A dielectric spectroscopic measurement of single Saccharomyces pastorianus growth and heat-shock response
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Cell growth and heat shock response (HSR) are central to cellular adaptation, fate determination, and survival under fluctuating environments, yet their continuous quantification in individual suspended microbial cells remains challenging. Here, we present microwave dielectric spectroscopic cytometry (DiSC) for real-time, label-free monitoring of single-cell growth and HSR in budding yeast, Saccharomyces pastorianus , under physiological culture conditions. Integrated optical microscopy enabled simultaneous tracking of morphological dynamics during growth, heat shock, and apoptosis. At 32 °C, cells exhibited continuous biomass accumulation with fluctuating growth rates but relatively conserved molecular composition profiles (MCPs). Upon heat shock (from 32 °C to 42 °C), cells displayed discontinuous biomass accumulation, rapid mass fluctuations, and dynamically varying MCPs across all 17 cells analyzed. A subset of cells subsequently underwent apoptotic collapse, with onset times ranging from ~ 20 min during temperature ramping to more than 60 min at 42 °C or remaining absent throughout the 340 min observation window, revealing pronounced cell-to-cell heterogeneity. Post-apoptotic cells exhibited stabilized MCP dynamics. Analyses of two- to four-cell lineages further demonstrated divergent apoptotic outcomes among closely related progeny. These results establish DiSC as a promising platform for continuous single-cell quantification of growth, stress adaptation, and phenotypic heterogeneity while highlighting opportunities for further improvements in system performance and analytical capability.
Source: Communications Biology
Institution: Clemson University
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,190
Funder: National Science Foundation
OpenAlex ID: W7201848932