Scientists at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST) obtained a shape-based separation ofEscherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria in microfluidic channels. This "lab-on-a-chip" system has the potential to assist in making scientific experiments more reproducible, as well as provide more accurate estimates of the severity of bacterial infections based on patient samples.
The task of separating tiny bacteria according to their shape is a vital step in scientific and clinical studies, but it is also a challenging one. Whether anE. Colibacterium is in a round or elongated configuration can indicate its state of biological function, and being able to form homogeneous populations with uniform shapes might help to determine patient health or evaluate environmental contamination. However, this capability has been difficult to achieve, especially at the scales required to be effective.
A microfluidic microscope, which has a high viscosity and elasticity, was developed to measure the length of the bacteria in the elongated region and further the organism''s structure. "This technology will enable downstream genomics investigations on the separatedE. colipopulations to better understanding their cell biology, thus allowing for more flexibility."
