학술논문
A Novel Gene Transformation Technique Using Water-in-Oil Droplet in an Electrostatic Field
Document Type
Periodical
Author
Source
IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications IEEE Trans. on Ind. Applicat. Industry Applications, IEEE Transactions on. 49(1):311-315 Jan, 2013
Subject
Language
ISSN
0093-9994
1939-9367
1939-9367
Abstract
Droplet-based micro total analysis systems have been investigated by many researchers and used in bioengineering. In these systems, individual water-in-oil (W/O) droplets perform as microreactors. To manipulate W/O droplets, an electrostatic field is one of the most useful tools. For example, by applying a direct current (dc) electric field between electrodes soaked in oil, W/O droplets in the electrode spacings reciprocate due to dielectrophoretic force and Coulomb force. In this paper, gene transformation to Escherichia coli cells by using the droplet recycling is carried out. A droplet containing E. coli and plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid was located between the electrodes, and dc voltage was applied. As a result, the transformants were obtained. Therefore, the gene transformation by the electrostatic droplet manipulation was confirmed. In this method, sample volume can be smaller than that of conventional method. Therefore, our novel gene transfection method is expected to be a new tool in miniaturized bioengineering.