Systems and methods for transfer of reagents between droplets

A system for transferring a lysis surfactant from a first droplet to a second droplet via micelles, the system comprising:

• a partitioning fluid comprising a fluorinated oil and a fluorosurfactant;
• a lysis reagent comprising a lysis surfactant;
• and
• a plurality of beads, wherein a bead of the plurality of beads is coupled to a plurality of nucleic acid barcode molecules;
• wherein the partitioning fluid and the lysis reagent, when combined and vortexed, are capable of forming a first emulsion comprising a first plurality of droplets and a plurality of micelles dispersed in the fluorinated oil;
• wherein the first plurality of droplets comprises the first droplet, the first droplet comprising:
• 1) a first droplet interior comprising the lysis reagent, and 2) a first droplet surface comprising the fluorosurfactant;
• wherein a micelle of the plurality of micelles comprises the fluorosurfactant and the lysis surfactant;
• and
• wherein the micelle is capable of transferring the lysis surfactant to the second droplet contacted with the first emulsion, wherein the second droplet comprises:
• 1) a second droplet interior comprising a cell and the bead of the plurality of beads;
• and 2) a second droplet surface comprising the fluorosurfactant.

A system for transferring a lysis surfactant from a first droplet to a second droplet via micelles, the system comprising:

• a partitioning fluid comprising a fluorinated oil and a fluorosurfactant;
• a lysis reagent comprising a lysis surfactant, water, and an ammonium ion, wherein the lysis surfactant is sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS);
• a plurality of beads, wherein a bead of the plurality of beads is coupled to a plurality of nucleic acid barcode molecules, and wherein a nucleic acid barcode molecule of the plurality of nucleic acid barcode molecules comprises a bead-specific barcode sequence and a sequence capable of hybridizing to a messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA);
• and
• an RNAse inhibitor;
• wherein the partitioning fluid and the lysis reagent, when combined and vortexed, are capable of forming a first emulsion comprising a first plurality of droplets and a plurality of micelles dispersed in the fluorinated oil;
• wherein the first plurality of droplets comprises the first droplet, wherein the first droplet comprises:
• 1) a first droplet interior comprising the lysis reagent, and 2) a first droplet surface comprising the fluorosurfactant;
• wherein a micelle of the plurality of micelles comprises the fluorosurfactant and the lysis surfactant;
• and
• wherein the micelle is capable of transferring the lysis surfactant to the second droplet contacted with the first emulsion;
• wherein the second droplet comprises:
• 1) a second droplet interior comprising a cell, the RNAse inhibitor, and the bead of the plurality of beads;
• and 2) a second droplet surface comprising the fluorosurfactant.