Model biofilm fabricated by microfluidic device and its control method applicable to the bioremediation

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24560956
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biofunction/Bioprocess
• Research Institution: Utsunomiya University
• Principal Investigator: KATO Norihiro 宇都宮大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (00261818)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MATSUNAGA Yukiko (TSUDA Yukiko) 東京大学, 生産技術研究所, 特任講師 (00533663)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞間情報伝達機構 / バイオフィルム / マイクロ流体デバイス / マイクロカプセル / クオラムセンシング / クオラムクエンチング / ヒドロゲル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A model biofilm could be formed inside polymer microcapsules fabricated by using a microfluidic device. Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation is regulated by bacterial cell-cell communication termed as quorum sensing (QS). By co-culturing quorum quenching bacteria with the QS bacteria inside polymer capsules, the QS could be effectively inhibited. The enzymatic hydrolysis of the QS signal can block the target gene expression that depends on the signal concentration. The hydrolase was overexpressed and purified from Escherichia coli, and then immobilized on the polymer matrix. It was demonstrated that the biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa was successfully inhibited only by coexisting immobilized hydrolase inside the capsule.
The model biofilm is applicable to the bioremediation. The effective method for biofilm inhibition was also developed by using model biofilm.

Free Research Field

バイオテクノロジー、機能性高分子