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Automated Microbial Cultivation and Adaptive Evolution using Microbial Microdroplet Culture System MMC
Published on: February 18, 2022
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Indirect Enrichment of Desirable, but Less Fit Phenotypes, from a Synthetic Microbial Community Using Microdroplet
Ramya Ganiga Prabhakar1, Gaoyang Fan2, Razan N Alnahhas1
1Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
ACS Synthetic Biology
|March 17, 2023
Summary
Microbial communities in microdroplets reveal how spatial structure impacts metabolite diffusion and population dynamics. Cheating strains can outcompete producers, but sorting strategies can enrich rare producers.
Area of Science:
- Microbial Ecology
- Synthetic Biology
- Evolutionary Dynamics
Background:
- Spatial structure influences microbial community interactions and evolution.
- Metabolite diffusion is a key factor in microbial community composition and dynamics.
- Understanding these dynamics is challenging due to complex interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of spatial structure and metabolite diffusion on microbial population dynamics.
- To examine the impact of cheating on community composition.
- To develop strategies for enriching rare metabolite-producing microbial strains.
Main Methods:
- Encapsulation of a synthetic microbial community in microdroplets.
- Utilized a three-strain system: Producer (AHL synthesis), Receiver (AHL-sensitive), and Non-Producer (cheater).
- Employed fluorescence-activated microdroplet sorting for enrichment.
Main Results:
- Microdroplet spatial structure enabled transient enrichment of rare, slow-growing producer subpopulations despite rapid AHL diffusion.
- Non-producer (cheater) populations eventually drove producer populations to extinction.
- A strategy combining sorting and sustained competition by the Receiver strain successfully enriched rare producers.
Conclusions:
- Spatial confinement in microdroplets can transiently favor rare producers in diffusing metabolite systems.
- Cheating dynamics can lead to the extinction of beneficial producers.
- Microdroplet sorting offers a framework for screening and enriching metabolite producers for synthetic ecology and biotechnology.
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