Bacterial Behavior in Confined Spaces

Du, Hang; Xu, Wu; Zhang, Zhizhou; Han, Xiaojun

doi:10.3389/fcell.2021.629820

Cited by 11 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…initial biofilm formation 19 ) and cell-cell interactions 5 . However, the role of these structures in bacterial motility in confined environments remains laregely unknown 20 . We tested a Δ fliC mutant and did not find any satellite formation (N=21).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motility mediates satellite formation in confined biofilms

Cordero

Mitarai

Jauffred

2022

Preprint

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Bacteria have spectacular survival capabilities and can spread in many, vastly different environments. For instance, when pathogenic bacteria infect a host, the cells expand through proliferation and squeezing through narrow pores and elastic matrices. However, the exact role of surface structures and matrix elasticity in colony expansion and morphogenesis is still largely unknown. Here we show how satellite colonies emerge around biofilms embedded in semi-soft agar in controlled in vitro assays. We tested how extra-cellular structures - important for biofilm formation and motility - control this morphology. Moreover, we identify the range of extra-cellular matrix elasticity, where this morphology is possible. When paralleled with mathematical modelling, our results demonstrate that satellite formation allows bacterial communities to spread faster. We anticipate that this strategy is important to speed up expansion in various environments while retaining the close interactions and protection provided by the community.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motility mediates satellite formation in confined biofilms

Cordero

Mitarai

Jauffred

2022

Preprint

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“…During biofilm formation, soil homeostasis or invasion of biological tissues, bacteria need to push against their natural surroundings to accommodate space for new cells and grow as colonies. The resulting contact pressures, which are dependent on the mechanical properties of the local microenvironment, have been shown to influence bacteria cell size [23] and to slow down cell growth and delay cell cycle in bacteria studies in synthetic model systems, [37,38] though the principles and mechanisms behind this behavior remain to be investigated. Most studies of bacteria in spatial confinement have been performed in microchannels of different dimensions [39] or in microdroplets.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regulating bacterial behavior within hydrogels of tunable viscoelasticity

Bhusari

Sankaran

Campo

2022

Preprint

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Engineered living materials (ELMs) are a new class of materials in which living organisms incorporated into diffusive matrices uptake a fundamental role in material composition and function. Understanding how the spatial confinement in 3D affects the behavior of the embedded cells is crucial to design and predict ELM functions, regulate and minimize their environmental impact and facilitate their translation into applied materials. This study investigates the growth and metabolic activity of bacteria within an associative hydrogel network (Pluronic-based) with mechanical properties that can be tuned by introducing a variable degree of acrylate crosslinks. Individual bacteria distributed in the hydrogel matrix at low density form functional colonies whose size is controlled by the extent of permanent crosslinks. With increasing stiffness and decreasing plasticity of the matrix, a decrease in colony volumes and an increase in their sphericity is observed. Protein production surprisingly follows a different pattern with higher production yields occurring in networks with intermediate permanent crosslinking degrees. These results demonstrate that, bacterial mechanosensitivity can be used to control and regulate the composition and function of ELMs by thoughtful design of the encapsulating matrix, and by following design criteria with interesting similarities to those developed for 3D culture of mammalian cells.

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“…The resulting compressive forces on the cell population are dependent on the mechanical properties of the local microenvironment, cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions and mechanical instabilities at cellular scale, [ 38 ] and have been shown to influence cell size, [ 39 ] to limit cell growth [ 40 , 41 ] and to delay cell cycle [ 42 ] in studies with microorganisms in synthetic model systems. [ 43 , 44 ] Physical models under discussion consider self‐driven jamming and build‐up of large mechanical pressures as natural principles behind the collective growth and organization of a colony in 3D confinement. [ 42 , 45 ] Macromolecular crowding and slower diffusion inside the cell, as a consequence of confined growth, have been recently suggested as inherent biophysical feedback routes that can regulate the metabolic behavior of microorganisms in confinement.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regulating Bacterial Behavior within Hydrogels of Tunable Viscoelasticity

2022

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Engineered living materials (ELMs) are a new class of materials in which living organism incorporated into diffusive matrices uptake a fundamental role in material's composition and function. Understanding how the spatial confinement in 3D can regulate the behavior of the embedded cells is crucial to design and predict ELM's function, minimize their environmental impact and facilitate their translation into applied materials. This study investigates the growth and metabolic activity of bacteria within an associative hydrogel network (Pluronic‐based) with mechanical properties that can be tuned by introducing a variable degree of acrylate crosslinks. Individual bacteria distributed in the hydrogel matrix at low density form functional colonies whose size is controlled by the extent of permanent crosslinks. With increasing stiffness and elastic response to deformation of the matrix, a decrease in colony volumes and an increase in their sphericity are observed. Protein production follows a different pattern with higher production yields occurring in networks with intermediate permanent crosslinking degrees. These results demonstrate that matrix design can be used to control and regulate the composition and function of ELMs containing microorganisms. Interestingly, design parameters for matrices to regulate bacteria behavior show similarities to those elucidated for 3D culture of mammalian cells.

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Bacterial Behavior in Confined Spaces

Cited by 11 publications

References 36 publications

Motility mediates satellite formation in confined biofilms

Motility mediates satellite formation in confined biofilms

Regulating bacterial behavior within hydrogels of tunable viscoelasticity

Regulating Bacterial Behavior within Hydrogels of Tunable Viscoelasticity

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