Biofilms

By: Lizzette Alvarez

Biofilms known as a collection of bacteria that grow on a surface are resistant to a variety of environmental stresses such as antibiotics, predation, etc. Research shows that by quorum sensing, the secretion and detection of a diffusible molecule, can make microbial species change their behavior. Myxococuus xanthus was used for biofilm formation and to examine any behavioral changes of the cells within the biofilm. Techniques such as high-pressure freezing and freeze-substitution were used to determine any behavioral changes of the cells within the biofilm. Electron tomography and 3D reconstruction was also used to get a closer look of the behavioral changes of the cells. Research showed that the cells within a mature biofilm had cell-cell interactions that showed protein transfers and energy being shared.




Figure 1 from Remis et al. shows cell-cell contact in high-pressure freezing and freeze substitution in a Myxococuus xanthus biofilm.


 

Original Article: Remis, J., et al. (2010). Biofilms: structures that facilitate cell-cell interactions. The ISME Journal 4: 1085-1087.