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Paraffin Embedding and Thin Sectioning of Microbial Colony Biofilms for Microscopic Analysis
Published on: March 23, 2018
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Cloth colorization caused by microbial biofilm
Yuki Tsuchiya1, Jun Ohta, Yoshiki Ishida
1Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, Noji-higashi, Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan.
Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces
|March 25, 2008
Summary
Microbes can cause cloth discoloration. A specific bacterial strain, Micrococcus, was identified as the primary cause of yellowing on fabrics by forming a biofilm structure.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Cloth discoloration is a common issue.
- The biological agents responsible for fabric degradation are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the biological causes of cloth discoloration.
- To identify specific microbes responsible for yellowing worn cloth samples.
Main Methods:
- Incubation of worn cloth samples on sweat-ingredient agar medium.
- Isolation and identification of bacterial strains using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
- Inoculation of cloth samples with isolated bacterial strains (Bacillus and Micrococcus) to assess colorization.
- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to observe biofilm formation.
Main Results:
- Bacterial genera including Bacillus, Brevibacterium, Kocuria, Micrococcus, and Staphylococcus were isolated from discolored cloth.
- A bacterial isolate closely related to Micrococcus, alone or in combination with Bacillus, caused significant yellowing.
- SEM revealed biofilm formation on discolored areas, particularly when Micrococcus was present.
- The Bacillus isolate alone showed minimal colorization and no biofilm formation.
Conclusions:
- The bacterial strain belonging to the genus Micrococcus is strongly implicated in causing cloth yellowing.
- Biofilm formation by Micrococcus is a key mechanism in fabric discoloration.
- Understanding these microbial interactions can inform strategies for fabric preservation.
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