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- Beal, Jacob, et al.
(author)
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Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density
- 2020
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In: Communications Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3642. ; 3:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data.
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2. |
- Baum, Matthew L, et al.
(author)
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CSMD1 regulates brain complement activity and circuit development
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In: Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. - 1090-2139.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Complement proteins facilitate synaptic elimination during neurodevelopmental pruning, but neural complement regulation is not well understood. CUB and Sushi Multiple Domains 1 (CSMD1) can regulate complement activity in vitro, is expressed in the brain, and is associated with increased schizophrenia risk. Beyond this, little is known about CSMD1 including whether it regulates complement activity in the brain or otherwise plays a role in neurodevelopment. We used biochemical, immunohistochemical, and proteomic techniques to examine the regional, cellular, and subcellular distribution as well as protein interactions of CSMD1 in the brain. To evaluate whether CSMD1 is involved in complement-mediated synapse elimination, we examined Csmd1-knockout mice and CSMD1-knockout human stem cell-derived neurons. We interrogated synapse and circuit development of the mouse visual thalamus, a process that involves complement pathway activity. We also quantified complement deposition on synapses in mouse visual thalamus and on cultured human neurons. Finally, we assessed uptake of synaptosomes by cultured microglia. We found that CSMD1 is present at synapses and interacts with complement proteins in the brain. Mice lacking Csmd1 displayed increased levels of complement component C3, an increased colocalization of C3 with presynaptic terminals, fewer retinogeniculate synapses, and aberrant segregation of eye-specific retinal inputs to the visual thalamus during the critical period of complement-dependent refinement of this circuit. Loss of CSMD1 in vivo enhanced synaptosome engulfment by microglia in vitro, and this effect was dependent on activity of the microglial complement receptor, CR3. Finally, human stem cell-derived neurons lacking CSMD1 were more vulnerable to complement deposition. These data suggest that CSMD1 can function as a regulator of complement-mediated synapse elimination in the CNS during development.
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