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Development overview of Raman-activated cell sorting devoted to bacterial detection at single-cell level
Shuaishuai Yan1, Jingxuan Qiu1, Liang Guo1
1School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093, People's Republic of China.
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
|January 22, 2021
Summary
Raman-activated cell sorting (RACS) enables single-cell analysis of bacteria, crucial for understanding microbial dark matter. This technology links bacterial genotype to phenotype, advancing microbiology into a new era of single-cell exploration.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Spectroscopy
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Understanding microbial metabolic interactions at the single-cell level is vital for exploring uncultured bacteria.
- The field of microbiology is entering a single-cell era, driven by advanced analytical techniques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the research progress of single bacterium cell recognition and assessment using Raman-activated cell sorting (RACS).
- To highlight the importance of RACS in linking bacterial genotype and phenotype.
- To discuss future research perspectives, prospects, and challenges of RACS in exploring unknown microorganisms.
Main Methods:
- Systematic summarization of label-free and non-destructive RACS strategies.
- Integration of microfluidics, microdroplets, optical tweezers, and specialized substrates within RACS platforms.
- Application of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), biomarkers, stable isotope probing (SIP), and machine learning for single-cell phenotype distinction.
Main Results:
- RACS combined with single-cell Raman spectra (SCRS) provides unique fingerprints for individual bacterial cells.
- RACS platforms are crucial for linking target cell genotype with observable phenotypes.
- Various methods effectively distinguish single-cell phenotypes, enhancing microbial analysis.
Conclusions:
- RACS is a significant protocol for characterizing individual bacterial phenotypes and genotypes.
- The advancement of RACS facilitates deeper understanding of the microbiological world, including previously uncultured organisms.
- RACS holds considerable promise for exploring the vast, unknown microbial world.
