A microfluidic platform is designed and fabricated
to investigate the role of uncharacterized YOR060C (Sld7)
protein in aging in yeast cells for the first time.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells are trapped in the series
of C-shaped regions (0.5 nL) of COP (cyclo olefin polymer),
PMMA (poly methylmethacrylate), or PS (polystyrene)
microbioreactors. The devices are fabricated using hot
embossing and thermo-compression bonding methods.
Photolithography and electrochemical etching are used to
form the steel mold needed for hot embossing. The cell cycle
processes are investigated by monitoring green fluorescent
protein (GFP) tagged Sld7 expressions under normal as well
as calorie restricted conditions. The cells are loaded at 1 μL/
min flowrate and trapped successfully within each chamber.
The medium is continuously fed at 0.1 μL/min throughout the
experiments. Fluorescent signals of the low abundant Sld7
proteins could be distinguished only on COP devices. The
background fluorescence of COP is found 1.22 and 7.24 times
lower than that of PMMA, and PS, respectively. Hence, ex-
periments are continued with COP, and lasted for more than
40 h without any contamination. The doubling time of the
yeast cells are found as 72 min and 150 min, and the growth
rates as 9.63 × 10 −3 min −1 and 4.62 × 10 −3 min −1 , in 2%
glucose containing YPD and YNB medium, respectively.
The product concentration (Sld7p:GFP) increased in accor-
dance with cell growth. The dual role of Sld7 protein in both

• Fabrication of Fabrication of cyclo olefin polymer microfluidic devices forcyclo olefin polymer microfluidic devices for trapping and culturing of yeast cellsFabrication of cyclo olefin polymer microfluidic devices for trapping and culturing of yeast cells