To elucidate the microbial interactions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) degrading communities by using microfluidics system

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K14768
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 38020:Applied microbiology-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: YANG CHONGYANG 東京大学, 大学院農学生命科学研究科(農学部), 特任助教 (50882411)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 複合微生物 / ナフタレン分解 / マイクロフルイディクス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Microbial interactions contribute to constructing robust microbial consortia, achieving highly efficient and controllable bioremediation. Therefore, it is of great significance to investigate the interactions in consortia. However, there are many difficult-to-culture microorganisms and complex microbial interactions in environment, resulting in hardness to obtain diverse natural consortia by traditional enrichment culture. In this study, we constructed two micro-spatial culture systems: microwell arrey devices and microdroplets for culturing and screening microorganisms from environmental samples. Diverse naphthalene degrading communities were obtained by culturing with naphthalene as a sole carbon source. We also evaluated the naphthalene degradation capacity of different consortia and analyzed the composition of microorganisms in the consortia.

Free Research Field

応用微生物

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の意義は、マイクロフルイディクス技術を利用して多様な複合微生物系を獲得し、複雑な微生物系内の微生物間相互作用を包括的に検出した点にある。この研究は従来の分離培養法の制約を克服し、自然環境から収集した様々な組み合わせの微生物を培養することができことから、特定の機能を持つ微生物を効率的に探索するための手段として有効であり、新たな生物資源の創造に寄与し、環境保全や農作物生産拡大など幅広い領域での技術革新に貢献することが期待された。