A High-Throughput Droplet-based Method to Facilitate Microbial Conjugation

Droplet microfluidic platforms have been broadly used to facilitate DNA transfer in mammalian and bacterial hosts via methods such as transformation, transfection, and conjugation, as introduced in our previous work. Herein, we recapitulate our method for conjugal DNA transfer between Bacillus subti...

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Main Authors: Monica Chu, Jose Wippold, Rebecca Renberg, Margaret Hurley, Bryn Adams, Arum Han
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Bio-protocol LLC 2024-12-01
Series:Bio-Protocol
Online Access:https://bio-protocol.org/en/bpdetail?id=5120&type=0
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author Monica Chu
Jose Wippold
Rebecca Renberg
Margaret Hurley
Bryn Adams
Arum Han
author_facet Monica Chu
Jose Wippold
Rebecca Renberg
Margaret Hurley
Bryn Adams
Arum Han
author_sort Monica Chu
collection DOAJ
description Droplet microfluidic platforms have been broadly used to facilitate DNA transfer in mammalian and bacterial hosts via methods such as transformation, transfection, and conjugation, as introduced in our previous work. Herein, we recapitulate our method for conjugal DNA transfer between Bacillus subtilis strains in a droplet for increased conjugation efficiency and throughput of an otherwise laborious protocol. By co-incubating the donor and recipient strains in droplets, our method confines cells into close proximity allowing for increased cell-to-cell interactions. This methodology is advantageous in its potential to automate and accelerate the genetic modification of undomesticated organisms that may be difficult to cultivate. This device is also designed for modularity and can be integrated into a variety of experimental workflows in which fine-tuning of donor-to-recipient cell ratios, growth rates, and media substrate concentrations may be necessary.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2331-8325
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
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series Bio-Protocol
spelling doaj-art-854470ae68fd40ddb68a2a98cfda9a522024-12-26T05:17:29ZengBio-protocol LLCBio-Protocol2331-83252024-12-01142310.21769/BioProtoc.5120A High-Throughput Droplet-based Method to Facilitate Microbial ConjugationMonica Chu0Jose Wippold1Rebecca Renberg2Margaret Hurley3Bryn Adams4Arum Han5Biological and Biotechnology Sciences Division, DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, Adelphi, MD, USABiological and Biotechnology Sciences Division, DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, Adelphi, MD, USABiological and Biotechnology Sciences Division, DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, Adelphi, MD, USABiological and Biotechnology Sciences Division, DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, Adelphi, MD, USABiological and Biotechnology Sciences Division, DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, Adelphi, MD, USADepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX, USADroplet microfluidic platforms have been broadly used to facilitate DNA transfer in mammalian and bacterial hosts via methods such as transformation, transfection, and conjugation, as introduced in our previous work. Herein, we recapitulate our method for conjugal DNA transfer between Bacillus subtilis strains in a droplet for increased conjugation efficiency and throughput of an otherwise laborious protocol. By co-incubating the donor and recipient strains in droplets, our method confines cells into close proximity allowing for increased cell-to-cell interactions. This methodology is advantageous in its potential to automate and accelerate the genetic modification of undomesticated organisms that may be difficult to cultivate. This device is also designed for modularity and can be integrated into a variety of experimental workflows in which fine-tuning of donor-to-recipient cell ratios, growth rates, and media substrate concentrations may be necessary.https://bio-protocol.org/en/bpdetail?id=5120&type=0
spellingShingle Monica Chu
Jose Wippold
Rebecca Renberg
Margaret Hurley
Bryn Adams
Arum Han
A High-Throughput Droplet-based Method to Facilitate Microbial Conjugation
Bio-Protocol
title A High-Throughput Droplet-based Method to Facilitate Microbial Conjugation
title_full A High-Throughput Droplet-based Method to Facilitate Microbial Conjugation
title_fullStr A High-Throughput Droplet-based Method to Facilitate Microbial Conjugation
title_full_unstemmed A High-Throughput Droplet-based Method to Facilitate Microbial Conjugation
title_short A High-Throughput Droplet-based Method to Facilitate Microbial Conjugation
title_sort high throughput droplet based method to facilitate microbial conjugation
url https://bio-protocol.org/en/bpdetail?id=5120&type=0
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