Baby cell column

The baby cell column is a way of getting synchronized bacterial cells (E. coli) which are at more or less the same point in their cell cycel.

Basic idea

Bacteria are attached to glass beads with there flagella. The protein coding for a specailly sticy flagella is introduced on the chromosome behind an inducible promotor. The glass beads with the cells are than put on a column and medium without inductor is run thru it. The new born cells will than not have a flagella and washed of with the medium. Such cells will be "babies" and at the beginning of the cell cycel.

Material

For the set up of the column one needs the following material

Part	Company and cat. number	Price	Notes	Link
1x Rotilabo®-Luer-tubing connectors, Luer-fitting: LLM, for 2,4mm tubing, 10 pices,	Roth CT59.1	9.95 €		http://www.carlroth.com
1x Rotilabo®-Luer-tubing connectors, Luer-fitting: LLF, for 2,4mm tubing, 10 pices	Roth CT63.1	9.95
1x Rotilabo®-Mini hose reducers, straight , 2,4 – 4,8 mm, 10 pices	Roth CT46.1	11.95 €

References

1. Bates D, Epstein J, Boye E, Fahrner K, Berg H, and Kleckner N. The Escherichia coli baby cell column: a novel cell synchronization method provides new insight into the bacterial cell cycle. Mol Microbiol. 2005 Jul;57(2):380-91. DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2958.2005.04693.x |