fabricating-reactive-surfaces-with-brush-like-crosslinked-films

Fabricating Reactive Surfaces with Brush-like and Crosslinked Films of Azlactone-Functionalized Block Co-Polymers

In this paper, fabrication methods that generate novel surfaces using the azlactone-based block co-polymer, poly (glycidyl methacrylate)-block-poly (vinyl ...

photodegradable-hydrogel-interfaces-for-bacteria-screening-selection

Photodegradable Hydrogel Interfaces for Bacteria Screening, Selection, and Isolation

Biologists have long attempted to understand the relationship between phenotype and genotype. To better understand this connection, it is crucial to ...

Kansas State University

Understanding microbe-microbe interactions is critical to predict microbiome function and to construct communities for desired outcomes. Investigation of these interactions poses a significant challenge due to the lack of suitable experimental tools available. Here we present the microwell recovery array (MRA), a new technology platform that screens interactions across a microbiome to uncover higher-order strain combinations that inhibit or promote the function of a focal species. One experimental trial generates 10 microbial communities that contain the focal species and a distinct random sample of uncharacterized cells from plant rhizosphere. Cells are sequentially recovered from individual wells that display highest or lowest levels of focal species growth using a high-resolution photopolymer extraction system. Interacting species are then identified and putative interactions are validated. Using this approach, we screen the poplar rhizosphere for strains affecting the growth of  sp. YR343, a plant growth promoting bacteria isolated from  rhizosphere. In one screen, we montiored 3,600 microwells within the array to uncover multiple antagonistic  strains and a set of  strains that promoted YR343 growth. The later demonstrates the unique ability of the platform to discover multi-membered consortia that generate emergent outcomes, thereby expanding the range of phenotypes that can be characterized from microbiomes. This knowledge will aid in the development of consortia for  production, while the platform offers a new approach for screening and discovery of microbial interactions, applicable to any microbiome.

Niloy Barua

Chemical Engineering Department,
Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering

Kansas State University

Fabricating Reactive Surfaces with Brush-like and Crosslinked Films of Azlactone-Functionalized Block Co-Polymers

Photodegradable Hydrogel Interfaces for Bacteria Screening, Selection, and Isolation

Niloy Barua

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Chemical Engineering Department,Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering

Kansas State University

Fabricating Reactive Surfaces with Brush-like and Crosslinked Films of Azlactone-Functionalized Block Co-Polymers

Photodegradable Hydrogel Interfaces for Bacteria Screening, Selection, and Isolation

Chemical Engineering Department,
Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering