Automating Your Synthetic Biology Workflow
Automate your manual synthetic biology workflow with QPix
High-throughput synthetic biology applications such as strain engineering will benefit greatly from the increased productivity of a robot-controlled microbial colony picker such as our QPix® Microbial Colony Picker, which picks up to 30,000 colonies per day with automatic pick run data tracking and database management. QPix system can be integrated into an end-to-end molecular workflow, which allows users higher throughput and more walkaway time, leading to more opportunity to focus on the learning component of the DBTL approach – informing subsequent designs of new strains.
Workflow: Synthetic Biology with QPix
- Plating: Plating is the initial step in synthetic biology research, where microbial cells or genetic constructs are spread onto solid agar plates to form individual colonies. To streamline this process, automated systems such as robotic colony platers can be employed. These systems use high-density arraying techniques, allowing for the simultaneous plating of numerous samples in a precise and efficient manner. This automation saves time and reduces the potential for human error, enabling researchers to plate larger numbers of samples in less time.
- Screening: After plating, the next step is screening the colonies to identify those of interest. Traditionally, this has been done manually, with researchers visually inspecting and selecting colonies based on certain characteristics. However, to increase throughput, automated colony screening systems are becoming increasingly popular. These systems utilize image analysis and machine learning algorithms to rapidly identify and categorize colonies based on predefined criteria. Automating this process allows large numbers of colonies to be screened quickly, saving time and reducing subjectivity.
- Picking: Once colonies of interest have been identified, the picking process begins. Traditionally, this step has relied on manual techniques, such as using sterile pipette tips, toothpicks, or inoculation loops. However, employing automated colony pickers enhances throughput. These advanced systems utilize robotic arms with fine tips or needles to precisely and rapidly transfer selected colonies into various downstream applications. Automated colony pickers can handle a high number of samples per hour, significantly increasing throughput and reducing labor-intensive tasks.
- Some of the benefits of automated colony picking for synthetic biology:
- Enables higher throughput while minimizing manual labor
- Provides consistent, objective colony picking instead of subjective, manual picking
- Accommodates a broad range of different applications
- Electronic data tracking allows for well-documented data control
- Replicating: A crucial step in synthetic biology research, replicating selected colonies enables the preservation and distribution of genetic material for further analysis and experimentation. Manual replication involves streaking colonies onto multiple plates, which can be time-consuming and prone to human error. Use automated colony replication systems to streamline this process. These systems employ robotics and high-density arraying techniques to simultaneously replicate colonies onto multiple plates, ensuring consistency and efficiency.
- Re-arraying: Re-arraying involves transferring colonies from their original plates into new formats or containers for long-term storage or additional experiments. This step is critical for maintaining large collections of genetic resources and facilitating high-throughput workflows. Automated re-arraying systems, such as robotic colony pickers with barcode readers and liquid handling capabilities, can accurately and efficiently transfer colonies into different formats, such as microplates or storage tubes. By automating re-arraying, researchers can achieve standardized and error-free transfer processes, enabling better organization and accessibility of genetic resources.