SingleChlamydomonas reinhardi(C. reinhardtii) cell separation from bacterial cells and auto-fluorescence tracking with a nano-sieve device

Abstract

16A planar, transparent, and adaptable nano-sieve device is developed for efficient 17 microalgae/bacteria separation. In our strategy, a sacrificial layer is applied in the dual 18 photolithography patterning to achieve a one-dimensional channel with a very low aspect 19 ratio (1:10,000). Microalgae/bacteria mixture is then introduced into the deformable 20 polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) nano-channel. The hydrodynamic deformation of the nano-21 channel is regulated to allow the bacteria cells to pass through while leaving the microalgae 22 cells trapped in the device. At a flow rate of 4 μl/min, ~100% of the microalgae cells are 23 trapped in the device. Additionally, this device is capable of immobilizing single cells in a 24 transparent channel for auto-fluorescence tracking. These microalgae cells demonstrate 25 minimal photo-bleaching over 250 s laser exposure and can be used to monitor hazardous 26 *Manuscript Click here to view linked References 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 compounds in the sample with a continuous flow fashion. Our method will be valuable to 27 purify microalgae samples containing contaminations and study single cell heterogeneity. 28 29