Cell-to-cell heterogeneity in Biotechnology

The PHOTOMACHINES project is an interdisciplinary project combining basic and applied science that aims to develop a productive ‘biofactory’ through genetic manipulation of cyanobacteria. In recent years, an increasing number of studies has shown that individual cells in laboratory cultures of microbes can differ from each other both genetically and in their phenotype. Focusing on the role of phenotypic heterogeneity in cultivation of phototrophs for biotechnological applications, the aim of our team in this project is to quantify cell-to-cell heterogeneity, understand the factors that promote it and develop a workflow for sorting and automated characterization of individual cells that can then be implemented in an automated ‘breeding’ approach.

Involved at Algatech: Meri Eichner, Tatsuhiro Tsurumaki, Jurgen Tomasch, Radek Kaňa, Ondřej Prášil

This work is supported by the OP JAK project PHOTOMACHNES (2024-2028).

We welcome BSc or MSc students interested in the topic as well as postdocs who consider to apply for funding support. To discuss options, please contact Meri Eichner.

Examples of cell-to-cell heterogeneity. Left, Polerecky et al. 2021 Frontiers in Microbiology; right, Krynická et al., unpublished. Figure modified after Kana et al. 2024, Frontiers in Photobiology.​