Microfluidic~systems for investigating host-microbe relationship

ORAL

Abstract

The symbiosis between the bioluminescent bacterium,~\textit{Vibrio fisheri,}~and the Hawaiian bobtail squid,~\textit{Euprymna scolopes,}~has been widely studied, and this association~is used~as a model system for studying bacterial~colonization of~ciliated~host tissues. The recruitment of~\textit{Vibrio fisheri}~to a~specialized light organ in the nascent squid is facilitated by various chemosensing and mechanosensing events.~To decipher the effects of such environmental and host-derived sensors on bacterial physiology, we use specifically designed microfluidic channels to engineer chemical and mechanical fields~similar to those~observed in the light organ of the squid.~These~\textit{in vitro~}studies are aimed at~complementing ongoing \textit{in vivo}~studies in the~system squid-vibrio system. This approach enables~us, for the first time, to isolate the effect of mechanical and chemical cues on bacterial motility in this symbiosis~and to quantify the bacterial response to these cues.

*NSF Inspire

–

Authors

  • Arunima Bhattacharjee

    • Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles

  • Lionel Vincent

    • University of Southern California
    • Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
    • Univ of Southern California

  • Janna Nawroth

    • Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston
    • Emulate Inc., Boston, MA

  • Ned Ruby

    • Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu

  • Margaret McFall-Ngai

    • Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu

  • Eva Kanso

    • University of Southern California
    • Univ of Southern California
    • Aerospace \& Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1191
    • University of Southern California; Center for Computational Biology, Simons Foundation
    • Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
    • USC, Los Angeles, CA