High-throughput microbial coculturing platform for discovery of antifungal consortia
Nanodroplet-based screening platform enabling discovery of microbial consortia with novel antifungal activity. Screens tens of thousands of bacterial communities against plant-pathogenic fungi to identify synergistic inhibition pairs missed by traditional single-strain approaches.
Overview
This solution offers a high-throughput microbial coculturing platform designed to discover novel antifungal consortia through large-scale screening of bacterial communities. Traditional single-strain screening approaches often miss inhibition mechanisms that require multiple microbial species working together. By screening tens of thousands of consortia simultaneously, this platform uncovers synergistic interactions that produce robust antifungal activity, opening new avenues for crop protection and antimicrobial discovery.
The platform addresses a critical gap in antifungal discovery by targeting multi-strain interactions that conventional methods overlook. This approach is particularly valuable for identifying biological control solutions against economically damaging plant pathogens.
Technical specifications
Platform capabilities:
- Nanodroplet-based technology enabling high-throughput screening of microbial consortia
- Successfully demonstrated screening of approximately 100,000 bacterial consortia composed of up to 19 species
- Preliminary validation identified 2 bacterial pairs that synergistically inhibit the plant-pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae using the Bliss independence test (p < 0.001)
- Library of 40 bacterial strains isolated from soil and tomato plants available for screening
- Validated capability to culture the filamentous fungus Zymoseptoria tritici within the platform with significant growth inhibition detected using known antifungals (p < 0.001, Mann–Whitney U test)
Planned screening targets:
- Zymoseptoria tritici (wheat pathogen)
- Fusarium oxysporum (broad host-range plant pathogen)
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae (model ascomycete)
- Approximately 100,000 consortia to be screened from an expanded bacterial strain library
Validation pipeline:
- Hit consortia activity validated in liquid and solid media
- Cell-free supernatant testing to determine whether inhibition is mediated by secreted factors
- Partnership sought for active compound identification and in planta testing
Technology readiness level
The platform has demonstrated proof-of-concept through successful screening of approximately 100,000 bacterial consortia for plant-beneficial activity, as documented in prior published work. Preliminary antifungal screening has confirmed the platform's ability to culture filamentous fungi and detect growth inhibition. The technology is currently at a stage where large-scale antifungal screens are planned, with validation procedures established for confirming hit consortia activity across multiple media conditions. The team is seeking partnerships for compound identification, in planta validation, and funding for key personnel to advance toward practical antifungal discovery applications.
About Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is a comprehensive public research university with multiple campuses in Jerusalem and an agricultural campus in Rehovot. Its integration with Hadassah’s university hospitals enables clinical studies, access to varied patient populations, and co‑located research that accelerates translation. Industry engagement runs through Yissum, the university’s tech‑transfer company, managing IP, licensing, startup creation, and sponsored research agreements. Research is supported by competitive national funding and international programs, including European Union frameworks.
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