Investigation of bacterial cells behavior in alginate microparticles encapsulated by droplet-based microfluidics technique

Abstract

Encapsulation processes are important to improve productivity of bioprocess reactions and protect microbial cells against cross contamination in adverse situations. However, particles produced by conventional techniques have high polydispersity index and size that can interfere on cellular development and affect the biochemical response. Droplet-based microfluidics can be an alternative to generate particles in micrometric scale and narrow distribution size, since encapsulating and gelation steps occur inside of microchannels. Therefore, the size of these microparticles allows the use of different techniques to detect and observe the cells behavior inside of these particles and this can contribute for bioprocesses development. It this way, the aim of this project is the production of alginate microparticles by droplet-based microfluidics and evaluate the dynamic of microbial cells inside of this microenvironment. For this, it will be encapsulated Bacillus subtilis in calcium alginate microparticles and it will be monitored the dynamic of microbial cells by using microscopy techniques. Thus, in this study will be fundamental to acquire new techniques involving microscopy and fluoresce to monitor cells in different ways and it will allows understanding the interaction of cells with microenvironment. This project will be developed in collaboration with the Experimental Soft Condensed Matter Group from Harvard University in USA, where it will be possible learn recent microscopy and fluorescence techniques for cells investigations inside droplet microfluidics. This research group is coordinated by Professor David A. Weitz, which has expertise in microfluidics in several biological applications, including the evaluation of cells behavior inside droplets. This project hopes to contribute in encapsulation processes and in studies of dynamics of cells in this microenvironment through knowledge of microscopy and fluorescence techniques applied in droplets microfluidic. (AU)