1
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Zhang Y, Liu H, Nakagawa Y, Nagasaka Y, Ding T, Tang SY, Yalikun Y, Goda K, Li M. Enhanced CRISPR/Cas12a-based quantitative detection of nucleic acids using double emulsion droplets. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 257:116339. [PMID: 38688231 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116339] [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: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Pairing droplet microfluidics and CRISPR/Cas12a techniques creates a powerful solution for the detection and quantification of nucleic acids at the single-molecule level, due to its specificity, sensitivity, and simplicity. However, traditional water-in-oil (W/O) single emulsion (SE) droplets often present stability issues, affecting the accuracy and reproducibility of assay results. As an alternative, water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) double emulsion (DE) droplets offer superior stability and uniformity for droplet digital assays. Moreover, unlike SE droplets, DE droplets are compatible with commercially available flow cytometry instruments for high-throughput analysis. Despite these advantages, no study has demonstrated the use of DE droplets for CRISPR-based nucleic acid detection. In our study, we conducted a comparative analysis to assess the performance of SE and DE droplets in quantitative detection of human papillomavirus type 18 (HPV18) DNA based on CRISPR/Cas12a. We evaluated the stability of SEs and DEs by examining size variation, merging extent, and content interaction before and after incubation at different temperatures and time points. By integrating DE droplets with flow cytometry, we achieved high-throughput and high-accuracy CRISPR/Cas12a-based quantification of target HPV18 DNA. The DE platform, when paired with CRISPR/Cas12a and flow cytometry techniques, emerges as a reliable tool for absolute quantification of nucleic acid biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhang
- School of Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Hangrui Liu
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Yuta Nakagawa
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yuzuki Nagasaka
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Tianben Ding
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Shi-Yang Tang
- School of Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Yaxiaer Yalikun
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 630-0192, Ikoma, Japan
| | - Keisuke Goda
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA; Institute of Technological Sciences, Wuhan University, Hubei, 430072, China
| | - Ming Li
- School of Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
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2
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Ghosh R, Arnheim A, van Zee M, Shang L, Soemardy C, Tang RC, Mellody M, Baghdasarian S, Sanchez Ochoa E, Ye S, Chen S, Williamson C, Karunaratne A, Di Carlo D. Lab on a Particle Technologies. Anal Chem 2024; 96:7817-7839. [PMID: 38650433 PMCID: PMC11112544 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c01510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Ghosh
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Alyssa Arnheim
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Mark van Zee
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Lily Shang
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Citradewi Soemardy
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Rui-Chian Tang
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Michael Mellody
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Sevana Baghdasarian
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Edwin Sanchez Ochoa
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Shun Ye
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Siyu Chen
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Cayden Williamson
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Amrith Karunaratne
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Dino Di Carlo
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Jonsson
Comprehensive Cancer Center, University
of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Department
of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- California
NanoSystems Institute, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
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3
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Li X, Zhao D, Wang Y, Huang H. Droplet-based cell-laden microgels for high-throughput analysis. Trends Biotechnol 2024; 42:397-401. [PMID: 37953082 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.10.010] [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: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Cell-laden droplet microfluidics has revolutionized bulk biochemical analysis by offering compartmentalized microreactors for individual cells, but downstream operations of regular aqueous droplets are limited. Hydrogel matrix can provide a rigid scaffold for long-term culture of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, and can support several manipulations, facilitating subsequent high-throughput analysis of cellular heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Li
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, China
| | - Danshan Zhao
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, China
| | - Yuetong Wang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, China.
| | - He Huang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, China.
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4
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Ochoa A, Gastélum G, Rocha J, Olguin LF. High-throughput bacterial co-encapsulation in microfluidic gel beads for discovery of antibiotic-producing strains. Analyst 2023; 148:5762-5774. [PMID: 37843562 DOI: 10.1039/d3an01101a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria with antagonistic activity inhibit the growth of other bacteria through different mechanisms, including the production of antibiotics. As a result, these microorganisms are a prolific source of such compounds. However, searching for antibiotic-producing strains requires high-throughput techniques due to the vast diversity of microorganisms. Here, we screened and isolated bacteria with antagonistic activity against Escherichia coli expressing the green fluorescent protein (E. coli-GFP). We used microfluidics to co-encapsulate and co-culture single cells from different strains within picoliter gel beads and analyzed them using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). To test the methodology, we used three bacterial isolates obtained from Mexican maize, which exhibit high, moderate, or no antagonistic activity against E. coli-GFP, as determined previously using agar plate assays. Single cells from each strain were separately co-incubated into gel beads with E. coli-GFP. We monitored the development of the maize bacteria microcolonies and tracked the growth or inhibition of E. coli-GFP using bright-field and fluorescent microscopy. We correlated these images with distinctive light scatter and fluorescence signatures of each incubated bead type using FACS. This analysis enabled us to sort gel beads filled with an antagonistic strain, starting from a mixture of the three different types of maize bacteria and E. coli-GFP. Likewise, culturing the FACS-sorted beads on agar plates confirmed the isolation and recovery of the two antagonistic strains. In addition, enrichment assays demonstrated the methodology's effectiveness in isolating rare antibiotic-producer strains (0.01% abundance) present in a mixture of microorganisms. These results show that associating light side scatter and fluorescent flow cytometry signals with microscopy images provides valuable controls to establish successful high-throughput methods for sorting beads in which microbial interaction assays are performed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham Ochoa
- Laboratorio de Biofisicoquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, CDMX 04510, Mexico.
| | - Gabriela Gastélum
- Unidad Regional Hidalgo, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo A.C., San Agustín Tlaxiaca, Hidalgo 42163, Mexico
| | - Jorge Rocha
- Unidad Regional Hidalgo, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo A.C., San Agustín Tlaxiaca, Hidalgo 42163, Mexico
- Programa de Agricultura en Zonas Áridas, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, La Paz, B.C.S. 23096, Mexico
| | - Luis F Olguin
- Laboratorio de Biofisicoquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, CDMX 04510, Mexico.
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5
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Sun G, Qu L, Azi F, Liu Y, Li J, Lv X, Du G, Chen J, Chen CH, Liu L. Recent progress in high-throughput droplet screening and sorting for bioanalysis. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 225:115107. [PMID: 36731396 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Owing to its ability to isolate single cells and perform high-throughput sorting, droplet sorting has been widely applied in several research fields. Compared with flow cytometry, droplet allows the encapsulation of single cells for cell secretion or lysate analysis. With the rapid development of this technology in the past decade, various droplet sorting devices with high throughput and accuracy have been developed. A droplet sorter with the highest sorting throughput of 30,000 droplets per second was developed in 2015. Since then, increased attention has been paid to expanding the possibilities of droplet sorting technology and strengthening its advantages over flow cytometry. This review aimed to summarize the recent progress in droplet sorting technology from the perspectives of device design, detection signal, actuating force, and applications. Technical details for improving droplet sorting through various approaches are introduced and discussed. Finally, we discuss the current limitations of droplet sorting for single-cell studies along with the existing gap between the laboratory and industry and provide our insights for future development of droplet sorters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoyun Sun
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Lisha Qu
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Fidelis Azi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Guangdong Technion-Israel Institute of Technology GTIIT, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, China
| | - Yanfeng Liu
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Jianghua Li
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Xueqin Lv
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Guocheng Du
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Jian Chen
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Chia-Hung Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Long Liu
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China.
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6
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Zhang Z, Guo Q, Wang Y, Huang H. High-throughput screening of microbial strains in large-scale microfluidic droplets. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1105277. [PMID: 36970622 PMCID: PMC10037112 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1105277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The transformation of engineered microbial cells is a pivotal link in green biomanufacturing. Its distinctive research application involves genetic modification of microbial chassis to impart targeted traits and functions for effective synthesis of the desired products. Microfluidics, as an emerging complementary solution, focuses on controlling and manipulating fluid in channels at the microscopic scale. One of its subcategories is droplet-based microfluidics (DMF), which can generate discrete droplets using immiscible multiphase fluids at kHz frequencies. To date, droplet microfluidics has been successfully applied to a variety of microbes, including bacteria, yeast, and filamentous fungi, and the detection of massive metabolites of strain products, such as polypeptides, enzymes, and lipids, has been realized. In summary, we firmly believe that droplet microfluidics has evolved into a powerful technology that will pave the way for high-throughput screening of engineered microbial strains in the green biomanufacturing industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhidong Zhang
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
- Institute of Applied Microbiology, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences/ Xinjiang Laboratory of Special Environmental Microbiology, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Qi Guo
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuetong Wang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Yuetong Wang, ; He Huang,
| | - He Huang
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Yuetong Wang, ; He Huang,
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7
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Zhang T, Cain AK, Semenec L, Liu L, Hosokawa Y, Inglis DW, Yalikun Y, Li M. Microfluidic Separation and Enrichment of Escherichia coli by Size Using Viscoelastic Flows. Anal Chem 2023; 95:2561-2569. [PMID: 36656064 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c05084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Here, we achieve the separation and enrichment of Escherichia coli clusters from its singlets in a viscoelastic microfluidic device. E. coli, an important prokaryotic model organism and a widely used microbial factory, can aggregate in clusters, leading to biofilm development that can be detrimental to human health and industrial processes. The ability to obtain high-purity populations of E. coli clusters is of significance for biological, biomedical, and industrial applications. In this study, polystyrene particles of two different sizes, 1 and 4.8 μm, are used to mimic E. coli singlets and clusters, respectively. Experimental results show that particles migrate toward the channel center in a size-dependent manner, due to the combined effects of inertial and elastic forces; 4.8 and 1 μm particles are found to have lateral equilibrium positions closer to the channel centerline and sidewalls, respectively. The size-dependent separation performance of the microdevice is demonstrated to be affected by three main factors: channel length, the ratio of sheath to sample flow rate, and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) concentration. Further, the separation of E. coli singlets and clusters is achieved at the outlets, and the separation efficiency is evaluated in terms of purity and enrichment factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianlong Zhang
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia.,Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma 630-0192, Japan
| | - Amy K Cain
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Lucie Semenec
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Ling Liu
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Yoichiroh Hosokawa
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma 630-0192, Japan
| | - David W Inglis
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Yaxiaer Yalikun
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma 630-0192, Japan
| | - Ming Li
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia.,Biomolecular Discovery Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
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8
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Jiang Z, Shi H, Tang X, Qin J. Recent advances in droplet microfluidics for single-cell analysis. Trends Analyt Chem 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2023.116932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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9
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Samlali K, Alves CL, Jezernik M, Shih SCC. Droplet digital microfluidic system for screening filamentous fungi based on enzymatic activity. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2022; 8:123. [PMID: 36438986 PMCID: PMC9681769 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-022-00456-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Fungal cell-wall-degrading enzymes have great utility in the agricultural and food industries. These cell-wall-degrading enzymes are known to have functions that can help defend against pathogenic organisms. The existing methods used to discover these enzymes are not well adapted to fungi culture and morphology, which prevents the proper evaluation of these enzymes. We report the first droplet-based microfluidic method capable of long-term incubation and low-voltage conditions to sort filamentous fungi inside nanoliter-sized droplets. The new method was characterized and validated in solid-phase media based on colloidal chitin such that the incubation of single spores in droplets was possible over multiple days (2-4 days) and could be sorted without droplet breakage. With long-term culture, we examined the activity of cell-wall-degrading enzymes produced by fungi during solid-state droplet fermentation using three highly sensitive fluorescein-based substrates. We also used the low-voltage droplet sorter to select clones with highly active cell-wall-degrading enzymes, such as chitinases, β-glucanases, and β-N-acetylgalactosaminidases, from a filamentous fungi droplet library that had been incubated for >4 days. The new system is portable, affordable for any laboratory, and user-friendly compared to classical droplet-based microfluidic systems. We propose that this system will be useful for the growing number of scientists interested in fungal microbiology who are seeking high-throughput methods to incubate and sort a large library of fungal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenza Samlali
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montréal, QC Canada
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, QC Canada
| | - Chiara Leal Alves
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montréal, QC Canada
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, QC Canada
| | - Mara Jezernik
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Steve C. C. Shih
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montréal, QC Canada
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, QC Canada
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, QC Canada
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10
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Yan L, Zhou T, Ni R, Jia Z, Jiang Y, Guo T, Wang K, Chen X, Han L, Lu X. Adhesive Gelatin-Catechol Complex Reinforced Poly(Acrylic Acid) Hydrogel with Enhanced Toughness and Cell Affinity for Cartilage Regeneration. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2022; 5:4366-4377. [PMID: 36044775 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.2c00533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The repair of cartilage damage caused by trauma, wear, or degenerative deformation remains a major challenge in modern medicine. Therefore, it is essential to develop a mechanically compatible and bioactive scaffold for cartilage tissue regeneration. In this study, a mussel-inspired, tough, adhesive polydopamine/gelatin-poly(acrylic acid) (PDA/Gel-PAA) composite hydrogel was developed for cartilage regeneration. The hydrogel achieved a high compressive strength of up to 0.67 MPa and a toughness of 420 J/m2 because of the unique chemical-physical cross-linking structure by introducing the PDA/Gel complex into the PAA network. PAA chains with rich carboxyl groups mimic the negatively charged glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the natural cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM), leading to strong water retention in the hydrogel. The incorporation of the PDA/Gel complex with catechol groups on PDA and arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) sequences on gelatin chains provided abundant adhesive motifs to improve the cell affinity and tissue adhesiveness of PAA, thereby facilitating the adhesion and proliferation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). In addition, transforming growth factor-β3 (TGFβ3) was stably immobilized and released from the PDA/Gel-PAA hydrogel. Thus, adhesive hydrogels can provide a suitable microenvironment to promote cell migration in the defect area and induce chronogenesis for cartilage regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liwei Yan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Lab of Advanced Technologies of Materials, Ministry of Education, Yibin Institute of Southwest Jiaotong University, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, China
| | - Ting Zhou
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Lab of Advanced Technologies of Materials, Ministry of Education, Yibin Institute of Southwest Jiaotong University, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruicheng Ni
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Lab of Advanced Technologies of Materials, Ministry of Education, Yibin Institute of Southwest Jiaotong University, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhanrong Jia
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Lab of Advanced Technologies of Materials, Ministry of Education, Yibin Institute of Southwest Jiaotong University, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanan Jiang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Lab of Advanced Technologies of Materials, Ministry of Education, Yibin Institute of Southwest Jiaotong University, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, China
| | - Tailin Guo
- College of Medicine, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, China
| | - Kefeng Wang
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, Sichuan, China
| | - Xian Chen
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610072, Sichuan, China
| | - Lu Han
- School of Medicine and Pharmaceutics, Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, Shandong, China
| | - Xiong Lu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Lab of Advanced Technologies of Materials, Ministry of Education, Yibin Institute of Southwest Jiaotong University, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, China
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11
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Using gel microdroplets to develop a simple high-throughput screening platform for oleaginous microorganisms. J Biotechnol 2022; 358:46-54. [PMID: 36041515 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2022.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
The oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi is expected to be a new lipid source since this microorganism is capable of accumulating more than 85% lipid per dry cell weight. For effective utilization of oleaginous yeast, mutants with improved lipid production compared to the wild-type have been screened by methods such as single-cell sorting and Percoll density gradient centrifugation. Because these methods need to reculture all mutated oleaginous yeasts together in a flask, it is difficult to evaluate the growth of each individual mutant. Thus, screening for the slow-growing mutants with high-throughput has never been performed by conventional methods. In this study, we developed a high-throughput method using gel microdroplets (GMD). With this method, the growth and lipid production of L. starkeyi can be evaluated simultaneously. L. starkeyi grew in GMD and the size of these microcolonies was evaluated by scattered light. Finally, a mutant with a 10-fold delay in growth compared to the wild-type was obtained. Analysis of genetic information in this mutant could reveal valuable information about critical genes involved in the growth of these microorganisms, which could then be utilized further.
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12
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Ng S, Williamson C, van Zee M, Di Carlo D, Santa Maria SR. Enabling Clonal Analyses of Yeast in Outer Space by Encapsulation and Desiccation in Hollow Microparticles. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12081168. [PMID: 36013347 PMCID: PMC9410522 DOI: 10.3390/life12081168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Studying microbes at the single-cell level in space can accelerate human space exploration both via the development of novel biotechnologies and via the understanding of cellular responses to space stressors and countermeasures. High-throughput technologies for screening natural and engineered cell populations can reveal cellular heterogeneity and identify high-performance cells. Here, we present a method to desiccate and preserve microbes in nanoliter-scale compartments, termed PicoShells, which are microparticles with a hollow inner cavity. In PicoShells, single cells are confined in an inner aqueous core by a porous hydrogel shell, allowing the diffusion of nutrients, wastes, and assay reagents for uninhibited cell growth and flexible assay protocols. Desiccated PicoShells offer analysis capabilities for single-cell derived colonies with a simple, low resource workflow, requiring only the addition of water to rehydrate hundreds of thousands of PicoShells and the single microbes encapsulated inside. Our desiccation method results in the recovery of desiccated microparticle morphology and porosity after a multi-week storage period and rehydration, with particle diameter and porosity metrics changing by less than 18% and 7%, respectively, compared to fresh microparticles. We also recorded the high viability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast desiccated and rehydrated inside PicoShells, with only a 14% decrease in viability compared to non-desiccated yeast over 8.5 weeks, although we observed an 85% decrease in initial growth potential over the same duration. We show a proof-of-concept for a growth rate-based analysis of single-cell derived colonies in rehydrated PicoShells, where we identified 11% of the population that grows at an accelerated rate. Desiccated PicoShells thus provide a robust method for cell preservation before and during launch, promising a simple single-cell analysis method for studying heterogeneity in microbial populations in space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Ng
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California—Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (S.N.); (C.W.); (M.v.Z.)
- Space Life Sciences Training Program, NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, CA 94035, USA
| | - Cayden Williamson
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California—Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (S.N.); (C.W.); (M.v.Z.)
| | - Mark van Zee
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California—Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (S.N.); (C.W.); (M.v.Z.)
| | - Dino Di Carlo
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California—Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (S.N.); (C.W.); (M.v.Z.)
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California—Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI), University of California—Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Correspondence: (D.D.C.); (S.R.S.M.)
| | - Sergio R. Santa Maria
- Space Biosciences, NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, CA 94035, USA
- KBR, Fully Integrated Lifecycle Mission Support Services, Mountain View, CA 94035, USA
- Correspondence: (D.D.C.); (S.R.S.M.)
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13
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de Rutte J, Dimatteo R, Archang MM, van Zee M, Koo D, Lee S, Sharrow AC, Krohl PJ, Mellody M, Zhu S, Eichenbaum JV, Kizerwetter M, Udani S, Ha K, Willson RC, Bertozzi AL, Spangler J, Damoiseaux R, Di Carlo D. Suspendable Hydrogel Nanovials for Massively Parallel Single-Cell Functional Analysis and Sorting. ACS NANO 2022; 16:7242-7257. [PMID: 35324146 PMCID: PMC9869715 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c11420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Techniques to analyze and sort single cells based on functional outputs, such as secreted products, have the potential to transform our understanding of cellular biology as well as accelerate the development of next-generation cell and antibody therapies. However, secreted molecules rapidly diffuse away from cells, and analysis of these products requires specialized equipment and expertise to compartmentalize individual cells and capture their secretions. Herein, we describe methods to fabricate hydrogel-based chemically functionalized microcontainers, which we call nanovials, and demonstrate their use for sorting single viable cells based on their secreted products at high-throughput using only commonly accessible laboratory infrastructure. These nanovials act as solid supports that facilitate attachment of a variety of adherent and suspension cell types, partition uniform aqueous compartments, and capture secreted proteins. Solutions can be exchanged around nanovials to perform fluorescence immunoassays on secreted proteins. Using this platform and commercial flow sorters, we demonstrate high-throughput screening of stably and transiently transfected producer cells based on relative IgG production. Chinese hamster ovary cells sorted based on IgG production regrew and maintained a high secretion phenotype over at least a week, yielding >40% increase in bulk IgG production rates. We also sorted hybridomas and B lymphocytes based on antigen-specific antibody production. Hybridoma cells secreting an antihen egg lysozyme antibody were recovered from background cells, enriching a population of ∼4% prevalence to >90% following sorting. Leveraging the high-speed sorting capabilities of standard sorters, we sorted >1 million events in <1 h. IgG secreting mouse B cells were also sorted and enriched based on antigen-specific binding. Successful sorting of antibody-secreting B cells combined with the ability to perform single-cell RT-PCR to recover sequence information suggests the potential to perform antibody discovery workflows. The reported nanovials can be easily stored and distributed among researchers, democratizing access to high-throughput functional cell screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph de Rutte
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Partillion Bioscience Corporation, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Robert Dimatteo
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Maani M. Archang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Mark van Zee
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Doyeon Koo
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Sohyung Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Allison C. Sharrow
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Patrick J. Krohl
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Michael Mellody
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Sheldon Zhu
- Partillion Bioscience Corporation, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - James V. Eichenbaum
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Monika Kizerwetter
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Shreya Udani
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Kyung Ha
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Richard C. Willson
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Andrea L. Bertozzi
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jamie Spangler
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
- Translational Tissue Engineering Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Robert Damoiseaux
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Dino Di Carlo
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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14
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Thurgood P, Chheang C, Needham S, Pirogova E, Peter K, Baratchi S, Khoshmanesh K. Generation of dynamic vortices in a microfluidic system incorporating stenosis barrier by tube oscillation. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:1917-1928. [PMID: 35420623 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00135g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic systems incorporating sudden expansions are widely used for generation of vortex flow patterns. However, the formation of vortices requires high flow rates to induce inertial effects. Here, we introduce a new method for generating dynamic vortices in microfluidics at low static flow rates. Human blood is driven through a microfluidic channel incorporating a semi-circular stenosis barrier. The inlet tube of the channel is axially oscillated using a computer-controlled audio-speaker. The tube oscillation induces high transient flow rates in the channel, which generates dynamic vortices across the stenosis barrier. The size of the vortices can be modulated by varying the frequency and amplitude of tube oscillation. Various vortex flow patterns can be generated by varying the flow rate. The formation and size of the vortices can be predicted using the Reynolds number of the oscillating tube. We demonstrate the potential application of the system for investigating the adhesion and phagocytosis of circulating immune cells under pathologically high shear rates induced at the stenosis. This approach facilitates the development of versatile and controllable inertial microfluidic systems for performing various cellular assays while operating at low static flow rates and low sample volumes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Thurgood
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Chanly Chheang
- School of Health & Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Scott Needham
- Leading Technology Group, Bayswater, Victoria, Australia
| | - Elena Pirogova
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Karlheinz Peter
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Cardiometabolic Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sara Baratchi
- School of Health & Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
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15
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Anggraini D, Ota N, Shen Y, Tang T, Tanaka Y, Hosokawa Y, Li M, Yalikun Y. Recent advances in microfluidic devices for single-cell cultivation: methods and applications. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:1438-1468. [PMID: 35274649 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc01030a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell analysis is essential to improve our understanding of cell functionality from cellular and subcellular aspects for diagnosis and therapy. Single-cell cultivation is one of the most important processes in single-cell analysis, which allows the monitoring of actual information of individual cells and provides sufficient single-cell clones and cell-derived products for further analysis. The microfluidic device is a fast-rising system that offers efficient, effective, and sensitive single-cell cultivation and real-time single-cell analysis conducted either on-chip or off-chip. Here, we introduce the importance of single-cell cultivation from the aspects of cellular and subcellular studies. We highlight the materials and structures utilized in microfluidic devices for single-cell cultivation. We further discuss biological applications utilizing single-cell cultivation-based microfluidics, such as cellular phenotyping, cell-cell interactions, and omics profiling. Finally, present limitations and future prospects of microfluidics for single-cell cultivation are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dian Anggraini
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara 630-0192, Japan.
| | - Nobutoshi Ota
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yigang Shen
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Tao Tang
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara 630-0192, Japan.
| | - Yo Tanaka
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yoichiroh Hosokawa
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara 630-0192, Japan.
| | - Ming Li
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney 2122, Australia.
| | - Yaxiaer Yalikun
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara 630-0192, Japan.
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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16
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de Rutte J, Dimatteo R, Zhu S, Archang MM, Di Carlo D. Sorting single-cell microcarriers using commercial flow cytometers. SLAS Technol 2022; 27:150-159. [PMID: 35058209 PMCID: PMC9018595 DOI: 10.1016/j.slast.2021.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The scale of biological discovery is driven by the vessels in which we can perform assays and analyze results, from multi-well plates to microfluidic compartments. We report on the compatibility of sub-nanoliter single-cell containers or "nanovials" with commercial fluorescence activated cell sorters (FACS). This recent lab on a particle approach utilizes 3D structured microparticles to isolate cells and perform single-cell assays at scale with existing lab equipment. Use of flow cytometry led to detection of fluorescently labeled protein with dynamic ranges spanning 2-3 log and detection limits down to ∼10,000 molecules per nanovial, which was the lowest amount tested. Detection limits were improved compared to fluorescence microscopy measurements using a 20X objective and a cooled CMOS camera. Nanovials with diameters between 35-85 µm could also be sorted with purity from 99-93% on different commercial instruments at throughputs up to 800 events/second. Cell-loaded nanovials were found to have unique forward and side (or back) scatter signatures that enabled gating of cell-containing nanovials using scatter metrics alone. The compatibility of nanovials with widely-available commercial FACS instruments promises to democratize single-cell assays used in discovery of antibodies and cell therapies, by enabling analysis of single cells based on secreted products and leveraging the unmatched analytical capabilities of flow cytometers to sort important clones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph de Rutte
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, United States; Partillion Bioscience Corporation, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
| | - Robert Dimatteo
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Sheldon Zhu
- Partillion Bioscience Corporation, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Maani M Archang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Dino Di Carlo
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, United States; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, United States; California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, United States; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
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17
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Tang T, Liu X, Yuan Y, Kiya R, Shen Y, Zhang T, Suzuki K, Tanaka Y, Li M, Hosokawa Y, Yalikun Y. Dual-frequency impedance assays for intracellular components in microalgal cells. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:550-559. [PMID: 35072196 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00721a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Intracellular components (including organelles and biomolecules) at the submicron level are typically analyzed in situ by special preparation or expensive setups. Here, a label-free and cost-effective approach of screening microalgal single-cells at a subcellular resolution is available based on impedance cytometry. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time that the relationships between impedance signals and submicron intracellular organelles and biomolecules are shown. Experiments were performed on Euglena gracilis (E. gracilis) cells incubated under different incubation conditions (i.e., aerobic and anaerobic) and 15 μm polystyrene beads (reference) at two distinct stimulation frequencies (i.e., 500 kHz and 6 MHz). Based on the impedance detection of tens of thousands of samples at a throughput of about 900 cells per second, three metrics were used to track the changes in biophysical properties of samples. As a result, the electrical diameters of cells showed a clear shrinkage in cell volume and intracellular components, as observed under a microscope. The morphology metric of impedance pulses (i.e., tilt index) successfully characterized the changes in cell shape and intracellular composition distribution. Besides, the electrical opacity showed a stable ratio of the intracellular components to cell volume under the cellular self-regulation. Additionally, simulations were used to support these findings and to elucidate how submicron intracellular components and cell morphology affect impedance signals, providing a basis for future improvements. This work opens up a label-free and high-throughput way to analyze single-cell intracellular components by impedance cytometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Tang
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama-cho, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan.
| | - Xun Liu
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama-cho, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan.
| | - Yapeng Yuan
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Ryota Kiya
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama-cho, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan.
| | - Yigang Shen
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Tianlong Zhang
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama-cho, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan.
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, Australia
| | | | - Yo Tanaka
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Ming Li
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, Australia
| | - Yoichiroh Hosokawa
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama-cho, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan.
| | - Yaxiaer Yalikun
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama-cho, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan.
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
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18
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High-throughput selection of cells based on accumulated growth and division using PicoShell particles. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2109430119. [PMID: 35046027 PMCID: PMC8794849 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2109430119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Production of high-energy lipids by microalgae may provide a sustainable energy source that can help tackle climate change. However, microalgae engineered to produce more lipids usually grow slowly, leading to reduced overall yields. Unfortunately, culture vessels used to select cells based on growth while maintaining high biomass production, such as well plates, water-in-oil droplet emulsions, and nanowell arrays, do not provide production-relevant environments that cells experience in scaled-up cultures (e.g., bioreactors or outdoor cultivation farms). As a result, strains that are developed in the laboratory may not exhibit the same beneficial phenotypic behavior when transferred to industrial production. Here, we introduce PicoShells, picoliter-scale porous hydrogel compartments, that enable >100,000 individual cells to be compartmentalized, cultured in production-relevant environments, and selected based on growth and bioproduct accumulation traits using standard flow cytometers. PicoShells consist of a hollow inner cavity where cells are encapsulated and a porous outer shell that allows for continuous solution exchange with the external environment. PicoShells allow for cell growth directly in culture environments, such as shaking flasks and bioreactors. We experimentally demonstrate that Chlorella sp., Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Chinese hamster ovary cells, used for bioproduction, grow to significantly larger colony sizes in PicoShells than in water-in-oil droplet emulsions (P < 0.05). We also demonstrate that PicoShells containing faster dividing and growing Chlorella clonal colonies can be selected using a fluorescence-activated cell sorter and regrown. Using the PicoShell process, we select a Chlorella population that accumulates chlorophyll 8% faster than does an unselected population after a single selection cycle.
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19
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Liu D, Sun M, Zhang J, Hu R, Fu W, Xuanyuan T, Liu W. Single-cell droplet microfluidics for biomedical applications. Analyst 2022; 147:2294-2316. [DOI: 10.1039/d1an02321g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
This review focuses on the recent advances in the fundamentals of single-cell droplet microfluidics and its applications in biomedicine, providing insights into design and establishment of single-cell microsystems and their further performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Liu
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Meilin Sun
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Jinwei Zhang
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Rui Hu
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Wenzhu Fu
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Tingting Xuanyuan
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Wenming Liu
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
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20
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Siedlik MJ, Issadore D. Pico-washing: simultaneous liquid addition and removal for continuous-flow washing of microdroplets. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2022; 8:46. [PMID: 35498338 PMCID: PMC9050730 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-022-00381-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Droplet microfluidics is based on a toolbox of several established unit operations, including droplet generation, incubation, mixing, pico-injection, and sorting. In the last two decades, the development of droplet microfluidic systems, which incorporate these multiple unit operations into a workflow, has demonstrated unique capabilities in fields ranging from single-cell transcriptomic analyses to materials optimization. One unit operation that is sorely underdeveloped in droplet microfluidics is washing, exchange of the fluid in a droplet with a different fluid. Here, we demonstrate what we name the "pico-washer," a unit operation capable of simultaneously adding fluid to and removing fluid from droplets in flow while requiring only a small footprint on a microfluidic chip. We describe the fabrication strategy, device architecture, and process parameters required for stable operation of this technology, which is capable of operating with kHz droplet throughput. Furthermore, we provide an image processing workflow to characterize the washing process with microsecond and micrometer resolution. Finally, we demonstrate the potential for integrated droplet workflows by arranging two of these unit operations in series with a droplet generator, describe a design rule for stable operation of the pico-washer when integrated into a system, and validate this design rule experimentally. We anticipate that this technology will contribute to continued development of the droplet microfluidics toolbox and the realization of novel droplet-based, multistep biological and chemical assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Siedlik
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 United States
| | - David Issadore
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 United States
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 United States
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21
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Wang Y, Shah V, Lu A, Pachler E, Cheng B, Di Carlo D. Counting of enzymatically amplified affinity reactions in hydrogel particle-templated drops. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:3438-3448. [PMID: 34378611 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00344e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Counting of numerous compartmentalized enzymatic reactions underlies quantitative and high sensitivity immunodiagnostic assays. However, digital enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) require specialized instruments which have slowed adoption in research and clinical labs. We present a lab-on-a-particle solution to digital counting of thousands of single enzymatic reactions. Hydrogel particles are used to bind enzymes and template the formation of droplets that compartmentalize reactions with simple pipetting steps. These hydrogel particles can be made at a high throughput, stored, and used during the assay to create ∼500 000 compartments within 2 minutes. These particles can also be dried and rehydrated with sample, amplifying the sensitivity of the assay by driving affinity interactions on the hydrogel surface. We demonstrate digital counting of β-galactosidase enzyme at a femtomolar detection limit with a dynamic range of 3 orders of magnitude using standard benchtop equipment and experiment techniques. This approach can faciliate the development of digital ELISAs with reduced need for specialized microfluidic devices, instruments, or imaging systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilian Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Vishwesh Shah
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Angela Lu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Ella Pachler
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Brian Cheng
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Dino Di Carlo
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, California NanoSystems Institute, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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22
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Focusing of Particles in a Microchannel with Laser Engraved Groove Arrays. BIOSENSORS-BASEL 2021; 11:bios11080263. [PMID: 34436065 PMCID: PMC8392838 DOI: 10.3390/bios11080263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Continuous microfluidic focusing of particles, both synthetic and biological, is significant for a wide range of applications in industry, biology and biomedicine. In this study, we demonstrate the focusing of particles in a microchannel embedded with glass grooves engraved by femtosecond pulse (fs) laser. Results showed that the laser-engraved microstructures were capable of directing polystyrene particles and mouse myoblast cells (C2C12) towards the center of the microchannel at low Reynolds numbers (Re < 1). Numerical simulation revealed that localized side-to-center secondary flows induced by grooves at the channel bottom play an essential role in particle lateral displacement. Additionally, the focusing performance proved to be dependent on the angle of grooves and the middle open space between the grooves based on both experiments and simulation. Particle sedimentation rate was found to critically influence the focusing of particles of different sizes. Taking advantage of the size-dependent particle lateral displacement, selective focusing of micrometer particles was demonstrated. This study systematically investigated continuous particle focusing in a groove-embedded microchannel. We expect that this device will be used for further applications, such as cell sensing and nanoparticle separation in biological and biomedical areas.
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23
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Tang T, Liu X, Kiya R, Shen Y, Yuan Y, Zhang T, Suzuki K, Tanaka Y, Li M, Hosokawa Y, Yalikun Y. Microscopic impedance cytometry for quantifying single cell shape. Biosens Bioelectron 2021; 193:113521. [PMID: 34380102 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2021.113521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we investigated the ability of impedance flow cytometry to measure the shape of single cells/particles. We found that the impedance pulses triggered by micro-objects that are asymmetric in morphology show a tilting trend, and there is no such a tilting trend for symmetric ones. Therefore, we proposed a new metric, tilt index, to quantify the tilt level of the impedance pulses. Through simulation, we found that the value of tilt index tends to be zero for perfectly symmetrical objects, while the value is greater than zero for asymmetrical ones. Also, this metric was found to be independent on the trajectories (i.e., lateral, and z-direction shift) of the target micro-object. In experiments, we adopted a home-made lock-in amplifier and performed experiments on 10 μm polystyrene beads and Euglena gracilis (E. gracilis) cells with varying shapes. The experimental results coincided with the simulation results and demonstrated that the new metric (tilt index) enables the impedance cytometry to characterize the shape single cells/particles without microscopy or other optical setups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Tang
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama-cho Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192, Japan
| | - Xun Liu
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama-cho Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192, Japan
| | - Ryota Kiya
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama-cho Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192, Japan
| | - Yigang Shen
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yapeng Yuan
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Tianlong Zhang
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama-cho Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192, Japan; School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, Australia
| | | | - Yo Tanaka
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Ming Li
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, Australia
| | - Yoichiroh Hosokawa
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama-cho Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192, Japan
| | - Yaxiaer Yalikun
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama-cho Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192, Japan; Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, 1-3 Yamadaoka Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
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24
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Liu H, Piper JA, Li M. Rapid, Simple, and Inexpensive Spatial Patterning of Wettability in Microfluidic Devices for Double Emulsion Generation. Anal Chem 2021; 93:10955-10965. [PMID: 34323465 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c01861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) double emulsion (DE) encapsulation has been widely used as a promising platform technology for various applications in the fields of food, cosmetics, pharmacy, chemical engineering, materials science, and synthetic biology. Unfortunately, DEs formed by conventional emulsion generation approaches in most cases are highly polydisperse, making them less desirable for quantitative assays, controlled biomaterial synthesis, and entrapped ingredient release. Microfluidic devices can generate monodisperse DEs with controllable size, morphology, and production rate, but these generally require multistep fabrication processes and use of different solvents or bulky external instrumentation to pattern channel wettability. To overcome these limitations, we propose a rapid, simple, and inexpensive method to spatially pattern wettability in microfluidic devices for the continuous generation of monodisperse DEs. This is achieved by applying corona-plasma treatment to a select zone of the microchannel surface aided by a custom-designed corona resistance microchannel to strictly confine the plasma-treatment zone in a single polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic device. The properties of PDMS channel surfaces and key microchannel regions for DE generation are characterized under different levels of treatment. The size, shell thickness, and number of inner cores of generated DEs are shown to be highly controllable by tuning the phase flow rate ratios. Using DEs as templates, we successfully achieve a one-step generation and collection of gelatin microgels. Additionally, we demonstrate the biological capability of generated DEs by flow cytometric screening of the encapsulation and growth of yeast cells within DEs. We expect that the proposed approach will be widely used to create microfluidic devices with more complex wettability patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hangrui Liu
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, New South Wales 2109, Australia.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - James A Piper
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, New South Wales 2109, Australia.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Ming Li
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, New South Wales 2109, Australia.,Biomolecular Discovery Research Centre, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, New South Wales 2109, Australia
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25
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Song R, Cho S, Shin S, Kim H, Lee J. From shaping to functionalization of micro-droplets and particles. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2021; 3:3395-3416. [PMID: 36133725 PMCID: PMC9419121 DOI: 10.1039/d1na00276g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The structure of microdroplet and microparticle is a critical factor in their functionality, which determines the distribution and sequence of physicochemical reactions. Therefore, the technology of precisely tailoring their shape is requisite for implementing the user demand functions in various applications. This review highlights various methodologies for droplet shaping, classified into passive and active approaches based on whether additional body forces are applied to droplets to manipulate their functions and fabricate them into microparticles. The passive approaches cover batch emulsification, solvent evaporation and diffusion, micromolding, and microfluidic methods. In active approaches, the external forces, such as electrical and magnetic fields or optical lithography, are applied to microdroplets. Special attention is also given to latest technologies using microdroplets and microparticles, especially in the fields of biological, optical, robotic, and environmental applications. Finally, this review aims to address the advantages and disadvantages of the introduced approaches and suggests the direction for further development in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryungeun Song
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University Suwon 16419 Korea
| | - Seongsu Cho
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University Suwon 16419 Korea
| | - Seonghun Shin
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University Suwon 16419 Korea
| | - Hyejeong Kim
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Korea University Seoul 02841 Korea
| | - Jinkee Lee
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University Suwon 16419 Korea
- Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University Suwon 16419 Korea
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26
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Li M, Liu H, Zhuang S, Goda K. Droplet flow cytometry for single-cell analysis. RSC Adv 2021; 11:20944-20960. [PMID: 35479393 PMCID: PMC9034116 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra02636d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The interrogation of single cells has revolutionised biology and medicine by providing crucial unparalleled insights into cell-to-cell heterogeneity. Flow cytometry (including fluorescence-activated cell sorting) is one of the most versatile and high-throughput approaches for single-cell analysis by detecting multiple fluorescence parameters of individual cells in aqueous suspension as they flow past through a focus of excitation lasers. However, this approach relies on the expression of cell surface and intracellular biomarkers, which inevitably lacks spatial and temporal phenotypes and activities of cells, such as secreted proteins, extracellular metabolite production, and proliferation. Droplet microfluidics has recently emerged as a powerful tool for the encapsulation and manipulation of thousands to millions of individual cells within pico-litre microdroplets. Integrating flow cytometry with microdroplet architectures surrounded by aqueous solutions (e.g., water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) double emulsion and hydrogel droplets) opens avenues for new cellular assays linking cell phenotypes to genotypes at the single-cell level. In this review, we discuss the capabilities and applications of droplet flow cytometry (DFC). This unique technique uses standard commercially available flow cytometry instruments to characterise or select individual microdroplets containing single cells of interest. We explore current challenges associated with DFC and present our visions for future development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Li
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University Sydney NSW 2109 Australia
- Biomolecular Discovery Research Centre, Macquarie University Sydney NSW 2109 Australia
| | - Hangrui Liu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University Sydney NSW 2109 Australia
| | - Siyuan Zhuang
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University Sydney NSW 2109 Australia
| | - Keisuke Goda
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo Tokyo 113-0033 Japan
- Institute of Technological Sciences, Wuhan University 430072 Hubei PR China
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles CA 90095 USA
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27
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Liu H, Yang G, Yin H, Wang Z, Chen C, Liu Z, Xie H. In vitro and in vivo osteogenesis up-regulated by two-dimensional nanosheets through a macrophage-mediated pathway. Biomater Sci 2021; 9:780-794. [PMID: 33206069 DOI: 10.1039/d0bm01596b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials are attracting more and more interest in regenerative medicine due to their unique properties; however 2D biomimetic calcium mineral has not yet been developed and demonstrated application for bone tissue engineering. Here we described a novel calcium phosphate material with a 2D nanostructure that was synthesized using collagen and sodium alginate as the template. In vitro performance of the nanocrystalline material was evaluated, and we found that 2D CaP nanoparticles (NPs) enhanced the in vitro osteogenic differentiation of rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) through a macrophage-mediated signal pathway, when co-cultured with RAW 264.7 cells, rather than direct NP/stem cell interaction. A 2D topology structured surface was constructed by encapsulating the CaP nanomaterials in a gelatin hydrogel, which was demonstrated to be able to mediate in vivo ossification through a macrophage polarization related pathway in a femur defect rat model, and allowed the optimal therapeutic outcome compared to normal CaP counterparts. Our current work may have enlightened a new mechanism regarding NP-induced stem cell differentiation through immunoregulation, and the 2D CaP encapsulated hydrogel scaffold may serve as a potential alternative to autograft bone for orthopedic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoming Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China. and Movement System Injury and Repair Research Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Gaojie Yang
- Department of Materials, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Hao Yin
- Department of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China. and Movement System Injury and Repair Research Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Zhenxing Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China. and Movement System Injury and Repair Research Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Chunyuan Chen
- Department of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China. and Movement System Injury and Repair Research Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Zhengzhao Liu
- Movement System Injury and Repair Research Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China and Department of Sports Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Hui Xie
- Department of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China. and Movement System Injury and Repair Research Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China and Department of Sports Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China and Hunan Key Laboratory of Organ Injury, Aging and Regenerative Medicine, Changsha 410008, China and Hunan Key Laboratory of Bone Joint Degeneration and Injury, Changsha 410008, China
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28
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Robotics for enzyme technology: innovations and technological perspectives. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 105:4089-4097. [PMID: 33970318 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11302-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The use of robotics in the life science sector has created a considerable and significant impact on a wide range of research areas, including enzyme technology due to their immense applications in enzyme and microbial engineering as an indispensable tool in high-throughput screening applications. Scientists are experiencing the advanced applications of various biological robots (nanobots), fabricated based on bottom-up or top-down approaches for making nanotechnology scaffolds. Nanobots and enzyme-powered nanomotors are particularly attractive because they are self-propelled vehicles, which consume biocompatible fuels. These smart nanostructures are widely used as drug delivery systems for the efficient treatment of various diseases. This review gives insights into the escalating necessity of robotics and nanobots and their ever-widening applications in enzyme technology, including biofuel production and biomedical applications. It also offers brief insights into high-throughput robotic platforms that are currently being used in enzyme screening applications for monitoring and control of microbial growth conditions. KEY POINTS: • Robotics and their applications in biotechnology are highlighted. • Robotics for high-throughput enzyme screening and microbial engineering are described. • Nanobots and enzyme-powered nanomotors as controllable drug delivery systems are reviewed.
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29
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Zhu Y, Li J, Lin X, Huang X, Hoffmann MR. Single-Cell Phenotypic Analysis and Digital Molecular Detection Linkable by a Hydrogel Bead-Based Platform. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2021; 4:2664-2674. [PMID: 33763633 PMCID: PMC7976597 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.0c01615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cell heterogeneity, such as antibiotic heteroresistance and cancer cell heterogeneity, has been increasingly observed. To probe the underlying molecular mechanisms in the dynamically changing heterogeneous cells, a high throughput platform is urgently needed to establish single cell genotype-phenotype correlations. Herein, we report a platform combining single-cell viability phenotypic analysis with digital molecular detection for bacterial cells. The platform utilizes polyethylene glycol hydrogel that cross-links through a thiol-Michael addition, which is biocompatible, fast, and spontaneous. To generate uniform nanoliter-sized hydrogel beads (Gelbeads), we developed a convenient and disposable device made of needles and microcentrifuge tubes. Gelbead-based single cell viability and molecular detection assays were established. Enhanced thermal stability and uncompromised efficiency were achieved for digital polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and digital loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) within the Gelbeads. Reagent exchange for in situ PCR following viability phenotypic analyses was demonstrated. The combined analyses may address the genotypic differences between cellular subpopulations exhibiting distinct phenotypes. The platform promises unique perspectives in mechanism elucidation of environment-evolution interaction that may be extended to other cell types for medical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanzhe Zhu
- Linde+Robinson Laboratories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Jing Li
- Linde+Robinson Laboratories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Xingyu Lin
- Linde+Robinson Laboratories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Xiao Huang
- Linde+Robinson Laboratories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Michael R Hoffmann
- Linde+Robinson Laboratories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
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30
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Wang M, Nai MH, Huang RYJ, Leo HL, Lim CT, Chen CH. High-throughput functional profiling of single adherent cells via hydrogel drop-screen. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:764-774. [PMID: 33506832 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc01294g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Single-adherent-cell phenotyping on an extracellular matrix (ECM) is essential to determine cellular biological functions, such as morphological adaptations and biomolecule secretions, correlated to medical treatments and metastasis, yet there is no available platform for such high-throughput screening. Here, a novel hydrogel drop-screen device was developed to rapidly measure large-scale single-cell morphologies and multiple secretions on substrates for phenotype profiling. Single cells were first anchored to microfluidically fabricated gelatin particles providing mechanical stimulations similar to those from ECM in vivo. The cellular morphologies were then examined by quantifying the amount of cytoskeleton expressed on the particles. With droplet encapsulation, adherent single-cell multiplexed secretion analysis of a disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAMs) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) was conducted at a throughput of ∼102 cells per second, revealing distinct functional heterogeneities associated with extracellular mechanical stimulations. The level of cell heterogeneity increased with increasing substrate stuffiness. Moreover, because of the promising screening capability, a database related to both nontumorigenic and tumorigenic breast cells (MCF10A, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231) was constructed. The respective cell distributions and heterogeneities based on the morphologies and secreted bioindicators, such as MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9, and ADAM-8, were measured and found to correspond to the progress of tumor metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Wang
- NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences & Engineering, National University of Singapore, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Road, 119077 Singapore and Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, 117583 Singapore and Institute for Health Innovation and Technology (iHealthtech), MD6, 14 Medical Drive 14-01, 117599 Singapore
| | - Mui Hoon Nai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, 117583 Singapore
| | - Ruby Yun-Ju Huang
- College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No.1 Jen-Ai Road, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan and Graduate Institute of Oncology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt road, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan and Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec.1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan
| | - Hwa Liang Leo
- NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences & Engineering, National University of Singapore, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Road, 119077 Singapore and Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, 117583 Singapore
| | - Chwee Teck Lim
- NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences & Engineering, National University of Singapore, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Road, 119077 Singapore and Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, 117583 Singapore and Institute for Health Innovation and Technology (iHealthtech), MD6, 14 Medical Drive 14-01, 117599 Singapore and Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, 117411 Singapore
| | - Chia-Hung Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Y6700, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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31
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Ozdalgic B, Ustun M, Dabbagh SR, Haznedaroglu BZ, Kiraz A, Tasoglu S. Microfluidics for microalgal biotechnology. Biotechnol Bioeng 2021; 118:1545-1563. [PMID: 33410126 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Microalgae have expanded their roles as renewable and sustainable feedstocks for biofuel, smart nutrition, biopharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, biosensing, and space technologies. They accumulate valuable biochemical compounds from protein, carbohydrate, and lipid groups, including pigments and carotenoids. Microalgal biomass, which can be adopted for multivalorization under biorefinery settings, allows not only the production of various biofuels but also other value-added biotechnological products. However, state-of-the-art technologies are required to optimize yield, quality, and the economical aspects of both upstream and downstream processes. As such, the need to use microfluidic-based devices for both fundamental research and industrial applications of microalgae, arises due to their microscale sizes and dilute cultures. Microfluidics-based devices are superior to their competitors through their ability to perform multiple functions such as sorting and analyzing small amounts of samples (nanoliter to picoliter) with higher sensitivities. Here, we review emerging applications of microfluidic technologies on microalgal processes in cell sorting, cultivation, harvesting, and applications in biofuels, biosensing, drug delivery, and nutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berin Ozdalgic
- Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering, Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey.,Department of Medical Services and Techniques, Advanced Vocational School, Dogus University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Merve Ustun
- Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering, Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sajjad Rahmani Dabbagh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey.,Koc University Arcelik Research Center for Creative Industries (KUAR), Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Berat Z Haznedaroglu
- Center for Life Sciences and Technologies, Bogazici University, Bebek, Istanbul, Turkey.,Institute of Environmental Sciences, Bogazici University, Bebek, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Alper Kiraz
- Department of Physics, Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey.,Department of Electrical Engineering, Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey.,Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine, Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Savas Tasoglu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey.,Koc University Arcelik Research Center for Creative Industries (KUAR), Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey.,Center for Life Sciences and Technologies, Bogazici University, Bebek, Istanbul, Turkey.,Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine, Koc University, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey.,Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Bogazici University, Cengelkoy, Istanbul, Turkey
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32
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Zhang Y, Zhao Q, Yuan D, Liu H, Yun G, Lu H, Li M, Guo J, Li W, Tang SY. Modular off-chip emulsion generator enabled by a revolving needle. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:4592-4599. [PMID: 33150901 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00939c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic chips have demonstrated unparalleled abilities in droplet generation, including precise control over droplet size and monodispersity. And yet, their rather complicated microfabrication process and operation can be a barrier for inexperienced researchers, which hinders microdroplets from unleashing their potential in broader fields of research. Here, we attempt to remove this barrier by developing an integrated and modular revolving needle emulsion generator (RNEG) to achieve high-throughput production of uniformly sized droplets in an off-chip manner. The RNEG works by driving a revolving needle to pinch the dispersed phase in a minicentrifuge tube. The system is constructed using modular components without involving any microfabrication, thereby enabling user-friendly operation. The RNEG is capable of producing microdroplets of various liquids with diameters ranging from tens to hundreds of micrometres. We further examine the principle of operation using numerical simulations and establish a simple model to predict the droplet size. Moreover, by integrating curing and centrifugation processes, the RNEG can produce hydrogel microparticles and transfer them from an oil phase into a water phase. Using this ability, we demonstrate the encapsulation and culture of single yeast cells within hydrogel microparticles. We envisage that the RNEG can become a versatile and powerful tool for high-throughput production of emulsions to facilitate diverse biological and chemical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Zhang
- Department of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Qianbin Zhao
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
| | - Dan Yuan
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
| | - Hangrui Liu
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics (CNBP), Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Guolin Yun
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
| | - Hongda Lu
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
| | - Ming Li
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2122, Australia
| | - Jinhong Guo
- School of Information and Communication Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610051, China
| | - Weihua Li
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
| | - Shi-Yang Tang
- Department of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
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33
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Leonaviciene G, Leonavicius K, Meskys R, Mazutis L. Multi-step processing of single cells using semi-permeable capsules. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:4052-4062. [PMID: 33006353 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00660b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Droplet microfluidics technology provides a powerful approach to isolate and process millions of single cells simultaneously. Despite many exciting applications that have emerged based on this technology, workflows based on multi-step operations, including molecular biology and cell-based phenotypic screening assays, cannot be easily adapted to droplet format. Here, we present a microfluidics-based technique to isolate single cells, or biological samples, into semi-permeable hydrogel capsules and perform multi-step biological workflows on thousands to millions of individual cells simultaneously. The biochemical reactions are performed by changing the aqueous buffer surrounding the capsules, without needing sophisticated equipment. The semi-permeable nature of the capsules' shell retains large encapsulated biomolecules (such as genome) while allowing smaller molecules (such as proteins) to passively diffuse. In contrast to conventional hydrogel bead assays, the approach presented here improves bacterial cell retention during multi-step procedures as well as the efficiency of biochemical reactions. We showcase two examples of capsule use for single genome amplification of bacteria, and expansion of individual clones into isogenic microcolonies for later screening for biodegradable plastic production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Leonaviciene
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Science Centre, Vilnius University, 7 Sauletekio av., Vilnius, LT-10257, Lithuania.
| | - Karolis Leonavicius
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Science Centre, Vilnius University, 7 Sauletekio av., Vilnius, LT-10257, Lithuania.
| | - Rolandas Meskys
- Institute of Biochemistry, Life Science Centre, Vilnius University, 7 Sauletekio av., Vilnius, LT-10257, Lithuania
| | - Linas Mazutis
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Science Centre, Vilnius University, 7 Sauletekio av., Vilnius, LT-10257, Lithuania.
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34
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Liu H, Xu X, Peng K, Zhang Y, Jiang L, Williams TC, Paulsen IT, Piper JA, Li M. Microdroplet enabled cultivation of single yeast cells correlates with bulk growth and reveals subpopulation phenomena. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 118:647-658. [PMID: 33022743 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Yeast has been engineered for cost-effective organic acid production through metabolic engineering and synthetic biology techniques. However, cell growth assays in these processes were performed in bulk at the population level, thus obscuring the dynamics of rare single cells exhibiting beneficial traits. Here, we introduce the use of monodisperse picolitre droplets as bioreactors to cultivate yeast at the single-cell level. We investigated the effect of acid stress on growth and the effect of potassium ions on propionic acid tolerance for single yeast cells of different species, genotypes, and phenotypes. The results showed that the average growth of single yeast cells in microdroplets experiences the same trend to those of yeast populations grown in bulk, and microdroplet compartments do not significantly affect cell viability. This approach offers the prospect of detecting cell-to-cell variations in growth and physiology and is expected to be applied for the engineering of yeast to produce value-added bioproducts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hangrui Liu
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, NSW, Australia.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Xin Xu
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, NSW, Australia.,Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Kai Peng
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, NSW, Australia.,Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Yuxin Zhang
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Lianmei Jiang
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, NSW, Australia.,Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Thomas C Williams
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, NSW, Australia.,Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Ian T Paulsen
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, NSW, Australia.,Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - James A Piper
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, NSW, Australia.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ming Li
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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35
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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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Chen X, Shen R, Liu S, Xiao X, Yan J, Zhang Y, Jiang Z, Nie B, Liu J. The sensitive detection of single-cell secreted lactic acid for glycolytic inhibitor screening with a microdroplet biosensor. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2020; 12:3250-3259. [PMID: 32930188 DOI: 10.1039/d0ay00633e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Lactic acid (LA) plays an important role in the tumor metabolism and malignant progression of various cancers. Herein, we have developed a one-step, wash-free microfluidic approach with droplet biosensors for the sensitive detection of LA secreted by a single tumor cell. Our assay integrates the enzyme-assisted chemical conversion of LA in small-volume (4.2 nL) droplets for fluorescence signal readout. The microdroplet assay achieved a limit of detection of 1.02 μM and was more sensitive than the commercial ELISA kit by nearly two orders of magnitude. A good specificity has been demonstrated for this assay by testing various ions and biomolecules from the culture medium. This droplet assay allows us to acquire the profiles of the lactic acid secretion of tumor cells under the influence of glycolytic inhibitors at the single-cell level. It offers a useful research tool to study the cell-to-cell differences of LA secretion and glycolytic inhibitor screening for cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuyue Chen
- Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215123, China.
| | - Rui Shen
- Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215123, China.
| | - Sidi Liu
- Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215123, China.
| | - Xiang Xiao
- Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215123, China.
| | - Jun Yan
- Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215123, China.
| | - Yiqiu Zhang
- Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215123, China.
| | - Zhongyun Jiang
- Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215123, China.
| | - Baoqing Nie
- School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215006, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215123, China.
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Muñoz HE, Riche CT, Kong JE, van Zee M, Garner OB, Ozcan A, Di Carlo D. Fractal LAMP: Label-Free Analysis of Fractal Precipitate for Digital Loop-Mediated Isothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification. ACS Sens 2020; 5:385-394. [PMID: 31902202 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.9b01974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid amplification assays including loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) are routinely used in diagnosing diseases and monitoring water and food quality. The results of amplification in these assays are commonly measured with an analog fluorescence readout, which requires specialized optical equipment and can lack quantitative precision. Digital analysis of amplification in small fluid compartments based on exceeding a threshold fluorescence level can enhance the quantitative precision of nucleic acid assays (i.e., digital nucleic acid amplification assays), but still requires specialized optical systems for fluorescence readout and the inclusion of a fluorescent dye. Here, we report Fractal LAMP, an automated method to detect amplified DNA in subnanoliter scale droplets following LAMP in a label-free manner. Our computer vision algorithm achieves high accuracy detecting DNA amplification in droplets by identifying LAMP byproducts that form fractal structures observable in brightfield microscopy. The capabilities of Fractal LAMP are further realized by developing a Bayesian model to estimate DNA concentrations for unknown samples and a bootstrapping method to estimate the number of droplets required to achieve target limits of detection. This digital, label-free assay has the potential to lower reagent and reader cost for nucleic acid measurement while maintaining high quantitative accuracy over 3 orders of magnitude of concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hector E. Muñoz
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Carson T. Riche
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Janay E. Kong
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Mark van Zee
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Omai B. Garner
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Aydogan Ozcan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Dino Di Carlo
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
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Yu J, Sun G, Lin NW, Vadanan SV, Lim S, Chen CH. Intelligent optofluidic analysis for ultrafast single bacterium profiling of cellulose production and morphology. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:626-633. [PMID: 31919490 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc01105f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial cellulose (BC), a renewable type of cellulose, has been used in the manufacture of foods, cosmetics, and biomedical products. To produce BC, a high-throughput single-bacterium measurement is necessary to identify the functional bacteria that can produce BC with sufficient amount and desirable morphology. In this study, a continuous-flow intelligent optofluidic device was developed to enable high-throughput single-bacterium profiling of BC. Single bacteria were incubated in agarose hydrogel particles to produce BC with varied densities and structures. An intelligent convolutional neural network (CNN) computational method was developed to analyze the scattering patterns of BC. The BC production and morphology were determined with a throughput of ∼35 bacteria per second. A total of ∼105 single-bacterium BC samples were characterized within 3 hours. The high flexibility of this approach facilitates high-throughput comprehensive single-cell production analysis for a range of applications in engineering biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqing Yu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117575 Singapore
| | - Guoyun Sun
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117575 Singapore
| | - Nicholas Weikang Lin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117575 Singapore
| | | | - Sierin Lim
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 637457 Singapore
| | - Chia-Hung Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong.
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Markel U, Essani KD, Besirlioglu V, Schiffels J, Streit WR, Schwaneberg U. Advances in ultrahigh-throughput screening for directed enzyme evolution. Chem Soc Rev 2020; 49:233-262. [PMID: 31815263 DOI: 10.1039/c8cs00981c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Enzymes are versatile catalysts and their synthetic potential has been recognized for a long time. In order to exploit their full potential, enzymes often need to be re-engineered or optimized for a given application. (Semi-) rational design has emerged as a powerful means to engineer proteins, but requires detailed knowledge about structure function relationships. In turn, directed evolution methodologies, which consist of iterative rounds of diversity generation and screening, can improve an enzyme's properties with virtually no structural knowledge. Current diversity generation methods grant us access to a vast sequence space (libraries of >1012 enzyme variants) that may hide yet unexplored catalytic activities and selectivity. However, the time investment for conventional agar plate or microtiter plate-based screening assays represents a major bottleneck in directed evolution and limits the improvements that are obtainable in reasonable time. Ultrahigh-throughput screening (uHTS) methods dramatically increase the number of screening events per time, which is crucial to speed up biocatalyst design, and to widen our knowledge about sequence function relationships. In this review, we summarize recent advances in uHTS for directed enzyme evolution. We shed light on the importance of compartmentalization to preserve the essential link between genotype and phenotype and discuss how cells and biomimetic compartments can be applied to serve this function. Finally, we discuss how uHTS can inspire novel functional metagenomics approaches to identify natural biocatalysts for novel chemical transformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Markel
- Institute of Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 3, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
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Lv S, Yu J, Zhao Y, Li H, Zheng F, Liu N, Li D, Sun X. A Microfluidic Detection System for Bladder Cancer Tumor Cells. MICROMACHINES 2019; 10:mi10120871. [PMID: 31835793 PMCID: PMC6952778 DOI: 10.3390/mi10120871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 11/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The clinical characteristics of excreted tumor cells can be found in the urine of bladder cancer patients, meaning the identification of tumor cells in urine can assist in bladder cancer diagnosis. The presence of white blood cells and epithelial cells in the urine interferes with the recognition of tumor cells. In this paper, a technique for detecting cancer cells in urine based on microfluidics provides a novel approach to bladder cancer diagnosis. The bladder cancer cell line (T24) and MeT-5A were used as positive bladder tumor cells and non-tumor cells, respectively. The practicality of the tumor cell detection system based on microfluidic cell chip detection technology is discussed. The tumor cell (T24) concentration was around 1 × 104 to 300 × 104 cells/mL. When phosphate buffer saline (PBS) was the diluted solution, the tumor cell detected rate was 63–71% and the detection of tumor cell number stability (coefficient of variation, CV%) was 6.7–4.1%, while when urine was the diluted solution, the tumor cell detected rate was 64–72% and the detection of tumor cell number stability (CV%) was 6.3–3.9%. In addition, both PBS and urine are tumor cell dilution fluid solutions. The sample was analyzed at a speed of 750 microns per hour. Based on the above experiments, a system for detecting bladder cancer cells in urine by microfluidic analysis chip technology was reported. The rate of recognizing bladder cancer cells reached 68.4%, and the speed reached 2 mL/h.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuxing Lv
- School of Medical Laboratory, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300203, China; (S.L.); (J.Y.); (F.Z.)
| | - Jinwei Yu
- School of Medical Laboratory, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300203, China; (S.L.); (J.Y.); (F.Z.)
| | - Yan Zhao
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China; (Y.Z.); (H.L.); (D.L.)
| | - Hongxiang Li
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China; (Y.Z.); (H.L.); (D.L.)
| | - Fang Zheng
- School of Medical Laboratory, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300203, China; (S.L.); (J.Y.); (F.Z.)
| | - Ning Liu
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore 487372, Singapore;
| | - Dahua Li
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China; (Y.Z.); (H.L.); (D.L.)
| | - Xuguo Sun
- School of Medical Laboratory, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300203, China; (S.L.); (J.Y.); (F.Z.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-022-83336063
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41
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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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Recent Advances in Droplet-based Microfluidic Technologies for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. MICROMACHINES 2019; 10:mi10060412. [PMID: 31226819 PMCID: PMC6631694 DOI: 10.3390/mi10060412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 06/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Recently, droplet-based microfluidic systems have been widely used in various biochemical and molecular biological assays. Since this platform technique allows manipulation of large amounts of data and also provides absolute accuracy in comparison to conventional bioanalytical approaches, over the last decade a range of basic biochemical and molecular biological operations have been transferred to drop-based microfluidic formats. In this review, we introduce recent advances and examples of droplet-based microfluidic techniques that have been applied in biochemistry and molecular biology research including genomics, proteomics and cellomics. Their advantages and weaknesses in various applications are also comprehensively discussed here. The purpose of this review is to provide a new point of view and current status in droplet-based microfluidics to biochemists and molecular biologists. We hope that this review will accelerate communications between researchers who are working in droplet-based microfluidics, biochemistry and molecular biology.
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Abstract
The next generation of therapies is moving beyond the use of small molecules and proteins to using whole cells. Compared with the interactions of small-molecule drugs with biomolecules, which can largely be understood through chemistry, cell therapies act in a chemical and physical world and can actively adapt to that world, amplifying complexity but also the potential for truly breakthrough impact. Although there has been success in introducing targeting proteins into cells to achieve a therapeutic effect, for example, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, our ability to engineer cells is generally limited to introducing proteins, but not modulating large-scale traits or structures of cellular "machines," which play critical roles in disease. Example traits include the ability to secrete compounds, deform through tissue, adhere to surrounding cells, apply force to phagocytose targets, or move through extracellular matrix. There is an opportunity to increase the efficacy of cell therapies through the use of quantitative automation tools, to analyze, sort, and select rare cells with beneficial traits. Combined with methods of genetic or epigenetic mutagenesis to create diversity, such approaches can enable the directed cellular evolution of new therapeutically optimal populations of cells and uncover genetic underpinnings of these optimal traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dino Di Carlo
- 1 Department of Bioengineering and Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Tang SY, Wang K, Fan K, Feng Z, Zhang Y, Zhao Q, Yun G, Yuan D, Jiang L, Li M, Li W. High-Throughput, Off-Chip Microdroplet Generator Enabled by a Spinning Conical Frustum. Anal Chem 2019; 91:3725-3732. [PMID: 30747514 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b00093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Although droplet-based microfluidics has been broadly used as a versatile tool in biology, chemistry, and nanotechnology, its rather complicated microfabrication process and the requirement of specialized hardware and operating skills hinder researchers fully unleashing the potential of this powerful platform. Here, we develop an integrated microdroplet generator enabled by a spinning conical frustum for the versatile production of near-monodisperse microdroplets in a high-throughput and off-chip manner. The construction and operation of this generator are simple and straightforward without the need of microfabrication, and we demonstrate that the generator is able to passively and actively control the size of the produced microdroplets. In addition to water microdroplets, this generator can produce microdroplets of liquid metal that would be difficult to produce in conventional microfluidic platforms as liquid metal has high surface tension. Moreover, we demonstrate that this generator can produce solid hydrogel microparticles and fibers using integrated ultraviolet (UV) light. In the end, we further explore the ability of this generator for forming double emulsions by coflowing two immiscible liquids. Given the remarkable abilities demonstrated by this platform and the tremendous potential of microdroplets, this user-friendly method may revolutionize the future of droplet-based chemical synthesis and biological analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Yang Tang
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering , University of Wollongong , Wollongong , New South Wales 2522 , Australia
| | - Kun Wang
- Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation , University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei 230026 , China
| | - Kai Fan
- Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation , University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei 230026 , China
| | - Zilong Feng
- Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation , University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei 230026 , China
| | - Yuxin Zhang
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering , University of Wollongong , Wollongong , New South Wales 2522 , Australia
| | - Qianbin Zhao
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering , University of Wollongong , Wollongong , New South Wales 2522 , Australia
| | - Guolin Yun
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering , University of Wollongong , Wollongong , New South Wales 2522 , Australia
| | - Dan Yuan
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering , University of Wollongong , Wollongong , New South Wales 2522 , Australia
| | - Lianmei Jiang
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics (CNBP), Department of Physics and Astronomy , Macquarie University , Sydney , New South Wales 2109 , Australia
| | - Ming Li
- School of Engineering , Macquarie University , Sydney , New South Wales 2109 , Australia
| | - Weihua Li
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering , University of Wollongong , Wollongong , New South Wales 2522 , Australia
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