Understanding the Adhesion Tendency of Biofilm-Forming Bacteria to Surfaces
A new study has discovered an interesting adhesion tendency in biofilm forming bacteria on surfaces. Published in the journal Langmuir, the research shows how bacteria can bond to a surface without any physical or chemical attachment. Instead, the bacteria form strong, stable bonds due to the organisms’ natural adhesion tendencies. This could have major implications for the development of medical devices, as well as other industrial applications where the presence of bacteria is an issue. The research team used a combination of optical and fluorescence microscopy to observe how the bacteria bind to surfaces. They were able to show that the bacteria use a ‘cluster-cluster’ adhesion mechanism, where individual bacteria bind to one another in order to form a strong bond with the surface. This is a significant discovery as it could lead to the development of better coating materials that are resistant to bacterial adhesion.
source: Phys.org