‘TeeBot’: A High Throughput Robotic Fermentation and Sampling System

When fermentation research requires the comparison of many strains or conditions, major bottleneck is a technical one. Microplate approaches are not able to produce representative fermentative performance due their inability truly operate anaerobically, whilst more traditional methods do facilitate sample density sufficient assess enough candidates be considered even medium throughput. Two robotic platforms have been developed that address these technological shortfalls. Both built on commercially available liquid handling fitted with custom labware. Results presented detailing as compared current best practice, i.e., shake flasks airlocks and sideports. The ‘TeeBot’ capable sampling from 96 384 fermentations in 100 mL 30 volumes, respectively, airlock sealing minimal headspace. Sampling downstream analysis facilitated by automated handling, use 96-well plate format temporary cryo-storage (<0 °C).