Automated imaging with ScanLag reveals previously undetectable bacterial growth phenotypes.
We developed an automated system, ScanLag, that measures in parallel the delay in growth (lag time) and growth rate of thousands of cells. Using ScanLag, we detected small subpopulations of bacteria with dramatically increased lag time upon starvation. By screening a library of Escherichia coli deletion mutants, we achieved two-dimensional mapping of growth characteristics, which showed that ScanLag enables multidimensional screens for quantitative characterization and identification of rare phenotypic variants.
Levin-Reisman
Irit
I
Racah Institute of Physics, The Hebrew University, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat-Ram, Jerusalem, Israel.
Gefen
Orit
O
Fridman
Ofer
O
Ronin
Irine
I
Shwa
David
D
Sheftel
Hila
H
Balaban
Nathalie Q
NQ
D001331:Automation; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D015723:Gene Library; D014644:Genetic Variation; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype