2024/03/21 by Diane M. Wiener, Emily Huynh, Ilakkiyan Jeyakumar +10 · 1 voice
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #CRISPR and Genetic Engineering #Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics #Viral Infectious Diseases and Gene Expression in Insects
paper · pdf · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0299402
openalex publication_date 2024/03/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Recent advances in gene editing are enabling the engineering of cells with an unprecedented level of scale. To capitalize on this opportunity, new methods are needed to accelerate the different steps required to manufacture and handle engineered cells. Here, we describe the development of an integrated software and hardware platform to automate Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting (FACS), a central step for the selection of cells displaying desired molecular attributes. Sorting large numbers of samples is laborious, and, to date, no automated system exists to sequentially manage FACS samples, likely owing to the need to tailor sorting conditions ("gating") to each individual sample. Our platform is built around a commercial instrument and integrates the handling and transfer of samples to and from the instrument, autonomous control of the instrument's software, and the algorithmic generation of sorting gates, resulting in walkaway functionality. Automation eliminates operator errors, standardizes gating conditions by eliminating operator-to-operator variations, and reduces hands-on labor by 93%. Moreover, our strategy for automating the operation of a commercial instrument control software in the absence of an Application Program Interface (API) exemplifies a universal solution for other instruments that lack an API. Our software and hardware designs are fully open-source and include step-by-step build documentation to contribute to a growing open ecosystem of tools for high-throughput cell biology.