Name: design and use of a low cost, automated morbidostat for adaptive evolution of bacteria under antibiotic drug selection
Uploaded: 2016-09-27T15:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Design and Use of a Low Cost, Automated Morbidostat for Adaptive Evolution of Bacteria Under Antibiotic Drug Selection at JoVE.com

The authors would like to thank Prof. Sze-Bi Hsu and Ms. Zhenzhen for useful discussions and help in the theoretical analysis and numerical simulation. Y. T. Y. would like to acknowledge funding support from the Ministry of Science and Technology under grant numbers MOST 103-2220-E-007-026 and MOST 104-2220-E-007-011, and from the National Tsing Hua University under grant numbers 103N2042E1, 104N2042E1, and 105N518CE1.

1. Assembly and Pretesting of the Morbidostat Device
<ol>
	<li>Assembly of the Morbidostat
	<ol>
		<li>Punch 3 holes on the cap of the culture vial with an 18 G syringe needle. Cut three pieces of polyethylene tubing ~7 cm in length. Insert these three pieces of polyethylene tubing on the cap.</li>
		<li>Use tape to wrap the edge of the cap to serve as the cast for the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mixture. Mix 5 g of A component and 0.5 g of B component of the PDMS in a 150 ml plastic container by stirring manually with...

<ol>
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A low-footprint morbidostat device from low-cost components is demonstrated. The increases in drug resistance level registered by the device are consistent with those of previous reports5. Designed for evolutionary studies of drug resistance, the device is potentially applicable to many other experiments. First, a comprehensive database of drug-induced mutations can be established for a large set of clinically relevant antibiotics. For example, the evolutionary pathway of multiple drug resistance can be studie...

Since the introduction of the first antibiotic drug penicillin, microbial antibiotic resistance has developed into a global health problem1. Although the acquisition of antibiotic resistance can be retrospectively studied in vivo, the conditions of these experiments are often not controlled throughout the entire evolution2. Alternatively, adaptive laboratory evolution can reveal the molecular evolution of a microbial species under environmental stresses or selection pressure from an antibiotic drug3. Recently, many well-controlled evolutionary experiments of antibiotic drug resistance have elucidated the emergence of antibiotic drug resistance. For example, Austin&#39;s group demonstrated rapid emergence in a properly engineered microfluidic compartmented environment4. The recently developed morbidostat induces systematic mutations under drug selection pressure5,6. The morbidostat, a microbial selection device that continuously adjusts the antibiotic concentration to maintain a nearly constant population, is a major advance from the fluctuation test used in microbiology7,8. In the fluctuation test, an antibiotic drug is injected at high concentration, and the surviving mutants are screened and counted. Instead, microbes in a morbidostat are constantly challenged and acquire multiple mutations.
The morbidostat operates similarly to the chemostat, a culture device invented by Novick and Szliard in 1950 that maintains a constant population by continuously supplying nutrients while diluting the microbial population9. Since its introduction, the chemostat has been advanced and improved. Current microfluidic chemostats have reached nanoliter and single-cell capacities. However, these devices are unsuitable for adaptive evolution experiments, which require a large cell population with many mutation events10,11. Recently, mini-chemostats with working volumes of ~10 ml have also been developed to fill in the gap between liter scale bioreactors and the microfluidic chemostat12,13.
Here we present the design and use of a low-cost, automated morbidostat for an antibiotic drug resistance study. The proposed module can be employed in a shaker incubator in a microbiology laboratory with minimal hardware requirement. The open-source firmware is also easily tailored to specific applications of adaptive evolution, such as metabolic engineering3. Finally, the morbidostat is integrated into a multiplexed microfluidic platform for antibiotic susceptibility testing14.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="797">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">Environmental Shaker Incubator</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">BioSan</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">ES-20</td>
			<td style="width:227px;"></td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">Arduino Leonardo board</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Arduino</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">Leonardo</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">680 Ohm Carbon Resistor</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Digikey</td>
			<td style="width:163px;"></td>
			<td>Bias resistor for LED</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">100k Ohm Carbon resistor</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Digikey</td>
			<td style="width:163px;"></td>
			<td>Bias resistor for phototransistor</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:275px;">940 nm light emitting diode</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Bright LED Electronic</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">BIR-BM13E4G-2</td>
			<td>Optical density measurement</td>
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		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">940 nm phototransistor</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Kodenshi&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">ST-2L2B</td>
			<td>Optical density measurement</td>
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			<td height="57" style="height:57px;">Darlington pair IC Toshiba</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Mouser</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">ULN2803APG</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">&#160;this IC drives micropumps and magnetic stirring unit</td>
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			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:275px;">5V DC brushless fan&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">ADDA</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">AD0405LX-G70</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">spec: 5V supply voltage and 80mA available www.jameco.com</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">Piezoelectric micropump</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">CurieJet</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">PS15I-FT-5L</td>
			<td>Pressure &#62;3kPa&#160; Flow rate &#62;5 ml/min</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">Tygon 3350 Tuning</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Saint Gobain</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">ABW00001</td>
			<td>ID: 1/32&#34; OD: 3/32&#34; L:50&#39;&#160;</td>
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		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">Magnetic Stir bar</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">COWIE</td>
			<td style="width:163px;"></td>
			<td>tapered shape dim: 10 mm x 4mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:275px;">Glass scintillation 20ml vial</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">DGS</td>
			<td style="width:163px;"></td>
			<td>Pyrex glass 28mm(dia.)x 61 mm(h)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="48">
			<td height="48" style="height:48px;width:275px;">Culture vial holder</td>
			<td style="width:135px;"></td>
			<td style="width:163px;"></td>
			<td>Custom made from Polyformaldehyde&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">Silicone&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Dow Corning</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">Sylgald 184</td>
			<td>used to seal the glass vial</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">Medium bottle</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">VWR</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">66022-065</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">Difco M9 minimal salt 5x</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">BD</td>
			<td style="width:163px;"></td>
			<td>Medium</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">Cadamino Acid</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">BD</td>
			<td style="width:163px;"></td>
			<td>Medium</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">glucose</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:163px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">Agar Bateriological</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Oxoid</td>
			<td style="width:163px;"></td>
			<td>for agar plate</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">Luria Bertani medium</td>
			<td style="width:135px;"></td>
			<td style="width:163px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:275px;">Inverted microscope</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Leica Microsystems</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">Leica DMI-LED</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">used for microfluidic measurement Use X40 objective NA=0.55</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:275px;">Microscope Incubator</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Live Cell Instrument</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">CU-109</td>
			<td>used for microfluidic measurement</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="49">
			<td height="49" style="height:49px;width:275px;">Solenoidal valves</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Pneumadyne</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">S10MM-31-12-3</td>
			<td>Normally open 1.3 Watt 12 Vdc</td>
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		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">USB interface card</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Hobby Engineering</td>
			<td>USBIO24-R Digital I/O Module&#160;</td>
			<td>for microfluidics measurement</td>
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		<tr height="45">
			<td height="45" style="height:45px;width:275px;">Air compressor</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Rocker Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">ROCKER 440</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">Pressure source for microfluidcs Max. Pressure 80 Psi</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Male luer-lock fittings to 1/8&#34; barb</td>
			<td>ValuePlastics.com</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">MTLL230-1</td>
			<td>used for microfluidic control</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">1/8&#34; barb to 10-32 threaded port</td>
			<td>ValuePlastics.com</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">B-1</td>
			<td>used for microfluidic control</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Female luer-lock fittings to 10-32 threaded port</td>
			<td>ValuePlastics.com</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">KFTL-1</td>
			<td>used for microfluidic control</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">NPN darlington transistor 500mA, 40V (2N6427)</td>
			<td>DigiKey.com</td>
			<td>2N6427GOS-ND</td>
			<td>used for microfluidic control</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">10kOhm, carbon film resistor, 0.25W</td>
			<td>DigiKey.com</td>
			<td>P10KBACT-ND</td>
			<td>used for microfluidic control</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Tantalum capacitor, 10uF, 25V, 10%</td>
			<td>DigiKey.com</td>
			<td>478-1841-ND</td>
			<td>used for microfluidic control</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">Andor CCD camera</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Andor</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">Zyla 4.2 Plus SCMOS</td>
			<td>used for microfluidic on chip imaging</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">ELISA plate reader</td>
			<td style="width:135px;"></td>
			<td style="width:163px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">two component Silicone&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Momentive</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">RTV 615</td>
			<td>used for microfluidic chip fabrication</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">SU-8 photoresist</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Micrchem</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">SU8 2015</td>
			<td>used for microfluidic chip fabrication</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">AZ4620 photoresist</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Clariant</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">AZ 4620</td>
			<td>used for microfluidic chip fabrication</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">Plasma cleaner</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Harrick Plasma</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">PDC 32G</td>
			<td>used for microfluidic chip fabrication</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">20 Gauge Syringe Needle</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">BD</td>
			<td style="width:163px;"></td>
			<td>used for microfluidic chip fabrication</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">Labcycler</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Sensoquest</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">Labcycler</td>
			<td>PCR&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">DNA polymerase</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Toyobo</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">KDO Plus</td>
			<td>PCR amplification</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">Trimethoprim</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:163px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:275px;">Plate reader</td>
			<td style="width:135px;">Biotek</td>
			<td style="width:163px;">Synergy H1 hybrid&#160;</td>
			<td>antibiotic resistane measurement</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

design and use of a low cost, automated morbidostat for adaptive evolution of bacteria under antibiotic drug selection

We describe a low cost, configurable morbidostat for characterizing the evolutionary pathway of antibiotic resistance. The morbidostat is a bacterial culture device that continuously monitors bacterial growth and dynamically adjusts the drug concentration to constantly challenge the bacteria as they evolve to acquire drug resistance. The device features a working volume of ~10 ml and is fully automated and equipped with optical density measurement and micro-pumps for medium and drug delivery. To validate the platform, we measured the stepwise acquisition of trimethoprim resistance in Escherichia coli MG 1655, and integrated the device with a multiplexed microfluidic platform to investigate cell morphology and antibiotic susceptibility. The approach can be up-scaled to laboratory studies of antibiotic drug resistance, and is extendible to adaptive evolution for strain improvements in metabolic engineering and other bacterial culture experiments.

The above-described morbidostat is schematized in Figure 1. The common morbidostat operations, including experimental evolution, antibiotic susceptibility test and cell morphology checking, were validated in an E. coli MG1655 culture exposed to trimethoprim (TMP), a commonly used antibiotic drug5,6. TMP induces very distinctive stepwise increases in drug resistance, and the mutations are clustered around the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene. Therefo...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Design and Use of a Low Cost, Automated Morbidostat for Adaptive Evolution of Bacteria Under Antibiotic Drug Selection at JoVE.com

Design and Use of a Low Cost, Automated Morbidostat for Adaptive Evolution of Bacteria Under Antibiotic Drug Selection

We describe a low cost, configurable morbidostat that enables the characterization of antibiotic drug resistance by dynamically adjusting the drug concentration. The device can be integrated with a multiplexed microfluidic platform. The approach can be scaled up for laboratory antibiotic drug resistance studies.

We describe a low cost, configurable morbidostat for characterizing the evolutionary pathway of antibiotic resistance. The morbidostat is a bacterial ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Genetics

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat

Natural evolution involves genetic diversity such as environmental change and a selection between small populations. Adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) ...

High-throughput Identification of Synergistic Drug Combinations by the Overlap2 Method

High-throughput Identification of Synergistic Drug Combinations by the Overlap2 Method

Although antimicrobial drugs have dramatically increased the lifespan and quality of life in the 20th century, antimicrobial resistance threatens our ...

Testing the Role of Multicopy Plasmids in the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance

Multicopy plasmids are extremely abundant in prokaryotes but their role in bacterial evolution remains poorly understood. We recently showed that the ...

Genome-wide Surveillance of Transcription Errors in Eukaryotic Organisms

Accurate transcription is required for the faithful expression of genetic information. Surprisingly though, little is known about the mechanisms that ...

Producing Gene Deletions in Escherichia coli by P1 Transduction with Excisable Antibiotic Resistance Cassettes

Producing Gene Deletions in Escherichia coli by P1 Transduction with Excisable Antibiotic Resistance Cassettes

A first approach to study the function of an unknown gene in bacteria is to create a knock-out of this gene. Here, we describe a robust and fast protocol ...

qKAT: Quantitative Semi-automated Typing of Killer-cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptor Genes

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are a set of inhibitory and activating immune receptors, on natural killer (NK) and T cells, encoded by a ...

Genetic Engineering of Dictyostelium discoideum Cells Based on Selection and Growth on Bacteria

Genetic Engineering of Dictyostelium discoideum Cells Based on Selection and Growth on Bacteria

Dictyostelium discoideum is an intriguing model organism for the study of cell differentiation processes during development, cell signaling, and other ...

Designing Automated, High-throughput, Continuous Cell Growth Experiments Using eVOLVER

Continuous culture methods enable cells to be grown under quantitatively controlled environmental conditions, and are thus broadly useful for measuring ...

Use of Frozen Tissue in the Comet Assay for the Evaluation of DNA Damage

The comet assay is gaining popularity as a means to assess DNA damage in cultured cells and tissues, particularly following exposure to chemicals or other ...

Use of Drosophila S2 Cells for Live Imaging of Cell Division

Use of Drosophila S2 Cells for Live Imaging of Cell Division

Drosophila S2 cells are an important tool in studying mitosis in tissue culture, providing molecular insights into this fundamental cellular process in a ...