A FACS Aria™III flow cytometer and cell sorter from Becton Dickinson equipped with 4 lasers (375 nm, 405 nm, 488 nm oraz 633 nm) allows simultaneous acquisition of 13 parameters for analyzed cells and biological particles (11 fluorescence channels and forward and side scatter). The device enables the analysis of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, bacterial endospores, liposomes, and microspheres. The analysis of a population at the level of a single-cell makes it possible to describe its complexity and diversity. Flow cytometry delivers statistically significant data on sub-populations contained in the analyzed material that differ in the analyzed features. The determined characteristics of cells can be divided into the following types: structural (integrity of cell wall and membrane, presence of specific structures on the cell surface, differences in the composition of the cell wall) and functional (metabolic activity, membrane potential, activity of intracellular proteases). The instrument also allows isolation of cells that belong to sub-populations (single cell and sub-population sorting) into tubes (cytometric and Eppendorf-type) and onto microscopic slides, multiwell plates (with 96 and 384 wells), and Petri dishes. The system is also fitted with an anti-aerosol device that prevents the contamination of air during cell sorting.
The laboratory serves the Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology by facilitating microbiological research(cytometric analysis of microbial populations and sorting). The main areas of application of flow cytometry in the department include: i) analysis of monocultures and mixed-cultures in samples obtained from the natural environment or laboratory cultivation with respect to their structural and functional characteristics, ii) detection of specific viable but nonculturable (VBNC) microorganisms in samples from the natural environment and production lines, iii) sorting of microbial cells in order for characterization of strains isolated from different environments, iv) evaluation of the effects of genetic modification and selection of transformants with the use of reporter proteins, v) evaluation of the effects of stress factors on physiological parameters of microorganisms to facilitate the optimization of bioprocessing conditions and selection of efficient biocatalysts.