Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1021/ac501118v
Title (Primary) Accurate determination of plasmid copy number of flow-sorted cells using droplet digital PCR
Author Jahn, M.; Vorpahl, C.; Türkowsky, D.; Lindmeyer, M.; Bühler, B.; Harms, H.; Müller, S.
Source Titel Analytical Chemistry
Year 2014
Department UMB; METABOX
Volume 86
Issue 12
Page From 5969
Page To 5976
Language englisch
UFZ wide themes RU4
Abstract

Many biotechnological processes rely on the expression of a plasmid-based target gene. A constant and sufficient number of plasmids per cell is desired for efficient protein production. To date, only a few methods for the determination of plasmid copy number (PCN) are available, and most of them average the PCN of total populations disregarding heterogeneous distributions. Here, we utilize the highly precise quantification of DNA molecules by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) and combine it with cell sorting using flow cytometry. A duplex PCR assay was set up requiring only 1000 sorted cells for precise determination of PCN. The robustness of this method was proven by thorough optimization of cell sorting, cell disruption, and PCR conditions. When non plasmid-harboring cells of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 were spiked with different dilutions of the expression plasmid pA-EGFP_B, a PCN from 1 to 64 could be accurately detected. As a proof of principle, induced cultures of P. putida KT2440 producing an EGFP-fused model protein by means of the plasmid pA-EGFP_B were investigated by flow cytometry and showed two distinct subpopulations, fluorescent and nonfluorescent cells. These two subpopulations were sorted for PCN determination with ddPCR. A remarkably diverging plasmid distribution was found within the population, with nonfluorescent cells showing a much lower PCN (≤1) than fluorescent cells (PCN of up to 5) under standard conditions.

Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=15069
Jahn, M., Vorpahl, C., Türkowsky, D., Lindmeyer, M., Bühler, B., Harms, H., Müller, S. (2014):
Accurate determination of plasmid copy number of flow-sorted cells using droplet digital PCR
Anal. Chem. 86 (12), 5969 - 5976 10.1021/ac501118v