Mechanical properties of the superficial biofilm layer determine the architecture of biofilms

Cells in biofilms sense and interact with their environment through the extracellular matrix. The physicochemical properties of the matrix, particularly at the biofilm–environment interface, determine how cells respond to changing conditions. In this study we describe the application of atomic force...

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Main Authors: Kundukad, Binu, Seviour, Thomas, Liang, Yang, Rice, Scott A., Kjelleberg, Staffan, Doyle, Patrick S.
Other Authors: School of Biological Sciences
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: 2021
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Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/147519
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Institution: Nanyang Technological University
Language: English
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spelling sg-ntu-dr.10356-1475192021-04-10T20:11:50Z Mechanical properties of the superficial biofilm layer determine the architecture of biofilms Kundukad, Binu Seviour, Thomas Liang, Yang Rice, Scott A. Kjelleberg, Staffan Doyle, Patrick S. School of Biological Sciences Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences and Engineering Singapore-MIT Alliance Programme Science::Biological sciences Biofilms Biomechanics Cells in biofilms sense and interact with their environment through the extracellular matrix. The physicochemical properties of the matrix, particularly at the biofilm–environment interface, determine how cells respond to changing conditions. In this study we describe the application of atomic force microscopy and confocal imaging to probe in situ the mechanical properties of these interfacial regions and to elucidate how key matrix components can contribute to the physical sensing by the cells. We describe how the Young's modulus of microcolonies differs according to the size and morphology of microcolonies, as well as the flow rate. The Young's modulus increased as a function of microcolony diameter, which was correlated with the production of the polysaccharide Psl at later stages of maturation for hemispherical or mushroom shaped microcolonies. The Young's modulus of the periphery of the biofilm colony was however independent of the hydrodynamic shear. The morphology of the microcolonies also influenced interfacial or peripheral stiffness. Microcolonies with a diffuse morphology had a lower Young's modulus than isolated, circular ones and this phenomenon was due to a deficiency of Psl. In this way, changes in the specific polysaccharide components imbue the biofilm with distinct physical properties that may modulate the way in which bacteria perceive or respond to their environment. Further, the physical properties of the polysaccharides are closely linked to the specific architectures formed by the developing biofilm. Ministry of Education (MOE) National Research Foundation (NRF) Published version This research was supported by the National Research Foundation Singapore through the Singapore MIT Alliance for Research and Technology's BioSystems and Micromechanics (BioSyM) IRG research program, the National Science Foundation and by the National Research Foundation and Ministry of Education Singapore under its Research Centre of Excellence Programme. 2021-04-08T01:42:56Z 2021-04-08T01:42:56Z 2016 Journal Article Kundukad, B., Seviour, T., Liang, Y., Rice, S. A., Kjelleberg, S. & Doyle, P. S. (2016). Mechanical properties of the superficial biofilm layer determine the architecture of biofilms. Soft Matter, 12(26), 5718-5726. https://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C6SM00687F 1744-6848 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/147519 10.1039/C6SM00687F 26 12 5718 5726 en Soft Matter © 2016 The Royal Society of Chemistry. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attirbution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported Licence. application/pdf
institution Nanyang Technological University
building NTU Library
continent Asia
country Singapore
Singapore
content_provider NTU Library
collection DR-NTU
language English
topic Science::Biological sciences
Biofilms
Biomechanics
spellingShingle Science::Biological sciences
Biofilms
Biomechanics
Kundukad, Binu
Seviour, Thomas
Liang, Yang
Rice, Scott A.
Kjelleberg, Staffan
Doyle, Patrick S.
Mechanical properties of the superficial biofilm layer determine the architecture of biofilms
description Cells in biofilms sense and interact with their environment through the extracellular matrix. The physicochemical properties of the matrix, particularly at the biofilm–environment interface, determine how cells respond to changing conditions. In this study we describe the application of atomic force microscopy and confocal imaging to probe in situ the mechanical properties of these interfacial regions and to elucidate how key matrix components can contribute to the physical sensing by the cells. We describe how the Young's modulus of microcolonies differs according to the size and morphology of microcolonies, as well as the flow rate. The Young's modulus increased as a function of microcolony diameter, which was correlated with the production of the polysaccharide Psl at later stages of maturation for hemispherical or mushroom shaped microcolonies. The Young's modulus of the periphery of the biofilm colony was however independent of the hydrodynamic shear. The morphology of the microcolonies also influenced interfacial or peripheral stiffness. Microcolonies with a diffuse morphology had a lower Young's modulus than isolated, circular ones and this phenomenon was due to a deficiency of Psl. In this way, changes in the specific polysaccharide components imbue the biofilm with distinct physical properties that may modulate the way in which bacteria perceive or respond to their environment. Further, the physical properties of the polysaccharides are closely linked to the specific architectures formed by the developing biofilm.
author2 School of Biological Sciences
author_facet School of Biological Sciences
Kundukad, Binu
Seviour, Thomas
Liang, Yang
Rice, Scott A.
Kjelleberg, Staffan
Doyle, Patrick S.
format Article
author Kundukad, Binu
Seviour, Thomas
Liang, Yang
Rice, Scott A.
Kjelleberg, Staffan
Doyle, Patrick S.
author_sort Kundukad, Binu
title Mechanical properties of the superficial biofilm layer determine the architecture of biofilms
title_short Mechanical properties of the superficial biofilm layer determine the architecture of biofilms
title_full Mechanical properties of the superficial biofilm layer determine the architecture of biofilms
title_fullStr Mechanical properties of the superficial biofilm layer determine the architecture of biofilms
title_full_unstemmed Mechanical properties of the superficial biofilm layer determine the architecture of biofilms
title_sort mechanical properties of the superficial biofilm layer determine the architecture of biofilms
publishDate 2021
url https://hdl.handle.net/10356/147519
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