Imaging of lactic acid bacteria with AFM--elasticity and adhesion maps and their relationship to biological and structural data

Effect of food models and low-temperature storage on the adhesion of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG to Caco-2 cells

This study evaluated the effects of fat and sugar levels on the surface properties of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG during storage in food model systems, simulating yogurt and ice cream, and related them with the ability of the bacterial cells to adhere to Caco-2 cells. Freeze-dried L. rhamnosus GG cells were added to the model food systems and stored for 7 days. The bacterial cells were analyzed for cell viability, hydrophobicity, ζ potential, and their ability to adhere to Caco-2 cells. The results indicated that the food type and its composition affected the surface and adhesion properties of the bacterial cells during storage, with yogurt being a better delivery vehicle than ice cream in terms of bacterial adhesion to Caco-2 cells. The most important factor influencing bacterial adhesion was the storage time rather than the levels of fats and sugars, indicating that conformational changes were taking place on the surface of the bacterial cells during storage.

Surface imaging using holographic optical tweezers

We present an imaging technique using an optically trapped cigar-shaped probe controlled using holographic optical tweezers. The probe is raster scanned over a surface, allowing an image to be taken in a manner analogous to scanning probe microscopy (SPM), with automatic closed loop feedback control provided by analysis of the probe position recorded using a high speed CMOS camera. The probe is held using two optical traps centred at least 10 µm from the ends, minimizing laser illumination of the tip, so reducing the chance of optical damage to delicate samples. The technique imparts less force on samples than contact SPM techniques, and allows highly curved and strongly scattering samples to be imaged, which present difficulties for imaging using photonic force microscopy. To calibrate our technique, we first image a known sample--the interface between two 8 µm polystyrene beads. We then demonstrate the advantages of this technique by imaging the surface of the soft alga Pseudopediastrum. The scattering force of our laser applied directly onto this sample is enough to remove it from the surface, but we can use our technique to image the algal surface with minimal disruption while it is alive, not adhered and in physiological conditions. The resolution is currently equivalent to confocal microscopy, but as our technique is not diffraction limited, there is scope for significant improvement by reducing the tip diameter and limiting the thermal motion of the probe.

Sequencing batch biofilm reactor: from support design to reactor operation

The aim of this work was to improve the overall understanding of sequencing batch biofilm reactors (SBBRs) from support selection (biofilm formation) to reactor operation (carbon and nitrogen removal). Supports manufactured with different materials and geometries were tested in 2.5 L SBBRs and it was observed that biofilm accumulation was favoured on the supports that presented a higher internal surface area. The geometry of the supports and the hydrodynamic conditions established in the SBBRs seemed to play a more important role in biofilm formation than the thermodynamic interaction, expressed as free energy of adhesion (deltaG), between the support material and the biomass. The support that presented the highest biofilm accumulation per unit of surface area (DupUM) was used in a 28 L SBBR and it was observed that, along a typical SBBR cycle, time profiles of nitrogen compounds showed the typical behaviour of nitrification and denitrification reactions. During the fill phase (without aeration) acetate was simultaneously consumed in biomass growth and denitrification. Immediately after the beginning of the aeration phase (without influent addition), acetate was depleted from the liquid phase and stored as poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate that was later on used in the growth of biomass, owing to the high oxygen concentration in the reactor.

Bacterial surface appendages strongly impact nanomechanical and electrokinetic properties of Escherichia coli cells subjected to osmotic stress

The physicochemical properties and dynamics of bacterial envelope, play a major role in bacterial activity. In this study, the morphological, nanomechanical and electrohydrodynamic properties of Escherichia coli K-12 mutant cells were thoroughly investigated as a function of bulk medium ionic strength using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and electrokinetics (electrophoresis). Bacteria were differing according to genetic alterations controlling the production of different surface appendages (short and rigid Ag43 adhesins, longer and more flexible type 1 fimbriae and F pilus). From the analysis of the spatially resolved force curves, it is shown that cells elasticity and turgor pressure are not only depending on bulk salt concentration but also on the presence/absence and nature of surface appendage. In 1 mM KNO(3), cells without appendages or cells surrounded by Ag43 exhibit large Young moduli and turgor pressures (∼700-900 kPa and ∼100-300 kPa respectively). Under similar ionic strength condition, a dramatic ∼50% to ∼70% decrease of these nanomechanical parameters was evidenced for cells with appendages. Qualitatively, such dependence of nanomechanical behavior on surface organization remains when increasing medium salt content to 100 mM, even though, quantitatively, differences are marked to a much smaller extent. Additionally, for a given surface appendage, the magnitude of the nanomechanical parameters decreases significantly when increasing bulk salt concentration. This effect is ascribed to a bacterial exoosmotic water loss resulting in a combined contraction of bacterial cytoplasm together with an electrostatically-driven shrinkage of the surface appendages. The former process is demonstrated upon AFM analysis, while the latter, inaccessible upon AFM imaging, is inferred from electrophoretic data interpreted according to advanced soft particle electrokinetic theory. Altogether, AFM and electrokinetic results clearly demonstrate the intimate relationship between structure/flexibility and charge of bacterial envelope and propensity of bacterium and surface appendages to contract under hypertonic conditions.

Adhesive properties of Staphylococcus epidermidis probed by atomic force microscopy

Mapping of the surface properties of Staphylococcus epidermidis and of biofilm forming bacteria in general is a key to understand their functions, particularly their adhesive properties. To gain a comprehensive view of the structural and chemical properties of S. epidermidis, four different strains (biofilm positive and biofilm negative strains) were analyzed using in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM). Force measurements performed using bare hydrophilic silicon nitride tips disclosed similar adhesive properties for each strain. However, use of hydrophobic tips showed that hydrophobic forces are not the driving forces for adhesion of the four strains. Rather, the observation of sawtooth force-distance patterns on the surface of biofilm positive strains documents the presence of modular proteins such as Aap that may mediate cell adhesion. Treatment of two biofilm positive strains with two chemical inhibitor compounds leads to a loss of adhesion, suggesting that AFM could be a valuable tool to screen for anti-adhesion molecules.

Quantitative analysis of human internal limiting membrane extracted from patients with macular holes

We report the study of the morphology, topography, and adhesion properties of internal limiting membrane (ILM) from patients with macular holes. The quantitative analysis of human ILM could provide essential information toward the improvement of existing surgical instruments for more efficient and safer surgical removal of ILM. Imaging in air revealed the presence of globular structures in most of the samples analyzed which were coupled with fibrillar structures in some of the samples. Modification of silicon nitride AFM tips with oppositely charged functional groups showed changes in adhesion force at the membrane-tip interface. Defining the surface characteristics of the human ILM is an initial step in the development of improved surgical tools that may allow nontraumatic stripping of ILM during surgery.

Escherichia coli cell surface perturbation and disruption induced by antimicrobial peptides BP100 and pepR

The potential of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as an alternative to conventional therapies is well recognized. Insights into the biological and biophysical properties of AMPs are thus key to understanding their mode of action. In this study, the mechanisms adopted by two AMPs in disrupting the gram-negative Escherichia coli bacterial envelope were explored. BP100 is a short cecropin A-melittin hybrid peptide known to inhibit the growth of phytopathogenic gram-negative bacteria. pepR, on the other hand, is a novel AMP derived from the dengue virus capsid protein. Both BP100 and pepR were found to inhibit the growth of E. coli at micromolar concentrations. Zeta potential measurements of E. coli incubated with increasing peptide concentrations allowed for the establishment of a correlation between the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each AMP and membrane surface charge neutralization. While a neutralization-mediated killing mechanism adopted by either AMP is not necessarily implied, the hypothesis that surface neutralization occurs close to MIC values was confirmed. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was then employed to visualize the structural effect of the interaction of each AMP with the E. coli cell envelope. At their MICs, BP100 and pepR progressively destroyed the bacterial envelope, with extensive damage already occurring 2 h after peptide addition to the bacteria. A similar effect was observed for each AMP in the concentration-dependent studies. At peptide concentrations below MIC values, only minor disruptions of the bacterial surface occurred.

Nanocharacterization in dentistry

About 80% of US adults have some form of dental disease. There are a variety of new dental products available, ranging from implants to oral hygiene products that rely on nanoscale properties. Here, the application of AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) and optical interferometry to a range of dentistry issues, including characterization of dental enamel, oral bacteria, biofilms and the role of surface proteins in biochemical and nanomechanical properties of bacterial adhesins, is reviewed. We also include studies of new products blocking dentine tubules to alleviate hypersensitivity; antimicrobial effects of mouthwash and characterizing nanoparticle coated dental implants. An outlook on future “nanodentistry” developments such as saliva exosomes based diagnostics, designing biocompatible, antimicrobial dental implants and personalized dental healthcare is presented.

Effects of L-alanine and inosine germinants on the elasticity of Bacillus anthracis spores

The surface of dormant Bacillus anthracis spores consists of a multilayer of protein coats and a thick peptidoglycan layer that allow the cells to resist chemical and environmental insults. During germination, the spore coat is degraded, making the spore susceptible to chemical inactivation by antisporal agents as well as to mechanical inactivation by high-pressure or mechanical abrasion processes. While chemical changes during germination, especially the release of the germination marker, dipicolinic acid (DPA), have been extensively studied, there is as yet no investigation of the corresponding changes in the mechanical properties of the spore. In this work, we use atomic force microscopy (AFM) to characterize the mechanical properties of the surface of Bacillus anthracis spores during germination. The Hertz model of continuum mechanics of contact was used to evaluate the Young's moduli of the spores before and after germination by applying the model to load-indentation curves. The highest modulus was observed for dormant spores, with average elasticity values of 197 +/- 81 MPa. The elasticity decreased significantly after incubation of the spores with the germinants L-alanine or inosine (47.5 +/- 41.7 and 35.4 +/- 15.8 MPa, respectively). Exposure of B. anthracis spores to a mixture of both germinants resulted in a synergistic effect with even lower elasticity, with a Young's modulus of 23.5 +/- 14.8 MPa. The elasticity of the vegetative B. anthracis cells was nearly 15 times lower than that of the dormant spores (12.4 +/- 6.3 MPa vs 197.0 +/- 80.5 MPa, respectively). Indeed from a mechanical strength point of view, the germinated spores were closer to the vegetative cells than to the dormant spores. Further, the decrease in the elasticity of the cells was accompanied by increasing AFM tip indentation depths on the cell surfaces. Indentation depths of up to 246.2 nm were observed for vegetative B. anthracis compared to 20.5 nm for the dormant spores. These results provide quantitative information on how the mechanical properties of the cell wall change during germination, which may explain how spores become susceptible to inactivation processes based on mechanical forces during germination and outgrowth. The study of spore elasticity may be a valuable tool in the design of improved antisporal treatments.

Application of AFM from microbial cell to biofilm

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) has proven itself over recent years as an essential tool for the analysis of microbial systems. This article will review how AFM has been used to study microbial systems to provide unique insight into their behavior and relationship with their environment. Immobilization of live cells has enabled AFM imaging and force measurement to provide understanding of the structure and function of numerous microbial cells. At the macromolecular level AFM investigation into the properties of surface macromolecules and the energies associated with their mechanical conformation and functionality has helped unravel the complex interactions of microbial cells. At the level of the whole cell AFM has provided an integrated analysis of how the microbial cell exploits its environment through its selective, adaptable interface, the cell surface. In addition to these areas of study the AFM investigation of microbial biofilms has been vital for industrial and medical process analysis. There exists a tremendous potential for the future application of AFM to microbial systems and this has been strengthened by the trend to use AFM in combination with other characterization methods, such as confocal microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, to elucidate dynamic cellular processes.

Whole cell imprinting in sol-gel thin films for bacterial recognition in liquids: macromolecular fingerprinting

Thin films of organically modified silica (ORMOSILS) produced by a sol-gel method were imprinted with whole cells of a variety of microorganisms in order to develop an easy and specific probe to concentrate and specifically identify these microorganisms in liquids (e.g., water). Microorganisms with various morphology and outer surface components were imprinted into thin sol-gel films. Adsorption of target microorganism onto imprinted films was facilitated by these macromolecular fingerprints as revealed by various microscopical examinations (SEM, AFM, HSEM and CLSM). The imprinted films showed high selectivity toward each of test microorganisms with high adsorption affinity making them excellent candidates for rapid detection of microorganisms from liquids.

Nanoscale imaging of microbial pathogens using atomic force microscopy

The nanoscale exploration of microbes using atomic force microscopy (AFM) is an exciting research field that has expanded rapidly in the past years. Using AFM topographic imaging, investigators can visualize the surface structure of live cells under physiological conditions and with unprecedented resolution. In doing so, the effect of drugs and chemicals on the fine cell surface architecture can be monitored. Real-time imaging offers a means to follow dynamic events such as cell growth and division. In parallel, chemical force microscopy (CFM), in which AFM tips are modified with specific functional groups, allows researchers to measure interaction forces, such as hydrophobic forces, and to resolve nanoscale chemical heterogeneities on cells, on a scale of only approximately 25 functional groups. Lastly, molecular recognition imaging using spatially resolved force spectroscopy, dynamic recognition imaging or immunogold detection, enables microscopists to localize specific receptors, such as cell adhesion proteins or antibiotic binding sites. These noninvasive nanoscale analyses provide new avenues in pathogenesis research, particularly for investigating the action mode of antimicrobial drugs, and for elucidating the molecular basis of pathogen-host interactions.

Surface and adhesion properties of lactobacilli

The surface properties of lactobacilli are of significant technological importance as they determine the interaction of the bacterial cells with the gastrointestinal mucosa, and therefore influence their location in the gut and their functionality. Studying the surface of the bacteria is critical for understanding the adhesion process better. This review compiles the knowledge from studies on the characterization Lactobacillus surfaces and evaluates the potential relationship between the cells' physicochemical characteristics and their adhesive abilities. It also discusses the effect that the production processes, such as fermentation and drying, can exert on the surface properties and adhesion abilities of lactobacilli.

Application of atomic force microscopy in bacterial research

The atomic force microscope (AFM) has evolved from an imaging device into a multifunctional and powerful toolkit for probing the nanostructures and surface components on the exterior of bacterial cells. Currently, the area of application spans a broad range of interesting fields from materials sciences, in which AFM has been used to deposit patterns of thiol-functionalized molecules onto gold substrates, to biological sciences, in which AFM has been employed to study the undesirable bacterial adhesion to implants and catheters or the essential bacterial adhesion to contaminated soil or aquifers. The unique attribute of AFM is the ability to image bacterial surface features, to measure interaction forces of functionalized probes with these features, and to manipulate these features, for example, by measuring elongation forces under physiological conditions and at high lateral resolution (<1 A). The first imaging studies showed the morphology of various biomolecules followed by rapid progress in visualizing whole bacterial cells. The AFM technique gradually developed into a lab-on-a-tip allowing more quantitative analysis of bacterial samples in aqueous liquids and non-contact modes. Recently, force spectroscopy modes, such as chemical force microscopy, single-cell force spectroscopy, and single-molecule force spectroscopy, have been used to map the spatial arrangement of chemical groups and electrical charges on bacterial surfaces, to measure cell-cell interactions, and to stretch biomolecules. In this review, we present the fascinating options offered by the rapid advances in AFM with emphasizes on bacterial research and provide a background for the exciting research articles to follow.

Tuning the elastic modulus of hydrated collagen fibrils

Systematic variation of solution conditions reveals that the elastic modulus (E) of individual collagen fibrils can be varied over a range of 2-200 MPa. Nanoindentation of reconstituted bovine Achilles tendon fibrils by atomic force microscopy (AFM) under different aqueous and ethanol environments was carried out. Titration of monovalent salts up to a concentration of 1 M at pH 7 causes E to increase from 2 to 5 MPa. This stiffening effect is more pronounced at lower pH where, at pH 5, e.g., there is an approximately 7-fold increase in modulus on addition of 1 M KCl. An even larger increase in modulus, up to approximately 200 MPa, can be achieved by using increasing concentrations of ethanol. Taken together, these results indicate that there are a number of intermolecular forces between tropocollagen monomers that govern the elastic response. These include hydration forces and hydrogen bonding, ion pairs, and possibly the hydrophobic effect. Tuning of the relative strengths of these forces allows rational tuning of the elastic modulus of the fibrils.

Change in surface properties of Microthrix parvicella upon addition of polyaluminium chloride as characterized by atomic force microscopy

The filamentous bacterium Microthrix parvicella causes severe separation and foaming problems at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). An effective control of the bacterium in activated sludge WWTPs can be accomplished by dosage with polyaluminium chloride (PAX-14). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether addition of PAX-14 affects surface properties such as the hydrophobicity of the bacterium and to study the exopolymers of M. parvicella that host surface-associated enzymes. To this end, force measurements by atomic force microscopy were carried out to measure the interactions between hydrophilic and hydrophobized tips and the bacterium surface. Addition of PAX-14 caused no changes in the hydrophobicity of the bacterium surface but the data indicate that it collapsed the polymeric layer likely due to electrostatic screening. It is concluded that the collapse of the polymeric layer may affect the transport of substrates (eg free fatty acids) to the bacterium and hence the competitiveness of M. parvicella compared to the other bacteria present in activated sludge.

Nanomechanical properties of dead or alive single-patterned bacteria

The main goal of this paper is to probe mechanical properties of living and dead bacteria via atomic force microscopy (AFM) indentation experimentations. Nevertheless, the prerequisite for bioAFM study is the adhesion of the biological sample on a surface. Although AFM has now been used in microbiology for 20 years, the immobilization of micro-organisms is still challenging. Immobilizing a single cell, without the need for chemical fixation has therefore constituted our second purpose. Highly ordered arrays of single living bacteria were generated over the millimeter scale by selective adsorption of bacteria onto micrometric chemical patterns. The chemically engineered template surfaces were prepared with a microcontact printing process, and different functionalizations of the patterns by incubation were investigated. Thanks to this original immobilization strategy, the Young moduli of the same cell were measured using force spectroscopy before and after heating (45 degrees C, 20 min). The cells with a damaged membrane (after heating) present a Young modulus twice as high as that of healthy bacteria.

Modeling the effect of cell-associated polymeric fluid layers on force spectroscopy measurements. Part I: model development

The mechanical response, the force-indentation relationship, in normal force spectroscopy measurements carried out on individual polysaccharide encapsulated bacteria is modeled using three increasingly refined approaches that consider the elastic response of the bacterium and cantilever in combination with a fluid (hydrodynamic) model for the polysaccharide layer. For the hydrodynamic description of the polysaccharide layer, several increasingly realistic models are described in detail, together with numerical solution techniques. These models range from one-dimensional, Newtonian, to two-dimensional, axisymmetric, fully viscoelastic (Phan-Thien/Tanner). In all cases, the models rigorously consider the time-dependent rheological-mechanical coupling between the elastic and fluid viscoelastic physical components of the experimental setup. Effects of inherent variability in geometrical and material properties of the bacterium and polysaccharide layer on the measurable response are quantified. A parametric investigation of the force-indentation relationship highlights the importance of accurate knowledge of the rheology of the extracellular polysaccharides. We also draw conclusions about the design and evaluation of force spectroscopy experiments on single encapsulated bacteria. Supported by model calculations, we also point the way to methods of in vivo rheological characterization of the extracellular polysaccharide as a preferable alternative to characterization after its removal from the native environment.

Study on antibacterial mechanism of copper-bearing austenitic antibacterial stainless steel by atomic force microscopy

A study was made on the antibacterial mechanism of copper-bearing austenitic antibacterial stainless steel by a series of methods such as atomic force microscopy (AFM) observation, force-distance curves and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer test. It was observed by AFM that the structure of the outer cell membrane responsible for the cell permeability was substantially changed for the bacteria after contacting with the antibacterial stainless steel, showing that cell walls were seriously damaged and a lot of contents in the cells leaked. It was also found that the adhesion force of bacteria to antibacterial stainless steel was considerably greater than that to the contrast steel, indicating that the electrostatic forces by Cu(2+ )being an important factor for killing bacteria.

Use of atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy for correlative studies of bacterial capsules

Bacteria can possess an outermost assembly of polysaccharide molecules, a capsule, which is attached to their cell wall. We have used two complementary, high-resolution microscopy techniques, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), to study bacterial capsules of four different gram-negative bacterial strains: Escherichia coli K30, Pseudomonas aeruginosa FRD1, Shewanella oneidensis MR-4, and Geobacter sulfurreducens PCA. TEM analysis of bacterial cells using different preparative techniques (whole-cell mounts, conventional embeddings, and freeze-substitution) revealed capsules for some but not all of the strains. In contrast, the use of AFM allowed the unambiguous identification of the presence of capsules on all strains used in the present study, including those that were shown by TEM to be not encapsulated. In addition, the use of AFM phase imaging allowed the visualization of the bacterial cell within the capsule, with a depth sensitivity that decreased with increasing tapping frequency.

Nanomechanical properties of glucans and associated cell-surface adhesion of Streptococcus mutans probed by atomic force microscopy under in situ conditions

This study used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to probe the local cell-surface interactions associated with the glucan polymers of Streptococcus mutans, the macromolecules most commonly attributed to the virulence of this microbe. In situ force spectroscopy was used to quantitatively probe and correlate cell-surface adhesion and dynamics with S. mutans UA140 wild-type and five glucosyltransferase mutants. Adhesion between the tooth surface and S. mutans is largely mediated by glucan production from sucrose via three glucosyltransferases (Gtfs; GtfB, GtfC and GtfD). To monitor the contribution of these particular Gtfs, isogenic mutants of S. mutans were constructed by specific gene inactivation and compared to the wild-type under sucrose and non-sucrose conditions. We report direct measurement of the mechanical properties associated with glucan macromolecules demonstrating that the local adhesion strength increases in a time-dependent process, with a decrease in the average number of rupture events. This finding suggests that S. mutans attaches mainly through glucans to surfaces in the presence of sucrose. In addition, a possible role of the Gtf proteins in sucrose-independent attachment is supported by the decreased adhesion properties of the GtfBCD mutant compared to the wild-type.

Damage of cell envelope of Lactobacillus helveticus during vacuum drying

AIMS

The aim of this study was to gain insight into the inactivation mechanisms of Lactobacillus helveticus during vacuum drying.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Early stationary phase cells of L. helveticus were dried in a vacuum drier. Viability, cell integrity and metabolic activity of cells were assessed over time by plate counts on de Man Rogosa and Sharpe broth agar medium and cytological methods employing fluorescent reagents and nucleic acid stains. The cell envelope damage was visualized by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to indirectly observe changes in cell components during drying. Viability, metabolic activity and cell integrity decreased during vacuum drying, and different inactivation curves, characterized by the loss of ability to resume growth, and cell injuries were found. AFM images showed cracks on the surface of dried cells. Main changes in FT-IR spectra were attributed to the damage in cell envelope.

CONCLUSION

The cell envelope was the main site of damage in L. helveticus during vacuum drying.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Inactivation mechanisms of L. helveticus during vacuum drying were partly elucidated. This information is useful for the improvement of the viability of vacuum-dried starter cultures.

Nanomechanical properties of globular proteins: lactate oxidase

We report on the study of the nanomechanical properties of a lactate oxidase (LOx) monolayer immobilized on gold substrates by atomic force microscopy techniques operating under buffer conditions. Topographical contact mode imaging evidenced the protein deformation under the applied tip load. We performed approaching force curves with both stiff and soft cantilevers by imposing maximum loads of 1.6 nN and 400 pN, respectively. We found that the experimental data were well fitted by the Hertz model for a conical indenter. The use of two types of cantilevers allowed us to check further the consistency of the applicability of the Hertz model to the experimental data. After analyzing 180 curves, we obtained an average value of Young's modulus for the LOx layer in the 0.5-0.8 GPa range. These results agreed with those obtained for LOx submonolayer deposits on mica substrates, which allows discarding any important contribution from the underlying substrate on the measured properties. This range of values is closer to those obtained by other techniques on other globular proteins in comparison with those reported in previous AFM studies on similar systems. We found that for our experimental conditions the force curves can be, in principle, well fitted by the Hertz model for both conical and spherical indenter geometries. However, as the Young's modulus obtained for both geometries can differ appreciably, it becomes necessary to assess which indenter geometry is more adequate to explain the experimental data. For such purpose a systematic study of the indentation versus applied force curves obtained from both fittings for all the experimental curves was done.

Atomic force microscopy of microbial cells: Application to nanomechanical properties, surface forces and molecular recognition forces

In recent years, the physical properties and interaction forces of microbial cell surfaces have been extensively studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM). A variety of AFM force spectroscopy approaches have been developed for investigating native cell surfaces with piconewton (nanonewton) sensitivity and nanometer lateral resolution, providing novel information on the nanomechanical properties of cell walls, on surface forces such as van der Waals and electrostatic forces, solvation and steric/bridging forces, and on the forces and localization of molecular recognition events. The intention of this article is to survey these different applications and to discuss related methodologies (how to prepare tips and samples, how to record and interpret force curves).

Towards a nanoscale view of fungal surfaces

In the past years, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has offered novel possibilities for exploring the nanoscale surface properties of fungal cells. For the first time, AFM imaging enables investigators to visualize fine surface structures, such as rodlets, directly on native hydrated cells. Moreover, real-time imaging can be used to follow cell surface dynamics during cell growth and to monitor the effect of molecules such as enzymes and drugs. In fact, AFM is much more than a microscope in that when used in the force spectroscopy mode, it allows measurement of physicochemical properties such as surface energy and surface charge, to probe the elasticity of cell wall components and macromolecules, and to analyse the force and localization of molecular recognition events.

Nanoscale exploration of microbial surfaces using the atomic force microscope

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has recently opened a variety of novel possibilities for imaging and manipulating microbial surfaces in their native environment. While AFM imaging offers a means to visualize surface structures at high resolution and in physiological conditions, AFM force spectroscopy enables researchers to probe a variety of properties, including the unfolding pathways of single-membrane proteins, the elasticity of cell walls and surface macromolecules, and the molecular forces responsible for cell–cell and cell–solid interactions. These nanoscale analyses enable us to answer a number of questions that were difficult to address previously, such as: how does the surface architecture of microbes change as they grow or interact with antibiotics; what is the force required to unfold and extract a single membrane protein; and what are the molecular forces driving the interaction between a pathogen and a host or biomaterial surface? This review will expand on these issues.

Robust Strategies for Automated AFM Force Curve Analysis—I. Non-adhesive Indentation of Soft, Inhomogeneous Materials

The atomic force microscope (AFM) has found wide applicability as a nanoindentation tool to measure local elastic properties of soft materials. An automated approach to the processing of AFM indentation data, namely, the extraction of Young’s modulus, is essential to realizing the high-throughput potential of the instrument as an elasticity probe for typical soft materials that exhibit inhomogeneity at microscopic scales. This paper focuses on Hertzian analysis techniques, which are applicable to linear elastic indentation. We compiled a series of synergistic strategies into an algorithm that overcomes many of the complications that have previously impeded efforts to automate the fitting of contact mechanics models to indentation data. AFM raster data sets containing up to 1024 individual force-displacement curves and macroscopic compression data were obtained from testing polyvinyl alcohol gels of known composition. Local elastic properties of tissue-engineered cartilage were also measured by the AFM. All AFM data sets were processed using customized software based on the algorithm, and the extracted values of Young’s modulus were compared to those obtained by macroscopic testing. Accuracy of the technique was verified by the good agreement between values of Young’s modulus obtained by AFM and by direct compression of the synthetic gels. Validation of robustness was achieved by successfully fitting the vastly different types of force curves generated from the indentation of tissue-engineered cartilage. For AFM indentation data that are amenable to Hertzian analysis, the method presented here minimizes subjectivity in preprocessing and allows for improved consistency and minimized user intervention. Automated, large-scale analysis of indentation data holds tremendous potential in bioengineering applications, such as high-resolution elasticity mapping of natural and artificial tissues.

Automated image analysis of atomic force microscopy images of rotavirus particles

A variety of biological samples can be imaged by the atomic force microscope (AFM) under environments that range from vacuum to ambient to liquid. Generally imaging is pursued to evaluate structural features of the sample or perhaps identify some structural changes in the sample that are induced by the investigator. In many cases, AFM images of sample features and induced structural changes are interpreted in general qualitative terms such as markedly smaller or larger, rougher, highly irregular, or smooth. Various manual tools can be used to analyze images and extract more quantitative data, but this is usually a cumbersome process. To facilitate quantitative AFM imaging, automated image analysis routines are being developed. Viral particles imaged in water were used as a test case to develop an algorithm that automatically extracts average dimensional information from a large set of individual particles. The extracted information allows statistical analyses of the dimensional characteristics of the particles and facilitates interpretation related to the binding of the particles to the surface. This algorithm is being extended for analysis of other biological samples and physical objects that are imaged by AFM.

Measuring cell surface elasticity on enteroaggregative Escherichia coli wild type and dispersin mutant by AFM

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is pathogenic and produces severe diarrhea in humans. A mutant of EAEC that does not produce dispersin, a cell surface protein, is not pathogenic. It has been proposed that dispersin imparts a positive charge to the bacterial cell surface allowing the bacteria to colonize on the negatively charged intestinal mucosa. However, physical properties of the bacterial cell surface, such as rigidity, may be influenced by the presence of dispersin and may contribute to pathogenicity. Using the system developed in our laboratory for mounting and imaging bacterial cells by atomic force microscopy (AFM), in liquid, on gelatin coated mica surfaces, studies were initiated to measure cell surface elasticity. This was carried out in both wild type EAEC, that produces dispersin, and the mutant that does not produce dispersin. This was accomplished using AFM force-distance (FD) spectroscopy on the wild type and mutant grown in liquid or on solid medium. Images in liquid and in air of both the wild-type and mutant grown in liquid and on solid media are presented. This work represents an initial step in efforts to understand the pathogenic role of the dispersin protein in the wild-type bacteria.

Detection and localization of single molecular recognition events using atomic force microscopy

Because of its piconewton force sensitivity and nanometer positional accuracy, the atomic force microscope (AFM) has emerged as a powerful tool for exploring the forces and the dynamics of the interaction between individual ligands and receptors, either on isolated molecules or on cellular surfaces. These studies require attaching specific biomolecules or cells on AFM tips and on solid supports and measuring the unbinding forces between the modified surfaces using AFM force spectroscopy. In this review, we describe the current methodology for molecular recognition studies using the AFM, with an emphasis on strategies available for preparing AFM tips and samples, and on procedures for detecting and localizing single molecular recognition events.

Influence of fermentation medium composition on physicochemical surface properties of Lactobacillus acidophilus

The effect of the simple and complex basic components of a fermentation medium on the surface properties of Lactobacillus acidophilus NCC2628 is studied by physicochemical methods, such as electrophoresis, interfacial adhesion, and X-ray photonelectron spectroscopy, and by transmission electron microscopy. Starting from an optimized complete medium, the effect of carbohydrates, peptones, and yeast extracts on the physicochemical properties of the cell wall is systematically investigated by consecutively omitting one of the principal components from the fermentation medium at the time. The physicochemical properties and structure of the bacterial cell wall remain largely unchanged if the carbohydrate content of the fermentation medium is strongly reduced, although the concentration of surface proteins increases slightly. Both peptone and yeast extract have a considerable influence on the bacterial cell wall, as witnessed by changes in surface charge, hydrophobicity, and the nitrogen-to-carbon ratio. Both zeta potential and the cell wall hydrophobicity show a positive correlation with the nitrogen-to-carbon ratio of the bacterial surfaces, indicative of the important role of surface proteins in the overall surface physical chemistry. The hydrophobicity of the cell wall, which is low for the cultures grown in the complete medium and in the absence of carbohydrates, becomes fairly high for the cultures grown in the medium without peptones and the medium without yeast extract. UV spectrophotometry and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry are used to analyze the effect of medium composition on LiCl-extractable cell wall proteins, confirming the major change in protein composition of the cell wall for the culture fermented in the medium without peptones. In particular, it is found that expression of the S-layer protein is dependent on the protein source of the fermentation medium.

Heterogeneity of putative surface layer proteins in Lactobacillus helveticus

The S-layer-encoding genes of 21 Lactobacillus helveticus strains were characterized. Phylogenetic analysis based on the identified S-layer genes revealed two main clusters, one which includes a sequence similar to that of the slpH1 gene of L. helveticus CNRZ 892 and a second cluster which includes genes similar to that of prtY. These results were further confirmed by Southern blot hybridization. This study demonstrates S-layer gene variability in the species L. helveticus.

Differences between chemisorbed and physisorbed biomolecules on particle deposition to hydrophobic surfaces

This study examines differences between chemisorbed and physisorbed biomolecules on bacterial adhesion to both hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces that are biologically nonspecific. Bacteria-sized latex microspheres were used as a simplified model in order to study these factors that affect microbial adhesion. Two biomolecules (protein A, poly-D-lysine) were covalently bound to microspheres in order to study the effect of proteins on particle filtration rates in columns packed with glass beads. When poly-D-lysine or protein A was covalently bonded to the microspheres, sticking coefficients (a) for the microspheres increased by up to an order of magnitude as compared with uncoated latex microspheres. The glass packing beads were then made hydrophobic by covalently attaching silane groups with different carbon-chain lengths (0.2, 1.2, and 2.8 nm). Sticking coefficients forthe uncoated microspheres on these silanized packing beads (alpha = 0.15 at 1 mM ionic strength; 0.76 at 100 mM) were larger than those on uncoated glass packing beads (0.02 at 1 mM; 0.15 at 100 mM). In addition, adhesion increased with ionic strength on both hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces. Physical adsorption gave different results. When either dextran or protein A was physically adsorbed to both the microspheres and the column, no appreciable change in adhesion was observed. Covalently attaching protein A to the microspheres increased their hydrophobicity, but sticking coefficients were large regardless of the substrate hydrophobicity as a result of biomolecule-surface interactions. This study demonstrates that, at high ionic strength, covalently attached hydrophobic species give much higher sticking coefficients for particles than do physically adsorbed species.

Mounting of Escherichia coli spheroplasts for AFM imaging

The cytoplasmic membrane of Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the location of numerous, chemically specific transporters and recognition elements. Investigation of this membrane in vivo by atomic force microscopy (AFM) requires removal of the cell wall and stable immobilization of the spheroplast. AFM images demonstrate that spheroplasts can be secured with warm gelatin applied to the mica substrate just before the addition of a spheroplast suspension. The resulting preparation can be repeatedly imaged by AFM over the course of several hours. Confocal fluorescence imaging confirms the association of the spheroplasts with the gelatin layer. Gelatin molecules are known to reorder into a network after heating. Entrapment within this gelatin network is believed to be responsible for the immobilization of spheroplasts on mica.

Sample preparation procedures for biological atomic force microscopy

Since the late 1980s, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been increasingly used in biological sciences and it is now established as a versatile tool to address the structure, properties and functions of biological specimens. AFM is unique in that it provides three-dimensional images of biological structures, including biomolecules, lipid films, 2D protein crystals and cells, under physiological conditions and with unprecedented resolution. A crucial prerequisite for successful, reliable biological AFM is that the samples need to be well attached to a solid substrate using appropriate, nondestructive methods. In this review, we discuss common techniques for immobilizing biological specimens for AFM studies.

Probing bacterial interactions: integrated approaches combining atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy and biophysical techniques

Recent developments in the application of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and other biophysical techniques for the study of bacterial interactions and adhesion are discussed in the light of established biological and microscopic approaches. Whereas molecular-biological techniques combined with electron microscopy allow the identification and localization of surface constituents mediating bacterial interactions, with AFM it has become possible to actually measure the forces involved in bacterial interactions. Combined with the flexibility of AFM in probing various types of physical interactions, such as electrostatic interactions, specific ligand-receptor interactions and the elastic forces of deformation and extension of bacterial surface polymers and cell wall, this provides prospects for the elucidation of the biophysical mechanism of bacterial interaction. However, because of the biochemical and a biophysical complexity of the bacterial cell wall, integrated approaches combining AFM with electron microscopy and biophysical techniques are needed to elucidate the mechanism by which a bacterium interacts with a host or material surface. The literature on electron microscopy of the bacterial cell wall is reviewed, with particular emphasis on the staining of specific classes of cell-wall constituents. The application of AFM in the analysis of bacterial surfaces is discussed, including AFM operating modes, sample preparation methods and results obtained on various strains. For various bacterial strains, the integration of EM and AFM data is discussed. Various biophysical aspects of the analysis of bacterial surface structure and interactions are discussed, including the theory of colloidal interactions and Bell's theory of cell-to-cell adhesion. An overview is given of biophysical techniques used in the analysis of the properties of bacterial surfaces and bacterial surface constituents and their integration with AFM. Finally, we discuss recent progress in the understanding of the role of bacterial interactions in medicine within the framework of the techniques and concepts discussed in the paper.

Mechanical sensing of the penetration of various nanoneedles into a living cell using atomic force microscopy

Mechanical responses during insertion of a silicon nanoneedle into a living melanocyte were observed by using an atomic force microscope (AFM). In order to study the dependence of the mechanical response on the shape of the nanoneedle, we prepared various shapes of silicon AFM tips by focused-ion beam (FIB) etching. The force curves showed increases up to 0.65-1.9 nN after contact on the cell surface, and then the force dropped corresponding with the penetration of the needle through the cell membrane. The force required for penetration was significantly smaller than that using a normal pyramidal tip. The force curves with a cylindrical tip showed a shorter indenting distance before penetration than that with the cone-shaped tip. It is considered that the information about the geometry of penetrating material leads to the development of more suitable micro- and nano-materials to insert into a living cell for cell surgery.

Nanoscale operation of a living cell using an atomic force microscope with a nanoneedle

We have developed a tool for performing surgical operations on living cells at nanoscale resolution using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and a modified AFM tip. The AFM tips are sharpened to ultrathin needles of 200-300 nm in diameter using focused ion beam etching. Force-distance curves obtained by AFM using the needles indicated that the needles penetrated the cell membrane following indentation to a depth of 1-2 microm. The force increase during the indentation process was found to be consistent with application of the Hertz model. A three-dimensional image generated by laser scanning confocal microscopy directly revealed that the needle penetrated both the cellular and nuclear membranes to reach the nucleus. This technique enables the extended application of AFM to analyses and surgery of living cells.