Development of Novel Microfluidic Techniques for the Study of Microalgae at the Single-Cell Level
Castillo Vila, S
Date: 4 July 2022
Publisher
University of Exeter
Degree Title
Master of Science by Research
Abstract
Aquatic environments make up 70% of the total Planet Earth surface and marine
phytoplankton is of crucial importance in the regulation of the climate as well as
a key contributor to global geochemical cycles. Although marine microorganisms have
been widely studied during decades, there exists a lack of quantification methods
allowing ...
Aquatic environments make up 70% of the total Planet Earth surface and marine
phytoplankton is of crucial importance in the regulation of the climate as well as
a key contributor to global geochemical cycles. Although marine microorganisms have
been widely studied during decades, there exists a lack of quantification methods
allowing for their in vivo and single-cell-level investigation. The complexity of the marine
environment considering currents, pycnoclines and other different physicochemical phenomena, makes its recreation a difficult task. In order to overcome such
complexities, we have studied three different microfluidic devices,
here named: (i) Lagoon-like devices, (ii) Classical Mother Machine devices
and (iii) Modified Mother Machine devices. Our main aim was to test the feasibility
of each device in robustly growing Ostreococcus tauri (O. tauri), a model microalga for
studies of alga-virus and alga-bacteria interactions and circadian rhythm.
We successfully followed and observed O. tauri development within the Modified
Mother Machine microfluidic device at the single-cell level. In addition, we also
investigated the different life stages of the microalgal cells with a high image
resolution. We were also able to observe the proliferation of bacteria within all three
devices. This fact, however, the presence of bacteria, became a problem since they
inhibited the normal growth of O. tauri cells.
The main advantage of our system is that it allows for the long-term (up to 10
days) cultivation of single cells of the microalga under a well-controlled
physical environment, as for instance: temperature, light irradiance, and medium supply.
Our system has the potential to provide a single-cell resolution to different fields
within aquatic microbiology, including, cell physiology, climate change effects on
individual cells and the study of microbial interactions.
MbyRes Dissertations
Doctoral College
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