title: A tool named Iris for versatile high-throughput phenotyping in microorganisms.
abstract: Advances in our ability to systematically introduce and track controlled genetic variance in microorganisms have, in the past decade, fuelled high-throughput reverse genetics approaches. When coupled to quantitative readouts, such approaches are extremely powerful at elucidating gene function and providing insights into the underlying pathways and the overall cellular network organization. Yet, until now, all efforts to quantify microbial macroscopic phenotypes have been restricted to monitoring growth in a small number of model microorganisms. We have developed an image analysis software named Iris, which allows for systematic exploration of a number of orthogonal-to-growth processes, including biofilm formation, colony morphogenesis, envelope biogenesis, sporulation and reporter activity. In addition, Iris provides more sensitive growth measurements than currently available software and is compatible with a variety of different microorganisms, as well as with endpoint or kinetic data. We used Iris to reanalyse existing chemical genomics data in Escherichia coli and to perform proof-of-principle screens on colony biofilm formation and morphogenesis of different bacterial species and the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans. We thereby recapitulated existing knowledge but also identified a plethora of additional genes and pathways involved in both processes.
authors.affiliation: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kritikos
authors.affiliation: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Banzhaf
authors.affiliation: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Herrera-Dominguez
authors.affiliation: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koumoutsi
authors.affiliation: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Morgane
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wartel
authors.affiliation: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Matylda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zietek
authors.affiliation: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Typas
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D018441:Biofilms; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D023281:Genomics; D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D010641:Phenotype; D012984:Software