Extended Data Fig. 4: How to seal the screening plates with a breathable membrane.

1, Breathe-Easy sealing membrane dimensions. 2, The sealing membranes should fit on a 96-well plate without overhanging. To ensure this, the membranes should be cut to size at the long end by using a standard paper cutter. 3, Once the screening plates are fully prepared, they are sealed with a Breathe-Easy membrane in the anaerobic chamber. This is achieved by removing the paper cover of the membrane and sealing the plate. Ensure that the long ends of the membrane do not extend beyond the edges of the plate. 4, A roller is used to seal the membrane firmly to the plate. 5, The plastic cover is removed from the breathable membrane. 6, By using the sharp blade of scissors or a scalpel, the short ends of the membrane are cut off so that no part of the membrane protrudes beyond the edge of the plate. Use the roller again over the cut edges to ensure that they stick to the plate. 7, Ensure that the membrane has no bends and is not sticking to plates above it in the stack. The sealed plate is now ready for the first OD measurement. Figure created with BioRender.com.