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Asama R, Liu CJS, Tominaga M, Cheng YR, Nakamura Y, Kondo A, Wang HY, Ishii J. Droplet-based microfluidic platform for detecting agonistic peptides that are self-secreted by yeast expressing a G-protein-coupled receptor. Microb Cell Fact 2024; 23:104. [PMID: 38594681 PMCID: PMC11005146 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-024-02379-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Single-cell droplet microfluidics is an important platform for high-throughput analyses and screening because it provides an independent and compartmentalized microenvironment for reaction or cultivation by coencapsulating individual cells with various molecules in monodisperse microdroplets. In combination with microbial biosensors, this technology becomes a potent tool for the screening of mutant strains. In this study, we demonstrated that a genetically engineered yeast strain that can fluorescently sense agonist ligands via the heterologous expression of a human G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and concurrently secrete candidate peptides is highly compatible with single-cell droplet microfluidic technology for the high-throughput screening of new agonistically active peptides. RESULTS The water-in-oil microdroplets were generated using a flow-focusing microfluidic chip to encapsulate engineered yeast cells coexpressing a human GPCR [i.e., angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AGTR1)] and a secretory agonistic peptide [i.e., angiotensin II (Ang II)]. The single yeast cells cultured in the droplets were then observed under a microscope and analyzed using image processing incorporating machine learning techniques. The AGTR1-mediated signal transduction elicited by the self-secreted Ang II peptide was successfully detected via the expression of a fluorescent reporter in single-cell yeast droplet cultures. The system could also distinguish Ang II analog peptides with different agonistic activities. Notably, we further demonstrated that the microenvironment of the single-cell droplet culture enabled the detection of rarely existing positive (Ang II-secreting) yeast cells in the model mixed cell library, whereas the conventional batch-culture environment using a shake flask failed to do so. Thus, our approach provided compartmentalized microculture environments, which can prevent the diffusion, dilution, and cross-contamination of peptides secreted from individual single yeast cells for the easy identification of GPCR agonists. CONCLUSIONS We established a droplet-based microfluidic platform that integrated an engineered yeast biosensor strain that concurrently expressed GPCR and self-secreted the agonistic peptides. This offers individually isolated microenvironments that allow the culture of single yeast cells secreting these peptides and gaging their signaling activities, for the high-throughput screening of agonistic peptides. Our platform base on yeast GPCR biosensors and droplet microfluidics will be widely applicable to metabolic engineering, environmental engineering, and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ririka Asama
- Graduate School of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
| | - Cher J S Liu
- Department of Engineering and System Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Masahiro Tominaga
- Graduate School of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
- Engineering Biology Research Center, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
| | - Yu-Ru Cheng
- Department of Engineering and System Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Yasuyuki Nakamura
- Graduate School of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
- Engineering Biology Research Center, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
- Bacchus Bio Innovation Co., Ltd., 6-3-7 Minatojima-Minami, Chuo, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Akihiko Kondo
- Graduate School of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
- Engineering Biology Research Center, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
- Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Hsiang-Yu Wang
- Department of Engineering and System Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.
| | - Jun Ishii
- Graduate School of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan.
- Engineering Biology Research Center, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan.
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Staskiewicz K, Dabrowska-Zawada M, Kozon L, Olszewska Z, Drewniak L, Kaminski TS. Droplet microfluidic system for high throughput and passive selection of bacteria producing biosurfactants. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:1947-1956. [PMID: 38436364 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00656e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Traditional methods for the enrichment of microorganisms rely on growth in a selective liquid medium or on an agar plate, followed by tedious characterization. Droplet microfluidic techniques have been recently used to cultivate microorganisms and preserve enriched bacterial taxonomic diversity. However, new methods are needed to select droplets comprising not only growing microorganisms but also those exhibiting specific properties, such as the production of value-added compounds. We describe here a droplet microfluidic screening technique for the functional selection of biosurfactant-producing microorganisms, which are of great interest in the bioremediation and biotechnology industries. Single bacterial cells are first encapsulated into picoliter droplets for clonal cultivation and then passively sorted at high throughput based on changes in interfacial tension in individual droplets. Our method expands droplet-based microbial enrichment with a novel approach that reduces the time and resources needed for the selection of surfactant-producing bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaudia Staskiewicz
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Poland.
- Dioscuri Centre for Physics and Chemistry of Bacteria, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maria Dabrowska-Zawada
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Lukasz Kozon
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Zofia Olszewska
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Poland
| | - Lukasz Drewniak
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Tomasz S Kaminski
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Poland.
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Poland
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3
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Pourmasoumi F, Hengoju S, Beck K, Stephan P, Klopfleisch L, Hoernke M, Rosenbaum MA, Kries H. Analysing Megasynthetase Mutants at High Throughput Using Droplet Microfluidics. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300680. [PMID: 37804133 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) are giant enzymatic assembly lines that deliver many pharmaceutically valuable natural products, including antibiotics. As the search for new antibiotics motivates attempts to redesign nonribosomal metabolic pathways, more robust and rapid sorting and screening platforms are needed. Here, we establish a microfluidic platform that reliably detects production of the model nonribosomal peptide gramicidin S. The detection is based on calcein-filled sensor liposomes yielding increased fluorescence upon permeabilization. From a library of NRPS mutants, the sorting platform enriches the gramicidin S producer 14.5-fold, decreases internal stop codons 250-fold, and generates enrichment factors correlating with enzyme activity. Screening for NRPS activity with a reliable non-binary sensor will enable more sophisticated structure-activity studies and new engineering applications in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzaneh Pourmasoumi
- Junior Research Group Biosynthetic Design of Natural Products, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Beutenbergstr. 11a, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Sundar Hengoju
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Beutenbergstr. 11a, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Katharina Beck
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Hermann-Herder-Str. 9, 79104, Freiburg i. Br., Germany
| | - Philipp Stephan
- Junior Research Group Biosynthetic Design of Natural Products, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Beutenbergstr. 11a, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Lukas Klopfleisch
- Junior Research Group Biosynthetic Design of Natural Products, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Beutenbergstr. 11a, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Maria Hoernke
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Hermann-Herder-Str. 9, 79104, Freiburg i. Br., Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry, Martin-Luther-Universität, Von-Danckelmann-Platz 4, 06108, Halle (S.), Germany
| | - Miriam A Rosenbaum
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Beutenbergstr. 11a, 07745, Jena, Germany
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Hajo Kries
- Junior Research Group Biosynthetic Design of Natural Products, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Beutenbergstr. 11a, 07745, Jena, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany
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4
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Zhang Y, Zhang X, Wang M. Product-driven high-throughput screening of industrial filamentous actinomycetes. Trends Biotechnol 2023; 41:1109-1112. [PMID: 36863908 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Traditional strain breeding of industrial filamentous actinomycetes has long been hampered by insufficient screening throughput. From microtiter plate based methods to droplet-based microfluidic screening, various novel product-driven high-throughput screening (HTS) methods have pushed the screening speed limit towards a minimum of hundreds of strains per second with single cell resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China.
| | - Xuemei Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China; Haihe Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China; School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Meng Wang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China.
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5
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Ito Y, Sasaki R, Asari S, Yasuda T, Ueda H, Kitaguchi T. Efficient Microfluidic Screening Method Using a Fluorescent Immunosensor for Recombinant Protein Secretions. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2207943. [PMID: 37093208 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202207943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Microbial secretory protein expression is widely used for biopharmaceutical protein production. However, establishing genetically modified industrial strains that secrete large amounts of a protein of interest is time-consuming. In this study, a simple and versatile high-throughput screening method for protein-secreting bacterial strains is developed. Different genotype variants induced by mutagens are encapsulated in microemulsions and cultured to secrete proteins inside the emulsions. The secreted protein of interest is detected as a fluorescence signal by the fluorescent immunosensor quenchbody (Q-body), and a cell sorter is used to select emulsions containing improved protein-secreting strains based on the fluorescence intensity. The concept of the screening method is demonstrated by culturing Corynebacterium glutamicum in emulsions and detecting the secreted proteins. Finally, productive strains of fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9) are screened, and the FGF9 secretion increased threefold compared to that of parent strain. This screening method can be applied to a wide range of proteins by fusing a small detection tag. This is a highly simple process that requires only the addition of a Q-body to the medium and does not require the addition of any substrates or chemical treatments. Furthermore, this method shortens the development period of industrial strains for biopharmaceutical protein production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihiro Ito
- Graduate School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 226-8503, Japan
- Research Institute for Bioscience Products and Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co., Inc, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 210-8681, Japan
| | - Ryuichi Sasaki
- Research Institute for Bioscience Products and Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co., Inc, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 210-8681, Japan
| | - Sayaka Asari
- Research Institute for Bioscience Products and Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co., Inc, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 210-8681, Japan
| | - Takanobu Yasuda
- Laboratory for Chemistry and Life Science, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 226-8503, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ueda
- Laboratory for Chemistry and Life Science, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 226-8503, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Kitaguchi
- Laboratory for Chemistry and Life Science, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 226-8503, Japan
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6
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Jian X, Guo X, Cai Z, Wei L, Wang L, Xing XH, Zhang C. Single-cell microliter-droplet screening system (MISS Cell): An integrated platform for automated high-throughput microbial monoclonal cultivation and picking. Biotechnol Bioeng 2023; 120:778-792. [PMID: 36477904 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Solid plates have been used for microbial monoclonal isolation, cultivation, and colony picking since 1881. However, the process is labor- and resource-intensive for high-throughput requirements. Currently, several instruments have been integrated for automated and high-throughput picking, but complicated and expensive. To address these issues, we report a novel integrated platform, the single-cell microliter-droplet screening system (MISS Cell), for automated, high-throughput microbial monoclonal colony cultivation and picking. We verified the monoclonality of droplet cultures in the MISS Cell and characterized culture performance. Compared with solid plates, the MISS Cell generated a larger number of monoclonal colonies with higher initial growth rates using fewer resources. Finally, we established a workflow for automated high-throughput screening of Corynebacterium glutamicum using the MISS Cell and identified high glutamate-producing strains. The MISS Cell can serve as a universal platform to efficiently produce monoclonal colonies in high-throughput applications, overcoming the limitations of solid plates to promote rapid development in biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingjin Jian
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaojie Guo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhengshuo Cai
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Longfeng Wei
- College of Life Sciences/Institute of Agro-bioengineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Liyan Wang
- Luoyang TMAXTREE Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Luoyang, China
| | - Xin-Hui Xing
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Center for Synthetic & Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chong Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Center for Synthetic & Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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7
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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] [Key Words] [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
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8
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Källberg J, Xiao W, Van Assche D, Baret JC, Taly V. Frontiers in single cell analysis: multimodal technologies and their clinical perspectives. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:2403-2422. [PMID: 35703438 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00220e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Single cell multimodal analysis is at the frontier of single cell research: it defines the roles and functions of distinct cell types through simultaneous analysis to provide unprecedented insight into cellular processes. Current single cell approaches are rapidly moving toward multimodal characterizations. It replaces one-dimensional single cell analysis, for example by allowing for simultaneous measurement of transcription and post-transcriptional regulation, epigenetic modifications and/or surface protein expression. By providing deeper insights into single cell processes, multimodal single cell analyses paves the way to new understandings in various cellular processes such as cell fate decisions, physiological heterogeneity or genotype-phenotype linkages. At the forefront of this, microfluidics is key for high-throughput single cell analysis. Here, we present an overview of the recent multimodal microfluidic platforms having a potential in biomedical research, with a specific focus on their potential clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Källberg
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université, USPC, Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale contre le cancer, Paris, France.
| | - Wenjin Xiao
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université, USPC, Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale contre le cancer, Paris, France.
| | - David Van Assche
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal, UMR 5031, Pessac 33600, France.
| | - Jean-Christophe Baret
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal, UMR 5031, Pessac 33600, France.
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris 75005, France
| | - Valerie Taly
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université, USPC, Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale contre le cancer, Paris, France.
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9
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Grist SM, Bennewith KL, Cheung KC. Oxygen Measurement in Microdevices. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY (PALO ALTO, CALIF.) 2022; 15:221-246. [PMID: 35696522 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-anchem-061020-111458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Oxygen plays a fundamental role in respiration and metabolism, and quantifying oxygen levels is essential in many environmental, industrial, and research settings. Microdevices facilitate the study of dynamic, oxygen-dependent effects in real time. This review is organized around the key needs for oxygen measurement in microdevices, including integrability into microfabricated systems; sensor dynamic range and sensitivity; spatially resolved measurements to map oxygen over two- or three-dimensional regions of interest; and compatibility with multimodal and multianalyte measurements. After a brief overview of biological readouts of oxygen, followed by oxygen sensor types that have been implemented in microscale devices and sensing mechanisms, this review presents select recent applications in organs-on-chip in vitro models and new sensor capabilities enabling oxygen microscopy, bioprocess manufacturing, and pharmaceutical industries. With the advancement of multiplexed, interconnected sensors and instruments and integration with industry workflows, intelligent microdevice-sensor systems including oxygen sensors will have further impact in environmental science, manufacturing, and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M Grist
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada;
| | - Kevin L Bennewith
- Integrative Oncology Department, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Karen C Cheung
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada;
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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10
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Liu S, Moon CD, Zheng N, Huws S, Zhao S, Wang J. Opportunities and challenges of using metagenomic data to bring uncultured microbes into cultivation. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:76. [PMID: 35546409 PMCID: PMC9097414 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01272-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Although there is now an extensive understanding of the diversity of microbial life on earth through culture-independent metagenomic DNA sequence analyses, the isolation and cultivation of microbes remains critical to directly study them and confirm their metabolic and physiological functions, and their ecological roles. The majority of environmental microbes are as yet uncultured however; therefore, bringing these rare or poorly characterized groups into culture is a priority to further understand microbiome functions. Moreover, cultivated isolates may find utility in a range of applications, such as new probiotics, biocontrol agents, and agents for industrial processes. The growing abundance of metagenomic and meta-transcriptomic sequence information from a wide range of environments provides more opportunities to guide the isolation and cultivation of microbes of interest. In this paper, we discuss a range of successful methodologies and applications that have underpinned recent metagenome-guided isolation and cultivation of microbe efforts. These approaches include determining specific culture conditions to enrich for taxa of interest, to more complex strategies that specifically target the capture of microbial species through antibody engineering and genome editing strategies. With the greater degree of genomic information now available from uncultivated members, such as via metagenome-assembled genomes, the theoretical understanding of their cultivation requirements will enable greater possibilities to capture these and ultimately gain a more comprehensive understanding of the microbiomes. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijia Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian, Beijing, 100193, China
- College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, China
| | - Christina D Moon
- AgResearch Ltd., Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Nan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Sharon Huws
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Shengguo Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian, Beijing, 100193, China.
| | - Jiaqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian, Beijing, 100193, China.
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11
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Oberpaul M, Brinkmann S, Marner M, Mihajlovic S, Leis B, Patras MA, Hartwig C, Vilcinskas A, Hammann PE, Schäberle TF, Spohn M, Glaeser J. Combination of high-throughput microfluidics and FACS technologies to leverage the numbers game in natural product discovery. Microb Biotechnol 2022; 15:415-430. [PMID: 34165868 PMCID: PMC8867984 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.13872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
High-throughput platforms facilitating screening campaigns of environmental samples are needed to discover new products of natural origin counteracting the spreading of antimicrobial resistances constantly threatening human and agricultural health. We applied a combination of droplet microfluidics and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS)-based technologies to access and assess a microbial environmental sample. The cultivation performance of our microfluidics workflow was evaluated in respect to the utilized cultivation media by Illumina amplicon sequencing of a pool of millions of droplets, respectively. This enabled the rational selection of a growth medium supporting the isolation of microbial diversity from soil (five phyla affiliated to 57 genera) including a member of the acidobacterial subgroup 1 (genus Edaphobacter). In a second phase, the entire diversity covered by 1071 cultures was used for an arrayed bioprospecting campaign, resulting in > 6000 extracts tested against human pathogens and agricultural pests. After redundancy curation by using a combinatorial chemical and genomic fingerprinting approach, we assigned the causative agents present in the extracts. Utilizing UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-guided fractionation and microplate-based screening assays in combination with molecular networking the production of bioactive ionophorous macrotetrolides, phospholipids, the cyclic lipopetides massetolides E, F, H and serratamolide A and many derivatives thereof was shown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Oberpaul
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Branch for BioresourcesGiessen35392Germany
| | - Stephan Brinkmann
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Branch for BioresourcesGiessen35392Germany
| | - Michael Marner
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Branch for BioresourcesGiessen35392Germany
| | - Sanja Mihajlovic
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Branch for BioresourcesGiessen35392Germany
| | - Benedikt Leis
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Branch for BioresourcesGiessen35392Germany
| | - Maria A. Patras
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Branch for BioresourcesGiessen35392Germany
| | - Christoph Hartwig
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Branch for BioresourcesGiessen35392Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Branch for BioresourcesGiessen35392Germany
- Institute for Insect BiotechnologyJustus‐Liebig‐University‐GiessenGiessen35392Germany
| | | | - Till F. Schäberle
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Branch for BioresourcesGiessen35392Germany
- Institute for Insect BiotechnologyJustus‐Liebig‐University‐GiessenGiessen35392Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Giessen‐Marburg‐LangenGiessen35392Germany
| | - Marius Spohn
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Branch for BioresourcesGiessen35392Germany
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12
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Pérez‐Rodríguez S, García‐Aznar JM, Gonzalo‐Asensio J. Microfluidic devices for studying bacterial taxis, drug testing and biofilm formation. Microb Biotechnol 2022; 15:395-414. [PMID: 33645897 PMCID: PMC8867988 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.13775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Some bacteria have coevolved to establish symbiotic or pathogenic relationships with plants, animals or humans. With human association, the bacteria can cause a variety of diseases. Thus, understanding bacterial phenotypes at the single-cell level is essential to develop beneficial applications. Traditional microbiological techniques have provided great knowledge about these organisms; however, they have also shown limitations, such as difficulties in culturing some bacteria, the heterogeneity of bacterial populations or difficulties in recreating some physical or biological conditions. Microfluidics is an emerging technique that complements current biological assays. Since microfluidics works with micrometric volumes, it allows fine-tuning control of the test conditions. Moreover, it allows the recruitment of three-dimensional (3D) conditions, in which several processes can be integrated and gradients can be generated, thus imitating physiological 3D environments. Here, we review some key microfluidic-based studies describing the effects of different microenvironmental conditions on bacterial response, biofilm formation and antimicrobial resistance. For this aim, we present different studies classified into six groups according to the design of the microfluidic device: (i) linear channels, (ii) mixing channels, (iii) multiple floors, (iv) porous devices, (v) topographic devices and (vi) droplet microfluidics. Hence, we highlight the potential and possibilities of using microfluidic-based technology to study bacterial phenotypes in comparison with traditional methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Pérez‐Rodríguez
- Aragón Institute of Engineering Research (I3A)Department of Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of ZaragozaZaragoza50018Spain
- Multiscale in Mechanical and Biological Engineering (M2BE)IIS‐AragónZaragozaSpain
- Grupo de Genética de MicobacteriasDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of ZaragozaIIS AragónZaragoza50009Spain
| | - José Manuel García‐Aznar
- Aragón Institute of Engineering Research (I3A)Department of Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of ZaragozaZaragoza50018Spain
- Multiscale in Mechanical and Biological Engineering (M2BE)IIS‐AragónZaragozaSpain
| | - Jesús Gonzalo‐Asensio
- Grupo de Genética de MicobacteriasDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of ZaragozaIIS AragónZaragoza50009Spain
- CIBER Enfermedades RespiratoriasInstituto de Salud Carlos IIIMadrid28029Spain
- Institute for Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI)Zaragoza50018Spain
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13
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The natural product biosynthesis potential of the microbiomes of Earth – Bioprospecting for novel anti-microbial agents in the meta-omics era. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:343-352. [PMID: 35035787 PMCID: PMC8733032 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
As we stand on the brink of the post-antibiotic era, we are in dire need of novel antimicrobial compounds. Microorganisms produce a wealth of so-called secondary metabolites and have been our most prolific source of antibiotics so far. However, rediscovery of known antibiotics from well-studied cultured microorganisms, and the fact that the majority of microorganisms in the environment are out of reach by means of conventional cultivation techniques, have led to the exploration of the biosynthetic potential in natural microbial communities by novel approaches. In this mini review we discuss how sequence-based analyses have exposed an unprecedented wealth of potential for secondary metabolite production in soil, marine, and host-associated microbiomes, with a focus on the biosynthesis of non-ribosomal peptides and polyketides. Furthermore, we discuss how the complexity of natural microbiomes and the lack of standardized methodology has complicated comparisons across biomes. Yet, as even the most commonly sampled microbiomes hold promise of providing novel classes of natural products, we lastly discuss the development of approaches applied in the translation of the immense biosynthetic diversity of natural microbiomes to the procurement of novel antibiotics.
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14
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Amirifar L, Besanjideh M, Nasiri R, Shamloo A, Nasrollahi F, de Barros NR, Davoodi E, Erdem A, Mahmoodi M, Hosseini V, Montazerian H, Jahangiry J, Darabi MA, Haghniaz R, Dokmeci MR, Annabi N, Ahadian S, Khademhosseini A. Droplet-based microfluidics in biomedical applications. Biofabrication 2021; 14. [PMID: 34781274 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/ac39a9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Droplet-based microfluidic systems have been employed to manipulate discrete fluid volumes with immiscible phases. Creating the fluid droplets at microscale has led to a paradigm shift in mixing, sorting, encapsulation, sensing, and designing high throughput devices for biomedical applications. Droplet microfluidics has opened many opportunities in microparticle synthesis, molecular detection, diagnostics, drug delivery, and cell biology. In the present review, we first introduce standard methods for droplet generation (i.e., passive and active methods) and discuss the latest examples of emulsification and particle synthesis approaches enabled by microfluidic platforms. Then, the applications of droplet-based microfluidics in different biomedical applications are detailed. Finally, a general overview of the latest trends along with the perspectives and future potentials in the field are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leyla Amirifar
- Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, Tehran, 11365-11155, Iran (the Islamic Republic of)
| | - Mohsen Besanjideh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Tehran, 11365-11155, Iran (the Islamic Republic of)
| | - Rohollah Nasiri
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Tehran, 11365-11155, Iran (the Islamic Republic of)
| | - Amir Shamloo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Tehran, 11365-11155, Iran (the Islamic Republic of)
| | | | - Natan Roberto de Barros
- Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI), Los Angeles, Los Angeles, 90024, UNITED STATES
| | - Elham Davoodi
- Bioengineering, University of California - Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, 90095, UNITED STATES
| | - Ahmet Erdem
- Bioengineering, University of California - Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, 90095, UNITED STATES
| | | | - Vahid Hosseini
- Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI), Los Angeles, Los Angeles, 90024, UNITED STATES
| | - Hossein Montazerian
- Bioengineering, University of California - Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, 90095, UNITED STATES
| | - Jamileh Jahangiry
- University of California - Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, 90095, UNITED STATES
| | | | - Reihaneh Haghniaz
- Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI), Los Angeles, Los Angeles, 90024, UNITED STATES
| | - Mehmet R Dokmeci
- Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI), Los Angeles, Los Angeles, 90024, UNITED STATES
| | - Nasim Annabi
- Chemical Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, 90095, UNITED STATES
| | - Samad Ahadian
- Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI), Los Angeles, Los Angeles, 90024, UNITED STATES
| | - Ali Khademhosseini
- Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI), Los Angeles, Los Angeles, 90024, UNITED STATES
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15
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Confining Trypanosoma brucei in emulsion droplets reveals population variabilities in division rates and improves in vitro cultivation. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18192. [PMID: 34521865 PMCID: PMC8440574 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97356-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosome parasites are infecting mammals in Sub-Saharan Africa and are transmitted between hosts through bites of the tsetse fly. The transmission from the insect vector to the mammal host causes a number of metabolic and physiological changes. A fraction of the population continuously adapt to the immune system of the host, indicating heterogeneity at the population level. Yet, the cell to cell variability in populations is mostly unknown. We develop here an analytical method for quantitative measurements at the single cell level based on encapsulation and cultivation of single-cell Trypanosoma brucei in emulsion droplets. We first show that mammalian stage trypanosomes survive for several hours to days in droplets, with an influence of droplet size on both survival and growth. We unravel various growth patterns within a population and find that droplet cultivation of trypanosomes results in 10-fold higher cell densities of the highest dividing cell variants compared to standard cultivation techniques. Some variants reach final cell titers in droplets closer to what is observed in nature than standard culture, of practical interest for cell production. Droplet microfluidics is therefore a promising tool for trypanosome cultivation and analysis with further potential for high-throughput single cell trypanosome analysis.
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16
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Mahler L, Niehs SP, Martin K, Weber T, Scherlach K, Hertweck C, Roth M, Rosenbaum MA. Highly parallelized droplet cultivation and prioritization of antibiotic producers from natural microbial communities. eLife 2021; 10:64774. [PMID: 33764297 PMCID: PMC8081529 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotics from few culturable microorganisms have saved millions of lives since the 20th century. But with resistance formation, these compounds become increasingly ineffective, while the majority of microbial and with that chemical compound diversity remains inaccessible for cultivation and exploration. Culturing recalcitrant bacteria is a stochastic process. But conventional methods are limited to low throughput. By increasing (i) throughput and (ii) sensitivity by miniaturization, we innovate microbiological cultivation to comply with biological stochasticity. Here, we introduce a droplet-based microscale cultivation system, which is directly coupled to a high-throughput screening for antimicrobial activity prior to strain isolation. We demonstrate that highly parallelized in-droplet cultivation starting from single cells results in the cultivation of yet uncultured species and a significantly higher bacterial diversity than standard agar plate cultivation. Strains able to inhibit intact reporter strains were isolated from the system. A variety of antimicrobial compounds were detected for a selected potent antibiotic producer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Mahler
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.,Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Sarah P Niehs
- Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Karin Martin
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas Weber
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Kirstin Scherlach
- Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Hertweck
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany.,Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Martin Roth
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Miriam A Rosenbaum
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.,Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
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17
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Zurek PJ, Hours R, Schell U, Pushpanath A, Hollfelder F. Growth amplification in ultrahigh-throughput microdroplet screening increases sensitivity of clonal enzyme assays and minimizes phenotypic variation. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:163-173. [PMID: 33242058 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00830c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic ultrahigh-throughput screening of enzyme activities provides information on libraries with millions of variants in a day. Each individual library member is represented by a recombinant single cell, compartmentalised in an emulsion droplet, in which an activity assay is carried out. Key to the success of this approach is the precision and sensitivity of the assay. Assay quality is most profoundly challenged when initially weak, promiscuous activities are to be enhanced in early rounds of directed evolution or when entirely novel catalysts are to be identified from metagenomic sources. Implementation of measures to widen the dynamic range of clonal assays would increase the chances of finding and generating new biocatalysts. Here, we demonstrate that the assay sensitivity and DNA recovery can be improved by orders of magnitude by growth of initially singly compartmentalised cells in microdroplets. Homogeneous cell growth is achieved by continuous oxygenation and recombinant protein expression is regulated by diffusion of an inducer from the oil phase. Reaction conditions are adjusted by directed droplet coalescence to enable full control of buffer composition and kinetic incubation time, creating level playing field conditions for library selections. The clonal amplification multiplies the product readout because more enzyme is produced per compartment. At the same time, phenotypic variation is reduced by measuring monoclonal populations rather than single cells and recovery efficiency is increased. Consequently, this workflow increases the efficiency of lysate-based microfluidic enzyme assays and will make it easier for protein engineers to identify or evolve new enzymes for applications in synthetic and chemical biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Jannis Zurek
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, CB2 1GA Cambridge, UK.
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18
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High-throughput screening for high-efficiency small-molecule biosynthesis. Metab Eng 2020; 63:102-125. [PMID: 33017684 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Systems metabolic engineering faces the formidable task of rewiring microbial metabolism to cost-effectively generate high-value molecules from a variety of inexpensive feedstocks for many different applications. Because these cellular systems are still too complex to model accurately, vast collections of engineered organism variants must be systematically created and evaluated through an enormous trial-and-error process in order to identify a manufacturing-ready strain. The high-throughput screening of strains to optimize their scalable manufacturing potential requires execution of many carefully controlled, parallel, miniature fermentations, followed by high-precision analysis of the resulting complex mixtures. This review discusses strategies for the design of high-throughput, small-scale fermentation models to predict improved strain performance at large commercial scale. Established and promising approaches from industrial and academic groups are presented for both cell culture and analysis, with primary focus on microplate- and microfluidics-based screening systems.
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19
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Tauzin AS, Pereira MR, Van Vliet LD, Colin PY, Laville E, Esque J, Laguerre S, Henrissat B, Terrapon N, Lombard V, Leclerc M, Doré J, Hollfelder F, Potocki-Veronese G. Investigating host-microbiome interactions by droplet based microfluidics. MICROBIOME 2020; 8:141. [PMID: 33004077 PMCID: PMC7531118 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-020-00911-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the importance of the mucosal interface between microbiota and the host in gut homeostasis, little is known about the mechanisms of bacterial gut colonization, involving foraging for glycans produced by epithelial cells. The slow pace of progress toward understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms is largely due to the lack of efficient discovery tools, especially those targeting the uncultured fraction of the microbiota. RESULTS Here, we introduce an ultra-high-throughput metagenomic approach based on droplet microfluidics, to screen fosmid libraries. Thousands of bacterial genomes can be covered in 1 h of work, with less than ten micrograms of substrate. Applied to the screening of the mucosal microbiota for β-N-acetylgalactosaminidase activity, this approach allowed the identification of pathways involved in the degradation of human gangliosides and milk oligosaccharides, the structural homologs of intestinal mucin glycans. These pathways, whose prevalence is associated with inflammatory bowel diseases, could be the result of horizontal gene transfers with Bacteroides species. Such pathways represent novel targets to study the microbiota-host interactions in the context of inflammatory bowel diseases, in which the integrity of the mucosal barrier is impaired. CONCLUSION By compartmentalizing experiments inside microfluidic droplets, this method speeds up and miniaturizes by several orders of magnitude the screening process compared to conventional approaches, to capture entire metabolic pathways from metagenomic libraries. The method is compatible with all types of (meta)genomic libraries, and employs a commercially available flow cytometer instead of a custom-made sorting system to detect intracellular or extracellular enzyme activities. This versatile and generic workflow will accelerate experimental exploration campaigns in functional metagenomics and holobiomics studies, to further decipher host-microbiota relationships. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra S Tauzin
- TBI, CNRS, INRAE, INSAT, Université de Toulouse, F-31400, Toulouse, France
| | - Mariana Rangel Pereira
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
- CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, BrasÍlia, DF, 70040-020, Brazil
| | - Liisa D Van Vliet
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
- Drop-Tech, Canterbury Court, Cambridge, CB4 3QU, UK
| | - Pierre-Yves Colin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Elisabeth Laville
- TBI, CNRS, INRAE, INSAT, Université de Toulouse, F-31400, Toulouse, France
| | - Jeremy Esque
- TBI, CNRS, INRAE, INSAT, Université de Toulouse, F-31400, Toulouse, France
| | - Sandrine Laguerre
- TBI, CNRS, INRAE, INSAT, Université de Toulouse, F-31400, Toulouse, France
| | - Bernard Henrissat
- CNRS, UMR 7257, Aix-Marseille Université, F-13288, Marseille, France
- USC 1408 AFMB, INRAE, F-13288, Marseille, France
- Department of Biological Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nicolas Terrapon
- CNRS, UMR 7257, Aix-Marseille Université, F-13288, Marseille, France
- USC 1408 AFMB, INRAE, F-13288, Marseille, France
| | - Vincent Lombard
- CNRS, UMR 7257, Aix-Marseille Université, F-13288, Marseille, France
- USC 1408 AFMB, INRAE, F-13288, Marseille, France
| | - Marion Leclerc
- Micalis Institute, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, F-78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Joël Doré
- Micalis Institute, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, F-78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Metagenopolis, INRAE, F-78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Florian Hollfelder
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK.
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20
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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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21
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Bowman EK, Alper HS. Microdroplet-Assisted Screening of Biomolecule Production for Metabolic Engineering Applications. Trends Biotechnol 2020; 38:701-714. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2019.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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22
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Payne EM, Holland-Moritz DA, Sun S, Kennedy RT. High-throughput screening by droplet microfluidics: perspective into key challenges and future prospects. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:2247-2262. [PMID: 32500896 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00347f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
In two decades of development, impressive strides have been made for automating basic laboratory operations in droplet-based microfluidics, allowing the emergence of a new form of high-throughput screening and experimentation in nanoliter to femtoliter volumes. Despite advancements in droplet storage, manipulation, and analysis, the field has not yet been widely adapted for many high-throughput screening (HTS) applications. Broad adoption and commercial development of these techniques require robust implementation of strategies for the stable storage, chemical containment, generation of libraries, sample tracking, and chemical analysis of these small samples. We discuss these challenges for implementing droplet HTS and highlight key strategies that have begun to address these concerns. Recent advances in the field leave us optimistic about the future prospects of this rapidly developing technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emory M Payne
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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23
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Ho CMB, Sun Q, Teo AJT, Wibowo D, Gao Y, Zhou J, Huang Y, Tan SH, Zhao CX. Development of a Microfluidic Droplet-Based Microbioreactor for Microbial Cultivation. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2020; 6:3630-3637. [DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.0c00292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Chee Meng Benjamin Ho
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Qi Sun
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Adrian J. T. Teo
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - David Wibowo
- Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Yongsheng Gao
- School of Engineering, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Jun Zhou
- School of Information and Communication Technology, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Yanyi Huang
- Department of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, College of Engineering, Peking University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Say Hwa Tan
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Chun-Xia Zhao
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
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24
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Microfluidic Chamber Design for Controlled Droplet Expansion and Coalescence. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:mi11040394. [PMID: 32290165 PMCID: PMC7231328 DOI: 10.3390/mi11040394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The defined formation and expansion of droplets are essential operations for droplet-based screening assays. The volumetric expansion of droplets causes a dilution of the ingredients. Dilution is required for the generation of concentration graduation which is mandatory for many different assay protocols. Here, we describe the design of a microfluidic operation unit based on a bypassed chamber and its operation modes. The different operation modes enable the defined formation of sub-µL droplets on the one hand and the expansion of low nL to sub-µL droplets by controlled coalescence on the other. In this way the chamber acts as fluidic interface between two fluidic network parts dimensioned for different droplet volumes. Hence, channel confined droplets of about 30–40 nL from the first network part were expanded to cannel confined droplets of about 500 to about 2500 nL in the second network part. Four different operation modes were realized: (a) flow rate independent droplet formation in a self-controlled way caused by the bypassed chamber design, (b) single droplet expansion mode, (c) multiple droplet expansion mode, and (d) multiple droplet coalescence mode. The last mode was used for the automated coalescence of 12 droplets of about 40 nL volume to produce a highly ordered output sequence with individual droplet volumes of about 500 nL volume. The experimental investigation confirmed a high tolerance of the developed chamber against the variation of key parameters of the dispersed-phase like salt content, pH value and fluid viscosity. The presented fluidic chamber provides a solution for the problem of bridging different droplet volumes in a fluidic network.
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25
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Hengoju S, Wohlfeil S, Munser AS, Boehme S, Beckert E, Shvydkiv O, Tovar M, Roth M, Rosenbaum MA. Optofluidic detection setup for multi-parametric analysis of microbiological samples in droplets. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2020; 14:024109. [PMID: 32547676 PMCID: PMC7148121 DOI: 10.1063/1.5139603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
High-throughput microbiological experimentation using droplet microfluidics is limited due to the complexity and restricted versatility of the available detection techniques. Current detection setups are bulky, complicated, expensive, and require tedious optical alignment procedures while still mostly limited to fluorescence. In this work, we demonstrate an optofluidic detection setup for multi-parametric analyses of droplet samples by easily integrating micro-lenses and embedding optical fibers for guiding light in and out of the microfluidic chip. The optofluidic setup was validated for detection of absorbance, fluorescence, and scattered light. The developed platform was used for simultaneous detection of multiple parameters in different microbiological applications like cell density determination, growth kinetics, and antibiotic inhibition assays. Combining the high-throughput potential of droplet microfluidics with the ease, flexibility, and simplicity of optical fibers results in a powerful platform for microbiological experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - S. Wohlfeil
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF, Albert-Einstein-Str. 7, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - A. S. Munser
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF, Albert-Einstein-Str. 7, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - S. Boehme
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF, Albert-Einstein-Str. 7, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - E. Beckert
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF, Albert-Einstein-Str. 7, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - O. Shvydkiv
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knoell Institute, Beutenbergstr. 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - M. Tovar
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knoell Institute, Beutenbergstr. 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - M. Roth
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knoell Institute, Beutenbergstr. 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
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26
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Tovar M, Mahler L, Buchheim S, Roth M, Rosenbaum MA. Monitoring and external control of pH in microfluidic droplets during microbial culturing. Microb Cell Fact 2020; 19:16. [PMID: 31996234 PMCID: PMC6990587 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-020-1282-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cell-based experimentation in microfluidic droplets is becoming increasingly popular among biotechnologists and microbiologists, since inherent characteristics of droplets allow high throughput at low cost and space investment. The range of applications for droplet assays is expanding from single cell analysis toward complex cell–cell incubation and interaction studies. As a result of cellular metabolism in these setups, relevant physicochemical alterations frequently occur before functional assays are conducted. However, to use droplets as truly miniaturized bioreactors, parameters like pH and oxygen availability should be controlled similar to large-scale fermentation to ensure reliable research. Results Here, we introduce a comprehensive strategy to monitor and control pH for large droplet populations during long-term incubation. We show the correlation of fluorescence intensity of 6-carboxyfluorescein and pH in single droplets and entire droplet populations. By taking advantage of inter-droplet transport of pH-mediating molecules, the average pH value of several million droplets is simultaneously adjusted in an a priori defined direction. To demonstrate the need of pH control in practice, we compared the fermentation profiles of two E. coli strains, a K12-strain and a B-strain, in unbuffered medium with 5 g/L glucose for standard 1 L bioreactors and 180 pL droplets. In both fermentation formats, the commonly used B-strain E. coli BL21 is able to consume glucose until depletion and prevent a pH drop, while the growth of the K12-strain E. coli MG1655 is soon inhibited by a low pH caused by its own high acetate production. By regulating the pH during fermentation in droplets with our suggested strategy, we were able to prevent the growth arrest of E. coli MG1655 and obtained an equally high biomass yield as with E. coli BL21. Conclusion We demonstrated a comparable success of pH monitoring and regulation for fermentations in 1 L scale and 180 pL scale for two E. coli strains. This strategy has the potential to improve cell-based experiments for various microbial systems in microfluidic droplets and opens the possibility for new functional assay designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Tovar
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, 07745, Jena, Germany.,Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Lisa Mahler
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, 07745, Jena, Germany.,Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Stefanie Buchheim
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, 07745, Jena, Germany.,Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Martin Roth
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Miriam A Rosenbaum
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, 07745, Jena, Germany. .,Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University, 07743, Jena, Germany.
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27
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Holland-Moritz DA, Wismer MK, Mann BF, Farasat I, Devine P, Guetschow ED, Mangion I, Welch CJ, Moore JC, Sun S, Kennedy RT. Mass Activated Droplet Sorting (MADS) Enables High-Throughput Screening of Enzymatic Reactions at Nanoliter Scale. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:4470-4477. [PMID: 31868984 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201913203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic droplet sorting enables the high-throughput screening and selection of water-in-oil microreactors at speeds and volumes unparalleled by traditional well-plate approaches. Most such systems sort using fluorescent reporters on modified substrates or reactions that are rarely industrially relevant. We describe a microfluidic system for high-throughput sorting of nanoliter droplets based on direct detection using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Droplets are split, one portion is analyzed by ESI-MS, and the second portion is sorted based on the MS result. Throughput of 0.7 samples s-1 is achieved with 98 % accuracy using a self-correcting and adaptive sorting algorithm. We use the system to screen ≈15 000 samples in 6 h and demonstrate its utility by sorting 25 nL droplets containing transaminase expressed in vitro. Label-free ESI-MS droplet screening expands the toolbox for droplet detection and recovery, improving the applicability of droplet sorting to protein engineering, drug discovery, and diagnostic workflows.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael K Wismer
- Scientific Engineering and Design, Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Road, Kenilworth, NJ, 07033, USA
| | - Benjamin F Mann
- Process Research and Development, Merck & Co., Inc., 126 E. Lincoln Ave, Rahway, NJ, 07065, USA
| | - Iman Farasat
- Janssen R&D, 1400 McKean Rd., Spring House, PA, 19477, USA
| | - Paul Devine
- Process Research and Development, Merck & Co., Inc., 126 E. Lincoln Ave, Rahway, NJ, 07065, USA
| | - Erik D Guetschow
- Process Research and Development, Merck & Co., Inc., 126 E. Lincoln Ave, Rahway, NJ, 07065, USA
| | - Ian Mangion
- Process Research and Development, Merck & Co., Inc., 126 E. Lincoln Ave, Rahway, NJ, 07065, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey C Moore
- Process Research and Development, Merck & Co., Inc., 126 E. Lincoln Ave, Rahway, NJ, 07065, USA
| | - Shuwen Sun
- Process Research and Development, Merck & Co., Inc., 126 E. Lincoln Ave, Rahway, NJ, 07065, USA
| | - Robert T Kennedy
- Dept. of Chemistry, University of Michigan, 930 N University, Ann Abor, MI, 48109, USA
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28
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Holland‐Moritz DA, Wismer MK, Mann BF, Farasat I, Devine P, Guetschow ED, Mangion I, Welch CJ, Moore JC, Sun S, Kennedy RT. Mass Activated Droplet Sorting (MADS) Enables High‐Throughput Screening of Enzymatic Reactions at Nanoliter Scale. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201913203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael K. Wismer
- Scientific Engineering and Design Merck & Co., Inc. 2000 Galloping Hill Road Kenilworth NJ 07033 USA
| | - Benjamin F. Mann
- Process Research and Development Merck & Co., Inc. 126 E. Lincoln Ave Rahway NJ 07065 USA
| | - Iman Farasat
- Janssen R&D 1400 McKean Rd. Spring House PA 19477 USA
| | - Paul Devine
- Process Research and Development Merck & Co., Inc. 126 E. Lincoln Ave Rahway NJ 07065 USA
| | - Erik D. Guetschow
- Process Research and Development Merck & Co., Inc. 126 E. Lincoln Ave Rahway NJ 07065 USA
| | - Ian Mangion
- Process Research and Development Merck & Co., Inc. 126 E. Lincoln Ave Rahway NJ 07065 USA
| | | | - Jeffrey C. Moore
- Process Research and Development Merck & Co., Inc. 126 E. Lincoln Ave Rahway NJ 07065 USA
| | - Shuwen Sun
- Process Research and Development Merck & Co., Inc. 126 E. Lincoln Ave Rahway NJ 07065 USA
| | - Robert T. Kennedy
- Dept. of Chemistry University of Michigan 930 N University Ann Abor MI 48109 USA
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29
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Kao YT, Kaminski TS, Postek W, Guzowski J, Makuch K, Ruszczak A, von Stetten F, Zengerle R, Garstecki P. Gravity-driven microfluidic assay for digital enumeration of bacteria and for antibiotic susceptibility testing. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:54-63. [PMID: 31774415 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc00684b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The alarming dynamics of antibiotic-resistant infections calls for the development of rapid and point-of-care (POC) antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) methods. Here, we demonstrated the first completely stand-alone microfluidic system that allowed the execution of digital enumeration of bacteria and digital antibiograms without any specialized microfluidic instrumentation. A four-chamber gravity-driven step emulsification device generated ∼2000 monodisperse 2 nanoliter droplets with a coefficient of variation of 8.9% of volumes for 95% of droplets within less than 10 minutes. The manual workload required for droplet generation was limited to the sample preparation, the deposition into the sample inlet of the chip and subsequent orientation of the chip vertically without an additional pumping system. The use of shallow chambers imposing a 2D droplet arrangement provided superior stability of the droplets against coalescence and minimized the leakage of the reporter viability dye between adjacent droplets during long-term culture. By using resazurin as an indicator of the growth of bacteria, we were also able to reduce the assay time to ∼5 hours compared to 20 hours using the standard culture-based test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ting Kao
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland. and Laboratory for MEMS Applications, IMTEK-Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tomasz S Kaminski
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Witold Postek
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Jan Guzowski
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Karol Makuch
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Artur Ruszczak
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Felix von Stetten
- Laboratory for MEMS Applications, IMTEK-Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany and Hahn-Schickard, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Roland Zengerle
- Laboratory for MEMS Applications, IMTEK-Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany and Hahn-Schickard, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Piotr Garstecki
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland.
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30
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Saleski TE, Kerner AR, Chung MT, Jackman CM, Khasbaatar A, Kurabayashi K, Lin XN. Syntrophic co-culture amplification of production phenotype for high-throughput screening of microbial strain libraries. Metab Eng 2019; 54:232-243. [PMID: 31034921 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2019.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Microbes can be engineered to synthesize a wide array of bioproducts, yet production phenotype evaluation remains a frequent bottleneck in the design-build-test cycle where strain development requires iterative rounds of library construction and testing. Here, we present Syntrophic Co-culture Amplification of Production phenotype (SnoCAP). Through a metabolic cross-feeding circuit, the production level of a target molecule is translated into highly distinguishable co-culture growth characteristics, which amplifies differences in production into highly distinguishable growth phenotypes. We demonstrate SnoCAP with the screening of Escherichia coli strains for production of two target molecules: 2-ketoisovalerate, a precursor of the drop-in biofuel isobutanol, and L-tryptophan. The dynamic range of the screening can be tuned by employing an inhibitory analog of the target molecule. Screening based on this framework requires compartmentalization of individual producers with the sensor strain. We explore three formats of implementation with increasing throughput capability: confinement in microtiter plates (102-104 assays/experiment), spatial separation on agar plates (104-105 assays/experiment), and encapsulation in microdroplets (105-107 assays/experiment). Using SnoCAP, we identified an efficient isobutanol production strain from a random mutagenesis library, reaching a final titer that is 5-fold higher than that of the parent strain. The framework can also be extended to screening for secondary metabolite production using a push-pull strategy. We expect that SnoCAP can be readily adapted to the screening of various microbial species, to improve production of a wide range of target molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatyana E Saleski
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Alissa R Kerner
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Meng Ting Chung
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Corine M Jackman
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Azzaya Khasbaatar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Katsuo Kurabayashi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Xiaoxia Nina Lin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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31
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Fluorescent nucleic acid probe in droplets for bacterial sorting (FNAP-sort) as a high-throughput screening method for environmental bacteria with various growth rates. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0214533. [PMID: 30995251 PMCID: PMC6469844 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
We have developed a new method for selectively sorting droplets containing growing bacteria using a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based RNA probe. Bacteria and the FRET-based RNA probe are encapsulated into nanoliter-scale droplets, which are incubated to allow for cell growth. The FRET-based RNA probe is cleaved by RNase derived from the bacteria propagated in the droplets, resulting in an increase in fluorescence intensity. The fluorescent droplets containing growing bacteria are distinguishable from quenching droplets, which contain no cells. We named this method FNAP-sort based on the use of a fluorescent nucleic acid probe in droplets for bacterial sorting. Droplets containing the FRET-based RNA probe and four species of pure cultures, which grew in the droplets, were selectively enriched on the basis of fluorescence emission. Furthermore, fluorescent droplets were sorted from more than 500,000 droplets generated using environmental soil bacteria and the FRET-based RNA probe on days 1, 3, and 7 with repeated incubation and sorting. The bacterial compositions of sorted droplets differed on days 1, 3, and 7; moreover, on day 7, the bacterial composition of the fluorescent droplets was drastically different from that of the quenching droplets. We believe that FNAP-sort is useful for high-throughput cultivation and sorting of environmental samples containing bacteria with various growth rates, including slow-growing microbes that require long incubation times.
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32
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Tovar M, Hengoju S, Weber T, Mahler L, Choudhary M, Becker T, Roth M. One Sensor for Multiple Colors: Fluorescence Analysis of Microdroplets in Microbiological Screenings by Frequency-Division Multiplexing. Anal Chem 2019; 91:3055-3061. [PMID: 30689354 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b05451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
High-speed multiwavelength fluorescence measurements are of paramount importance in microfluidic analytics. However, multicolor detection requires an intricate arrangement of multiple detectors and meticulously aligned filters and dichroic beamsplitters that counteract the simplicity, versatility, and low cost of microfluidic approaches. To break free from the restrictions of optical setup complexity, we introduce a simpler single-sensor setup based on laser-frequency modulation and frequency-division multiplexing (FDM). We modulate lasers to excite the sample with four non-overlapping frequency signals. A single photomultiplier tube detects all the modulated emitted light collected by an optical fiber in the microfluidic chip. Signal demodulation is performed with a lock-in amplifier separating the emitted light into four color channels in real time. This approach not only reduces complexity and provides setup flexibility but also results in improved signal quality and, thus, higher signal-to-noise ratios that translate into increased sensitivity. To validate the setup for high-throughput biological applications, we measured multiple signals from different microorganisms and fluorescently encoded droplet populations for exploring beneficial or antagonistic roles in microbial cocultivation systems, as is the case for antibiotic screening assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Tovar
- Bio Pilot Plant , Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute , 07745 Jena , Germany.,Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy , Friedrich Schiller University , 07743 Jena , Germany
| | - Sundar Hengoju
- Bio Pilot Plant , Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute , 07745 Jena , Germany.,Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy , Friedrich Schiller University , 07743 Jena , Germany
| | - Thomas Weber
- Bio Pilot Plant , Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute , 07745 Jena , Germany.,Ilmenau University of Technology , 98693 Ilmenau , Germany
| | - Lisa Mahler
- Bio Pilot Plant , Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute , 07745 Jena , Germany.,Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy , Friedrich Schiller University , 07743 Jena , Germany
| | - Mahipal Choudhary
- Bio Pilot Plant , Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute , 07745 Jena , Germany
| | | | - Martin Roth
- Bio Pilot Plant , Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute , 07745 Jena , Germany
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33
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Charon J, Manteca A, Innis CA. Using the Bacterial Ribosome as a Discovery Platform for Peptide-Based Antibiotics. Biochemistry 2019; 58:75-84. [PMID: 30372045 PMCID: PMC7615898 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The threat of bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics poses a major public health problem requiring immediate and coordinated action worldwide. While infectious pathogens have become increasingly resistant to commercially available drugs, antibiotic discovery programs in major pharmaceutical companies have produced no new antibiotic scaffolds in 40 years. As a result, new strategies must be sought to obtain a steady supply of novel scaffolds capable of countering the spread of resistance. The bacterial ribosome is a major target for antimicrobials and is inhibited by more than half of the antibiotics used today. Recent studies showing that the ribosome is a target for several classes of ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides point to ribosome-targeting peptides as a promising source of antibiotic scaffolds. In this Perspective, we revisit the current paradigm of antibiotic discovery by proposing that the bacterial ribosome can be used both as a target and as a tool for the production and selection of peptide-based antimicrobials. Turning the ribosome into a high-throughput platform for the directed evolution of peptide-based antibiotics could be achieved in different ways. One possibility would be to use a combination of state-of-the-art microfluidics and genetic reprogramming techniques, which we will review briefly. If it is successful, this strategy has the potential to produce new classes of antibiotics for treating multi-drug-resistant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Charon
- Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, Univ. Bordeaux, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (U1212) and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR 5320), Pessac 33607, France
| | - Aitor Manteca
- Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, Univ. Bordeaux, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (U1212) and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR 5320), Pessac 33607, France
| | - C. Axel Innis
- Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, Univ. Bordeaux, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (U1212) and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR 5320), Pessac 33607, France
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34
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Haidas D, Bachler S, Köhler M, Blank LM, Zenobi R, Dittrich PS. Microfluidic Platform for Multimodal Analysis of Enzyme Secretion in Nanoliter Droplet Arrays. Anal Chem 2019; 91:2066-2073. [PMID: 30571917 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b04506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
High-throughput screening of cell-secreted proteins is essential for various biotechnological applications. In this article, we show a microfluidic approach to perform the analysis of cell-secreted proteins in nanoliter droplet arrays by two complementary methods, fluorescence microscopy and mass spectrometry. We analyzed the secretion of the enzyme phytase, a phosphatase used as an animal feed additive, from a low number of yeast cells. Yeast cells were encapsulated in nanoliter volumes by droplet microfluidics and deposited on spatially defined spots on the surface of a glass slide mounted on the motorized stage of an inverted fluorescence microscope. During the following incubation for several hours to produce phytase, the droplets can be monitored by optical microscopy. After addition of a fluorogenic substrate at a defined time, the relative concentration of phytase was determined in every droplet. Moreover, we demonstrate the use of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) to monitor the multistep conversion of the native substrate phytic acid by phytase secreted in 7 nL droplets containing 50-100 cells. Our method can be adapted to various other protocols. As the droplets are easily accessible, compounds such as assay reagents or matrix molecules can be added to all or to selected droplets only, or part of the droplet volume could be removed. Hence, this platform is a versatile tool for questions related to cell secretome analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Haidas
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering , ETH Zürich , Mattenstrasse 26 , 4058 Basel , Switzerland
| | - Simon Bachler
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering , ETH Zürich , Mattenstrasse 26 , 4058 Basel , Switzerland
| | - Martin Köhler
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences , ETH Zürich , Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3 , 8093 Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Lars M Blank
- Institute of Applied Microbiology, Aachen Biology and Biotechnology , RWTH Aachen University , Worringer Weg 1 , 52074 Aachen , Germany
| | - Renato Zenobi
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences , ETH Zürich , Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3 , 8093 Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Petra S Dittrich
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering , ETH Zürich , Mattenstrasse 26 , 4058 Basel , Switzerland
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36
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Svensson CM, Shvydkiv O, Dietrich S, Mahler L, Weber T, Choudhary M, Tovar M, Figge MT, Roth M. Coding of Experimental Conditions in Microfluidic Droplet Assays Using Colored Beads and Machine Learning Supported Image Analysis. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2019; 15:e1802384. [PMID: 30549235 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201802384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
To efficiently exploit the potential of several millions of droplets that can be considered as individual bioreactors in microfluidic experiments, methods to encode different experimental conditions in droplets are needed. The approach presented here is based on coencapsulation of colored polystyrene beads with biological samples. The decoding of the droplets, as well as content quantification, are performed by automated analysis of triggered images of individual droplets in-flow using bright-field microscopy. The decoding strategy combines bead classification using a random forest classifier and Bayesian inference to identify different codes and thus experimental conditions. Antibiotic susceptibility testing of nine different antibiotics and the determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration of a specific antibiotic against a laboratory strain of Escherichia coli are presented as a proof-of-principle. It is demonstrated that this method allows successful encoding and decoding of 20 different experimental conditions within a large droplet population of more than 105 droplets per condition. The decoding strategy correctly assigns 99.6% of droplets to the correct condition and a method for the determination of minimal inhibitory concentration using droplet microfluidics is established. The current encoding and decoding pipeline can readily be extended to more codes by adding more bead colors or color combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl-Magnus Svensson
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Oksana Shvydkiv
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Stefanie Dietrich
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, 07745, Jena, Germany
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Lisa Mahler
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, 07745, Jena, Germany
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas Weber
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Mahipal Choudhary
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Miguel Tovar
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, 07745, Jena, Germany
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Marc Thilo Figge
- Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, 07745, Jena, Germany
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Martin Roth
- Bio Pilot Plant, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, 07745, Jena, Germany
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37
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Wink K, Mahler L, Beulig JR, Piendl SK, Roth M, Belder D. An integrated chip-mass spectrometry and epifluorescence approach for online monitoring of bioactive metabolites from incubated Actinobacteria in picoliter droplets. Anal Bioanal Chem 2018; 410:7679-7687. [PMID: 30269162 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-018-1383-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
We present a lab-on-a-chip approach for the analysis of secondary metabolites produced in microfluidic droplets by simultaneous epifluorescence microscopy and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The approach includes encapsulation and long-term off-chip incubation of microbes in surfactant-stabilized droplets followed by a transfer of droplets into a microfluidic chip for subsequent analysis. Before the reinjected droplets are spaced and electrosprayed from an integrated emitter into a mass spectrometer, the presence of fluorescent marker molecules is monitored nearly simultaneously with a custom-made portable epifluorescence microscope. This combined fluorescence and MS-detection setup allows the analysis of metabolites and fluorescent labels in a complex biological matrix at a single droplet level. Using hyphae of Streptomyces griseus, encapsulated in microfluidic droplets of ~ 200 picoliter as a model system, we show the detection of in situ produced streptomycin by ESI-MS and the feasibility of detecting fluorophores inside droplets shortly before they are electrosprayed. The presented method expands the analytical toolbox for the discovery of bioactive metabolites such as novel antibiotics, produced by microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin Wink
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 29, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lisa Mahler
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology -Hans Knöll Institute-, Bio Pilot Plant, Jena, 07745, Germany
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Julia R Beulig
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 29, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sebastian K Piendl
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 29, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin Roth
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology -Hans Knöll Institute-, Bio Pilot Plant, Jena, 07745, Germany
| | - Detlev Belder
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 29, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
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38
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Detection of antibiotics synthetized in microfluidic picolitre-droplets by various actinobacteria. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13087. [PMID: 30166560 PMCID: PMC6117260 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31263-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The natural bacterial diversity is regarded as a treasure trove for natural products. However, accessing complex cell mixtures derived from environmental samples in standardized high-throughput screenings is challenging. Here, we present a droplet-based microfluidic platform for ultrahigh-throughput screenings able to directly harness the diversity of entire microbial communities. This platform combines extensive cultivation protocols in aqueous droplets starting from single cells or spores with modular detection methods for produced antimicrobial compounds. After long-term incubation for bacterial cell propagation and metabolite production, we implemented a setup for mass spectrometric analysis relying on direct electrospray ionization and injection of single droplets. Even in the presence of dense biomass we show robust detection of streptomycin on the single droplet level. Furthermore, we developed an ultrahigh-throughput screening based on a functional whole-cell assay by picoinjecting reporter cells into droplets. Depending on the survival of reporter cells, droplets were selected for the isolation of producing bacteria, which we demonstrated for a microbial soil community. The established ultrahigh-throughput screening for producers of antibiotics in miniaturized bioreactors in which diverse cell mixtures can be screened on the single cell level is a promising approach to find novel antimicrobial scaffolds.
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39
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Sklodowska K, Debski PR, Michalski JA, Korczyk PM, Dolata M, Zajac M, Jakiela S. Simultaneous Measurement of Viscosity and Optical Density of Bacterial Growth and Death in a Microdroplet. MICROMACHINES 2018; 9:E251. [PMID: 30424184 PMCID: PMC6187717 DOI: 10.3390/mi9050251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we describe a novel method for the assessment of droplet viscosity moving inside microfluidic channels. The method allows for the monitoring of the rate of the continuous growth of bacterial culture. It is based on the analysis of the hydrodynamic resistance of a droplet that is present in a microfluidic channel, which affects its motion. As a result, we were able to observe and quantify the change in the viscosity of the dispersed phase that is caused by the increasing population of interacting bacteria inside a size-limited system. The technique allows for finding the correlation between the viscosity of the medium with a bacterial culture and its optical density. These features, together with the high precision of the measurement, make our viscometer a promising tool for various experiments in the field of analytical chemistry and microbiology, where the rigorous control of the conditions of the reaction and the monitoring of the size of bacterial culture are vital.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Sklodowska
- Department of Biophysics, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 159 Nowoursynowska Street, 02776 Warsaw, Poland.
- Department of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 159 Nowoursynowska Street, 02776 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Pawel R Debski
- Department of Biophysics, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 159 Nowoursynowska Street, 02776 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Jacek A Michalski
- Faculty of Civil Engineering, Mechanics and Petrochemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, 17 Lukasiewicza Street, 09400 Plock, Poland.
| | - Piotr M Korczyk
- Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5B, 02106 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Miroslaw Dolata
- Department of Econophysics and Physics Application, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 159 Nowoursynowska Street, 02776 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Miroslaw Zajac
- Department of Biophysics, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 159 Nowoursynowska Street, 02776 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Slawomir Jakiela
- Department of Biophysics, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 159 Nowoursynowska Street, 02776 Warsaw, Poland.
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40
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Sklodowska K, Jakiela S. Enhancement of bacterial growth with the help of immiscible oxygenated oils. RSC Adv 2017. [DOI: 10.1039/c7ra07095k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial growth in an aqueous medium in the vicinity of the interface with an immiscible oxygenated fluid is a subject of this study. We tested six oxygenated liquids, including hexadecane, silicone oil, FC-40, FC-70, HFE-7200 and HFE-7500.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Slawomir Jakiela
- Warsaw University of Life Sciences
- Department of Biophysics
- Warsaw
- Poland
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41
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Horka M, Sun S, Ruszczak A, Garstecki P, Mayr T. Lifetime of Phosphorescence from Nanoparticles Yields Accurate Measurement of Concentration of Oxygen in Microdroplets, Allowing One To Monitor the Metabolism of Bacteria. Anal Chem 2016; 88:12006-12012. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6b03758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michał Horka
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Shiwen Sun
- Institute
of Analytical Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse9/2, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Artur Ruszczak
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Garstecki
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Torsten Mayr
- Institute
of Analytical Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse9/2, 8010 Graz, Austria
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42
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Ehgartner J, Strobl M, Bolivar JM, Rabl D, Rothbauer M, Ertl P, Borisov SM, Mayr T. Simultaneous Determination of Oxygen and pH Inside Microfluidic Devices Using Core–Shell Nanosensors. Anal Chem 2016; 88:9796-9804. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6b02849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Josef Ehgartner
- Institute
of Analytical Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Graz University of Technology, NAWI Graz, Stremayrgasse 9/3, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Martin Strobl
- Institute
of Analytical Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Graz University of Technology, NAWI Graz, Stremayrgasse 9/3, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Juan M. Bolivar
- Institute
of Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering, Graz University of Technology, NAWI Graz, Petersgasse 12/1, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Dominik Rabl
- Institute
of Analytical Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Graz University of Technology, NAWI Graz, Stremayrgasse 9/3, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Mario Rothbauer
- Institute
of Applied Synthetic Chemistry, Vienna University of Technology, Getreidemarkt
9/163, 1060 Wien, Austria
| | - Peter Ertl
- Institute
of Applied Synthetic Chemistry, Vienna University of Technology, Getreidemarkt
9/163, 1060 Wien, Austria
| | - Sergey M. Borisov
- Institute
of Analytical Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Graz University of Technology, NAWI Graz, Stremayrgasse 9/3, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Torsten Mayr
- Institute
of Analytical Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Graz University of Technology, NAWI Graz, Stremayrgasse 9/3, 8010 Graz, Austria
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43
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Periyannan Rajeswari PK, Joensson HN, Andersson-Svahn H. Droplet size influences division of mammalian cell factories in droplet microfluidic cultivation. Electrophoresis 2016; 38:305-310. [PMID: 27535608 DOI: 10.1002/elps.201600316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2016] [Revised: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 08/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The potential of using droplet microfluidics for screening mammalian cell factories has been limited by the difficulty in achieving continuous cell division during cultivation in droplets. Here, we report the influence of droplet size on mammalian cell division and viability during cultivation in droplets. Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells, the most widely used mammalian host cells for biopharmaceuticals production were encapsulated and cultivated in 33, 180 and 320 pL droplets for 3 days. Periodic monitoring of the droplets during incubation showed that the cell divisions in 33 pL droplets stopped after 24 h, whereas continuous cell division was observed in 180 and 320 pL droplets for 72 h. The viability of the cells cultivated in the 33 pL droplets also dropped to about 50% in 72 h. In contrast, the viability of the cells in the larger droplets was above 90% even after 72 h of cultivation, making them a more suitable droplet size for 72-h cultivation. This study shows a direct correlation of microfluidic droplet size to the division and viability of mammalian cells. This highlights the importance of selecting suitable droplet size for mammalian cell factory screening assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prem Kumar Periyannan Rajeswari
- Division of Proteomics and Nanobiotechnology, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Haakan N Joensson
- Division of Proteomics and Nanobiotechnology, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Helene Andersson-Svahn
- Division of Proteomics and Nanobiotechnology, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
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44
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Kaminski TS, Scheler O, Garstecki P. Droplet microfluidics for microbiology: techniques, applications and challenges. LAB ON A CHIP 2016; 16:2168-87. [PMID: 27212581 DOI: 10.1039/c6lc00367b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 241] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Droplet microfluidics has rapidly emerged as one of the key technologies opening up new experimental possibilities in microbiology. The ability to generate, manipulate and monitor droplets carrying single cells or small populations of bacteria in a highly parallel and high throughput manner creates new approaches for solving problems in diagnostics and for research on bacterial evolution. This review presents applications of droplet microfluidics in various fields of microbiology: i) detection and identification of pathogens, ii) antibiotic susceptibility testing, iii) studies of microbial physiology and iv) biotechnological selection and improvement of strains. We also list the challenges in the dynamically developing field and new potential uses of droplets in microbiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz S Kaminski
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland.
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