MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES TO ELUCIDATE HUMAN GENE PARTICIPATION IN INFECTION OF RIFT VALLEY FEVER VIRUS

摘要

A microfluidic RNA interference screening device was designed to study which genes are involved in Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV) infection. Spots of small interfering RNA (siRNA) are manually spotted onto a glass microscope slide, and aligned to a screening device designed to accommodate cell seeding, siRNA transfection, cell culture, virus infection and imaging analysis. This portable and disposable PDMS-based microfluidic device for RNAi screening was designed for a 96well library of transfection against variety of gene targets. Current results show transfection of GFP-22 siRNA within the device, as compared to controls, which inhibit the expression of GFP produced by recombinant RVFV. This technique can be applied to host-pathogen interactions for highly dangerous systems in BSL-3/4 laboratories, where bulky robotic equipment is not ideal.