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.

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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