Transport of Live Cells under Sterile Conditions Using a Chemotactic Droplet

Holler, Silvia; Porcelli, Carlotta; Ieropoulos, Ioannis; Hanczyc, Martin

Abstract

© 2018 The Author(s). 1-Decanol droplets, formed in an aqueous medium containing decanoate at high pH, become chemotactic when a chemical gradient is placed in the external aqueous environment. We investigated if such droplets can be used as transporters for living cells. We developed a partially hydrophobic alginate capsule as a protective unit that can be precisely placed in a droplet and transported along chemical gradients. Once the droplets with cargo reached a defined final destination, the association of the alginate capsule and decanol droplet was disrupted and cargo deposited. Both Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis cells survived and proliferated after transport even though transport occurred under harsh and sterile conditions.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 10, 2018
• Publication Date: Dec 1, 2018
• Deposit Date: May 16, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 5, 2018
• Journal: Scientific Reports
• Electronic ISSN: 2045-2322
• Publisher: Nature Research (part of Springer Nature)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 8
• Issue: 1
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-26703-y
• Keywords: live cells, chemotactic droplet, escherichia coli, bacillus subtilis, sterile conditions, soft matter systems, bioengineering, chemotaxis
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/867584
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-26703-y
• Contract Date: May 16, 2018