Architectural transitions in Vibrio cholerae biofilms at single-cell resolution
Author(s)
Drescher, Knut; Nadell, Carey D.; van Teeffelen, Sven; Grnja, Ivan; Wingreen, Ned S.; Stone, Howard A.; Bassler, Bonnie L.; Dunkel, Joern; ... Show more Show less
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Many bacterial species colonize surfaces and form dense 3D structures, known as biofilms, which are highly tolerant to antibiotics and constitute one of the major forms of bacterial biomass on Earth. Bacterial biofilms display remarkable changes during their development from initial attachment to maturity, yet the cellular architecture that gives rise to collective biofilm morphology during growth is largely unknown. Here, we use high-resolution optical microscopy to image all individual cells in Vibrio cholerae biofilms at different stages of development, including colonies that range in size from 2 to 4,500 cells. From these data, we extracted the precise 3D cellular arrangements, cell shapes, sizes, and global morphological features during biofilm growth on submerged glass substrates under flow. We discovered several critical transitions of the internal and external biofilm architectures that separate the major phases of V. cholerae biofilm growth. Optical imaging of biofilms with single-cell resolution provides a new window into biofilm formation that will prove invaluable to understanding the mechanics underlying biofilm development.
Date issued
2016-04Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of MathematicsJournal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Publisher
National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)
Citation
Drescher, Knut et al. “Architectural Transitions in Vibrio Cholerae Biofilms at Single-Cell Resolution.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 113.14 (2016): E2066–E2072. © 2016 by the National Academy of Sciences
Version: Final published version
ISSN
0027-8424
1091-6490