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Biofuels Production
Detection of algae strains for biofuel production and ecological studies using fluorescent lipid-binding dyes such as BoDIPY and Nile Red with bench-top flow cytometers is now easy and accessible. Publications show that biofuel research labs can select algal strains with high lipid content and cell density rapidly and easily compared to alternative techniques.

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InCyte™ software can be used to compare particular metrics across multiple different algae samples within the same plot, offering a level of detail beyond simple detection of mean fluorescence. Here we show the range of Chlorophyll A content detected in a group of samples.
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Identification of Algal Cells containing Chlorophyll A, stained with Bodipy for Lipid Detection


Download our brochure on biofuels applications for algae and methanogenic bacteria HERE.
Download our application note on Biofuels HERE

Viability & Counting
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SYBR® Green 1 Dye used to detect algae viability. Algae can be stained at cell concentrations of 1,000 to 5 X 10^5 cells/mL and detected on the easyCyte™ 5/5HT.
Algae
Many algae and phytoplankton can be detected on guava easyCyte systems, as these organisms natively produce fluorescent proteins which can be detected on guava easyCyte systems. Moreover, a variety of dyes such as bodipy can be utilized to quantitatively determine lipid production in these species. Choose from a variety of instrument configurations for detection of algae, depending on the level of multiparameter analysis needed. To detect red and green fluorescent protein applications, we also offer a modified easyCyte system format.
Bacteria
A number of instrument formats are available to count and evaluate easily and affordably. The easyCyte™ 5/5HT systems can detect bacteria larger than 2 microns in diameter as shown in the graphic below, while the HPL version of these systems can readily detect bacteria smaller than or equal 2 microns in diameter.

Bacterial enumeration and viability measured on a guava easycyte™ Flow Cytometer with laser excitation at 488 nm (40 mW).


Yeast
Yeast clones are commonly used with guava easyCyte systems. The direct sampling capabilities and user-replaceable flow cell of the easyCyte instruments provides an easy and reliable platform for research use. To detect red and green fluorescent protein applications, we offer a modified easyCyte system format.

Data from fluorescently labeled yeast clones is shown below, following detection on a modified easyCyte 6HT-2L:

Insect Cells
The Guava ViaCount® Flex Reagents were developed to expand the number of cell types that can be stained and counted with the ViaCount assay, including insect cells containing baculovirus. Click here to learn more.
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Individual histograms of yeast strains (wildtype, fpr1, etc) grown in different media conditions (YPD, YNB) and following rapamycin treatment (rapamycin).
Fluorescent Protein Detection
Many species of marine cyanobacteria contain chlorophyll, and in addition, they also harbor variable concentrations of phycoerythin and allophycocyanin. The naturally occurring expression of fluorescent proteins can be used in a variety of ways, to build profiles of homogeneous populations of individual species, or to signal contaminant populations as they arise. They can also be combined with known lipid-specific dyes such as Nile red or Bodipy to determine the level of lipid production per cell. For more information on new instrument configurations for fluorescent protein detection of algae, please contact your local EMD Millipore multiplex cytometry specialist.

Download our application note on fluorescent protein detection HERE.