Molecular determinants of bacterial adhesion monitored by atomic force microscopy
AUTOR(ES)
Razatos, Anneta
FONTE
The National Academy of Sciences
RESUMO
Bacterial adhesion and the subsequent formation of biofilm are major concerns in biotechnology and medicine. The initial step in bacterial adhesion is the interaction of cells with a surface, a process governed by long-range forces, primarily van der Waals and electrostatic interactions. The precise manner in which the force of interaction is affected by cell surface components and by the physiochemical properties of materials is not well understood. Here, we show that atomic force microscopy can be used to analyze the initial events in bacterial adhesion with unprecedented resolution. Interactions between the cantilever tip and confluent monolayers of isogenic strains of Escherichia coli mutants exhibiting subtle differences in cell surface composition were measured. It was shown that the adhesion force is affected by the length of core lipopolysaccharide molecules on the E. coli cell surface and by the production of the capsular polysaccharide, colanic acid. Furthermore, by modifying the atomic force microscope tip we developed a method for determining whether bacteria are attracted or repelled by virtually any biomaterial of interest. This information will be critical for the design of materials that are resistant to bacterial adhesion.
ACESSO AO ARTIGO
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=21595Documentos Relacionados
- DNA condensation for gene therapy as monitored by atomic force microscopy.
- Molecular resolution imaging of macromolecular crystals by atomic force microscopy.
- Conformational change of the hexagonally packed intermediate layer of Deinococcus radiodurans monitored by atomic force microscopy.
- Slow cellular dynamics in MDCK and R5 cells monitored by time-lapse atomic force microscopy.
- A closer look at a molecular motor by atomic force microscopy.