Bacterial Imaging Cluster
Head: Adriano O. Henriques, Ph. D.
The Bacterial Imaging Cluster (BIC) is a bio-imaging platform hosted at the Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica (ITQB NOVA). This platform supports, essentially, the ITQB scientific research community with advanced equipment of microscopy and Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting (FACS). The BIC platform is aimed at imaging, recording and scrutinizing biological events at the molecular and cellular scale of fixed and living bacteria as well as other microorganisms, over time. Hence, the BIC platform offers advanced equipment for research groups that are studying different aspects of bacterial cell biology aiming to define new anti-infective strategies against bacterial pathogens.
The type of work that is possible at BIC (ITQB) includes, but is not restricted to the following examples: i) the analysis of bacterial cell shape and how it varies using culturing conditions, such as the presence of anti-bacterial agents, and upon genetic lesions; ii) the analysis of bacterial gene expression at the single cell and population levels, through the localization and quantification of the signal from fluorescent reporters or through the direct localization of mRNAs; iii) the study of protein subcellular localization during the bacterial cell cycle and differentiation processes; iv) the study of the dynamics of bacterial chromosome replication and segregation. BIC comprises light microscopy instrumentation that is optimized for imaging of fixed or live bacterial cells.
Equipment @ Bacterial Imaging Center
Bacterial Imaging Center Team Members
Website:
Address:
ITQB NOVA
Av. da República
2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
Bacteria can be detected by the addition of fluorescent compounds capable of targeting specific structures present at their surface.
Green – Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria labeled with a fluorescent derivative of vancomycin bound to the recently translocated peptidoglycan precursor. Blue and Red – Staphylococcus aureus bacteria recognized by fluorescent derivatives of different host peptidoglycan receptors, due to their inability to produce wall-teichoic acids
Different bacterial models are used by research groups associated with BIC at ITQB.
Bacteria can be visualized by phase microscopy (Left panel) or by fluorescent microscopy (Right panel), where bacteria are labeled with different fluorescent compounds. Green – Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria labeled with a fluorescent derivative of vancomycin bound to the recently translocated peptidoglycan precursor, Blue and Red – Staphylococcus aureus bacteria recognized by different fluorescent derivatives of host peptidoglycan receptors, due to their inability to produce wall-teichoic acids. Bacillus subtilis bacteria are also present but can only be detected by phase microscopy as they are non-fluorescent.