various shapes and sizes were used to isolate single or small numbers of Escherichia coli TOP10 pTetR-LasR-pLuxR-GFP. In the presence of the autoinducer N-(3-oxododecanoyl) homoserine lactone, the entrapped E. coli in the hydrogel microwell arrays showed an increased GFP expression. The shape and size of microwell arrays did not influence the fluorescence intensity and the projected size of the bacteria markedly, while the population density of seeded bacteria affected the number of bacteria expressing GFP per well. The hydrogel microwell arrays can be further used to investigate quorum sensing, reflecting communication in inter- and intraspecies bacterial communities for biology applications in the field of biosensors. In the future, these self-assembled hydrogel microwell arrays can also be used as a substrate to detect bacteria via secreted autoinducers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Li
- Physical
Chemistry I and Research Center of Micro and Nanochemistry and Engineering
(Cμ), Department of Chemistry and Biology, University of Siegen, Adolf-Reichwein-Strasse 2, 57076, Siegen, Germany
| | - Xiaoqiu Dou
- Physical
Chemistry I and Research Center of Micro and Nanochemistry and Engineering
(Cμ), Department of Chemistry and Biology, University of Siegen, Adolf-Reichwein-Strasse 2, 57076, Siegen, Germany
| | - Chuanliang Feng
- State
Key Lab of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and
Engineering, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, 200240, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Mareike Müller
- Physical
Chemistry I and Research Center of Micro and Nanochemistry and Engineering
(Cμ), Department of Chemistry and Biology, University of Siegen, Adolf-Reichwein-Strasse 2, 57076, Siegen, Germany
| | - Matthew Wook Chang
- Department
of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, and NUS Synthetic
Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), Life Sciences
Institute, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore 117456, Singapore
| | - Martin Frettlöh
- Quh-Lab
Food Safety, Siegener
Strasse 29, 57080, Siegen, Germany
| | - Holger Schönherr
- Physical
Chemistry I and Research Center of Micro and Nanochemistry and Engineering
(Cμ), Department of Chemistry and Biology, University of Siegen, Adolf-Reichwein-Strasse 2, 57076, Siegen, Germany
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23
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Vervoort Y, Linares AG, Roncoroni M, Liu C, Steensels J, Verstrepen KJ. High-throughput system-wide engineering and screening for microbial biotechnology. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2017; 46:120-125. [PMID: 28346890 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2017.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Revised: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Genetic engineering and screening of large number of cells or populations is a crucial bottleneck in today's systems biology and applied (micro)biology. Instead of using standard methods in bottles, flasks or 96-well plates, scientists are increasingly relying on high-throughput strategies that miniaturize their experiments to the nanoliter and picoliter scale and the single-cell level. In this review, we summarize different high-throughput system-wide genome engineering and screening strategies for microbes. More specifically, we will emphasize the use of multiplex automated genome evolution (MAGE) and CRISPR/Cas systems for high-throughput genome engineering and the application of (lab-on-chip) nanoreactors for high-throughput single-cell or population screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Vervoort
- Laboratory for Systems Biology, VIB Center for Microbiology, Gaston Geenslaan 1, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory for Genetics and Genomics, KU Leuven, Gaston Geenslaan 1, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; Imec Life Science Technologies, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alicia Gutiérrez Linares
- Laboratory for Systems Biology, VIB Center for Microbiology, Gaston Geenslaan 1, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory for Genetics and Genomics, KU Leuven, Gaston Geenslaan 1, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Miguel Roncoroni
- Laboratory for Systems Biology, VIB Center for Microbiology, Gaston Geenslaan 1, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory for Genetics and Genomics, KU Leuven, Gaston Geenslaan 1, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Chengxun Liu
- Imec Life Science Technologies, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan Steensels
- Laboratory for Systems Biology, VIB Center for Microbiology, Gaston Geenslaan 1, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory for Genetics and Genomics, KU Leuven, Gaston Geenslaan 1, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kevin J Verstrepen
- Laboratory for Systems Biology, VIB Center for Microbiology, Gaston Geenslaan 1, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory for Genetics and Genomics, KU Leuven, Gaston Geenslaan 1, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium.
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Kelley SO. New Technologies for Rapid Bacterial Identification and Antibiotic Resistance Profiling. SLAS Technol 2016; 22:113-121. [PMID: 27879409 DOI: 10.1177/2211068216680207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Conventional approaches to bacterial identification and drug susceptibility testing typically rely on culture-based approaches that take 2 to 7 days to return results. The long turnaround times contribute to the spread of infectious disease, negative patient outcomes, and the misuse of antibiotics that can contribute to antibiotic resistance. To provide new solutions enabling faster bacterial analysis, a variety of approaches are under development that leverage single-cell analysis, microfluidic concentration and detection strategies, and ultrasensitive readout mechanisms. This review discusses recent advances in this area and the potential of new technologies to enable more effective management of infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shana O Kelley
- 1 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,2 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,3 Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,4 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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