Biofilm formation in geometries with different surface curvature and oxygen availability
Bacteria in the natural environment exist as interface-associated colonies known as biofilms . Complex mechanisms are often involved in biofilm formation and development. Despite the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in biofilm formation, it remains unclear how physical effects in s...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2015-01-01
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| Series: | New Journal of Physics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/17/3/033017 |
| _version_ | 1797751167308005376 |
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| author | Ya-Wen Chang Alexandros A Fragkopoulos Samantha M Marquez Harold D Kim Thomas E Angelini Alberto Fernández-Nieves |
| author_facet | Ya-Wen Chang Alexandros A Fragkopoulos Samantha M Marquez Harold D Kim Thomas E Angelini Alberto Fernández-Nieves |
| author_sort | Ya-Wen Chang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Bacteria in the natural environment exist as interface-associated colonies known as biofilms . Complex mechanisms are often involved in biofilm formation and development. Despite the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in biofilm formation, it remains unclear how physical effects in standing cultures influence biofilm development. The topology of the solid interface has been suggested as one of the physical cues influencing bacteria-surface interactions and biofilm development. Using the model organism Bacillus subtilis , we study the transformation of swimming bacteria in liquid culture into robust biofilms in a range of confinement geometries (planar, spherical and toroidal) and interfaces (air/water, silicone/water, and silicone elastomer/water). We find that B. subtilis form submerged biofilms at both solid and liquid interfaces in addition to air-water pellicles. When confined, bacteria grow on curved surfaces of both positive and negative Gaussian curvature. However, the confinement geometry does affect the resulting biofilm roughness and relative coverage. We also find that the biofilm location is governed by oxygen availability as well as by gravitational effects; these compete with each other in some situations. Overall, our results demonstrate that confinement geometry is an effective way to control oxygen availability and subsequently biofilm growth. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:44:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-72ce3f744e1f4a928b85288bbcb95a16 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1367-2630 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:44:33Z |
| publishDate | 2015-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | New Journal of Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-72ce3f744e1f4a928b85288bbcb95a162023-08-08T14:18:41ZengIOP PublishingNew Journal of Physics1367-26302015-01-0117303301710.1088/1367-2630/17/3/033017Biofilm formation in geometries with different surface curvature and oxygen availabilityYa-Wen Chang0Alexandros A Fragkopoulos1Samantha M Marquez2Harold D Kim3Thomas E Angelini4Alberto Fernández-Nieves5School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, GA, USASchool of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, GA, USABranford College, Yale University, New Haven , CT, USASchool of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, GA, USAMechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainsville , FL, USASchool of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, GA, USABacteria in the natural environment exist as interface-associated colonies known as biofilms . Complex mechanisms are often involved in biofilm formation and development. Despite the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in biofilm formation, it remains unclear how physical effects in standing cultures influence biofilm development. The topology of the solid interface has been suggested as one of the physical cues influencing bacteria-surface interactions and biofilm development. Using the model organism Bacillus subtilis , we study the transformation of swimming bacteria in liquid culture into robust biofilms in a range of confinement geometries (planar, spherical and toroidal) and interfaces (air/water, silicone/water, and silicone elastomer/water). We find that B. subtilis form submerged biofilms at both solid and liquid interfaces in addition to air-water pellicles. When confined, bacteria grow on curved surfaces of both positive and negative Gaussian curvature. However, the confinement geometry does affect the resulting biofilm roughness and relative coverage. We also find that the biofilm location is governed by oxygen availability as well as by gravitational effects; these compete with each other in some situations. Overall, our results demonstrate that confinement geometry is an effective way to control oxygen availability and subsequently biofilm growth.https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/17/3/033017biofilmconfinementgeometry |
| spellingShingle | Ya-Wen Chang Alexandros A Fragkopoulos Samantha M Marquez Harold D Kim Thomas E Angelini Alberto Fernández-Nieves Biofilm formation in geometries with different surface curvature and oxygen availability New Journal of Physics biofilm confinement geometry |
| title | Biofilm formation in geometries with different surface curvature and oxygen availability |
| title_full | Biofilm formation in geometries with different surface curvature and oxygen availability |
| title_fullStr | Biofilm formation in geometries with different surface curvature and oxygen availability |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biofilm formation in geometries with different surface curvature and oxygen availability |
| title_short | Biofilm formation in geometries with different surface curvature and oxygen availability |
| title_sort | biofilm formation in geometries with different surface curvature and oxygen availability |
| topic | biofilm confinement geometry |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/17/3/033017 |
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