Scanning force microscopy (SFM) is a powerful tool which can be used to elucidate surface topography and provide force measurements at high resolution. Its ability to probe non-conductive samples in aqueous environments allows for the accurate investigation of bacterial surface properties in their native state, making it an excellent method of measuring cell-cell and cell-substrate adhesion. The poster explores this interdisciplinary area of research concerning the adhesive properties of bacterial cells. Adhesive forces associated with bacterial attachment can be probed using various methods including the pulling of adhered cells with functionalised cantilevers, attachment of individual bacterial cells to cantilever apices, or coating colloidal probes with bacterial cells. Our research, however, concentrates on the growth of bacterial biofilms on tipless cantilevers, hence creating conditions resembling their natural environment. We will be discussing our data collected while investigating the interactions which occur between these bioprobes and various surfaces such as stainless steel and PVC. In particular, the use of SFM to determine the adhesive forces of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa and a Micrococcus Luteus biofilms will be explored. For instance, our research findings indicate that P. Aeruginosa biofilms attach to surfaces with an affinity of up to 4 times that of M. luteus. Additionally, possible future studies which can be carried out to obtain further insight into the mechanism of bacterial adhesion to surfaces will also be explored. For example, research into the change of these adhesion forces as a function of time is proposed. The studied prokaryotic organisms pose a considerable problem in our society due to their role in widespread human disease as well as the increasingly pressing issue of antimicrobial resistance. Bacteria which live in the collaborative, multicellular communities known as biofilms benefit from the protection conferred by their extracellular polymeric matrix resulting in the enhancement of bacterial pathogenicity. Since the mechanism of bacterial surface attachment is known to play a crucial role in biofilm formation, our research into the relationship between bacteria and their attachment to various substrates can potentially be applied in emerging research into novel antimicrobial agents.

Using scanning force microscopy to unveil the main factors responsible for microorganism adhesion

2019 Fall National Meeting

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