title: Controlling the contents of microdroplets by exploiting the permeability of PDMS.
abstract: A microfluidic device capable of exploiting the permeability of small molecules through polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has been fabricated in order to control the contents of microdroplets stored in storage wells. We demonstrate that protein precipitation and crystallization can be triggered by delivery of ethanol from a reservoir channel, thus controlling the protein solubility in microdroplets. Likewise quorum sensing in bacteria was triggered by delivery of the auto-inducer N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone (OdDHL) through the PDMS membrane of the device.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Jung-uk
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Santoshkumar N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Hodgkinson
authors.forename: Steven D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Bowden
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Spring
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.forename: Wilhelm T S
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Huck
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hollfelder
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abell
mesh_terms: D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D003460:Crystallization; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006714:Homoserine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D010539:Permeability; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; C109860:N-(3-oxododecanoyl)homoserine lactone; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; C013830:baysilon; D006714:Homoserine; D015107:4-Butyrolactone