Berlin 2015 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 16: Posters: Cell adhesion, mechanics and migration
BP 16.10: Poster
Montag, 16. März 2015, 17:30–19:30, Poster A
Probing the Initial Steps of Bacterial Biofilm Formation: Dynamic and Molecular Principles of Surface Based Cell Motility and Mechano-Sensing — •Nora Sauter1,2, Matteo Sangermani3, Urs Jenal2,3, and Thomas Pfohl1,2 — 1Department of Chemistry, Universität Basel — 2Swiss Nanoscience Institute, Universität Basel — 3Biozentrum, Universität Basel
We use a microfluidic-based optical tweezers set-up to probe the initial steps of bacterial biofilm formation and to gain further insights into the principles of mechano-sensing. The model bacteria Caulobacter crescentus has two different stages in its life cycle: It starts as a swarmer cell and develops into a stalked cell when it comes into contact with a surface. A single swarmer cell is caught by an optical trap and approached to the surface of a colloidal particle, which is held by a second trap. The set-up allows for studies of the approaching and adhesion characteristics of Caulobacter to different surfaces - colloid particles with different surface coatings - in a controlled manner. Caulobacter swarmer cells adhere to surfaces through their pili followed by irreversibly bonding through the formation of a holdfast. Preliminary studies have led to a model where mechano-sensing occurs by pili-mediated obstruction of the flagellar rotary motor when the bacterium is close to the surface. Our set-up allows for the measurement of forces when the bacterium is approaching the surface, of the obstruction of the flagellar motor and in parallel of the exact distances between cell and surface. The experiments will help to gain further insights into the processes involved in mechano-sensing and adhesion of bacteria.