Quantitative detection of cells expressing BlaC using droplet-based microfluidics for use in the diagnosis of tuberculosis

This paper describes a method for the quantitative detection of cells expressing BlaC, a β-lactamase naturally expressed by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, intended for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. The method is based on the compartmentalization of bacteria in picoliter droplets at limiting dilutions such that each drop contains one or no cells. The co-encapsulation of a fluorogenic substrate probe for BlaC allows the quantification of bacteria by enumerating the number of fluorescent drops. Quantification of 10 colony forming units per milliliter is demonstrated. Furthermore, the encapsulation of single cell in drops maintains the specificity of the detection scheme even when the concentration of bacteria that do not express BlaC exceeds that expressing BlaC by one million-fold.     

科研最美瞬间

2021年11月,北京科技大学举办"科研最美瞬间"摄影大赛,同学们定格下他们科研中发现的最美瞬间,有晶体在显微镜下的层峦叠翠,有菌落在表面皿上的恣意生长,有光子在光路中的曼妙起舞……一幅幅美不胜收. 《锥形瓶里的黑洞》土木与资源工程学院 肖福生 这是一个普通的试验,锥形瓶里是钕铁硼的浸出液.溶液的透光度不高,在瓶底通过...