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Isolation of single yeast cells by optical trapping
J A Grimbergen1, K Visscher, D S Gomes de Mesquita
1Department of Molecular Cell Biology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Yeast (Chichester, England)
|July 1, 1993
Summary
A novel optical trapping method enables precise isolation of individual yeast cells based on morphology. This technique ensures high recovery rates for stationary-phase cells, facilitating pure culture initiation and subpopulation studies.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Accurate isolation of individual yeast cells is crucial for various biological studies.
- Existing methods may lack precision or efficiency in cell selection and recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a new method for isolating individual yeast cells using optical trapping.
- To assess the efficiency and recovery rates of this novel isolation technique.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing infrared laser optical trapping for non-invasive cell manipulation.
- Employing high-resolution microscopy for morphological selection of yeast cells.
- Developing a custom device for cell transfer from optical trap to culture medium.
Main Results:
- Successful isolation of specific yeast cells from mixed populations based on morphology.
- Achieved near 100% recovery and colony formation for isolated stationary-phase Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells.
- Observed lower recovery for exponential-phase cells, potentially due to laser sensitivity.
Conclusions:
- Optical trapping provides a precise and efficient method for isolating individual yeast cells.
- The technique is suitable for isolating specific cell types, mutants, or subpopulations.
- Further optimization may improve recovery rates for sensitive cell phases.