1
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Liu S, Li Y, Xu H, Kearns DB, Wu Y. Active interface bulging in Bacillus subtilis swarms promotes self-assembly and biofilm formation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2322025121. [PMID: 39052827 PMCID: PMC11295035 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2322025121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Microbial communities such as biofilms are commonly found at interfaces. However, it is unclear how the physical environment of interfaces may contribute to the development and behavior of surface-associated microbial communities. Combining multimode imaging, single-cell tracking, and numerical simulations, here, we found that activity-induced interface bulging promotes colony biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis swarms presumably via segregation and enrichment of sessile cells in the bulging area. Specifically, the diffusivity of passive particles is ~50% lower inside the bulging area than elsewhere, which enables a diffusion-trapping mechanism for self-assembly and may account for the enrichment of sessile cells. We also uncovered a quasilinear relation between cell speed and surface-packing density that underlies the process of active interface bulging. Guided by the speed-density relation, we demonstrated reversible formation of liquid bulges by manipulating the speed and local density of cells with light. Over the course of development, the active bulges turned into striped biofilm structures, which eventually give rise to a large-scale ridge pattern. Our findings reveal a unique physical mechanism of biofilm formation at air-solid interface, which is pertinent to engineering living materials and directed self-assembly in active fluids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Liu
- Department of Physics and Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ye Li
- Department of Physics and Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
- Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong518055, China
| | - Haoran Xu
- Department of Physics and Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Daniel B. Kearns
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN47405-7005
| | - Yilin Wu
- Department of Physics and Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
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2
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Li C, Nijjer J, Feng L, Zhang Q, Yan J, Zhang S. Agent-based modeling of stress anisotropy driven nematic ordering in growing biofilms. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:3401-3410. [PMID: 38563244 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm01535a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Living active collectives have evolved with remarkable self-patterning capabilities to adapt to the physical and biological constraints crucial for their growth and survival. However, the intricate process by which complex multicellular patterns emerge from a single founder cell remains elusive. In this study, we utilize an agent-based model, validated through single-cell microscopy imaging, to track the three-dimensional (3D) morphodynamics of cells within growing bacterial biofilms encased by agarose gels. The confined growth conditions give rise to a spatiotemporally heterogeneous stress landscape within the biofilm. In the core of the biofilm, where high hydrostatic and low shear stresses prevail, cell packing appears disordered. In contrast, near the gel-cell interface, a state of high shear stress and low hydrostatic stress emerges, driving nematic ordering, albeit with a time delay inherent to shear stress relaxation. Strikingly, we observe a robust spatiotemporal correlation between stress anisotropy and nematic ordering within these confined biofilms. This correlation suggests a mechanism whereby stress anisotropy plays a pivotal role in governing the spatial organization of cells. The reciprocity between stress anisotropy and cell ordering in confined biofilms opens new avenues for innovative 3D mechanically guided patterning techniques for living active collectives, which hold significant promise for a wide array of environmental and biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changhao Li
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Japinder Nijjer
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Luyi Feng
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Qiuting Zhang
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Jing Yan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Quantitative Biology Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sulin Zhang
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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3
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Biswas S, Yashin VV, Balazs AC. Biomimetic growth in polymer gels. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2024; 11:163-172. [PMID: 37902952 DOI: 10.1039/d3mh00983a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
By modeling gels growing in confined environments, we uncover a biomimetic feedback mechanism between the evolving gel and confining walls that enables significant control over the properties of the grown gel. Our new model describes the monomer adsorption, polymerization and cross-linking involved in forming new networks and the resultant morphology and mechanical behavior of the grown gel. Confined between two hard walls, a thin, flat "parent" gel undergoes buckling; removal of the walls returns the gel to the flat structure. Polymerization and cross-linking in the confined parent generates the next stage of growth, forming a random copolymer network (RCN). When the walls are removed, the RCN remains in the buckled state, simultaneously "locking in" these patterns and increasing the Young's modulus by two orders of magnitude. Confinement of thicker gels between harder or softer 3D walls leads to controllable mechanical heterogeneities, where the Young's modulus between specific domains can differ by three orders of magnitude. These systems effectively replicate the feedback between mechanics and morphology in biological growth, where mechanical forces guide the structure formation throughout stages of growth. The findings provide new guidelines for shaping "growing materials" and introducing new approaches to matching form and function in synthetic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santidan Biswas
- Chemical Engineering Department, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
| | - Victor V Yashin
- Chemical Engineering Department, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
| | - Anna C Balazs
- Chemical Engineering Department, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
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4
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Rombouts J, Elliott J, Erzberger A. Forceful patterning: theoretical principles of mechanochemical pattern formation. EMBO Rep 2023; 24:e57739. [PMID: 37916772 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202357739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Biological pattern formation is essential for generating and maintaining spatial structures from the scale of a single cell to tissues and even collections of organisms. Besides biochemical interactions, there is an important role for mechanical and geometrical features in the generation of patterns. We review the theoretical principles underlying different types of mechanochemical pattern formation across spatial scales and levels of biological organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Rombouts
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jenna Elliott
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Erzberger
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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5
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Pokhrel AR, Steinbach G, Krueger A, Day TC, Tijani J, Ng SL, Hammer BK, Yunker PJ. The biophysical basis of bacterial colony growth. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.17.567592. [PMID: 38014274 PMCID: PMC10680802 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.17.567592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria often attach to surfaces and grow densely-packed communities called biofilms. As biofilms grow, they expand across the surface, increasing their surface area and access to nutrients. Thus, the overall growth rate of a biofilm is directly dependent on its "range expansion" rate. One factor that limits the range expansion rate is vertical growth; at the biofilm edge there is a direct trade-off between horizontal and vertical growth-the more a biofilm grows up, the less it can grow out. Thus, the balance of horizontal and vertical growth impacts the range expansion rate and, crucially, the overall biofilm growth rate. However, the biophysical connection between horizontal and vertical growth remains poorly understood, due in large part to difficulty in resolving biofilm shape with sufficient spatial and temporal resolution from small length scales to macroscopic sizes. Here, we experimentally show that the horizontal expansion rate of bacterial colonies is controlled by the contact angle at the biofilm edge. Using white light interferometry, we measure the three-dimensional surface morphology of growing colonies, and find that small colonies are surprisingly well-described as spherical caps. At later times, nutrient diffusion and uptake prevent the tall colony center from growing exponentially. However, the colony edge always has a region short enough to grow exponentially; the size and shape of this region, characterized by its contact angle, along with cellular doubling time, determines the range expansion rate. We found that the geometry of the exponentially growing biofilm edge is well-described as a spherical-cap-napkin-ring, i.e., a spherical cap with a cylindrical hole in its center (where the biofilm is too tall to grow exponentially). We derive an exact expression for the spherical-cap-napkin-ring-based range expansion rate; further, to first order, the expansion rate only depends on the colony contact angle, the thickness of the exponentially growing region, and the cellular doubling time. We experimentally validate both of these expressions. In line with our theoretical predictions, we find that biofilms with long cellular doubling times and small contact angles do in fact grow faster than biofilms with short cellular doubling times and large contact angles. Accordingly, sensitivity analysis shows that biofilm growth rates are more sensitive to their contact angles than to their cellular growth rates. Thus, to understand the fitness of a growing biofilm, one must account for its shape, not just its cellular doubling time.
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6
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Martínez-Calvo A, Trenado-Yuste C, Lee H, Gore J, Wingreen NS, Datta SS. Interfacial morphodynamics of proliferating microbial communities. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.23.563665. [PMID: 37961366 PMCID: PMC10634769 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.23.563665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
In microbial communities, various cell types often coexist by occupying distinct spatial domains. What determines the shape of the interface between such domains-which in turn influences the interactions between cells and overall community function? Here, we address this question by developing a continuum model of a 2D spatially-structured microbial community with two distinct cell types. We find that, depending on the balance of the different cell proliferation rates and substrate friction coefficients, the interface between domains is either stable and smooth, or unstable and develops finger-like protrusions. We establish quantitative principles describing when these different interfacial behaviors arise, and find good agreement both with the results of previous experimental reports as well as new experiments performed here. Our work thus helps to provide a biophysical basis for understanding the interfacial morphodynamics of proliferating microbial communities, as well as a broader range of proliferating active systems.
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7
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Young E, Melaugh G, Allen RJ. Active layer dynamics drives a transition to biofilm fingering. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2023; 9:17. [PMID: 37024470 PMCID: PMC10079924 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-023-00380-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of spatial organisation in biofilm growth is one of the most fundamental topics in biofilm biophysics and microbiology. It has long been known that growing biofilms can adopt smooth or rough interface morphologies, depending on the balance between nutrient supply and microbial growth; this 'fingering' transition has been linked with the average width of the 'active layer' of growing cells at the biofilm interface. Here we use long-time individual-based simulations of growing biofilms to investigate in detail the driving factors behind the biofilm-fingering transition. We show that the transition is associated with dynamical changes in the active layer. Fingering happens when gaps form in the active layer, which can cause local parts of the biofilm interface to pin, or become stationary relative to the moving front. Pinning can be transient or permanent, leading to different biofilm morphologies. By constructing a phase diagram for the transition, we show that the controlling factor is the magnitude of the relative fluctuations in the active layer thickness, rather than the active layer thickness per se. Taken together, our work suggests a central role for active layer dynamics in controlling the pinning of the biofilm interface and hence biofilm morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Young
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, United Kingdom
| | - Gavin Melaugh
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, United Kingdom
| | - Rosalind J Allen
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, United Kingdom.
- Theoretical Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Buchaer Strasse 6, 07745, Jena, Germany.
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8
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Bravo P, Lung Ng S, MacGillivray KA, Hammer BK, Yunker PJ. Vertical growth dynamics of biofilms. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2214211120. [PMID: 36881625 PMCID: PMC10089195 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2214211120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
During the biofilm life cycle, bacteria attach to a surface and then reproduce, forming crowded, growing communities. Many theoretical models of biofilm growth dynamics have been proposed; however, difficulties in accurately measuring biofilm height across relevant time and length scales have prevented testing these models, or their biophysical underpinnings, empirically. Using white light interferometry, we measure the heights of microbial colonies with nanometer precision from inoculation to their final equilibrium height, producing a detailed empirical characterization of vertical growth dynamics. We propose a heuristic model for vertical growth dynamics based on basic biophysical processes inside a biofilm: diffusion and consumption of nutrients and growth and decay of the colony. This model captures the vertical growth dynamics from short to long time scales (10 min to 14 d) of diverse microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Bravo
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA30332
- Interdisciplinary Program in Quantitative Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA30332
| | - Siu Lung Ng
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA30332
| | - Kathryn A. MacGillivray
- Interdisciplinary Program in Quantitative Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA30332
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA30332
| | - Brian K. Hammer
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA30332
| | - Peter J. Yunker
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA30332
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9
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Material Substrate Physical Properties Control Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Architecture. mBio 2023; 14:e0351822. [PMID: 36786569 PMCID: PMC10127718 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03518-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In the wild, bacteria are most frequently found in the form of multicellular structures called biofilms. Biofilms grow at the surface of abiotic and living materials with wide-ranging mechanical properties. The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa forms biofilms on indwelling medical devices and on soft tissues, including burn wounds and the airway mucosa. Despite the critical role of substrates in the foundation of biofilms, we still lack a clear understanding of how material mechanics regulate their architecture and the physiology of resident bacteria. Here, we demonstrate that physical properties of hydrogel material substrates define P. aeruginosa biofilm architecture. We show that hydrogel mesh size regulates twitching motility, a surface exploration mechanism priming biofilms, ultimately controlling the organization of single cells in the multicellular community. The resulting architectural transitions increase P. aeruginosa's tolerance to colistin, a last-resort antibiotic. In addition, mechanical regulation of twitching motility affects P. aeruginosa clonal lineages, so that biofilms are more mixed on relatively denser materials. Our results thereby establish material properties as a factor that dramatically affects biofilm architecture, antibiotic efficacy, and evolution of the resident population. IMPORTANCE The biofilm lifestyle is the most widespread survival strategy in the bacterial world. Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms cause chronic infections and are highly recalcitrant to antimicrobials. The genetic requirements allowing P. aeruginosa to grow into biofilms are known, but not the physical stimuli that regulate their formation. Despite colonizing biological tissues, investigations of biofilms on soft materials are limited. In this work, we show that biofilms take unexpected forms when growing on soft substrates. The physical properties of the material shape P. aeruginosa biofilms by regulating surface-specific twitching motility. Physical control of biofilm morphogenesis ultimately influences the resilience of biofilms to antimicrobials, linking physical environment with tolerance to treatment. Altogether, our work established that the physical properties of a surface are a critical environmental regulator of biofilm biogenesis and evolution.
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10
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Wei Z, Li D, Li S, Hao T, Zeng H, Zhang J. Improving mechanical stability of anammox granules with organic stress by limited filamentous bulking. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 370:128558. [PMID: 36587769 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.128558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Under organic stress, the limited filamentous bulking (FB) was demonstrated to improve anammox capability by inhibiting granule disintegration and washout. The accumulation of internal stress played a more important role than the adverse physicochemical properties (low viscoelasticity and hydrophobicity) of granules in limiting granular strength by consuming the granular elastic energy. Different from the floc-forming heterotrophic bacteria (HB) that stored its growth stress as internal stress by pushing the surrounded anammox micro-colonies outwards under the spatial constraint of elastic anammox "shell", the filamentous HB grew into a uniform network structure within granules, endowed granules low internal stress and acted as the granular skeleton due to its rich amyloid substance, which was benefited from the elimination of inhomogeneous growth and the consequent expansion competition for living space. Combined with the mechanical instability and sticking-spring models, controlling FB at limited level was effective for improving granular strength without affecting sludge-water separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqing Wei
- Key Laboratory of Water Science and Water Environment Recovery Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Dong Li
- Key Laboratory of Water Science and Water Environment Recovery Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China.
| | - Shuai Li
- Key Laboratory of Water Science and Water Environment Recovery Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Tongyao Hao
- Key Laboratory of Water Science and Water Environment Recovery Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Huiping Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Water Science and Water Environment Recovery Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
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11
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Moreau A, Mukherjee S, Yan J. Mechanical Characterization and Single‐Cell Imaging of Bacterial Biofilms. Isr J Chem 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ijch.202200075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Moreau
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Quantitative Biology Institute Yale University 260 Whitney Ave. New Haven CT 06511 USA
| | - Sampriti Mukherjee
- Department of Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology University of Chicago 920 E. 58th Street, Suite 1106 Chicago IL 60637
| | - Jing Yan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Quantitative Biology Institute Yale University 260 Whitney Ave. New Haven CT 06511 USA
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12
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Tai JSB, Ferrell MJ, Yan J, Waters CM. New Insights into Vibrio cholerae Biofilms from Molecular Biophysics to Microbial Ecology. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1404:17-39. [PMID: 36792869 PMCID: PMC10726288 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-22997-8_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
With the discovery that 48% of cholera infections in rural Bangladesh villages could be prevented by simple filtration of unpurified waters and the detection of Vibrio cholerae aggregates in stools from cholera patients it was realized V. cholerae biofilms had a central function in cholera pathogenesis. We are currently in the seventh cholera pandemic, caused by O1 serotypes of the El Tor biotypes strains, which initiated in 1961. It is estimated that V. cholerae annually causes millions of infections and over 100,000 deaths. Given the continued emergence of cholera in areas that lack access to clean water, such as Haiti after the 2010 earthquake or the ongoing Yemen civil war, increasing our understanding of cholera disease remains a worldwide public health priority. The surveillance and treatment of cholera is also affected as the world is impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, raising significant concerns in Africa. In addition to the importance of biofilm formation in its life cycle, V. cholerae has become a key model system for understanding bacterial signal transduction networks that regulate biofilm formation and discovering fundamental principles about bacterial surface attachment and biofilm maturation. This chapter will highlight recent insights into V. cholerae biofilms including their structure, ecological role in environmental survival and infection, regulatory systems that control them, and biomechanical insights into the nature of V. cholerae biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Shen B Tai
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Micah J Ferrell
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Jing Yan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Christopher M Waters
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
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13
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Charlton SGV, Kurz DL, Geisel S, Jimenez-Martinez J, Secchi E. The role of biofilm matrix composition in controlling colony expansion and morphology. Interface Focus 2022; 12:20220035. [PMID: 36330326 PMCID: PMC9560791 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2022.0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Biofilms are biological viscoelastic gels composed of bacterial cells embedded in a self-secreted polymeric extracellular matrix (ECM). In environmental settings, such as in the rhizosphere and phyllosphere, biofilm colonization occurs at the solid-air interface. The biofilms' ability to colonize and expand over these surfaces depends on the formation of osmotic gradients and ECM viscoelastic properties. In this work, we study the influence of biofilm ECM components on its viscoelasticity and expansion, using the model organism Bacillus subtilis and deletion mutants of its three major ECM components, TasA, EPS and BslA. Using a multi-scale approach, we quantified macro-scale viscoelasticity and expansion dynamics. Furthermore, we used a microsphere assay to visualize the micro-scale expansion patterns. We find that the viscoelastic phase angle Φ is likely the best viscoelastic parameter correlating to biofilm expansion dynamics. Moreover, we quantify the sensitivity of the biofilm to changes in substrate water potential as a function of ECM composition. Finally, we find that the deletion of ECM components significantly increases the coherence of micro-scale colony expansion patterns. These results demonstrate the influence of ECM viscoelasticity and substrate water potential on the expansion of biofilm colonies on wet surfaces at the air-solid interface, commonly found in natural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel G. V. Charlton
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Dorothee L. Kurz
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department Water Resources and Drinking Water, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Eawag, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Steffen Geisel
- Department of Materials, Soft Materials, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Joaquin Jimenez-Martinez
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department Water Resources and Drinking Water, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Eawag, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Eleonora Secchi
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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14
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Wang X, Blumenfeld R, Feng XQ, Weitz DA. 'Phase transitions' in bacteria - From structural transitions in free living bacteria to phenotypic transitions in bacteria within biofilms. Phys Life Rev 2022; 43:98-138. [PMID: 36252408 DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2022.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Phase transitions are common in inanimate systems and have been studied extensively in natural sciences. Less explored are the rich transitions that take place at the micro- and nano-scales in biological systems. In conventional phase transitions, large-scale properties of the media change discontinuously in response to continuous changes in external conditions. Such changes play a significant role in the dynamic behaviours of organisms. In this review, we focus on some transitions in both free-living and biofilms of bacteria. Particular attention is paid to the transitions in the flagellar motors and filaments of free-living bacteria, in cellular gene expression during the biofilm growth, in the biofilm morphology transitions during biofilm expansion, and in the cell motion pattern transitions during the biofilm formation. We analyse the dynamic characteristics and biophysical mechanisms of these phase transition phenomena and point out the parallels between these transitions and conventional phase transitions. We also discuss the applications of some theoretical and numerical methods, established for conventional phase transitions in inanimate systems, in bacterial biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoling Wang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China; John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 9 Oxford St, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
| | - Raphael Blumenfeld
- Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge, Trinity St., Cambridge CB2 1TA, UK
| | - Xi-Qiao Feng
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - David A Weitz
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 9 Oxford St, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA; Department of Physics, Harvard University, 9 Oxford St, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
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15
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Abstract
The morphogenesis of two-dimensional bacterial colonies has been well studied. However, little is known about the colony morphologies of bacteria growing in three dimensions, despite the prevalence of three-dimensional environments (e.g., soil, inside hosts) as natural bacterial habitats. Using experiments on bacteria in granular hydrogel matrices, we find that dense multicellular colonies growing in three dimensions undergo a common morphological instability and roughen, adopting a characteristic broccoli-like morphology when they exceed a critical size. Analysis of a continuum “active fluid” model of the expanding colony reveals that this behavior originates from an interplay of competition for nutrients with growth-driven colony expansion, both of which vary spatially. These results shed light on the fundamental biophysical principles underlying growth in three dimensions. How do growing bacterial colonies get their shapes? While colony morphogenesis is well studied in two dimensions, many bacteria grow as large colonies in three-dimensional (3D) environments, such as gels and tissues in the body or subsurface soils and sediments. Here, we describe the morphodynamics of large colonies of bacteria growing in three dimensions. Using experiments in transparent 3D granular hydrogel matrices, we show that dense colonies of four different species of bacteria generically become morphologically unstable and roughen as they consume nutrients and grow beyond a critical size—eventually adopting a characteristic branched, broccoli-like morphology independent of variations in the cell type and environmental conditions. This behavior reflects a key difference between two-dimensional (2D) and 3D colonies; while a 2D colony may access the nutrients needed for growth from the third dimension, a 3D colony inevitably becomes nutrient limited in its interior, driving a transition to unstable growth at its surface. We elucidate the onset of the instability using linear stability analysis and numerical simulations of a continuum model that treats the colony as an “active fluid” whose dynamics are driven by nutrient-dependent cellular growth. We find that when all dimensions of the colony substantially exceed the nutrient penetration length, nutrient-limited growth drives a 3D morphological instability that recapitulates essential features of the experimental observations. Our work thus provides a framework to predict and control the organization of growing colonies—as well as other forms of growing active matter, such as tumors and engineered living materials—in 3D environments.
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16
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Quorum-sensing control of matrix protein production drives fractal wrinkling and interfacial localization of Vibrio cholerae pellicles. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6063. [PMID: 36229546 PMCID: PMC9561665 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33816-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial cells at fluid interfaces can self-assemble into collective communities with stunning macroscopic morphologies. Within these soft, living materials, called pellicles, constituent cells gain group-level survival advantages including increased antibiotic resistance. However, the regulatory and structural components that drive pellicle self-patterning are not well defined. Here, using Vibrio cholerae as our model system, we report that two sets of matrix proteins and a key quorum-sensing regulator jointly orchestrate the sequential mechanical instabilities underlying pellicle morphogenesis, culminating in fractal patterning. A pair of matrix proteins, RbmC and Bap1, maintain pellicle localization at the interface and prevent self-peeling. A single matrix protein, RbmA, drives a morphogenesis program marked by a cascade of ever finer wrinkles with fractal scaling in wavelength. Artificial expression of rbmA restores fractal wrinkling to a ΔrbmA mutant and enables precise tuning of fractal dimensions. The quorum-sensing regulatory small RNAs Qrr1-4 first activate matrix synthesis to launch pellicle primary wrinkling and ridge instabilities. Subsequently, via a distinct mechanism, Qrr1-4 suppress fractal wrinkling to promote fine modulation of pellicle morphology. Our results connect cell-cell signaling and architectural components to morphogenic patterning and suggest that manipulation of quorum-sensing regulators or synthetic control of rbmA expression could underpin strategies to engineer soft biomaterial morphologies on demand.
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17
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Bottura B, Rooney LM, Hoskisson PA, McConnell G. Intra-colony channel morphology in Escherichia coli biofilms is governed by nutrient availability and substrate stiffness. Biofilm 2022; 4:100084. [PMID: 36254115 PMCID: PMC9568850 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2022.100084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Nutrient-transporting channels have been recently discovered in mature Escherichia coli biofilms, however the relationship between intra-colony channel structure and the surrounding environmental conditions is poorly understood. Using a combination of fluorescence mesoscopy and a purpose-designed open-source quantitative image analysis pipeline, we show that growth substrate composition and nutrient availability have a profound effect on the morphology of intra-colony channels in mature E. coli biofilms. Under all nutrient conditions, intra-colony channel width was observed to increase non-linearly with radial distance from the centre of the biofilm. Notably, the channels were around 25% wider at the centre of carbon-limited biofilms compared to nitrogen-limited biofilms. Channel density also differed in colonies grown on rich and minimal media, with the former creating a network of tightly packed channels and the latter leading to well-separated, wider channels with defined edges. Our approach paves the way for measurement of internal patterns in a wide range of biofilms, offering the potential for new insights into infection and pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Bottura
- Department of Physics, SUPA, University of Strathclyde, G4 0NG, Glasgow, UK,Corresponding author.
| | - Liam M. Rooney
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, G4 0RE, Glasgow, UK
| | - Paul A. Hoskisson
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, G4 0RE, Glasgow, UK
| | - Gail McConnell
- Department of Physics, SUPA, University of Strathclyde, G4 0NG, Glasgow, UK
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18
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Mathematical modeling of intercellular interactions within the biofilm. Trends Microbiol 2022; 30:925-929. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2022.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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19
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Ma X, Liu Z, Zeng W, Lin T, Tian X, Cheng X. Crack patterns of drying dense bacterial suspensions. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:5239-5248. [PMID: 35771131 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00012a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Drying of bacterial suspensions is frequently encountered in a plethora of natural and engineering processes. However, the evaporation-driven mechanical instabilities of dense consolidating bacterial suspensions have not been explored heretofore. Here, we report the formation of two different crack patterns of drying suspensions of Escherichia coli (E. coli) with distinct motile behaviors. Circular cracks are observed for wild-type E. coli with active swimming, whereas spiral-like cracks form for immotile bacteria. Using the elastic fracture mechanics and the poroelastic theory, we show that the formation of the circular cracks is determined by the tensile nature of the radial drying stress once the cracks are initiated by the local order structure of bacteria due to their collective swimming. Our study demonstrates the link between the microscopic swimming behaviors of individual bacteria and the mechanical instabilities and macroscopic pattern formation of drying bacterial films. The results shed light on the dynamics of active matter in a drying process and provide useful information for understanding various biological processes associated with drying bacterial suspensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolei Ma
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Zhengyang Liu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Wei Zeng
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
- College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Tianyi Lin
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Xin Tian
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Xiang Cheng
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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20
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Geisel S, Secchi E, Vermant J. The role of surface adhesion on the macroscopic wrinkling of biofilms. eLife 2022; 11:e76027. [PMID: 35723588 PMCID: PMC9208754 DOI: 10.7554/elife.76027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Biofilms, bacterial communities of cells encased by a self-produced matrix, exhibit a variety of three-dimensional structures. Specifically, channel networks formed within the bulk of the biofilm have been identified to play an important role in the colonies' viability by promoting the transport of nutrients and chemicals. Here, we study channel formation and focus on the role of the adhesion of the biofilm matrix to the substrate in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms grown under constant flow in microfluidic channels. We perform phase contrast and confocal laser scanning microscopy to examine the development of the biofilm structure as a function of the substrates' surface energy. The formation of the wrinkles and folds is triggered by a mechanical buckling instability, controlled by biofilm growth rate and the film's adhesion to the substrate. The three-dimensional folding gives rise to hollow channels that rapidly increase the effective volume occupied by the biofilm and facilitate bacterial movement inside them. The experiments and analysis on mechanical instabilities for the relevant case of a bacterial biofilm grown during flow enable us to predict and control the biofilm morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffen Geisel
- Laboratory for Soft Materials, Department of Materials, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Eleonora Secchi
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Jan Vermant
- Laboratory for Soft Materials, Department of Materials, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
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21
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Surapaneni VA, Schindler M, Ziege R, de Faria LC, Wölfer J, Bidan CM, Mollen FH, Amini S, Hanna S, Dean MN. Groovy and Gnarly: Surface Wrinkles as a Multifunctional Motif for Terrestrial and Marine Environments. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:icac079. [PMID: 35675323 PMCID: PMC9703940 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
From large ventral pleats of humpback whales to nanoscale ridges on flower petals, wrinkled structures are omnipresent, multifunctional, and found at hugely diverse scales. Depending on the particulars of the biological system-its environment, morphology, and mechanical properties-wrinkles may control adhesion, friction, wetting, or drag; promote interfacial exchange; act as flow channels; or contribute to stretching, mechanical integrity, or structural color. Undulations on natural surfaces primarily arise from stress-induced instabilities of surface layers (e.g., buckling) during growth or aging. Variation in the material properties of surface layers and in the magnitude and orientation of intrinsic stresses during growth lead to a variety of wrinkling morphologies and patterns which, in turn, reflect the wide range of biophysical challenges wrinkled surfaces can solve. Therefore, investigating how surface wrinkles vary and are implemented across biological systems is key to understanding their structure-function relationships. In this work, we synthesize the literature in a metadata analysis of surface wrinkling in various terrestrial and marine organisms to review important morphological parameters and classify functional aspects of surface wrinkles in relation to the size and ecology of organisms. Building on our previous and current experimental studies, we explore case studies on nano/micro-scale wrinkles in biofilms, plant surfaces, and basking shark filter structures to compare developmental and structure-vs-function aspects of wrinkles with vastly different size scales and environmental demands. In doing this and by contrasting wrinkle development in soft and hard biological systems, we provide a template of structure-function relationships of biological surface wrinkles and an outlook for functionalized wrinkled biomimetic surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkata A Surapaneni
- City University of Hong Kong, 31 To Yuen Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, Potsdam, Brandenburg 14476, Germany
| | - Mike Schindler
- City University of Hong Kong, 31 To Yuen Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Ricardo Ziege
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, Potsdam, Brandenburg 14476, Germany
| | | | - Jan Wölfer
- Humboldt University of Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, Berlin 10099, Germany
| | - Cécile M Bidan
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, Potsdam, Brandenburg 14476, Germany
| | - Frederik H Mollen
- Elasmobranch Research Belgium, Rehaegenstraat 4, 2820 Bonheiden, Belgium
| | - Shahrouz Amini
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, Potsdam, Brandenburg 14476, Germany
| | - Sean Hanna
- University College London, 14 Upper Woburn Place, London WC1H 0NN, UK
| | - Mason N Dean
- City University of Hong Kong, 31 To Yuen Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, Potsdam, Brandenburg 14476, Germany
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22
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Mechanical limitation of bacterial motility mediated by growing cell chains. Biophys J 2022; 121:2461-2473. [PMID: 35591787 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Contrasting most known bacterial motility mechanisms, a bacterial sliding motility discovered in at least two Gram-positive bacterial families does not depend on designated motors. Instead, the cells maintain end-to-end connections following cell divisions to form long chains and exploit cell growth and division to push the cells forward. To investigate the dynamics of this motility mechanism, we constructed a mechanical model that depicts the interplay of the forces acting on and between the cells comprising the chain. Due to the exponential growth of individual cells, the tips of the chains can, in principle, accelerate to speeds faster than any known single-cell motility mechanism can achieve. However, analysis of the mechanical model shows that the exponential acceleration comes at the cost of an exponential buildup in mechanical stress in the chain, making overly long chains prone to breakage. Additionally, the mechanical model reveals that the dynamics of the chain expansion hinges on a single non-dimensional parameter. Perturbation analysis of the mechanical model further predicts the critical stress leading to chain breakage and its dependence on the non-dimensional parameter. Finally, we developed a simplistic population expansion model that uses the predicted breaking behavior to estimate the physical limit of chain-mediated population expansion. Predictions from the models provide critical insights into how this motility depends on key physical properties of the cell and the substrate. Overall, our models present a generically applicable theoretical framework for cell chain-mediated bacterial sliding motility and provide guidance for future experimental studies on such motility.
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23
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Asp ME, Ho Thanh MT, Germann DA, Carroll RJ, Franceski A, Welch RD, Gopinath A, Patteson AE. Spreading rates of bacterial colonies depend on substrate stiffness and permeability. PNAS NEXUS 2022; 1:pgac025. [PMID: 36712798 PMCID: PMC9802340 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The ability of bacteria to colonize and grow on different surfaces is an essential process for biofilm development. Here, we report the use of synthetic hydrogels with tunable stiffness and porosity to assess physical effects of the substrate on biofilm development. Using time-lapse microscopy to track the growth of expanding Serratia marcescens colonies, we find that biofilm colony growth can increase with increasing substrate stiffness, unlike what is found on traditional agar substrates. Using traction force microscopy-based techniques, we find that biofilms exert transient stresses correlated over length scales much larger than a single bacterium, and that the magnitude of these forces also increases with increasing substrate stiffness. Our results are consistent with a model of biofilm development in which the interplay between osmotic pressure arising from the biofilm and the poroelastic response of the underlying substrate controls biofilm growth and morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merrill E Asp
- Physics Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA,BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Minh-Tri Ho Thanh
- Physics Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA,BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Danielle A Germann
- Physics Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA,BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Robert J Carroll
- Physics Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA,BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Alana Franceski
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA,Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Roy D Welch
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA,Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Arvind Gopinath
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA,Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
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24
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Systems view of Bacillus subtilis pellicle development. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2022; 8:25. [PMID: 35414070 PMCID: PMC9005697 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-022-00293-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we link pellicle development at the water-air interface with the vertical distribution and viability of the individual B. subtilis PS-216 cells throughout the water column. Real-time interfacial rheology and time-lapse confocal laser scanning microscopy were combined to correlate mechanical properties with morphological changes (aggregation status, filament formation, pellicle thickness, spore formation) of the growing pellicle. Six key events were identified in B. subtilis pellicle formation that are accompanied by a major change in viscoelastic and morphology behaviour of the pellicle. The results imply that pellicle development is a multifaceted response to a changing environment induced by bacterial growth that causes population redistribution within the model system, reduction of the viable habitat to the water-air interface, cell development, and morphogenesis. The outcome is a build-up of mechanical stress supporting structure that eventually, due to nutrient deprivation, reaches the finite thickness. After prolonged incubation, the formed pellicle collapses, which correlates with the spore releasing process. The pellicle loses the ability to support mechanical stress, which marks the end of the pellicle life cycle and entry of the system into the dormant state.
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25
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Alert R, Martínez-Calvo A, Datta SS. Cellular Sensing Governs the Stability of Chemotactic Fronts. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2022; 128:148101. [PMID: 35476484 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.128.148101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In contexts ranging from embryonic development to bacterial ecology, cell populations migrate chemotactically along self-generated chemical gradients, often forming a propagating front. Here, we theoretically show that the stability of such chemotactic fronts to morphological perturbations is determined by limitations in the ability of individual cells to sense and thereby respond to the chemical gradient. Specifically, cells at bulging parts of a front are exposed to a smaller gradient, which slows them down and promotes stability, but they also respond more strongly to the gradient, which speeds them up and promotes instability. We predict that this competition leads to chemotactic fingering when sensing is limited at too low chemical concentrations. Guided by this finding and by experimental data on E. coli chemotaxis, we suggest that the cells' sensory machinery might have evolved to avoid these limitations and ensure stable front propagation. Finally, as sensing of any stimuli is necessarily limited in living and active matter in general, the principle of sensing-induced stability may operate in other types of directed migration such as durotaxis, electrotaxis, and phototaxis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricard Alert
- Princeton Center for Theoretical Science, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Nöthnitzerstraße 38, 01187 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Alejandro Martínez-Calvo
- Princeton Center for Theoretical Science, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | - Sujit S Datta
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
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26
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Bhattacharjee T, Amchin DB, Alert R, Ott JA, Datta SS. Chemotactic smoothing of collective migration. eLife 2022; 11:e71226. [PMID: 35257660 PMCID: PMC8903832 DOI: 10.7554/elife.71226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Collective migration-the directed, coordinated motion of many self-propelled agents-is a fascinating emergent behavior exhibited by active matter with functional implications for biological systems. However, how migration can persist when a population is confronted with perturbations is poorly understood. Here, we address this gap in knowledge through studies of bacteria that migrate via directed motion, or chemotaxis, in response to a self-generated nutrient gradient. We find that bacterial populations autonomously smooth out large-scale perturbations in their overall morphology, enabling the cells to continue to migrate together. This smoothing process arises from spatial variations in the ability of cells to sense and respond to the local nutrient gradient-revealing a population-scale consequence of the manner in which individual cells transduce external signals. Altogether, our work provides insights to predict, and potentially control, the collective migration and morphology of cellular populations and diverse other forms of active matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tapomoy Bhattacharjee
- The Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Daniel B Amchin
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Ricard Alert
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Princeton Center for Theoretical Science, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Jenna Anne Ott
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Sujit Sankar Datta
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
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27
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Patteson AE, Asp ME, Janmey PA. Materials science and mechanosensitivity of living matter. APPLIED PHYSICS REVIEWS 2022; 9:011320. [PMID: 35392267 PMCID: PMC8969880 DOI: 10.1063/5.0071648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Living systems are composed of molecules that are synthesized by cells that use energy sources within their surroundings to create fascinating materials that have mechanical properties optimized for their biological function. Their functionality is a ubiquitous aspect of our lives. We use wood to construct furniture, bacterial colonies to modify the texture of dairy products and other foods, intestines as violin strings, bladders in bagpipes, and so on. The mechanical properties of these biological materials differ from those of other simpler synthetic elastomers, glasses, and crystals. Reproducing their mechanical properties synthetically or from first principles is still often unattainable. The challenge is that biomaterials often exist far from equilibrium, either in a kinetically arrested state or in an energy consuming active state that is not yet possible to reproduce de novo. Also, the design principles that form biological materials often result in nonlinear responses of stress to strain, or force to displacement, and theoretical models to explain these nonlinear effects are in relatively early stages of development compared to the predictive models for rubberlike elastomers or metals. In this Review, we summarize some of the most common and striking mechanical features of biological materials and make comparisons among animal, plant, fungal, and bacterial systems. We also summarize some of the mechanisms by which living systems develop forces that shape biological matter and examine newly discovered mechanisms by which cells sense and respond to the forces they generate themselves, which are resisted by their environment, or that are exerted upon them by their environment. Within this framework, we discuss examples of how physical methods are being applied to cell biology and bioengineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison E. Patteson
- Physics Department and BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse NY, 13244, USA
| | - Merrill E. Asp
- Physics Department and BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse NY, 13244, USA
| | - Paul A. Janmey
- Institute for Medicine and Engineering and Departments of Physiology and Physics & Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, 19104, USA
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28
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Spontaneous formation and spatial self-organization of mechanically induced mesenchymal-like cells within geometrically confined cancer cell monolayers. Biomaterials 2021; 281:121337. [PMID: 34979418 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2021.121337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
There is spatiotemporal heterogeneity in cell phenotypes and mechanical properties in tumor tissues, which is associated with cancer invasion and metastasis. It is well-known that exogenous growth factors like transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, can induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-based phenotypic transformation and the formation of EMT patterning on geometrically confined monolayers with mechanics heterogeneity. In the absence of exogenous TGF-β stimulation, however, whether geometric confinement-caused mechanics heterogeneity of cancer cell monolayers alone can trigger the EMT-based phenotypic heterogeneity still remains mysterious. Here, we develop a micropattern-based cell monolayer model to investigate the regulation of mechanics heterogeneity on the cell phenotypic switch. We reveal that mechanics heterogeneity itself is enough to spontaneously induce the emergence of mesenchymal-like phenotype and asymmetrical activation of TGF-β-SMAD signaling. Spatiotemporal dynamics of patterned cell monolayers with mesenchymal-like phenotypes is essentially regulated by tissue-scale cell behaviors like proliferation, migration as well as heterogeneous cytoskeletal contraction. The inhibition of cell contraction abrogates the asymmetrical TGF-β-SMAD signaling activation level and the emergence of mesenchymal-like phenotype. Our work not only sheds light on the key regulation of mechanics heterogeneity caused by spatially geometric confinement on regional mesenchymal-like phenotype of cancer cell monolayers, but highlights the key role of biophysical/mechanical cues in triggering phenotypic switch.
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29
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Controlled spatial organization of bacterial growth reveals key role of cell filamentation preceding Xylella fastidiosa biofilm formation. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2021; 7:86. [PMID: 34876576 PMCID: PMC8651647 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-021-00258-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The morphological plasticity of bacteria to form filamentous cells commonly represents an adaptive strategy induced by stresses. In contrast, for diverse human and plant pathogens, filamentous cells have been recently observed during biofilm formation, but their functions and triggering mechanisms remain unclear. To experimentally identify the underlying function and hypothesized cell communication triggers of such cell morphogenesis, spatially controlled cell patterning is pivotal. Here, we demonstrate highly selective cell adhesion of the biofilm-forming phytopathogen Xylella fastidiosa to gold-patterned SiO2 substrates with well-defined geometries and dimensions. The consequent control of both cell density and distances between cell clusters demonstrated that filamentous cell formation depends on cell cluster density, and their ability to interconnect neighboring cell clusters is distance-dependent. This process allows the creation of large interconnected cell clusters that form the structural framework for macroscale biofilms. The addition of diffusible signaling molecules from supernatant extracts provides evidence that cell filamentation is induced by quorum sensing. These findings and our innovative platform could facilitate therapeutic developments targeting biofilm formation mechanisms of X. fastidiosa and other pathogens.
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30
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Nijjer J, Li C, Zhang Q, Lu H, Zhang S, Yan J. Mechanical forces drive a reorientation cascade leading to biofilm self-patterning. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6632. [PMID: 34789754 PMCID: PMC8599862 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26869-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In growing active matter systems, a large collection of engineered or living autonomous units metabolize free energy and create order at different length scales as they proliferate and migrate collectively. One such example is bacterial biofilms, surface-attached aggregates of bacterial cells embedded in an extracellular matrix that can exhibit community-scale orientational order. However, how bacterial growth coordinates with cell-surface interactions to create distinctive, long-range order during biofilm development remains elusive. Here we report a collective cell reorientation cascade in growing Vibrio cholerae biofilms that leads to a differentially ordered, spatiotemporally coupled core-rim structure reminiscent of a blooming aster. Cell verticalization in the core leads to a pattern of differential growth that drives radial alignment of the cells in the rim, while the growing rim generates compressive stresses that expand the verticalized core. Such self-patterning disappears in nonadherent mutants but can be restored through opto-manipulation of growth. Agent-based simulations and two-phase active nematic modeling jointly reveal the strong interdependence of the driving forces underlying the differential ordering. Our findings offer insight into the developmental processes that shape bacterial communities and provide ways to engineer phenotypes and functions in living active matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Japinder Nijjer
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Changhao Li
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Qiuting Zhang
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Haoran Lu
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sulin Zhang
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Jing Yan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Quantitative Biology Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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31
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Ziege R, Tsirigoni AM, Large B, Serra DO, Blank KG, Hengge R, Fratzl P, Bidan CM. Adaptation of Escherichia coli Biofilm Growth, Morphology, and Mechanical Properties to Substrate Water Content. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2021; 7:5315-5325. [PMID: 34672512 PMCID: PMC8579398 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c00927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
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Biofilms are complex
living materials that form as bacteria become
embedded in a matrix of self-produced protein and polysaccharide fibers.
In addition to their traditional association with chronic infections
or clogging of pipelines, biofilms currently gain interest as a potential
source of functional material. On nutritive hydrogels, micron-sized Escherichia coli cells can build centimeter-large biofilms.
During this process, bacterial proliferation, matrix production, and
water uptake introduce mechanical stresses in the biofilm that are
released through the formation of macroscopic delaminated buckles
in the third dimension. To clarify how substrate water content could
be used to tune biofilm material properties, we quantified E. coli biofilm growth, delamination dynamics, and rigidity
as a function of water content of the nutritive substrates. Time-lapse
microscopy and computational image analysis revealed that softer substrates
with high water content promote biofilm spreading kinetics, while
stiffer substrates with low water content promote biofilm delamination.
The delaminated buckles observed on biofilm cross sections appeared
more bent on substrates with high water content, while they tended
to be more vertical on substrates with low water content. Both wet
and dry biomass, accumulated over 4 days of culture, were larger in
biofilms cultured on substrates with high water content, despite extra
porosity within the matrix layer. Finally, microindentation analysis
revealed that substrates with low water content supported the formation
of stiffer biofilms. This study shows that E. coli biofilms respond to substrate water content, which might be used
for tuning their material properties in view of further applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Ziege
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | | | - Bastien Large
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Diego O Serra
- Institut für Biologie/Mikrobiologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
| | - Kerstin G Blank
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Regine Hengge
- Institut für Biologie/Mikrobiologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter Fratzl
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Cécile M Bidan
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
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32
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Liu X, Zhu K, Duan X, Wang P, Han Y, Peng W, Huang J. Extracellular matrix stiffness modulates host-bacteria interactions and antibiotic therapy of bacterial internalization. Biomaterials 2021; 277:121098. [PMID: 34478931 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2021.121098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic bacteria evolve multiple strategies to hijack host cells for intracellular survival and persistent infections. Previous studies have revealed the intricate interactions between bacteria and host cells at genetic, biochemical and even single molecular levels. Mechanical interactions and mechanotransduction exert a crucial impact on the behaviors and functions of pathogenic bacteria and host cells, owing to the ubiquitous mechanical microenvironments like extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether and how ECM stiffness modulates bacterial infections and the sequential outcome of antibacterial therapy. Here we show that bacteria tend to adhere to and invade epithelial cells located on the regions with relatively high traction forces. ECM stiffness regulates spatial distributions of bacteria during the invasion through arrangements of F-actin cytoskeletons in host cells. Depolymerization of cytoskeletons in the host cells induced by bacterial infection decreases intracellular accumulation of antibiotics, thus preventing the eradication of invaded bacterial pathogens. These findings not only reveal the key regulatory role of ECM stiffness, but suggest that the coordination of cytoskeletons may provide alternative approaches to improve antibiotic therapy against multidrug resistant bacteria in clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoye Liu
- Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, College of Engineering, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, and Beijing Innovation Center for Engineering Science and Advanced Technology, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Kui Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xiaocen Duan
- Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, College of Engineering, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, and Beijing Innovation Center for Engineering Science and Advanced Technology, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Pudi Wang
- Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, College of Engineering, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, and Beijing Innovation Center for Engineering Science and Advanced Technology, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yiming Han
- Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, College of Engineering, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, and Beijing Innovation Center for Engineering Science and Advanced Technology, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Wenjing Peng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jianyong Huang
- Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, College of Engineering, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, and Beijing Innovation Center for Engineering Science and Advanced Technology, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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33
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Jiang Z, Nero T, Mukherjee S, Olson R, Yan J. Searching for the Secret of Stickiness: How Biofilms Adhere to Surfaces. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:686793. [PMID: 34305846 PMCID: PMC8295476 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.686793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial biofilms are communities of cells enclosed in an extracellular polymeric matrix in which cells adhere to each other and to foreign surfaces. The development of a biofilm is a dynamic process that involves multiple steps, including cell-surface attachment, matrix production, and population expansion. Increasing evidence indicates that biofilm adhesion is one of the main factors contributing to biofilm-associated infections in clinics and biofouling in industrial settings. This review focuses on describing biofilm adhesion strategies among different bacteria, including Vibrio cholerae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. Techniques used to characterize biofilm adhesion are also reviewed. An understanding of biofilm adhesion strategies can guide the development of novel approaches to inhibit or manipulate biofilm adhesion and growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaowei Jiang
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Thomas Nero
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Sampriti Mukherjee
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Rich Olson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Molecular Biophysics Program, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, United States
| | - Jing Yan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.,Quantitative Biology Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
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34
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Effects of the Quinone Oxidoreductase WrbA on Escherichia coli Biofilm Formation and Oxidative Stress. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10060919. [PMID: 34204135 PMCID: PMC8229589 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10060919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The effects of natural compounds on biofilm formation have been extensively studied, with the goal of identifying biofilm formation antagonists at sub-lethal concentrations. Salicylic and cinnamic acids are some examples of these compounds that interact with the quinone oxidoreductase WrbA, a potential biofilm modulator and an antibiofilm compound biomarker. However, WrbA’s role in biofilm development is still poorly understood. To investigate the key roles of WrbA in biofilm maturation and oxidative stress, Escherichia coli wild-type and ∆wrbA mutant strains were used. Furthermore, we reported the functional validation of WrbA as a molecular target of salicylic and cinnamic acids. The lack of WrbA did not impair planktonic growth, but rather affected the biofilm formation through a mechanism that depends on reactive oxygen species (ROS). The loss of WrbA function resulted in an ROS-sensitive phenotype that showed reductions in biofilm-dwelling cells, biofilm thickness, matrix polysaccharide content, and H2O2 tolerance. Endogenous oxidative events in the mutant strain generated a stressful condition to which the bacterium responded by increasing the catalase activity to compensate for the lack of WrbA. Cinnamic and salicylic acids inhibited the quinone oxidoreductase activity of purified recombinant WrbA. The effects of these antibiofilm molecules on WrbA function was proven for the first time.
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35
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Hierarchical transitions and fractal wrinkling drive bacterial pellicle morphogenesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2023504118. [PMID: 33972433 PMCID: PMC8157956 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2023504118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Multicellular bacterial communities called biofilms and pellicles significantly influence medical infections and industrial biofouling. Biofilms and pellicles often act as reservoirs of toxigenic bacteria. Here, we report a fractal wrinkling morphogenesis program that underlies pellicle formation in the model biofilm former and global pathogen, Vibrio cholerae. Pellicle morphogenesis is marked by the emergence of a cascade of self-similar structures with fractal-like scaling in wavelength, which increases surface area and presumably enhances nutrient transport and signaling among community members. This morphogenesis program can be altered by varying the spatial heterogeneity of the community. Thus, bacterial pellicles could provide tractable model systems to understand overarching principles driving morphogenesis and for engineering of functional soft biomaterials. Bacterial cells can self-organize into structured communities at fluid–fluid interfaces. These soft, living materials composed of cells and extracellular matrix are called pellicles. Cells residing in pellicles garner group-level survival advantages such as increased antibiotic resistance. The dynamics of pellicle formation and, more generally, how complex morphologies arise from active biomaterials confined at interfaces are not well understood. Here, using Vibrio cholerae as our model organism, a custom-built adaptive stereo microscope, fluorescence imaging, mechanical theory, and simulations, we report a fractal wrinkling morphogenesis program that differs radically from the well-known coalescence of wrinkles into folds that occurs in passive thin films at fluid–fluid interfaces. Four stages occur: growth of founding colonies, onset of primary wrinkles, development of secondary curved ridge instabilities, and finally the emergence of a cascade of finer structures with fractal-like scaling in wavelength. The time evolution of pellicle formation depends on the initial heterogeneity of the film microstructure. Changing the starting bacterial seeding density produces three variations in the sequence of morphogenic stages, which we term the bypass, crystalline, and incomplete modes. Despite these global architectural transitions, individual microcolonies remain spatially segregated, and thus, the community maintains spatial and genetic heterogeneity. Our results suggest that the memory of the original microstructure is critical in setting the morphogenic dynamics of a pellicle as an active biomaterial.
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36
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Grobas I, Polin M, Asally M. Swarming bacteria undergo localized dynamic phase transition to form stress-induced biofilms. eLife 2021; 10:62632. [PMID: 33722344 PMCID: PMC7963483 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-organized multicellular behaviors enable cells to adapt and tolerate stressors to a greater degree than isolated cells. However, whether and how cellular communities alter their collective behaviors adaptively upon exposure to stress is largely unclear. Here, we investigate this question using Bacillus subtilis, a model system for bacterial multicellularity. We discover that, upon exposure to a spatial gradient of kanamycin, swarming bacteria activate matrix genes and transit to biofilms. The initial stage of this transition is underpinned by a stress-induced multilayer formation, emerging from a biophysical mechanism reminiscent of motility-induced phase separation (MIPS). The physical nature of the process suggests that stressors which suppress the expansion of swarms would induce biofilm formation. Indeed, a simple physical barrier also induces a swarm-to-biofilm transition. Based on the gained insight, we propose a strategy of antibiotic treatment to inhibit the transition from swarms to biofilms by targeting the localized phase transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iago Grobas
- Warwick Medical School, Universityof Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Marco Polin
- Warwick Medical School, Universityof Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.,Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.,Physics Department, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.,Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA UIB-CSIC), C/ Miquel Marqués, Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Munehiro Asally
- Bio-Electrical Engineering Innovation Hub, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.,Warwick Integrative Synthetic Biology Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.,School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
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37
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Wang X, Zhang D, Dong F, Liu S, Zhang J, Zhao H. Cell differentiation and motion determine the Bacillus subtilis biofilm morphological evolution under the competitive growth. J Basic Microbiol 2021; 61:396-405. [PMID: 33682160 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.202000635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The growth discrepancy of Bacillus subtilis biofilms along different directions under the competitive growth drive the formation of anisotropic biofilm morphology directly. Two biofilms growing from two inoculating positions with different distances exhibit promoting or inhibiting growth behavior. Here we develop an optical imaging technology to observe the cell differentiation and the growth dynamics when the biofilm grows. It shows that the spatiotemporal distribution of different phenotypes affects the biofilm morphological evolution. We develop a program to calculate the velocity of cell motion within the biofilm, which is based on the feature point matching approach. We find the cell differentiation ununiformity in the neighboring region and its opposite region leads to the cell velocity difference in the competitive environment, the different cell motion further influences the biofilm morphology evolution. When biofilms grow with a long inoculating distance, there is always a gap between the them; when biofilms grow with a short inoculating distance, two biofilms gradually merge into a whole. Our work establishes a relationship between microscopic cells and macroscopic biofilm morphological which enables us to study the competitive growth process of biofilms from multiple perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoling Wang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China.,School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Duohuai Zhang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Fulin Dong
- School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Song Liu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Jinchang Zhang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Computer Science, Institute of Software, China
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38
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Depetris A, Peter H, Bordoloi AD, Bernard H, Niayifar A, Kühl M, de Anna P, Battin TJ. Morphogenesis and oxygen dynamics in phototrophic biofilms growing across a gradient of hydraulic conditions. iScience 2021; 24:102067. [PMID: 33598641 PMCID: PMC7868926 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Biofilms are surface-attached and matrix-enclosed microbial communities that dominate microbial life in numerous ecosystems. Using flumes and automated optical coherence tomography, we studied the morphogenesis of phototrophic biofilms along a gradient of hydraulic conditions. Compact and coalescent biofilms formed under elevated bed shear stress, whereas protruding clusters separated by troughs formed under reduced shear stress. This morphological differentiation did not linearly follow the hydraulic gradient, but a break point emerged around a shear stress of ~0.08 Pa. While community composition did not differ between high and low shear environments, our results suggest that the morphological differentiation was linked to biomass displacement and reciprocal interactions between the biofilm structure and hydraulics. Mapping oxygen concentrations within and around biofilm structures, we provide empirical evidence for biofilm-induced alterations of oxygen mass transfer. Our findings suggest that architectural plasticity, efficient mass transfer, and resistance to shear stress contribute to the success of phototrophic biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Depetris
- Stream Biofilm and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hannes Peter
- Stream Biofilm and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ankur Deep Bordoloi
- Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hippolyte Bernard
- Stream Biofilm and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Amin Niayifar
- Stream Biofilm and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michael Kühl
- Marine Biological Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Strandpromenaden 5, 3000 Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Pietro de Anna
- Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tom Jan Battin
- Stream Biofilm and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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39
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Bridges AA, Fei C, Bassler BL. Identification of signaling pathways, matrix-digestion enzymes, and motility components controlling Vibrio cholerae biofilm dispersal. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:32639-32647. [PMID: 33288715 PMCID: PMC7768729 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2021166117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria alternate between being free-swimming and existing as members of sessile multicellular communities called biofilms. The biofilm lifecycle occurs in three stages: cell attachment, biofilm maturation, and biofilm dispersal. Vibrio cholerae biofilms are hyperinfectious, and biofilm formation and dispersal are considered central to disease transmission. While biofilm formation is well studied, almost nothing is known about biofilm dispersal. Here, we conducted an imaging screen for V. cholerae mutants that fail to disperse, revealing three classes of dispersal components: signal transduction proteins, matrix-degradation enzymes, and motility factors. Signaling proteins dominated the screen and among them, we focused on an uncharacterized two-component sensory system that we term DbfS/DbfR for dispersal of biofilm sensor/regulator. Phospho-DbfR represses biofilm dispersal. DbfS dephosphorylates and thereby inactivates DbfR, which permits dispersal. Matrix degradation requires two enzymes: LapG, which cleaves adhesins, and RbmB, which digests matrix polysaccharides. Reorientation in swimming direction, mediated by CheY3, is necessary for cells to escape from the porous biofilm matrix. We suggest that these components act sequentially: signaling launches dispersal by terminating matrix production and triggering matrix digestion, and subsequent cell motility permits escape from biofilms. This study lays the groundwork for interventions aimed at modulating V. cholerae biofilm dispersal to ameliorate disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew A Bridges
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
- HHMI, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
| | - Chenyi Fei
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | - Bonnie L Bassler
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544;
- HHMI, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
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40
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Grobas I, Bazzoli DG, Asally M. Biofilm and swarming emergent behaviours controlled through the aid of biophysical understanding and tools. Biochem Soc Trans 2020; 48:2903-2913. [PMID: 33300966 PMCID: PMC7752047 DOI: 10.1042/bst20200972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria can organise themselves into communities in the forms of biofilms and swarms. Through chemical and physical interactions between cells, these communities exhibit emergent properties that individual cells alone do not have. While bacterial communities have been mainly studied in the context of biochemistry and molecular biology, recent years have seen rapid advancements in the biophysical understanding of emergent phenomena through physical interactions in biofilms and swarms. Moreover, new technologies to control bacterial emergent behaviours by physical means are emerging in synthetic biology. Such technologies are particularly promising for developing engineered living materials (ELM) and devices and controlling contamination and biofouling. In this minireview, we overview recent studies unveiling physical and mechanical cues that trigger and affect swarming and biofilm development. In particular, we focus on cell shape, motion and density as the key parameters for mechanical cell-cell interactions within a community. We then showcase recent studies that use physical stimuli for patterning bacterial communities, altering collective behaviours and preventing biofilm formation. Finally, we discuss the future potential extension of biophysical and bioengineering research on microbial communities through computational modelling and deeper investigation of mechano-electrophysiological coupling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iago Grobas
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
| | - Dario G. Bazzoli
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K
| | - Munehiro Asally
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
- Warwick Integrative Synthetic Biology Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
- Bio-Electrical Engineering Innovation Hub, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
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41
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Cont A, Rossy T, Al-Mayyah Z, Persat A. Biofilms deform soft surfaces and disrupt epithelia. eLife 2020; 9:56533. [PMID: 33025904 PMCID: PMC7556879 DOI: 10.7554/elife.56533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
During chronic infections and in microbiota, bacteria predominantly colonize their hosts as multicellular structures called biofilms. A common assumption is that biofilms exclusively interact with their hosts biochemically. However, the contributions of mechanics, while being central to the process of biofilm formation, have been overlooked as a factor influencing host physiology. Specifically, how biofilms form on soft, tissue-like materials remains unknown. Here, we show that biofilms of the pathogens Vibrio cholerae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa can induce large deformations of soft synthetic hydrogels. Biofilms buildup internal mechanical stress as single cells grow within the elastic matrix. By combining mechanical measurements and mutations in matrix components, we found that biofilms deform by buckling, and that adhesion transmits these forces to their substrates. Finally, we demonstrate that V. cholerae biofilms can generate sufficient mechanical stress to deform and even disrupt soft epithelial cell monolayers, suggesting a mechanical mode of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Cont
- Institute of Bioengineering and Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tamara Rossy
- Institute of Bioengineering and Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Zainebe Al-Mayyah
- Institute of Bioengineering and Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Persat
- Institute of Bioengineering and Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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42
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WANG XIAOLING, TAN YIFAN, LIU JIALI, HU SHUAISHUAI, ZHAO HUI. THE EVOLVING WRINKLE PATTERN OF THE BACILLUS SUBTILIS BIOFILM PROVIDING MORE LIVING SPACE FOR CELLS. J MECH MED BIOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1142/s0219519420500487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The biofilm wrinkle evolution is the growth mechanism by which bacteria regulate their physiological state in response to the environmental change. We use the parameter of surface complexity to describe different wrinkle patterns. The surface complexity is defined that the biofilm surface area contact with the air is divided by the projected area of the biofilm. We find that the biofilm surface complexity variation is positively proportional to the number of spores. Although each wrinkle pattern has various wrinkle thickness and width, surface complexities of some patterns are almost same, which guarantees cells have enough living space. Through the observation of the growth of the damaged biofilm, we further find that the biofilm expansion along the circumferential direction is faster than that along radial direction, which means that the internal stress along the circumferential direction contributes the wrinkle formation. Our work provides a new perspective to study biofilm morphologies, and relates the morphology evolution with phenotypes in the Bacillus subtilis biofilm.
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Affiliation(s)
- XIAOLING WANG
- School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - YIFAN TAN
- School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
| | - JIALI LIU
- School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
| | - SHUAISHUAI HU
- School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
| | - HUI ZHAO
- State Key Laboratory of Computer Science, Institute of Software, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
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Qin B, Fei C, Bridges AA, Mashruwala AA, Stone HA, Wingreen NS, Bassler BL. Cell position fates and collective fountain flow in bacterial biofilms revealed by light-sheet microscopy. Science 2020; 369:71-77. [PMID: 32527924 DOI: 10.1126/science.abb8501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial biofilms represent a basic form of multicellular organization that confers survival advantages to constituent cells. The sequential stages of cell ordering during biofilm development have been studied in the pathogen and model biofilm-former Vibrio cholerae It is unknown how spatial trajectories of individual cells and the collective motions of many cells drive biofilm expansion. We developed dual-view light-sheet microscopy to investigate the dynamics of biofilm development from a founder cell to a mature three-dimensional community. Tracking of individual cells revealed two distinct fates: one set of biofilm cells expanded ballistically outward, while the other became trapped at the substrate. A collective fountain-like flow transported cells to the biofilm front, bypassing members trapped at the substrate and facilitating lateral biofilm expansion. This collective flow pattern was quantitatively captured by a continuum model of biofilm growth against substrate friction. Coordinated cell movement required the matrix protein RbmA, without which cells expanded erratically. Thus, tracking cell lineages and trajectories in space and time revealed how multicellular structures form from a single founder cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyang Qin
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Chenyi Fei
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Andrew A Bridges
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Ameya A Mashruwala
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Howard A Stone
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Ned S Wingreen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,Princeton Center for Theoretical Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Bonnie L Bassler
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. .,The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
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Nonuniform growth and surface friction determine bacterial biofilm morphology on soft substrates. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:7622-7632. [PMID: 32193350 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1919607117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
During development, organisms acquire three-dimensional (3D) shapes with important physiological consequences. While basic mechanisms underlying morphogenesis are known in eukaryotes, it is often difficult to manipulate them in vivo. To circumvent this issue, here we present a study of developing Vibrio cholerae biofilms grown on agar substrates in which the spatiotemporal morphological patterns were altered by varying the agar concentration. Expanding biofilms are initially flat but later undergo a mechanical instability and become wrinkled. To gain mechanistic insights into this dynamic pattern-formation process, we developed a model that considers diffusion of nutrients and their uptake by bacteria, bacterial growth/biofilm matrix production, mechanical deformation of both the biofilm and the substrate, and the friction between them. Our model shows quantitative agreement with experimental measurements of biofilm expansion dynamics, and it accurately predicts two distinct spatiotemporal patterns observed in the experiments-the wrinkles initially appear either in the peripheral region and propagate inward (soft substrate/low friction) or in the central region and propagate outward (stiff substrate/high friction). Our results, which establish that nonuniform growth and friction are fundamental determinants of stress anisotropy and hence biofilm morphology, are broadly applicable to bacterial biofilms with similar morphologies and also provide insight into how other bacterial biofilms form distinct wrinkle patterns. We discuss the implications of forming undulated biofilm morphologies, which may enhance the availability of nutrients and signaling molecules and serve as a "bet hedging" strategy.
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Incorporating Cellular Stochasticity in Solid-Fluid Mixture Biofilm Models. ENTROPY 2020; 22:e22020188. [PMID: 33285963 PMCID: PMC7516608 DOI: 10.3390/e22020188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The dynamics of cellular aggregates is driven by the interplay of mechanochemical processes and cellular activity. Although deterministic models may capture mechanical features, local chemical fluctuations trigger random cell responses, which determine the overall evolution. Incorporating stochastic cellular behavior in macroscopic models of biological media is a challenging task. Herein, we propose hybrid models for bacterial biofilm growth, which couple a two phase solid/fluid mixture description of mechanical and chemical fields with a dynamic energy budget-based cellular automata treatment of bacterial activity. Thin film and plate approximations for the relevant interfaces allow us to obtain numerical solutions exhibiting behaviors observed in experiments, such as accelerated spread due to water intake from the environment, wrinkle formation, undulated contour development, and the appearance of inhomogeneous distributions of differentiated bacteria performing varied tasks.
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Werner BG, Wu JY, Goddard JM. Antimicrobial and antifouling polymeric coating mitigates persistence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm. BIOFOULING 2019; 35:785-795. [PMID: 31550928 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2019.1660774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Food wasted due to food spoilage remains a global challenge to the environmental sustainability and security of food supply. In food manufacturing, post-processing contamination of food can occur due to persistent bacterial biofilms, which can be resistant to conventional cleaning and sanitization. The objective was to characterize the efficacy of a polymeric coating in reducing Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm establishment and facilitating its removal. Viable cell density of a 48 h biofilm was reduced by 2.10 log cfu cm-2 on the coated surface, compared to native polypropylene. Confocal laser scanning and electron microscopy indicated reductions in mature biofilm viability and thickness on the coated material. The antifouling coating improved cleanability, with ∼2.5 log cfu cm-2 of viable cells remaining after 105 min cleaning by water at 65 °C, compared to 4.5 log cfu cm-2 remaining on native polypropylene. Such coatings may reduce the persistence of biofilms in food processing environments, in support of reducing food spoilage and waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda G Werner
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University , Ithaca , NY , USA
| | - Julia Y Wu
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University , Ithaca , NY , USA
| | - Julie M Goddard
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University , Ithaca , NY , USA
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