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SUMMARY:Individual cell studies of microalgae – evaluating stochasticity
  within populations - Roshni Best (Smith Lab)
DTSTART:20140424T150000Z
DTEND:20140424T152500Z
UID:TALK51395@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Megan Cooper
DESCRIPTION:In bulk studies of microalgae\, we are forced to assume that a
 ll cells exhibit identical properties to a measurable average value. This 
 is very unlikely to be a realistic assumption – all biological processes
  should have a degree of stochasticity\, even when cells are genetically i
 dentical. Individual cell studies allow us to evaluate the extent of this 
 stochasticity. C. reinhardtii cells accumulate TAGs (triacylglycerides) as
  discreet lipid bodies when placed under nitrogen stress. This has been we
 ll characterised in bulk – it is an important process to understand\, si
 nce TAGs are a feedstock for biodiesel production. I have analysed this li
 pid accumulation process using three different single-cell screening techn
 iques – confocal microscopy\, flow cytometry and microdroplet screening.
  All techniques reveal that there is considerable variation in the amount 
 of storage lipid per cell. The reliability and efficiency of these three s
 ingle-cell screening methods have been compared. Microdroplet technology c
 an also be used as a cell sorting platform – droplets containing cells w
 ith desirable fluorescence properties can be identified and sorted into a 
 separate collection channel for further analysis. So far\, the microdrople
 t sorting platform has been used to sort fluorescent droplets\, and to sel
 ect cell-containing droplets from empty one based on chlorophyll fluoresce
 nce. The sorting platform is currently being optimised to identify and sor
 t high lipid producing cells for further analysis.
LOCATION:Department of Plant Sciences\, Large Lecture Theatre
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