Monitoring of Dynamic Microbiological Processes Using Real-Time Flow Cytometry

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080117
• Publication Date: 2013-11-14T22:40:56Z
• Authors: Markus Arnoldini; Tobias Heck; Alfonso Blanco-Fe...; Frederik Hammes
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Hot Temperature; Microcystis; Time Factors; Science; Green Fluorescent Proteins; Diamines; 03 medical and health sciences; Ciprofloxacin; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Stress, Physiological; Escherichia coli; Benzothiazoles; Organic Chemicals; Fluorescent Dyes; Q; Cell Membrane; R; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Flow Cytometry; Fluoresceins; Anti-Bacterial Agents; 3. Good health; Rec A Recombinases; Quinolines; Medicine; Chlamydomonas reinhardtii; Research Article

PLoS ONE, 8 (11)<br/>ISSN:1932-6203<br/>We describe a straightforward approach to continuously monitor a variety of highly dynamic microbiological processes in millisecond resolution with flow cytometry, using standard bench-top instrumentation. Four main experimental examples are provided, namely: (1) green fluorescent protein expression by antibiotic-stressed Escherichia coli, (2) fluorescent labeling of heat-induced membrane damage in an autochthonous freshwater bacterial community, (3) the initial growth response of late stationary E. coli cells inoculated into fresh growth media, and (4) oxidative disinfection of a mixed culture of auto-fluorescent microorganisms. These examples demonstrate the broad applicability of the method to diverse biological experiments, showing that it allows the collection of detailed, time-resolved information on complex processes.<br/>