Methods for isolating mutant microoganisms using microcapsules coated with indicator material
First Claim
1. A method for isolating a mutant microorganism, where the method comprises:
- (a) separately microencapsulating individual or a small number of microorganisms from a microorganism population containing the mutant to obtain a first microdroplet;
(b) surrounding the first microdroplet, thereby forming an inner microdroplet, with an outer gel-coating to obtain a gel-coated microdroplet, wherein the gel-coating on the microdroplet contains an indicator materials which reacts to the presence of the mutant microorganism;
(c) incubating the gel-coated microdroplets to induce a detectable difference in the indicator material surrounding microdroplets containing mutant microorganisms; and
(d) separating the microdroplets containing mutant microorganisms from those containing non-mutant microorganisms based upon the detectable difference in the indicator material.
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for isolating a mutant microorganism. The method includes the following steps:
(1) separately microencapsulating individual or small numbers of a microorganism population containing the mutant to obtain a first microdroplet;
(2) thereafter surrounding the first microdroplet, with or without an outer semi-permeable membrane, with an outer gel-coating to obtain a gel-coated microdroplet, wherein the gel layer contains an indicator material which reacts to the presence of the mutant microorganism;
(3) culturing the resultant microcapsules so that the microdroplets containing mutant microorganism are able to induce a detectable difference in the indicator material from microdroplets, containing non-mutant microorganisms; and
(4) separating the microdroplets containing mutant microorganisms from those containing non-mutant microorganisms based upon the differences in the indicator material.
131 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for isolating a mutant microorganism, where the method comprises:
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(a) separately microencapsulating individual or a small number of microorganisms from a microorganism population containing the mutant to obtain a first microdroplet; (b) surrounding the first microdroplet, thereby forming an inner microdroplet, with an outer gel-coating to obtain a gel-coated microdroplet, wherein the gel-coating on the microdroplet contains an indicator materials which reacts to the presence of the mutant microorganism; (c) incubating the gel-coated microdroplets to induce a detectable difference in the indicator material surrounding microdroplets containing mutant microorganisms; and (d) separating the microdroplets containing mutant microorganisms from those containing non-mutant microorganisms based upon the detectable difference in the indicator material. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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2. A method for isolating a mutant microorganism, where the method comprises:
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(a) separately microencapsulating an indicator material which reacts to the presence of the mutant microorganism to obtain a first microdroplet; (b) surrounding the microdroplet with an outer gel-coating to obtain a gel-coated microdroplet, wherein the gel-coating contains individual or a small number of microorganisms from a microorganism population containing the mutant; (c) incubating the gel-coated microdroplets so that the microdroplets containing mutant microorganisms induce a detectable difference in the indicator material; and (d) separating the microdroplets having mutant microorganisms from those having non-mutant microorganisms based upon the detectable difference in the indicator material.
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Specification