Ultrahigh-throughput screening of environmental bacteria for proteolytic activity using droplet-based microfluidics

As global efforts to reduce environmental impact progress, realization of the significance of biomanufacturing bio-based products has risen, increasing the demand for microbial-based manufacturing. Producing diverse bio-based products through biomanufacturing requires isolating suitable host organisms from environmental sources and screening them for essential genetic characteristics. Efficient screening methods based on microbial activity and functionality are thus essential to significantly expand the scope of bio-based products. Here, we demonstrate the development of a highly efficient screening system for functional screening of environmental bacteria using a droplet-based microfluidic device. This platform enables the streamlined isolation of microbial strains and acquisition of genetic resources from the environment and is tailored to specific microbial activities and functions. In this study, we have demonstrated the efficacy of this droplet-based method for functional screening and have shown its potential for scalability to industrial levels for advancing bio-based production.