Co-incubating confined microbial communities
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsJames Q. Boedicker, Rustem F. Ismagilov, Hyun Jung Kim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention provides devices and methods that enable co-incubation of microorganisms. Also provided are methods of making such devices for co-incubation of microorganisms, and various applications of such devices.
Claims33
An ingestible capsule or pill structured to include a first area containing a first microorganism and a second area containing a second microorganism, and a barrier between the first and the second areas, the barrier being impermeable to the first microorganism and the second microorganism and permeable to molecules and fluid, and wherein the areas are separated by a distance x, the distance x is selected to define a space structured to minimize competition for nutritive substances between the first and second microorganisms while allowing exchange of chemicals between the first and second microorganism, with the microorganisms unable to commingle in the ingestible capsule or pill and wherein the first organism performs a function differently than it would if the second microorganism was absent and wherein the first and second microorganisms are bacteria, protozoa, viruses, or fungi.
A synthetic droplet or particle structured to include a first and a second area separated by a distance x, the first area containing a first microorganism, the second area containing a second microorganism, and the first and the second microorganisms are environmentally incompatible, wherein the first and the second microorganisms are confined by barriers with pores, the pores having a size selected to
- i) be not permeable to bacteria,
- ii) allow diffusion of molecules and flow of fluid, and
- iii) prevent commingling of the first and the second microorganisms within the synthetic droplet or particle, and wherein the first and second microorganisms are bacteria, protozoa, viruses, or fungi.
An ingestible capsule for co-incubating microorganisms, comprising:
- a first compartment and a second compartment separated by a distance x and connected via a communication channel, through a barrier structure, wherein the first compartment contains a first microorganism confined within the first compartment by the barrier structure, and the second compartment contains a second microorganism confined within the second compartment by the barrier structure, the first microorganism performing a function differently that it would if the second microorganism was absent, wherein the barrier structure is impermeable to the first microorganism and the second microorganism and permeable to molecules and fluid and wherein the first and second microorganisms are bacteria, protozoa, viruses, or fungi.
The ingestible capsule of 16, wherein the distance x is between about 50 μm and about 500 μm.
A synthetic droplet or particle structured to include a first area containing a first microorganism, a second area containing a second microorganism and a barrier between the first and second areas, the first and second microorganisms being environmentally incompatible and the barrier being impermeable to the first microorganism and the second microorganism and permeable to molecules and fluid, wherein the areas are separated by a distance x, the distance x is selected to define a space structured to minimize competition for nutritive substances between the first and second microorganisms while allowing exchange of chemicals between the first and second microorganisms, with the microorganisms unable to commingle in the synthetic droplet or particle and wherein the first and second microorganisms are bacteria, protozoa, viruses, or fungi.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.